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Green Jobs for Americans Coming Right Up
In the past month, four wind turbine parts manufacturers have announced plans to put factories in the heartland, otherwise known as the wind belt. New factories in Arkansas and Iowa will make turbine blades. Two others in Indiana and Minnesota will make gearboxes, which control a turbine’s rotational speed. In the past month, four wind turbine parts manufacturers have announced plans to put factories in the heartland, otherwise known as th... more
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Tell Obama and McCain we need clean energy not 'clean coal'
You can send a message direct to the campaigns by signing at this site. Tell both Obama and McCain campaigns that their misrepresentation of "clean coal" is only hurting the progress we should be making on the climate crisis. It is we who must set the agenda, and the agenda now to save our planet and ourselves is renewable energy.
From the site:
During the Vice Presidential debate, both Senator Biden and Governor Palin touted their support for "clean coal". But both presidential campaigns and Congress are missing the point: Conventional coal-burning power plants are the leading cause of global warming pollution in the United States. "Clean Coal" is a myth--a contradiction in terms. Coal companies claim they can develop coal plants at some point in the distant future that will capture and sequester carbon pollution. But carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) is unproven and exorbitantly expensive.
We need real solutions, not coal industry myths. Use the form below to send a message to both Presidential campaigns: We need clean, green energy now! You can send a message direct to the campaigns by signing at this site. Tell both Obama and McCain campaigns that their misrepresentat... more -
Eco-Video: This human-powered Car drives 60 miles an hour!!
video clip: A fully-manual 4-people-powered: HumanCar -- check out this CNN News video clip on the -- ‘geometry prototype,’ which has been so successful that no changes have been required.
It features a bi-lateral human power interface and front passenger body-steering capabilities. The vehicle is also designed to go up to 60 miles and hour...'we'll take two please: video clip: A fully-manual 4-people-powered: HumanCar -- check out this CNN News video clip on the -- ‘geometry prototype,’ which has ... more -
We want green jobs now
The sooner we become self sufficient as a nation the sooner we can 'buy' our country back from it's lenders (foreign natioins).
We need 'Green Jobs' now. Wind energy, solar energy and natural gas will help end the massive outflow of money overseas and keep it here on our soil.
Vote for the candidate that stimulates the economy with wind energy, solar energy and natural gas. The sooner we become self sufficient as a nation the sooner we can 'buy' our country back from it's lenders (foreign na... more -
New study: American cause and - and could cure - most US emissions
'It's easy to mock little efforts to save the environment: reusing grocery bags, buying a Prius, putting an energy-efficient refrigerator in an energy-eating mansion,' says the Wall Street Journal.
While most 'arguments' are aimed at - 'big industrial companies that spew millions of tons of heat-trapping gases every year.'
American consumers actually 'have more influence over climate change than they might think.'
'US consumers have direct or indirect control over 65% of the country's greenhouse-gas emissions, according to new statistics tallied by consultant McKinsey & Co. The figure for consumers in the rest of the world is just 43%. Americans, largely because of how they drive and how they build and use their homes and offices, lead some of the most energy-intensive lives in the world.'
'It's hardly surprising that Americans burn more energy than their counterparts elsewhere in the world. With just 5% of the world's population, the U.S. burns 23% of the world's oil. What's striking about the McKinsey numbers is less the size of America's "carbon footprint" than its makeup.' ... 'It's easy to mock little efforts to save the environment: reusing grocery bags, buying a Prius, putting an energy-efficient... more -
Racing to clear the Air for Green Roofs in Cincinnati!
CINCINNATI -- The power that be 'want to see more green roofs on building tops in Cincinnati,' says the associated press.
The City Council this week became -- 'the first in Ohio with a plan to channel grants and loans to residents and businesses to replace tar and shingles with vegetation.'
With jobs going greener and greener Ohio smartly wants -- 'to see Cincinnati become a leader in green roofs, a European-born movement that has spread to only a few U.S. cities, including Chicago, Milwaukee and Seattle.'
'They say the greenery not only is pleasing aesthetically but reduces stormwater runoff, filters pollutants and cuts heating and cooling costs.'
They noted -- 'several barriers to widespread acceptance in the United States, including lack of government incentives or tax breaks.'
"What the city of Cincinnati is doing is the largest effort I have heard of," said one Green expert. "It will be interesting to watch that and see how it works." (more green stuff on ecorific.com) CINCINNATI -- The power that be 'want to see more green roofs on building tops in Cincinnati,' says the associated press. ... more -
Biden's clean-coal critique has Democrats scrambling
Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden appeared to undermine Barack Obama's backing of clean-coal technology when he told voters in Maumee last week that neither he nor Obama "are supporting clean coal."
In a video circulated today by Republican John McCain's presidential campaign, Biden made his comment as he mingled with the crowd when a woman voter asked him about clean coal. Biden told the women, "We're not supporting clean coal. Guess what? China's building two every week. Two dirty coal plants. And it's polluting the United States. It's causing people to die."
