The Efficiency Zone
Making Memorial Day Plans? Be Sure They're Efficient
May 17, 2011 7:23 am | by Energy Savers Blog | Blogs | CommentsMemorial Day is coming up and there are many ways to honor the men and women who died in service to our country. You may be planning to attend a parade or ceremony, or maybe you're just planning to take a moment of silence to reflect and remember.
Smart Meters and a Smarter Grid
May 16, 2011 1:21 pm | by Energy Savers Blog | Blogs | CommentsHave you heard of smart meters? Do you understand them? If so, you've had a leg up on me until now. I've heard of smart meters here and there from the odd news article or website, but to me the grapevine has been more like an invisible beehive: all buzz and no honey. Where are they? Why...
How Do You Save Energy at Home While on Vacation?
May 12, 2011 4:23 am | by Energy Savers Blog | Blogs | CommentsOn Monday, Chris discussed the steps he takes to ensure he is saving energy and money while he's on vacation and away from home.
Energy-Efficient Rebuilding After Tragedy: Inspiration from Greensburg, Kansas
May 10, 2011 1:22 pm | by Energy Savers Blog | Blogs | CommentsWe discuss the weather a lot here on the Energy Savers Blog. It comes with the territory; seasonal temperature changes influence how we use energy in our homes. We also know that extreme weather can have big consequences; from health to finances to simple comfort, the weather has a huge...
Energy Savings in Intelligent Management Systems for Solar farms
May 10, 2011 7:04 am | by Jordi Torrebadell, Director of engineering –Americas, RECOM Power, Inc. | Articles | CommentsThe formerly “green” energy efficiency topics are now a main stream issue – and not just post Fukushima. Solar and wind power continue to gain ground as alternatives to fossil fuel energy. New technologies in both control systems and power modules allow these new methods of energy harvesting to be more efficient...
Saving Energy and Money at Home while on Vacation
May 9, 2011 11:22 am | by Energy Savers Blog | Blogs | CommentsEarth Day, Daylight Saving Time, and the upcoming Memorial Day holiday have me already looking forward to my annual summer "big trip." Before leaving town for extended periods of time, I always take some basic, small steps to save money and energy at home, including:
Energy Harvesting for Automotive Applications
May 9, 2011 10:51 am | by Dr. Harry Zervos, Technical Analyst, IDTechEx | Articles | CommentsEnergy harvesters do not necessarily make sense in all potential applications where a battery is replaced. Battery technology is continuously advancing and due to volumes achieved, the price points reached are at levels where harvesters cannot compete.
How Do You Finance Energy-Saving Improvements?
May 5, 2011 7:21 am | by Energy Savers Blog | Blogs | CommentsThis week, we discussed how consumers are financing solar energy systems and the new PowerSaver pilot loan program, which will help consumers finance energy-saving improvements for their homes. When making home improvements, cost is almost always a consideration, and sometimes upfront...
New fuel from old straw
May 4, 2011 7:03 am | News | CommentsStraw that farmers would normally leave to rot or simply burn is now being turned into second-generation biofuels. At the landmark Inbicon plant in Kalundborg, Denmark, Innovation magazine shows how the newest developments in enzyme and processing technology...
Watch For New PowerSaver Pilot Loan Program in Your Area
May 3, 2011 4:22 am | by Energy Savers Blog | Blogs | CommentsFor anybody who has heard about the many benefits of upgrading your home with an energy efficient water heater or furnace - or has wanted to make simple energy-saving home improvements such as insulating their attic, sealing their ducts, and installing better doors and windows - there may...
How are Homeowners and Businesses Paying for Solar Energy Systems?
May 2, 2011 2:23 pm | by Energy Savers Blog | Blogs | CommentsEditor's Note: This entry has been cross-posted from DOE's Energy Blog.
NREL Adds Giant Wind Turbine to Research Site
April 29, 2011 12:22 pm | by National Renewable Energy Laboratory | News | CommentsNew 3 megawatt machine towering over the National Wind Technology Center could lead to more reliable turbines, less expensive power.
