ROCKWOOL Group
Date: 2020-03-20
Copenhagen-headquartered global mineral wool insulation specialist Rockwool Group reports it aims to reduce the "absolute and relative intensity" of the CO2 emissions from its production in Denmark by 70 pct by 2030 -- compared to 1990 levels. The company's target aligns with the Danish government's national target. (Source: Rockwool, PR MarketScreener, 19 Mar.,2020) Rockwool Group, +45 46 56 03 00, +45 46 56 33 11 - fax, info@rockwool.com, www.rockwoolgroup.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Energy Efficiency,  Insulation,  

Algeris
Date: 2020-03-20
In oil soaked Algeria, the building sector is one of the major energy consumers. Oil industry aside, it accounts for 42 pct of end-user energy consumption, of which 35 pct in the residential sector and pct 7 pct in the services sector. Transport is close behind with 35 pct followed by industry at 16 pct The building sector therefore is one of the Algerian government's priority target areas for energy efficiency .

Algeria's national energy efficiency programme for buildings and construction cover: thermal insulation of buildings, thermal renovation, the fitting of household solar water heaters, distribution of LED light bulbs at discounted prices, appliance energy consumption and efficiency labeling and other programs and initiatives. (Source: Algeria Energy Ministry, Econostrum, 19 Mar., 2020)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Energy Efficiency news,  

Renewable Energy
Date: 2020-03-18
In the Old Dominion State, the city of Harrisonburg, Virginia (pop. 50,000 +-) reports the launch of the "50by25" Campaign. More than 150 US cities presently participate in the initiate that calls for 50 pct renewable energy by 2025 rising to 100 pct renewable energy by 2030. The 50by25 Harrisonburg campaign calls for:

the Harrisonburg Electric Commission utility to provide 50 pct renewable energy, including solar and wind, to the electric grid by 2025 and 100 pct by 2030.

all city schools and municipal building to increase enertgy efficiency by 25 pcy by 2025;

the creation of weatherization and energy efficiency incentive to reduce energy costs for residential and commercial properties.

Over 900 community members including individuals, businesses, and civic organizations presently support the campaign. (Source: City of Harrisonburg, Augusta Free Press, Mar., 2020) Contact: City of Harrisonburg, 540-432-7701, www.harrisonburgva.gov; 50by25 Harrisonburg, www.50by25Harrisonburg.org; Harrisonburg Electric Commission, 540-434-5361, www.harrisonburgelectric.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News 50X25,  Renewable Energy,  

C-PACE
Date: 2020-03-18
In Colorado, the Larimer County Assessor's Office is reporting the availability of Colorado Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy Colorado C-PACE program for older commercial structures.

The C-PACE program allows building owners to finance qualifying energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements via a voluntary assessment on their property tax bill. (Source: Larimer County Assessor Office, North Forty,C-PACE, Mar., 2020) Contact: Colorado Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy [C-PACE] , Bob Overbeck, [970] 498-7050, overbebc@larimer.org, Tracy Phillips, Colorado C-PACE Program Director, [720] 933-8143, TPhillips@copace.com, www.copace.com; C-PACE Alliance, Cliff Kellogg (202) 744-1984, ckellogg@c-pacealliance.com, www.cpacealliance.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News C-PACE,  Energy Efficiency ,  

DEWA
Date: 2020-03-18
In the UAE, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has posted cumulative energy-energy efficiency savings of 2.2TWh of electricity and 7.8 billion gallons of water between 2009 and 2019 -- equivalent to $353.9 million in cost reductions, and 1.136 million tonnes of carbon emissions. The savings equate to an annual electricity consumption from approximately 327,000 apartments and annual water consumption of 250,000 apartments, DEWA stated on its website.

The savings are in line with the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 to provide 75 pct of Dubai's total power output from clean energy by 2050 and cutting emissions by 16 pct in 2021.

DEWA also reports its Etihad Energy Services Company (Etihad ESCO) will retrofit more than 30,000 buildings in Dubai by 2030 to make them energy-efficient. (Source: DEWA, Construction Week, 17 Mar., 2020) Contact: DEWA, www.dewa.gov.ae

More Low-Carbon Energy News DEWA,  Energy Efficiency,  

Fairbanks Energy Services
Date: 2020-03-18
Fairbanks Energy Services, a full-service design/build energy efficiency firm and developer of comprehensive commercial and industrial projects, reports the completion of a turn-key occupancy sensor equipped LED lighting energy reduction project at Shore Towers, a 23-story luxury waterfront condominium in Astoria, NY, The project was supported with $73,000 in incentives from the local electric utility.

Installed across the 300,000 square foot property, the lighting efficiency solutions are estimated to lower annual energy use in kWh by 161,235. (Source: Faibanks Energy Services, PR Contact: Fairbanks Energy Services, (914) 960-0282, info@fairbanksenergy.com, www.fairbanksenergy.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Fairbanks Energy Services news,  LED LIght news,  Energy Efficiency news,  

Smart Energy Decisions
Date: 2020-03-18
In the Empire State, Stony Brook University Office of Energy Management reports receipt of a 2020 Innovation Award from Smart Energy Decisions. The award was in recognition of the Office of Energy Management's in-house data analytics platform.

The platform pools data from 400 sensor points and utilises a visual heat map to assist visual analysis to detect electric power consumption and HVAC anomalies around the campus and deal with them efficiently. The Stoney Brook IoT programme has been in place since 2018. (Source: Stoney Brook University, CSO Mag., 17 Mar., 2020) Contact: Stoney Brook University, Tom Lanzilotta, Campus Sustainability and Energy Manager,www.stonybrook.edu; Smart Energy Decisions, www.smartenergydecisions.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Energy Management,  Smart Energy Decisions,  Energy Efficiency,  Energy Management,  

United Nations Environment Programme
Date: 2020-03-16
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) International Resource Panel has just published a recent report titled Resource Efficiency and Climate Change: Material Efficiency Strategies for a Low-Carbon Future. Commissioned by the G7 countries, it shows that natural resource extraction and processing account for more than 90 pct of global biodiversity loss and water stress, and around half of global greenhouse gas emissions.

According to the report, emissions from the material cycle of residential buildings in the G7 and China could be reduced by at least 80 pct in 2050 through a series of material efficiency strategies. A design with fewer or alternative materials, and more recycling of construction materials are among the most promising strategies, it says.

Download Resource Efficiency and Climate Change: Material Efficiency Strategies for a Low-Carbon Future HERE. (Source: The United Nations Environment Programme, Mar., 2020) Contact: UN Environment, Martina Otto: martina.otto@un.org, www.unenvironment.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News UNEP,  Climate Change,  Energy Efficiency,  

Dominion Energy
Date: 2020-03-16
Dominion Energy is reporting the launch of its Neighborhood Energy Efficiency Program offering free energy-saving products to eligible customers. The residential Neighborhood Energy Efficiency Program includes the installation of the following energy efficiency measu; low-flow kitchen faucet aerators; electric water heater wraps and insulation for water heater pipes; advanced power strips; adjustment of electric water heater temperature, and HVAC air filter replacement.

