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Project
shines brightly for hospital in power-hungry state
Monica
Perin, Houston Business Journal
Bizquests, Inc, Princeton Energy Systems, and Solar Works, Inc is
making the sun work for the Golden State.
The system, which
supplies two-thirds of the hospital's daytime power demand, enabled
the facility to reduce its load on the California power grid, gaining
it a $595,000 cash rebate from the state.
The reduced demand on the power grid, according to Shell, also saves
13,700 barrels of oil or 1 billion cubic feet of natural gas and
reduces air emissions by 36 tons of nitrogen oxide, 57 tons of sulfur
and more than 8,000 tons of carbon dioxide during one year.
Demonstrating a combination of benefits, the hospital's new "SolarPort"
installation not only generates clean renewable energy, it also
provides shade for about 80 parking spaces in the hospital's parking
lot.
The project was outlined last week during a first-time environmental
conference that was held in Houston. The Shell Center for Sustainability
at Rice University co-sponsored with Rice the inaugural conference
of the Shell Center, which was created in 2002 through a $3.5 million
endowment from the Shell Oil Co. Foundation.
Co-hosting the conference were Rice's Environmental and Energy Systems
Institute and the James A. Baker Institute for Public Policy. The
event brought together some 500 high-level scientific, governmental
and business leaders to discuss how global demand for energy can
be met while sustaining a livable environment.
Speakers included Sir Philip Watts, chairman of the committee of
managing directors for Royal Dutch/Shell Group; Paula Dobriansky,
U.S. Undersecretary of State for Global Affairs; and the president
of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Bjorn
Stigson.
Panelists included experts from such institutions as Rice University,
The University of Texas and the Monterrey Technical Institute and
environmental organizations such as the Environmental Defense Fund
and Galveston-Houston Association for Smog Prevention, plus representatives
from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Texas Council
of Environmental Technology.
A first-time environmental summit - the Texas Technology Showcase
is being held March 17-19 by the U.S. Department of Energy and Texas
Industries of the Future, a program at The University of Texas that
focuses on technologies to reduce energy use and emissions. The
Texas Technology Showcase is something of a pilot project which
DOE hopes to replicate in other parts of the country where heavy
industrial concentrations contribute significantly to the local
economy, as well as to air pollution.
Seven of Houston's largest petrochemical companies will be showcased
at this event. They will share their best-of-practice environmental
technologies via technical sessions and exhibits as well as some
on-site plant tours. The showcase companies are Calpine Corp., with
its Baytown Energy Center; Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. with its
Cedar Bayou plant; Rohm & Haas Texas Inc.'s Deer Park plant;
and Valero Energy Corp.'s Houston refinery, plus Dow Chemical Co.,
ExxonMobil and Merisol USA.
Keynote speakers expected to address the event include David Garman,
assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy at
DOE; Robert Huston, chairman of the Texas Commission on Environmental
Quality; and Jim Gallogly, president and CEO of Chevron Phillips
Chemical Co. Organizers of the conference include these participants
as well as BP Chemicals, Celanese Chemicals, Texas Petrochemicals
and representatives from the Governor's office and the Natural Resources
Committee of the Texas Senate.
"The process industries along the Texas Gulf Coast face an
enormous challenge to remain globally competitive and meet state
air quality standards, says David Hammer of Pierpont Communications,
a spokesman for the conference."Chemical plants and refineries
will be most heavily impacted."
The Texas Technology Showcase organizers intend to offer "the
latest in processing and combustion technologies and best energy
management practices that can result in improved environmental performance,
increased energy efficiency and reduced costs at chemical plants
and refineries," Hammer says.
mperin@bizjournals.com 713-960-5910
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