Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Monday, April 29, 2013
Friday, April 26, 2013
On the Path to Low Cost Renewable Fuels, an Important Breakthrough
This is an excerpt from EERE Network News, a weekly electronic newsletter.
April 24, 2013
On the Path to Low Cost Renewable Fuels, an Important Breakthrough
by Leslie Pezzullo, Technology Manager, Bioenergy Technologies Office
America’s homegrown fuel resources—from wood chips to the leaves and stalks of corn plants—are plentiful. Research finds that these resources could produce enough clean, renewable fuel to replace about 30% of the nation’s current petroleum consumption. Still, on the path to creating a strong, thriving biofuels industry, there are challenges we continue to address. That’s why the Energy Department is working with researchers, industry, and other partners to increase the reliability and cost-effectiveness of renewable fuel production.
The good news is we are making progress—particularly when it comes to cellulosic ethanol. For the uninitiated, cellulosic ethanol is fuel produced from the inedible, organic material abundant in agricultural waste—including grasses, farm waste, and virtually every type of plant. While cellulosic ethanol represents a huge opportunity for the renewable fuels industry, the high costs and inefficiencies associated with the technology are barriers to its commercialization. However, with major technology milestones met by researchers at our national labs and industry partners, that’s all starting to change.
Last fall, scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) successfully demonstrated the technical advances needed to produce cellulosic ethanol cost competitively at $2.15 per gallon—a process that was modeled at $9 per gallon just a decade ago. For the complete story, see the Energy Blog.
Walmart Announces New Goals for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
This is an excerpt from EERE Network News, a weekly electronic newsletter.
April 24, 2013
Walmart Announces New Goals for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Walmart on April 15 announced the company’s next step on the path to achieving its goal of being 100% supplied by renewable energy. The company committed to achieving the production or procurement of 7 billion kilowatt-hours of renewable energy globally every year by the end of 2020. That would mark a 600% increase over its 2010 levels. The Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer will also seek to reduce the energy intensity required to power the company's buildings during the same period by 20%.
Walmart expects its six-fold increase in utilizing renewable energy projects 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. The company also expects to avoid 9 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, the equivalent of taking 1.5 million cars off the road.
In the United States alone, Walmart plans to install solar power on at least 1,000 of its rooftops and facilities by 2020, an increase from just over 200 solar projects currently in operation or under development. According to the Solar Energy Industry Association, the company has more solar power capacity and number of systems than any other company in America. It has also been cited by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as America’s leading user of onsite renewables, using more onsite renewable power than any other company in the United States. 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, micro-hydro, and geothermal projects. See the Walmart press release.
EIA: 2012 Home Energy Bills Lowest Percentage in 10 Years
This is an excerpt from EERE Network News, a weekly electronic newsletter.
April 24, 2013
EIA: 2012 Home Energy Bills Lowest Percentage in 10 Years
U.S. consumers spent 2.7% of their household income on home energy bills last year, which was the lowest percentage in 10 years, according to a U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) analysis released on April 18. Also, aggregate home energy expenditures by U.S. households fell $12 billion in 2012 from the 2011 level. Warmer weather contributed to lower energy consumption in 2012, and because household energy expenditures reflect both prices and consumption, these changes resulted in lower household energy expenditures.
On average, households spent $1,945 on heating, cooling, appliances, electronics, and lighting in 2012. This total includes home use of electricity, natural gas, fuel oil, propane, kerosene, wood, and coal, but excludes fuels used for transportation. It also excludes other household utilities such as water and telephone services. Using EIA projections for 2012 based on household data from the U.S. Census Bureau through 2010, $1,945 is the lowest level since 2002. The percentage of household income spent on home energy bills peaked at 4.3% in 1982 and steadily declined until it reached its lowest level since 1973—2.4% in 1999. See the EIA's Today in Energy.
Energy Department Highlights Nissan’s Better Plants Challenge Project
This is an excerpt from EERE Network News, a weekly electronic newsletter.
April 24, 2013
Energy Department Highlights Nissan’s Better Plants Challenge Project
The Energy Department on April 17 recognized Nissan’s participation in the Better Buildings, Better Plants Challenge and its showcase project at the company’s new energy-efficient paint plant in Smyrna, Tennessee. The 250,000-square-foot Smyrna facility, which opened in January, is expected to cut energy use by almost a third compared to its predecessor.
As a partner in the Better Buildings, Better Plants Challenge, Nissan North America has committed to reducing energy use in its three U.S. plants by 25% by 2020, affecting 12 million square feet of plant space. Better Buildings, Better Plants Challenge participating organizations receive technical assistance from the Energy Department and share best practices on industrial energy efficiency with other Challenge partners.
