California considers mandating energy storage

by Todd Woody.

The California Assembly has passed legislation [PDF] that takes the first step to requiring that a percentage of electricity generated in the state be stored.

Electricity, of course, is the ultimate perishable commodity. If the bill is approved by the California Senate and signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, it would apparently be the first time a state will move toward mandating that electricity generated by wind farms, solar power plants, and other intermittent sources be stored for use during peak demand.

That’s key if California is to meet its ambitious mandates to obtain 33 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020.

“Electric energy storage is an emerging industry that offers the possibility to solve a number of major obstacles to the achievement of a sustainable electricity future,” according to an analysis [PDF] of the legislation prepared by the California Public Utilities Commission in May. “It can effectively address problems such as the integration of intermittent renewables.”

PLEASE READ THE ARTICLE:
http://www.grist.org/article/california-considers-mandating-energy-storage/

Excellent Article: This Earth Day we need more than a celebration, we need a clean energy revolution

This Earth Day we need more than a celebration, we need a clean energy revolution
by Dan Lashof 19 Apr 2010
Abridged; Link to full article below

This Earth Day we need more than a celebration. We need a clean energy revolution that creates 2 million jobs, cuts 2 billion tons, and saves 2 trillion dollars.

...

Senators John Kerry (D-Mass.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and Joe Lieberman(I-Conn.) (KGL) have been working on a bipartisan proposal for months. They are now expected to unveil it on April 26.

Here is what this legislation could do for our country:

Add 2 million jobs. Comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation will create jobs for three reasons. First, enacting legislation will end more than a decade of uncertainty about the direction of U.S. policy, allowing both big energy companies and entrepreneurial start-ups to invest with confidence that the recent growth in the clean energy market will only accelerate. Second, clean energy sources generate over three times as many jobs per dollar spent than traditional fossil energy supplies. Third, building a robust domestic clean energy market will position U.S. firms to compete effectively in the rapidly expanding global clean tech arena. A University of California study found that the energy and climate bill which passed the House in June could create as many as 1.9 million jobs by 2020. The Senate only needs to do slightly better to hit the 2 million job target.

Cut 2 billion tons. That's the scale of global warming pollution reductions we need by 2020 to get on track to avoid the worst dangers from global warming. The only way to achieve this target is to set effective limits on carbon pollution from all major sources and tighten those limits each year. Strong complementary policies are also needed to accelerate energy efficiency improvements and ease the transition to a renewable energy economy. And supplemental policies are needed to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. Both the House bill and the climate bill reported by the Senate Environment Committee last fall meet this two billion ton test. How will KGL match up?

Save 2 trillion dollars. That's the reduction in the amount of money we would send overseas to import oil over the next forty years if we enact an effective clean energy/climate bill according to NRDC's analysis. A comprehensive bill would achieve this in three ways. First, setting an overall limit on oil pollution and requiring oil companies to obtain emission permits to cover the carbon content of their products would create an incentive to shift to cleaner fuels and more efficient ways to get around that gets stronger every year. Second, setting stronger standards to reduce vehicle tailpipe emissions would continue the historic progress codified in the clean car rules that were finalized on April 1. Third, carbon dioxide captured from power plants and industrial facilities due to the pollution limits placed on those sources would be available to enhance oil production from aging oil fields in the United States without drilling in pristine areas. The
Senate appears to be even more focused on increasing our energy security than the House, so there is reason for optimism on this score.

Please read the full article:
http://www.grist.org/article/we-need-a-clean-energy-revolution/

Share this on Facebook: Share

Steve Howard on our energy-efficient future

Steve Howard on our energy-efficient future
by Amanda Little
16 Dec 2009
LINK TO FULL ARTICLE BELOW

Steve Howard, CEO of the non-partisan nonprofit organization The Climate Group, took some time away from his Copenhagen climate duties to share a tantalizing glimpse into our energy future:

Q. How will our day-to-day lives change if we really do adopt more sustainable energy practices and products?

A. You’ll walk out of a building and you’ll get into your electric vehicle. Your electric vehicle will have been charged, but it won’t have been charged from a coal plant power station. It will be sun from the southwest of the U.S., or it will be wind from the North Sea of the North English coast. You’ll drive home. Your car will tell your house you’re coming just before you get there—so if it’s summer the AC will kick on 15 minutes before you get home. It won’t have been on all day.

You’ll get your daily text message saying how much money you’ve made from the solar installation on the roof, because your solar panels will have been selling electricity to next door’s washing machine, because you have too much power you’ve generated that day.

The lights you’ll have as you walk into the house, they’ll all be LED. Actually they’ll be panels. You won’t even see the lights. There’s no light switches in your room because we’re all really bad at switching light switches off. The lights will switch off automatically when we walk out of a room and they’ll come on just before we walk in because the house will be smart ...

