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Hans De Keulenaer

Energy Efficiency, Natural Gas and Renewable Energy Drove Decade of U.S. Energy Transfo... - 1 views

  • The 2020 Factbook showcases the impact of sustainable energy over the last decade and highlights findings for 2019 that follow the macro trends of the 2010s: • Renewable energy became the cheapest new generation source in many U.S. power markets. The U.S. has over 2 times more renewable power generating capacity today than a decade ago. Solar capacity in 2019 was 80 times greater than what it was at the end of 2009. • Energy efficiency choices have proliferated, with federal programs helping high-efficiency appliances reach mass markets and state codes bolstering building efficiency. The economy grew every year in the past decade and energy use fell in five of the ten years. U.S. energy productivity (GDP/energy consumption) improved 18% between 2010 and 2019, benefiting businesses and households. • Natural gas became the primary source of U.S. power generation and shifted the scales in the global market. Between 2010 and 2019 domestic natural gas production jumped 50%, and natural gas went from providing 24% of the nation's electricity to 38%. The U.S. increased its export capacity to exceed its import capacity, building stronger trade relationships around the world. In 2019, the U.S. exported more gas than it imported.
Hans De Keulenaer

Energy Harvesting the Next Big Thing for the Smart Grid | The Energy Collective - 0 views

  • Solar panels capture energy from light and convert it to electricity.   This is the most visible form of energy harvesting, but it is hardly the only one.  Energy harvesting captures energy lost as heat, light, sound, vibration, or movement.  Devices that harvest or scavenge energy can capture, accumulate, store, condition, and manage this energy into electricity for consumption.  That’s important, because our existing electricity infrastructure is extremely wasteful in its use of energy.  For instance, today’s technologies used in electricity generation are not energy efficient.  Traditional gas or steam-powered turbines convert heat to mechanical energy, which is then converted to electricity.  Up to two thirds of that energy input is lost as heat.  Those old incandescent bulbs (technology invented by Thomas Edison in 1879) were real energy losers too.  Ninety percent of the electricity flowing into incandescent bulbs ends up as waste heat. That’s lost energy, which is why smart federal legislation banned incandescents in favor of more energy efficient sources of lighting starting in 2012.
Hans De Keulenaer

ECREEE Validation Workshop on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policies and Scena... - 1 views

  • The Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) works towards a voluntary commitment to the Sustainable Energy For All Initiative of the UN Secretary General presented at the Rio+20. In a regional workshop, held from 25 to 27 June 2012 in Dakar, Senegal, the Directors of the ECOWAS Ministries of Energy agreed on the main targets and pillars of a regional renewable energy and energy efficiency policy of ECOWAS. The policies aim at the following objectives: Around 30% of the electricity consumption in the ECOWAS region will be saved through demand and supply side efficiency improvements by 2030. The share of renewable energy (incl. large hydro) of the total installed electric generation capacity of ECOWAS will increase to 35% in 2020 and 48% to 2030. The share of new renewable energy such as wind, solar, small scale hydro and bioelectricity (excl. large hydro) will increase to around 10% in 2020 and 19% in 2030. These targets translate to an additional 2.425 MW renewable electricity capacity by 2020 and 7.606 MW by 2030. To provide universal access to energy services it is envisaged that around 75% of the rural population will be served through grid extension and around 25% by renewable energy powered by mini-grids and stand-alone systems in 2030. By 2020 the whole ECOWAS population will have access to improved cooking facilities either through improved stoves or fuel switching to other modern forms of energy such as LPG. The share of ethanol/biodiesel in transport fuels will increase to 5% in 2020 and 10% in 2030. By 2030 around 50% of all health centers, 25% of all hotels and agro-food industries with hot water requirements will be equipped with solar thermal systems.
Colin Bennett

On Board Energy Storage - Reason Automobile Engineers Chose (Choose) Fossil Fuel : Clea... - 0 views