When the same voter asked if Biden supports wind and solar energy, the senator said: "Absolutely. Before anybody did." But then Biden added that China is "going to burn 300 years of bad coal unless we figure out how to clean their coal up."
"No coal plants here in America," Biden, a Democratic senator from Delaware, told the woman. "Build them, if they're going to build them over there (in China), make them clean because they're killing you."
Republicans pounced on Biden's comments, which left Obama's aides scrambling to control political damage in the coal-rich states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia.
"I think Sen. Biden over the years has been an opponent of coal, and he basically said he doesn't want any coal plants," Sen. George V. Voinovich, R-Ohio, told reporters in a conference call arranged by the McCain campaign. "I don't think he really understands that we have 250 years of coal in this country, and it would be ridiculous not to use that supply."
Biden's comments came as he shook hands with voters along a rope line that separated the candidate from voters.
His words either were a verbal gaffe or reflect a split with Obama, the Democratic presidential nominee.
Obama, in his acceptance speech last month in Denver, pledged to "invest in clean-coal technology."
The Obama campaign dispatched Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Va., a longtime backer of clean-coal technology, to assure reporters that Obama is a "true friend of coal."
Obama in 2005 voted for the energy bill that included $1.8 billion in federal money to help develop ways to burn coal without emitting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is believed to contribute to global warming.
Boucher, who chairs the House subcommittee on energy and air quality, said that McCain voted against that 2005 energy bill. McCain argued that it included generous tax breaks to the oil industry.
Gov. Ted Strickland also noted in a separate conference call that Obama hails from the coal-producing state of Illinois. Strickland said he has discussed with Obama the importance of coal to southern and southeastern Ohio.
"I think the implication that an Obama-Biden ticket would be anti-coal is just simply false," Strickland said. "I think the coal industry has a friend in Sen. Obama." Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden appeared to undermine Barack Obama's backing of clean-coal technology when he to... more -
A plan for creating two million green jobs in two years
The U.S. holds the potential to generate two million jobs in two years with a $100 billion investment in cleantech, according to new report.
"Green Recovery: A Program to Create Good Jobs and Start Building a Low-Carbon Economy" describes a green recovery program that could lay the foundation for sustainable economic growth while boosting the country's energy security. The program calls for $100 billion worth of tax credits, government spending and federal loan guarantees to cut unemployment and spur growth in six cleantech and efficiency areas.
"We can be certain that the green recovery program will serve as a strong counter-force against pressures that are currently pushing unemployment up as well as more broadly increasing economic disparities," the report said. "The green infrastructure investments proposed here will also generate significant long-term advances toward creating the clean energy economy we need."
The program targets building retrofits, expansion of mass transit and freight rail, wind and solar power, biofuels and constructing a smart electrical grid.
The package would break down into three investment streams: $50 billion in tax credits to give private businesses and property owners access to building retrofits and renewable energy systems; $46 billion in direct government spending on mass transit expansion, smart electrical grid and public building retrofits; and $4 billion in federal loan guarantees to help finance renewable energy and building retrofits.
Spending the money in these areas would create four times as many jobs as investing an equal amount in the oil industry, and triple the number of jobs paying more than $16 an hour, the report found. It also would lower the unemployment rate from 5.7 percent to 4.4 percent and offset the 800,000 jobs lost in the construction sector.
Some jobs would be found in specialized areas, such as installing solar panels, but most would include existing jobs already being performed throughout the U.S. For instance, investment in wind power generation could create jobs for environmental engineers, iron and steel workers, truck drivers and machinists. Growth in second-generation biofuels may drive demand for chemists, agricultural supervisors and blending machine operators.
The report suggests raising the money by auctioning carbon permits in a national greenhouse gas cap-and-trade program.
Researchers from the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst prepared the report on behalf of the Center for American Progress.
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Another article on this topic:
http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/blogs/s... The U.S. holds the potential to generate two million jobs in two years with a $100 billion investment in cleantech, according to new r... more -
Energy at near grid-parity
Everyone's favorite thin-film solar start-up, NanoSolar, just keeps proving how awesome they are. First they take manage to take their technology from the lab to commercial scale fairly inexpensively. Then they start selling solar panels that can produce energy at near grid-parity. Now they've announced that they've got $300 M to expand their production.
I suppose it's not a surprise, if what they're saying about their technology is true. Indeed, they can't produce panels fast enough to sell them. Right now, the only thing keeping their prices high is that they can't fill demand.
Thin film solar was a $2 B market this year, but it's expected to grow to $22 B by 2015. So we shouldn't be surprised that investors are excited to dump money into these projects.
This investment in Nanosolar isn't being used to develop technology. As exciting as new technologies are, developing the capacity for new technologies to have a real impact on the world is even cooler. The investment will increase Nanosolar's production capacity for ultility-scale solar plants. Everyone's favorite thin-film solar start-up, NanoSolar, just keeps proving how awesome they are. First they take manage to take ... more -
Gore: Hey, I believe in recycling, but that’s ridiculous.