Each year, the United States spends about $200 billion just to power commercial buildings and another $200 billion to power industrial facilities. Together, commercial and industrial buildings account for roughly half of the nation’s energy use and more than 40% of U.S. carbon emissions. The Better Buildings, Better Plants Challenge serves as the industrial component of President Obama’s broader Better Buildings Challenge, which was launched in December 2011 to help America’s commercial and industrial buildings become at least 20% more efficient over the next decade. See theEnergy Department press release and the Better Buildings, Better Plants Challenge website.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Energy Department Announces Projects to Develop Innovative, Advanced Drop-in Biofuels
This is an excerpt from EERE Network News, a weekly electronic newsletter.
April 24, 2013
Energy Department Announces Projects to Develop Innovative, Advanced Drop-in Biofuels
The Energy Department on April 22 announced nearly $18 million in four innovative pilot-scale biorefineries that will test renewable biofuels as a domestic alternative to power cars, trucks, and planes, and that also meet military specifications for jet fuel and shipboard diesel. These biorefineries will be in in California, Iowa, and Washington.
The projects selected for funding include Frontline Bioenergy of Ames, Iowa, which will use an innovative new pilot scale reactor and new gas conditioning processes to produce biofuel from woody biomass, municipal solid waste, and refuse; Cobalt Technologies of Mountain View, California, which will operate a pilot-scale integrated biorefinery to convert switchgrass to bio-jet fuel; Mercurius Biorefining of Ferndale, Washington, which will build and operate a pilot plant that uses an innovative process that converts cellulosic biomass into bio-jet fuel and other chemicals; and BioProcess Algae of Shenandoah, Iowa, which will evaluate an innovative algal growth platform to produce hydrocarbon fuels meeting military specifications using renewable carbon dioxide, lignocellulosic sugars, and waste heat.
The pilot-scale biorefinery projects selected will use a variety of non-food biomass feedstocks, waste-based materials, and algae in innovative conversion processes to produce biofuels that meet military specifications for jet fuel and diesel. The projects will demonstrate technologies to cost-effectively convert biomass into advanced drop-in biofuels and assist these organizations to scale up the processes to commercial levels. Recipients are required to contribute a minimum of 50% matching funds for these projects. See the Energy Department press release.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
NREL Quantifies Significant Value in Concentrating Solar Power
NREL News Release:
NREL Quantifies Significant Value in Concentrating Solar Power
CSP with thermal energy storage boosts California electric grid
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have calibrated the significant value that concentrating solar power (CSP) plants can add to an electric grid.
The NREL researchers evaluated the operational impacts of CSP systems with thermal energy storage within the California electric grid managed by the California Independent System Operator (CAISO). NREL used a commercial production cost model called PLEXOS to help plan system expansion, to evaluate aspects of system reliability, and to estimate fuel cost, emissions, and other operational factors within the CAISO system. The analysis is detailed in a recent publication, Analysis of Concentrating Solar Power with Thermal Energy Storage in a California 33% Renewable Scenario, by Paul Denholm, Yih-Huei Wan, Marissa Hummon, and Mark Mehos.
NREL's analysis was considered within the context of California's renewable portfolio standard (RPS), which requires 33% of power be supplied by renewables by 2020. The specific focus was on the "Environmentally Constrained" 33% RPS scenario, which includes a high contribution of generation from photovoltaic solar energy systems. By also considering how the state could take advantage of CSP with thermal storage, NREL used the PLEXOS model to quantify the value of CSP in reducing the need for conventional power generation from fossil fuels, and compared this value to other sources of generation, including photovoltaics, which supply variable energy depending on the amount of sunlight available.
To perform this analysis, NREL Senior Analyst Paul Denholm explains, "We created a baseline scenario, then added four types of generators--a baseload generator with constant output, a photovoltaic system, a CSP plant providing dispatchable energy – or power that can be turned on or off on demand -- and another CSP plant providing both energy and operating reserves."
The analysis demonstrated several valuable properties of dispatchable CSP, such as its ability to generate power during high-value periods when electricity demand is high, and its capability to be turned off during lower-value periods. Of key interest, NREL found that significant operational value is derived when CSP is allowed to provide reserve power, including frequently operating at less than full load, which would be a substantial change in operational practice.
Mark Mehos, manager of NREL's CSP Program, emphasizes a couple other conclusions from their analysis: "CSP plants switched on during periods of highest consumer demand for electricity resulted in very high capacity value. And the difference in value in CSP plants with and without thermal energy storage depends greatly on the amount of other variable-generation renewable energy sources on the grid, such as wind and photovoltaics."