Dominion Energy started the Neighborhood Energy Efficiency Program in 2013 to provide eligible neighborhoods with energy education and the direct installation of energy-saving improvements for residential customers at no cost.

By taking advantage of the energy-efficiency tips, rebates and incentives associated with EnergyWise programs, Dominion Energy customers have reduced electricity usage by more than 797,000 MWh during the last eight years -- sufficient energy to power 67,463 homes for a year. (Source: Dominion Energy, The T&D, Mar., 2020) Contact: Dominion Energy EnergyWise, 877-510-7234, dominionenergysc.com/EnergyWise

More Low-Carbon Energy News Dominion Energy,  Energy Efficiency,  

Canada Green Building Council
Date: 2020-03-16
The Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) is reporting updates to its Zero Carbon Building (ZCB) Standard aimed at accelerating the adoption of zero carbon building practices in new and existing buildings.

The updated ZCB-Design guides the design of new buildings, as well as the retrofit of existing structures. ZCB-Performance provides a framework for verifying buildings have achieved zero carbon and must be revisited annually. ZCB Standard v2 updates focus on these key components:

Embodied Carbon -- Projects must now reduce and offset carbon emissions for the building’s life-cycle, including those associated with the manufacture and use of construction materials.

Refrigerants -- ZCB Standard v2 encourages best practices to minimize potential leaks of refrigerants that, when released, can have significant short-term impacts on climate.

Energy Efficiency: -- ZCB Standard v2 promotes the efficient use of clean energy with more stringent energy efficiency and air-tightness requirements.

Innovation: ZCB-Design encourages innovation by requiring projects demonstrate two innovative strategies to reduce carbon emissions.

These updates are designed to eliminate carbon outputs, while also being flexible enough for zero carbon buildings to reach the mainstream. The updates also provide the guidance for more owners and developers to build to zero now and as part of their plans for the future. (Source: CaGBC Website, 10 Mar., 2020) Contact: CaGBC, Thomas Mueller, CEO and President, (866) 941-1184, info@cagbc.org, www.cagbc.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Canada Green Building Council,  Green Building,  Energy Efficiency,  

DOE
Date: 2020-03-13
The Trump administration DOE has been ordered by the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to impose energy efficiency, energy conservation standard upgrades for four set of appliances first proposed under the Obama Administration. Industrial air compressors, portable air conditioners, and uninterruptible power supplies or battery backup devices used to protect computers and other sensitive equipment are covered in the ruling.

Under DOE's new rule, federal appliance energy efficiency upgrades must be "significant" -- defined under the rule as saving at least 0.3 quads of energy over 30 years or improving energy use by at least 10 pct above existing standards. (Source: US DOE, Heartland Institute, 12 Mar., 2020)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Appliance Efficiency,  Energy Efficiency,  

Neste
Date: 2020-03-13
Espoo, Finland-headquartered biofuels and sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) producer Neste Oyi reports it is committed to reaching carbon neutral production by 2035. The commitment complements Neste's other strategic climate commitment of reducing customers' greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20 million tpy by 2030. To that end, the company:

Continues to focus on energy efficiency to optimize the use of fuel gas, electricity, hydrogen and steam in its production. The improvements in the turnaround at Porvoo refinery in 2020 will decrease production emissions by more than 100 kt CO2eq annually;

Increases the use of renewable electricity at its production sites. As an example of this, Neste has already agreed to start using wind power in Finland;

Increases the weight of greenhouse gas emissions in the investment calculations and business case evaluation;

Explores new, less emitting production methods, for example utilizing biogas or electrolysis for hydrogen production;

Has started a project for GHG emission reductions at the Porvoo production site, focusing on carbon capture and storage (CCS) and identifies reliable compensation models for the remaining part which cannot be achieved by emission reductions.

Neste is working on rolling out the detailed plan and timeline for implementing the initiatives aimed at carbon neutral production by 2035. (Source: Neste Oyi, PR, Mar., 2020) Contact: Neste Oyi, Salla Ahonen, VP Sustainability, +358 50 458 5076, media@neste.com, www.neste.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Neste,  Carbon Neutral,  Carbon Emissions,  

SBT Alliance,New Buildings Institute
Date: 2020-03-13
In the Golden State, the Smarter Building Technologies Alliance (SBT) Smart Energy Decisions Innovation Award for driving greater energy efficiency through smarter IoT-enabled technologies has been awarded to the city of Santa Ana for an energy retrofit and retro-commissioning project estimated to curb energy consumption for the city's HVAC by 88 pct. The project was funded by the California Energy Commission and was also part of the NBI "Leading in LA" initiative.

The Smart Energy Decisions Innovation Award recognizes outstanding work in support of the dramatic transformation taking place in today's electric power markets. (Source: Smarter Building Technologies Alliance, Inc., PR, Mar., 2020) Contact: Smarter Building Technologies Alliance, Inc., Kevin Martin, 800-832-2943 Ext. 704, kmartin@sbt-alliance.com, www.sbt-allaince.com; New Buildings Institute, www.newbuildings.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News SBT Alliance,  New Buildings Institute,  

Albemarle Corporation
Date: 2020-03-13
North Carolina-based specialty chemicals industry leader Albemarle Corporation is reporting receipt of US Green Building Council LEED Gold certification for its headquarters 141,000 square-foot expansion project in Charlotte.

The USGBC recognized the company for implementing practical and measurable strategies and solutions aimed at achieving high performance in the following categories: water efficiency, energy use and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, location and transportation. (Source: Albermarle Corp., Mar., 2020) Contact: Albemarle Corporation , Luke Kissam, CEO, 225-388-7402, www.albemarle.com; US Green Building Council, Mahesh Ramanujam, Pres., CEO, (202) 552-1500, www.usgbc.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Albemarle Corporation,  USGBC,  LEED Certification,  Energy Efficiency,  

Biomass. Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Date: 2020-03-11
A recent long-term field study by researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) and Michigan State University (MSU) has found cellulosic biofuels derived from switchgrass, giant miscanthus, poplar trees, maize residuals, restored native prairie, and a combination of grasses and vegetation that grows spontaneously following field abandonment, could significantly mitigate global warming by reducing carbon emissions.

The study found when compared with petroleum only emissions, cellulosic ethanol was "78--290 better in reducing carbon emissions; ethanol was 204--416 pct improved, biomass powered electric vehicles powered by biomass was 74--303 pct cleaner and biomass-powered electric vehicles combined with CSS was 329--558 pct superior." The research will next assess other environmental and economic aspects of bioenergy crops.

