This article was originally published on energynews.us on 3.10. 2020. A Minnesota couple’s idea for keeping solar panels clear of snow is gaining traction after winning a $50,000 federal innovation prize. Solar panels work well in cold weather, but not as well if they are covered even partially by snow. The tilt of panels helps … Read more
This article was originally published on cnbc.com on Feb. 24, 2020. A marine services firm based in Scotland has been awarded a £1 million ($1.29 million) contract to provide a 50-ton wave energy converter designed to turn the movement of the sea into electricity. Malin Renewables will construct a half-scale version of the device, dubbed … Read more
This article was originally published on greentechmedia.com on Feb. 19, 2020. Google parent company Alphabet has dropped its support for Makani Power, the highest-profile airborne wind energy company, raising questions about the sector’s future. GTM confirmed that other airborne wind energy (AWE) hopefuls, such as Ampyx Power and Kitenergy, are pressing ahead with technology tests despite … Read more
Written by Kevin Boyd, ERS When most of us head into an audit of an industrial manufacturing facility, there are plenty of systems that we’re comfortable analyzing and making recommendations for. Lighting, HVAC, motors, and compressed–air systems are all things that we keep an eye on, and this is for good reason: We have well-established, … Read more
This article was written by Jim Paull, ERS, and Praga Meyyappan, ERS. What is the optimum orientation for a solar module to achieve maximum performance? If only this question had a simple answer! Convention dictates that it should be tilted approximately to the same angle as the site’s latitude and face due south in the … Read more
This article was originally published on pnnl.gov on Oct. 31, 2019. Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) are leading an effort that ultimately could result in residential homes that are tighter and better insulated, blocking cold air and moisture that cause higher energy bills and reduce homeowner comfort. PNNL is joined in the three-year … Read more
This report was originally prepared for and published by NEEA. Condensing rooftop units (C-RTUs) have been identified as an efficient natural gas technology with energy savings potential in Northwest commercial buildings. C-RTUs face several challenges in becoming a widespread technology, including higher upfront cost, added complexity managing condensate, contractor unfamiliarity with the technology, and limited … Read more
This article was originally published on hydrocarbons21.com on October 22, 2019. U.S. manufacturer Tecumseh is pursuing a “soft launch” in North America of a propane (R290)-based packaged refrigeration unit for self-contained display cases that can be wholly detached for easier maintenance. Dubbed the “Complete Refrigeration System” (CRS) – also IntelliCool – the unit is being … Read more
This article was written by Max Ma Refrigeration is about moving heat “uphill” from a cold place to a hot place. When the heat gets to the hot place, your refrigeration system rejects it like you reject bank fees – indignantly and as fast as possible. Heat rejection equipment comes in a variety of types. … Read more
This article was written by Nelson Chiu, ERS Data sharing commonly occurs by sending files over shared drives or email or providing direct access to a database. APIs (which stand for application programming interfaces) are becoming the best practice of making data more accessible for developers and third parties. Google Maps, for instance, created an … Read more