Category Archives: energy efficiency

New Database Tracks Energy Legislation

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Screen Shot 2013-05-07 at 8.02.27 PMColorado State University’s Center for the New Energy Economy (CNEE) has launched an Advanced Energy Legislation (AEL) Tracker, a database tracking energy-related state legislation pending in all 50 states. Types of energy include solar, wind, biofuels, natural gas and more. The AEL was created in partnership with Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) and the system will also enable CNEE to conduct analysis of trends in state energy legislation.

To date, there are more than 2,100 bills being considered in U.S. states and the energy tracker monitors the progress of each bill as they move forward. Of these bills, nearly 25 percent call for new financing tools, including tax incentives, for the installation of energy facilities. In addition, roughly 21 percent of the bills are promoting development of clean energy sources, and about 8 percent encourage the adoption of energy-efficient appliances, building codes and practices.

If we look at where the country is going on advanced energy policy, overwhelmingly that transition is being led by states,” said Bill Ritter, Jr., director of CNEE and former governor of Colorado.”To get the pulse of where the country is going we need to understand what the states are doing.”

Ritter continued, “AEL Tracker brings together information on energy-related legislation in all 50 states, in a form that is easily accessible not only to lawmakers at all levels of government, but to academics, analysts, environmentalists, funders, business leaders and the general public. It will allow our Center to conduct critical academic analysis of issues to energy legislation nationwide.” Continue reading →

Walmart: 100% Renewable Energy by 2020

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Walmart President and CEO Mike Duke has announced the company’s next step on the path to achieving its goal of being supplied 100 percent by renewable energy. Unveiled at Walmart’s Global Sustainability Milestone Meeting, the company committed to achieving the following by Dec. 31, 2020: drive the production or procurement of 7 billion kWh of renewable energy globally every year, a 600 percent increase over 2010 levels; and reduce the kWh/sq. ft. energy intensity required to power Walmart’s buildings globally by 20 percent compared to 2010 levels.

“More than ever, we know that our goal to be supplied 100 percent by renewable energy is the right goal and that marrying up renewables with energy efficiency is walmart-solar-storesespecially powerful,” said Duke. “The math adds up pretty quickly – when we use less energy that’s less energy we have to buy, and that means less waste and more savings. These new commitments will make us a stronger business, and they’re great for our communities and the environment.”

Walmart’s six-fold increase in renewable energy projects is expected to be equal to eliminating the need for roughly two U.S. fossil fuel power plants. Based on external estimates of projected energy costs and other factors, the two new commitments are anticipated to generate more than $1 billion annually in energy savings once fully implemented. For the first time, the company is projecting this GHG decrease even with significant anticipated growth in stores and sales.

“When I look at the future, energy costs may grow as much as twice as fast as our anticipated store and club growth,” Duke said. “Finding cleaner and more affordable energy is important to our every day low cost business model and that makes it important to our customers’ pocketbooks. Our leadership in this area is something our customers can feel good about because the result is a cleaner environment. And savings we can pass on to them.”

In 2012 alone, Walmart added nearly 100 renewable energy projects, bringing the total number of projects in operation worldwide to nearly 300 today. According to the Solar Energy Industry Association, it has more solar power capacity and number of systems than any other company in America. Walmart has also been cited by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as America’s leading user of onsite renewables, using more onsite renewable power than any other company in the U.S. In addition to onsite solar, the company will continue to develop projects in wind, fuel cells and other technologies. It will also procure offsite renewable energy from utility-scale projects, such as large wind projects, micro-hydro projects and geothermal.

IU Bloomingdale Achieves GHG Emission Reductions

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Indiana University Bloomington has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 43 percent last year from the previous year and has now cut its direct emissions by more than half in the past two years, according to campus officials. The major reduction in GHG emissions over the past two years reflects a concerted shift from coal to natural gas usage at the campus’s Central Heating Plant according to Mike Jenson, director of IU’s Office of Environmental Health and Safety Management. The campus has already exceeded a goal set forth in IU Bloomington’s 2010 Campus Master Plan, which called for a 30 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.