The world will be connected, every product and service will be great. Your fridge will make your life easier. So on your PDA you’ll have a menu recommendation—for the things that [your fridge] knows you like to eat and the things that are available in your fridge. Your fridge will have done some internet shopping for you and it will actually be telling you that you shouldn’t order more of the things that you usually order. And it won’t order them for you. So you’ve eliminated a whole lot of food waste and your diet has improved as well. That’s the future that we’re going towards. We will have eliminated waste, eliminated carbon, and be totally resource efficient. And we’ll have created a whole new wave of jobs.

TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE: http://www.grist.org/article/2009-12-16-steve-howard-on-the-future

How Much Energy Does Your TV Really Use?

How Much Energy Does Your TV Really Use?
3 things to consider before buying your next television (unless, that is, you want to spend hundreds of extra dollars).
Televisions use a tremendous amount of electricity, particularly plasma flat screen models, so look for the Energy Star label and read this before buying your next TV.
10.28.2009 Link to full article below

About four years ago I started noticing that flat-panel, big-screen TVs started to pop up almost everywhere I went. Places like the hotel lobby, the fitness center, restaurants, at the airport and increasingly in our friends' homes. Also overnight, the size of TVs seemed to almost double....

To make a long story short, here is what we found:

* Some of the bigger, less efficient models consumed more electricity each year than a new refrigerator and can cost several hundred dollars to operate over their 10-year life.
* There was a wide range of energy use between similar-sized models. In general, plasmas consumed considerably more energy than equivalent LCD models.
* TVs now represent approximately 5% of U.S. residential electricity use and over 1% of all national electricity use.

To read the full article: http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/energy-star-televisions-47102802?src=nl&mag=tdg&list=dgr

How to Program a Digital Thermostat to Slash Utility Bills

How to Program a Digital Thermostat to Slash Utility Bills
By Actor-Activist Ed Begley Jr.

It requires a huge amount of energy to raise or lower the temperature in your home by even a few degrees. That's energy you pay for on your electric, oil, or gas bills. Controlling these costs, and the amount of energy you use, means controlling the temperature both when you’re at home and when you’re away. This is the magic of an energy-saving thermostat.

Most people simply turn their heating and air-conditioning system on and off when they want to be warmer or colder. Some even leave the system on when they leave the house, so that it will be the right temperature when they return.

Maybe you leave the heat running at your preferred temperature all night long — even though you’re sleeping under a blanket or a comforter — because you want the house to be nice and warm when you get up in the morning.

But why spend all that money, and waste all that energy, keeping your house comfortable when you’re not there, or when you can simply add another blanket to your bed at night?

If you have central heating or central air-conditioning or both, you can install and use a programmable thermostat instead of an old “set the temperature and it’s either on or off” thermostat. This way, you can save energy and money and have your house at the right temperature when you get home, when you wake up in the morning, and when you’re asleep.

To read the full article: http://life.gaiam.com/gaiam/p/How-to-Program-a-Digital-Thermostat-to-Slash-Utility-Bills.html

Renewable energy firms hit by solar subsidies freeze

Renewable energy firms hit by solar subsidies freeze
Government accused of undermining its own environment strategy as money sits idle in low carbon buildings programme budget
by Terry Macalister
guardian.co.uk
Thursday 12 March 2009

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/mar/12/renewableenergy-carbonfootprints/print
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/mar/12/renewableenergy-carbonfootprints

Renewable energy companies have accused the government of undermining its own "green" industrial strategy by ending subsidies for solar energy under the low carbon buildings programme (LCBP).

The Renewable Energy Association (REA) said it was "astonishing" and worrying that solar grants had been frozen since 26 February although there was still money in the building programme's budget.

"This latest disaster in the low carbon buildings programme is completely at odds with the green new deal we hear so much about," said Philip Wolfe, the director general of the REA.

"We are talking about relatively small sums to support UK manufacturing, technological innovation and local jobs. This is an industry with a very bright future and a key contributor to the low-carbon future we are aiming for," he added.

Last December an extra £7m was allocated to fund solar projects under the LCBP to tide it over until the programme closed but this cash was used up by the end of last month.

The REA claims a further £12m-£15m still remains in the wider programme budget and predicts that £8m of that will remain unspent by the end of the programme at the current rate of take-up. The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has said the programme will not be extended and any funds left over will be sent back to the Treasury, according to Wolfe.

The government department, which only days ago launched a new green industrial strategy with great ministerial fanfare, denied last night that any definite decision had been made about the cash that was still available inside the LCBP budget.

"We recognise that the popularity of the low carbon buildings programme has led to an over-subscription in solar PV applications," said a spokesperson. "We are discussing with industry what options are open to us to address this. From 1 April people who install small-scale energy equipment like solar panels or wind turbines will be able to claim double the financial support through the renewables obligation and from April next year we will introduce a new system of guaranteed cash payments."

