Home ›
News for: April 02, 2013
Businesses to Lower Costs and Save Energy With Efficiency Vermont and SmartWatt Energy
April 02, 2013
News You Can Use
As summer approaches, Efficiency Vermont is taking steps to reduce peak electricity demands. Incandescent lighting is a major drain on energy resources, so Efficiency Vermont is undertaking to replace it with light-emitting diodes (LEDs)—the most efficient lights on the market. LEDs can offer energy savings of up to 80 percent over incandescent lighting. What’s more, LEDs produce less heat—reducing the need for air conditioning, and further reducing summer peak electricity demands.
Efficiency Vermont required an experienced and capable partner to implement the LED Upgrade Program, so it awarded SmartWatt Energy the sole program implementation and administration contract.
Smarter Data Center Efficiency, Operations & Management
April 02, 2013
News You Can Use
With their voracious appetites for energy, data centers present enormous challenges for companies looking to trim their carbon footprint and cut their utility costs. Part of the problem is due to something we’ll call “energy anxiety,” in which data centers are outfitted with an overabundance of systems to guard against any possibility of a power disruption. However, new tools are becoming available for “smarter” data centers to cut energy consumption without sacrificing energy security, and that is beginning to open up some unique opportunities for the introduction of a more nimble, diversified approach to energy sources.
Demand for Energy Efficiency Boosts the Medium Voltage AC Drives Market in India
April 02, 2013
News You Can Use
India is one of the important markets for the medium voltage AC drives or variable frequency drives (VFD) in Asia. Most of the top global companies have expanded their presence in India and this has boosted the demand for industrial automation control systems like medium voltage AC drives. As manufacturing firms in India move up the value chain to produce ever more sophisticated products, they will further boost demand for these automation systems. Despite the global financial crisis and slowdown in the domestic market, the medium voltage AC drives market in India has seen a steady growth from the previous year, according to a new ARC Advisory Group study.
The overall medium voltage AC drives market is distributed across many industries. The growth in the market largely comes from industries such as electric power generation, cement & glass, mining & metals, plastic & rubber, oil & gas, and water & wastewater.
Energy-efficiency campaign includes clothesline giveaway
April 02, 2013
News You Can Use
Nova Scotians who buy select energy-efficient products over the next two months will get instant savings at the cash register in more than 200 stores across the province.
As well, as part of the campaign, Efficiency Nova Scotia will distribute 6,800 clotheslines to customers who pledge to use them.
From April 1 until May 31, savings of $3 to $100 will be provided on products like Energy Star compact fluorescent lamps, select indoor and outdoor motion sensors, power bars with timers and select Energy Star refrigerators and clothes washers
Advances in Energy Efficiency
April 02, 2013
News You Can Use
The past year has seen some interesting advances in energy efficiency throughout the packaging chain, whether it is in the area of machinery automation, lightweight materials or cutting packaging material usage through innovative design. Victoria Hattersley looks at some of the highlights.
When it comes to creating greater efficiency throughout the packaging production chain there are plenty of areas of innovation to focus on. Production and energy efficiency, whether it is through machinery development, energy efficient kit in production spaces or smarter packaging design, is all focused around a few key areas: these include the need for lightweighting by reducing material usage, cutting energy use during production and reducing waste.
Allegheny County Launches Energy-Efficiency Program for Low-Income Homeowners
April 02, 2013
News You Can Use
Allegheny County, partnering with the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, have launched a pilot program to assist low-income homeowners with energy-efficiency improvements that could help cut down on utility bills.
The pilot "Energy Efficiency Foreclosure Prevention Initiative" program was created through a partnership with PHFA,ACTION-Housing and four utility companies: Columbia Gas, Duquesne Light, Equitable Gas and Peoples Natural Gas.
Lessons From Thailand: Mobilizing Investment In Energy Efficiency
April 02, 2013
News You Can Use
Developing countries will need about $531 billion of additional investments in clean energy technologies every year in order to limit global temperature rise to 2° C above pre-industrial levels, thus preventing climate change’s worst impacts. To attract investments on the scale required, developing country governments, with support from developed countries, must undertake “readiness” activities that will encourage public andprivate sector investors to put their money into climate-friendly projects.
WRI’s six-part blog series, Mobilizing Clean Energy Finance, highlights individual developing countries’ experiences in scaling up investments in clean energy and explores the role climate finance plays in addressing investment barriers. The cases draw on WRI’s recent report, Mobilizing Climate Investment.
The development of Thailand’s energy efficiency sector is an interesting case study. It demonstrates how strong government leadership combined with strategic support from international climate finance can drive the transition toward an energy-efficient economy.
Habitat For Humanity’s Many Paths To Energy Efficiency
April 02, 2013
News You Can Use
For Habitat for Humanity, sustainable — or “green” building — means creating healthy homes and communities that are less expensive to operate, more durable, and that conserve resources. It means doing everything possible to help families find better footing — not just for today, but for tomorrow as well.
The organization has established a standard that, by 2013, all Habitat homes in the United States will have at minimum an Energy Star rating. Many affiliates are already building to that standard and beyond. Innovative Habitat projects like Seattle’s House of the Immediate Future, Wisconsin’s Eco Village and Washington, DC’s Empowerhouse are expanding the idea of what many people think of when they think of affordable housing.
State to set energy efficiency standards for video game consoles
April 01, 2013
News You Can Use
“The simple fact is energy efficiency saves consumers money,” said Andrew McAllister, a member of the California Energy Commission. “Since 1978, energy efficiency standards have saved California ratepayers $74 billion in electricity costs.” The ...
News for: April 01, 2013
Philly.com: GreenSpace: This Bulb Might Turn You On
April 01, 2013
Alliance in the News
