National Energy Market News
1.
Standard 90.1-2004 Established as National
Reference Standard by DOE - States must now certify that their building codes meet the requirements
in ASHRAE/IESNA’s 2004 energy efficiency standard, under a ruling issued by the
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that finds the standard saves more energy than
an earlier version. ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2004, Energy Standard for Buildings Except
Low-Rise Residential Buildings, has been established by the DOE as the
commercial building reference standard for state building energy codes under
the federal Energy Policy Act. The Act requires all states to certify that they
have state energy codes in place that are at least as stringent as 90.1-2004,
or justify why they cannot comply. The DOE determined that Standard
90.1-2004 saves more energy than Standard 90.1- 1999, which was the previously referenced standard in the Act. http://www.sustainablefacility.com posted 01/06
2.
Are Fluorescents Really the Way to Go? - From an English site
of Der Spiegel, the German news source http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,595321,00.html The
European Union began the process of moving away from the incandescent light
bulb. But the energy-efficient alternatives may not be all they're cracked up
to be. They contain harmful substances and disposal is difficult. A panel of European Union experts voiced
their support for a European Commission plan to phase out standard,
incandescent bulbs by 2012. The formal adoption of the plan is expected to take
place in March. The plan envisions the
gradual disappearance of incandescent bulbs, first introduced by Thomas Edison
130 years ago. The first to vanish will be the 100-watt bulb, set to disappear
from shelves on Sept. 1, 2009. Seventy-five watt bulbs will follow a year later
and by autumn of 2012, only energy efficient fluorescent lighting will be
available.
3. Group Hates CFL Mandates - The National Center for Policy Analysis www.ncpa.org issued a release Dec. 10 with the headline: “Compact
Fluorescent Bulbs Not Worth Cost and Trouble” and the subheading: “Report says
government should not force CFLs on consumers.” From the release http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=17343 : “The public has not yet embraced CFLs, and the
government should not impose on consumers its preferences regarding the types
of lights used in the home. As the deficiencies of CFLs become more apparent
with widespread use, perhaps Congress will let consumers decide, say the
study’s authors.” 12/18 TED
4. Philips Welcomes the Momentum to Accelerate
the Switch to Energy Efficient Lighting Solutions-Royal Philips Electronics welcomes the decision made by the European
Union to phase-out incandescent light bulbs in the EU by 2012. In Europe, 1.8
billion incandescent light bulbs were sold in 2007, and the switch to energy
efficient lighting solutions will have a significant impact. On average there
are about 20-30 light points per house and with the many alternative energy
savers and halogen bulbs available, including LED-based solutions, consumers
can create the perfect ambiance at home. www.philips.com/newscenter
5. Obama Wants to Cut Energy Use in Federal Buildings - President-elect Barack Obama wants to use his economic aid plan to cut
energy use in federal buildings, a long-sought goal that has achieved mixed
success. The government spends an estimated $17 billion a year, about one-third
of it to heat, cool and light government buildings, according to the Government
Accountability OfficeTwo presidential orders and legislation passed by Congress
in 2005 and 2007 called for cutting energy use in thousands of federal
buildings by 3 percent a year or 30 percent by 2015, when compared with 2003
levels. Success
toward meeting those goals has proved uneven.
01/07 AP
6. Obama:
Will Double Alternative Energy Output In 3 Yrs - President-elect
Barack Obama Thursday vowed to double U.S. production of alternative energy in
the next three years and make government buildings and homes more
energy-efficient. Environmental groups hailed the pledge, but
some in the industry questioned whether the goal was realistically
achievable. Officials from the
President-elect's transition office weren't immediately able to offer details
on what sectors Obama planned to spur growth in, or how he planned to achieve
his goal. A
major hurdle in the expansion of renewable energy, however, is the new
electricity transmission infrastructure, which many experts say will take at
least a decade to site and build. 01/08 Dow Jones &
Company, Inc.
7.
