The U.S. National Climate Assessment report states bluntly that streets in coastal cities are flooding more readily, that hotter and drier weather in the West means earlier starts to wildfire seasons, and that every region of the nation already is seeing real effects of climate change.
NREL: News Feature - Climate Change Shifts Focus for Energy System
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Duke Energy proposes Indiana energy efficiency programs - Duke Energy
PLAINFIELD, IND. -
Duke Energy is asking state utility regulators to approve a comprehensive portfolio of energy efficiency programs for its customers.
Current energy efficiency programs offered by Energizing Indiana will continue through Dec. 31, 2014.
Duke Energy proposes Indiana energy efficiency programs - Duke Energy
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Boeing Expands Customers Fuel-Efficiency Capabilities by Acquiring ETS Aviation - May 23, 2014
SEATTLE, May 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) today announced an agreement to acquire ETS Aviation, a provider of fuel-efficiency management and analytics software. ETS Aviation solutions lead the market, providing more than 120 airlines and corporate flight departments the tools necessary to accurately monitor fuel consumption, identify fuel savings opportunities, and track and report carbon emissions.
ETS Aviation's fuel efficiency solutions support more than 600 commercial aircraft across nearly 900,000 flights annually.
Boeing Expands Customers Fuel-Efficiency Capabilities by Acquiring ETS Aviation - May 23, 2014
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Friday, May 23, 2014
5 Consumer Trends Driving GE LED Lighting Design, Consumer Adoption
GE News Release:
5 Consumer Trends Driving GE LED Lighting Design, Consumer Adoption
May 22, 2014
EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio (May 22, 2014)---GE Lighting introduces its most incandescent-like consumer LED portfolio yet, including more than 40 new LED products and fixtures, to meet consumer demand to adequately fill every socket in their homes with energy-efficient LED lighting.
"We know the light consumers love, and we've reinvented and perfected the LED to emulate incandescent light," says John Strainic, General Manager, Consumer Lighting for GE in North America. "We know that when consumers think about energy-efficient lighting, many are deterred by the memory of early CFL bulbs produced by some manufacturers, and we want them to know that with GE LED lighting -- there are no tradeoffs."
When the first CFL bulbs came to market nearly 30 years ago, consumer adoption was slowed by the fact that many of these products didn't meet consumer expectations of light preference and home application needs. GE Lighting has applied these learnings to its LED product portfolio with design, light quality and performance capabilities as the primary considerations. GE LED bulbs provide instant brightness, energy-efficiency, using 80 percent less energy than old incandescent bulbs, and long life, lasting fifteen times longer---all with the same quality of light consumers love from GE's original incandescent.
To shed more light on the top consumer trends that shape GE's LED expansion and why the right time to consider LED lighting is now, we turn to Tom Boyle, GE Lighting's Chief Innovation Manager, and GE Lighting's retail partners.
1. As LED prices dramatically decrease, consumer adoption reaches tipping point
LED sales will continue to accelerate this year as prices continue to come down. For A-line shape LED bulbs commonly used in table lamps, these LED bulbs will become the most popular technology in this application by 2016, according to projections by IMS Research, an electronics research firm. Consumers can find GE Lighting's full breadth of LED products at major retailers, like Walmart.
"Together with GE, we are working to make an energy-efficient lifestyle affordable and accessible to all," says John Prince, Senior Buyer Hardware Consumables at Walmart. "We work with GE Lighting and more than 85 utilities to make LED light bulbs more affordable, helping our customers save money and light their homes more efficiently."
2. Meeting consumers' desire to integrate more lighting control, wirelessly
GE Lighting and lighting control manufacturer, Lutron Electronics, developed GE 'telligent wireless dimming LED embedded with Lutron's Clear Connect™ wireless technology. This indoor floodlight LED product is great for those the do-it-yourselfer who doesn't want to rewire a space---the bulb screws into the socket the same as a standard bulb. The dimming capability is built into the bulb itself and the remote controls up to 10 light bulbs, providing instant dimming. This product is available at select Sam's Club stores.
"Our members want greater control and flexibility to create a customized lighting experience based on their unique needs," says Clif Cooper, Senior Buyer at Sam's Club. "Lighting homes and small businesses shouldn't be a complicated task, and we're working with GE to provide our members with the right energy-efficient lighting options, like GE 'telligent -- giving simple, convenient dimming capabilities for sockets that are not connected to dimmer switches."
3. Consumers' preference for quality of LED light matters
Ultimately, a consumer will be able to tune, or adjust, LED bulbs to emit a 'cooler' white light in the kitchen or a 'warmer' soft white light in the living room, based on preference, the task at hand, functionality or time of day. Until this capability becomes more affordable for mainstream adoption, GE will continue to develop soft white, daylight and reveal LED options.
