A light reflection technique suitable for development into an automated surface quality certification system was investigated to determine if reflected light intensity distributions could be corre]ated with surface defect depths. Reflected laser light intensity distributions from pit and scratch defects on highly reflective spheres were studied with a commercial multi-element photodetector. It was found that the intensity distributions --Goll'lf be correlated with depths of pits and scratches in a size range of concern on highly reflective' spheres.

This document explains how NREL's fermentation research has produced a major breakthrough in the production of ethanol from biomass. Use of a metabolically engineered bacterium, which will allow cofermentation of both major components (xylose and glucose) of biomass, promises to greatly simplify the production process and reduce costs.

Geothermal Energy Technology (GET) announces on a bimonthly basis the current worldwide information available on the technologies required for economic recovery of geothermal energy and its use as direct heat or for electric power production.

The National Photovoltaic (PV) Program, a joint effort of DOE, the national laboratories, and the U.S. PV industry, had exciting advances and significant accomplishments in fiscal year 1997. The booklet provides details of new products introduced, manufacturing processes improved, capacity expanded, and new materials explored. The Million Solar Roofs Initiative, announced by President Clinton on June 26, 1997, will build on the solid foundation of steady research progress in laboratories and universities, industry investment in new technology and capacity, and the burgeoning solar power market both here and abroad.

This document describes the design, implementation, and testing of the Initial Validation Software (IVS) for meteorological tower data at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory/National Wind Technology Center. The document outlines all design issues relating to the IVS, including the design process, an outline of the software and testing procedures, and an evaluation of design results after further iterations of the design process.

This issue has the following articles: (1) The Omega Laser Facility Users Group Workshop; (2) The Effect of Condensates and Inner Coatings on the Performance of Vacuum Hohlraum Targets; (3) Zirconia-Coated-Carbonyl-Iron-Particle-Based Magnetorheological Fluid for Polishing Optical Glasses and Ceramics; (4) All-Fiber Optical Magnetic Field Sensor Based on Faraday Rotation in Highly Terbium Doped Fiber; (5) Femtosecond Optical Pump-Probe Characterization of High-Pressure-Grown Al{sub 0.86}Ga{sub 0.14}N Single Crystals; (6) LLE's Summer High School Research Program; (7) Laser Facility Report; and (8) National Laser Users Facility and External Users Programs.

In July 2001, the Augusta Newsprint Company partnered with Invensys' Pacific Simulation group to implement an advanced quality control (AQC) solution for the thermomechanical pulping (TMP) process at Augusta Newsprint's Augusta, Georgia, site. The goal of the project is to decrease energy and raw material costs while maintaining final pulp quality. The project involves coordinating AQC in 3 areas of the paper mill to reduce the amount of energy required for manufacturing. In addition, a time-of-day production (TODP) feature will use current power market pricing data to adjust production rates in the pulping operation to minimize the average cost of purchased energy. The AQC implementation is currently in progress.

The boiler blowdown process involves the periodic or continuous removal of water from a boiler to remove accumulated dissolved solids and/or sludges. During the process, water is discharged from the boiler to avoid the negative impacts of dissolved solids or impurities on boiler efficiency and maintenance. However, boiler blowdown wastes energy because the blown down liquid is at about the same temperature as the steam produced. Much of this heat can be recovered by routing the blown down liquid through a heat exchanger that preheats the boiler's makeup water. A boiler blowdown heat recovery project at Augusta Newsprint Company's Augusta, GA mill will save almost $31,000 annually in fuel costs.

School districts around the country are finding that smart energy choices can help them save money and provide healthier, more effective learning environments. By incorporating energy improvements into their construction or renovation plans, schools can significantly reduce their energy consumption and costs. These savings can then be redirected to educational needs such as additional teachers, instructional materials, or new computers.

Most school administrators and board members today must perform a tough juggling act. You're challenged to fulfill increasingly complex educational missions, meet rising community expectations, and serve growing student populations all with constrained operating budgets. As districts consider renovating their facilities or building new schools, many have found that smart energy choices can have lasting benefits for their schools, their communities, and the environment.

