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Page Updated:
Sept. 23, 2023



• Alternative Fuel Vehicles Section
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Green Transportation page, this section shows some new alternative fuel innovations.

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    Energy Conservation News (in Date Order) - For the Past Year

    • • Quadrupling the Number of Heat Pumps In America
      1/2 of U.S. States Agree to Do It

      CT

      Sep. 22, 2023 -The 25 states that are part of the US Climate Alliance agreed this week to promote policies that will speed up the installation of heat pumps in their states. Combined, those states account for 60% of the US economy and are home to more than half of all Americans. Today, there are 4.7 million heat pumps installed in America. The Climate Alliance wants to see that total grow to 20 million by the end of this decade.

      To get even more 'pumped' Click now to read the story.

    • • Heat Pumps In Winter Are
      Vastly More Efficient than Oil and Ga
      s
      New Research Disproves Fossil Fuel Propaganda

      MJN

      Sep. 12, 2023 -Heat pumps are more than twice as efficient as fossil fuel heating systems in cold temperatures, research shows.

      Even at temperatures approaching -22 F, heat pumps outperform oil and gas heating systems, according to research from Oxford University and the Regulatory Assistance Project thinktank.

    • • A Huge Cut in Building Emissions is Possible
      Could Be as Much
      as 90-Plus Percent

      Anthrop

      Aug. 31, 2023 -When it comes to cutting carbon emissions, a renewable power grid and electric vehicles are the big-ticket items. But buildings, which produce about 40 percent of global carbon emissions, are also a key part of the transition to net-zero emissions.

      According to a new study, the U.S. has the potential to cut building emissions by 91 percent compared to 2005 levels. That could save the country over $100 billion per year on energy costs, researchers from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory report in the study published in One Earth.

    • • Smart Streetlight Software Deployed by PA Utility
      The Platform is Meant to Help Manage All Phases of a smart streetlight program including Planning, Inventory, Installation, Maintenance, and More

      PGI

      Aug. 25, 2023 -TerraGo Technologies, a provider of smart streetlight operations software with over five million streetlights under management, announced that Duquesne Light Company (DLC) has deployed TerraGo’s applications to install and manage its smart streetlight infrastructure.

      A provider of electric service to more than 600,000 customers across two counties in southwestern Pennsylvania, DLC chose TerraGo’s software for its ability to compress smart lighting deployment schedules and lower operations and maintenance expenses, TerraGo said.

    • • Colorful Paints Could Slash Heating and Cooling Energy Use
      They Reflect Infra-Red Heat

      Anthrop

      Aug. 24, 2023 -In parts of the world with hot, sunny climates, it is common to see houses painted white to reflect sunlight and stay cool during the day. White rooftops serve the same purpose. But now engineers at Stanford University have added color to such cooling paints.

      Click to read all about it.

    • • An Alternative to Air Conditioning?
      Solutions Like Passive Cooling and Better Designs for Cities Can Help

      DW Logo

      Aug. 21, 2023 -The climate crisis has made heat waves more likely and more intense around the world. The summer of 2023 saw soaring temperatures worldwide, with NASA saying July was the hottest ever recorded.

      Even in 2018, the use of air conditioners and electric fans made up 10% of global electricity consumption, according to the International Energy Agency.>/p>

      AC units are only widespread in a few countries like Japan and the United States — where more than 90% of households have them. They're only available to 8% of people in the hottest parts of the world.

    • • The Sun Sets on Incandescent Lights
      Switch Away From Incandescents, or It's Lights Out

      NYT

      Aug. 2, 2023 -A ban on most kinds of traditional bulbs renews a cultural squabble between regulatory efforts to curb energy consumption and the very American impulse to do whatever one wants in one’s domicile.

      The response to the bulb ban was more of a whimper than a battle cry.

    • • Virtual Power Plants Can Cost-Effectively Support the Grid
      We Just Have to Let Them

      REW

      July 27, 2023 -Strained by the double burden of increased demand and more frequent extreme weather events, our grid struggles to provide reliable electricity in many areas of the country – and the challenge will only intensify in the years to come.

      The related search for reliable expanded grid capacity has generated buzz about a relatively new term for a solution that has been around for some time: Virtual Power Plants (VPPs). These networks aggregate electricity from customer-owned distributed energy resources (DERs) such as batteries, building management systems, smart home devices, and electric vehicle chargers, then use these assets to help keep the grid balanced by reducing or shifting energy use.

    • • This Thermal Cloak Keeps Things Cool
      When It’s Hot, and Warm When It’s Cold
      And No Electricity Required

      Anthrop

      July 20, 2023 -An inexpensive, lightweight new fabric could help keep cars, spacecraft, and machinery cool in the summer and warm when the temperatures dip in winter. Detailed in the journal Device, the new “thermal cloak” does not need any power, and could reduce the energy needed for cooling and heating.

      Besides making cars more bearable to get into in sweltering heat or frigid cold, this electricity-free fabric cover could have a key benefit for electric cars. Exposure to extreme temperatures degrades battery performance and shortens their lifespan. The thermal cloak could help reduce that damage.