IU Bloomindale Central Heating Plant“This is a very positive step — perhaps the most significant step the campus has taken so far — toward carbon neutrality,” said Mike Jenson, director of IU’s Office of Environmental, Health and Safety Management.

The Campus Master Plan, spanning several years, established a goal to build “fuel flexibility” into the boiler system, ensuring the campus could take advantage of falling natural gas prices to dramatically cut its carbon footprint. “In recent years, there has been a strong dedication among our utilities group toward reducing our emissions and increasing our energy efficiency as much as possible, so when there were changes in the marketplace, we were in a position to shift more and more resources to natural gas,” said Jenson.

“Still, we were surprised by the magnitude of our reduction,” he added. “Because we were burning so much more natural gas than ever before, we knew it was going to drop, but we didn’t expect it to drop that much.” The campus power plant now uses 95 percent natural gas and only 5 percent coal. Among the next steps for the campus is increasing its focus on energy efficiency in its buildings and facilities.

In December, IU trustees approved a new Integrated Energy Master Plan for the IU Bloomington campus that provides detailed guidelines for reducing campus energy use and cutting carbon emissions while maintaining sound economic rationales for conservation-related improvements. The plan benchmarks energy consumption by campus buildings and addresses the current and future effectiveness of the Central Heating Plant, Central Cooling Plant and utility distribution systems for electricity, chilled water, and steam and condensate.

USDA Aims to Simplify REF Apps

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USDA Rural Development LogoThe U.S. Department of Agriculture has proposed a series of changes to make it easier for agricultural producers and rural small businesses to apply for renewable energy and energy efficiency funding.

“These changes are intended to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses throughout America,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. “They will streamline and simplify the application process and give businesses more time to do what they do best: innovate, create jobs and serve their rural communities.”

The proposed changes would affect applications for loans and grants through USDA Rural Development’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). They would:

  • Reduce paperwork, especially for projects under $80,000;
  • Implement a more objective and uniform system to score applications;
  • Authorize funding for refurbished and retrofitted renewable energy systems;
  • Reduce certain reporting requirements; and
  • Establish a quarterly application period for applicants seeking only guaranteed loans. This change is intended to make the program more appealing to lenders and to ensure that funds are available year-round.

USDA is accepting comments on the proposed rule through June 11, 2013. For details on how to submit comments, or for additional information, see Page 22044 of the April 12 Federal Register.

UCSB Hosting Summit on Energy Efficiency

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UC Santa Barbara’s Institute for Energy Efficiency is hosting the 2013 Summit on Energy Efficiency on May 1-2, 2013. The forum will focus on the latest innovations in materials science and technology for energy generation, energy storage, lighting, and electronics. The event is designed to provide dialogue about how advancements in materials science and technology can meet future energy needs through efficiency improvements.

Screen Shot 2013-03-28 at 11.40.00 AM“We are all aware of the energy crisis that we as a society are facing. The goal of the Summit is to gather experts and policy leaders, discuss the latest science and technology for energy efficiency and renewable energy, and to stimulate everyone to think in new ways,” said Dr. John Bowers, Director of the Institute for Energy Efficiency.

This year’s summit, held at The Fess Parker Resort in Santa Barbara, is attracting high-profile panelists who are leading major research and development efforts in energy efficiency and materials science. This year’s Summit program emphasizes the theme of “Materials for a Sustainable Energy Future,” featuring an opening keynote on materials science innovations by Steven Chu, outgoing U.S. Secretary of Energy. Featured keynote speakers also include: Michael McQuade of United Technologies Corporation; George Crabtree, Director of the newly established DOE Battery Hub at Argonne National Laboratory; and Kateri Callahan President of the Alliance to Save Energy.