Ultimately, a consumer will be able to tune, or adjust, LED bulbs to emit a 'cooler' white light in the kitchen or a 'warmer' soft white light in the living room, based on preference, the task at hand, functionality or time of day. Until this capability becomes more affordable for mainstream adoption, GE will continue to develop soft white, daylight and reveal LED options.
"Stop & Shop and Giant customers want to implement environmentally sensitive practices in their homes for a good value, such as energy-efficient LED lighting, but that shouldn't mean compromising on quality," says Jim Wonderly, Vice President of General Merchandise at Ahold USA, parent company of Stop & Shop, GIANT/MARTIN'S and Giant Foods. "We teamed up with GE Lighting to give customers the highest quality LED bulbs from a brand they trust with optimal energy savings, making an energy-efficient lifestyle convenient and attainable."
4. Consumers want practical LED options for every application
Consumers need LED bulbs to work with their existing home lighting applications---from table lamps to recessed lighting. Up until now, consumers didn't have realistic LED options for enclosed fixtures and linear work lights. With its latest LED portfolio, GE Lighting is offering LED options for ceiling flush-mount fixtures, or enclosed fixtures, and LED work lights with hardwire connections, making an all-LED lit home possible. GE Lighting has proven success in the commercial space with these types of fixtures and is now offering residential LED options.
Consumers need LED bulbs to work with their existing home lighting applications---from table lamps to recessed lighting. Up until now, consumers didn't have realistic LED options for enclosed fixtures and linear work lights. With its latest LED portfolio, GE Lighting is offering LED options for ceiling flush-mount fixtures, or enclosed fixtures, and LED work lights with hardwire connections, making an all-LED lit home possible. GE Lighting has proven success in the commercial space with these types of fixtures and is now offering residential LED options.
"When customers enter our lighting aisle, we know their primary concern is to find the right light bulb for a specific functional need," says Jamie Akemann, Vice President - Hardlines at Meijer. "Our customers are not necessarily concerned with the science behind lighting -- they simply want to know which energy-efficient LED light bulb fits a particular socket and will give them that cozy feeling in their living room. Working with GE, we're creating an in-aisle experience that provides the information our customers need while demonstrating how lighting can help create an overall mood in a room."
5. To further propel consumer adoption, recognizable lighting shapes are vital
Familiarity of light bulb design and shape is still vitally important to avoid confusion and to spur continued LED adoption. While LED lighting gives us exciting new capabilities to light our homes in new ways without using conventional lighting fixtures, this transition will take time. With this in mind, GE Lighting continues to develop LED bulbs in A-line and other incandescent shapes.
Consumers can find our newly designed A-line ENERGY STAR®-qualified LED products at major retailers, like Walmart and Sam's Club. Our third generation 40- and 60-watt will be available in May, and our second generation 75- and 100-watt replacement LEDs will be available this summer.
"While no other technology has enabled us to explore these exciting, new opportunities with lighting, we know we need to guide consumers through this fundamental lifestyle shift from the way they've lit their homes for more than 100 years," says Strainic. "We'll continue to put consumer needs and preferences first as we develop our LED lighting products."
Familiarity of light bulb design and shape is still vitally important to avoid confusion and to spur continued LED adoption. While LED lighting gives us exciting new capabilities to light our homes in new ways without using conventional lighting fixtures, this transition will take time. With this in mind, GE Lighting continues to develop LED bulbs in A-line and other incandescent shapes.
Consumers can find our newly designed A-line ENERGY STAR®-qualified LED products at major retailers, like Walmart and Sam's Club. Our third generation 40- and 60-watt will be available in May, and our second generation 75- and 100-watt replacement LEDs will be available this summer.
"While no other technology has enabled us to explore these exciting, new opportunities with lighting, we know we need to guide consumers through this fundamental lifestyle shift from the way they've lit their homes for more than 100 years," says Strainic. "We'll continue to put consumer needs and preferences first as we develop our LED lighting products."
To calculate a home's energy-saving potential by switching to LED lighting, GE Lighting has developed a new tool, an LED energy-saving calculator. This tool translates energy savings into relatable terms for consumers, making the switch a no-brainer.
To learn more about these and other innovative consumer LED products, visit GE Lighting's website.
About GE LightingGE Lighting invents with the vigor of its founder Thomas Edison to develop energy-efficient solutions that change the way people light their world in commercial, industrial, municipal and residential settings. The business employs about 13,000 people in more than 100 countries, and sells products under the reveal®and energy smart® consumer brands, and Evolve™, GTx™, Immersion™, Infusion™, Lumination™, Albeo™ and Tetra® commercial brands, all trademarks of GE. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information, visit www.gelighting.com.