The REA said it had warned the DECC of the funding gap in early February.

"The end of the LCBP will leave many REA members in limbo with no funding as the recession bites. It is imperative that the tariffs are implemented as soon as possible and that the renewable electricity and heat tariffs are introduced together by 2010 at the latest. Otherwise the industry is looking at a serious funding gap and contraction as some firms are unable to stay afloat," it added.

Despite Gloom, Promising Clean-Tech Trends

Despite Gloom, Promising Clean-Tech Trends
By Libby Tucker
March 12, 2009

http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/12/despite-gloom-promising-clean-tech-trends/

The clean energy sector grew by leaps and bounds last year - despite the global economic downturn and the brutal beating to the stock market. Revenues from the solar photovoltaics, wind power and biofuels sectors increased 53 percent in 2008, to $115.9 billion from $75.8 billion in 2007 - and are predicted to reach $325.1 billion in the next decade, according to a Clean Energy Trends report released this week.

Just don´t expect the same high-growth trend to continue in 2009, said Ron Pernick, a co-founder of Clean Edge, the West Coast technology research firm that produces the annual report. Despite the long-term promise of the renewable energy industry, Clean Edge expects revenues to "remain level or decrease slightly"until global credit markets are restored and investor confidence returns, he said.

New companies and technologies will be the hardest hit. Only 43 companies raised more than $50 million in initial public offerings (I.P.O.s) on United States stock exchanges last year, down from 272 in 2007, according to Renaissance Capital.

Fewer I.P.O.s, in turn, make it harder for venture capital firms to unload their current investments and make room in their portfolios for new companies, according to the Clean Edge report. Instead, renewable development will rely heavily this year on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which provides some $70 billion in direct spending and tax credits for clean energy and transportation.

"It´s not going to be a happy year for start-ups,"said Joel Makower, a co-founder of Clean Edge. The economy, he said, "will probably stifle innovation in a lot of good technologies."

Despite the gloomy outlook, five trends in particular offer emerging market opportunities in 2009 and will contribute to the growth of the clean-energy technology sector in coming years, according to the report.

The merging of Internet technology with the nation´s electric grid to create a smart grid will lead to a network of new devices by companies like BPL Global and GridPoint.

Long-distance transmission lines are also in high demand to connect renewable resources in rural areas to population centers, and energy storage technologies, like large-scale lithium-ion batteries and compressed air systems, produced by Deeya Energy, General Compression and others, are in demand by utilities that mange wind and solar resources.

Clean Edge also predicts the expansion of micropower, or small-scale power production at homes or businesses through solar installations, co-generation or other means. And new international markets for clean energy are forming in countries like Belarus, Turkey and Tunisia.

Entrepreneurs are Plugging Into Renewable Energy

Entrepreneurs are plugging into renewable energy
By Bruce Henderson
bhenderson@charlotteobserver.com
Monday, Mar. 09, 2009

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/business/story/585305.html

[Read comments:
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/business/story/585305.html#Comments_Container ]

MILLERSVILLE For all the headaches in running a small hydroelectric power plant, Allen Haneline doesn't regret joining North Carolina's ranks of minor energy moguls.

"What it takes," he said, "is someone who loves the outdoors and likes to get wet. You get wet about every day."

Beaver-gnawed sticks float down the Lower Little River northeast of Hickory and wrap around Haneline's circa-1919 turbines, the guts of a plant he bought three years ago. "You can literally see the kilowatts fall," he said, sniffling after a recent repair.

As owner, operator and chief mechanic, he dons waders, descends into a room below the dam that leaks water with the force of a fire hose, and sets to work. Cleared of debris, the turbines whirl again and pollution-free electricity races off to Duke Energy's lines.

Haneline is among a rising number of N.C. entrepreneurs hoping to wrestle energy - and profits - from the sun, wind, water and organic wastes. Their output, called renewable energy, is still so small that it's barely measurable against the coal- and nuclear-fueled power that dominate the state.

But they have reason for optimism - and investment.

A recent law dictates a growing role for renewables in the state's energy mix, beginning next year. Generous tax credits salve the sting of investing in expensive technology. And an energy-focused president believes he can help heal the economy by developing alternatives to fossil fuels.

It's fertile ground for tinkerers chasing the next great idea.

That describes Richard and Jerry Tucker, brothers and engineers who live in Locust, 20 miles northeast of Charlotte. The Tuckers have patented a device that superheats landfill garbage, producing methane gas and carbon in a process that they say emits no pollutants.

Four-foot flames, fueled by methane, shot into the night air recently as they demonstrated their invention for potential customers and investors. The methane could generate electricity or heat homes or boilers, the Tuckers say.