Guest panelists from Soraa, Cree, Intel, Ciena, Pellion Technologies, Southern California Edison, PG&E, U.S. Department of Energy, Ames Research Laboratory, MIT, Yale, and UC Santa Barbara will lead discussions on the following topics: Materials for Energy Technology; Innovations in Solid-State Lighting; Information and Communications Technology; Electrochemical Energy Storage Technology; Utilities discussion on Energy Efficiency; and High Efficiency Power Electronics.

Click here to register and for more information.

U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu Resigns

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In a letter to U.S. Energy Department employees today, Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced his decision to not serve a second term. In his remarks he highlighted the tremendous progress of the last four years.

Hero_StevenChuChu wrote, “Serving the country as Secretary of Energy, and working alongside such an extraordinary team of people at the Department, has been the greatest privilege of my life. While the job has had many challenges, it has been an exciting time for the Department, the country, and for me personally.

I’ve always been inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, who articulated his Dream of an America where people are judged not by skin color but “by the content of their character.” In the scientific world, people are judged by the content of their ideas. Advances are made with new insights, but the final arbitrator of any point of view are experiments that seek the unbiased truth, not information cherry picked to support a particular point of view. The power of our work is derived from this foundation.”

Chu highlighted several areas where he felt there was great success especially in the country’s move to clean energy. Four areas he noted in which he felt demonstrated tangible signs of success included: in the last four years, the production of clean, renewable energy from wind and solar has doubled; in addition to approximately $25 billion annual budget, also made a $36 billion investment through the Recovery Act to help ensure that the clean energy jobs of tomorrow are being created here in America today; the Department has helped one million low income homeowners weatherize their homes; and administered a loan program that generated a portfolio of loans and loan guarantees to 33 clean energy and advanced automotive manufacturing projects.

You can read his full letter of resignation here.

EcoCAR 2: Plugging in to the Future

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Year two is underway in the EcoCAR 2: Plugging in to the Future, competition, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and General Motors. The program offers students hands-on experience in designing future cars. The competition began in 2011 and during year one, the competition emphasized the use of math-based design tools and simulation techniques in establishing vehicle foundation.

In year two, students will be challenged to reduce the environmental impact of a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, donated by GM. The teams must do this without compromising performance, safety and consumer acceptability. In years two and three, students will build the vehicle and continue to refine, test and improve vehicle operation.

There are 15 teams competing in the EcoCar 2 challenge and many of them will head to the winter workshop in Austin, Texas on January 23, 2013 where the year two competition schedule will be unveiled.

During the three-year program, General Motors provides production vehicles, vehicle components, seed money, technical mentoring and operational support. DOE and its research and development facility, Argonne National Laboratory, provide competition management, team evaluation and technical and logistical support. By sponsoring Advanced Vehicle Technology Competitions, GM and the DOE are developing the next generation of scientists and engineers.

Now is the Time to Invest in Renewables

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Faegre Baker Daniels logoThe renewable industry remains abuzz about the American Tax Payer Relief Act that included the extension and modification of energy tax provisions. The tax extenders make investing in the renewables industry and in energy efficiency technologies a good move. Why? The firm of Faegre Baker Daniels LLP put together a brief overview of several key provisions that aid the industry for the next year and beyond.

Electricity Generation:

  • Production Tax Credit (PTC) — is a per-kilowatt hour incentive for the generation of electricity from qualified, renewable sources. The wind PTC was extended through 2013. In addition, the trigger for eligibility was changed to the start of construction of the facilities instead of the production of the electricity which significantly extends the use of the credit. The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service will issue rulemakings clarifying this important change. Finally, the law amends the definition of municipal solid waste facilities to remove recyclable paper as an eligible feedstock.
  • Investment Tax Credit in Lieu of Production Tax Credit — Solar facilities can currently qualify for an investment tax credit of 30 percent of the cost of investment when a facility is placed in service. The law enables other renewable generation facilities to opt for this investment tax credit as opposed to the PTC mentioned above.
  • Indian Country Coal Production Credit — The law extends a provision that enables Indian tribes to qualify for a PTC equal to $2 per ton of coal sourced through their land through the end of 2013.

