Green Energy News | March 24, 1997

March 24, 1997 – Vol.1 No.51

ENERGIES... week of March 24, 1997

HISTORY MADE IN THE WIND. In the single largest power purchase contract in wind energy history, Zond Corporation, a subsidiary of Enron Renewable Energy Corporation (EREC), will plant 150 state of the art wind generators in the fields of Iowa. Providing 112.5 megawatts of electricity under contract to MidAmerican Energy, the green energy facility will offset 1.9 million lbs of pollutants ordinarily released from fossil fuel power plants. The wind farm will generate enough electricity to feed 50,000 homes.

Zond’s new Z-750 kilowatt Series generators, to be used in the project, are the largest wind turbines manufactured in the U.S. Enron is best known for its natural gas distribution network, but has stakes in solar energy along with wind.

HISTORY TURNED TO SCRAP. At last week’s Eco Expo in Los Angeles, smog-belching old cars could be turned in for cash, while clean new electric vehicles could be test driven. ECO-SCRAP, a leader in old-vehicle buy-back programs offered $600 for cars built before 1972 and $500 for cars built between 1972 and 1986. While the cars were being scrapped, owners could test drive a GM EV-1 now available for lease in Southern California.

Cars built before 1987 can produce 50-100 times more pollutants than newer vehicles. An estimated 1.85 million of these heavy polluters are still on the road in the South Coast Air Quality Management District in the LA area. The older cars produce over half the truck and automobile emissions in the district.

FORD MAKES HISTORY. Ford’s new natural gas powered F-250 pickups and E-250 Econoline Vans are the first internal combustion vehicles to meet California’s Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV) standards. The trucks come standard with a 5.4 liter V-8 and 4-speed automatic.

The vehicles emit 85% fewer emissions than required by 1997 California standards. The natural gas fuel also produces 20% less carbon dioxide than the identical trucks running on gasoline. Carbon dioxide is considered not a toxic emission, but a greenhouse gas.

Ford also leads the way in the Low Emission Vehicle category with the gasoline powered 1997 Ford Escort and Taurus, sister ships Mercury Tracer and Sable, as well as the 1998 Ranger pickup and Windstar minivan. An electric version of the Ranger is now on sale with deliveries sometime early next year.