This Month on Energy Savers: April 2011
April 29, 2011 4:22 am | by Energy Savers Blog | Blogs | CommentsApril has been a busy month for Energy Savers! The biggest draw was Earth Day, which we celebrate all month on the blog and website. Here's a recap of April along with a few other tidbits:
Antarctica's Ice Puts Electric Vehicles to Test
April 29, 2011 2:21 am | by National Renewable Energy Laboratory | News | CommentsIf these electric vehicles can survive in Antarctica, they could help establish a fleet to offset fossil fuel use in an environmentally sensitive research area.
85- to 250-W Medical and IT Power Supplies Reach 92 Percent Efficiency
April 28, 2011 8:29 am | Product Releases | CommentsXP Power launched its AHM Series of external AC/DC power supplies aimed at a broad range of medical and IT applications. The series comprises five single-output ranges of 85-, 100-, 150-, 180- or 250-W output, and provides the popular nominal outputs from +12 to + 48 VDC.
How Do You Ensure Your Ducts Aren't Leaky?
April 28, 2011 4:21 am | by Energy Savers Blog | Blogs | CommentsOn Monday, John discussed leaky ducks…err…ducts, and how and why you should make sure they are well-sealed.
Paying Tribute to the Legacy of Earth Day
April 27, 2011 1:26 pm | by Paul Smith, MathWorks, and Tyler Joswick, The Ohio State University | Blogs | CommentsThis past Friday marked the 41st Earth Day. The past 40 years have demonstrated the growing global green movement, reinforced each year by Earth Day to celebrate and spread awareness of environmental protection and sustainability. Earth Day’s goals of environmental protection and sustainability are echoed by the EcoCAR Challenge, its organizers, participating student teams, and sponsors.
2010 PV Inverter Market Share Gainers Revealed by IMS Research
April 27, 2011 7:23 am | News | CommentsPower-One was the PV inverter market’s largest share gainer in 2010, moving up to second in the global rankings according to IMS Research’s latest report on the market. The report will also reveal that for the first time all of the top 10 suppliers to the market in 2010 were European...
ZemosLED Launches 80,000 Hour LED Package
April 26, 2011 9:05 am | Product Releases | CommentsZemosLED has announced the US launch of the patented, 80,000 hour Zemos9090 LED package. The Zemos9090 has seen extensive use in the company's own line of lighting fixtures with extended lifespans, but has not previously been available to third parties as a discrete component.
How Are You Celebrating Earth Day This Year?
April 25, 2011 11:29 am | by Energy Savers Blog | Blogs | CommentsTomorrow is Earth Day! We've already written about how you can resolve to make Earth Day last all year, and ways you might encourage your coworkers to save energy for Earth Day. Now that the day is almost here, tell us:
Happy Earth Day 2011!
April 25, 2011 11:28 am | by Energy Savers Blog | Blogs | CommentsHappy Earth Day! Today, April 22, marks the 41st anniversary of Earth Day. Check out these resources from the Department of Energy to help you celebrate, get in the Earth Day spirit, and take action:
U.S. Threatened by Leaky Ducks!
April 25, 2011 11:28 am | by Energy Savers Blog | Blogs | CommentsOne of the DOE building experts I worked with back in the early 1990s stated that a major energy problem facing the nation was leaking ducts (although it sure sounded like "ducks"). He was referring, of course, to the ductwork that most of our homes have to distribute the hot air in...
Intense Interest in Energy Harvesting for Electric Vehicles
April 20, 2011 8:51 am | by Dr Peter Harrop, Chairman, IDTechEx | News | CommentsTwo forthcoming events in Germany reflect the intense interest in energy harvesting for electric vehicles. Energy Harvesting & Storage Europe 2011, 21-22 June covers many forms of harvesting for other applications as well and drills into the technology...
CMOS Digital Isolators Provide Data Protection for Smart Meters
April 18, 2011 5:43 am | by Rudye McGlothlin, Product Manager, Isolation Products, Silicon Labs | Articles | CommentsThe smart meter market is projected to grow by double digits over the next several years as consumers upgrade from traditional electromechanical meters. Smart meters use the latest integrated circuit (IC) technology to accurately measure and report the amount of power consumed.
Smarter Power for Smart Meters
April 15, 2011 12:18 pm | by Tom Larsen, Strategic Market Development Manager, Palladium Energy | Articles | CommentsSince the smart grid was first implemented in Italy in 2005, municipal governments in American cities, such as Austin, TX and Boulder, CO have started switching to smart meters in order to save energy, reduce costs and increase reliability and transparency.
