2016

All posts published in 2016

Investigating the Incremental Costs of Ten Emerging Technologies

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Valerie Eacret, ERS, for Zondits ERS recently partnered with the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnership (NEEP) to investigate the incremental costs of ten emerging technologies. The study includes full and incremental costs, as well as considerable, relevant technical information. Multiple research methods were used for each technology, including market actor interviews, web research, project invoice review, … Read more

The State of the Technology: Variable Refrigerant Flow Heat Pump Systems

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variable refrigerant flow

Jesse Remillard and Valerie Eacret, ERS, for Zondits ERS is wrapping up a study for the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships for which we performed primary and secondary cost research for a variety of key emerging technologies. One of these technologies was the variable refrigerant flow (VRF) heat pump (HP) system. Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems … Read more

Habitat for Humanity Builds Zero Energy Ready Homes

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HouseZero Mortgage rates Green Homes residential construction zero energy ready homes

Habitat for Humanity gains recognition for its homes Hickory Record, June 4, 2016 Two Habitat for Humanity homes in Catawba County have been recognized for their energy efficiency by the U.S. Department of Energy. The two homes in the Northstone community off Falling Creek Road were certified as Zero Energy Ready Homes in May, the … Read more

Boiling Point: High-Temperature Water Systems

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high-temperature water systems

Ryan Pollin, ERS, for Zondits Something has gone terribly horribly wrong in your campus’s steam plant, and all of the steam has condensed to a superheated liquid! The pump impellers are strained, and the steam traps are blowing every second – somebody, wake up the plant engineer! Okay, that would never happen, but some systems … Read more

The Non-Energy Benefits of Smart Buildings

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led-office Business Benefits leds

Smart buildings monitor energy efficiency, but what are they really tracking? The Guardian, June 13, 2016 Most commercial buildings in Australia already have building management systems in place to monitor and adjust energy and water usage for maximum efficiency. Take the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, for example. The Adelaide research building uses … Read more

10 Years of Diverted Clean Energy Funds in New Jersey Add Up

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sustainability

THE LIST: DETAILING THE DIVERSIONS FROM THE STATE’S CLEAN ENERGY FUND NJ Spotlight, June 13, 2016 The diversion of clean-energy money to help balance the next state fiscal-year budget is an annual rite of early summer in the [New Jersey] State House. Over the past 10 budgets, more than $1.3 billion has been diverted from … Read more

Renewables and the Grid: What Happens Beyond 40%?

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renewables

German electricity transmission CEO: ‘80% renewables is no problem’ Euractiv, June 8, 2016 When it comes to Germany’s switch to renewables, the speed at which it is happening is often said to be too fast. Is that right? We see ourselves as the Energiewende‘s guinea pigs. Our network in the north-east covers about a third … Read more

First Solar Breaks Efficiency Record Using Cadmium Telluride Cells

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cadmium telluride

Mathew Gard, ERS, for Zondits In March, Arizona-based solar panel manufacturer First Solar set a new efficiency record for cadmium telluride solar cells at 22.1%. What makes this such an achievement is that until recently silicon-based cells have been more efficient at converting light into electricity. But that’s not all. First Solar thinks that within … Read more

Vidyut Pravah App Delivers Power Sector Transparency

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vidyut pravah

Smartphone Apps Help Bring Reliable Power to 1.3 Billion People Bloomberg, June 6, 2016 At any given minute in India, you can find out how much electricity is for sale and at what price with a few swipes across a smartphone screen — a level of transparency in the nation’s power sector that’s increasing the … Read more

CHP Offers Reliable and Affordable Biproducts

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Intelligent Flow Control Supports Clean, Low Cost Energy Engineering, June 7, 2016 Major urban areas have markets for both products of a cogeneration operation: electricity and heating/cooling energy, and “district heating and cooling” is commonly used worldwide to serve commercial and residential customers. As an example, NRG Energy Center Omaha has delivered reliable and affordable … Read more