NREL's study has helped to develop approaches that can be used by utilities and system planners to incorporate CSP in standard planning tools. It has also quantified the value of adding thermal storage to CSP in a scenario of high levels of renewable energy in California.
NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy's primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated for DOE by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.
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North Carolina Area Health Education Center Building in Chapel Hill, N.C. Named a Top Finisher in Energy Star National Building Competition
EPA News Release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 24, 2013
April 24, 2013
North Carolina Area Health Education Center Building in Chapel Hill, N.C. Named a Top Finisher in Energy Star National Building Competition
Contact Information: Dawn Harris-Young, (404) 562-8421 (Direct), (404) 562-8400 (Main), harris-young.dawn@epa.gov
ATLANTA – The North Carolina Area Health Education Center Building in Chapel Hill, N.C. was recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a top finisher in the third-annual Energy Star National Building Competition. The plant was recognized for reducing their energy use by over a 34 percent.
In its third year, the Energy Star National Building Competition featured teams from across the country to improve energy efficiency, lower utility costs, and protect public health and the environment. More than 3,000 schools, businesses, and government buildings across the country competed to see which could reduce its energy use the most in one year.
The 2012 national winner was the Demarest Elementary School in Bloomfield, N.J., which reduced its energy use by more than 52 percent and cut their utility bills by more than $75,800.
Together, competitors of this year’s National Building Competition cut their energy costs by more than $50 million, saved more than three billion kBtus of energy, and reduced annual greenhouse gas emissions equal to the amount of electricity used by more than 43,000 homes.
The 2012 national winner was the Demarest Elementary School in Bloomfield, N.J., which reduced its energy use by more than 52 percent and cut their utility bills by more than $75,800.
Together, competitors of this year’s National Building Competition cut their energy costs by more than $50 million, saved more than three billion kBtus of energy, and reduced annual greenhouse gas emissions equal to the amount of electricity used by more than 43,000 homes.
The 2012 Energy Star National Building Competition measured energy performance for the entire 2012 calendar year. Competitors tracked their building's monthly energy consumption using EPA's online energy tracking tool, Energy Star Portfolio Manager. The energy use reductions for each top finisher were verified by an independently licensed professional engineer or registered architect at the conclusion of the competition.
Energy use in commercial buildings accounts for nearly 20 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions at a cost of more than $100 billion per year. Thousands of businesses and organizations work with EPA’s Energy Star program and are saving billions of dollars, preventing millions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions from entering the atmosphere each year.
Products, homes, and buildings that earn the Energy Star label prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy efficiency requirements set by the U.S. EPA. In 2012 alone, Americans, with the help of Energy Star, saved $24 billion on their energy bills and prevented greenhouse gas emissions equal to those of 41 million vehicles. To date, more than 1.4 million new homes and 20,000 office buildings, schools and hospitals have earned the Energy Star label. Learn more: www.energystar.gov
More information on the 2012 Energy Star National Building Competition, including top overall finishers and top finishers by building category, an interactive map of competitors, and a wrap-up report: http://www.energystar.gov/BattleOfTheBuildings
Connect with EPA Region 4 on Facebook: www.facebook.com/eparegion4
And on Twitter: @USEPASoutheast
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Craigmont High School in Memphis, Tenn. Named a Top Finisher in Energy Star National Building Competition
EPA News Release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 24, 2013
April 24, 2013
Craigmont High School in Memphis, Tenn. Named a Top Finisher in Energy Star National Building Competition
Contact Information: Dawn Harris-Young, (404) 562-8421 (Direct), (404) 562-8400 (Main), harris-young.dawn@epa.gov
ATLANTA – Craigmont High School in Memphis, Tenn. was recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a top finisher in the third-annual Energy Star National Building Competition. The school was recognized for reducing their energy use by over a 34 percent.
In its third year, the Energy Star National Building Competition featured teams from across the country to improve energy efficiency, lower utility costs, and protect public health and the environment. More than 3,000 schools, businesses, and government buildings across the country competed to see which could reduce its energy use the most in one year.
The 2012 national winner was the Demarest Elementary School in Bloomfield, N.J., which reduced its energy use by more than 52 percent and cut their utility bills by more than $75,800.
Together, competitors of this year’s National Building Competition cut their energy costs by more than $50 million, saved more than three billion kBtus of energy, and reduced annual greenhouse gas emissions equal to the amount of electricity used by more than 43,000 homes.
The 2012 national winner was the Demarest Elementary School in Bloomfield, N.J., which reduced its energy use by more than 52 percent and cut their utility bills by more than $75,800.
