DOE's national programs and technologies developed by ORNL have been employed by power producers nationally and internationally to improve power production and transmission system longevity and efficiency through the development and use of new materials and state-of-the-art technologies.
TVA's Green Power Switch program offers power produced using sunlight, wind and landfill gas as the renewable energy sources.
Under the first agreement, DOE will commit to purchase green power for ORNL. With this agreement, ORNL becomes the first directly served industrial participant in TVA's Green Power Switch program.
DOE's Oak Ridge Operations' purchase of non-hydro renewable energy supports Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson's directive for the department to utilize more power from green technologies.
"Today's signing of this agreement marks a historic moment that will further the use of green power by our nation's utilities as it promotes the nation's energy and environmental security," said Dan Reicher, assistant secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
"I am very pleased to sign this agreement that again places both TVA and DOE into a partnership that emphasizes our commitment to clean air and protecting the environment," said Leah Dever, manager of DOE's Oak Ridge Operations.
The second agreement is between ORNL and TVA's Public Power Institute to enter into mutually beneficial collaborations in the field of energy production and use. The agreement will enable ORNL and the Public Power Institute to develop, demonstrate and deploy technologies for efficient and environmentally beneficial renewable energy production and use.
"TVA and ORNL have a long history of cooperation, and this agreement signals heightened collaborations between us," said Kate Jackson, TVA executive vice president of River System Operation and Environment. "This type of partnership is especially important as we face restructuring of the electric industry, so we can ensure that the public benefits from investments in new technology."
"This is a great example of using leading-edge technologies from ORNL that can improve our environment for our children's future," said Bill Madia, ORNL director.
TVA's Public Power Institute was created to formulate new ideas and technologies for producing and providing power while undertaking environmental responsibility and promoting the efficient use of energy through demonstration and deployment projects.
During signing ceremonies at the American Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge, a living bioenergy crop display, including hybrid poplar, hybrid willow and switchgrass, which could provide raw materials or feedstocks for ethanol, electricity and industrial products was dedicated.