DOE Announces
16 New IDIQ ESPC Awards - The
Department of Energy announced the long-awaited award of 16 new Indefinite
Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Energy Savings Performance Contracts that
could result in up to $80 billion in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and
water conservation projects at federally-owned buildings and facilities. The
new contracts were awarded to the following Energy Service Companies:
R Ameresco, Inc.
R Chevron Energy Solutions
R Clark Realty Builders—EnergySolve Companies
is part of this group
R Consolidated Edison Solutions, Inc.
R Constellation Energy Projects & Services
Group, Inc.
R FPL Energy Service, Inc.
R Honeywell International, Inc.
R Johnson Controls Government Systems, LLC
R Lockheed Martin Services, Inc.
R McKinstry Essention, Inc.
R NORESCO, LLC
R Pepco Energy Services
R Siemens Government Services, Inc.
R TAC Energy
Solutions
R The Benham Companies, LLC
R Trane U.S., Inc.
To read the full press release: http://www.naesco.org/news/industry/news.aspx?NewsID=42).
8. U.S. Far Behind in Green Tech
Revolution, Senators Told - Silicon
Valley venture capitalist John Doerr and Pulitzer Prize winning NY Times
columnist Tom Friedman delivered stark warnings to congress on Jan. 7. Doerr told senators that of the 30 companies
in solar, wind and advanced batteries, just six are US firms. Friedman said, “We won the space race…….now
we are in an Earth race with other nations to see who can invent the technology
so that men and women can stay on Earth.”
They both agree that energy is “the mother of all markets”, valued at $6
trillion annually with billions of customers worldwide. Perhaps the largest economic opportunity of
the 21st century. 01/08 San
Francisco Chronicle
9. New, Existing-Home Sales Plummet in
November - Sales of existing homes in the United States fell 8.6 percent in
November to an annual rate of 4.49 million, from a 4.91 million rate in
October, the National Association of Realtors reported. This was the biggest drop
on record and an indication that the real estate slump and recession will
extend into 2009. 12/26 HCN
10. AHMA reports industry confidence up in
December - Industry confidence in the housing market increased in December from November
lows but remains tentative, according to the American Hardware Manufacturers
Association Home Improvement Industry Confidence Index. The Current Situation Index increased 25
points from November to 87.5, and the Future Expectations Index improved 25.8
points to 101.7. The December survey results accurately
reflect a home improvement industry challenged to overcome significant
recessionary trends in the country. 01/07 HCN
11. NLBMDA
Urges President, Congress to Help Revive Housing Industry - The National
Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) is calling upon
President-Elect Obama and the leaders of the new Congress to act swiftly in
passing a comprehensive economic stimulus plan to help revive the depressed
housing economy. 01/06 HCN
12. Green-Building
Plans Not Affected by Credit Market - Despite concerns about credit
availability, 75 percent of commercial real estate executives surveyed by New
York City-based Turner Construction Co. for its 2008 Green
Building Market Barometer say they would not be any less likely to
construct green buildings. Green buildings are designed to be more efficient in
their use of energy, water, and other resources. They also create better
environments for occupants. The survey, which includes responses from 754
commercial real estate executives, found that green buildings are viewed as
having lower energy, operating, and life-cycle costs, as well as higher
building values, asking rents, and occupancy rates. Respondents also noted that
green buildings can generate greater investment returns. 01/’09 Buildings
13. Optimize
Building Systems with Commissioning - Watch energy consumption drop when you use
commissioning to improve the efficiency and reliability of building
systems. Building commissioning,
as defined by the 2007 ASHRAE Handbook - HVAC Applications, is "a
quality-oriented process for achieving, verifying, and documenting that the
performance of facilities, systems, and assemblies meets defined objectives and
criteria. The defined objectives and criteria are often referred to as the
owner's project requirements (OPR) ... " The focus for performance is
placed primarily on HVAC systems, such as central heating and cooling
(chillers, boilers, and associated pumps), air-handling units, terminal equipment,
and HVAC-control systems. (Attention should also be given to lighting systems
[fixtures and controls] and water systems.) 01/’09 Buildings
14. Lighting
Controls for Code Compliance by Craig DiLouie - Energy codes provide a minimum standard for
new construction of commercial buildings. Your local code may be a unique one
developed by the state or municipality, such as California’s Title 24, or may
be based on a version of ASHRAE 90.1 (1999, 2001, 2004, 2007) or the
International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) (2001, 2003, 2006) standards.