The study was conducted at Michigan State University's (MSU) Kellogg Biological Station and the University of Wisconsin's Arlington Research Station which is part of the U.S. DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center. Financial support was provided by the U.S. DOE Office of Science, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. National Science Foundation and Michigan State University AgBioResearch. (Source: American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, PR, EurekaAlerts, 9 Mar.,2020) Contact: American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. (212) 302-6443, info@aabgu.org, www.aabgu.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Cellulosic Ethnol,  Biomass ,  Climate Change,  Global Warming,  

Abu Dhabi City Municipality
Date: 2020-03-11
In the UAE, the Abu Dhabi City Municipality (ADM) Department of Municipalities and Transport reports it has awarded a Traffic Assets and Systems Operation and Management contract to Tatweer Construction for the replacement of 43,000 streetlights with energy-efficient LED units. The upgrade to LEDs is expected to save 900 million kWh worth $72 million over the 12 year contract term.

As per a statement, the concession will target specific requirements and energy saving targets, including operating and maintaining the new devices, and installing and maintaining a smart central system to control the lighting throughout the agreement period. (Source: Abu Dhabi City Municipality, ME Construction News, 9 Mar., 2020)Contact: Abu Dhabi City Municipality, +971 2 6788888, www.dmt.gov.ae/en/adm; Tatweer, +971 2 441 5551, info@tatweer-co.ae, www.tatweer-co.ae

More Low-Carbon Energy News LED Light,  LED Street Light,  Energy Efficiency Ligh,  

C-PACE
Date: 2020-03-11
In the Empire State, the Marriott Downtown Syracuse Hotel it used the C-PACE program to fund almost $10 million in cost-effective energy efficient improvements including HVAC, LED lighting and other energy efficiency improvements.

The C-PACE program allows building owners to finance qualifying energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements on via a voluntary assessment on their property tax bill. (Source: Marriott Downtown Syracuse, Syracuse University Press, WAER, 9 Mar., 2020) Contact: Marriott Downtown Syracuse, www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/syrmc-marriott-syracuse-downtown; C-PACE Alliance, Cliff Kellogg (202) 744-1984, ckellogg@c-pacealliance.com, www.c-pacealliance.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News PACE,  C-PACE,  Energy Efficiency,  

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority
Date: 2020-03-11
In the UAE, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) reports the opening of the 5-GW Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park research, testing and certification facility focused on solar power, energy efficiency, and the integration of smart grids.

DEWA claims that the new R&D center is the largest, most comprehensive solar testing and certification facility in the UAE. (Source: DEWA, 10 Mar., 2020) Contact: DEWA, www.dewa.gov.ae

More Low-Carbon Energy News Dubai Electricity and Water Authority,  Solar,  Energy Efficiency,  Smart Grid,  

Oregon
Date: 2020-03-11
In Salem, Oregon Governor Kate Brown (Dem) has issued a 14-page executive order aimed at sharply curbing greenhouse gas emissions with a full-court press by government agencies. The executive order comes less than a week after a Republican walkout killed Oregon Senate Bill 1530,

Under the order, the Department of Consumer and Business Services will set new building energy efficiency goals aimed at a 60 pct reduction in annual energy consumption, compared to 2006 building codes. Additionally, the Department of Energy will update home appliance energy efficiency standards "at least to levels equivalent to the most stringent standards among West Coast jurisdictions." In total, 18 state agencies and commissions directing a large portion of the state's bureaucracy are tasked under the order aimed reducing emissions and addressing climate change. (Source: Office of Gov. Kate Brown, OPB, 10 Mar., 2020) Contact: Office of Gov. Kate Brown, (503) 378-4582, www.oregon.gov/gov/pages/contact.aspx

More Low-Carbon Energy News Energy Efficiency,  

Canada Green Building Council
Date: 2020-03-11
In Ottawa, the The Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) reports it is zeroing in on carbon reduction with updates to its Zero Carbon Building (ZCB) Standard. Launched today, Version 2 is designed to accelerate adoption of zero carbon building practices and help Canada meet its climate targets while spurring innovation and job growth.

Canada's buildings are a top contributor to carbon emissions, and updates to the ZCB Standard reflect the urgent need for change. Today, building operations represent 17 pct of Canada's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, or closer to 30 pct when embodied carbon from construction and materials are factored in.

CaGBC's made-in-Canada ZCB Standard provides the industry with a zero-carbon approach that works for any type of new or existing building. Version 2 draws on learnings from over 20 real-world ZCB-projects. These projects demonstrate that the industry is ready to raise the bar on expanded requirements for embodied carbon and energy efficiency. At the same time, Version 2 aims to get more buildings to zero, faster, by providing more options for different design strategies and by recognizing high-quality carbon offsets when necessary.

These updates balance the rigour needed to meaningfully eliminate carbon, while also being flexible enough for zero-carbon buildings to reach the mainstream. Since the ZCB Standard launched in 2017, CaGBC has proven through real-world projects and research, that zero- carbon buildings are technically and financially viable today -- across a wide spectrum of building types including schools, offices, multi-residential, commercial, and even industrial buildings. The updates provide the guidance for more owners and developers to build to zero now and as part of their plans for the future.

ZCB Standard v2 provides two pathways for any type of building to get to zero-carbon. ZCB-Design guides the design of new buildings, as well as the retrofit of existing structures. ZCB-Performance provides a framework for verifying buildings have achieved zero- carbon and must be revisited annually.

ZCB Standard v2 updates focus on these key components:

Embodied Carbon -- Projects must now reduce and offset carbon emissions for the building's life-cycle including those associated with the manufacture and use of construction materials.

Refrigerants -- ZCB Standard v2 encourages best practices to minimize potential leaks of refrigerants that, when released, can have significant short-term impacts on climate.

Energy Efficiency -- ZCB Standard v2 promotes the efficient use of clean energy with more stringent energy efficiency and air-tightness requirements.

Innovation -- ZCB-Design encourages innovation by requiring projects demonstrate two innovative strategies to reduce carbon emissions.

(Source: Canada Green Building Council, PR, Mar., 2020) Contact: Canada Green Building Council, Peter Whitred, Senior Manager, Green Building Programs, Thomas Mueller, Pres. and CEO, (866) 941-1184, info@cagbc.org, www.cagbc.org; Zero Carbon Building Standard, www.CaGBC.org/zerocarbon

More Low-Carbon Energy News Zero-Carbon,  Canada Green Building Council ,  Energy Efficiency,  

Oregon Climate Change
Date: 2020-03-11
In Salem, Oregon Governor Kate Brown (Dem) has issued a 14-page issued an executive order aimed at to sharply curbing greenhouse gas emissions with a full-court press by government agencies. The order comes less than a week after a Republican walkout killed Oregon Senate Bill 1530, the Democrats' proposal for a cap-and-trade system in Oregon.

The Governor's Executive Order updates the state's carbon reduction goals, setting targets of a 45 pct reduction below 1990 levels by 2035, and an 80 pct reduction by 2050

Under the order, carbon polluters in the industrial, transportation and natural gas sectors would have their emissions capped by the state's Environmental Quality Commission and Department of Environmental Quality, with allowable emissions reduced over time.