"What we produce is, in a sense, a transition fuel," Jerry Tucker said. "It's a transition between foreign oil and solar, wind, hydro and geothermal energy."

Like the Tuckers, most renewable-energy firms are small, according to a recent survey by the N.C. Sustainable Energy Association.

"We get a lot of folks saying, `I've got a great idea that I built in my garage,'" said Paul Quinlan, the advocacy group's research and development director. "Some will work and some won't."

Fuel from algae

Businesses that turn algae into engine fuel and hog manure into electricity were among the first to win grants last year from the N.C. Green Business Fund.

The state-created pool of money encourages promising technologies with grants of up to $100,000. Nearly 300 grant requests poured in this year.

Homeowners are also becoming energy producers.

More than 200 owners of solar-power systems, most of them at homes, sell renewable-energy "credits" to N.C. GreenPower, a nonprofit group. Ten to 20 more join each month. Duke Energy buys electricity from about 100 small generators in the Carolinas.

But it will take commercial-scale projects for utilities to meet the state's renewable-energy mandate, the first in the Southeast when legislators approved it in 2007.

Its initial goal is modest: Renewables are to generate 3 percent of total utility sales in 2012, rising to 12.5 percent by 2021.

Specific goals for solar power begin next year. Duke has signed contracts to buy electricity from a massive solar farm to be built in Davidson County and from a Durham project that generates power from landfill gas. The company is looking for more power sources.

Some companies that specialize in solar power both install equipment and generate power for the grid.

FLS Energy in Black Mountain will build a one-megawatt solar farm and sell the electricity to Raleigh-based Progress Energy, helping the utility reach its state solar-power mandate. The company sometimes leases solar systems to property owners, allowing them to avoid up-front costs. Launched in 2006 with two people, the company employs 20 and expects its workforce to double over the next year.

"The marketplace is expanding exponentially," said president Michael Shore. "There's a lot of business opportunity."

For now, renewable energy is expensive compared to coal and nuclear plants, which cost billions to build but are relatively cheap to run. Low electric rates have made it hard for alternatives to gain a foothold in the Southeast, said Bob Leker of the State Energy Office.

Leker expects that to change as old power plants are replaced, raising electric rates, and as advances in technology lower the price of solar panels and other hardware.

Electricity from kites

In the meantime, entrepreneurs search for untapped energy like miners searching for hidden ore. In Rob Creighton's case, that means looking to the Carolina sky.

Creighton's fledgling Durham company, WindLift, makes electricity from kites. Like the Wright brothers, his laboratory is the windy Outer Banks.

Recently transplanted from Wisconsin, Creighton has a master's degree in business administration and previously worked in biotechnology.

But he quickly came to appreciate the wind's power - two kilowatts per square meter of kite in a 22 mph breeze, to be precise. His "flexible airfoil," as it is properly called, captures the wind's energy the way a sailboat does, powering a reciprocating pump or generator on the ground.

"That's the real challenge, finding ways to harness it," Creighton said. "The energy is there."

Green Energy - Our Future Depends On It

Green Energy: Our Future Depends on It
BusinessWeek reader L.J. Furman sees alternative fuels as common sense for the common good
By L.J. Furman
February 4, 2009

http://www.businessweek.com/print/bwdaily/dnflash/content/feb2009/db2009024_215385.htm
http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/feb2009/db2009024_215385.htm

In July 2008, Al Gore challenged the U.S. to generate 100% of the electricity we need using clean, renewable, sustainable sources within 10 years. "When you connect the dots," he said, "it turns out that the real solutions to the climate crisis are the very same measures needed to renew our economy and escape the trap of ever-rising energy prices." Gore connected the dots to the crises we face and drew a picture of nonsustainability. We could meet the "Gore Challenge" via the deployment of 250 gigawatts of wind generation capacity and 50 gigawatts of solar, and it would cost approximately $911 billion. But is "clean, renewable, and sustainable" energy really necessary?

I'd argue yes­—it's a business imperative. As I commented on the article "MBA Programs Go Green," "we must shift the business focus from today, tomorrow, and this quarter to the long term, [and] we must also shift the energy paradigm from fossil fuels to conservation, solar, wind, and geothermal."

The question of necessity is easy to answer. In April 2007 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Massachusetts vs. Environmental Protection Agency and Environmental Defense Fund vs. Duke Energy that the EPA must regulate carbon emissions unless it presents scientific proof that greenhouse gases do not contribute to global climate change, and that the EPA must regulate companies that build new or renovate existing power plants and factories under the "new source review" provision of the Clean Air Act. On Nov. 13, 2008, the Environmental Appeals Board (EAB) of the EPA ruled that the EPA had "no valid reason for refusing to limit" carbon dioxide emissions from new coal-fired power plants. The EPA said it will abide by the 2007 Supreme Court decisions and limit carbon emissions from new and proposed coal plants. We need alternatives to fossil fuels, if for no other reason than to obey the law.
Green Calculations

T. Boone Pickens forecasts the costs of the wind farms he wants to build in Texas at $2 billion per gigawatt. The 500 kilowatt solar array in place at the Atlantic County Utility Authority cost approximately $3.25 million, $6.5 billion per gigawatt. The New York Times estimates the cost of new nuclear capacity at $8 billion per gigawatt, not counting the costs of fuel, waste management, or government oversight.