While the country is regulated by a patchwork of codes, all codes must be at
least as stringent as ASHRAE 90.1-1999, the national energy standard. On one
point, all energy codes agree: Lighting controls are mandatory to eliminate
waste and save energy. 12/’09 Electrical Contractor
15. 
Retail and Commercial Structures Require
Bright Lights, Efficiency by Debbie McClung - In recent years, interior retail lighting has
become as scientific as product selection and point-of-purchase displays, and
stringent energy codes are leading manufacturers back into the laboratory to
meet the challenges. As codes and lighting technologies advance, it is up to electrical
contractors to keep pace with emerging applications. Lighting is still the
largest energy expense for retailers.
12/’09 Electrical Contractor
The LED-lighted freezer on the right provides an even illuminance
uniformity across the freezer case compared to the fluorescent-lighted freezer
on the left.
16. IMARK and Equity/EDN Have Merged, effective
January 1, 2009 - The addition of a new Equity/EDN division makes IMARK / Equity/EDN the
largest Electrical Marketing Group for Independent Electrical Distributors in
the world with market share of approximately 18% and combined revenues
approaching $15 billion.
17. 2009 Utility Rebates Now Posted - The best source on the Web for
utility rebates now has a bevy of new programs listed in its online database.
The Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE) at www.dsire.org, is an ongoing project of the
North Carolina Solar Center and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC)
funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.
18.
DOE Awards Contract to TAC by Schneider Electric for up
to $5 Billion in Energy-Efficiency Projects - The
Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite
Quantity (IDIQ) energy savings performance contract (ESPC) to TAC, the Building Automation Business Unit of
Schneider Electric. The contract has a potential of $5 billion in
energy-efficiency, renewable energy, sustainable design and water conservation
projects at federally owned buildings and facilities. The contract is part of a
larger effort by the federal government, the largest single user of energy in
the United States, to meet rigorous energy savings and efficiency objectives.
01/09 Business Wire
19. Traditional
Lightbulb Sales Soar as UK Customers Stock Up Ahead of Green Switch Over - Some UK retailers have
seen sales of the 100-watt varieties triple overnight, with buyers stockpiling
by asking for hundreds at once instead of the usual 10 or 20. Supermarkets and
DIY chains are already running low on the bulbs, having begun to phase them out
some months ago as part of a voluntary agreement with the Government. The light
bulbs are expected to be scrapped altogether by September 2012, pending the
outcome of a European Union vote on the issue. telegraph.co.uk
20. EEI
Launches a New Web Site - EEI has
launched a new Web site with a new look and enhanced features and capabilities,
including a more robust search, easier navigation, and more content developed
specifically for members. http://www.eei.org/whoweare/Pages/webtour.aspx
21. GE Halts Plans to Spin Off Consumer &
Industrial Unit - General
Electric Co. has scrapped plans to spin off or sell its
Louisville-based GE Consumer & Industrial unit. This business unit includes GE
Appliances, GE Lighting and GE Industrial. The unit will continue to be
led by James P. Campbell, who will report directly to GE chairman and CEO Jeff
Immelt. GE Consumer & Industrial
employs 43,000 people worldwide. It has about 5,000 people in Louisville,
including about 2,300 salaried workers.
12/16 Business First of Louisville
22. 