The Department of Environmental Quality and Environmental Quality Commission are directed to ratchet up restrictions for how emissions intensive fuel can be. The order set a go pct below 2015 levels by 2030, and 25 pct by 2035;

The Oregon PUC will place emphasis on greenhouse gas emissions and wildfire risk when regulating Oregon power companies

The Department of Consumer and Business Services will set new building energy efficiency goals aimed at a 60 pct reduction in annual energy consumption, compared to 2006 building codes

The Department of Energy will update home appliance energy efficiency standards "at least to levels equivalent to the most stringent standards among West Coast jurisdictions."

The Department of Admin. Services will develop a plan to transition the state's automobile fleet to zero-emissions vehicles and add charging stations at public buildings.

In total, 18 state agencies and commissions directing a large portion of the state's bureaucracy are tasked under the order aimed reducing emissions and addressing climate change. (Source: Office of Gov. Kate Brown, OPB, 10 Mar., 2020) Office of Gov. Kate Brown, (503) 378-4582, www.oregon.gov/gov/pages/contact.aspx

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Emission,  Oregon Climate Change,  Carbon Emissions,  Energy Efficiency,  Cap-and-Tarde,  

NGP Energy Capital Management
Date: 2020-03-09
In the Lone Star State, Dallas-based NGP Energy Capital Management (NGP) reports investing in NGP Energy Technology Partners III, L.P. (NGP ETP 3) through an equity commitment from NGP Natural Resources XII, L.P..

NGP ETP 3 will target investments between $20-30 million of growth capital in companies with products, services or technologies serving the renewable energy, power, energy storage, energy efficiency, environmental and transportation sectors. (Source: NGP, Valdosta Times, Dallas BusWire, 2 Mar., 2020) Contact: NGP, James Wallis, Partner, (713) 579-5700, www.ngpenergycapital.com; .NGPETP3, Phil Deutch, CEO, (202) 536-3930, inquiries@ngpetp3.com, www.ngpetp3.com.

ExxonMobil
Date: 2020-03-09
ExxonMobil reports it's Joliet Illinois Refinery has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR certification for industrial plant energy efficiency performance.

ExxonMobil notes it improved its energy performance by managing energy strategically across the entire organization and by making cost-effective improvements including: improved process unit and energy-critical equipment reliability; implementation of seasonal energy efficiencies; improved the performance of heat exchangers, process heaters, and boilers in the refinery's steam system.

EPA ENERGY STAR program is a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. To date, tens of thousands of buildings and plants across all fifty states have earned the ENERGY STAR. (Source: ExxonMobil, PR, Mar., 2020) Contact: EPA ENERGY STAR, www.energystar.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News ExxonMobil,  ENERGY STAR,  Energy Efficiency,  

Washington State
Date: 2020-03-09
Reporting from Olympia, the Washington State Department of Commerce is reporting the issuance of $6.5 million in State Performance Improvement (SPI) grants for increased energy efficiency and better environmental performance in state-owned buildings. The funding will cover additional costs incurred by choosing more efficient options for existing project plans, such as higher efficiency heating systems or windows and thus save taxpayers money on operational and lifetime costs on state owned facilities.

The SPI grants have been awarded to 16 state agencies and institutions with projects currently funded under the 2019 -- 21 Capital Budget, and that can be modified with more energy-efficient infrastructure. Projected lifetime savings of the infrastructure modifications to these projects is nearly $11 million, and the lifetime projected carbon saved would be about 120,429 tons.

The SPI grant is part of the Energy Efficiency and Solar Grants Program (EE&S) Program and was developed in partnership with the State Efficiency and Environmental Performance (SEEP) Office.

Download SEEP program details HERE. (Source: Washington State Dept. of Commerce, 5 Mar., 2020) Contact: Washington State Dept. of Commerce, www.commerce.wa.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News Energy Efficiency,  Energy Efficiency Grant,  

New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
Date: 2020-03-09
In Albany, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has announced the launch of the New York Power Authority (NYPA)--Israel Smart Energy Challenge, a $2.5 million competition to attract Israeli companies with expertise in energy efficiency and clean energy generation to submit proposals to collaborate with New York's public utility on new clean energy technologies. NYPA is collaborating with the Israel Smart Energy Association on the project aimed at attracting Israeli companies that will advance power grid reliability, storage, sustainability and affordability, all of which benefit ratepayers, utilities and the environment.

The competition will focus on research areas centered around meeting digital utility challenges such as electric vehicle charging, distributed energy solutions, grid modernization, energy storage, microgrids, cybersecurity, blockchain and energy trading, buildings/campus energy management, data analytics, artificial intelligence, virtual reality and use of drones/autonomous robots in power systems.

Interested companies may apply and submit their proposals to the NYPA/Israel Smart Energy Challenge online. The deadline for submissions is April 20. A pre-bid conference for parties interested in applying to the Challenge is scheduled for Monday, March 16, 2020 from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at: Ha-Umanim Street 12, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel. Register on Eventbrite or meetup.

Governor Cuomo's Green New Deal climate and clean energy initiative puts the Empire State on a path to being entirely carbon-neutral across all sectors of the economy and establishing a goal to achieve a zero-carbon emissions electricity sector by 2040, faster than any other state. It builds on New York's ramp-up of clean energy including a $2.9 billion investment in 46 large-scale renewable projects across, the creation of more than 150,000 jobs in New York’s clean energy sector, a commitment to develop nearly 1,700 MW of offshore wind by 2024, and 1,700 pct growth in the distributed solar sector since 2012.

The recently passed Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act mandates the Green New Deal's clean energy targets: nine gigawatts of offshore wind by 2035, six gigawatts of distributed solar by 2025, and three gigawatts of energy storage by 2030, while calling for an orderly and just transition to clean energy that creates jobs and continues fostering a green economy. The CLCPA also directs New York State agencies and authorities to collaborate with stakeholders to develop a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 pct from 1990 levels by 2050 and aim to invest 40 pct of clean energy and energy efficiency program resources to benefit disadvantaged communities. (Source: New York State Governor's Office, PR, Google News, 6 Mar., 2020)Contact: Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, www.governor.ny.gov; Israel Smart Energy Association, www.isea.org.il; NYPA, Gil C. Quiniones, Pres., CEO, www.nypa.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo,  New York Power Authority,  Clean Energy,  Renewable Energy,  

USGBC
Date: 2020-03-09
In Illinois, the Kane County Dept. of Resource Management reports the county is one of 20 agencies nationwide -- and the only one in Illinois -- awarded a US Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED for Cities and Communities program grant to tackle larger-scale energy efficiency and sustainability objectives with help from regional partners.

The LEED for Cities and Communities program offers participants access to a performance platform, educational tools and professional liaison to support LEED certification, according to the USGBC website.

The grant program, which also receives support from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation, allows county leaders to measure how their sustainability efforts fare both internally and globally. The program provides an award package to communities that have shown commitment in addressing climate change, resilience and social equity.

