The Energy Entry – Page 8 – The Business Environmental Program

DOE Announces Public Review of Energy Savings Protocols That Will Help Standardize Energy Efficiency Estimates

Source: Department of Energy EERE News

As part of the Energy Department’s efforts to help American homes and businesses save money by saving energy, the Department is developing new voluntary procedures, or protocols, that will help standardize how state and local governments, industry, and energy efficiency organizations estimate energy savings. The protocols are being developed by technical experts through collaboration with energy efficiency program administrators, industry stakeholders, and home energy assessors—including major firms that perform up to 70% of the home energy efficiency assessments in the United States. The Energy Department invites stakeholders from the public sector, industry, and academia to participate in an online public review of these new protocols for estimating energy savings from energy efficiency programs.

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DOE Study Confirms LEDs Most ‘Environmentally Friendly’ Lighting

Source: Environmental Leader.com

LED lamps have a slight environmental edge over compact fluorescent lamps and a significantly lower environmental impact than incandescent lighting over the lifetime of the products, according to a Department of Energy report.

The report, LED Manufacturing and Performance, is the second part of a DOE project to assess the life-cycle environmental and resource costs in the manufacturing, transport, use and disposal of LED lighting products.

Part 1, published in February, concluded that the life cycle energy consumption of LEDs and CFLs are similar — about 3,900 MJ per 20 million lumen-hours. LEDs consume 12.5 watts of electricity to produce about the same amount of light as a 15-watt compact fluorescent lamp or a 60-watt incandescent.

The new report finds that the energy these lighting products consume during operation makes up the majority of their environmental impact, compared to the energy consumed in manufacturing and transportation.
Continue reading DOE Study Confirms LEDs Most ‘Environmentally Friendly’ Lighting

How you can help the economy and save money

Source: Reno Gazette Journal: Energy boost: How you can help the economy and save money

6:00 am, Jul 1, 2012 | Written by Mark Robison

We all know Nevada’s construction industry took a big hit in the economic storm we’re still trudging through.

Now imagine if you personally could help put contractors back to work while saving money on your energy bill so you can spend it on other things — a one-two punch to help the local economy.

That’s the idea behind the statewide Energy Fit Nevada program, which uses federal grant money to give homeowners rebates from $1,000 to $2,000 on work that increases the energy efficiency of houses by 20 to 30 percent.

But wait, there’s more. No, it’s not a free set of steak knives. Instead, you can pay for the home improvements with a 2.3 percent low-interest loan from Nevada State Bank — normally such a loan would be 15 percent and require a higher credit rating.

It sounds like a great plan but there’s $1.75 million in the pot to pay for the rebates — and when it’s gone, the program ends. That might be a problem because Southern Nevada has a lot more people so if we don’t jump on this program, Las Vegas will pump the bulk of that money into its economy and we’ll get crumbs.

By the same token, if we step up, we can snatch the lion’s share for ourselves — and because we’re smaller, that money will have a bigger effect.

How it works

Ideas on contests to boost participation in Northern Nevada, a homeowner telling about his experience and a contractor talking about what the program means for his business — they are all coming up.
Continue reading How you can help the economy and save money

New Energy Department Report Finds Lower Environmental Impact for Energy-Efficient Lighting

Source: Depart of Energy and Energy Efficiency

June 29, 2012

A new Energy Department report finds that LED lamps have a significantly lower environmental impact than incandescent lighting and a slight environmental edge over compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). The report, LED Manufacturing and Performance, compares these three technologies from the beginning to the end of their life cycles—including manufacturing, operation, and disposal. The most comprehensive study of its kind for LED lamps, the new report analyzes the energy and environmental impacts of manufacturing, assembly, transport, operation, and disposal of these three lighting types, and is the first public report to consider the LED manufacturing process in depth. This report supports the Energy Department’s efforts to protect our air and water, boost American competitiveness in the race for clean energy, and help families and businesses save money on their energy bills.

This is the second report produced through a larger Energy Department project to assess the life-cycle environmental and resource costs of LED lighting products in comparison with traditional lighting technologies. The report uses the conclusions of the previous report, Review of the Lifecycle Energy Consumption of Incandescent, Compact Fluorescent and LED Lamps, released in February 2012, as a point of departure to produce a detailed, conservative assessment of the manufacturing process and use it to compare the three lighting technologies, taking into consideration a wider range of environmental impacts.

