All posts published in 2017
US State Attorneys To Sue Trump Administration Over Energy Efficiency Standards Clean Technica, April 5, 2017 US State Attorneys led by New York State Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman have filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration for illegally blocking energy efficiency standards that the claimants believe not only cut costs but cut pollution levels as … Read more
Question: How Do You Build Successful Customer Engagement for Efficiency or Distributed Energy Programs? Gita Subramony, ERS, for Zondits Answer: Energy efficiency and distributed energy incentive programs, along with technical assistance programs, have not only been driving forces for utility resource acquisition, but have also helped transform the market for efficient equipment, emerging technologies, and distributed … Read more
Bryan Kilgore, ERS, for Zondits Using CO2, or R-744, as a refrigerant is not a new concept, but it has not had widespread commercial use since the 1930s. The use of CO2 as a refrigerant was replaced in 1930 with a new synthetic refrigerant, developed by DuPont and General Motors, known as Freon. Freon is … Read more
Question: When is a CO2 Refrigeration System a Good Option for a Supermarket/Convenience Store? Bryan Kilgore, ERS, for Zondits The cost margins for retail food stores are razor thin, so when does upgrading or replacing an old refrigeration system with a new CO2 system make sense? Will the system be efficient, reliable, safe, and cost-effective? Answer: … Read more
Question: What energy efficiency measures often have the shortest payback, including potential rebates? Valerie Eacret, ERS, for Zondits Answer: Here are a few measures with quick paybacks from projects recently crossing our desks: Compressed air setpoint – Frequently we find that the pressure in compressed air systems is set much higher than necessary. While extensive … Read more
Elana Cole, ERS, for Zondits Copenhagen built its first bike lane in 1910, but the bulk of the bike lanes were established within the last 25 years. Today, 50% of the citizens living in Copenhagen choose to commute by bike every day, and it’s not unusual to see people in suits, heels, or skirts comfortably … Read more
Ryan Pollin, ERS, for Zondits California Governor Jerry Brown and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon have signed a joint agreement of cooperation as the two administrations seek to fulfill the climate goals of the Under2 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The Under2 MOU is a collaboration of subnational governments calling to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions … Read more
Ryan Pollin, ERS, for Zondits Remember Diesel-Gate? Volkswagen engineers and executives had been lying about the carbon intensity of their diesel vehicles for years – they did not crack the “clean diesel” formula, they just faked it. Carbon reparations are being litigated all over the world, and here in the states, the California Air Resources … Read more
Gita Subramony, ERS, for Zondits For the past few years Ohio’s energy future has been in the balance. Backed by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and the fossil fuel industry, Ohio legislators introduced bills in 2014 that would freeze renewable and energy efficiency standards in the state for two years while lawmakers studied the … Read more
Max Ma, ERS, for Zondits China has a big problem – one that is suffocating, blinding, and growth-stifling. It is the smog, and it is only getting worse. On days with the most severe smog, factory productions are halted, automotive transportation is limited, and schools are cancelled. In the densely populated financial and industrial centers … Read more