Energy In-depth: Calhoun Co. Advances In $5 Million Georgetown University Energy Prize
by January 16, 2015 9:03 am 89 views
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CALHOUN CO. ADVANCES IN $5 MILLION GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY ENERGY PRIZE
It’s not quite the Final Four, but on Thursday Calhoun County officially advanced to the semifinal round of the Georgetown University Energy Prize, a national competition that is challenging communities across the U.S. to rethink their energy use.
The $5 million Georgetown University Energy Prize challenges small- to medium-size towns, cities, and counties to implement creative strategies to increase energy efficiency. To compete, local governments, residents, utilities, and others have to demonstrate success in sustainably by reducing energy consumption over a two-year period.
“Everyone individual in this community will gain from this competition. We can all lower our total energy cost, improve our environment, and make this a better place for us all to live and work,” said Mark Cayce the General Manager for Ouachita Electric Cooperative.
Calhoun County joins 50 communities from around the country in the friendly competition to improve energy efficiency for all. To learn more, visit www.guep.org.
NO WORD ON BHP BILLITON FAYETTEVILLE SHALE AUCTION AS NATURAL GAS PRICES SLIDE BELOW $3
Nearly three months after being put up for auction, there is still no word on the sale of BHP Billiton’s Fayetteville Shale assets as natural gas prices continue their downward push due to this season’s mild winter. Wall Street oil and gas analyst Fadel Gheit of Oppenheimer & Co. in New York City said he believes there are a few buyers interested in the Arkansas shale play, especially with sliding natural gas prices. Read more here.
ARKANSAS BIOMASS SECTOR POISED FOR GROWTH
Outgoing AEDC Executive Director Grant Tennille believes Arkansas is poised to become a big player in the biomass sector as the wood pellet market scores some success after a rocky start.
The state’s burgeoning biomass industry got a big boost last summer when in the space of 30 days two privately held investor groups announced multi-million dollar projects to produce commercially viable fuel from the state’s vast supply of forest dregs.
Read more of this in-depth industry piece at this link.
WATTGLASS LANDS $150,000 SCIENCE GRANT FOR R&D
WattGlass has received a $150,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to further develop a nano-particle coating for glass, which makes the glass anti-reflective, self-cleaning and highly transparent.
The company is part of the Genesis Technology Incubator at the Arkansas Research and Technology Park.
“We’re particularly interested in solar panels because they collect dust, dirt and grime, which reduces output and increases the cost per watt,” said Corey Thompson, chief technology officer of WattGlass, adding that the coating has many other applications. Read more here.