The first report concluded that CFLs and today’s LEDs are similar in energy consumption—both consuming significantly less electricity over the same period of usage than incandescent lighting—and that operating these products consumed the majority of the energy used throughout their life cycle. Similarly, the new report finds that the energy these lighting products consume during operation makes up the majority of their environmental impact, compared to the energy consumed in manufacturing and transportation. Because of their high efficiency—consuming only 12.5 watts of electricity to produce about the same amount of light as CFLs (15 watts) and incandescents (60 watts)—LED lamps were found to be the most environmentally friendly of the three lamp types over the lifetime of the products, across 14 of the 15 impact measures examined in the study.

Other key findings:

CFLs were found to have a slightly higher environmental impact than today’s LED lamps on all measures except their contribution to landfills. The aluminum contained in an LED lamp’s large aluminum heat sink causes a greater impact on landfills because of the energy and resources consumed in manufacturing.
The report projects that in five years, the environmental impacts of LEDs will be significantly lower than today’s LED products, based on expected near-term improvements in LED technology.
As the market transitions from incandescent sources to energy-saving light sources that save consumers and business money, LEDs and CFLs are expected to achieve substantial reductions in environmental impacts–on the order of three to 10 times current levels.

To download a PDF of the report and view other market studies and technical reports on solid state lighting, go to the Solid State Lighting website.

DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) accelerates development and facilitates deployment of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies and market-based solutions that strengthen U.S. energy security, environmental quality, and economic vitality. For more information about DOE’s support of research, development, demonstration, and market support of energy-efficient solid-state lighting, visit the EERE Solid-State Lighting website.

EIA Examines Alternate Scenarios for the Future of U.S. Energy

Source: Environmental Protection Online.com

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) today released the complete version of Annual Energy Outlook 2012 (AEO2012) which, in addition to the Reference case projections, includes 29 alternative cases which show how different assumptions regarding market, policy, and technology drivers affect projections of energy production, consumption, technology, and market trends and the direction they may take in the future.

“Uncertainty is inherent in long-term projections,” said EIA Administrator Adam Sieminski. “By modeling scenarios using a range of assumptions about market, policy, and technology drivers, we gain a better understanding of the potential impacts in critical areas of uncertainty.”

Key results highlighted in AEO2012 include:

The rate of growth in energy use slows over the projection period, reflecting moderate population growth, an extended economic recovery, and increasing energy efficiency in end-use applications

Overall U.S. energy consumption grows at an average annual rate of 0.3 percent from 2010 through 2035 in the AEO2012 Reference case. The U.S. does not return to the levels of energy demand growth experienced in the 20 years prior to the 2008-2009 recession, because of more moderate projected economic growth and population growth, coupled with increasing levels of energy efficiency and rising energy prices.
Continue reading EIA Examines Alternate Scenarios for the Future of U.S. Energy

How to Do a Basic Energy Audit

Source: Environmental Leader

I have surveyed hundreds of facilities and wanted to share some best practices in the hopes that it will help more people save more energy. I once surveyed a facility that had a $21 million annual energy bill, yet they had no dedicated full-time energy manager. Although surprising to some, I have seen many facilities that are willing to spend multiple millions on energy expenses, with little to no oversight or management. Many facility managers perceive energy as a “necessary evil” and believe there is little that they can do about it. This is literally amazing when you consider that with some basic oversight, a 10 percent savings is highly probable, especially if there has been no energy management practice within the last 5 years. A 10 percent savings on $21 million is $2.1 million, which should be enough to fund an energy department and even some capital improvements… every year.

An energy audit (probably better to call it a “survey”) is one of the first steps to obtaining savings, so this article focuses on the basic steps to conducting an energy survey for a facility. The process is very similar to going to a medical doctor, where you get a routine physical exam, so you can see the big picture and where savings opportunities exist. The procedures described below are some of the things I do almost every time.

Before you go on any audit, you should collect one to three years of historical energy bills (water/sewer bills can also be helpful to review as well). The goal is to understand the basic trends of the building throughout the year to determine if energy consumption is increasing and if there are seasonal trends. I usually ask for the historical energy bills before I will even schedule a site visit, because if they cannot provide the bill data, they may not really be committed to the energy survey.

