AN OPPORTUNITY TO GUIDE THE DIRECTION OF THE IEA OPEN Energy Technology Bulletin

The OPEN Energy Technology Bulletin has been providing its readership with regular updates on activities within the IEA energy technology and R&D community since 2002.  As the Bulletin approaches its tenth anniversary of publication we would like hear what you, the readership, have to say about the content and format of the newsletter and how it meets your needs. Three minutes is all that is required to complete this short survey of ten questions.  Results will be shared in the next issue due out in September 2011 and will help shape a new-look Bulletin. Thank you in advance for your participation and we look forward to receiving your feedback before 31 August 2011.

Click here to respond.

Other questions or comments to: diana.louis@iea.org.

• 10th IEA Heat Pump Web Conference, online from 27 June – 31 August 2011. The website conference has begun but online registration is accepted until 15 July 2011.  

• Best Practices for Renewal and Upgrading of Hydropower Facilities to Maintain and Provide Value to the Power System, Sacramento, California (United States), 18 July 2011.

• 2011 IEAGHG Summer School, Champaign, Illinois (United States), 18–22 July 2011.

• Hybrid and Electric Vehicles Workshop on Battery Management Systems, Argonne National Laboratory, Chicago, Illinois (United States), 6 September 2011, as part of the Vehicle Power and Propulsion Conference 2011 (VPPC2011).

• 4th International Conference on Hydrogen Safety (ICHS 2011), San Francisco, California (United States), 12-14 September 2011.

• 2nd Oxyfuel Combustion Conference, Queensland (Australia), 12-16 September, 2011.

• IEA Workshop on Quantifying and Managing Land Use Impacts of Bioenergy, Campinas (Brazil), 19-21 September 2011.

• 17th SolarPACES Conference - Concentrating Solar Power and Chemical Energy Systems, Granada (Spain), 20-23 September 2011.

• Hybrid and Electric Vehicles Workshop on the Recycling of Batteries, Hoboken (Belgium), 26-27 September 2011

• Hydro 2011 Conference and Exhibition - Practical Solutions for a Sustainable Future, Prague (Czech Republic), 17-19 October 2011.

• 32nd AIVC Conference and 1st TightVent Conference 'Towards Optimal Airtightness Performance', Brussels (Belgium), 12-13 October 2011.

• 11th Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies Conference, (GHGT-11), Kyoto (Japan), 18-22 November, 2012.

The IEA Hydrogen Implementing Agreement (IEA HIA) has awarded the 2011 IEA HIA Individual Prize to Dr. James M. Ohi, for co-ordinating global development and harmonisation of codes and standards that advance the safe use and market deployment of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.

The Johannes Linneborn Prize for Achievements in Biomass Development has been awarded to Professor Kai Sipilä, the Executive Committee Member for Finland within IEA Bioenergy.

The recipients of the 2011 Ritter von Rittinger Medal, in recognition of distinguished services in favour of heat pumping technology applications, have been announced by the IEA Heat Pump Programme (HPP).   

•The 2011 edition of Solar Heat Worldwide: Markets and Contribution to the Energy Supply 2009 is now downloadable from the website of the IEA Solar Heating and Cooling programme (IEA SHC). This latest annual survey documents solar thermal capacity installed in major markets worldwide and assesses the contribution of solar thermal systems to the supply of energy and avoided CO₂ emissions. Statistics in this report are based on data collected from 53 countries, representing around 61% of the world’s population and 85-90% of the solar thermal market.

• Developing Sustainable Trade in Bioenergy.   A new report that examines global bioenergy trade and market developments, with a specific focus on Asia, has recently been published by IEA Bioenergy.  The report presents a summary and conclusions from the Bioenergy IA ExCo 65 workshop, the purpose of which was to provide perspectives on bioenergy trade in a world where there are progressively more quantitative targets for bioenergy deployment, including incentives for production of biofuels on a sustainable basis.   

• IEA shares its Findings at Eurelectric Annual Conference, Stockholm, 13-14 June 2011. Former Open Bulletin editor, Mary Harries Magnusson, reports on the key messages that came out of this year’s Eurelectric Annual Conference, the theme of which was “Delivering Investments to Meet Europe’s Energy and Climate Needs”.

