Michigan alternative energy: frustrated now, optimistic longer-term
Members of Michigan's alternative energy community this month expressed a mixture of immediate frustration and long-term optimism about the future of the renewable power industry in our state and nationally. The event, sponsored by the Michigan University Research Corridor and WWJ Newsradio 950, was called "Building a Green Michigan: Carbon Culture at the Crossroads." It attracted a crowd of more than 200 to Wayne State University. One panel at the event featured representatives of Michigan’s traditional industries – autos, steel, glass – and representatives of the emerging energy industry, and how they’re coping with energy changes. View a video highlighting the event and hear podcasts from the event at this link.

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RKA first in nation to biodiesel certification
Romulus-based RKA Petroleum said it's the first company in North America to become "marketer certified" under the BQ-9000 certification, including multiple feedstock based biodiesel. The handling of biodiesel is as critical to fuel quality as proper production. BQ-9000 accreditation helps biodiesel distributors improve their fuel testing programs and reduce any chance of producing or distributing inadequate fuel. The program is a combination of the ASTM standard for biodiesel, ASTM D 6751, and a quality systems program that includes storage, sampling, testing, blending, shipping, distribution, and fuel management practices. More at www.rkapetroleum.com.

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Encore Energy revenue jumps
Brighton-based Encore Energy Systems announced a 65 percent increase in first quarter revenue to $361,130, up from $219,140 a year earlier. Sales for the American geothermal arm of Encore are projected to nearly double and be in excess of $1.4 million this year. This figure does not include sales projections from the company's other operations and projects. Encore owns United States patents for the use of grey water -- defined as wastewater from sinks and tubs, but not toilets -- in geothermal heating systems to both heat and cool buildings. The company also provides conventional geothermal heat exchange systems. More at www.encoreenergyinc.com.

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DTE Energy seeks Michigan renewable energy proposals
DTE Energy has issued a Request for Proposal to purchase Michigan-based renewable energy for the company's GreenCurrents renewable energy program. GreenCurrents provides DTE Energy's 2.2 million electric customers the option of choosing environmentally friendly renewable energy for their homes and businesses. More than 8,000 customers have signed up for GreenCurrents since its inception last April, making it one of the fastest growing voluntary renewable energy programs in the country. A key element of GreenCurrents is to encourage the development and operation of new renewable energy projects in Michigan. Additional information on the RFP is available at www.dteenergy.com/rfp.

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Ford says near-term tech can boost MPG 20 percent
Ford Motor Co. says near-term technological advances can boost fuel economy by up to 20 percent. Andreas R. Schamel, Ford's chief engineer for research and advanced engineering, told the Society of Automotive Engineers 2008 World Congress this month about the automaker's EcoBoost technology. EcoBoost, which mates advanced direct injection technology and turbocharging with a gasoline engine, can deliver up to 20 percent better fuel economy, 15 percent lower CO2 emissions and superior driving performance versus larger displacement engines. The technology will be spread across Ford's lineup from small cars to large pickups.

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Hybrid test center coming to Auburn Hills
FEV Inc., the United States subsidiary of the German powertrain designer, announced the installation of eight new hybrid powertrain development test cells in Auburn Hills. FEV said the cells were believed to be the only non-automaker full hybrid powertrain test cells in the United States. FEV says the sites expands its technical capability to accommodate the sharp increase in hybrid powertrain development by its customers. FEV employs about 300 people at its North American Technical Center in Auburn Hills.

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Detroit Grand Prix to feature green racing initiatives
The term “going green” is a common one in motorsports vernacular used to indicate the official start of racing, but the Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix is taking it to a whole new level in 2008. With momentum building for the Aug. 29-31 celebration of family fun and world-class racing on Belle Isle, the Grand Prix isn’t just preparing for the roar of high-performance engines on Labor Day weekend. Through many of its official partners, including the actual racing leagues competing on Belle Isle -- the American Le Mans Series, the IndyCar Series and the SCCA Pro Racing SPEED World Challenge GT Championship, new to the event in 2008 -- the Grand Prix is ready to “go green” like never before with a number of ecologically-friendly initiatives, including all vehicles using 100 percent ethanol. More at www.detroitgp.com.

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Ann Arbor Web site shows homes' solar power potential
The city of Ann Arbor announced a new online service for residents that evaluates their home's solar-energy potential. The new program assesses 21,000 Ann Arbor homes, identifying 18,000 solar candidates. Residents can get their free solar analysis by visiting www.a2gov.org, selecting "my property information," and clicking on the "solar potential" tab. An analysis of solar potential for 21,000 addresses is available in a user-friendly format thanks to a partnership of several city units and the University of Michigan, and will help Ann Arbor achieve its goals of 5,000 solar roofs and 20 percent renewable energy by 2015.

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UM's fall semester to focus on energy future
The University of Michigan's College of Literature, Science and the Arts announced that its fall semester will have the theme "Energy Futures: Society, Innovation and Technology." Coordinated by LSA's Center for the Study of Complex Systems and LSA Student Government, the theme semester will feature internationally renowned scholars in political science, economics, sociology, anthropology, psychology, public policy and survey research, who will examine the cultural, historical and social aspects of energy policy. A course will be offered in the social science of energy and other courses will include energy components. A writing contest entitled "Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?" will ask students to write fiction, nonfiction, poetry or drama about experiences with energy failures. Students will be invited to participate in campus-wide competitions to create energy innovations. On May 6, the groups will begin this discussion with a free public workshop on "Energy in the Social Sciences," at 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Michigan League Ballroom, 911 N. University Ave. For information on the workshop, contact Shelly Sherman, (734) 763-7401 or sacs@umich.edu. To register for the workshop, visit: www.isr.umich.edu/carss/about/registration.html.

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Hybrid registrations rose in 2007
U.S. hybrid vehicle registrations rose 38 percent in 2007 to a record 350,289, according to data to be released this month by R.L. Polk & Co., a Southfield-based automotive marketing and research company. Hybrids made up just 2.2 percent of the U.S. market share for the year, but they were growing steadily even as overall sales declined 3 percent. Lonnie Miller, director of industry analysis at Polk, said rising gas prices may affect some buyers, but they're not the main driver of hybrid sales. Instead, he thinks sales jumped in 2007 because buyers had more options, including the new Nissan Altima, Saturn Aura and Lexus LS600h hybrid sedans and hybrid versions of the Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon and Mazda Tribute sport utility vehicles.

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DTE offers land for food plantings for the needy -- and for biofuels
A DTE Energy/Gleaners Community Food Bank partnership will result in the food bank using buffer land surrounding some electric facilities to grow vegetables to help fight hunger in Southeastern Michigan. The first garden, now being prepared for planting at the energy company's Carter Substation in Auburn Hills, will be 4,500 square feet. Gleaners has recruited students from the Kennedy Center in Pontiac to tend the garden. In addition to the volunteer gardeners, the land will be offered to farmers to grow organic crops, corn for ethanol or soy beans for biodiesel, with a portion of the profits donated to Gleaners.

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Pixel purchases pitched for building green home
A man in Michigan is hoping he's found a creative way to finance a home purchase and help the environment at the same time. Jim Sullivan of Wyoming has created a Web site called the "MillionPixelGreenMakeOver.com." The page is broken up into 10,000 100-pixel blocks; Sullivan sells the pixel blocks off for $100 each, which comes out to $1 per pixel. People can use the pixel blocks they buy to display an ad or logo linked to their own site. Sullivan said he'll use the proceeds to buy a home somewhere in West Michigan and renovate it to green standards. Included will be the use of solar power.

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