Together, competitors of this year’s National Building Competition cut their energy costs by more than $50 million, saved more than three billion kBtus of energy, and reduced annual greenhouse gas emissions equal to the amount of electricity used by more than 43,000 homes.
The 2012 Energy Star National Building Competition measured energy performance for the entire 2012 calendar year. Competitors tracked their building's monthly energy consumption using EPA's online energy tracking tool, Energy Star Portfolio Manager. The energy use reductions for each top finisher were verified by an independently licensed professional engineer or registered architect at the conclusion of the competition.
Energy use in commercial buildings accounts for nearly 20 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions at a cost of more than $100 billion per year. Thousands of businesses and organizations work with EPA’s Energy Star program and are saving billions of dollars, preventing millions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions from entering the atmosphere each year.
Products, homes, and buildings that earn the Energy Star label prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy efficiency requirements set by the U.S. EPA. In 2012 alone, Americans, with the help of Energy Star, saved $24 billion on their energy bills and prevented greenhouse gas emissions equal to those of 41 million vehicles. To date, more than 1.4 million new homes and 20,000 office buildings, schools and hospitals have earned the Energy Star label. Learn more: www.energystar.gov
More information on the 2012 Energy Star National Building Competition, including top overall finishers and top finishers by building category, an interactive map of competitors, and a wrap-up report: http://www.energystar.gov/BattleOfTheBuildings
Connect with EPA Region 4 on Facebook: www.facebook.com/eparegion4
And on Twitter: @USEPASoutheast
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GE and Florida Power & Light Celebrate Success of Energy Smart Florida
GE Press Release:
GE and Florida Power & Light Celebrate Success of Energy Smart Florida
April 24, 2013
- GE Helps Florida Power & Light Company Create Integrated, End-to-End Smart Grid
- With the Help of GE Technology, FPL Installed Its 4.5 Millionth Smart Meter Nine Months Ahead of Schedule
- FPL Now Provides One of the Few Tangible Examples of a Comprehensive Smart Grid in the U.S., Offering End-to-End Solutions from Power Generation All the Way to Customers’ Homes
- FPL’s Grid Improvements are Providing Its Customers with Enhanced Reliability and More Information So They Can Take More Control over Their Energy Usage
JUPITER, FLA.—April 24, 2013—GE (NYSE: GE) and Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) today celebrated the fourth anniversary and completion of Energy Smart Florida (ESF), an initiative implemented to modernize the grid and build out a more reliable and efficient electrical infrastructure. GE helped FPL achieve two important milestones in the final phase of ESF: the installation of 4.5 million smart meters across its 35-county service territory and the successful completion of grid modernization projects funded by a grant FPL received from the U.S. Department of Energy. With GE’s help, FPL created a highly integrated, advanced, modern grid that helps prevent outages, restore power more quickly and empower FPL’s customers to take control of their energy use.
“Florida Power & Light is an excellent example of a utility that took a thoughtful, holistic approach to modernizing its grid,” said John Lavelle, CEO, GE’s Digital Energy business. “Through its grid projects—from substation upgrades to the installation of 4.5 million GE smart meters—FPL has been able to improve reliability, prevent outages and detect problems. These are goals we strive for with all of our utility customers.”
In 2009, FPL received a $200 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to help fund Energy Smart Florida and $600 million in grid improvements throughout FPL’s 35-county service territory. At the start of Energy Smart Florida, FPL enlisted GE to perform 145 substation upgrades, which are helping to improve the grid’s reliability and anticipate system disturbances. Additionally, FPL has installed more than 4.5 million GE smart meters.
“FPL is committed to always finding new ways to improve the service and value we provide to our customers,” said Bryan Olnick, FPL’s vice president of customer service smart grid solutions. “By installing world-class equipment and working with technology partners like GE, we are creating a modern and resilient infrastructure, while providing valuable energy information to our customers and increasing the efficiency and reliability of our network.”
GE’s smart grid solutions enable effective two-way communication between FPL and its customers. For example, FPL’s advanced metering infrastructure provides its customers with hourly data on their energy usage. It also delivers outage notifications that can help FPL restore power more quickly. In addition, GE transformer monitoring equipment provides FPL with real-time diagnostics on transformer health, helping to identify and resolve potential transformer issues that can cause large system outages.
Through its robust grid modernization efforts, FPL has empowered its customers to take more control over their energy use through an Energy Dashboard that enables its customers to view their energy use by the hour, day or month. At today’s anniversary celebration, FPL showcased its distribution and transmission performance and diagnostic centers in Jupiter, Fla. Attendees were able to see firsthand how FPL is leveraging GE technologies and end-to-end integrated solutions to prevent power outages and maintain a safe, secure and reliable grid.