We generate electricity by burning fossil fuels, controlling nuclear fission, putting solar panels in the path of sunlight, and harnessing winds, waterfalls, ocean currents, and the heat of the earth. Like fossil fuel and nuclear plants, geothermal plants use heat to generate steam, which turns a turbine, transforming heat into electricity. Traditional hydroelectric plants, like those at Niagara Falls and the Grand Coulee Dam, harness the kinetic energy in waterfalls. New designs can harness the kinetic energy in tides, waves, and ocean currents. Wind farms harness the kinetic energy in winds. These transform kinetic energy into electricity. Photovoltaic solar systems harness sunlight via the photoelectric effect to create electricity much the way green plants harness sunlight.
Harness, Don't Consume

These technologies harness a process rather than consume a resource. When we use a process, such as putting a photovoltaic module in sunlight and allowing the photoelectric effect to generate an electric potential, or we put a turbine in the path of a wind or water current, it is as if we have harnessed a horse or hitched a ride on a train that is running regardless of our presence as a passenger. Solar modules will degrade over time. Wind and other kinetic energy turbines need to be maintained, just as nuclear and fossil fuel plants degrade and must be maintained. But solar modules and kinetic energy turbines are not consumed in the manner of coal, oil, or nuclear fuel rods.

Harnessing sunlight, the kinetic energy of winds and water, and the earth's heat produce energy without fuels. No fuel transport, no greenhouse gases to sequester; no mercury, no radioactive wastes to store and manage. There are no solar mines, wind mines, or hydro-fuel wells.
Learning from Johnny Appleseed

Apple trees produce apples. You can eat the apples year after year or chop down the tree and burn the wood to stay warm or build furniture. But you won't get more apples. When we consume a resource as fuel, we use some of the energy, waste some, and release by-products into the biosphere. This is inefficient, expensive, nonrenewable, and nonsustainable.

Gore noted that "enough solar energy falls on the surface of the earth every 40 minutes to meet 100% of the entire world's energy needs for a full year. And enough wind power blows through the Midwest corridor every year to meet 100% of U.S. electricity demand." To look at our old energy paradigm via this apple tree analogy, we have been chopping down the apple trees and burning them for fuel. Harnessing sunlight, winds, waterfalls, ocean currents, and geothermal energy is like planting apple trees and using the apples as our energy source. Johnny Appleseed would approve.

Broward Students Learn to Pull Plug on Electricity

Broward students learn to pull plug on electricity
Monday, 02.02.09

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/broward/story/883550.html

Students known as Energizers patrol the light switches and off buttons at one Pembroke Pines elementary school.

Power Rangers conduct energy sweeps through the buildings at a high school in Plantation.

And a group of middle-school students who are trying to cut energy use want to challenge fellow schools to a friendly ''How low can we go?'' competition.

If Broward school district officials have their way, these efforts -- combined with a similar push at schools across the district -- could potentially turn into savings on the $60 million annual power bill.

''It's not an option anymore,'' said Rob Jindracek, the district's energy conservation manager. ``If we want to be successful and save energy, which in turn saves dollars, this is not an option.''

The Energy Tools for Schools program, a Florida Power & Light initiative that Broward launched last year, already has contributed to a nearly 8 percent reduction in energy consumption, district officials said.

Between July and November, the district reduced consumption by 20 million kilowatt hours through the new program and ongoing efforts like replacing energy-hogging fixtures with more-efficient ones.

That reduction equals a little more than $2 million that the district avoided paying -- though those savings have not made up for an electricity rate increase that was announced last year, which is expected to be about $4.5 million in Broward.

If schools continue to lower their energy use, the district could see nearly $1 million in net savings by the end of the program's first year. And they hope for even more next year. Across the district, the goal is a 10 percent reduction.

Schools that meet the goal will get an incentive at the end of the school year: between $1,500 and $3,000, depending on the size of the school.

Each school in Broward has an energy coordinator. Many have checklists that detail exactly what steps need to be taken every day -- and by whom.

Lists include turning off lights when classrooms are empty, turning off computers that are not in use, shutting off televisions and projectors, checking water faucets for leaks and even making sure refrigerator doors are shut securely.