Operating a typical school today is no easy task for facilities managers and business officials. You're expected to deliver increased services with constrained operating budgets. Many schools stay open for longer hours to accommodate community use of the facilities. Dilapidated buildings and systems gobble up energy, yet in many districts, maintenance needs are overshadowed by the need for expansion or new construction to serve growing student populations and changing educational needs.

This four-page overview describes how the Department of Energy's Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) works to reduce the cost and environmental impact of the Federal government by advancing energy efficiency and water conservation, promoting the use of distributed and renewable energy, and improving utility management decisions at Federal sites. Chartered in 1973, FEMP's mandate is to lead the government toward more efficient use of energy resources. FEMP's challenge is to help agencies address their most pressing energy management concerns with smart solutions that result in significant savings to taxpayers. The government is making considerable progress in this effort. Despite energy bills that total approximately $4 billion annually for Federal buildings and other facilities, the government's building-related energy costs have actually dropped more than 20% per square foot since 1985, thanks in large part to the work FEMP does.

Augusta Newsprint Company performed a plant-wide energy assessment that implemented four projects involving pumping systems presented in this study, which are projected to reduce energy consumption by over 5,200 megawatt hours.

While improving their energy use in buildings and bus fleets, schools are likely to create better places for teaching and learning with better lighting, temperature control, acoustics, and air quality. Smart districts also realize benefits in student performance.

The following pages take a look at some of the myths and misconceptions about energy in schools, and provide the facts that can help school districts make smart energy choices. Around the country, many school districts are already proving that energy-smart building choices can significantly reduce their operating costs and, at the same time, create better places to teach and learn.

Fact sheet features the lessons learned by New York State's when it set up its fleet to comply with a state legislation that required it to acquire only alternative fuel vehicles by 2010.

This two-page case study describes how staff at NASA John H. Glenn Research Center (GRC) in Cleveland, Ohio, found an alternative way to fund energy efficiency projects when operating and maintenance budgets were reduced. NASA GRC was able to use a DOE Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) Regional Super Energy Savings Performance Contract (Super ESPC) to obtain lighting system upgrades, lighting controls, boiler economizers, and other energy-efficient equipment. A Super ESPC allows an energy services company to pay the initial costs of new equipment and improvements and to be repaid over the contract term out of the Federal agency's resulting energy cost savings. This project has an estimated energy savings of 18,000 million Btu (19 trillion joules) per year; the estimated energy cost savings are approximately$200,000 each year. The capital investment was about $1,200,000, and the contract term is seven years.

Houses being built in Tucson, Arizona, by Pulte Homes are part of the U.S. Department of Energy Building America program. These homes reduce electric air-conditioning bill and gas-heating bills by 30-50% relative to the 1995 Model Energy Code.

Fact sheet describes the performance of liquefied natural gas (LNG) turbine hybrid electric buses used in Tempe's Transportation Division.

Wind Power for America: Rural Electric Utilities Harvest a New Crop is a trifold brochure that strives to educate rural landowners and rural co-op utilities about the benefits of wind power development. It provides examples of rural utilities that have successful wind energy projects and supportive statements from industry members.

In 2000, The Visteon automotive glass plant improved its compressed air system at its automotive glass plant in Nashville, Tennessee. This improvement allowed Visteon to save $711,000 annually, reduce annual energy consumption by 7.9 million kilowatt-hours, reduce maintenance, improve system performance, and avoid $800,000 in asbestos abatement costs.

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The Nebraska Energy Office administers the Nebraska Dollar and Energy Savings Loans that makes available low-cost financing for energy efficiency projects for state citizens and businesses.

DOE's Office of Heavy Vehicle Technologies sponsored a research project with Ralphs Grocery Company to collect and analyze data on the performance and operation of 15 diesel trucks fueled with EC-Diesel in commercial service. These trucks were compared to 5 diesel trucks fueled with CARB diesel and operating on similar routes. This document reports this evaluation.