    • • The Whitest of White Coats to Help Cool the Planet
      When Applied, Can Reduce the Roof Surface Temperature and Cool the Building Beneath It

      NYT

      July 12, 2023 -Xiulin Ruan, a professor of mechanical engineering at Purdue University, didn’t set out to make it into the Guinness World Records when he began trying to make a new type of paint. He had a loftier goal: to cool down buildings without torching the Earth.

      In 2020, Dr. Ruan and his team unveiled their creation: a type of white paint that can act as a reflector, bouncing 95 percent of the sun’s rays away from the Earth’s surface, up through the atmosphere and into deep space.

    • • Maine Rivaling California In Progressive
      Thinking About the Future of the Grid
      New Legislation Directs the State to Begin a DSO Study to Enable a True Market for Distributed Energy Resources

      PGI

      July 7, 2023 -Most energy insiders recognize that the transition to clean energy will require a large percentage of distributed energy resources (DER), particularly distributed solar PV, batteries, electric vehicles, grid-interactive buildings, and more. These DER will need to be dispatched as part of a system that asks them to both push energy to the grid and absorb it in order to keep the grid stable as it seeks to balance generation from large inverter-based resources, i.e. wind and solar power.

    • • Bluetti EB70S Portable Power Station Review
      A Compact and Innovative Device Designed to Provide a Reliable Power Source In Various Situations

      Guardian

      July 5, 2023 -In an era where environmental consciousness and sustainable living have taken center stage, finding efficient and eco-friendly power solutions is crucial. Portable power stations have emerged as a game-changer in the realm of sustainable energy, offering a versatile and reliable source of power on the go. In this review, we delve into the Bluetti EB70S portable power station, a cutting-edge product that not only caters to our energy needs but also aligns with our commitment to reducing carbon footprints.

    • • NYC Substation Battery Is Biggest So Far
      Con Edison Will Sell Services From the System into the State’s Wholesale Energy Market, Generating Revenue That Will Benefit Customers

      PGI

      June 21, 2023 -Con Edison (CE) will soon place the largest battery system in New York City into service, increasing reliability in northeastern Staten Island just in time for the summer heat season, the company’s president said on June 20.

      The system, which is at a substation in the Fox Hills area, can hold 7.5 megawatts and discharge that electricity to customers for four hours. It is expected to help ease stress on CE’s electric delivery system in the area when the demand for power is high, which occurs in the late afternoon and evening hours during the summer.

    • • Hey, Roofs - Just Cool It
      How Our Roofs Could
      Cool Down the World

      WAPO

      June 20, 2023, by Michael J Coren - Years ago, I walked onto the roof of the Palo Alto Research Center. The nondescript beige building in Silicon Valley, known for groundbreaking technology, is the birthplace of the mouse, laser printer and Ethernet.

      That afternoon, researchers were sending heat from the roof into space.

      Although the building’s rooftop was scorching hot under the burning sun, when I reached out to touch the prototype I was there to observe, a box covered with a white material, it felt inexplicably cool, as if I was touching a steel refrigerator door.

    • • Say Goodbye to Radiators
      Paper-Thin Film Turns Any
      Wall or Furniture Into a Heater

      ZME

      June 19, 2023 -By 2050, two out of every three people will likely live in cities. This urbanization will introduce a number of environmental challenges, especially in the heating sector, which accounts for half of the world’s energy consumption.

      This is where a company from Finland might come in. Engineers at The Warming Surfaces Company have created a novel concept for a paper-thin warming film that can turn any wall or even furniture into a radiator.

    • • Satellites Can Revolutionize Building Efficiency from Space
      Heat Vision:
      “Thermometer in the Sky”

      ZME

      June 16, 2023 - If you're trying to look at something at 500km (311 miles) away, the odds are you won't see much. But the HotSat-1 satellite has enough resolution to see individual rooftops and walls. Furthermore, it has sensors to see if the buildings are leaking heat and should be better insulated. It's the eye in the sky we need to make our buildings more efficient and eco-friendly.

    • • Wringing More Out of Every Ounce of Fuel
      Leaders Gather to Accelerate That

      PGI

      June 7, 2023 -As 30 energy environment and trade ministers plus 50 CEOs assemble in Paris for the 8th international conference on energy efficiency, the International Energy Agency is urgently calling for greater investment in energy efficiency for factories, cars and appliances to meet international climate goals.

      The agency touted recent global progress: A report released June 7 says that demand for energy is growing, yet emissions are not growing as fast. Efficiency is increasing every year as technology improves, and last year that increase was twice the average of the previous five years.

    • • Harvesting Electricity From Humid Air?
      This Team Says They Can Do It

      REW

      June 1, 2023 - Summertime heat and humidity are cranking up in the Northern Hemisphere, leading many to switch on an electric fan or air conditioner for relief.

      But imagine if that electric power could be drawn from the humid air itself.

    • • Eco-Friendly Boilers for a Sustainable Future
      Exploring Efficient Heat Solutions

      GI

      May 26, 2023 -Sustainability has long been a buzzword thrown around in climate change workshops and conferences. But it’s now become an issue that concerns almost everyone on the planet.

      In this post, we’ll examine how embracing eco-friendly boiler solutions might help you save a penny while doing something positive for the future of humanity.