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    Batteries have to contain all of the chemicals on both sides of their energy releasing equation. The very best batteries available today can store about 0.4 MJ/kg (0.05 kw-hr/lb) including the cases and safety systems. In contrast, gasoline carries about 46 MJ/kg (5.7 kw-hrs/lb).\n\nEven with a 20% efficient IC engine, a gasoline tank stores 20 times as much energy as a battery of equal weight. As the vehicle is moving it gets rid of some of that weight. Battery powered vehicles must carry the full weight of their energy source.\n\nThe energy density difference also plays a key role in the time that it takes to put more energy back on the vehicle once a fuel load is consumed. A two minute fill-up of a 12 gallon tank puts the equivalent of 87 kilowatt-hours into the vehicle, again, taking into account the 20% thermal efficiency.\n\n87 kilowatt-hours in 2 minutes works out to 2.6 MegaWatts. Even with a 220 volt connection, that would require about 11,800 amperes of current. Just imagine the size of the electric cables for that current.\n\nThere are certainly places and applications where electric vehicles have a role, but it is worth remembering that at least five or six generations of engineers have looked very hard at trying to meet transportation needs and they keep coming back to the same fact - when you want to move a vehicle, you need power, (energy per unit time).
Hans De Keulenaer

Amtrak - Defining Energy Efficiency - 0 views

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    Rail travel is more energy efficient, and uses less fuel, than cars or airplanes. According to U.S. Department of Energy data, Amtrak is almost 20 percent more efficient than domestic airline travel and 30 percent more efficient than auto travel ...
Hans De Keulenaer

UL Environment To Test Consumer Tech Energy Efficiency Claims | EarthTechling - 1 views

  • This new certification program, according to UL Environment, will be called Energy Efficiency Certification (EEC). It will test consumer focused items, including appliances, heating, air conditioning and refrigeration systems, high tech equipment, and lighting products, against energy efficiency standards and regulations like Energy Star, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and California Energy Commission (CEC). Those products which are proven to meet these standards will get yet another shiny label to put on product packaging – UL Environment’s leaf encapsulating the familiar “UL” initials and including the words “Energy Verified” in black text.
Hans De Keulenaer

DOE to award $80 billion in efficiency contracts | Energy Efficiency News - 0 views

  • The US government – the country’s largest single user of energy – is to have $80 billion at its disposal for energy efficiency, renewable energy and water conservation projects at its buildings and facilities.The Department of Energy (DOE) is awarding Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) to 16 contractors including electricity utilities, renewable energy companies and heating and ventilation system manufacturers.Under the terms of the scheme, a contractor designs, constructs and raises the financing for an energy saving project and has to guarantee that the work undertaken will generate energy savings.
Hans De Keulenaer

Energy Efficiency Information Grants | bulletpoint - 0 views

  • The Energy Efficiency Information Grants Program will assist industry associations and non-profit organisations provide practical, tailored energy efficiency information to SMEs and community organisations. The objective of the Energy Efficiency Information Grants Program is to empower SMEs and community organisations to make informed decisions about energy efficiency.
Hans De Keulenaer

Accenture Study: Selling Energy Efficiency to Consumers Isn't Going to Be Easy | Energy... - 2 views

  • The report identifies five key findings, as follows: There is a significant contradiction between consumer perceptions and their actual knowledge of energy efficiency. Consumers’ first instinct is to contact utilities/electricity providers for energy-efficiency activities, but providers still need to build trust and credibility. While prices remain a key factor to adoption, the extent of the utilities’/providers’ control over energy use has emerged as a potential barrier. Channels and contact points for utilities/electricity providers to communicate with consumers are diverse. Adoption of electricity management programs is influenced by fragmented and nontraditional consumer preferences.
Colin Bennett

EERE News: Report: Efficiency Could Cut Growth in U.S. Energy Use in Half - 0 views

  • An aggressive pursuit of energy efficiency in the United States over the next 18 years could cut the nation's growth in energy use by 50% or more, according to a new report. The report, "Vision for 2025: Developing a Framework for Change," was prepared by the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency Leadership Group, which comprises more than 60 leading organizations, with DOE and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) acting as facilitators. The report sets a goal of achieving all cost-effective energy efficiency improvements throughout the United States by 2025. If that goal is achieved, the nation will spend $100 billion less for energy in 2025 than it would otherwise and will avoid emitting 500 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. The nation will also achieve $500 billion in net savings from its energy efficiency investments.
Hans De Keulenaer

