District Energy Now
Volume 13 Number 6 January 1998
Welcome New Members!
We hope you will join us in welcoming the following new members of IDEA!
Paul OstranderDirector, Facilities Development & Management
Arizona State University West Campus
P.O. Box 37100
Phoenix, AZ 85069-7100
602-543-3215
602-543-6912 fax
E-mail: POSTRAND@asuvm.inre.asu.edu
Bob Huling
Central Plant Supervisor
Arizona State University West Campus
P.O. Box 37100
Phoenix, AZ 85069-7100
602-543-6955
602-543-6912 fax
E-mail: Huling@asuvm.inre.asu.edu
Russell J. Rabago
Sales Engineer
Nationwide Boiler Inc.
42400 Christy St.
Fremont, CA 94538
510-490-7100
510-490-0571 fax
James W. Krull, P.E.
Mechanical Engineer
Wendel Design
95 John Muir Drive, Suite 100
Buffalo, NY 14228
716-688-0766
716-625-6825 fax
E-mail: Jkrull@wendel-design.com
referred by: Scott F. Smith, P.E.
Kanetoshi Hayashi
Visiting Researcher
Argonne National Laboratory
9700 South Cass Avenue, Bldg. 212
Argonne, IL 60439
630-252-1867
630-252-4798 fax
E-mail: kanetoshi_hayashi@qmgate.anl.gov
Joâo de Jesus Ferreira
Executive Vice President
Climaespaco
Av. Duque de Avila - 141-4°
Lisboa-Portugal
351-1-317 11 70
351-1-315 27 21 fax
E-mail: jesusferreira@mail.telepac.pt
Referred by: Trigen-Tulsa
José M. Moniz
Marketing
Climaespaco
Av. Duque de Avila - 141-4°
Lisboa-Portugal
351-1-317 11 70
351-1-315 27 21 fax
referred by: Trigen-Tulsa
Alex Schmidt
Trigen/PCS
7526 Connelley Drive, Suite R
Hanover, MD 21076
888-846-7488
410-760-0028 fax
E-mail: Environpcs@aol.com
referred by: Tanya Kozel, Trigen/PCS
John Te Raa
General Manager
Trigen-PEI
40 Riverside Dr.
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Canada C1A 9M2
902-629-3960 x231
902-894-4049 fax
E-mail: Jteraa@trigen.com
Calendar of Events
"District Heat Technology '98"
February 17-19, 1998
Essen Trade Fair Grounds, Germany
Contact: AGFW, 0049-201-7244-532
IDEA Marketing Workshop
February 25-26, 1998
Crowne Plaza Redondo Beach & Marina Hotel, Redondo Beach, California
Contact: IDEA, (202) 429-5111
11th Annual IDEA College/University Conference
February 25-27, 1998
Crowne Plaza Redondo Beach & Marina Hotel, Redondo Beach, California
Contact: IDEA, (202) 429-5111
89th Annual IDEA Conference & Trade Show
June 13-16, 1998
San Antonio Convention Center & Hilton Palacio del Rio Hotel, San Antonio, Texas
Contact: IDEA, (202) 4295111
13th Annual IDEA Cooling Conference
October 7-9, 1998
Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia
Contact: IDEA, (202) 429-5111
11th Annual College/University Conference & The Marketing Forum Workshop Quickly Approaching
Make your plans now to attend IDEA's 11th Annual College/University Conference, February 25-27, 1998 and the Marketing Forum Workshop, February 25-26, 1997 in Redondo Beach, California You should have received your preliminary programs and registration brochure in the mail. Be sure to register before January 30 to save $50!
Sponsorship opportunities are available to those who wish to sponsor breaks or lunches. Please contact Marie Williams, IDEA, at (202) 429-5111 if you would like further information on these marketing opportunities.
For the third year, table top exhibits will be part of the College/University Conference. If you are interested in purchasing a table top exhibit, and already are an exhibitor at the 89th Annual Conference and Trade Show in June, please call Tammie Jackson, Marketing Manager, at (301) 464-0059. Act fast, space is very limited!
World's Largest Lignite Powered Plant
Schwarze Pumpe cogeneration power plant in Brandenburg, Germany, the world's largest lignite-fired facility, comprises two 800-MW steam turbine generators, 55 percent fuel efficiency. In addition, the plant supplies process steam for lignite benefaction and district heat for nearby communities. VEAG Vereinigte Energiewerke AG awarded Siemens/KWU a DM 600-million contract in 1992 to provide overall planning for the power plant, as well as to supply the turbine generators, a Teleperm XP future-oriented I&C system, and generator transformers.
IDEA System-of-the-Year Award Deadline Approaching
The System-of-the-Year Award was created in 1992 as an annual award to recognize an outstanding district energy system which exemplifies high levels of performance and furthers the goals of the district energy industry. The award serves to: provide an industry benchmark for overall excellence; provide a platform for sharing ideas and efforts that have made systems successful; identify and recognize systems that illustrate the overall importance of district heating and cooling in the marketplace and in the long-term energy picture; and further publicize district heating and cooling as a progressive industry that seeks constant improvement in the services it provides.