    • • Laser Technology Can Reduce
      Denmark’s Energy Consumption by 10%
      The Solutions Could
      be Useful Everywhere

      ZME

      May 18, 2023 - The internet is an amazing thing. It’s without a doubt one of the most impactful inventions in history, right there with the mobile phone, antibiotics, and the flushable toilet.

      But the internet, for all the advantages it brings, uses up a lot of power. Now, a research consortium in Denmark wants to build a laser-based infrastructure that can transport great volumes of data faster, cheaper, and with less emissions than today.

    • • Highway Transports Vehicles
      Superconducting and Energy Is Here
      The System Could Make the Much Touted Superconductivity Feasible

      ZME

      Apr. 28, 2023 - Superconductivity is an amazing phenomenon that occurs when certain materials are cooled to extremely low temperatures, allowing them to conduct electricity with no resistance.

      This means that electrical current can flow through a superconductor without any energy loss, making it an incredibly efficient way to transport electricity.

    • • The Key to More Efficient Heating
      and Cooling May Lie Underground
      Storing Heat and Cold
      For Months In Deep Aquifers

      Anthrop

      Apr. 18, 2023 -A system that circulates underground water to heat and cool buildings could save 40% of the electricity and natural gas used for this purpose in the United States, according to a new study. The findings suggest that the method, known as aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES), could help decarbonize the energy system—and increase the resilience of the electrical grid to extreme weather.

    • • Trimming Energy Usage With Smart Home Tech
      The Number of Smart Homes in Europe and North America Reached 120.5 Million in 2022

      PGI

      Apr. 18, 2023 -Smart home products and services that can help households reduce their electricity consumption are likely to see growth in the coming years, the report said. Smart air conditioners, heat pumps, thermostats and other products that enable households to reduce costs are anticipated to increase in popularity.

      North America is the leading market in terms of penetration with 39.2% of all households having at least one smart home product or system. During 2022, the number of smart homes in North America grew by 12% year-on-year, the report said.

    • • Who Knew Panels Could Be This Smart?
      In Minnesota, They're an Alternative to Expensive Electrical Upgrades

      PGI

      Apr. 10, 2023 -Heat pumps, induction stoves and other electric devices are increasingly seen as key to a clean energy future. And most new homes have electric service robust enough to handle them.

      But older homes were not designed for big electrical loads, and millions will require updates before those new appliances can be safely plugged in.

    • • Resistance-Free Electricity In Superconductors
      A Physicist Explains How It Works

      Mar. 26, 2023, (THE FEDERAL) -The modern world runs on electricity, and wires are what carry that electricity to every light, television, heating system, cellphone and computer on the planet.

      Unfortunately, on average, about 5% of the power generated at a coal or solar power plant is lost as the electricity is transmitted from the plant to its final destination. This amounts to a USD 6 billion loss annually in the U.S. alone.

    • • Customers Who Would Benefit Most
      From Energy Efficiency Won’t Get It
      Analysis from the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative


      PGI

      Mar. 24, 2023 -Consumers have more opportunities than ever to participate in energy efficiency programs and leverage smart energy technologies, and they generally understand the importance of saving energy at home. However, the consumers that would benefit the most from energy efficiency and clean energy programs still face significant barriers to participation, according to a new report from the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative (SECC).

      Click now to read on.

    • • The Energy Crisis Is Boosting Heat Pumps In Europe
      Goal: Net-Zero Emissions


      CB_Logo

      Mar. 23, 2023 -Heat pumps are widely seen as the most important technology when it comes to decarbonizing heating. Organizations including the International Energy Agency and McKinsey see heat pumps providing most of our heating needs in the future, on the path to net-zero emissions.

      Until recently, heat pump sales had been struggling to take off, but this is changing rapidly.

    • • Transparent Wood Product Could
      Give Windows an Insulation Boost
      Cellulose Nanofibers From
      Wood Pulp Can Be Sandwiched Between Existing Window Panes

      Anthrop

      Mar. 23, 2023 -Glass windows have been around since ancient Rome. Modern windows, made of two glass panes of glass with air in between, have come a long way since those drafty windows of old. But they still let some heat and cold through, wasting energy.

      Replacing the air in today’s double-pane windows with a new see-through gel made from wood could make them as insulating as walls, a new study shows.

    • • Tiny Data Center Used to Heat Public Swimming Pool
      It's the Heat Generated by a Washing-Machine-Sized Data Centre

      BBC Logo

      Mar. 13, 2023 -The computers inside the white box are surrounded by oil to capture the heat - enough to heat the pool to about 30C 60% of the time, saving Exmouth Leisure Centre thousands of pounds.

      The data centre is provided to the council-run centre free of charge.

    • • New York Electric Customers
      Cut Summer Demand by 30 MW
      Done Via Third-Party Software

      PGI

      Feb. 28, 2023 -In California during times of grid strain, customers are asked to voluntarily reduce demand so keep the grid stable. While this practice has seen success, most stakeholders agree that customers won’t always be so helpful.

      A program in New York, managed by AI and technology company Logical Buildings, rewards enrolled customers with cash payments for doing the same thing.

    • • Creating an Eco-Friendly Home Office
      Check Out These Tips

      GI

      Feb. 22, 2023 -1. Exploit natural light

      2. Invest in energy-efficient lighting

      3. Add some plants

      4. Consider sustainable office furniture

      5. Opt for Eco-friendly gadgets

      6. Reduce, reuse, recycle

      By following these tips, you can create an eco-friendly home office that will help you save energy and reduce waste. You’ll be doing your part to protect the environment while also saving money on your utility bills.

