U.S. Department of Energy Blog

EERE Network News EERE's newsletter, the EERE Network News, covers national and international energy efficiency and renewable energy news and events, as well as new EERE Web sites and energy facts. PG&E Signs Contracts for 800 Megawatts of Solar Photovoltaic Power It wasn't long ago that anyone building a 1-megawatt solar photovoltaic facility would be among the world's leaders, but a clear sign of the rapidly expanding solar power market is the plan for Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) to buy power from two solar projects totaling 800 megawatts. NREL Solar Cell Sets World-Record Conversion Efficiency of 40.8% DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has once again shattered the world record for solar cell efficiency with a cell that converts 40.8% of the sunlight hitting it into electricity. And while there's no gold metal for solar cells, the design has won one of this year's top awards for innovation. Massachusetts Acts Address Biofuels, Green Jobs, and Greenhouse Gases Massachusetts is definitely looking towards the future with three recent acts, which aim to encourage the use of advanced biofuels in the state, support the growth of clean energy industries, and slash the state's emissions of greenhouse gases. LEDs Help to Bring Color and Light to the Beijing Olympics Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) may be finding only limited use in the United States, but they literally took center stage at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Beijing, China. LEDs lit a giant scroll and are also providing dramatic lighting on the exteriors of the Water Cube and Bird's Nest. Volkswagen Launches Clean Diesel Jetta Sedans and Wagons Volkswagen has begun selling its "50-state diesels" in the United States, that is, diesel-fueled vehicles that burn ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel to meet emissions standards in all 50 states. The Jetta TDI sedan is rated at 40 miles per gallon on the highway, but Volkswagen says it actually does better. U.S. Residents Driving Less and Consuming Less Oil The United States consumed about 20.6 million barrels of oil per day in 2007, but in the first half of 2008, U.S. oil consumption is down by about a half-million barrels. Explanations can be found in traffic volumes, which are down by 2.8%, and in a 3.5% increase in public transit trips. DOE to Invest $15.3 Million in Hydrogen Storage for Vehicles DOE announced during the Washington, D.C., stop of the Hydrogen Road Tour '08 that it has selected 10 hydrogen storage research and development projects to receive $15.3 million over the next 5 years, subject to annual appropriations.