For more information, visit http://www.fpl.com/energysmart or http://www.gedigitalenergy.com.
About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.
Follow GE Energy Management and its Digital Energy business on Twitter @GE_EnergyMgmt and@YourSmartGrid.
New Commercial Lighting Options Promise Control of a Brighter Energy Future
GE News Release:
New Commercial Lighting Options Promise Control of a Brighter Energy Future
April 24, 2013
EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio — April 24, 2013 — (NYSE:GE) — The commercial lighting and design field is undergoing a dramatic transformation unparalleled in its scope. Ceilings of the future? They are here today. LED adoption? It’s so widespread that LEDs have found their way into areas customers will never see. And the ability to control and customize the major power hogs in a building? There’s a newer and better solution for that, too.
“From facility management to city planning, reaching new heights in low energy use has been made possible by continued commercial lighting innovation,” said Jaime Irick, general manager of North American professional solutions, GE Lighting. “Highly efficient high-output fixtures, controls that capture critical data and LED options you never knew about all are factors in a brighter energy future for business.”
Irick calls out five commercial lighting trends to watch in the year ahead:
1. Saving where customers don’t see“Today there is rapid adoption for LED high bay lighting in places that occupy significant square footage but will never be seen by customers—inventory warehouses, factories and other industrial spaces with tall, open ceilings,” noted Irick.
In fact, approximately 1,500 warehouses in the U.S. now have LED lighting.*
Increased lumen output (light output) has made commercial LED lighting a viable investment. It is more energy-efficient than traditional fluorescent and high-intensity (HID) systems typically used in these spaces. A new generation of industrial-strength LED lighting delivers the “punch” to illuminate spacious work and storage environments.
Facility owners also appreciate the maintenance advantage of LED lighting in high bay applications—typically four times longer lived than conventional light sources.
“LEDs mean less change out, less labor and less interruption to warehouse operations,” noted Irick.
These advantages are especially important when dealing with difficult-to-reach ceiling lighting that requires advanced machinery and maintenance to change lamps.
2. Advanced energy managementFacility managers know that reducing energy use is no small task. Lighting and heating/cooling systems are the two biggest energy consumers in U.S. office buildings, according to a 2012 U.S. Department of Energy report. Together, lighting (20 percent) and heating/cooling (28 percent) can account for 48 percent of a building’s total energy consumption.**
“Operating separately, a lighting control and building automation system must be monitored and adjusted regularly. When integrated, however, these platforms can communicate seamlessly to optimize efficiency,” said Irick. Integrated systems enable automatic adjustments for changing outdoor conditions, smarter scheduling of building operations and the generation of on-demand energy usage reports, even from offsite.
“New centralized systems also allow for advanced monitoring and reporting of lighting, heating and cooling operations,” noted Irick. “Lighting control solutions available today work in direct conjunction with a building automation system, giving users a combined approach for combating the biggest energy costs in buildings.”
3. Lighting and ceilings working togetherDesigners of retail and office environments have long been constrained by conventional T-grid ceiling schemes—replicating the familiar grid-like layout across all manner of spaces often as a matter of function over form. Today, a new category of ceiling is bringing style to uninspired areas.
According to Irick, “Integrated ceiling systems concentrate lighting and other utilities in narrow bands running the length of the room. This gives architects the freedom to create imaginative layouts that are no less accommodating to standard maintenance operations.”
GE has teamed with USG to give architects two cutting-edge products designed and tested to work together. The USG Logix™ Ceiling System using GE's Lumination™ BL Series™ LED luminaires is a new complete ceiling lighting solution that offers the commercial building industry a variety of aesthetically pleasing possibilities.
4. Designer LED fixturesLighting as fashion? The fact is LED technology offers new freedom in fixture design. Both linear luminaires and illuminated pendants are realities in a new era of aesthetically pleasing options. Chic, ultra-thin and strikingly sculpted, retailers, hoteliers and restaurateurs alike are choosing from a growing cast of bulb-less beauties to light up their sets.
Irick said, “Today’s LED luminaires are changing more than the look of spaces. Fixtures are also transforming the way people experience light.”
Thin and uniformly illuminated while suspended from the ceiling—a clear band surrounding the edge of the fixture makes the light source appear to "float." Others can appear completely free of a light source when switched off. Without advances in optical technology that precisely direct the light produced by each LED, elegant and energy-efficient fixtures like these might not suffice in retail, hospitality and other lighting environments where appearance and function are both big priorities.
