The State of Power Consumption

Where does this leave us?

According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, by the end of this year, power consumption in the U.S. is expected to be half of what it was in 1970, as measured per dollar of economic output.

The Washington, D.C.-based non-profit group said that energy efficiency may be one of the fastest-growing energy success stories of the last 50 years, but it's influence is mostly invisible.

PG&E Seeks Approval

Pacific Gas and Electric Company today asked the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to approve a six-year initiative -- the Cornerstone Improvement Program -- to significantly improve the reliability of PG&E's electric distribution system. At the same time, the utility requested enhancements to its Low Income Energy Efficiency program.

The Cornerstone Improvement Program comprises a set of initiatives proposed by PG&E to decrease both the number and duration of electric outages by increasing the flexibility of the electrical grid. Major initiatives include increasing the capacity and interconnectivity of distribution lines and substations, implementing distribution automation on 1,200 circuits in urban and suburban areas, and installing 5,000 switching devices on rural circuits to reduce the number of customers affected by outages.

AT&T Joins Energy Star Program

AT&T Inc. has joined the government's Energy Star program, which means that the company's Internet Protocol television set-top boxes have now been rated energy efficient.

As a Energy Star program participant, AT&T U-verse TV will furnish customers with Motorola and Cisco Systems Inc. receivers that meet the new Energy Star energy efficiency criteria.

The new criteria for the voluntary program for digital set-top boxes isn't actually set to go into effect until Jan. 1, 2009. By delivering its boxes as part of the installation equipment, AT&T U-verse TV equipment is working meet this standard early.

Eastman Receives Energy Efficiency Award

For the 15th consecutive year, every year since the program began, Eastman Chemical Company has earned energy efficiency awards from the American Chemistry Council (ACC).

As part of the Responsible Care® program, the ACC honors specific projects that have achieved distinction in reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Eastman received three awards, two of which received an ‘exceptional merit’ designation.

N. C. electric co-ops launch energy efficiency initiatives

North Carolina's electric cooperatives have created a nonprofit company to focus on energy-efficiency initiatives.

The operation, named GreenCo Solutions Inc., will focus on developing energy-efficiency programs and pilot projects involving renewable energy.

Going Green At Hotel-Motel Show

The 2008 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show (May 17-20 at McCormick Place in Chicago) will provide restaurateurs with the resources and tools they need to explore and increase environmental efforts, including products and services from many of the 2,000+ exhibiting companies and a specialized track of education sessions presented by leading experts.

Among the thousands of products and services throughout the exhibit floor, there are many "green" options at this year's NRA Show. Several of the 25 Kitchen Innovations Award recipients have eco-conscious features, and the Organics & Natural Pavilion will feature sustainable food and beverage options.

Other environmentally conscious products include energy management system technologies; packaging, tableware and cups made of recycled and renewable materials; eco-friendly uniforms; bio-degradable drinking straws; energy-efficient ambient lighting; sustainable seafood products; eco-conscious signage; and much more.

IBM Helps Clients Measure Energy Progress

IBM has announced new energy-management software, an expansion of its energy certificates program, and an energy benchmark to help clients establish energy efficiency goals, optimize for energy efficiency and measure and verify their green IT progress across the enterprise.

The new offerings for energy measurement include: IBM Active Energy Manager software to measure power usage of key elements of the datacenter, from IT systems to chilling and air conditioning units; an expansion of IBM's Energy Certificates program to 34 countries; and an online energy assessment benchmark.

UTSA To Host Energy Summit

UTSA will bring together energy leaders, industry professionals and academicians representing three countries for the inaugural UTSA North American Energy Summit (NAES) May 1-2 at the UTSA Downtown Campus. The summit will feature experts in a range of fields from the United States, Canada and Mexico who will discuss future energy needs.

The Thursday, May 1 panel sessions will address short-term energy futures over the next 20 years, global environmental change, and energy production and efficiency. Friday, May 2 panel sessions will cover paths to sustainability, emerging technologies and social and educational challenges.

Microsoft Funds Energy Efficiency Computing Research

Microsoft Research has given out $500,000 to four universities doing research in more energy-efficient computing. The grants are aimed at techniques to lower power consumption.

* The University of Tennessee was awarded research money to develop frameworks to account for power and performance improvements in virtualized data centers.
* Stanford University will design a sensor network to gather data and analyze power consumption.
* Harvard University will develop a "dynamic runtime environment" that ensures power consumption corresponds to the computational load.
* The University of Oklahoma will created a simulation framework for studying "low-power microarchitectures for innovative muliticore systems."

New Energy Efficiency Standards For Construction

The California Energy Commission released updated building-efficiency standards that call for high-performance windows, better-insulating roofs and more-efficient lighting.

The 2008 Building Energy Efficiency Standards, also known as Title 24, regulate new residential and commercial construction.

The new standards include updated or new code regulations for lighting, windows, roofs, skylights, swimming pools and spa equipment, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment, and California's Solar Homes Partnership.

Park Slated For Energy Efficiency Fixes

In Maryland, officials are eyeing Oriole Park at Camden Yards among hundreds of state-owned buildings with so-called green strategies that could yield $10 million annually in energy savings.

The energy efficiency fixes, such as automatic-flush toilets, motion-sensing lighting systems, efficient heating and cooling systems, window sealants and compact fluorescent light bulb replacements, would eliminate an estimated 545 million pounds of carbon emissions each year -- the equivalent of removing 45,000 cars from the region's roads.

In all, federal, state and local governments in the area plan to spend $175 million to make the upgrades in more than 600 buildings. In return, they predict the changes will yield $36.5 million in annual savings on their energy bills.

EPA connects with the Green Grid in support of Energy Efficiency

The EPA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with The Green Grid to promote energy efficiency in small computer rooms. The effort begins with evaluating an existing EPA computer room for ways to optimize energy efficiency, then finding ways to standardize processes and performance measures.

Ultimately, the goal of this partnership is to share best practices for replication with other governmental agencies and industry stakeholders. Future partnerships between EPA, federal partners, and associations will help design and build our way into a green federal IT infrastructure.

Who Is Reducing Their Carbon Footprint?

The Massachusetts Port Authority said Tuesday it has planned a series of environmental initiatives to reduce the carbon footprint of its operations.

The initiatives would also enhance its environmental stewardship and give customers options that can reduce their impact on the environment.

The initiatives include buying renewable energy credits, taking energy-saving steps, favoring cab drivers using hybrid fuels and making capital investments that will save energy in the long run.

Ohio Lawmakers Push Energy Efficiency

Ohio will attempt to cut 0.3 percent of its total usage in 2009, and gradually to reach a total drop of more than 20 percent by 2025. If utilities fail to meet the annual requirements, they will pay a penalty that will go into a fund to invest in advanced energy. The House and Senate still need to work out differences in the details between their plans.

Electricity customers would see an increase in their bills measured in cents, and in some cases, a dollar or so. Some of the money collected will go toward utility infrastructure improvements such as decreasing the amount of electricity lost on power lines.

Money will also go toward creating collaborative programs to make homes more energy efficient. Programs to provide home energy audits, improve their ability to trap warm and cool air, and give rebates for the purchase of efficient home appliances will be created. The subsidy provided by the surcharge will enable residential consumers to pay just a portion of what it would otherwise cost if they made those improvements on their own.