''It's just trying to change behavior,'' said Mitch Talmadge, the district's energy conservation analyst. ``And we're hoping that the kids will carry that home with them.''

Students at Panther Run Elementary in Pembroke Pines seem to be taking their duties seriously.

In each class, one Energizer is chosen every week to carry out the energy conservation duties.

During the period from July until November, the school cut energy consumption by 20 percent compared to the previous year.

''It's very important, so we don't mind doing it,'' said Fabiana Corsi, an 8-year-old third-grader.

Josh Vogel, a 9-year-old who joined the Sierra Club after reading a book about the plight of some owls, said he reminds his sister at home to turn off her lights in addition to helping at school.

''I'm just trying to help save the Earth so we can have a safe home,'' he said.

Jindracek said the students are the key to the program's success.

''Believe it or not, the kids are the ones that are really excited about it,'' he said.

At Driftwood Middle in Hollywood, students are turning the program into a challenge called ''How Low Can We Go?'' They will ask other schools to compete with them, as well as track their kilowatt usage on a bulletin board. And the kids will monitor energy usage at the school.

''The kids need to be told that they can make a difference,'' said teacher Linda Gancitano.

At South Plantation High, a group known as the Power Rangers swept across the campus before winter break to make sure teachers had shut down their classrooms appropriately, not just turning off lights but unplugging printers and computers.

Those types of efforts are crucial to making the program work, supporters say.

''It was really an effort to try to develop a school-based initiative where teams of employees, teachers or in some cases teams of students can approach energy management practices,'' said Greg Vayda, an FPL senior customer consultant who is account manager for Broward schools. ``These are low-cost or no-cost behavioral modification kind of programs.''

Broward is the pilot district for the program, but Vayda said the company hopes to expand it to other districts.

Miami-Dade schools spokesman John Schuster said the district is looking at introducing a program that gives schools a portion of their savings, similar to Broward's incentive. And he said the district saved about $1.2 million over the recent winter break by doing a total shutdown of unnecessary power at schools that were closed.

At Panther Run Elementary, Assistant Principal Raquel Perez said administrators figured the best way to get kids involved was by putting the power, so to speak, in their hands.

''We figure we're changing the world in our own way,'' said Principal Elaine Saef.

''One kilowatt at a time,'' Perez added.

San Fran Publishes Guide to Energy Efficient, Low Mercury Lighting Sources

San Francisco Publishes Guide to Energy Efficient, Low-Mercury Lighting
Source: SF Environment
December 11, 2008


http://www.responsiblepurchasing.org/news/news_detail.php?config[r311][instance_\
uid]=191

Finding green lighting just got easier, thanks to the City of San Francisco's
new "SF Approved Lighting" guide. The guide will help institutional purchasers
of bulbs, tubes, or ballasts to:

* Find over 700 energy-efficient, long-lasting lighting that has the least
amount of toxic mercury.
* Replace incandescent bulbs with LEDs or compact fluorescent lights (CFLs)
and save about $30 or more in electricity costs over each CFL’s lifetime.
* Safely dispose of lighting.

The comprehensive list is the first resource in the nation to list mercury
levels of lightbulbs by major manufacturers--who are not themselves required to
indicate how much toxic mercury is in their products.

San Francisco City Departments are required to purchase only "SF Approved"
lighting from this list, screened for their environmental benefits, cost,
reduced toxicity, and performance. The list is available online for others to
use as well.

View San Francisco's Approved Lighting Products list
http://www.sfenvironment.org/downloads/library/sf_approved_lamps._103108_small_f\
ile.pdf

###

Learn more about how to choose energy efficient, non-toxic lighting with RPN's
Responsible Purchasing Guide for Lighting. This guide covers fluorescent lamps,
including compact fluorescent bulbs, ballasts and tubes and outlines best
practices for a responsible lighting system.
http://www.responsiblepurchasing.org/purchasing_guides/lighting/index.php

Want to impress your boss? Suggest these simple ways to save money and the planet - at work...

Need to Impress Your Boss
Suggest These Simple Ways to Save Money (and the Planet) at Work
January 2009

It can be hard to get back into the swing of things at work after the cheer of the holiday season. But we have some tips that might help get your creative juices flowing again during the dark, cold weeks of winter. You can become a new office hero by suggesting ways for your employer to save money while helping out the planet.

In today's tough economy, every penny saved can help keep folks employed. Plus, it can't hurt your reputation in the boardroom if you are the one to show your boss how he or she can trim expenses.

