20Jan

Smart-grid spending to hit $200 billion by 2015 | Green Tech – CNET News

Filed in Economy | Efficiency | Energy | Environment | smartgrid

The term “smart grid” is shorthand for a number of technologies intended to automate and digitize management of electrical power. By computerizing the 20th century electrical system, utilities and others in the power industryhope to manage and control electrical output more efficiently and reliably. Though smart grid sounds like it’s a single system, it’s more an array of different tools and technologies, from smart meters to solar power, all designed to reduce costs, waste less energy, and provide better networking and communications between homes and utilities.

Smart-grid spending to hit $200 billion by 2015 | Green Tech – CNET News.

, , ,

26Nov

100 Year-old Boulder Canyon Turbines Replaced

Filed in Colorado | Economy | Energy | Environment

The DOE is investing up to $1.18 million for a project in Boulder, Colo. to upgrade the 100-year-old Boulder Canyon Hydroelectric Project by replacing two older turbines with a single unit. The new turbine is expected to operate at a wider range of flows and higher efficiency ranges, resulting in an increase in annual generation of 11,000 MWh (30% increase).

Along with 6 other projects the DOE is investing $30.6 million to create an additional 187,000 MWh/year, while replacing turbines that are as much as 90 and 100 years old.  Clean (cutting 110,00o tons of CO2 emissions/year), cheap (adding generation at less than 4 cents per kWh) and lowering operating and maintenance costs.  

, , ,

25Sep

Ole Miss and SmartSynch Report Electricity Usage with…Twitter

Filed in Education | Efficiency | Energy | Environment | smartgrid

The University of Mississippi is using data from SmartSynch’s smart meters and passing it to dashboards for campus operations personnel to monitor, analyze and act via RSS and social networking tools like Twitter and Facebook.  As a part of the university’s Red, Blue and Green initiative, students and faculty can register with the school’s Green Initiative website and get real time view and comparisons of energy usage around the campus.

, , , , , ,

25Sep

NIST Fasttracks SmartGrid Standards

Filed in Colorado | Economy | Efficiency | Energy | Politics

NIST released a draft report on the SmartGrid interoperability standards yesterday.  The roughly 80 initial standards and 14 priority action plans are available for public review and comment for 30 days.  Following this comment period the first phase of NIST’s 3 phase approach will be completed with the final release of the NIST Framework and Roadmap for Smart Grid Interoperability Standards, Release 1.0.

, , , , ,

12Aug

Power of Influence Reduces use of Power – Electric Power, that is

Filed in Efficiency | Energy | Environment

It appears that people don’t only wish to keep up with their neighbors with bigger homes and wider if flatter TVs.   This seems to be true with energy efficiency as well. 

From hotels to neighborhoods, the power of influence work by Dr. Robert Cialdini is being put to the test with positive results.  Looks like water may be next.

, , ,

04Apr

DOE Report on Data Center Efficiency Program

Filed in Efficiency | Energy

Claiming typical savings in the 20-40% range with aggressive strategies able to save over 50%, the DOE has put out a report on how data centers can use the tools from the Save Energy Now program.

Not surprisingly, the key to generating these savings is to reduce the amount of energy used to support and cool the servers.  Typical practice shows the majority of energy is used for things other than the IT equipment.  Best practices enable up to 85% of total energy used to be used directly by IT devices.

, ,

TOP