FEATURES AND NEWS
The District of Columbia signed a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Iberdrola Renewables that will supply 35 percent of the government’s electricity with wind power. Under the PPA, the Department of General Services (DGS), which manages the District’s portfolio of government buildings, will purchase the entire output of Iberdrola’s ... Read more »
Walmart and the Florida Industrial Power Users Group, which represents large electricity users, have submitted a proposal to the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) that would allow them to opt out of the state’s 35-year-old conservation program, South Florida’s NMC-2.com reports. The proposal would separate the energy-efficiency payments and the ... Read more »
EnerNOC has installed its energy intelligence software on the tiny screen of a smart watch. The company developed a proof-of-concept on a Samsung Gear S smart watch during an EnerNOC hack-a-thon last year and has been testing and refining it since, according to the company’s blog. The watch shows energy ... Read more »
SmartWatt Energy completed an energy upgrade project for wire rope manufacturer Bridon American at its Hanover, Pennsylvania, facility. Prior to the energy efficiency project, the manufacturer’s facilities consumed over 13 million kWh per year. After the installation of an energy management system and program to optimize set points, sequences and ... Read more »
The Texas County of Brownwood approved a $5.8 million contract with McKinstry to make energy efficiency improvements in county buildings, reports the Brownwood News. The scope of the energy savings performance contract (ESPC) includes: Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) replacements at the Brown County Courthouse, Brown County Jail, Juvenile ... Read more »
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Procter & Gamble Fabric Care says it will make 230 million bottles a year out of recycled plastic. The packaging overhaul includes brands like Ariel, Dash, Lenor and Unstoppables. The company expects the first P&G bottles that will be produced using post consumer recyclate (PCR) to be on sale in ... Read more »
German metals recycler Mairec plans to build a $4.6 million recycling facility in Spartanburg, South Carolina, the company’s first overseas operation. Headquartered in Alzenau, Germany, Mairec specializes in the recovery of high-valued rare metals from recycled goods that contain them. Mairec has a diverse customer base across a number of ... Read more »
Ecorp Stimulation Technologies has expanded its waterless, chemical-free shale gas extraction systems with a technology that uses naturally occurring components in conventional and shale hydrocarbon production — a selection of low molecular weight alkanes or light alkanes — that are usually referred to as “baby oil” in common language. The ... Read more »
Water treatment specialist A3 Water Solutions, a subsidiary of EnviTec Biogas, has developed a membrane bioreactor process in conjunction with EnviClear that purifies contaminated surface waters for biogas plant operators. The process has now been put to practice for the first time at the plant of Biogas Greven e.V. and ... Read more »
Geotech’s GA5000 landfill gas analyzer is helping Exea Associates, a UK-based emissions and landfill gas recovery consultancy, understand changing gas mix and pressure as gas generation slows on a closed landfill site. Before using the GA5000, Exea consultants would take methane, carbon monoxide and oxygen levels to calculate the residual nitrogen level. ... Read more »
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The total number of global natural gas vehicle (NGV) refueling stations will grow from about 23,001 in 2015 to 38,890 by the end of 2025, with a compound annual growth rate of 5.4 percent, according to a Navigant Research report. The report says more than 80 percent of these stations ... Read more »
Environment, health and safety, and quality management software provider Intelex has updated its cloud-based software platform. The company says Intelex version 6.5 is the first integrated management platform to bring together in one seamless package, all the technical components required for EHS and quality management professionals to quickly get meaningful ... Read more »
Sandy Frucher, Nasdaq vice chairman, says sustainability cropped up during the US Congress debate on the Trans Pacific Partnership agreement. He also tells Bloomberg TV Malaysia’s Sophie Kamaruddin that investors and analysts have a role to play in ensuring policies around corporate governance and environmental stewardship are championed by publicly ... Read more »
The US Congress is moving forward with three separate pieces of energy legislation. Rather than waiting for an end-of-the-year panic move, the US Senate Finance Committee cleared tax extenders legislation that, if passed by Congress, would extend and expand the Section 179D tax deduction for energy-efficient commercial buildings, the Production Tax ... Read more »
The City of Chandler, Arizona, has selected EnergyCAP software for its new utility tracking system after a formal competitive bid process. With EnergyCAP, the City will improve bill-processing efficiency, manage and analyze utility data, identify energy and cost savings, and document the benefits of energy conservation efforts. In addition to ... Read more »
Honeywell and Nest lead the smart thermostat vendor market in terms of strategy and execution, according to a new Leaderboard Report from Navigant Research. Honeywell maintained leadership due to its existing smart/connected thermostat products and programs and its aggressive pursuit of the higher-end smart thermostat segment. Nest has gained market ... Read more »
Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, has contracted with Schneider Electric in an energy savings performance contract (ESPC) to assist with the university’s utility, technology and deferred maintenance initiatives as part of a two-phased project. Phase one of the project was completed in May 2013 and has helped the university ... Read more »
The nonprofit Energy Trust of Oregon, which is funded by several of the state’s utilities, has accelerated efforts to reach more areas of the state with its energy-saving and renewable power programs for residential customers, small and large businesses, manufacturers, farmers and schools. With help from Energy Trust of Oregon, ... Read more »
Hubbell Building Automation launched an intelligent lighting control – the NX Room Controller – that integrates automatic and manual control of lighting. Auto-configuration provides a way to meet energy codes, including California’s Title 24 and ASHRAE 90.1. No network or software is required to set up the unit. Input devices such ... Read more »
GE’s Critical Power business introduced the Barracuda-series DC-DC converter, providing up to 800 watts of 12-volt DC output power from an input voltage range of 40 to 60 volts, providing higher power density for 12-volt solutions. The Barracuda-series QBVE067A0B converters feature an industry-standard, DOSA-compliant quarter-brick footprint, measuring 58.4 by 36.8 ... Read more »
I recently gave a talk to an engineering society about sustainability, with the emphasis on energy conservation and greenhouse gas emission reductions. I discussed “The 9 Purely Business Reasons to Reduce Energy” (see www.ccesworld.com/blog) to demonstrate the many purely common sense, financial reasons for companies to invest in energy efficiency. ... Read more »
Freight is the work horse of the global economy, ensuring that the products consumers want land on shelves or doorsteps any time they wish. With 70 percent of goods in the United States being moved by truck, freight is a key source of our fuel consumption and corporate greenhouse gas ... Read more »
SERI has launched a complete redesign of its website, SustainableElectronics.org, and updated its Find a Recycler feature. The Find a Recycler directory now updates daily, as opposed to weekly, and includes information on types of materials accepted, recycling processes, and consumer drop-off availability. Users can filter or search by any ... Read more »
A gas-fired power plant in Russia saved 1.3 million gallons of water annually and reduced water consumption enough to save $120,000 annually by using General Electric’s AZ8101 corrosion inhibitor technology. The power plant, TEC VAZ VoTGK, located in the Samara area of the Volga region of Russia, also decreased the ... Read more »
Toyota, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) and SPARX Group are considering funding research in the fields of intelligent technology, robotics, and hydrogen-related technologies. The companies have signed a memorandum of understanding to consider a new investment fund that will encourage innovation and support project in the three technology areas. They ... Read more »