Businesses use a tremendous amount of water, energy, paper and other products, and reducing waste saves money, as well as valuable resources. Here are some suggestions to get you started:

1. Turn the Heat Down

Office spaces and other places of work require enormous amounts of energy to maintain an even temperature, whether it's the heating or cooling season doing the work. While this can be a tricky subject among coworkers, who may have different body types, metabolisms, expectations and preferences for temperature, by talking things through you may be able to encourage your building manager to set a more eco-friendly temperature. He or she may not know that the air around your desk feels like a summer night in Alabama, even if it's snowing outside. Or perhaps your team can agree to try out lowering the thermostat by just a few degrees, and avoid wearing short sleeves for a while. The savings can be substantial, especially if you suggest that temperature is lowered at night, or other times when few folks will be present.

2. Suggest Energy-Efficient Lighting

You've probably heard that you can save money by switching to fluorescent lighting. But maybe no one at your office got the green memo. Also, are there times when you can raise blinds and turn down the lights? Does everyone remember to shut off unneeded lights when they leave at night?

3. Turn Off Those Computers!

If your office is like many others, people leave their computers on all the time, even when they aren't using them! However, you can tell your boss that every worker who shuts his or her machine down before heading out each night saves an average of $90 worth of electricity a year. That adds up! The Department of Energy recommends shutting off your monitor if you aren't going to use it for more than 20 minutes, and the whole system if you're not going to use it for more than two hours. The agency says time spent off extends your machine’s life—tell that to the IT guys!

4. Just Say “No” to Water Bottles

A lot of companies provide employees and clients with bottled water. That's a nice thought, but carting around all those plastic bottles isn't doing the environment any favors. Suggest a cheaper filter system instead. You'll even have a talking point to impress those clients when they need a little refreshment.

5. Encourage Car Pooling and Biking

Ask around and see if some of your coworkers might be interested in doing some car pooling. Not only can everyone save on gas, but you'll also reduce emissions and build camaraderie among your team. Point out to your bosses that the company can save on maintenance and security of parking lots, and in a number of areas may qualify for valuable incentives from city governments. Does your company have a bulletin board, either virtual or the kind with actual thumbtacks? Ask your boss if you can post a sign-up sheet for those who might be interested in participating. Similarly, does your work place have bike racks? Those who bike to work also tend to be healthier, and more fit employees are sick less often and require less health care. Aren't you smart for thinking of that?

6. Save on Printing

As anyone who has ever owned an inkjet or laser printer knows, replacement cartridges are mighty pricey, and soon eclipse the original cost of the device. You can save your company a pile of cash if you help encourage people to print black and white as much as possible, to use draft settings, and to only print when needed. For draft copies recommend that people print on both sides (it's easy!), and definitely suggest that your company recycle if they don't already!

7. Provide Reusable Mugs and Dishes

Put out ceramic mugs and plates instead of paper or Styrofoam and people will use them. Tell people to clean up after themselves, and they'll also develop a greater sense of pride in their surroundings, instead of just tossing things away after a single use.

8. Green the Chow Hall

If your company has a cafeteria, suggest that it also provide reusable utensils, and minimize packaging. Suggest that food buyers look for local and seasonal ingredients, as well as plenty of meatless options, which are greener and generally cheaper.

9. Invest in Some Plants

If you had success with the proceeding steps, we salute you! If you're feeling a little ambitious, you might try suggesting that your company provide a few house plants, which help clean the air, leading to more comfortable, and productive, employees. Plants also can improve the mood of employees and guests. At the least, ask that your boss consider reversing a ban on plants, if you work in one of the unfortunate places with such a strict policy.

Quick tips for saving energy in the kitchen

Quick Tips for Saving Energy in the Kitchen
30 Nov 2008

Let’s trim our kitchen energy use!
Replace corroded stove rings and keep the area under the burner clean: it reflects heat better.
Use the smallest pot for the job, and keep it covered.
Unless you’re doing something like a glaze, don’t preheat the oven — start right away and add a few minutes to the cooking time.
The microwave is your most efficient kltchen appliance.
[Still don't like 'em! - Fidyl]
Learn how to use a pressure cooker.
Toaster oven are great for small jobs.
Keep your refrigerator coils clean.

Reduction of Outdoor Lighting

Reduction Of Outdoor Lighting
February 1, 2001

http://www.energy.ca.gov/efficiency/lighting/outdoor_reduction.html

Governor Davis (CA) issued Executive Order D-19-01 stating, "substantial amounts of electricity are consumed through unnecessary outdoor lighting by retail establishments after business hours, including but not limited to, shopping centers, auto malls and dealerships." The Executive Order requires retail business to substantially reduce unnecessary outdoor lighting wattage during non-business hours.

Reporting Possible Violations
Possible violations of the Governor's Executive Order should be made to your local law enforcement agency such as local police or sheriff's department. Please do NOT use 9-1-1 for reporting violations. Instead, check the pages in the front of your phone book and use the non-emergency phone numbers of your local law enforcement agency.

Strategies Developed by the Energy Commission
These are provided as examples of measures that businesses may want to consider to maintain illumination necessary for the safety of the public, employees, and property, while reducing total electrical usage.