GE's Own LED Lighting Provides Energy and Cost Savings in Newly Renovated GE Offices in Chicago Skyscraper
GE News Release:
GE's Own LED Lighting Provides Energy and Cost Savings in Newly Renovated GE Offices in Chicago Skyscraper
May 22, 2014
EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio --- May 22, 2014 --- (NYSE:GE) --- As part of considerable renovations at GE offices in Chicago, GE's LED lighting with wireless controls is offering reduced maintenance, improved aesthetics and energy savings, demonstrating that GE does more than just talk the talk---it walks the walk when it comes to its energy-efficient office lighting solutions.
Headquartered at 500 West Monroe in Chicago's West Loop, GE Transportation and GE Antares Capital, a unit of GE Capital, committed to major renovations spanning more than 400,000 square feet among a dozen floors.
The new layout now comprises an open workspace design with more natural light while incorporating offices, conference rooms and a café. In addition to contributing to the new look and feel of the space, GE's LED lighting provides energy savings that equate to more than $55,000 in annual cost savings compared to traditional lighting, including T8 and T12 linear fluorescent lamps, used before construction began.
While original construction plans called for traditional LFL lighting with controls, GE Lighting identified an LED-based office lighting solution at the same budget, providing a better return on investment over the life of the product. LED lighting fixtures have a significantly longer life than fluorescent products and up to 50 times greater lifetime than traditional incandescent lighting. Among the LED lighting fixtures installed were the Lumination™ LED Suspended Luminaires, Lumination LED Recessed Troffer Luminaires and downlights with Infusion™ LED Modules.
Additionally, GE's Lumination BL Series LED Luminaires, integrated with USG's Logix™ Integrated Ceiling System with Halcyon™ ClimaPlus™ Acoustical Ceiling Panels and DONN® Fineline® 1/8 DXFF Acoustical Suspension System, provide long, narrow bands of light for a uniform and contemporary look at 500 West Monroe.
"We wanted a low-maintenance option that would help us keep costs down. GE Lighting presented an LED solution with Lutron lighting controls that also gave us the best look," said John Craynon, global site optimization manager for GE Transportation. "The ceiling is neat, clean and uniform throughout the entire area. Plus, the LED lighting fixtures provide good light levels for employees, who have responded with very positive feedback about how beautiful their workspace is now."
Since installation was completed earlier in 2013, employees also have been pleased their work hasn't been interrupted by lighting repairs or replacements, Craynon said.
"Every time there is a maintenance issue with the lighting, it causes disruption," he said. "With a much longer life expectancy for our new LED lighting fixtures compared to the old traditional lighting, we know we can minimize these interruptions."
Craynon also noted the ease of fixture installation and GE Lighting's commitment to ensuring the office lighting meets Chicago's strict electrical codes, which help ensure the safe installation of lighting and other systems.
"GE Lighting found a total solution that saved energy over the original lighting design and provides a brand new aesthetic to the space while reducing maintenance requirements," said Sam Grebe, director of strategic accounts for GE Lighting. "Together with our GE partners, we have implemented innovative solutions that have helped create a better work environment for hundreds of employees."
To learn more about GE's commercial office lighting solutions, visit www.gelighting.com/office. For information about GE's commitment to innovative solutions to today's environmental challenges, visitwww.ecomagination.com.
About GE LightingGE Lighting invents with the vigor of its founder Thomas Edison to develop energy-efficient solutions that change the way people light their world in commercial, industrial, municipal and residential settings. The business employs about 13,000 people in more than 100 countries, and sells products under the reveal® and Energy Smart® consumer brands, and Evolve ™, GTx™, Immersion ™, Infusion ™, Lumination™, Albeo™ and Tetra® commercial brands, all trademarks of GE. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information, visit www.gelighting.com.
50 Years of LED InnovationOct. 9, 1962, GE scientist Dr. Nick Holonyak, Jr., invented the first practical visible-spectrum light-emitting diode (LED). In the 50 years since, GE has been on the forefront of LED innovation. The company has released inspired LED products for both residential and commercial settings, from the first ENERGY STAR®-qualified A19-shaped LED bulb to LED street lighting that illuminates cityscapes the world over.
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Top 100 U.S. Organizations Using Renewable Energy | 2014-04-23 | Pollution Engineering
The EPA’s Green Power Partnership released an updated list of the Top 100 organizations that are choosing to use electricity from clean, renewable sources like wind and solar power.
“By using green power, these companies and organizations are showing that business can flourish while taking meaningful steps to reduce carbon pollution,” said Gina McCarthy, EPA administrator. “Making cleaner choices to power our communities, institutions and businesses reduces the pollution that contributes to climate change, protects America's health and environment, and supports continued growth in the green power sector."
Top 100 U.S. Organizations Using Renewable Energy | 2014-04-23 | Pollution Engineering
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