• Harnessing Variable Renewables - A Guide to the Balancing Challenge.  A new book from the IEA presents a novel method of assessing the resources needed to balance supply and demand in power systems with large shares of ‘variable’ renewables, such as solar photovoltaic, wind and tidal energy.  The report, which features case studies of eight geographic regions with sharply different power attributes, shows that there is a greater technical potential for balancing variable renewable energy output than is commonly assumed.

• Are We Entering A Golden Age of Gas? This special report of the World Energy Outlook 2011 examines the key factors that could drive natural gas towards a more prominent role in the global energy mix, and the implications for energy security and climate change.  It features a high-gas scenario, built on sensitivity analyses of natural gas supply and demand to market forces and policies, as well as other developments that could significantly alter future trends.

• Carbon Capture and Storage Legal and Regulatory Review (CCS Review) – Edition 2. Produced semi-annually by the Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Unit of the IEA Secretariat, this publication provides an up-to date snapshot of global CCS regulatory progress.  The CCS Review gathers contributions by national and regional governments, as well as leading organisations engaged in CCS regulatory activities, to provide a knowledge-sharing forum that supports national-level CCS regulatory development.  The theme for this second edition is long-term liability for stored CO2. Other key issues addressed include: national progress towards implementation of the EU CCS Directive; developments in marine treaties relevant to CCS; international climate change negotiations; and the development process for CCS regulation.

• Risk Quantification and Risk Management in Renewable Energy Projects.  A key challenge in obtaining financing at a reasonable cost is the ability to quantify and manage the different elements of risk (i.e. organisational, political, technical, commercial) associated with renewable energy (RE) projects.  A study commissioned by the IEA Renewable Energy Technology Deployment programme (RETD) provides RE-specific guidelines in classification, assessment and management of different risk elements associated with project valuation. Also recently released by RETD Linking RE Promotion Policies with International Carbon Trade examines the interplay between national renewable energy (RE) promotion policies and international carbon trade, and whether or not approaches can be developed for combining national RE promotion schemes and international climate trade. The study summarises the ongoing discussion, describes the main barriers, and provides suggestions for removing these barriers.   The RETD programme, an IEA multilateral technology initiative, is also now on Twitter.

• Latest energy technology roadmap releases. The potential exists to achieve at least a tenfold increase in the production of heat and power from geothermal energy between now and 2050 according to the Geothermal Heat and Power Technology Roadmap released on 14 June by the IEA.  The report emphasises the need for economic incentive schemes, the removal of current regulatory barriers, and the development of publicly available international resource and technology databases.  The report also calls for significantly increased research and development funding, as well as the creation of at least 50 additional pilot plants over the next ten years. Another recent release in the roadmap series is Energy-efficient Buildings: Heating and Cooling Equipment which shows how to achieve dramatic energy savings in the buildings sector by 2050. Much of these savings could be achieved rapidly as the required technologies are already available and because heating and cooling equipment is typically replaced every 7 to 30 years unlike the buildings themselves, which may last 30 to 100 years or more. To consult these and all past roadmaps in the series visit the IEA Technology pages.

• CERT on the move. The first-ever meeting of the IEA Committee on Energy Research and Technology (CERT) to be held outside IEA headquarters, took place in Dublin on 7-9 June 2011.  Hosted by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) the meeting included a site visit to Ireland’s first Sustainable Energy Community project in Dundalk (Dundalk 2020).  Here local authorities are working with business, residential groups and state agencies to create dynamic networks, with the benefits enjoyed leading to a greater sense of local awareness and engagement, and greater energy autonomy for the community. Currently there are plans to partner with six other local authorities to support the development of similar sustainable energy communities. For more information visit the SEAI website.
Also on the agenda was a visit to an Irish energy technology company that designs and manufactures marine turbines to generate energy from tidal streams. It has been estimated (Source: UK Marine Foresight Panel) that if less than 0.1% of the energy available in the oceans could be captured and converted to electricity, it would satisfy the present global demand for energy more than five times over.

• Free newsletters from IEA programmes.