Previous winners of this prestigious award include: District Energy St. Paul, Energy Systems Company, Minneapolis Energy Center and University of California-Los Angeles.
Contact IDEA at (202) 429-5111, for a complete listing of eligibility, submission requirements, criteria and scoring. All submittals must be received by March 31, 1998. The winner of the Award will be announced during the Chairman's Dinner at the 89th Annual IDEA Conference in San Antonio, Texas in June.
Award Nominations Sought
Nominations are actively being sought for the Norman R. Taylor Award, IDEA's "man-of-the-year" award which recognizes life-long achievement and support of the district energy industry. Past award winners include Michael McKay, Princeton University; John Gray, Grace Dearborn; Jack Kattner, Kattner/FVB District Energy; Tom Casten, Trigen Energy Corporation; Hans Nyman, District Energy St. Paul; Jim Barnes, Central Heat Distribution Company; Ken Linwick, Minneapolis Energy Center; Wyndy Clarke, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; Carl Avers, Thermal Ventures; Ishai Oliker, Joseph Technology Corporation; and William Goodwin, Harrisburg Steam Works.
Nominations are also being accepted for the Public Sector Leadership Award. This award differs from the above in that it recognizes active, consistent support of the district energy industry by a person in the local, state or federal public sectors. Past award winners include The General Services Administration; New Jersey General Assemblywoman Maureen Ogden; Trenton, New Jersey Mayor Arthur Holland; St. Paul Mayor George Latimer; Michael Wiggin, Energy, Mines and Resources Canada; Fred Strnisa, New York State Energy R&D Authority; and Gordon Bloomquist, Washington State Energy Office.
Awards will be conferred during the 89th IDEA Annual Conference, June 13-16, 1998 at the San Antonio Convention Center, San Antonio, Texas.
For more information, or to submit a nomination, contact IDEA or Joette Woodard-Yauk, IDEA Past President and Chairman of the Nominations Committee, Lansing Board of Water & Light, PO Box 13007, Lansing, MI 48901-3007, (517) 371-6780, (517) 371-6855 fax. THE DEADLINE FOR NOMINATIONS IS APRIL 27, 1998.
Sustainable Energy Coalition Holds Press Conference
The Sustainable Energy Coalition, of which IDEA is a member, held a press conference on Thursday, December 11 at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. to discuss the ramifications of the Kyoto treaty. Approximately 29 journalists attended the conference, including those from the New York Times, Reuters, Fox-TV, Associated Press-TV and others.
The Coalition outlined its position which advocates increasing the Department of Energy's budget for renewables and energy efficiency, including district energy, to at least $1.4 billion annually, with further increases in the out years.
GE Power Systems Named Global Distributor for Elliott Microturbines
GE Power Systems announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Elliott Energy Systems naming GE a distributor of Elliott's new line of Turbo Alternators®, or microturbines.
Under the terms of the agreement, GE becomes a worldwide distribution channel to utilities, gas and power marketers, independent power producers, energy service companies, regulatory agencies and designated commercial and industrial end-users. The agreement covers GE's sales, installation, maintenance and service of Elliott-manufactured microturbine. The distribution agreement is expected to be finalized in the first quarter of 1998.
Trigen Energy to Acquire Power Sources Inc.
Trigen Energy Corporation has signed an agreement to acquire privately-held Power Sources Inc. (PSI), a biomass-to-energy power plant developer and operator headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. PSI had revenues of $17.9 million for its fiscal year ended June 30, 1997. Trigen indicated that the acquisition, expected to close next month, has a purchase value of approximately $40 million and would be immediately accretive to earnings per share.
PSI was founded in 1985 and specializes in supplying steam to industrial customers produced from biomass fuels including wood residues, rice hulls and paper sludge. The plants they have developed and operate currently supply steam to seven industrial facilities in North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi and Tennessee, a region not now served by Trigen.
Thomas R. Casten, president and CEO of Trigen, commented, "The PSI acquisition will add four states to the 15 locations Trigen already serves and increases the number of Trigen plants from 26 to 33. PSI will operate as a subsidiary of Trigen with no personnel changes anticipated."
Climate Change Protocol Negotiated
Representatives of 160 countries reached agreement in Kyoto, Japan last month on a legally binding Protocol under which industrialized countries will reduce their collective emissions of greenhouse gases by 5.2%. The Kyoto accord will encourage a move toward district energy systems and other highly efficient, low-emissions technologies.
The agreement aims to lower overall emissions from a group of six greenhouse gases by 2008-12, calculated as an average over these five years. Cuts in the three most important gases -- carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) -- will be measured against a base year of 1990. Cuts in three long-lived industrial gases -- hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) -- can be measured against either a 1990 or 1995 baseline. The agreement calls for the developed countries to reduce their emissions from their 1990 levels -- Europe by 8%, the U.S. by 7%, and Japan by 6%. The agreement includes a commitment to emissions trading, but the details of a trading system must still be negotiated during additional meetings scheduled in 1998.