    • • Heat Pumps Go Mainstream, But...
      Can They Handle Real Cold?

      NYT

      Feb. 22, 2023 -Over the past decade, heat pumps have been steadily making their way into more American homes. There was a major milestone last year when they surpassed gas furnaces in annual sales by a wide margin.

      But the blistering cold weather descending on the Midwest this week has many homeowners wondering: Do heat pumps still work in freezing temperatures?

    • • Home Standby Generator Integration
      with Ecobee Smart Thermostats
      Generac Will Soon Integrate With the Latest Ecobee Smart Thermostats, Creating a Single Energy Management Hub

      PGI

      Feb. 8, 2023 -Generac Power Systems, Inc., a leading global designer and manufacturer of energy technology solutions and other power products, has announced that its entire line of Wi-Fi and cellular-enabled home standby generators will soon integrate with the latest ecobee smart thermostats, creating a single energy management hub for the home.

    • • Biofilm Keeps Things Cool Without Using Energy
      Made of Biodegradable, Eco-Friendly Materials, the Film Scatters Sunlight Effectively

      Anthrop

      Feb 23, 2023 -Even as the world reveled in the athletics on display at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, it was hard to shake off the threat climate change poses to the winter sports on display in the gleaming ice arenas and artificially created snow slopes. As the world warms, we will spend increasingly more energy and money to produce ice for sports, and even more crucially, for refrigerating food.

      A new film made from abundantly available biodegradable materials could help reduce that energy use. Reported in the journal Science Advances, the film scatters sunlight falling on it to cool the air around it enough to keep ice from melting for days even under direct sunlight.

    • • Squid-Inspired Smart Windows
      Could Slash Building Energy Use
      This Article Explains How

      Anthrop

      Feb. 2, 2023 -Liquid-filled panels that dynamically change how they let light through could cut the energy costs of heating, cooling, and lighting buildings by over 40%

      Windows are critical for improving building energy efficiency. Over a quarter of a building’s energy is lost through today’s glass-pane windows. Now, drawing inspiration from the color-changing skins of squids and krill, researchers have designed liquid-filled panels that dynamically change how they let light through.

    • Back Arrow

    • • TS Conductor: Welcome to California
      Production Was Recently
      Shifted From China

      ZME

      Jan. 26 2023 -TS Conductor Corp. said it opened a U.S. manufacturing facility in Huntington Beach, California, with a capacity to produce up to 5,000 miles of conductors per year.

      The company also added four people to its board of directors and advisory board. Charlie Bayless was named to its board of directors; Amory Lovins, Audrey Zibelman, and JD Hammerly joined its advisory board.

      • • Ways to Save Money on Heat and Hot Water
        They're Free, or Nearly So

        NYT

        Jan. 25, 2023 -Chances are you’re spending more to heat your home this winter, which means, you may also be looking for ways to save on your utility bills.

        While smart bulbs, low-flow showerheads, smart thermostats, and other energy-saving devices help reduce your utility bills, tweaking some of your daily habits can lower them from a few bucks a month to as much as a few hundred dollars a year, often with little to no upfront investment. You’ve probably been nagged by a loved one to turn off the lights when you leave a room, but here, Wirecutter experts offer several other pain-free (and often cost-free) suggestions that take the sting out of your monthly bills.

      • • A Breakthrough in Heating and Cooling Technology
        Scientists Just Invented an New Way to Cool Things

        ZME Science

        Jan. 10, 2023 -During winter, you’ll often see municipal trucks spray salt on roads and sidewalks to clear them of snow. Although no heat is added, the dissolution of the salt effectively lowers the freezing point of water, which explains why the ice melts even in sub-zero temperatures. And since the natural world is guided by energy conservation, the melting ice cools its environment.

        Remarkably, no energy input is required for this to happen, which gave some scientists a cool idea.

      • • What Green Cooling Tech is Based On
        By Combining a Salt and a Solvent—Both Cheap and Abundant—Engineers Developed a New Refrigeration System that Uses Less Energy and Emits No Greenhouse Gases

        Anthrop

        Jan. 5, 2023 -Salt trucks are a common winter sight in cold climates. Salt brings down the freezing temperature of water, so it stays slushy instead of becoming ice. A research duo has now developed a new refrigeration system based on the concept of salt melting ice.

        The technology reported in the journal Science promises to be much more energy-efficient and eco-friendly than today’s cooling technologies, which consume vast amounts of energy and release environmentally harmful chemicals into the atmosphere.

      • • Best Energy-Efficient Space Heaters of 2022
        Stay Warm With a Safe
        Electric Space Heater

        TH

        Nov. 16, 2022 - The cold winter weather can lead to drafty homes and high heating bills, so to help stay warm, many consumers utilize portable space heaters. Although both affordable and convenient, space heaters aren’t known for being environmentally friendly and can pose a fire risk if not used properly. The good news is that many companies are rising to the challenge to produce safer, more energy-efficient space heaters using convection heating as well as radiant (infrared) technology.