- IA-HEV The Road Ahead – July 2011-1 – from the IEA Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Implementing Agreement (IA-HEV).
- EMSA Newsletter – No 2/2011 – from the Electric Motor Systems Annex of the IEA programme on Efficient Electrical End-Use Equipment (4E).
- IEA Bioenergy News – Volume 23, June 2011 – from IEA Bioenergy.  
- IEA Bioenergy Task 34 Newsletter – June 2011 – from the IEA Bioenergy Task on Pyrolysis.  
- IEA HIA News June 2011 – from the IEA Hydrogen Implementing Agreement (IEA HIA).
- OES-IA Open Bulletin – May 2011 - from the IEA Ocean Energy Systems Implementing Agreement (OES IA).  
- ENARD Newsletter – No 10, May 2011 – from the IEA Electricity Networks Analysis, Research and Development programme (ENARD).

• Annual reports from the following IEA energy technology programmes.

- Climate Technology Initiative Annual Report 2010.
- IEA Geothermal Energy 13th Annual Report 2009.
- IEA-Advanced Motor Fuels 2010 Annual Report.

• New participants in IEA International R&D programmes.

- Sweden has become a Contracting Party in the Implementing Agreement for a Co-operative Programme on Smart Grids (ISGAN).

- ScottishPower Generation Limited has become a Sponsor in the Implementing Agreement for a Co-operative Programme on Technologies Relating to Greenhouse Gases Derived from Fossil Fuel Use (IEAGHG).

- The Regulatory Assistance Project has become a Sponsor in the Implementing Agreement for Co-operation on Technologies and Programmes for Demand-Side Management (IEA DSM).

• 10th IEA Heat Pump Web Conference, online from 27 June – 31 August 2011. This conference, originally planned for Tokyo but cancelled due to the tragic series of events following the earthquake there, is being held as a Web conference. Organised by the IEA Heat Pump Programme, participants will have access to some 200 full papers, recorded speeches and messages, and the opportunity to communicate with authors online. Registration is open until 15 July 2011.

• Best Practices for Renewal and Upgrading of Hydropower Facilities to Maintain and Provide Value to the Power System, Sacramento, California (United States), 18 July 2011. Jointly organised by the IEA Hydropower programme Annexes IX and XI, and the US Department of Energy, this one-day workshop is designed for hydropower owners, operators, manufacturers and consultants who have an interest in the renewal, upgrading, and expansion of hydropower plants.  See the conference site for details.

• 2011 IEAGHG Summer School in Champaign, Illinois (United States), 18–22 July, 2011. Organised by the IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme (IEAGHG) and hosted by the Sequestration Training and Education Program, this summer school targets young scientists with backgrounds in engineering, geo-technologies, socio-economics, who will meet world experts on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). Visit the IEAGHG web pages.

• Hybrid and Electric Vehicles Workshop on Battery Management Systems, Argonne National Laboratory, Chicago (United States), 6 September 2011.  This workshop, organised by the Task XVII group on “System Integration” of the IEA Hybrid and Electric Vehicles Implementing Agreement (IA-HEV), is being held in conjunction with the Vehicle Power and Propulsion Conference (VPPC 2011), 6-9 September 2011.  The goal of this workshop is the presentation of the development activities in this field by the participating institutions, the exchange of information, and discussion on technology trends and main challenges for this component.  Following the workshop a visit to the testing facilities at Argonne National Laboratory is planned.  For more information contact Gabriela Telias.

• 4th International Conference on Hydrogen Safety (ICHS 2011), San Francisco, California (United States), 12-14 September 2011.  This event will focus on the improvement, knowledge, and understanding of hydrogen safety to overcome barriers to the widespread use of hydrogen as an energy carrier.  The aim is to improve public awareness and trust in hydrogen technologies by communicating a better understanding of both the hazards and risks associated with hydrogen and their management.  The IEA Hydrogen Implementing Agreement (IEA HIA) has endorsed ICHS 2011 and will contribute extensively to the conference programme.  

• 2nd Oxyfuel Combustion Conference, Queensland (Australia), 12-16 September, 2011.  Organised by the IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme in partnership with the Callide Oxyfuel Project Ltd. and Xstrata Coal, this event will build on the success of the 2009 event. A central theme will be 'Retrofitability of Oxyfuel Combustion Technology to Existing Power Plant'.  Visit the conference page on the website of the IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme (IEAGHG), one of the IEA international collaborations.