5. Smarter LED streetlightsIn increasing numbers of cities big and small, traffic managers and council members are weighing the value of conversions to LED street lighting. Besides significant energy and maintenance cost savings, the optical advantages of LED illumination here again allow fixtures that better aim light where it’s needed.
Irick called it “a bright beginning to the end of orange ‘blobs’ cast off by conventional sodium and metal halide light sources.”
Where 400- and 1,000-watt HID fixtures have lined roadways for generations, new white LED lights using 200 watts and less are popping up across America. Some cities spend as much as 60 percent of electricity consumption on street lighting. New fixtures like GE’s Evolve™ LED Scalable Cobrahead seek to balance this budget with more pavement distribution patterns suiting a wider range of roadway classifications.
In Tarentum Borough, Penn., more than 400 Evolve LED fixtures were equipped with stand-alone controls and programmed to dim by 30 percent at midnight, ramping back up after 4:00 a.m. Capturing these even greater savings was important to the town of 4,500 that pays itself for its own electricity. Now energy use is down $23,000 a year in Tarentum where passers-through frequently note the borough’s “bright and clean” appearance.
Tomorrow is today”Outside the home, the impact of bright, energy-efficient LED lighting and intelligent controls can be applied, experienced, seen and appreciated nearly everywhere you look today,” added Irick. “The next 24 months will be a pivotal period because our work on commercial LED solutions the last decade has enabled new thinking about LED-based residential lighting. I think even the most disengaged light bulb shopper—the person who sees lighting as a mere commodity—will be stoked about the options that are becoming available in the lighting aisle.”
To learn more visit www.gelighting.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 15,000 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.
*According to Groom Energy Solutions 2013 report
**Source: U.S. Department of Energy, buildings Energy Data Book, March 2012
**Source: U.S. Department of Energy, buildings Energy Data Book, March 2012
Fisker Autos Faces Big Problems, Despite Celebrity Fan Base - YouTube
April 24 (Bloomberg) -- Bloomberg's Julianna Goldman reports on problems at Fisker Automotive including their inability to make a payment on a Department of Energy loan. She speaks on Bloomberg Television's "Bloomberg West." (Source: Bloomberg)
Video (2:16)
Fisker Autos Faces Big Problems, Despite Celebrity Fan Base - YouTube
Video (2:16)
Fisker Autos Faces Big Problems, Despite Celebrity Fan Base - YouTube
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Los Angeles Extends Testing of GE LightGrid™ Outdoor Wireless Controller for Streetlights
GE Press Release:
Los Angeles Extends Testing of GE LightGrid™ Outdoor Wireless Controller for Streetlights
April 23, 2013
EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio — April 23, 2013 — (NYSE:GE) — The City of Los Angeles and GE Lighting are moving forward with an expanded pilot program to measure the performance of a GE LightGrid™ Outdoor Wireless Controller that GE expects to introduce later this year. The decision follows the successful completion of a preliminary trial and aims to give the city more experience in adding LightGrid controllers to existing light poles, and more data on complete system performance from the controls to GE’s central management software.
“The City of Los Angeles has led the nation in the installation of energy-efficient LED light fixtures and remote monitoring units,” says Ed Ebrahimian, director, Bureau of Street Lighting, City of Los Angeles. "Based on our latest evaluation of remote monitoring and control technologies, we are proceeding with a large scale pilot installation and evaluation of the GE system.”
GE’s proprietary LightGrid technology allows remote monitoring of most streetlights. Individual controllers twist easily into standard NEMA sockets on roadway fixtures and provide a visual indication of connection to the LightGrid network. Energy usage and lighting data are then continually reported to a central management system that is accessed by users through a Web-based experience. Armed with detailed analytics of its street lighting system, a municipality can in turn implement smarter energy saving strategies through more precise ‘on/off’ and dimming schedules, particularly during middle-of-the-night operation in low traffic areas.
“GE’s ability to connect our newest roadway lighting systems technologies and utilize analytic capabilities help municipalities drive customer cost savings, predict and prevent problem areas, while improving overall performance for a brighter, faster and safer world,” says Jaime Irick, general manager – North America professional solutions. “Los Angeles’ ambitious approach to street lighting, led by Ed Ebrahimian, is a model for cities everywhere.”
GE’s LightGrid Outdoor Wireless Controllers could eventually be deployed to the majority of Los Angeles’ more than 140,000 LED streetlights.
To learn more about energy-saving street lighting solutions visit www.gelightingsolutions.com/BrightSolution.
