All posts published in 2017
Brian McCowan, ERS, for Zondits April 1, 2017, Dallas, TX. “My mother always told me, ‘Wally, when life gives you lemons, we Terras make lemonade.’” That statement from Wallace Terra introduced a new line of modular heat pumps designed to be compatible with a changing climate. According to Terra, of the startup Terrafirma, the heat … Read more
Valerie Eacret, ERS, for Zondits As the energy efficiency world strives to reduce the electricity needed to power lighting, a new product is giving LEDs a run for their money. Graduate students at Gippsland Lakes University in Australia have come up with a new light fixture that runs on no electricity. The students were inspired … Read more
Brian McCowan, ERS, for Zondits Earlier today, Really Big River, a new subsidiary of a large retailer that has not yet been identified, announced a new in-home sales program that is enhanced with the Internet of Things (IoT) targeted marketing. “Some of the older staff in our company fondly remember the door-to-door salespeople who visited … Read more
Stephen Wagner, ERS, for Zondits Question: Is there a way to harness solar power where the sun don’t shine? Zondits: Yes, there is a way. With a complex system of 100% efficient mirrors as reported by Zondits on April1, 2016, light can be stored and moved to any location. Question: If a Peak Load Reduction were … Read more
Katie Robinson, ERS, for Zondits Despite the growing solar panel installation rates throughout the country, there are still many factors holding homeowners back from installing solar rooftop panels. Some fear that their roof doesn’t see enough sunlight or that inevitable roof repairs will be much more complicated (and costly) with solar panels sitting on top. … Read more
Gita Subramony, ERS, for Zondits This week, President Trump fulfilled a campaign promise by signing an executive order instructing the EPA to reverse the Obama-era Clean Power Plan (CPP). The Trump administration believes that the CPP, which aimed to limit carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants, negatively impacts the growth of the coal industry. However, … Read more
Ryan Pollin, ERS, for Zondits Coober Pedy is currently playing out a worst-case scenario for energy transition, and it behooves us all to understand what led them there. The South Australian mining town currently operates a very costly 3.9 MW diesel power plant to supply power to the region. After making the seemingly wise choice … Read more
Dan Pidgeon, ERS, for Zondits The historic St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan has put forth a plan to use geothermal heat from 2,250 feet beneath the schist below the cathedral floor. Ten wells have been drilled and are hooked up to a water circulation loop linking the cathedral to the hot temperatures of the inner … Read more
Jordan Cohen, ERS, for Zondits Long Island residents can now review PSEG Long Island’s spring money-saving tips and incentivized programs to keep their wallets full and energy consumption down this spring. Customers with functioning but old, inefficient refrigerators or freezers can request a pickup from PSEG Long Island, who will recycle them responsibly. The best … Read more
Demand Response and Smart-grid Technologies in Supermarkets ACHR News, March 13, 2017 Supermarkets typically operate with razor-thin margins, which means fresh ideas that improve profits, such as participating in utility demand response or peak-shaving programs or selling thermal energy to local district heating and cooling grids to produce a revenue stream, are always welcome. Today, … Read more