• IEA Workshop on Quantifying and Managing Land Use Impacts of Bioenergy, Campinas (Brazil), 19-21 September 2011.  Organised jointly by IEA Bioenergy Tasks 38, 40 and 43, this workshop will be hosted by the Brazilian Bioethanol Science and Technology Laboratory. Visit the IEA Bioenergy Task 40 website.

• 17th SolarPACES Conference - Concentrating Solar Power and Chemical Energy Systems, Granada (Spain), 20-23 September 2011. Organised by the IEA SolarPACES programme and hosted by CIEMAT, this major event will offer a forum for industry, research, politics and financing stakeholders to meet leading world experts within the framework of a scientific conference programme. Visit the conference website. The SolarPACES programme is an IEA international collaboration.

• Hybrid and Electric Vehicles Workshop on the Recycling of Batteries, Hoboken (Belgium), 26-27 September 2011.  Sponsored by the Electrochemistry Task X of the IEA Implementing Agreement on Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (IA-HEV), this workshop is designed to bring together representatives from governments, battery manufacturers, vehicle manufacturers, and recyclers to discuss the regulatory and technical issues associated with recycling advanced, vehicular batteries, especially lithium-ion batteries.  Large quantities of these batteries will not enter the recycling process for over a decade, but now is the time to understand the relevant issues and to begin to plan for future recycling.  There is no registration fee to attend this workshop, but participation will be limited in order to encourage active discussion.  For more information please send your name, organisation, and area of interest to the Operating Agent for this Annex, Dr James Barnes.

• Hydro 2011 Conference and Exhibition - Practical Solutions for a Sustainable Future, Prague (Czech Republic), 17-19 October 2011. This event will bring together high-level delegations from countries with active hydro development programmes under way to discuss priorities, achievements and challenges. Visit the conference website. Hydro 2011 is supported by IEA Hydropower, one of the IEA international energy technology collaborations.

• 32nd AIVC Conference and 1st TightVent Conference 'Towards Optimal Airtightness Performance', Brussels (Belgium), 12-13 October 2011. Organised by the International Network on Ventilation and Energy Performance (INIVE) on behalf of the Air Infiltration and Ventilation Centre (AIVC), a project within the IEA Energy Conservation in Buildings and Community Systems Programme  (ECBCS), this event will aim to facilitate exchanges and progress on building and ductwork airtightness issues. Visit the AIVC website events page.

• 11th Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies Conference (GHGT-11), Kyoto (Japan), 18-22 November, 2012. Organised by the IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D programme (IEAGHG) and local hosts Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE),  GHGT-11 will be held at the Kyoto International Conference Centre. The GHGT conference series is the principal international platform for exhibiting and discussing new greenhouse gas mitigation technologies. For more information visit the IEAGHG web pages. To discuss sponsorship opportunities, contact Toby Aiken.

The IEA Hydrogen Implementing Agreement (IEA HIA) has awarded its 2011 Individual Prize to Dr. James M. Ohi, for his vision and leadership in coordinating global development and harmonisation of codes and standards that advance the safe use and market deployment of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. This is the second award of the IEA HIA Individual Prize, which is conferred for R&D characterised by technical excellence and harmony in international cooperation that contributes to the understanding and advancement of basic and applied hydrogen science. Consult the Press Release for more information.

The Johannes Linneborn Prize for Achievements in Biomass Development has been awarded to Professor Kai Sipilä, the Executive Committee Member for Finland within IEA Bioenergy. The award recognises his leadership in development of biomass conversion technologies and for promoting biomass as a sustainable energy source within Finland, a leading country in bioenergy in the European Union and worldwide for more than 25 years.  

The IEA Heat Pump Programme (HPP) has announced the 2011 recipients of the Ritter von Rittinger Medal, an award which recognises outstanding contributions to the advancement of international collaboration in research, policy development, market development and applications for energy-efficient heat pumping technologies. Awarded every three years, the recipients for 2011 are Professor Per-Erling Frivik of Trondheim, Norway; Professor Hermann Halozan of Graz, Austria; and Mr. John D. Ryan of Bethesda, Maryland (U.S.).  To learn more about the award recipients and their work see the announcement.

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