Beyond the historical consumption data, it is critical to understand the utility rate schedules (the demand and kWh costs per unit). Without understanding the rate structure is analogous to going on a diet without understanding that eating chocolate cake has a lot of calories in every bite! The rate structure should influence the direction of your survey. For example, if the facility has a high demand cost, you may want to focus your efforts on opportunities that reduce or shift load to off-peak hours. Many facilities may have a “ratchet clause,” which can mean that they pay all year for their high demand during a few peak hours. FYI, in my discussions with people from thousands of facilities, many have reported that demand charges are 20-30 percent of their total electric bill…sometimes even a higher percent!

Read the complete article at Environmental Leader

Green Energy Renewable Solutions Provides Company Direction And Update

LAS VEGAS, June 8, 2012 /Environmental Expert/ — Green Energy Renewable Solutions, Inc. (OTCQB: EWRL) today is pleased to provide a new Company direction and update on its planned operations

Green Energy Renewable Solutions, Inc. is a waste conversion company. The Company, headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, currently has secured the site for its first waste and recycling operations in Highland Park, Michigan and is developing further waste and energy related projects.

Green Energy operates in the dynamic green sector marketplace with the emphasis on waste conversion using recycling and waste to energy strategies. The waste conversion and recycling operations can achieve success with relatively low investment and there is an existing and growing demand for the services offered by Green Energy. The Company seeks out opportunities where there is a short window to positive cash flow and revenues and where the waste conversion project can be extended to waste to energy generation creating long-term high value assets.

‘Following our reorganization and merger we are focused on the waste conversion industry which has generated a great deal of interest in the current green environment. We intend to capitalize on industry momentum with our first recovery facility in Highland Park, Michigan,’ said Joe DuRant, CEO of Green Energy Renewable Solutions.

About Green Energy Renewable Solutions, Inc.

Green Energy Renewable Solutions is a developer of municipal solid waste and construction and demolition waste processing and recycling facilities. The Company operates with long-term supply agreements to process waste materials into valuable recyclables and reduce waste volume going into landfills by up to 85%. Green Energy Renewable Solutions has developed a strategic plan to create sustainable renewable energy with waste-to-energypower plants and the production of waste derived fuels.

This press release may include forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements are based on the Company’s current expectations as to future events. However, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this press release might not occur, and actual results could differ materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements.

SOURCE: Environmental Expert

Places to Look for Energy Losses in Commercial Buildings

As reported on Environmental Leader

Data from millions of businesses, institutions and manufacturers show that sustainability issues fall into four main categories:rising energy costs, growing disposal costs, limited water supply and health concerns over the quality of indoor air.

Energy is often the largest line item in an operations facility management bill. So, monitoring and reducing excess energy use throughout your facility can lead to savings. We worked with one of our 3,000 supplier partners, Fluke Corporation, who identified these top places to look for energy losses in commercial buildings.

According to Fluke Corporation, a significant amount of energy loss is actually temperature related. Hot or cold air leaks from a building are obvious examples. It took energy to condition that air, and when it dissipates due to a leak, you’ve wasted that energy. Many other systems and pieces of equipment also manifest their energy in terms of heat. Motors, pumps and electrical boxes will generate heat and lose energy efficiency as they begin to fail.

Thermal imagers create pictures by measuring infrared energy or heat and then assigns colors based on the temperature differences it measures. Thermal imaging experts suggest that maintenance teams inspect the following systems to identify energy losses:

–HVAC System: The heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system is usually one of the biggest areas of energy consumption within a facility.

What to Scan

Ductwork and Registers. Even the highest-rated HVAC system wastes energy without a well-sealed duct system. With infrared technology, one can see the thermal pattern of air in ducting and monitor registers to determine whether heating or cooling output is optimal.
Fans and Blowers. In fans and blowers, mechanical imbalance will manifest itself in overheated bearings and other components. Thermal images of these systems can also identify shaft misalignment in couplings between the motor and fan.
Electrical Connections. A loose or corroded connection increases resistance at the connection, resulting in overheating.

–Motors and Generators: Electrical motors also use a significant amount of energy in a facility. Overheating and malfunctioning motors and generators tend to indicate mechanical or electrical inefficiencies that can lead to more energy use and ultimate failure.

What to Scan:

Read the complete article at Environmental Leader