Category: BEP Blogs

Nevada is the fastest-growing state in the country in terms of population — and in electricity consumption as well. Nevada spent more than $11 billion on coal, natural gas, petroleum products, and other fuel in 2008, and most of that money left the state.[1][2] Nevada lawmakers have acted quickly to find a smarter way to power the state, with locally produced renewable energy. Flooded with more than 250 days of sunshine a year, Nevada has the greatest solar energy resources in the country, and has abundant wind and geothermal energy potential to boot.[3] The state legislature enacted its first renewable portfolio standard in 1997, and has raised the bar several times since then. The current standard requires utilities to generate 25 percent of their power from renewable sources by 2025, with 6 percent to come from solar energy by 2016.[4]

Developing Nevada’s own energy resources could also be powerful tool for economic development, especially in rural areas where many have lost jobs. A UNLV study for the state’s Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Task Force estimates that generating just 7 percent of Nevada’s electricity from in-state renewable sources will create more than 2,500 jobs and generate $310 million in revenue each year. At 15 percent, the job tally would top 5,000, and annual revenues would reach $665 million.[5]

Read the complete article at NRDC

Bulbrite has launched its Halogen A19 lamp, an incandescent bulb the company describes as “eco-friendly,” and that complies with the Energy Independence and Security Act.

The act takes effect January 1, 2012 and requires general-service light bulbs to operate up to 30 percent more efficiently than current standards require, effectively outlawing the sale of most incandescent bulbs.

The Halogen A19, a recent winner of the Platinum Award for Design Excellence, is available in four models from 29 to 72 watts. It is dimmer-friendly and can last up to 1,000 hours, the company says.

In April, Philips announced a range of incandescent light bulbsthat it says comply with the impeding regulations. The EcoVantage range has the same look, shape and feel as common household bulbs, but, similar to Bulbrite’s offering, uses halogen technology to offer energy savings.

California is phasing out incandescents a year early. But other states have pushed back against the regulations.

In March, South Carolina legislators introduced theIncandescent Light Bulb Freedom Act, which would permit manufacturers to make incandescent bulbs in the state, as long as the bulbs are stamped with the words “Made in South Carolina” and sold only in that state.

Consumers Can Enjoy More Bulb Choices, More Energy Bill Savings

www.lumennow.org

Washington, D.C., October 19, 2011 – Energy-efficient lighting means more options and more savings.  The more energy-efficient light bulbs U.S. consumers use in their homes, the greater the savings – $50 to more than $100 a year per household.  Those are key messages that the diverse LUMEN coalition – Lighting Understanding for a More Efficient Nation – is conveying to consumers, beginning with today’s launch and website debut.

LUMEN’s primary goal is helping consumers understand the variety of lighting options available to meet their diverse lighting needs and save them money while saving energy.

Money-Saving Choices Already Available

Money-saving choices are already on the market, ahead of the three-year transition that begins January 1, 2012. California began leading the way a year early in January 2011.

“Lighting manufacturers have been preparing for this transition for many years. Resources have been focused on changes in packaging and in new product development. NEMA welcomes this effort to help consumers understand the many choices they have as this transition takes place,” said NEMA Lighting Division Chair Pekka Hakkarainen.

“LUMEN will clear up misinformation,” said Alliance President Kateri Callahan. “For example, consumers can buy new energy-efficient incandescent light bulbs using halogen technology that look like the old, wasteful bulbs and provide the same light quality but are about 30 percent more efficient and last up to three times longer. Also, both compact fluorescent light bulbs, or CFLs, and light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, are 75 percent more efficient and last longer. In fact, LEDs can last up to 25 years!”

“A homeowner now has many more options than ever before when it comes to lighting the home.  Understanding which option is best for a specific application is where LUMEN members can help the homeowner.  The lighting industry is going through a technological transition and we need to help educate the consumers,” said Larry Lauck of the American Lighting Association.

New FTC Labels

In addition to “enlightening” the public about the variety and benefits of new lighting choices, the LUMEN website also explains the new FTC labels that will ease the transition from measuring how much electricity a bulb uses in watts to measuring a bulb’s light output in lumens – hence the coalition’s acronym. These labels will be found on an increasing number of light bulb packages as the January 2012 implementation date approaches. The new labels provide information on a bulb’s longevity, lifetime cost and the appearance of the light it sheds on a continuum from cool to warm.

Under the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act, inefficient 100-watt bulbs will no longer be made starting January 1, 2012, though retailers can sell out their existing stocks of old bulbs. The higher energy-efficiency standards will apply to 75-watt bulbs starting January 1, 2013, and to 60- and 40-watt bulbs beginning January 1, 2014.