New GE CFLs Now Disguised as Incandescents
for Residential Applications - For those homeowners who want to go green
but can’t quite get used to swirly-shaped CFLs, GE will soon hit the market
through retail channels with its covered Energy Smart CFL bulb, which features
its Spiral CFL inside the glass bulb. Because GE managed to fit the necessary
electronics fit in the neck of the bulb, the bulb’s profile is virtually
identical to a standard incandescent light bulb. The bulb debuted nationwide at
Target on Dec. 28, at selected Ace Hardware stores in January, and more broadly
around Earth Day (April 22, 2009) at retailers such as Sam’s Club and Walmart.
The equivalent of a 60W incandescent bulb, the new 8,000-hour rated life CFL is
guaranteed for five years based on four hours of daily use. Between April and
June 2009, GE plans to introduce 9W and 20W incandescent-shaped covered GE
Energy Smart CFLs, 40W and 75W equivalents, respectively. Each will offer an
8,000-hour rated life and five-year guarantee based on four hours of daily use.
The 20W CFL will have a slightly taller profile that mirrors a standard
incandescent three-way bulb. A 100W equivalent, incandescent-shaped covered GE
Energy Smart CFL and other inventive products for household applications could
be introduced as early as 2010. http://www.genewscenter.com/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=4933&NewsAreaID=2&MenuSearchCategoryID
23. Carrier Acquires Noresco to Expand Energy
Solutions Capabilities - Carrier Corp., the world’s largest provider
of heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration solutions, and a
unit of United Technologies Corp., has acquired Noresco, a leading independent
energy services company. The acquisition was completed on Nov. 20. Terms of the
deal were not disclosed. www.carrier.com
http://noresco.com/site/content/news_pr_371.asp
24. Amerlux
Lighting Solutions Acquires Dynamic Lighting - Amerlux manufactures architectural grade, energy efficient
lighting solutions for the retail, supermarket, hospitality, and commercial markets.
Dynamic Lighting, a leader in the outdoor lighting marketplace, offers a
product line that includes a wide selection of decorative, commercial-quality
poles and fixtures with efficient HID and CFL sources. The company provides a
wide range of highly customized outdoor lighting solutions for commercial
properties, downtown streetscapes, residential subdivisions, and
landscapes. “This first acquisition by
Amerlux is the initial step in broadening its product portfolio to better serve
its client base, particularly architects and lighting designers who are
demanding increased creativity in fixture design,” explained Amerlux Chairman
Frank P. Diassi. “Dynamic will now have the resources and support of Amerlux’s
outstanding design and marketing staff to further enhance its market presence.” Amerlux President and CEO Chuck Campagna says
he is looking forward to bringing Dynamic under the Amerlux umbrella. Once the
acquisition is complete, Brad Somers will continue in the role of President of
Dynamic Lighting. www.amerlux.com
25. Transformations in Lighting 2009 • DOE
Solid-State Lighting R&D Workshop • February 3-5, 2009 • San Francisco, CA
- Rapid advances in
solid-state lighting (SSL) mean that what you learned last year—or even last
week—is likely out of date. Join DOE at
the 2009 SSL R&D Workshop to learn about the latest technology advances and
significant achievements in 2008.
Hear what customers and lighting designers want from SSL, and what
manufacturers need to do to deliver quality SSL solutions. Breakout sessions will determine future DOE
R&D priorities. Panel sessions will look at SSL demonstrations and lessons
learned, plus strategies for defining and recognizing quality products on the
market. Register: http://www.netl.doe.gov/ssl/sanfranciscoworkshop.html
26. LEDs for Fluorescent Fixtures - With an 80 CRI and slim design, T5 LED Light Tubes are 
designed for applications such as indirect lighting of display cases,
wall washes and alcoves, in addition to backlighting of POP displays and vending machines. The T5 light
tube operates at 24V DC and is available in both a low-power, narrow-angle 60
degree and a high-power, wide-angle 120 degree version. They are currently
available in three color temperatures, 3,300K, 4,200K and 6,500K and offered in
lengths from 1 foot to 5 feet. http://www.marktechledlighting.com/
27.