There is significant resistance to the accord in the U.S. Senate, which must ratify the treaty. The Protocol will be opened for signature for one year from March 16, 1998. It will enter into force after it has been ratified by at least 6 countries representing 55% of the total 1990 emissions from developed countries.
For further information about the climate change issue, contact Mark Spurr, Legislative Director, at phone 612-227-8452 or e-mail markspur@ix.netcom.com.
IDEA Advocates Accelerated Depreciation and Other Policies for District Energy
The need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as well as air pollution has significantly increased government interest in district energy. IDEA is advocating a number of policy and regulatory measures to encourage the development and expansion of district energy systems, including:
1. Accelerated depreciation for investments in district energy systems, specifically a 7 year, 200% declining balance tax depreciation for plant and distribution assets. In contrast, most district energy property is currently depreciated over 20 years on a 150% declining balance basis. Despite the long-term benefits of district energy -- lower operating costs, locally retained economic benefits, increased energy security, higher energy efficiency and reduced environmental impacts -- initial capital costs and the time and risks associated with developing a mature system are significant constraints. IDEA's proposal is intended to address this barrier.
2. Generation performance standards and associated trading mechanisms which recognize the environmental benefits of cogenerated district energy systems. Performance standards, which are being proposed in restructuring legislation to address concerns about air pollution effects of power industry restructuring, would establish an emissions cap and trading system for nitrogen oxides, sulfer dioxide and carbon dioxide. IDEA has been successful in modifying proposed legislation to ensure that such a standard is based on the total energy output of the plant, including cogenerated thermal energy, rather than solely on electricity output.
3. Information and education programs to increase understanding of district energy opportunities and benefits. With the support of the Sustainable Energy Coalition and others, IDEA has proposed a $5 million Department of Energy program in Fiscal Year 1999 for an integrated campaign to catalyze development of district energy systems by:
- providing information to local governments on the benefits of district energy and how to evaluate and implement community energy system opportunities;
- providing technical assistance and cost-shared funding for community energy resource assessments and district energy feasibility studies;
- providing information to building developers, architects and engineers on how district systems work and how to integrate them into development plans and designs;
- developing and operating an information clearinghouse on system implementation;
- identifying institutional and regulatory barriers and implementing measures for overcoming barriers;
- encouraging the adoption of federal, state and local government policies that encourage use of district energy in government facilities; and
- implementing cooperative international research, development and demonstration through the International Energy Agency to further reduce costs and improve efficiencies of district energy technologies.
For further information about IDEA's recommendations, contact Mark Spurr, Legislative Director, at phone 612-227-8452 or e-mail markspur@ix.netcom.com.
Get the Power....
International District Energy Association's
89th Annual Conference and Trade Show
Community District Energy: Power to Change our World
San Antonio Convention Center, San Antonio, Texas
June 13-16, 1998
Plans are well underway for IDEA's 89th Annual Conference and Trade Show. This year's program will be filled with informative and timely technical sessions, leading industry speakers, interactive technical tours, a fun and relaxing social and spouse program, PLUS, a trade show that will feature the most innovative products and services from the industy's leading suppliers...In fact, here's a peek at some of the companies that you'll want to be sure to visit when you attend the annual conference in June:
Ashland Chemical Co./Drew Industrial Div. Nova District Energy Services, Inc.
Black & Veatch *Perma-Pipe, Inc.
Carrier Corporation Pittsburgh Corning Corp.
CES/WAY Int'l, Inc. RMF Engineering, Inc.
Contrec-USA, LLC *Rovanco Piping Systems
Controlotron Corp. *Spence Engineering Co.
Diversey Water Technologies, Inc. Thermo Power Corp.
*DriTherm, Inc. *The Trane Co.
Ewing Power Systems *Trigen/PCS
Flow Control Industries, Inc. Tuthill Corp./Murray Turbomachinery Div.
Kattner/FVB District Energy, Inc. *Urecon, Ltd.
Marley Cooling Tower Co. *Vanderweil Engineers
Michael Hesky GmbH Vanessa Valve Co.
Nalco Chemical Co. York Int'l Corp.
*Nationwide Boiler, Inc.
(*Indicates companies who also have a tabletop exhibit at the IDEA 11th Annual College/University Conference that will take place February 25-27, 1998, at the Crowne Plaza Redondo Beach & Marina Hotel, Redondo Beach, California.)
There are still exhibit and sponsorship opportunities available for this conference. To secure a sponsorship, please contact Marie Williams at (202) 429-5111. For information on exhibiting at IDEA's conference, contact Tammie Jackson at (301) 464-0059.
Watch your mail in February for the preliminary program and registration brochure.