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 15,000 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.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Friday, April 19, 2013
Johnson Controls to supply AGM batteries to Chery Jaguar Land Rover
Johnson Controls News Release:
Johnson Controls to supply AGM batteries to Chery Jaguar Land Rover
Advanced batteries will power energy efficient vehicles in China
SHANGHAI, April 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnson Controls, the world's leading supplier of automotive batteries, will provide its Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) advanced battery technology to power the Chery Jaguar Land Rover Start-Stop and other vehicles made in China to serve the China market.
"Johnson Controls is providing energy storage solutions to help our automotive customers meet increasingly stringent fuel economy and emissions standards," said Deborah Roberts, vice president and general manager Original Equipment, Johnson Controls Power Solutions, China. "Our AGM batteries have more robust cycling capability to meet the needs of Start-Stop vehicles as well as provide outstanding performance for vehicles with the most sophisticated power demands."
AGM batteries are a proven advanced energy storage solution for Start-Stop vehicles. Initially launched in Europe, Johnson Controls has manufactured more than 18 million AGM batteries since 2001, and now produces more than 4.5 million annually in Europe.
AGM batteries used in a Start-Stop system help reduce fuel consumption as the engine shuts off when the vehicle comes to a stop in traffic or at a red light. The battery restarts the engine when the driver's foot releases the brake pedal or engages the clutch.
"Our advanced battery AGM technology can help consumers save five to eight percent in their vehicle fuel costs every year as well as helping them reduce their CO2 emissions," said Roberts. Globally, over the next five years, Start-Stop vehicles with Johnson Controls' AGM batteries will reduce CO2 emissions by 12.6 million tons and save more than 1.2 billion gallons of fuel.
Johnson Controls estimates the global Start-Stop market for new vehicles, powered by AGM batteries, could reach 35 million annually by 2017. To support this growth, it is investing $520 million globally to increase production in the U.S., Europe and China.
Johnson Controls AGM battery technology characteristics include:
- Glass mat separator consistently maintains the electrolyte around the positive plate to extend life
- Tight-fitting construction exerts uniform, high-pressure on the plates in the battery and reduces the effects of vibration
- Sealed, valve-regulated battery delivers extreme cycle life and high energy throughput
To learn more about Johnson Controls' AGM battery technology, please visit:http://www.johnsoncontrols.com/content/us/en/products/power_solutions/products/start-stop0.html
About Johnson Controls
Johnson Controls is a global diversified technology and industrial leader serving customers in more than 150 countries. Our 170,000 employees create quality products, services and solutions to optimize energy and operational efficiencies of buildings; lead-acid automotive batteries and advanced batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles; and interior systems for automobiles. Our commitment to sustainability dates back to our roots in 1885, with the invention of the first electric room thermostat. Through our growth strategies and by increasing market share we are committed to delivering value to shareholders and making our customers successful. In 2013, Corporate Responsibility Magazine recognized Johnson Controls as the #14 company in its annual "100 Best Corporate Citizens" list. For additional information, please visit http://www.johnsoncontrols.com
About Johnson Controls Power Solutions
Johnson Controls Power Solutions is the global leader in lead-acid automotive batteries and advanced batteries for Start-Stop, hybrid and electric vehicles. Our 50 manufacturing, recycling and distribution centers supply more than one-third of the world's lead-acid batteries to major automakers and aftermarket retailers. Through our innovations we are building the advanced battery industry for hybrid and electric vehicles. We were the first company in the world to produce lithium-ion batteries for mass-production hybrid vehicles. Our commitment to sustainability is evidenced by our world-class technology, manufacturing and recycling capabilities.
Johnson Controls to premiere Micro Hybrid battery demonstration module at Auto Shanghai 2013
Johnson Controls News Release:
“We expect this technology to play an integral role in meeting the aggressive fuel economy targets set for China over the next several years,” said David Cue, global executive director of Original Equipment Business Development, Johnson Controls Power Solutions.
Leveraging dual voltage architecture, Johnson Controls’ Micro Hybrid battery system will involve a 12-volt starter battery and a 48-volt Lithium-ion battery that enables optimization of energy generation and consumption. In prospective development programs with key Chinese automotive customers, Micro Hybrid technology could provide 15 to 20 percent fuel savings in vehicles.
“Micro Hybrid systems have huge potential to support the automotive industry’s needs at a much lower cost than hybrid or electric vehicles, and therefore, offer a mass-production solution that can be leveraged across our customers’ fleets,” said Cue.
The 48-volt battery can support higher power loads such as air-conditioning, active chassis technologies and the capture of direct regenerative power energy braking. The 12-volt battery will continue to provide power to the vehicle starter, interior and exterior lights, and entertainment systems such as radios and DVD players.
Johnson Controls Power Solutions’ Micro Hybrid battery demonstration module can be found at Auto Shanghai 2013, China’s largest auto show, at Hall N5, Booth No. E001, which will be open to media and industry officials Saturday, April 20.