      • • This Window Coating Plans to Make Our Buildings Cooler
        And Without Using Any
        Energy at All

        ZME Science

        Nov. 8, 2022 -The material itself is a transparent coating that can be applied to windows in order to passively reduce the temperature inside buildings. It achieves this by blocking the ultraviolet and near-infrared spectrum of incoming sunlight. This is the part of sunlight that passes through windows and heats up enclosed rooms. It does all this while allowing visible light to move through freely.

      • • How Cold Seawater Can Heat Helsinki’s Homes
        The Finnish Capital is Looking to Tap Into a Very Abundant Resource: Icy Water From Deep in the Baltic Sea

        BCL Logo

        Oct. 18, 2022 -The Finnish capital is joining Europe’s rush to find new sources of energy and reduce its reliance on imported fossil fuels with a new, carbon-neutral heating system. The city’s power company, Helen Oy, will partner with Spanish builder Acciona SA and local infrastructure company YIT Oyj to construct a tunnel for extracting water deep from the seabed, where it stays at a constant temperature. By processing the water through underground heat pumps, the system could generate enough heat to serve as much as 40% of the Finnish capital.

      • • The World’s Whitest Paint
        Thin Enough to Coat and
        Cool Down All Transportation

        ZME Science

        Oct. 4, 2022 -As the world increasingly warms, urban heat islands have become a deadly concern. Heat is actually the number one weather-related cause of death, claiming more lives each year than floods, tornadoes, or hurricanes. This is why it’s paramount that we find solutions that decrease building temperatures during both day and night to give people the chance to cool off and hydrate.

        With this in mind, in 2021, researchers at Purdue University unveiled the world’s whitest paint, which reflects up to 98.1% of sunlight, reflecting infrared heat and beaming it back into space.

      • • Energy Bills In One Tiny German Town
        Nobody Worries About Them

        RE World

        Sep. 30, 2022 -Europeans are opening their energy bills with trepidation these days, bracing for hefty price hikes as utility companies pass on the surging cost of natural gas, oil, and electricity tied to Russia’s war in Ukraine. Many are trying to conserve by turning down the heat and shutting off lights this winter.

        Not so the people of Feldheim, population 130.

      • • This passive AC Can Provide
        Up to 9°C of Cooling Without Electricity
        Just Add Water

        ZME Science

        Sep. 24, 2022 -Summers are increasingly becoming unbearable, and even people living in typically cool regions such as the UK are now seriously thinking of installing an AC. This means that we’ll only start spending more energy on air conditioning, draining both our money and our shrinking carbon budget. While sourcing electricity for air conditioning from renewable energy is one way to manage this growing demand, so is pursuing more efficient technology.

        Researchers at MIT have really outdone themselves, reporting a three-layer device that only requires water to cool its surroundings by up to 9.3°C (19°F) compared to the ambient temperature. The passive cooling device is meant to preserve food crops and supplement conventional air conditioners in buildings — no electricity is required.


    Of Interest

    • • How a Heat Pump Can Cool Your House in the Summer
      Don't Be Confused by the Name

      BCL Logo

      June 4, 2022 - This energy-efficient device not only can heat your home in the winter, it can cool you down on hot days — while saving you money.

      As temperatures and energy bills spike this summer, it might be time to consider installing a heat pump. Despite its name, a heat pump cools your home as well as warming it in winter, but the device is far more efficient than a conventional air conditioner and fossil fuel furnace.

    • • City of Utecht, Netherlands to Impose Car-Free Zone
      Utrecht Expanding Its
      Car-Free Zone To Become
      Bicycle Capitol Of Europe

      Mar. 15, 2020 (CleanTechnica) -You may not have heard much about the city of Utrecht in the Netherlands since a series of treaties signed there in the spring of 1713 brought an end to the War of Spanish Succession. The city is famous for the number of its residents who rely on bicycles to get around. It built the first bike lane in in the Netherlands in 1885. Last year it built the world’s largest multi-story bicycle parking garage with room for 12,500 bikes.

      Now a new development of 6,000 homes in the city’s Merwede district is being planned with bicycles as the preferred mode of transportation. It is expected to be serviced by 20,000 bicycles but no cars, with construction scheduled to begin in 2022. The new 24-hectare community will be home to about 12,000 people and will include 2 new primary schools, a high school, and several health centers, together with an assortment of shops and businesses.

    • • How To Heat And Cool Buildings With Wastewater
      Wastewater To Heat And Cool Buildings

      From: Huber Technology -Most companies and agencies today operate with the concept of business sustainability. This is a holistic way of managing a business that includes environmental, social, and financial responsibilities. To meet this triple bottom line, companies must find ways to be cost-efficient, socially responsible, and eco-friendly at the same time.

      Heating and cooling facilities uses large amounts of energy, and accounts for much of a company’s operating costs. With new technologies, companies can reduce reliance on fossil fuels while saving money.

    • • How to Maximize Your Vehicle’s Fuel Economy
      How to Maximize Your
      Vehicle’s Fuel Economy

      Union of Concerned Scientists,   - How you drive and take care of your vehicle can have a big effect on how much fuel you use. Follow these simple tips to save money and reduce pollution.

      Covered are “Before You Hit the Road,” “Behind the Wheel,” and “Driving a Clean Car Revolution.”