Four New Dimmers - Lutron’s eco-dim feature is now
available in its Maestro, Diva, Ariadni and Rotary dimmer models. The eco-dim
technology automatically saves 15 percent energy over a standard switch by
limiting the maximum power delivered to light bulbs. Dimmer models with eco-dim
are preset to instantly deliver a minimum of 15 percent energy savings with no
noticeable difference in the quality of light. In addition, by limiting the
switch’s maximum power, eco-dim extends bulb life by at least three times.
http://www.lutron.com/products/dimmers/?s=17000&t=17200
28. AEE
Seminars registrar@aeecenter.org – (1) This seminar will take you step by step through the
process of developing an energy management program -- or more broadly, an
Energy Master Plan (EMP) -- to achieve more efficient energy consumption and lower total
operating costs. (2) This seminar is structured as a simulated contest to
determine the "winning" technology -- either high performance MH or
fluorescent -- for specific high bay applications, assessing one by one the
critical component features of each technology.
|
(1)
Developing
an
(2) High Bay
Lighting:
Energy Management Master Plan Metal Halide vs.
Fluorescent
Instructed
by Fredric S. Goldner, C.E.M. Instructed by Stan Walerczyk, L.C., C.L.E.P.
|
|
A 6-Hour Distance Learning Seminar
A 4-Hour
Distance Learning Seminar
Earns 0.6
CEU / 6 PDH
Earns 0.4 CEU / 4 PDH
Presented in 3 live two-hour online sessions Presented in 2 two-hour live online
sessions
New Program Starts January 21 New
Program Starts February 2
|
|
|
|
State Energy Market News
29. 
The HelpLightNJ Story - Inspired to motivate New Jersey students to spread the word on energy
conservation, HelpLightNJ also brings the message to those who need it most. Students raise money to buy energy
saving light bulbs which are distributed to needy families, reducing their
electric bill. Their goal is to inspire
other students to find ways to help others and help the environment. Thanks to New Jersey 's Clean Energy Program,
HelpLightNJ distributed 60,000 CFL light
bulbs to needy families from August 8 to December 31st of 2008! http://www.helplightnj.com/
US Senator Menendez at GreenGlobal Expo with Matt
Erickson (yes, son of Bernie Erickson
now of FSG) and John Caddock, Mater Dei High School students who started
HelpLightNJ.
30. Informative Appendix Helps States Adopt Most
Efficient Building Energy Codes - by Isaac Elnecave, NEEP Building Energy Codes Project Manager. The following article will highlight a NEEP
policy initiative designed to help states and localities adopt the most energy
efficient codes possible through the use of an “Informative Appendix”: Increasing Activity Towards the Adoption
of More Energy Efficient or “Stretch” Codes.
Movement towards more energy efficient buildings has been
accelerating across the nation and in the Northeast region. Goals that would
have seemed far reaching a few years back, such as having net-zero energy
buildings make up a significant portion of the construction by 2030, have
become mainstream. For example, the Department of Energy must now statutorily
meet this net zero goal. Currently, the Core Performance Guide is not
strictly a code but a set of standards. NEEP is working with the New Buildings
Institute to translate these standards into code-enforceable language. http://www.neep.org
31. From Bill Warren: North America’s First and
Only Permanent Energy Conservation Exhibition Space - The Most Complete Education Center Devoted to
Green Design. NYECE
is a 120,000 square foot, state-of-the-art, fully equipped permanent exhibition
space located directly adjacent to New York’s LaGuardia Airport. NYECE is not a
one-time annual conference. It’s a year-round comprehensive energy conservation
resource center and one-stop-shop for architects, engineers, designers,
specifiers, contractors, and home and business owners. It’s the first of its
kind in North America, and possibly the most easily accessible exhibition space
of any kind, anywhere. NYECE will partner with manufacturers, leading brands,
and institutions to display the full range of green building products,
materials, and energy resources. www.nyece.com
32. Greenhouse
