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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 ...
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.
Colin Bennett

Improving Efficiency And Cutting Emissions With Gas Turbine Technologies - 0 views

  • Replacing older oil-fired technology at the site, the gas turbines will increase the plant's efficiency and reduce its environmental impact in line with the Portuguese government's regulation to promote efficiency and reduce carbon dioxide emissions (Fig.1). Approved in January 2010 and in support of the European Union cogeneration directive, a new Portuguese law will regulate cogeneration on a national level.
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    "Replacing older oil-fired technology at the site, the gas turbines will increase the plant's efficiency and reduce its environmental impact in line with the Portuguese government's regulation to promote efficiency and reduce carbon dioxide emissions (Fig.1). Approved in January 2010 and in support of the European Union cogeneration directive, a new Portuguese law will regulate cogeneration on a national level."
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

Energy Efficiency of Induction Machines: A Critical Assessment - 0 views

  • In this work, some fundamental aspects concerning the efficiency of induction machines are treated. The standards and the therein prescribed methods for the determination of the energy efficiency of induction machines are discussed. A detailed comparison of the four most relevant and recent methods identifies the differences. By means of measurement results of different machines, the differences between and the shortcomings of certain methods is confirmed. In that context, special attention is paid to the new, so-called ‘Eh-Y’ method. A concise overview of the most important points of attention for an increased efficiency of motor drives en the role of the induction motor (efficiency) in this context is completed with some examples. The difference between motor and generator mode is discussed and explained based on measurement results of machines of different size and efficiency class. Special attention is paid to the behaviour and performance of induction machines supplied by unbalanced voltages. More specifically it is investigated if and how the susceptibility to voltage asymmetry is influenced by material choice, in which the main focus lies on copper rotor technology. Therefore, the different standards for the description and quantification of voltage unbalance are studied first. The theoretical discussion is backed-up with experimental results of several machines.
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.
Hans De Keulenaer

Is underfloor heating energy efficient? - 1 views

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    According to the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Savers website, radiant heating has a number of advantages over other forms of heat distribution: "It is more efficient than baseboard heating and usually more efficient than forced-air heating ...
Colin Bennett

Rail Efficiencies - 0 views

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    Environmental organizations and sustainability advocates routinely assert that energy consumption for passenger rail is much "greener" than driving or flying. But Tables 2.13 and 2.14 (summarized in 2.12, above) in the Department of Energy's Transportation Energy Data Book #27 indicate that existing Amtrak intercity passenger rail is only 25% more efficient than the fleet average for cars; furthermore, Amtrak is only 19% more efficient than air travel!
Colin Bennett

IBM, Harvard Launch Distributed-Computing Search for Super-Efficient Solar Cells - 0 views

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    IBM and researchers from Harvard University launched a joint effort today to identify more efficient and lower-cost solar cell materials using distributed computing. Leveraging small amounts of computing power from potentially hundreds of thousands of personal computers, this latest addition to the company's World Community Grid platform will process more than 1 million configurations of atoms over the next two years in search of an organic molecule that can be used to make materials for an ultra-efficient plastic photovoltaic cell.
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.
Colin Bennett

Efficiency debate: The pros and cons of consumer electronics - 0 views

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    The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy issued a report yesterday touting the role that semiconductor-based technologies have played in making the U.S. economy more efficient. At the same time, the International Energy Agency issued its own report calling on governments around the world to be more aggressive with efficiency standards for ICT and consumer electronics, which are expected to demand twice as much power by 2022 and three times as much by 2030 - creating a need for another 280 gigawatts of power generation (i.e. like adding another Japan to the world, or more than 230 nuclear reactors). "This will jeopardize efforts to increase energy security and reduce the emission of greenhouse gases," according to an IEA news brief.
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

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

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

Building Energy Efficiency at Six Times the Speed : Greentech Media - 0 views

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    FirstFuel, inverse modeling and speeding up the U.S. utility energy efficiency mandate market. "In the time it takes that entire lifecycle to happen for one building, we're doing 100 buildings, identifying 100 times more opportunities, doing 100 ...
Hans De Keulenaer

Do Energy-Efficient Appliances Really Save You Money? | Zillow Blog - 2 views

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    You've purchased a new energy-efficient washing machine and refrigerator. So, will your utility bill reflect a huge savings?The easy answer is: It depends. It depends on the size and age of the appliance you're replacing, as well as your definiti...
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

The Limits of Energy Efficiency | The Energy Collective - 3 views

  • In fact many commentators and policymakers continue to believe that energy efficiency alone can address much of the CO2 problem – and that it can do so at very low cost (or even negative cost), at least compared to a ‘do nothing case’.  But  any successful policy toward mitigation of CO2 emissions must centre on CO2 pricing. Energy efficiency can only be a contributory factor and, in some circumstances, can even have a negative long-term impact if the centrality of CO2 pricing is not recognised.
Hans De Keulenaer

Energy Efficiency Finance 301: The Growing Popularity of On-Bill Financing | The Energy... - 0 views

  • A promising and growing trend in program design for energy efficiency finance is on-bill financing. This financial mechanism is in many ways uniquely positioned to reduce first-cost barriers in several building markets, some of which have traditionally been underserved by energy efficiency finance.
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