    • • Affordable Energy and Zero Emissions - Nice!
      The Allam Cycle is Reinventing
      Emissions Capture from Its Source.

      (8Rivers)-The future of our planet – considering a rapidly growing global population – demands a balanced portfolio of renewables and carbon-based methods of power generation, particularly those employing carbon capture.

      Free emissions capture is the holy grail of carbon-based power generation. Today, power cycles require the addition of expensive, efficiency-reducing equipment to decrease and capture emissions. The Allam Cycle embodies major advantages over conventional systems: attaining high efficiencies at low costs with low to no water consumption. All this with full, free emissions capture.

    • • Carbon Offsets: How they Work in California
      How Carbon Offsets Work

      EnergyCentral Apr. 9, 2019 -Offsets are financial instruments that are used by the California Cap and Trade Program and other similar programs. This paper we will reviews the types of offsets, offset protocols and offset verification.

      Click now to go to the article, and then
      click “Publication” in the blue oval.

    • • Turn Off That Virtual Meetings Camera
      This Can Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

      Jan. 14, 2021(ScienceDaily)-Just one hour of videoconferencing or streaming, for example, emits 150-1,000 grams of carbon dioxide (a gallon of gasoline burned from a car emits about 8,887 grams), requires 2-12 liters of water and demands a land area adding up to about the size of an iPad Mini.

      But leaving your camera off during a web call can reduce these footprints by 96%. Streaming content in standard definition rather than in high definition while using apps such as Netflix or Hulu also could bring an 86% reduction, the researchers estimated.

    • • It's Time For Citizends to Take Charge
      A Citizen's Guide to
      Reducing Energy Waste

      -With clean energy from the sun and wind, we have the technology to provide for our energy needs without the global consequences of pollution. Yet we’re still producing and consuming virtually all of our energy in ways that do lasting damage to our environment, our health and our climate. And to make matters worse, of all that dirty energy we produce, two-thirds of it ends up being wasted.

      We can address the largest environmental challenges of our time by shifting toward 100% renewable energy. The fastest, easiest and cheapest way to do that is to first reduce the total amount of energy we use and let go to waste. Learn how you can reduce your energy waste and become more energy efficient in your home.

      Click now to learn more
      from the Environment Florida.

    • • Guide To Lowering Your Electric Bill
      The Ultimate Guide From Arcadia Power

      The article tells about the many ways we can save power and reduce both our carbon footprint and utilty bills.

      Click now to read it.

    • • Charging Smart - A Smart Thing to Do
      Union of Concerned Scientists
      Sound Solar Solution

      Everyone loves electric cars—they’re clean, fun to drive, and increasingly affordable to own. But what do electric vehicles (EVs) mean for the electricity grid? Could they enable the use of more renewable power?

      Drivers, electric utilities, and the environment can all benefit when electric vehicles are better integrated with the grid.

    • • Solving the Global Cooling Problem
      As A/C Sucks Up More and
      More Energy, Singapore Finds aGreener Way to Keep Cool

      July 2020, (Bloomberg Green)-In Singapore, close to the Equator, temperatures regularly rise above 32 degrees Celsius (90 Fahrenheit) — but inside the soaring glass greenhouses of Gardens by the Bay, the country’s award-winning botanical park, it’s a pleasant 24 degrees.

      The daffodils and tulips of the flower dome, along with two dozen nearby towers that are normally full of bankers, shoppers, residents, hotel guests and gamblers, are chilled by what is probably the world’s largest underground district cooling system.

    • • Make Power While Being Towed
      Tiny Tigermoth Camper Generates
      Power While Being Towed

      Feb. 7, 2017- Taxa Outdoors’ tow camper, the TigerMoth, is a compact home on wheels geared towards traveling adventurers. The lightweight camper sleeps two, has LED lights, and even better, comes with a built-in electrical system that generates energy while being towed. The camper’s battery can store energy for at least seven days, making off-grid living easier than ever before.

    • • Lakes That Can Store Electricity?
      Lakes Can Work Like Batteries
      That Charge The Electricity Grid

      Solar and wind are poised to become a larger part of that green-power mix. But there’s a problem: people need electricity even when the sun’s not shining and the wind isn’t blowing.

      One way to solve this problem is to store the excess energy and then release it when there’s a need.

    • • Highways Making Electricity?
      California Freeways Will
      Soon Generate Electricity

      Energy conservation is probably not the first thing that comes to mind when you think about freeways jammed with idling vehicles.

      But in California, which has some of the most congested freeways in the country, that's about to change. The CEC has approved a pilot program in which piezoelectric crystals will be installed on several freeways.

    • • It's a Walking Solar Panel!
      The First Flexible,Fiber-Optic Solar
      Cell That CanBe Woven Into Clothes

      An international team of engineers, physicists, and chemists have created the first fiber-optic solar cell. These fibers are thinner than human hair, flexible, and yet they produce electricity, just like a normal solar cell. The US military is already interested in weaving these threads into clothing, to provide a wearable power source for soldiers.

    • • Geothermal Heat Pumps
      They've Been Around
      Since the Late 1940s

      Mar. 30, 2022, (ENERGY.GOV)-Geothermal heat pumps (GHPs), sometimes referred to as GeoExchange, earth-coupled, ground-source, or water-source heat pumps, have been in use since the late 1940s. They use the relatively constant temperature of the earth as the exchange medium instead of the outside air temperature.