Plants Its Party in SoHo - New
York City’s first green nightclub, the eco-friendly SoHo duplex Greenhouse
features sustainable bamboo walls, LED lightbulbs and vodka poured from
recyclable containers; otherwise, it’s the usual models-and-bottles scene – no
surprise, given that it’s the brainchild of the owner of Home and Guest House –
though the idea of a hot spot fighting global warming is amusing. 150 Varick St. http://www.greenhouseusa.com/
33. NY
Governor Sets Ambitious Efficiency, Renewable-Energy Goals - New York Gov. David Paterson on Wednesday set
a goal for the state to meet 45% of its electricity needs through improved
efficiency and renewable generation by 2015. Paterson's plan, announced in his
State of the State address, calls for increasing the state's renewable
portfolio standard, which is a policy that requires electricity providers to
obtain a minimum percentage of their power from renewable sources by a certain
date. The governor's proposal would raise the state's RPS to 30% from 24% by
2013. The plan also sets goals
of decreasing New York's electricity usage 15% by 2015, forming a research
consortium on hybrid electric batteries and energy- storage technologies, and
establishing a central clearinghouse for information on energy-efficiency
programs for schools, hospitals and local governments. 01/07 Dow Jones
& Company, Inc.
34. ConEdison Solutions Wins Second, Large Federal Contract to
Provide Energy Efficiency Services The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), has
designated ConEdison Solutions, a national energy services company based in
White Plains, New York, as an approved provider of energy efficiency, renewable
energy and water conservation services at Department of Defense and other
government facilities nationwide. Over the life of the program, the DOD
initiative could potentially finance and manage as much as $900 million in
energy efficiency, renewable energy and water conservation projects at federal
sites. 12/31 MARKET WIRE
35. PECO Launches New Web Site To Help Keep Customers In The Know - With the quick click of a computer's mouse,
PECO customers now have access to important information to help them understand
changes in the state's energy market, their bill, their energy use and PECO's
energy efficiency programs. PECO's new customer education Web site www.peco.com/know is the central location
for customers to learn about the transition from capped electric rates to
market-based rates, which will occur on Jan. 1, 2011. The price PECO
customers pay for electricity has been capped for more than 10 years. Like most
things, energy prices have actually gone up during that time. On Jan. 1, 2011,
the rate caps will end and PECO's rates will reflect the market price of
electricity.
36. Pepco Energy Services Awarded $5 Billion Performance Contract by
DOE - ESPC contracts allow federal agencies to accomplish energy
projects for their facilities both nationally and internationally without
up-front capital costs. Pepco Energy Services was one of several ESCOs
competitively awarded this IDIQ contract. The award was based on Pepco Energy
Services' demonstrated capabilities to provide energy projects to federal
agencies. The new Pepco Energy Services five-year contract provides for a
maximum contract value of $5 billion over the life of the contract. The
contract also contains an option for two three-year extensions for a potential
11-year contract, if both options are exercised. 01/05 PRNewswire
37. MD State Approves Some Energy Savings Proposals - Gov. Martin O'Malley's EmPOWER Maryland
Energy Efficiency Act of 2008 continues to make progress as conceptual programs
are approved for utility companies.
Allegheny Power received approval Dec. 31 from the state Public Service
Commission for various programs it proposed in a portfolio of 13
energy-efficiency and conservation programs in September. The utility has until
March 31 to get back to the PSC
with updated cost data, cost-effectiveness calculations, and projected energy
and demand savings. They will then wait for final approval before implementing
the programs. The CFL Reward Program will provide rewards for purchase of
single and multipack compact fluorescent lamp bulbs.