Energy Efficiency:

  • Energy Efficient Improvements to Existing Homes (25C) — The tax credit for installing energy efficient improvements to existing homes — such as improved HVAC units, windows, furnaces, and heat and water pumps — was extended through 2013 and is capped at $500. The law also updated the standards that such appliances would need to achieve to be eligible for the incentive.
  • New Energy Efficient Homes Credit — The law extends through 2013 the tax incentive for the production of energy efficient homes. To be eligible, new homes must achieve a 30 percent or 50 percent improvement over heating or cooling energy usage of a comparable residence. The level of efficiency determines the value of the credit.
  • Energy Efficient Appliance Credit — The tax credit for U.S.-manufactured, energy-efficient appliances was extended through 2013. This credit includes refrigerators, dishwashers and clothes washers. Continue reading →

MyEnergi Lifestyle Initiative Launched

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A new initiative, MyEnergi Lifestyle, has been launched to demonstrate how a typical American family can significantly reduce their electricity bills and carbon dioxide footprint. The campaign is a collaboration between Ford, Eaton, SunPower and Whirlpool and combines energy efficiency tips with plug-in vehicle technology. Specifically, MyEnergi Lifestyle showcases how combining renewable energy generation with “time-flexible” loads optimizes energy consumption across a plug-in vehicle and home appliances.

FORD MOTOR COMPANY MYENERGIMy a home incorporates MyEnergi Lifestyle, A computer model developed by Georgia Institute of Technology predicts a 60 percent reduction in energy costs and savings of more than 9,000 kg of CO2 (55 percent reduction) from a single home. The new program is being featured during the 2013 International CES in Las Vegas this week.

“More than ever, cars are sharing the same energy source as the home,” said Mike Tinskey, global director of Vehicle Electrification and Infrastructure, Ford Motor Company. “The time is right for the home appliance and transportation sectors to converge if we are going to tackle a myriad of sustainability challenges in a rapidly changing world.”

According to Warwick Stirling, global director for energy and sustainability for the Whirlpool Corporation, the average American home uses more than 11,000 kWh of electricity per year. However, he said, recent technologies can help a family use energy smarter and more efficiently.

“SunPower is offering Ford plug-in vehicle owners the world’s most efficient solar power systems to ensure they maximize emission-free power generation for use at home and for their vehicles,” said Ken Fong, SunPower general manager, Americas. “SunPower systems offer the industry’s best warranty, so homeowners can count on 25 years or more of clean power to support their sustainability goals and generate significant annual savings on their electricity bills.”

Joanne Edwards, added, that as innovation in home electrical technology advances, so does the need for safe, reliable power distribution. She is the vice president and general manager of Eaton’s residential division and notes that giving homeowners the tools to tap into distributed power in their homes allows them to modify their behavior and reduce energy consumption.

Book Review – Build the New City!

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Here is an idea to take into the new year – build a new city – or a utopia for the future. Author Todd Durant proposes the U.S. “Build The New City!” to solve three major problems: create millions of jobs, preparation for population growth and rising sea levels and national pride.

Build The New City Book CoverSome of our readers may be familiar with South Korea’s Songdo IBD, a $35 billion “smart” city and the largest real-estate development in history. Another similar idea is Tatu City in Kenya. One of the keys to both of these cities is that they are being built with climate change in mind. Durant proposes that the U.S. build a similar city from scratch that incorporates urban living, energy efficiency, renewable energy, public transportation and green spaces.

The New City would be built using the concept of the DurantHybrid for urban transportation and neighborhood planning. The New City will be built upon five principles: 1) federal and state governments absolutely must not be involved in any aspect of the funding; 2) funding of the New City must come entirely from private enterprise and investment; 3) the military should not be involved; 4) issue millions in municipal bonds that will serve to raise money for the building of the city; and 5) the workers who build the New City must be paid well.