Breakthrough on energy efficiency deal - 2 views

  • ALDE MEP Fiona Hall (UK, Liberal Democrats), who took part in the negotiations with Member States on the Energy Efficiency Directive on behalf of the Liberals and Democrats, has welcomed the deal brokered last night. Commenting on the deal, she said: "Although the text in Article 6 on the energy efficiency obligation schemes is not as strong as the Parliament wanted, it is an important achievement that for the first time ever Member States will have to have a long term strategy with policy and measures in place for dealing with the energy efficiency of their buildings. "In addition, the Parliament secured an early review of the deal in 2016 including of the exemptions that currently weaken Article 6. "Thanks to the changes insisted upon by the Parliament, the directive will now achieve 17% of the 20% energy efficiency savings needed by 2020 - as compared to less than 15% before last night.
Hans De Keulenaer

Overinvesting in energy efficiency, on purpose | Grist - 0 views

  • It’s worth noting that there are other views of the situation. Late last week I talked with University of Toronto professor Danny Harvey, author of a set of comprehensive textbooks on energy demand and clean energy supply. He says Baksi/Green’s conclusion on energy intensity is “complete nonsense.” He’s done some detailed modeling and believes that “between now and 2050, we can average 3 or 4 percent [decline in global energy intensity] a year,” and thereby reducing total energy use. The efforts required would be heroic, but within the realm of possibility.
Colin Bennett

ApplianceMagazine.com | Sustainability in Home Appliances - Europe Report - 0 views

  • The buzzword these days is sustainability. A few years ago, this meant responsibility in a broader sense. Now, the focus is more on actual products. So, which alternatives can the industry offer to the appliance industry’s well-known products? And are these actually large, revolutionary steps? In white-good appliances, there are several alternatives. Europeans switched to high-efficiency horizontal-drum washers a long time ago—a revolutionary technology that left little room for improvement. The next big step might be to heat the water with gas instead of electricity. Martin Elektrotechnik is one German company that offers an automatic external water selector. It detects activation of the heating element and switches accordingly. However, at 285 euros, sales have been limited. The same unit can also be used for the dishwasher. The clothes dryer is another story. These appliances use 3–4 kWh per run, and there are more-efficient alternatives—the gas dryer and the heat pump dryer. Europe has a few gas dryer manufacturers, including UK-based Crosslee with its White Knight brand and Miele. Despite the advantages of efficiency and shorter drying time, they have not caught on in the larger marketplace. They only come as vented units, not as condenser units, and connecting the gas is just too much of a hurdle for many consumers, even when there is a click-on gas connector system available. Heat pump dryers are relatively new. Electrolux started in 1997 with an almost hand-built model under their premium, environmentally oriented AEG brand. At a price point of 1500 euros, even wealthy German consumers would not buy many of them. In 2005, the company started selling a redesigned model, called Öko-Lavatherm. It claimed energy savings up to 40% for around 700 euros, which is more in line with the cost of other premium models. Other manufacturers of heat pump dryers include Blomberg, the German brand owned by Turkish market leader Arçelik, and Swiss Schulthess. In cooling, there have been no large breakthroughs. Years ago, there was talk of vacuum-insulated panels, but no models were produced. Instead, there have been a number of smaller-scale efficiency improvements, and today, the industry suggests that consumers simply buy new, extraefficient models. AEG offers a typical case: a 300-L cooler/freezer in the A++ efficiency class now uses only 200 kWh per year, whereas a 10-year-old model used as much as 500 kWh. And what about the heating industry? Remember that in chilly Europe, heating is the largest energy user. The advice here is almost the same as for white-good appliances—just replace old equipment. There are still many noncondenser boilers on the market and a significant percentage of houses are insufficiently insulated. German Vaillant is calling its efficiency initiative "Generation Efficiency." But, like the home appliances market, progress is gradual. Current boilers are already highly efficient. Other technologies, such as solar panels, combined heat-and-power units, and heat pumps, catch on more slowly. Still, there were 1.1 million renewable energy units sold in Europe in 2006 compared with 440,000 just two years earlier. Some of the company’s smaller steps forward were seen at ISH. The small Vaillant ecoCOMPACT combiboiler now has a high-efficiency pump, which is said to reduce electricity use by 50%. Hot water output is higher for user comfort, and there are new modules for remote access for better preventive service. The main obstacle for customers wanting a heat pump is the installation, as sometimes complex drilling is needed. Vaillant solved that issue by taking over a drilling company and offers all of the services for a fixed price, just like its competitor, BBT Thermotechnik. Across the board, it seems manufacturers continue their efforts toward sustainability. The question now seems to be whether or not consumers will take advantage of the technology.
Hans De Keulenaer