The other two residential programs approved were the Heat Pump
Efficiency Program and Air Conditioner Efficiency Program. Meyers also notes
there will be a customer surcharge from anywhere between $1 and $3 on their
bills to help pay for these new programs.01/10 Tess Hill Cumberland Times News
38. Kaine
Launches Push For 'Green Jobs - The ill winds of a national recession shouldn't
stop Virginia from becoming more energy efficient and creating jobs in pursuit
of conservation and environmentally friendly power, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said
today. With that pronouncement, Kaine launched "Renew
Virginia" a yearlong initiative to help the commonwealth profit economically
and protect the environment by getting "greener." A "green"
job, officials say, is a job in an industry that specializes in energy
efficiency or comes up with energy alternatives that lower the amount of carbon
used in the production of power. 12/12
Richmond
Times
39. TVA's Long
Road Ahead -
The Tennessee Valley Authority has a public relations nightmare on its hands. A
retention wall used by a steam plant near Kingston, Tenn. has ruptured, pouring
out 1.1 billion gallons of fly ash sludge into the neighboring communities. The
nation's largest utility has begun serious outreach programs and clean-up
initiatives. But civic and business leaders say that much more is necessary,
noting that TVA has skimped on previous modernization efforts. They emphasize
that the utility must now reach inside its treasury to safeguard local
communities, advance area infrastructure and expand the scope of its green
energy endeavors. 01/12 EnergyBiz
40. 
FPL
Energy Now Called NextEra -
FPL Energy, a Florida-based utility with a massive
renewable portfolio, has changed its name to NextEra. The company said the name change reflected
its commitment to green energy production. NextEra is the largest producer of
wind and solar energy in North America. The company currently has more than
6,300 megawatts of wind generation in operation and 310 megawatts of solar
power.
41. Clinton,
State Announce Energy Efficiency Plan - Former President Bill
Clinton announced a partnership Saturday between his foundation and Arkansas to
retrofit state buildings and adopt energy-efficient practices, part of what he
said was the country's "greatest opportunity" to rejuvenate its
economy and create a safer, cleaner world. The Clinton Climate Initiative, created in 2006, has
been working with 1,100 cities, including New York, where the housing authority
is upgrading residences with energy-efficient windows and lighting along with
"green roofs" to reduce energy costs. 12/13
AP
42. City Council
Gives Green Light For LED Traffic Bulbs - Houston Officials approve $16.4 million contract for pricier signals that
could be a money saver in the long run Houston is poised to become one of a handful of
U.S. cities to replace the light bulbs at all 2,381 of its traffic stops with
energy-efficient bulbs that could save more than $4 million a year in
electricity costs. Although the "light-emitting
diode," or LED, traffic signals will cost 16 times more than incandescent
bulbs, their seven-year lifespan is six years longer.
The project is one of several "green initiatives"
in the works at City Hall, including establishing new energy-reducing building
codes, installing solar panels, buying renewable power and hybrid vehicles and
vastly stepping up city recycling programs. Siemens
Building Technologies, the Buffalo Grove, Ill.-based company that won the
contract, will begin an inventory of city signal intersections before
Christmas. Replacing all of the bulbs is expected to take up to two years.
12/11 Houston Chronicle
43. Electricity
Study Embraces Energy Efficiency for State - Texas could reduce its peak electric usage by more
than 23 percent in the next seven years if utilities would invest more in
efficiency programs, according to a study released recently by the Public
Utility Commission. The efficiency efforts, which would funnel through existing
programs administered by the electric transmission companies in the parts of
Texas open to competition, would save consumers as much as $2 for every $1
invested, according to the study. Utilities are expected to continue to
increase efficiency spending around the country. 01/01 Houston Chronicle
MONTHLY FEATURE… President-elect
Obama’s Energy & Environment Team -
Steven Chu,
Secretary of Energy
Since assuming the directorship of the Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory in August, 2004, Dr. Chu has focused the Laboratory’s considerable
scientific resources on energy security and global climate change, in
particular the production of new fuels and electricity from sunlight through
non-food plant materials and artificial photosynthesis. At the same time he has
reinforced the Lab’s historic leadership in energy-efficient technologies and
climate science.