      Although many parts of the country experience seasonal temperature extremes -- from scorching heat in the summer to sub-zero cold in the winter—a few feet below the earth's surface the ground remains at a relatively constant temperature. Depending on latitude, ground temperatures range from 45°F (7°C) to 75°F (21°C).

    • • Bike (Don't Drive) DeeptlySlashes Commuting Emissions by 67%
      Replacing a Single Car
      Trip With Biking Could Dramatically
      Lower Your Carbon Footprint

      Apr. 1, 2021 (ZME Science) -Seemingly small changes in lifestyle can add up to have a huge impact at the societal level. According to a new study, choosing to bike rather than drive a car may reduce the average person’s transportation-related carbon emissions by 67%.

      These findings apply for choosing to bike over driving a car only once over the course of a day, meaning you don’t have to substitute all car trips in order to make a huge dent in your carbon footprint. This also means you could reduce your transportation-related emissions by 95% if you choose to exclusively bike.

      Click now to read or listen to the story.
    • • View the 2019 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard
      2019 State Energy Efficiency
      Scorecard Reveals Leading States
      In Clean Energy Adoption

      Oct. 3, 2019 (inhabitat)- Just in time for the annual celebration of Energy Efficiency Day, the nonprofit American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) has released its 2019 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard.

      Click now for the story and a slideshow.

    • • Wasting Electricity When Devices Are Not in Use
      Home Idle Load:
      Devices Wasting Electricity
      When Not in Active Use

      July 14, 2015  (National Resources Defense Council(NRDC))-There has been a veritable explosion in the number of electronics, appliances, and other miscellaneous devices plugged into, or permanently connected to, America's homes.

      Most are consuming electricity around-the-clock, even when the owners are not using them or think they have been turned off. This always-on energy use by inactive devices translates to $19 billion a year -- about $165 per U.S. household on average -- and approximately 50 large (500-megawatt) power plants' worth of electricity.

    • • How to Shop for Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs
      How to Shop for Energy
      -Efficient Light Bulbs

      July 22, 2019 (National Resources Defense Council(NRDC))) -One of the easiest, cheapest ways to fight climate change may be shining down on you right now. The bulbs you use in your kitchen ceiling, chandelier, bedside lamp, or bathroom vanity can be either a major energy suck or a smart way to lighten your power load.


      Click now light up your life.
    • • Call a Pro to Energy Assess Your Home
      Energy Assess Your Home

      Jan. 15, 2019 Energy.Gov -Professional energy assessments generally go into great detail to assess your home's energy use. The energy auditor will do a room-by-room examination of the residence, as well as a thorough examination of past utility bills. Many professional energy assessments will include a blower door test. Most will also include a thermographic scan. There's also another type of test -- the PFT air infiltration measurement technique -- but it is rarely offered.

      Check out the Energy Saver 101 home energy audit infographic to get an idea of what energy auditors look for and the special tools they use to determine where a home is wasting energy.

    • • Make Every Window a Power Source
      Fully Transparent PV Cell Could Make
      Any Window/Screen a Power Source

      Aug. 26, 2014,  -Researchers at Mich. State have created a fully transparent solar concentrator, which could turn any window or sheet of glass (like your smartphone’s screen) into a P.V. solar cell.They can be efficiently deployed in a many settings, like tall buildings or any kind of mobile device that demands high aesthetic quality like a phone or e-reader.


      Click now for
      images and more info.
    • • Rhubarb: It's Not Just for Pie
      Hook Up Your Solar Panels
      To A Giant Rhubarb Battery

      January 13th, 2014 -Yes, all you rhubarb fans take note. A new energy storage breakthrough is under way at Harvard University, and it is based on a common little molecule that is almost exactly the same as one found in rhubarb.

      Click now for a story worth reading, rube, or not.

    • • Save $$ and the Environment
      10 Tips for an Energy-Efficient Home

      June 23, 2018 -Energy bills are one of the largest regular bills behind mortgages, rent and council tax.

      The average annual dual-fuel bill, which covers both gas and electricity, stands at more than $1,700 per household – and this is on the rise.

      For most homeowners, cost is secondary to the aesthetics and milieu of the home they are creating. Can you design a beautiful home that still helps you save each month on your energy bill?

      Click to read the Greener Ideal article.

    • • Greenhouse Farming Helper
      How LEDs Are Set to Revolutionize
      Hi-Tech Greenhouse Farming

      June 13, 2014 - LEDs outperform incandescent lights, hands down. But they should also give farmers unprecedented control over plant growth, development and nutritional content in future, say researchers.

      Click now for more on
      this story and a graphic chart.

    • • Energy Efficiency, CA.Style
      New California Partnership
      Launches Statewide PACE Program

      Jan. 26, 2015 -Reducing energy use by enhancing efficiency has long been viewed as “low-hanging fruit” in the drive to lower energy bills, boost economic productivity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions

    • • Net-0 Energy Homes
      Building & Powering an Award-
      Winning Net Zero Energy Home

      Can a home be beautiful, powered entirely by solar energy, use sustainable heating and cooling systems and save it’s owners roughly $3,500 a year? Why, yes it can. Just ask Joanne Coons, who built her award winning, single-family, Net Zero Energy Home in 2010. Sustainable Woman Joanne talks Net Zero standards, efficient appliances and goods, her 10kW solar panels and more.