For more information on Micro Hybrid technology, please visit:http://www.johnsoncontrols.com/content/us/en/products/power_solutions/products/micro-hybrid1.html
About Johnson Controls Power Solutions
Johnson Controls Power Solutions is the global leader in lead-acid automotive batteries and advanced batteries for Start-Stop, hybrid and electric vehicles. Our 50 manufacturing, recycling and distribution centers supply more than one-third of the world's lead-acid batteries to major automakers and aftermarket retailers. Through our innovations we are building the advanced battery industry for hybrid and electric vehicles. We were the first company in the world to produce lithium-ion batteries for mass-production hybrid vehicles. Our commitment to sustainability is evidenced by our world-class technology, manufacturing and recycling capabilities.
Johnson Controls to premiere Micro Hybrid battery demonstration module at Auto Shanghai 2013
New energy storage technology has potential to enable 15 to 20 percent fuel savings in vehicles
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Micro Hybrid demonstration module
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SHANGHAI – April 17, 2013 – Johnson Controls, the world’s leading supplier of automotive batteries, will debut to the China market its 48-volt Micro Hybrid battery demonstration module at the 15th Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition (Auto Shanghai 2013). The demonstration module is part of the company’s full spectrum of advanced energy storage solutions for automobiles.
“We expect this technology to play an integral role in meeting the aggressive fuel economy targets set for China over the next several years,” said David Cue, global executive director of Original Equipment Business Development, Johnson Controls Power Solutions.
Leveraging dual voltage architecture, Johnson Controls’ Micro Hybrid battery system will involve a 12-volt starter battery and a 48-volt Lithium-ion battery that enables optimization of energy generation and consumption. In prospective development programs with key Chinese automotive customers, Micro Hybrid technology could provide 15 to 20 percent fuel savings in vehicles.
“Micro Hybrid systems have huge potential to support the automotive industry’s needs at a much lower cost than hybrid or electric vehicles, and therefore, offer a mass-production solution that can be leveraged across our customers’ fleets,” said Cue.
The 48-volt battery can support higher power loads such as air-conditioning, active chassis technologies and the capture of direct regenerative power energy braking. The 12-volt battery will continue to provide power to the vehicle starter, interior and exterior lights, and entertainment systems such as radios and DVD players.
Johnson Controls Power Solutions’ Micro Hybrid battery demonstration module can be found at Auto Shanghai 2013, China’s largest auto show, at Hall N5, Booth No. E001, which will be open to media and industry officials Saturday, April 20.
For more information on Micro Hybrid technology, please visit:http://www.johnsoncontrols.com/content/us/en/products/power_solutions/products/micro-hybrid1.html
About Johnson Controls
Johnson Controls is a global diversified technology and industrial leader serving customers in more than 150 countries. Our 170,000 employees create quality products, services and solutions to optimize energy and operational efficiencies of buildings; lead-acid automotive batteries and advanced batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles; and interior systems for automobiles. Our commitment to sustainability dates back to our roots in 1885, with the invention of the first electric room thermostat. Through our growth strategies and by increasing market share we are committed to delivering value to shareholders and making our customers successful. In 2013, Corporate Responsibility Magazine recognized Johnson Controls as the #14 company in its annual “100 Best Corporate Citizens” list. For additional information, please visithttp://www.johnsoncontrols.com.About
Johnson Controls is a global diversified technology and industrial leader serving customers in more than 150 countries. Our 170,000 employees create quality products, services and solutions to optimize energy and operational efficiencies of buildings; lead-acid automotive batteries and advanced batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles; and interior systems for automobiles. Our commitment to sustainability dates back to our roots in 1885, with the invention of the first electric room thermostat. Through our growth strategies and by increasing market share we are committed to delivering value to shareholders and making our customers successful. In 2013, Corporate Responsibility Magazine recognized Johnson Controls as the #14 company in its annual “100 Best Corporate Citizens” list. For additional information, please visithttp://www.johnsoncontrols.com.About
About Johnson Controls Power Solutions
Johnson Controls Power Solutions is the global leader in lead-acid automotive batteries and advanced batteries for Start-Stop, hybrid and electric vehicles. Our 50 manufacturing, recycling and distribution centers supply more than one-third of the world's lead-acid batteries to major automakers and aftermarket retailers. Through our innovations we are building the advanced battery industry for hybrid and electric vehicles. We were the first company in the world to produce lithium-ion batteries for mass-production hybrid vehicles. Our commitment to sustainability is evidenced by our world-class technology, manufacturing and recycling capabilities.
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