There are four ways in which light (therefore energy) is wasted:

To have non-essential lighting energized especially after hours. Controls can greatly reduce the amount of energy consumed by exterior lighting.

Using energy inefficient equipment.

Sending light up into the atmosphere either by direct light or by reflected light. By using completely shielded (or IESNA cutoff) area or wall-mounted luminaires, light goes down instead of up.

Over lighting. Not only does over lighting waste energy, it may create light adaptation hazards.

Quality exterior lighting involves selecting the correct equipment for the project, not over lighting, providing uniform lighting for security reasons, and minimizing the glare (non-productive light).

Examples of Measures
The following examples are measures that businesses may consider to maintain illumination levels necessary for the safety of the public, employees, and property, while reducing total electrical usage.

Evaluate existing exterior lighting systems and identify non-critical lighting. Clearly label all switching devices to save time and help employees identify which lights should be shut-off at specific times.
Use only energy efficient lamp technologies wherever possible such as metal halide, induction lamps, high-pressure sodium, and linear and compact fluorescent sources. Avoid using fluorescent sources that are not suited for low temperature operation in cold climate zones. Avoid using mercury vapor lighting systems. Incandescent sources should be avoided unless they are integrated with a control mechanism that significantly limits the time that they operate.
Use IESNA recommended light level ranges. Use the lower recommended values in order lower energy usage, yet stay within recommended values. Abnormally bright lights can create glare and deep shadows, which can make seeing extremely difficult. Illumination ratios between areas should be minimal (e.g., less than 10:1)
Locate outdoor lighting where it is needed. For example, locate outdoor lighting below tree canopies, not above.
In parking lots, use efficient and cutoff lighting fixtures that emit no light above the horizontal or into the sky, fixtures that emit no more than 2.5 percent of the lamp lumens upward. Use cutoff lighting fixtures for all lamps greater than 2800 lumens. This will minimize wasted light going up into the atmosphere.
In signage and retail, use color contrast to attract attention, rather than high levels of illumination. Provide reflective surfaces for lettering or other elements that need to be illuminated at night and illuminate only the lettering, not the background.
Lighting Controls
There are a number of excellent automatic lighting controls that may be used to turn off exterior lights when appropriate:

Daylight controls, or photo sensors, used to turn off lights whenever adequate daylight is available.
Energy management systems and timeclocks, used to limit lighting to within certain operating hours.
Timer switches, used to turn on lights for only short duration.
Motion sensors, used to either turn on lights, or turn up lights that have been dimmed, whenever an occupant is present.
Examples of possible uses of lighting controls
Evaluate and set specific outdoor lighting, as appropriate, to automatically lower or turn off after the close of business to the public, and/or after all employees have left the premises. After business hours, lower light levels to minimal levels, just enough to detect movement and provide sufficient security. Use timers, motion sensors, or an energy management system to turn-off or reduce lighting.
Some security lighting can be activated with motion sensors so that lights come on only when someone is in the immediate area (consult with local law enforcement). Energy efficient lamp sources ideal for motion sensors include fluorescent and induction lamps. When using "on-off" motion sensors for security lighting, avoid the use of sources that require a period of time to achieve full brightness (HID sources such as Metal Halide or High Pressure Sodium). Incandescent sources can also be an effective source for this type of application since it will only operate a limited time and is not sensitive to temperature effects.
HID sources can work well in conjunction with motion sensors that offer two levels of lighting (also called stepped ballasts or hi-lo). In these applications, the low level light is provided when no motion is detected. When the motion sensor detects motion, it triggers the lighting to go to the high light level. The hi-lo lighting may be appropriate in parking lots, parking structures, and in areas where safety and security are important.
Turn off display, advertising, and specialty lights after retail hours (for example after mid-night).
Other Information
The Lighting for Exterior Environments, PR-33-99 by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America is one of the most helpful publications on exterior lighting. It can be ordered from their website www.iesna.org or by calling 212-248-5000, extenion 112. Please be sure to refer to publication number RP-33-99. Cost is around $45.

You can also find a wealth of free information on California International Darksky Association website at www.skykeepers.org/index.html. Here you'll find suggested lighting ordinances, actual ordinances, and examples of good and bad outdoor lighting.

A National Equipment Manufacturers Association (NEMA) white paper includes information about common practices on outdoor lighting and how to prevent outdoor lighting problems. The paper can be found at: http://www.nema.org/products/div2/white_papers.html.

For more information about reducing outdoor lighting, please contact:

California Energy Commission
Energy Efficiency and Demand Analysis Division
Nonresidential Buildings Office
1516 Ninth Street, MS-26
Sacramento, CA 95814

Gary Flamm 916-654-2817
Maziar Shirakh 916-654-3839