Each recipient receives an annual silver membership to the Green Building Council; registration and certification review fees in the LEED Cities and Communities program; access to the Arc platform that encourages improvement and benchmarking; and the availability of online educational resources, project management tools and monthly conference calls. (Source: US BC, Daily Herald, 7 Mar., 2020) Contact: Kane County Resource Management, Jessica Mino, Management Coordinator, 630-208-8665, minojessica@co.kane.il.us​, www.county ofkane.org; USGBC LEED for Cities and Communities Program, www.usgbc.org/leed/rating-systems/leed-for-cities, Mahesh Ramanujam, Pres., CEO, (202) 552-1500, www.usgbc.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News USGBC,  Energy Efficiency,  

John Laing
Date: 2020-03-06
UK infrastructure giant John Laing is quitting the standalone solar and wind markets, citing "industry-wide issues" and renewable energy write-downs and falling power prices.

The company, which claims to have invested approximately £850 million ($1.088 billion) in clean energy projects throughout the 2010s, intends to divest its solar and wind portfolio over the next two years. The company will, however, consider global opportunities that include "technologies that enable high penetration of renewables", transportation electrification and other decarbonisation and energy efficiency ventures. (Source: John Laing, PR, PV Tech 4 Mar., 2020) Contact: John Laing Group plc, +44 (0) 20 7901 3200, enquiries@laing.com, www.laing.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News John Laing,  Renewable Energy,  Wind,  Solar,  

CenterPoint Energy
Date: 2020-03-06
Houston-headquartered electric and natural delivery company CenterPoint Energy reports it aims to reduce its operational emissions by 70 pct by 2035 and emissions attributable to natural gas usage in heating, appliances and equipment within the residential and commercial sectors by 20 to 30 pct by 2040 -- based on its 2005 emissions.

To that end, CenterPoint will continue to offer customers energy efficiency programs and continue investing in renewable forms of energy on both the natural gas and electric sides of the business. The company will also partner with natural gas suppliers to lower methane emissions across the natural gas value chain as well as support communities where it operates with their climate action goals, according to the company release. (Source: CenterPoint Energy, PR, Mar., 2020) Contact: CenterPoint Energy, Angila Retherford, VP Environmental Affairs and Corporate Sustainability, www.CenterPointEnergy.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News CenterPoint Energy,  Carbon Emissions,  Methane,  Climate Change ,  

BBC Shared Data
Date: 2020-03-06
In the UK, the BBC Shared Data Unit reports roughly two-thirds of UK homes fail to meet long-term national energy efficiency targets with ore than 12 million homes below the average C grade on Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) which measure a home's energy efficiency based on how well a property is insulated, glazed, or uses alternative measures to reduce energy use.

The government has set a target to upgrade as many homes to grade C by 2035 "where practical, cost-effective and affordable." To that end, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is investing more than £6 billion in those upgrades and exploring ways to halve the cost of retrofitting properties. It is also investing over £320 million to help heat homes with lower carbon alternatives. (Source: BBC Shared Data, Mar., 2020) Contact: UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy BBC Shared Data Unit, www.bbc.com › lnp › sdu; BEIS, +44 0 20 7215 5000, enquiries@beis.gov.uk, www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-business-energy-and-industrial-strategy

More Low-Carbon Energy News UK BEIS,  Energy Efficiency,  

Sense
Date: 2020-03-06
Sense is touting its Home Energy Monitor that gives home owners real-time insights into energy consumption.

The Sense Home Energy Monitor tracks sub-second differences in current and voltage data that can be used by utilities to gain insights into home energy consumption and for forecasting of loads, DER integration and control, voltage analysis, and targeting system investments.

The Sense Home Energy Monitor is installed in a home's electric panel and reports energy data through the internet. (Source: Sense, PR, Solar Builder, 2 Mar., 2020) Contact: Sense, www.sense.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Energy Efficiency,  Energy Management,  

Energy Efficiency
Date: 2020-03-06
U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) introduced an amendment to add the voluntary building codes sections of their legislation, the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (Portman-Shaheen), to the energy bill currently under consideration on the Senate floor.

This building codes amendment focuses on encouraging the construction of new homes and buildings to be more energy-efficient without any mandates. The adoption of updated model building energy codes, as well as states' review of updated model building energy codes, are voluntary.

The provisions in this amendment were included in the Portman-Shaheen energy efficiency measure that has been approved by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on a bipartisan basis five separate times and passed the full Senate by a bi-partisan vote of 85-12 in 2016.

A recent economic and environmental impact analysis by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) found that over the lifetime of the legislation through 2050, the Portman-Shaheen building codes provisions will: save consumers $41.4 billion on their energy bills; Cut CO2 emissions by 1.18 billion metric tons, which is the equivalent of taking 3.1 million cars off the road each year for 30 years; and save 28 quadrillion Btu of energy. (Source: US Sen. Robb Portman, PR, 5 Mar., 2020) Contact: US Sen. Robb Portman, www.portman.senate.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News Energy Efficiency,  ACEEE,  

Washington State Department of Commerce
Date: 2020-03-06
Reporting from Olympia, the Washington State Department of Commerce has announced $6.5 million in State Performance Improvement (SPI) grants that will result in higher efficiency and better environmental performance in state-owned buildings. The funding will cover additional costs incurred by choosing more efficient options for existing project plans, such as higher efficiency heating systems or windows.

The SPI grants -- ranging from $46,000 to $1.159 million -- have been awarded to 16 state agencies and institutions with projects currently funded under the 2019-21 Capital Budget, and that can be structurally modified for greater energy efficiency. Projected lifetime savings of the infrastructure modifications to these projects is nearly $11 million, and the lifetime projected carbon saved would be about 120,429 tons.

The SPI grant is part of the Energy Efficiency and Solar Grants Program (EE&S) Program. This grant has been developed in partnership with the State Efficiency and Environmental Performance (SEEP) Office, and is consistent with the goals of Governor Inslee's Executive Order 20-01.

Download State Efficiency and Environmental Performance (SEEP) program details HERE. (Source: Washington State Dept. of Commerce, Mar., 2020) Contact: Washington State Dept. of Commerce, Lisa Brown, Dir., www.commerce.wa.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News Energy Efficiency,  

Ohio Energy Efficiency
Date: 2020-03-04
In the Buckeye State, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) last week ruled that the state's energy-efficiency mandates for utilities will begin wrapping up on Sept. 30 and end completely on Dec. 31, 2020, as required under House Bill 6. That includes programs such as reduced-price LED bulbs, rebates on smart thermostats and energy-saving appliances, financial incentives to build energy-efficient homes and businesses, and free energy-efficiency and repair services for low-income households.

With the ruling, Ohio utilities have the option of seeking PUCO approval to voluntarily continue some or all of their energy-efficiency programs beyond 2020, but most haven’t yet decided their course of action.

FirstEnergy, whose subsidiaries provide power to Northeast Ohio and the Toledo area, has announced it will end two programs -- one $75 rebate for smart thermostats, and another that pays money for recycling old appliances.