Durant acknowledges that he is not a city planner, and the book is big on ideas and light on an actual plan. The idea has merits – the U.S. does need to rethink how it is renovating urban living for the future that may be affected by climate change and diminishing fossil fuels. However, realistically, I can’t foresee a future with a new city but I can see some of Durant’s concepts incorporated into the rebuilding of current cities. Have your own ideas? Share them at www.buildthenewcity.com.

Win a copy of this book. Email me with the name of the book in the subject line and your contact info in the body of the email. The winner will be announced in the January 9th issue of the DomesticFuel newsletter.

Book Review – Green Jujitsu

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Can you define sustainability? More than likely, but it is also likely that your definition is different than a colleagues, family member or friend. The green movement touts sustainability but how do you actually integrate the idea of sustainability into your business? To answer this question, I turned to the DoShort, “Green Jujitsu,” written by Gareth Kane.

Green JujitsuThe book focuses on how to help businesses become more sustainable and how to make it stick. The answer? Harness the strengths of your employees rather than focusing on their weaknesses. Kane aptly uses the analogy of the martial art of jujitsu. This concept is focused on using your opponents strength, energy and momentum against them and levering into submission. While Kane doesn’t promote bringing your employees to submission, he does promote the idea of bringing people on board with sustainability initiatives by understanding their strengths and weaknesses.

I often struggle with the way the renewable energy industry promotes itself and have come to believe that the industry is not using the right language and stories to gain public and policy support. In some regard, I feel I’ve found an ally in Kane and his message.

He notes that oftentimes, ”The green movement has a well-earned reputation for presenting sustainability as the hair-shirt option….We are bombarded with litanies of how we should be ashamed of ourselves as a species….Hand up who wants a guilt trip? The answer is to make it fun; ditch the hair-shirt and make sustainability sexy.”

In other words, make sustainability attractive, positive and compelling.

While this book hits the mark on guiding a business through the process of engaging employees into sustainability practices that will also help to save money, it is also a good lesson in messaging for the industry.  This book should be read by both sustainability leaders and champions, but also by those who are helping the industry to craft its sustainability messages.  Green Jujitsu is a “art” the industry could, and should get behind.

66 Projects Receive ARPA-E Funding

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Sixty-six research projects were selected to receive funding from the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA-E), part of the Department of Energy’s “OPEN 2012″ program. The projects, which show fundamental technical promise but are too early for private-sector investment, will receive a combined total of $130 million.

The selected projects encompass 11 technology areas in 24 states and focus on a wide array of technologies: advanced fuels, advanced vehicle design and materials, building efficiency, carbon capture, grid modernization, renewable power and energy storage. Approximately 47 percent of the projects are led by universities, 29 percent by small businesses, 15 percent by large businesses, 7.5 percent by national labs, and 1.5 percent by non-profits. The “OPEN” funding began in 2009 and to date, there nearly 285 projects that have been awarded approximately $770 million in awards.

There were a wide-range of projects selected. For example, Plant Sensory Systems was awarded $1.8 million over three-years to develop an enhanced energy (sugar) beet optimized for biofuel production. The beets will be engineered to use fertilizer and water more efficiently and produce higher levels of fermentable sugars compared to current feedstocks.

Another example is Metabolix, who received a subaward to work with UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science to reengineer biochemical pathways for carbon fixation into camelina. Carbon fixation is the key process that plants use to convert carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into higher energy molecules, such as sugars, using energy from the sun.

Click here for the full list of 66 OPEN 2012 winners.

Citizen’s Guide to Energy

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The presidential election is less than two weeks away and although the candidates have discussed energy, neither has debated over the right strategy for global climate change. Our legislators also typically fail to consider the consequences of actions they endorse. Therefore, according to Public Agenda, if the country hopes to move the needle on important issues, such as energy, voters need to understand what’s really at stake.

Issue one: according to research, nearly half of all Americans cannot identify a renewable energy source and almost 4 in 10 cannot name a fossil fuel. So for those ready to learn something new, or just want to rethink the issues surrounding energy policy, Public Agenda has released an interesting free guide, “A Citizens Solutions Guide Energy.”