Born in Saint Louis, Missouri on February 28, 1948, Dr. Chu is a Nobel
laureate physicist and a Professor of Physics and Molecular and Cell Biology at
the University of California (UC), Berkeley. He is also one of the nation’s
foremost and outspoken advocates for scientific solutions to the twin problems
of global warming and the need for carbon-neutral renewable sources of energy.
He has called these problems “the greatest challenge facing science” and has
rallied many of the world’s top scientists to address it.
He earned undergraduate degrees in mathematics and physics from the
University of Rochester in 1970, a Ph.D. in physics from the University of
California at Berkeley in 1976, and was a postdoctoral fellow at UC Berkeley
from 1976 to 1978, when he joined ATT’s Bell Labs. He moved to Stanford
University in 1987, where he was a professor of physics and applied physics,
and where he received high academic honors and held a number of administrative
posts before joining Berkeley Lab in 2004.
Carol M.
Browner, Assistant
to the President for Energy and Climate Change
Ms. Browner's role has been
described as "energy czar" but it's unclear how much power she will have.
The selection of Dr. Chu, a scientist and not a political figure, suggests that
Browner's political roles in crafting energy and environmental legislation
would be considerable. She headed the
Environmental Protection Agency in the Clinton administration and is a
confidante of former Vice President Al Gore.
Born in Miami, Florida on December 16, 1955, she was the
longest-serving administrator in the history of the EPA, staying through both
terms of the Clinton presidency. She received her B.A. degree from the
University of Florida in 1977, majoring in English and then graduated from the
University of Florida College of Law with a J.D. degree in 1979. In
1980, she worked as General Counsel for the Florida House of Representatives
Government Operations Committee. Between 1991 and 1993 Ms. Browner headed the
Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Lisa P.
Jackson, EPA Administrator
The former head of the New Jersey Department of
Environmental Protection and transition team member would be the first
African-American EPA chief, along with being the fourth woman and second New
Jerseyan to hold the position. Ms. Jackson had been NJ DEP Commissioner
since 2006, and served in the EPA from 1987 to 2002. She wrote New Jersey's
global warming law and was heavily involved in Superfund administration for the
tri-state area including New York and Connecticut.
Ms. Jackson brings
twenty years of experience as an environmental regulator and a reputation as a
consensus builder. She brought a more
policy-driven approach to New Jersey’s historically politicized Department of
Environmental Protection as its commissioner. During her 33 months in that job,
the state began conducting compliance sweeps to crack down on polluters in
environmentally ravaged sections of Camden and Paterson, ended its
controversial bear hunt and unveiled a plan to reduce carbon emissions 20
percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050.
Born on February 8, 1962 in Philadelphia and raised in the Ninth Ward in
New Orleans, Ms. Jackson is a summa
cum laude graduate of Tulane University's School of Chemical Engineering and
earned a master's degree in chemical engineering from Princeton University.
Nancy Sutley,
Chair of the White House Council on Environment Quality
As deputy Los Angeles mayor for energy and the environment, and
the mayor's representative on the Board of Directors for the Metropolitan Water
District of Southern California, Ms.
Nancy Sutley has a long record of working on environmental and natural
resources policy. She has played a
role in the Mayor Villaraigosa's two main clean-air initiatives -- moving the
Department of Water and Power to wind and solar energy and replacing 16,000
diesel trucks at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. She is one of the quietest members of the
mayor's leadership team, working almost entirely out of public view to make Los
Angeles the "greenest big city in America."
She previously
served on the California State Water Resources Control Board, which is
responsible for protecting water quality and resources throughout the state,
and was the energy adviser to former Gov. Gray Davis. During President Bill
Clinton's administration, Ms. Sutley was an EPA official, including being a
special assistant to the EPA administrator in Washington.
Born April 20, 1962, in Queens, New York she holds a B.A.
in government from Cornell and an M.A. in public policy from the Kennedy School
of Government at Harvard.
Lisa Jackson, the new EPA chief,
and Nancy Sutley, the new Chair of the
White House Council on Environment Quality, worked for Carol Browner at the EPA
in the 1990s.
