All posts published in 2017
Solar For Hospitals: Here’s What to Consider The Energy Collective, August 26, 2017 A hospital is not just a place for healing; it’s a place of discovery. It is not only a place to diagnose, but also to develop. It represents the community it serves and contributes to its health and prosperity. And as the second … Read more
Dragon’s Guide To A 100% Renewable Home — Part 1 (LEDs) Clean Technica, December 9, 2016 In Southern California, actor Ed Begley Jr. is famous for going 100% renewable back when it was prohibitively expensive to do so. In 1985, he bought a stake in a wind farm. In 1990, he installed solar panels on his roof. … Read more
Lisa Markowski, ERS, for Zondits Utility companies nationwide were more than adequately prepared for increased grid demand caused by drop-offs in solar power generation during the August 21 eclipse. Nevertheless, the phenomenon shined light on the need for overall grid flexibility for managing short-term fluctuations in demand. Customers were expected to use more power during … Read more
Solar Power Dipped Along Great American Solar Eclipse Path SPACE, August 24, 2017 As the solar eclipse moved from coast to coast, solar-energy generation dropped. The map shows the hottest zones — in dark orange — fading to nothingness as the moon covers the sun overhead, and then slowly coming back as the eclipse concludes. The … Read more
New Jersey regulators approve $69M in efficiency spending for PSEG Utility Dive, August 24, 2017 Dive Brief: The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities yesterday signed off on a $69 million slate of efficiency programs to be implemented by Public Service Electric and Gas Co. (PSE&G) The decision will extend three energy efficiency programs the … Read more
Grid Operators Manage Solar Eclipse RTO Insider, August 21, 2017 CAISO and other electric grid operators across the country managed large and rapid swings in solar generation output Monday during the first continent-wide total solar eclipse in nearly a century. ISOs and RTOs were well prepared for the event, especially in solar-heavy California where the … Read more
Lisa Markowski, ERS, for Zondits Whether last Monday’s solar eclipse lived up to the surrounding hype is a matter of widely varying opinion, but it clearly fell short in terms of predicted power demand. Grid operators and utility spokespeople expected increased electricity demand to fill the gap left by the temporary lack of the sun … Read more
Aldi converts UK stores to CO2 refrigerants Gas World, August 16, 2017 By the end of 2018, up to 100 of Aldi’s stores are set to be converted at a cost of around £20m. The move will see a reduction in Aldi’s potential refrigerant gas carbon emissions by 99%, with an annual average decrease of … Read more
ComEd Adopts DOE Accelerate Performance Pilot as Official New Construction Program Offering Energy.gov, August 14, 2017 Recent innovations in the procurement approach for new construction buildings developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have been shown to deliver deep and persistent energy savings at little or no additional upfront cost to building owners. The … Read more
Federal Court Tosses Obama-Era Ruling on Hydrofluorocarbons Used in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Environmental Leader, August 9, 2017 A federal court handed climate change advocates a narrow loss on Tuesday when it tossed an Obama-era ruling to phase out hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) used in refrigeration and air conditioning. The US Court of Appeals for the District … Read more