AEP Ohio, which serves much of Central and Southeast Ohio, plans to continue at least some of its energy-efficiency programs, but has yet to determine the make-up and scope of the programs.

Dayton Power and Light has not yet decided which, if any, of its programs will continue past 2020.

In Southwestern Ohio, Duke Energycurrently offers a variety of energy-efficiency programs, including (among others) rebates for customers who install energy-saving devices, a monitor that offers bill credits to ratepayers who reduce energy usage during high demand periods, and discounted or even free LED lights, which cost anywhere between $1 and $8 per bulb.

As of last year, Ohioans were charged on their electric bills a fee averaging of $3.36 per month to support energy-efficiency programs, as well as programs (such as Duke’s energy monitors) designed to reduce power usage during peak demand times, according to the Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund. That fee, as well as a renewable-energy mandate fee, has been eliminated by House Bill 6 and replaced with a new 85-cent surcharge that goes to bail out two Northern Ohio nuclear power plants owned by FirstEnergy Solutions, which changed its name to Energy Harbor late last month. (Source: Cleveland.com, 3 Mar.,2020)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Energy Efficiency ,  Energy Efficiency Programs,  

Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
Date: 2020-03-04
The Delaware Energy Efficiency Investment Fund (DEEIF), which offers grants to offset the cost of energy efficiency improvements, reports it has broadened the kinds of light fixtures that will qualify for grants and adjusted incentives offered for large custom projects to reflect competitive regional market rates.

The DEEIF, which is administered by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control's Division of Climate, Coastal, & Energy. (DNREC), assists with energy assessments, lighting, HVAC, complex retrofits, building improvements and thermal energy systems. Changes to the lighting incentives include 34 new categories of eligible fixtures, varying incentive rates based on wattage, and the addition of incentives for lighting control systems. All incentive levels also have been adjusted to reflect market conditions for LED lights.

EEIF is funded through the Public Utility Tax, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and one-time funding from the Exelon-Pepco merger settlement. Grant amounts are capped at 30 pct of the project's total cost. (Source: DNREC, 2 Mar., 2020) Contact: Delaware Energy Efficiency Investment Fund, Dayna Cobb, Dir., 302.735.3480, https://dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/climate-coastal-energy/efficiency/energy-efficiency-investment-fund, de.gov/eei

More Low-Carbon Energy News Energy Efficiency,  

Consumers Energy
Date: 2020-03-04
In its 2019 Clean Energy Plan, Jackson, Michigan-headquartered Consumers Energy announced it aimed to reduce 90 pct of the carbon emissions it generates by eliminating the use of coal and working with customers to use energy more efficiently in an effort to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.

Consumers previously committed to being coal-free by 2040 in its Integrated Resource Plan which included building 6,000 MW of new solar by 2030. The utility also launched a public outreach campaign focused on energy efficiency. The new commitment will supplement Consumers' existing plan to eliminate coal, expand renewable energy resources and help customers reduce their energy use. Consumers also may offset further emissions through strategies such as carbon sequestration, landfill methane capture or large-scale tree planting. (Source: Consumers Energy, PR, Grand Rapids Business Journal, Mar., 2020) Contact: Consumers Energy, Patti Poppe, CEO, (517) 788-0550, info@cmsenergy.com, www.ConsumersEnergy.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Consumers Energy,  Net-Zero Carbon,  

Honeywell
Date: 2020-03-04
Honeywell is touting it's cloud-based, closed-loop Honeywell Forge Energy Optimization solution that continuously studies a building's energy consumption patterns and automatically adjusts to optimal energy saving settings without compromising occupant comfort levels.

This autonomous building solution is focused on cutting energy consumption and costs and decreasing building's carbon footprint without significant upfront capital expenses or changes to a building's current operational processes.

Honeywell Forge Energy Optimization autonomously and continually optimizes a building's internal set points across hundreds of assets every 15 minutes to evaluate whether a building's HVAC system is running at peak efficiency. Honeywell Forge Energy Optimization offers plug-and-play capabilities. (Source: Honeywell, Facilities Exec., Mar., 2020) Contact: Honeywell, www.honeywell.com/en-us

More Low-Carbon Energy News Honeywwell,  Energy Efficiency,  Energy Management,  

Energy Focus
Date: 2020-03-04
Solon, Ohio-headquartered sustainable LED lighting technologies specialist Energy Focus reports it has been awarded a $3.4 million contract to supply tubular LED (TLED) lighting products to the U.S. Navy by Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), a world-wide combat support agency in the U.S. Department of Defense.

The company expects to deliver on the contract beginning in the second quarter of 2020 with completion expected by year-end.

Since 2007, Energy Focus has installed approximately 650,000 lighting products including TLEDs, waterline security lights, explosion-proof globes and berth lights, saving more than four million gallons of fuel and 200,000 man-hours in lighting maintenance annually. (Source: Energy Focus, Renewable Energy, 3 Mar., 2020) Contact: Energy Focus Inc., James Tu, CEO, and President, (440) 715-1300, www.energyfocus.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Energy Focus,  LED Light,  Energy Efficiency,  

IFC,Standard Bank of South Africa
Date: 2020-03-04
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group and one of the world's largest green bond issuer, reports it has invested $200 million in the Johannesburg-based Standard Bank of South Africa Limited's green bond placed on the London Stock Exchange.

The 10-year green bond -- Africa's largest and South Africa's first offshore green bond issuance -- is compliant with the International Green Bond Principles and will enable Standard Bank Group's Sustainable Finance Business Unit to on-lend to and finance climate-smart projects in South Africa such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, water efficiency and green buildings. (Source: IFC, 2 Mar., 2020) Contact: IFC, www.ifc.org; Standard Bank of South Africa, Nigel Beck, Sustainable Finance, www.standardbank.co.za

More Low-Carbon Energy News IFC,  Green Bond,  Climate Change,  

DOE
Date: 2020-03-02
Reporting from Sacramento, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, and a coalition of 16 attorneys general and the City of New York, have filed a lawsuit in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals challenging the the US DOE's Dec. 27, 2019 final determination rejecting stronger energy efficiency standards for common light bulbs.

The DOE's "unlawful and ill-advised decision ignores direction from Congress to transition the nation to inexpensive, efficient, and widely available lighting sources. It would increase greenhouse gas emissions and consumers' energy costs," the suit claims.

According to the California AG release, approximately three billion lighting sockets -- nearly half of all lighting sockets in U.S. homes -- contain bulbs affected by this proposal. DOE's decision directly impacts consumers who stand to lose significant energy savings.

On December 27, 2019, DOE issued its final determination halting energy efficiency improvements to the lightbulbs in question, also known as General Service Incandescent Lamps (GSIL). It concluded that improved GSIL standards were not "economically justified." DOE's decision is part of an ongoing effort by the agency to stifle progress in energy efficiency. The agency's decision attempts to undermine a provision in federal law that moves retailers away from selling lightbulbs that do not meet the minimum standard of 45 lumens per watt. This decision would cost consumers $12 billion each year in lost electricity savings by 2025 -- a $100 loss per household per year, accoding the the California AG release.

