Is HR 8 a Comprehensive Energy Bill?

Energy Bill a ‘Mixed Bag’ for HVAC ACHR News, January 11, 2016. Image credit: InspiredImages On Dec. 3, 2015, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a comprehensive 275-page energy bill that aims to modernize the country’s energy infrastructure, bolster the energy and manufacturing workforce, increase America’s energy security and diplomacy, and promote energy efficiency and … Read more

Another Blow for Energy Efficiency in Nevada

Las Vegas Nevada

Rebates for LED lights, energy efficient equipment in jeopardy Vegas Inc, January 20, 2016. Image credit: jaygeorge On the same day in December that the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada voted to increase bills for solar customers, it dealt another blow to the state’s renewable energy efforts. The commission approved cutting popular energy efficiency programs for … Read more

Obama Addresses Climate Change and Energy in the 2016 State of the Union

2016 state of the union

Obama On Climate and Energy in 2016 State of the Union Inside Climate News, January 13, 2016 Here are the parts of President Obama’s 2016 State of the Union address that were about energy and climate change, taken from the text prepared for delivery: But even if the planet wasn’t at stake; even if 2014 … Read more

The DOE Measures the Efficacy of Energy Codes

home energy bill energy codes ways to save energy

DO ENERGY CODES WORK? Builder Online, January 4, 2016. Image credit: Chris Potter Last year the U.S. Department of Energy ( DOE) announced that eight states would be part of a three-year Residential Energy Code Field Study. Once completed, the study will provide an unprecedented opportunity to develop new strategies for education, training, and outreach for … Read more

Morocco Expands Solar Power Project Development

Morocco

Morocco Floats Tender For 400 MW Solar Power Project Clean Technica, January 11, 2016. Image credit: Jamie McCaffrey The Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (MASEN) has invited bids from prospective project developers to set up a hybrid solar power project. The project will have a total installed capacity of 400 MW and will include systems based … Read more

Incandescent Lighting’s Hail Mary

incandescent lighting

Ryan Pollin for Zondits, January 18, 2016. Image credit: MIT Image/Ognjen Ilic LED lighting is the best we’ve got, and it’ll stay that way for some time. But, our best and brightest physicists have been up to some very neat tricks in the laboratory, making progress on even more efficient lighting. Researchers at Purdue and MIT … Read more

Energy Efficiency Frontiers & Innovation Technologies for Buildings

Buildings Energy Efficiency

Valerie Eacret for Zondits, January 15, 2016. Image credit: Haldane Martin The Building Technologies Office significantly increased the federal funding available for emerging technology through the “Building Energy Efficiency Frontiers & Innovations Technologies (Benefit) – 2016,” from $8 million to $20 million. The number of anticipated awards has also increased. See the amendment of the Funding … Read more

Solar Outshines Wind and Hydro as California’s Top Renewable Source

California Solar Diablo Canyon

Ryan Pollin for Zondits, January 15, 2016. Image credit: Jeremy Levine Utility-scale solar has been growing like a weed in California, and their latest milestones are in the CA Independent System Operator’s 2015 year-end figures. More energy was provided by solar than by wind sources in the state (a first) or by hydroelectricity (also a first). … Read more

Solar Frontier’s CIS Solar Installation Exceeds Expectations

solar frontier

Solar Frontier’s 2.3MW installation on Netherlands warehouses surpasses energy generation target by 6% Semiconductor Today, January 11, 2016. Image credit: stux Tokyo-based Solar Frontier – the largest manufacturer of CIS (copper indium selenium) thin-film photovoltaic (PV) solar modules – says that its recently completed 2.3MW project in The Netherlands (constructed in collaboration with solar energy companies … Read more

The Smart Home Takes Center Stage at CES 2016

smart home CES 2016

Cameron Kinney for Zondits, January 14, 2016. Image credit: Chris Potter Last week at CES 2016 in Las Vegas, some 3,600 companies descended upon the desert city to unveil and behold the latest and greatest in consumer electronics technology with hopes of finding the next big thing. While drones, electric cars, and virtual reality headsets were … Read more