I found the guide interesting. It establishes where the globe is at today and what global energy needs are predicted to be in the future. Then it discusses “things we do know”. This includes: the U.S. population is growing and the country’s energy consumption is growing as well; world energy demand is expected to increase by nearly 40 percent; most of our energy, 83 percent, comes from fossil fuels; and renewable energy has serious fiscal drawbacks – and we’re nowhere near ready to depend on it at a substantial level.

The guide provides energy tradeoffs, but I did note the only category with costs was renewables. Despite the fact that petroleum, natural gas, nuclear and coal have been around for decades, there is still a costs associated with them. Keep this in mind moving forward. The guide presents three possible approaches to consider and include arguments for and against each approach:

  • Approach 1: Move away from fossil fuels as quickly and as safely as we can. This will protect the environment and in the long run will give us cheaper and more reliable energy sources.
  • Approach 2: Make sure we have enough affordable energy now to support our economy and ensure our energy security.
  • Approach 3: Move toward a more energy efficient society.

While I agree with much of the information provided in the area, there are also areas I don’t agree with. But this is good because the guide achieved its goal – made me think more intelligently and in-depth about energy policy. Let’s hope I don’t forget what I’ve learn  before I hit the polls.

USDA Funds 244 Agribusiness Projects

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USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced the funding for 244 projects across the United States that are focused on helping agricultural producers and rural small businesses. The projects will help to lower energy consumption and costs using renewable technologies. The funding is part of USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).

“As part of President Obama’s “all of the above” energy strategy, USDA has partnered with thousands of America’s farmers, ranchers and rural businesses to help them save energy and improve their bottom line,” said Vilsack. “This effort is helping to provide stable energy costs that create an environment for sustainable job growth in rural America.”

For example, grower Matthew Gabler, based in Augusta, Wisconsin, was awarded a grant to install a new 11 kilowatt wind turbine that is estimated to produced nearly 29,000 kilo-watt hours a year for his farm.

Another example is Edaleen Cow power LLC, located in Whatcom County, Washington, has awarded a REAP loan and grant combination of $2,638,000 to install an anaerobic digester. The renewable energy project is estimated to generate 4,635 megawatt hours per year with the dairy’s 2,450-head herd as the sole manure source. The agribusiness will sell the extra electricity to the local utility and will also benefit from the bedding byproduct the digester produces.

In combination, USDA announced over $16 million in investments across the 244 projects. For a full list of awards, click here.

Tuscon Clean Cities Wins Oil Displacement Honor

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During the 2012 Clean Cities Peer Exchange and Vehicle Technology Deployment Workshop, Tuscon Clean Cities Coalition was awarded the Top Award for Greatest Displacement of Petroleum Using E85. The award came from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) who thanked the coalition for the work they are doing to reduce petroleum consumption.

There are around 100 Clean Cities coalitions across the United States. These groups bring together stakeholders in the public and private sectors to deploy alternative and renewable fuels, idle-reduction measures, fuel economy improvements, and emerging transportation technologies. DOE cities Clean Cities coalitions as also advancing the nation’s economic, environmental, and energy security by supporting local actions to reduce petroleum consumption in the transportation sector.

Robert White, Director of Market Development for the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), thanked Tuscon Clean Cities Coordinator Colleen Crowninshield for her dedication and hard work. White, who has had the opportunity to work with Colleen and her coalition, also congratulated her on her success. It is interesting to note that the winning coalition, was not from the Midwest – rather the Southwest.

“The DOE’s Clean Cities Program has been instrumental in expanding the use of alternative fuels and decreasing our dependency on foreign oil. The efforts of Coordinators like Colleen Crowninshield highlight the impact to the ethanol industry, but also to consumers and fleets across the country. It also stresses the importance of infrastructure development nationwide, as the most successful Coalition with E85 is not from the Midwest, it is from Tucson, AZ,” said White.