At the risk of "excess exuberance" ...this looks like something that could change everything -- a zero emission, fuel flexible-- *steam engine*. I first heard of them from announcements back in May 2000, and have finally been able to make contact, just in time to learn about the new company they've set up. They're showcasing at the SAE conf (Soc. of Auto Engineers) in Detroit this week.

The Stirling engine is a piston engine that can operate with a variety of external heat sources (i.e., "external combustion", when a fuel is burned to supply the heat). A contained gas, typically helium, is cyclically heated to high temperatures and pressures to provide force on a piston, which then drives an electric generator.

Proton Energy Systems, as you know, is one of the prominent new companies on the new "energy technology" scene, having done its IPO last Fall. One thing that sets them apart from other fuel cell companies is the fact that they have a successful commercial product line, namely the HOGEN hydrogen generator.

American Energy Technologies (AET) of Jacksonville, FL has been a leader in solar hot water heating systems since 1987. They now have two new products that represent a major advance in the state of the art in residential solar hot water. In addition, they are nearing the demonstration phase of a new high temperature solar collector.

Fuel Cells 2000 is an activity of the Breakthrough Technologies Institute (BTI), a non-profit organization formed to promote the development and early commercialization of fuel cells and related pollution-free, efficient energy generation, storage and utilization technologies and fuels.

This is the major Fuel Cell event, held every two years. The last one was in Palm Springs. There was a huge turnout -over 2000 people, with lots of financial types and corporations represented. It was a strange kind of transitional hybrid between a professional technical conference and an industry trade show.

11 Dec 2000 UFTO Note - Smart Setback for Room Thermostats 20…

Smart Systems International appears to be succeeding where others have failed, in implementing occupancy-based thermostat setback. Applied first in hotel guest rooms, their systems are now seeing increased interest for use in schools and offices. The technology is "smart" enough to overcome the obstacles that have stopped other attempts.

Even if you're not connected in any way with large scale hydro around the world, this major report issued last week is significant. Imagine the boost to distributed generation and renewables if world opinion rallies against big dams.

In September, I attended these three conferences. They were all different, but also had a great deal in common. This writeup attempts to capture major themes and to provide highlights of some of the more interesting developments that came to light.

If ever there was a time to make lemonade (i.e. when the world gives you lemons), this conference was it. One of the worst organized, most jumbled, and light on content imaginable. A great many speakers simply didn't show up. Attendance was mostly by DOE, 3rd world energy officials, academics, and a few vendors and entrepreneurs.

A profitable existing company is going to a new stage of growth, with a new name and fully web-enabled extension of their business model. Acting directly on behalf of buyers of liquid petroleum fuels, they monitor (wireless/internet) the level of fuel in the customer's tank, optimize fuel purchasing, and arrange delivery, taking a fixed fee per gallon delivered.

The Dept of Energy is very active in this arena, and is exploring a wide range of approaches, both near and long term. Here are links to various DOE and lab websites which offer a number of reports, studies, plans, and other information.

Gasification systems - bubbling, circulating and entrained beds - produce low calorific value gases, are capital intensive, and require large plant sizes to be cost effective. They are therefore inappropriate for many residue fuels such as tires or agricultural wastes. Pyrolysis, and "rapid" pyrolysis in particular, offers a possible alternative with the following advantages.