DOE's decision amounts to a failure to enact a stronger standard in violation of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act.

Joining Attorney General Becerra in filing this lawsuit are the Attorneys General of New York, New Jersey, Oregon, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia, as well as the City of New York. (Source: Office of California Attorney General, Xavier Becerra, YubaNet, 26 Feb., 2020) Contact: Office of California Attorney General, Xavier Becerra, www. oag.ca.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News Energy Efficiency.Light Buld Energy Efficiency,  

City of Manchester
Date: 2020-03-02
In the UK, the city of Manchester (pop. 2.8 million), in keeping with its pledge to reach net-zero carbon by 2038, has issued a call to "collective action" on the climate crisis with proposals to halve its greenhouse gas emissions by 2025, primarily through increased energy efficiency.

To that end, the city council wants to retrofit and upgrade the energy efficiency of as many of the 350 city-owned buildings, install solar and wind energy generation capacity on city owned sites and housing complexes, complete the ongoing replacements of the city's street lighting with energy efficient LED lighting, promote energy conservation, incentivize cleaner and more efficient transportation and other energy efficiency initiatives.

Under the plan, the city council will work with and continue to fund the Manchester Climate Change Agency to establish community-wide climate change related engagement activities and to encourage businesses to improve their energy efficiency reduce their carbon footprint. (Source: City of Manchester, Manchester Evening News, Mar.,2020) Contact: Manchester Climate Change Agency, www.manchesterclimate.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Energy Efficiency,  

City of Manchester
Date: 2020-03-02
In the UK, the city of Manchester (pop. 2.8 million), in keeping with its pledge to reach net-zero carbon by 2038, has issued a call to "collective action" on the climate crisis with proposals to halve its greenhouse gas emissions by 2025.

To that end, the city council wants to retrofit as many of the 350 city-owned buildings with more efficient technology, install solar and wind energy generation capacity on city owned housing sites and complexes, and complete the ongoing replacements of the city's street lighting with low energy LED lighting. The city will also invest roughly £10 million to replace diesel power fleet vehicles with alternative fuel and electric vehicles. City staff will also be incentivized to use cleaner transportation and to conserve energy.

The council also intends to plant 2,000 trees, hedge trees and four community orchards per year beginning this year. The city's existing tree coverage stores 124,330 tonnes of carbon, absorbs 4,980 tonnes and removes 84 tonnes of pollution, according to the city release.

Under the plan, the city council will work with and continue to fund the Manchester Climate Change Agency to establish community-wide climate change related engagement activities and to encourage businesses to reduce their carbon footprint and sign up to the zero-carbon ambition. (Source: City of Manchester, Manchester Evening News, Mar.,2020) Contact: Manchester Climate Change Agency, www.manchesterclimate.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Climate Change,  Energy Efficiency,  

Virginia Tech
Date: 2020-02-28
In the Old Dominion Sate, Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg reports approval of more than $3.1 million for the 5th phase of the school's ongoing Five-Year Energy Action Plan, a comprehensive blueprint to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption and costs within five years.

One of the cornerstones of the Energy Action Plan is leveraging data to optimize energy usage to achieve energy efficiency at scale on campus. Ten new buildings are added to the university's energy management platform during each phase. Proposed projects under Phase 5 (2019-20) of the Energy Action Plan include:

LED lighting overhaul in a range of buildings

Lab ventilation optimization and retro-commissioning of HVAC energy systems

Power plant compressed air system optimization

Integration of 10 additional energy-intensive

buildings into the university's energy management platform

Ongoing smart metering, meter replacement and maintenance, and

Implementation of a rooftop solar project at the Sterrett Facilities Complex. (Source: Virginia Tech, 25 Feb., 2020) Contact: Virginia Tech, Office of Energy Management, Christopher H. Kiwus, Associate VP, Chief Facilities Officer, 540-231-4300 www.facilities.vt.edu/energy-utilities/energy-reduction-efforts.html, www.vt.edu

More Low-Carbon Energy News Virginia Tech,  Energy Efficiency ,  

Light Bulb Energy Efficiency
Date: 2020-02-28
"The Trump Administration's obsession with dismantling common sense standards that save consumers money and help the environment is breathtaking. The only people who benefit from this dim-witted plan are those profiting from inefficient energy use." -- Xavier Becerra, California Attorney General, www.oag.ca.gov

To refresh your memory, on Dec 11, 2019, we quotes "The Donald" as saying -- "It (standard light bulb) gives you an orange look, I don't want an orange look. Being a vain person, that's really important to me." -- Trump commenting on his administration's move to kill the Obama administration's light bulb energy efficiency standards.

More Low-Carbon Energy News Energy Efficiency,  Light Bulb Efficiency,  Trump,  

Energy Efficiency
Date: 2020-02-28
The Scottish Government is reporting approval of regulations governing the energy efficiency and setting energy efficiency standards for the Scottish Private Rented Sector properties. Approximately 68,000 properties will come under the legislation.

From 1 October 2020 all new residential rentals will be required to have a minimum EPC rating of E and as of the 1 April 2022 all new rentals s must have a minimum EPC rating of D. The regulations will be enforced by local authorities. . (Source: ARLA/Property Mark, 26 Feb., 2020)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Energy Efficiency ,  

energyOrbit,Wabash Valley Power Alliance
Date: 2020-02-28
In Indianapolis, the Wabash Valley Power Alliance (WVPA) reports it has adopted the San Francisco-based energyOrbit Marketplace portal to encourage and streamline energy efficiency for its 23 partner utilities serving 311,000 residential members.

The energyOrbit Marketplace, housed and powered on the Salesforce cloud platform, simplifies the application process for energy efficiency incentive offerings from utilities into a single platform, making it accessible on-demand to any customer in any utility territory or on a statewide basis. energyOrbit Marketplace also enhances customer engagement opportunities through simplified collaboration in the EE ecosystem. Specifically, WVPA will use energyOrbit Marketplace to provide self-service functionality to its distribution members for its Power Moves program, a portfolio of rebates and EE incentives for WVPA membership area residents.

As of 2018, energyOrbit has helped utilities and third-party implementers collectively manage more than 15.2 TWh of electricity savings. Additionally, 9.5 GW of peak demand has been reduced by efficiency measures tracked by energyOrbit, and more than $2.6 billion in incentive dollars were managed and prepared for payment, according to energyOrbit. (Source: Wabash Valley Power Alliance. PR, 26 Feb., 2020) Contact: energyOrbit, Lance Maxwell, Director of Strategic Accounts, North America, www.energy-orbit.com; energyOrbit Marketplace portal www.energy-orbit.com/marketplace.php; Wabash Valley Power Alliance, Laura Matney, Energy Efficiency & Marketing Manager, 317-481-2800, 317-243-6416 – fax, info@wvpa.com, www.wvpa.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News energyOrbit,  Energy Efficiency,  

U.S. Green Building Council
Date: 2020-02-28
In the Sunshine State, the city of Tampa (pop. 400,000 +-) reports it has been selected by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for its 2020 LEED for Cities and Communities Grant Program aimed at accelerating progress on resiliency, social equity and climate change planning.

