Community News

Voluntary Programs Report Big Environmental Gains in 2002

Voluntary programs reduced 43 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2002—over 10 percent more than 2001, according to the EPA's recent annual report on ENERGY STAR and other programs. These voluntary climate change programs also include initiatives that develop clean energy solutions, increase the capture and use of methane gas, minimize emissions of other non-carbon dioxide gases, and provide opportunities for corporate commitments to develop long-term comprehensive climate change strategies. The report details the environmental and economic accomplishments of these programs and outlines goals for 2003.

Report highlights include:

• ENERGY STAR has developed strong partnerships with 1,250 manufacturers labeling more than 18,000 products in over 35 product categories.
• With ENERGY STAR, Americans saved more than $7 billion on their energy bills last year—enough energy to power 15 million homes and make a substantial reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
• More than one billion ENERGY STAR labeled products have been purchased to date.
• More than 3,000 builder partners constructed over 110,000 ENERGY STAR qualified homes to date, locking in financial savings for homeowners of more than $26 million annually.
• EPA's national energy performance rating system has been used to evaluate and benchmark the energy efficiency of more than 15,000 buildings so far.
• Thirty-four companies joined the Climate Leaders Program since it was launched in early 2002. Seven companies announced aggressive greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals.
• The Green Power Partnership 2002 with more than 90 partners totaled more than 500,000 megawatt hours (Mwh) of green power purchase commitments, including 250,000 Mwh from new renewable generation.
• Partnership programs achieved reductions of non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gases—methane, perfluorocarbons (PFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)—totaled more than 18 million metric tons of carbon equivalent in 2002 alone.
• In addition to reducing greenhouse gas intensity, the wide array of partnership programs also prevented almost 150,000 tons of nitrogen oxide emissions, a reduction of 10,000 tons more than previous year.

To find out more or to obtain a copy of the 2002 annual report, visit www.epa.gov.

Former Around-the-World Hot-Air Balloon Team Plans To Go Solar

Dr. Bertrand Piccard has announced that he will team with Brian Jones, his former balloon co-pilot, and Andre Borschberg, an engineer and jet pilot, to circumnavigate the world in a solar-powered aircraft. Piccard and Jones circled the earth nonstop in a hot-air balloon, Breitling Orbiter 3, in 1999.

To develop a solar-powered airplane capable of flying continuously, the team will receive assistance from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne. Since March, a team of 30 experts from the institute has been investigating the feasibility of the solar-powered aircraft, Solar Impulse . Features of the envisioned aircraft include advanced aerodynamics, an extremely long wingspan and a revolutionary structure designed to capture and store sufficient solar energy during the day to be able to maintain itself in flight during the night. Initial test flights are planned for 2006, with the first overnight flight anticipated in 2007. For additional information, visit www.solar-impulse.com.

Alternative Fuel Vehicles Course Offered at Florida College

Space Coast Clean Cities Coalition, in conjunction with Brevard Community College and the Florida Solar Energy Center, has developed a three-credit-hour college course on Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFV), sponsored by the National Science Foundation. Commencing January 6, 2004, the course will be conducted online as an Internet Web-based class. This introductory course EST 1820-70C is one of four in an AFV degree program. The alternative fuel vehicle technologies covered will include compressed natural gas, liquid petroleum gas, methanol, ethanol, electric, fuel cell and hybrid electric. To check out the course outline, syllabus and registration information, visit www .clean-cities.org.

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