Will it be lights out in 2009?

Lights out? According to a new study, the U.S. may see serious risks of brownouts or blackouts in 2009.

The report, "Lights Out in 2009?," conducted by The NextGen Energy Council Management Information Services, Inc. last month warns that the U.S. may see crippling power brownouts or blackouts as early as next summer.

"The U.S. faces potentially crippling electricity brownouts and blackouts beginning in the summer of 2009, which may cost tens of billions of dollars and threaten lives," the study predicts.

In order for these threats to be minimized, electricity generation and transmission groups must make adjustments immediately, the report suggests, adding that the West Coast is particularly vulnerable.

Here's the problem: U.S. base-load generation capacity reserve margins have declined to 17% in 2007 from 30% to 40% in the early 1900'. Currently, a 12% to 15% capacity reserve margin is the minimum required to ensure reliability and stability of the nation's electricity system.

By the year 2016, the study shows the U.S. will need more than 14,500 miles of new transmission, in order to support the 18% growth. This exceeds the projected base load growth in generation capacity by 10%.

Bob Hanfling, chairman of the non-profit NextGen Energy Council, says, "This isn't the first study to come to these conclusions, and it won't be the last."

Click here for the "Lights Out in 2009?" report.

Clean energy lawsuit alleges patent infringement

Two Massachusetts based companies are involved in a lawsuit regarding the appropriate use of trade secrets to harness clean energy from construction site waste. Quantum Catalytics LLC, of Fall River and Texas Syngas of Cambridge filed suit against Ze-gen Inc. over allegations that Ze-gen is using patented information belonging to Quantum Catalytics.

The technology allows materials such as wood and coal, which would otherwise be considered waste to be converted into forms of synthetic gas. The process involves chemical reactions dependent upon the use of molten metal and creates a cleaner form of energy than if the coal or wood were merely burned.

“There’s been about $200 million spent developing this technology and Ze-gen is attempting to use it for free,” David Sydow, the chief executive of Texas Syngas, says to the Patriot Ledger.

Bill Davis, the CEO of Ze-gen, disputes the claim. “It’s not the first time we have been sued by this particular collection of characters,” Davis says to the Patriot Ledger. “It’s a frivolous case. It has been brought by ‘patent trolls’ whose motives are to extort money from the company.”

Previously, the companies have attempted to negotiate a licensing agreement but those negotiations fell through. As a result, Quantum Catalytics and Texas Syngas do not believe that Ze-gen can use the technology.

The synthetic gas conversion is currently used primarily for research by the companies involved, but concerns over fair use may have escalated because the companies have plans to open commercial plants.

--Bridget O'Sullivan