The program provides climate change and resiliency educational resources, data, performance bench marks and establishes a peer network for increased communications and idea sharing. More than 100 cities and communities worldwide have already participated in the program. (Source: City of Tampa, FLAPOL, 26 Feb., 2020) Contact: US Green Building Council. LEED for Cities and Communities Program, www.usgbc.org/leed/rating-systems/leed-for-cities, Mahesh Ramanujam, Pres., CEO, (202) 552-1500, www.usgbc.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News U.S. Green Building Council,  Climate Change,  Energy Efficiency,  

York University
Date: 2020-02-26
Estimates of the technologically and economically achievable potential for energy efficiency improvements in Canada are significant. Modelling by the International Energy Agency for example, suggests that under ambitious policy scenarios, Canada's GHG emissions could be reduced by approximately 200 million tpy of CO2e -- 28 pect of current emissions -- and with cumulative savings of $1.1 trillion between 2017 and 2050

In addition to offering the potential to make major contributions to a low-carbon sustainable energy transition, energy efficiency improvements can reduce energy costs to consumers, avoid the adverse environmental and social impacts of new energy supplies, improve productivity, strengthen energy security and enhance the resilience of energy systems to the impacts of climate change.

Despite their benefits, energy efficiency initiatives have struggled to achieve their full technological and economic potential to reduce to energy demand. These failures have been due to a range of market, institutional, financial, policy, regulatory, behavioural and informational barriers.

In recent years, new challenges have emerged beyond these traditional and well-understood obstacles. Changes in policy direction, often flowing from changes in governments, have resulted in significant retrenchments, and in some cases wholesale dismantlings, of energy efficiency strategies in North America. The Government of Ontario's decision to terminate its "Conservation First" strategy in March 2019 was among the most dramatic of these developments, but far from unique.

This study seeks to understand the dynamics behind these developments and to identify potential strategies and design principles to inform the development of more effective and resilient governance structures for energy efficiency in Canada. Specifically, the study examines a series of cases in which commitment and consensus around energy efficiency faltered, threatening the stability and, at times, the existence, of energy efficiency programming in a variety of Canadian (BC, Alberta, Ontario, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick) and the U.S. (Maine, Connecticut and Indiana) jurisdictions.

Download the York University Unpacking the Climate Potential of Energy Efficiency study HERE. (Source: York University, Sustainable Energy Initiative, Feb., 2020) Contact: York University, sei.info.yorku.ca, www.yoku.ca

More Low-Carbon Energy News Energy Efficiency,  Climate Change,  

Helena City Commission
Date: 2020-02-26
In Montana, the Helena City Commission reports it is considering a resolution that if adopted would see the city of 26,500 residents switch to 100 pct clean, renewable electricity by 2030. The resolution, which also calls for increased energy efficiency efforts and a loan program to encourage homeowners to make energy improvements, is in keeping with the city's commitment to address climate change.

Helena presently sources about 40 pct of its electricity from fossil fuels. (Source: City of Helena, KTVH, 21 Feb., 2020) Contact: Helena City Commission, 406-447-8410, www.helenamt.gov/government/departments/city-commission

More Low-Carbon Energy News Renewable Energy,  Climate Change,  Energy Efficiency,  

ACEEE
Date: 2020-02-24
According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy's (ACEEE) just released 2020 Utility Energy Efficiency Scorecard, the 52 largest U.S. electric utilities have dramatically increased their overall energy savings as they adopt innovative ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Utilities leading the way are National Grid Massachusetts and Eversource Massachusetts, which tied for first place for the second time, followed by San Diego Gas & Electric, Commonwealth Edison in Illinois, Baltimore Gas and Electric and Pacific Gas & Electric, in that order. Rounding out the top 10 are the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), DTE in Michigan, Portland General Electric, and Eversource CT in that order.

The scorecard notes that, as a group, the utilities boosted their annual energy savings by 20 pct since 2015, saving almost 20 TWh of electricity in 2018 from programs administered that year -- enough to power 1.8 million homes.

The report highlights the ways in which the utility landscape has transformed since 2015, the baseline for the 2017 scorecard. New technologies are emerging -- states, utilities, and other stakeholders are increasingly focused on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the important role of energy efficiency with more than 900 different efficiency programs in 2018, about 300 more than in 2015. Additionally, 32 utilities piloted new programs that involve smart thermostats, online marketplaces for energy-saving products, commercial energy efficiency financing, and integration of efficiency with other DERs such as demand response and storage.

While overall energy savings increased, this upward trend was not universal, and seven utilities saw their energy savings decrease by more than 20 pct since 2015.

The scorecard also found that, while there is increased focus on changing utility business models nationally, utilities are generally slow to change these models and are often reluctant to give customers access to energy usage data.

The scorecard, which received no utility funding, increases the availability of utility-sector energy efficiency data to enable benchmarking and help utilities strengthen their programs. ACEEE focuses on the 52 largest electric utilities by retail sales volume, including all 51 utilities from its 2017 Scorecard, plus Tampa Electric.

Download the 2020 Utility Energy Efficiency Scorecard at www.aceee.org/utility-scorecard. (Source: ACEEE, 21 Feb., 2020) Contact: ACEEE, Steven Nadel, Exec. Dir., www.aceee.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News ACEEE,  Energy Efficiency,  

Heathrow Airport
Date: 2020-02-24
In the UK, carbon neutral Heathrow Airport reports it has cut emissions 93 pct since 1990 after investing £100 million in energy efficiency measures and onsite power generation facilities. Heathrow noted it uses strictly "Clean" energy as needed, purchased carbon credits for 2019-21, and aims to achieve zero emissions from its operations within the next fifteen years.

As we previously reported, Heathrow's four-part action plan to reduce and offset the growth in emissions builds on the momentum of technological change within the aviation industry to make travel more sustainable. The plan outlines action on four key areas including: cleaner aircraft performance and technology; improvements to airspace and ground operations; increased use of sustainable aviation fuels; and developing and promoting new carbon offsetting technologies and options. Additionally, Heathrow is calling on the ICAO -- the UN body for international aviation -- to develop global goals for the uptake of sustainable alternative fuels, and calling for the UK Government to engage ICAO and fellow member states to agree on a 2050 carbon emissions reduction goal for international aviation

Other UK airports and airlines have committed to bring UK aviation to net-zero status by 2050 -- Gatwick Airport claimed carbon neutrality through renewable energy and offsets in 2018 and Birmingham Airport has committed to net-zero by 2033. (Source: Heathrow Airport, PR Feb 21, 2020) Contact: Heathrow Airport, John Holland-Kaye, CEO, +44 0 8443 351801, www.heathrow.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Heathrow,  Aviation Emissions,  Carbon Emissions,