Environment and business groups call for Australian action on energy efficiency | Energ... - 0 views

  • “Australia is an energy-efficiency laggard among developed nations and if the Government is to deliver on its election promise of putting Australia ‘at the forefront of OECD energy efficiency improvement’ it needs decisive efficiency initiatives in addition to an emissions trading scheme,”
  • The paper indicates that Australia has largely untapped its energy saving potential – up to around 70% in the residential and commercial sector and up to 46% in the manufacturing sector.
Hans De Keulenaer

International Energy Agency - Energy Publications - 0 views

  • Improvements in energy efficiency over the past three decades have played a key role in limiting global increases in energy use and CO2 emissions. For IEA countries, energy efficiency gains since 1990 have led to annual energy savings of more than 16 EJ in 2005 and 1.3 Gt of avoided CO2 emissions. However, the recent rate of efficiency improvement has been much lower than in the past. The good news is that a large potential remains for further energy and CO2 savings across all sectors. In industry alone, the application of proven technologies and best practices on a global scale could save between 1.9 Gt and 3.2 Gt of CO2 emissions per year. In public power generation, if all countries produced electricity at current best practice levels, CO2 savings would be between 1.8 Gt and 2.5 Gt.
Hans De Keulenaer

European Parliament calls for adoption of energy efficiency target | Energy Efficiency ... - 0 views

  • The European Parliament has overwhelmingly backed a comprehensive energy plan for the region, including a 35% improvement in energy efficiency.A large majority of MEPs voted to endorse the EU’s Second Strategic Energy Review, which was proposed by the EC in November last year.The proposals form the basis of Europe’s ’20-20-20’ policy which aims to cut CO2 and energy use by 20% by 2020, and increase renewables by 20%.
Hans De Keulenaer

- | TED - Training Education Development - REEEP - Renewable Energy and Energy Efficien... - 0 views

  • TED was initiated by REEEP (Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership) as a registry of available courses and training in the field of renewable energy and energy efficiency. The Catalogue currently contains a brief description and contact information of more than 400 courses, educational, vocational and university, on renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Hans De Keulenaer

Appliance Efficiency and Long-Run Energy Demand | Precourt Energy Efficiency Center (PE... - 1 views

  • This project will examine how people make decisions about appliance purchases and the effect that these choices have on energy demand. Currently, approximately half of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions are attributable to residential appliance use. However, consumers can reduce their long-run energy needs by replacing old appliances with ones that are more energy efficient. It is not surprising, then, that efficiency standards have been the cornerstone of U.S. energy conservation efforts to date. Unfortunately, the effect of these standards on appliance purchase behavior is not well understood. There are two primary reasons why. Current datasets lack crucial information, and even with appropriate data it is difficult to accurately model the dynamic aspect of appliance purchase behavior. This project addresses both of these issues.
Hans De Keulenaer

OpEdNews » How Much Electricity Does It take To Replace Gasoline? - 0 views

  • That is, the energy in all the gasoline consumed is about 5,200 billion kilowatt-hours. So is that how much electricity we need? No! It turns out that electric vehicles are far more energy efficient! A gasoline-powered vehicle does good to average 15% energy efficiency. I know this from taking actual measurements while doing research for my first book. A plug-in electric car, however, can easily maintain 60% energy efficiency. Since the electric car is 4 times as efficient, it only needs 1/4 as much energy to go a mile. That means we can divide the total energy used by a gasoline-powered car to see how much electricity it would need to go the same distance.
Hans De Keulenaer

Energy Efficiency Coalition to Enforce Standards Globally - REEEP - The Renewable Energ... - 0 views

  • In February 2008, the Mexican environment minister announced that 30,000 environmentally-friendly homes are to be built by 2011. The new housing is to be equipped with smart devices like solar water heating, low-energy lighting, high-efficiency appliances and low-flow plumbing fixtures. This pioneering project is to be rolled out in subsequent years as Mexico’s plan for 20 million new homes over the next 20 years starts to unfold, using new building standards to allow energy efficient construction to be applied consistently in each housing development.
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