    • • Drive Green For Life™
      Offering the Drive
      Green for Life Program

      Click now to sign up for a free estimate.

    • • Sending Heat Into Space
      Material Cools Buildings by
      Sending Heat into Space

      December 1, 2014 -It requires no electricity, uses the universe as a heat-sink even with the sun shining. -A material that simultaneously reflects light and radiates heat at frequencies that vent it through the Earth’s atmosphere could one day help cool buildings on hot days.

      Click now to read all about this potential breakthrough.

    • • It Chills and It Charges
      Solar-Powered Beach Mat Charges Your
      Phone and Chills Your Beverages

      Powered by a five-watt solar panel and a built-in thermal fridge, the Beachill waterproof mattress lets beach-goers keep their drinks cold and their portable devices charged while making a positive impact on the environment.

    • • Ask the Energy Expert
      A New Jersey Town
      Keeps Its Citizens Informed

      Experts weigh in on tips for energy efficiency. Appliances, home energy audits, driving tips. Try it, you might just learn something.

    • • Driving Tips
      Tips on Greener Driving
      We're Not Talking About Golf Clubs

      Want to save money and reduce your carbon footprint? Who wouldn't?

      Click now to see just how to do it. And by the way, get rid of that Hummer.

    • Back Arrow

    Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

    Aracdia Power
    BrightSource Logo
    Arcadia Power was started to give everyone the chance to know - and decide - what kind of energy they support, putting power in the hands of the people.

    Bright Source Energy
    BrightSource Logo
    BrightSource’s LPT solar thermal system is operating at the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System (ISEGS) in California’s Mojave Desert. Ivanpah, which began commercial operation in 2013, is delivering power to PG&E and Southern California Edison. The project is currently the largest solar thermal power plant in the world. Ivanpah was constructed by Bechtel and is operated by NRG Energy, one of the project's equity investors.
    Click the here to see a PDF fully explaining the facility.

     

    Community Energy Service
    CESC Logo
    SmartLights is specially designed to help small businesses become more energy-efficient. This program offers free start-to-finish technical assistance and instant rebates to help defray the cost of upgrading and/or repairing existing equipment. SmartLights can help with comprehensive lighting retrofits, refrigeration tune-ups, controls, and seals replacement, replacing domestic hot water heaters, and referrals to appropriate HVAC programs.
    Their services include: a free, no obligation energy-efficiency assessment, instant rebates (typically range from 25%-75% of total project costs), negotiated volume pricing with qualified installation contractors, free start-to-finish project management and quality control, rebates paid directly to your contractor to help defray your out-of-pocket costs, and referrals to other energy efficiency programs as needed.
    FC PowerTrekk


    FC PowerTrekk Logo

    myFC PowerTrekk is a hybrid fuel cell charger that generates electricity from water and salt – to make sure you’ll have instant power anywhere, anytime. Check out the video by clicking on the logo.

    Florida Energy
    Conservation Advisors

    Fla Energy Conservation Logo
    Provide FREE Home Energy Conservation Evaluations for HOME OWNERS throughout central west Florida, including Pinellas, Pasco, Polk, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, & Sarasota Counties.
    This FREE Evaluation should result in substantial reductions from your current utility bills. Our National and State Governments along with local Utility Companies are providing Tax Credits, Rebates and other incentives to HOME OWNERS who reduce their Energy waste and Fluorocarbon Footprint.

    Google Energy Conservation
    Links to all sorts of information on energy conservation (the cheapest form of renewable energy you can get)



    Green Building Council
    The U.S. Green Building Council is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community of leaders working to make green buildings available to everyone within a generation.

     

    Dept of Energy

    DOE's Building Technologies (BTP) funds research and technology development to reduce commercial and residential building energy use.

    Energy Star
    Learn about Energy Star products that save energy and MONEY.
    This web page provides home energy saving tips.


    National R.E. Laboratory's
    Energy Outreach Network

    National Energy Outreach Network
    The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is the nation's primary laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development (R&D).


    NetZero-USA
    (Reducing Fixed Costs / Improving Bottom Lines)

    NetZeroUsa LogoOne of the biggest challenges that businesses face today is the rising cost of power. As our nation struggles to find new power sources, one thing becomes abundantly clear: Energy costs will continue to rise with no apparent end in sight.


    North East Sustainable Energy Association
    NE Sustainable Energy Assoc Logo
    Promotimg sustainable energy and whole systems thinking.

     

     

    Orlando Utility Commission OUC Logo
    Orlando Utilities Commission, in pursuing what apparently would be only the second project of its kind in Florida, plans to offer customers the chance to buy power from a solar garden in southwest Orlando at a fixed price for as long as 25 years.
    “If you want to do solar, this is the cheapest way to do it," OUC spokesman Tim Trudell said.
    OUC’s residential customers now pay 10 cents to 12 cents for one kilowatt-hour of electricity, which is enough to power 10 light bulbs of 100 watts each for an hour. Power generated by the solar garden would cost 13 cents per kilowatt-hour.
    To see why residents might be willing to pay a little more than conventional rates, click the logo.

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