Okay, no more complaints the Dems aren’t talking climate change (see “Should you freak out at the lack of air time for climate change in Denver — or Minneapolis?“). Al Gore globally warmed the crowd in a terrific speech (be sure to read to the end where he compares Obama’s experience to Lincoln’s).
Gore pointed out that if he had won in 2000:
… we would not be denying the climate crisis; we’d be solving it.
Today, we face essentially the same choice we faced in 2000, though it may be even more obvious now, because John McCain, a man who has earned our respect on many levels, is now openly endorsing the policies of the Bush-Cheney White House and promising to actually continue them, the same policies all over again.
Hey, I believe in recycling, but that’s ridiculous.
And Gore took on McCain’s walking away from mandatory caps (see “McCain opposes ‘mandatory’ carbon limits“) and cozying up to Big Oil (see “You’ve heard of ‘polluters pay’? So has McCain.“:
Oil company profits, as you know, have soared to record levels, and gasoline prices have gone through the roof, and we are more dependent than ever on dirty and dangerous fossil fuels. Many scientists predict — shockingly — that the entire North Polar ice cap may be completely gone during summer months during the first term of the next president. Sea levels are rising; fires are raging; storms are stronger. Military experts warn us our national security is threatened by massive waves of climate refugees destabilizing countries around the world, and scientists tell us the very web of life is endangered by unprecedented extinctions.
We are facing a planetary emergency, which, if not solved, would exceed anything we’ve ever experienced in the history of humankind.
In spite of John McCain’s past record of open-mindedness and leadership on the climate crisis, he has now apparently allowed his party to browbeat him into abandoning his support of mandatory caps on global warming pollution.
And then he turned to focus on clean energy:
And it just so happens that the climate crisis is intertwined with the other two great challenges facing our nation: reviving our economy and strengthening our national security. The solutions to all three require us to end our dependence on carbon-based fuels.
Instead of letting lobbyists and polluters control our destiny, we need to invest in American innovation.
Almost a hundred years ago, Thomas Edison, our most famous inventor, said, “I’d put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power!” he continued. “I hope we don’t have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that.” Okay, no more complaints the Dems aren’t talking climate change (see “Should you freak out at the lack of air time for climate change ... more -
Foodmakers won't be rushing to irradiate greens - USATODAY.com
Don't expect to find irradiated spinach and lettuce in your supermarket any time soon, even though federal regulators have given the food industry permission to sell it.
Several hurdles will discourage immediate widespread adoption, including cost, lack of irradiation facilities, concerns about how well it will work and whether consumers will buy produce that's been irradiated to kill dangerous bugs such as E. coli.
"Right now, it's not cost-effective," says David Gombas, senior vice president of the United Fresh Produce Association. "It'll take time and money to make it practical."
The Food and Drug Administration last week started allowing foodmakers to irradiate iceberg lettuce and spinach, saying data showed no harm to consumers or the products' nutritional values. The leafy greens join a dozen other foods that can be irradiated to kill pathogens, including meat, poultry, spices and some shellfish.
But most U.S. irradiation facilities treat medical products, and only a handful are set up for food. That means processors will have to pay to ship produce hundreds of miles to be irradiated — losing precious shelf life in the process, Gombas says. Don't expect to find irradiated spinach and lettuce in your supermarket any time soon, even though federal regulators have given ... more -
Pickens in a pickle
I interviewed the billionaire conservative oilman for Salon. My article and the interview are now online here. My goal was not to trip him up with the flaws in his plan, but just explore some of the key issues, especially the role of government in making it happen.
Talking to him it is clear he is very genuinely concerned about the impoverishment we face on our current laissez-faire energy path — a $10 trillion transfer of weath from Americans to rest of the world over the next decade, ending with $300 a barrel oil.
But I simply couldn’t get him to acknowledge that or all his claims that his proposal is nonpartisan, it is his fellow conservatives who stand in the way of achieving his dream. The subtitle of the piece tells the story: “The oil tycoon’s support of John McCain for president demonstrates that his heavily advertised plan for wind power is only hot air.”
Pickens says “The government’s going to have to provide corridors to transmit the wind energy to the east and west coast… Second you need to put a 10-year production tax credit.”
I couldn’t agree more. But then again, I’m not in Congress. So I asked him the obvious political question: If you looked at the votes in the last year that have held up just a one-year extension of the production tax credit, the vast majority of Republicans have consistently voted against that, while the vast majority of Democrats voted for it. “So let me ask you, how do we, how do we get Republicans to support that kind of investment in renewables.” I interviewed the billionaire conservative oilman for Salon. My article and the interview are now online here. My goal was not to trip... more -
Wind energy bumps into power grid’s limits
MATTHEW L. WALD, The Energy Challenge @ The New York Times, August 27, 2008
When the builders of the Maple Ridge Wind farm spent $320 million to put nearly 200 wind turbines in upstate New York, the idea was to get paid for producing electricity. But at times, regional electric lines have been so congested that Maple Ridge has been forced to shut down even with a brisk wind blowing.
That is a symptom of a broad national problem. Expansive dreams about renewable energy, like Al Gore’s hope of replacing all fossil fuels in a decade, are bumping up against the reality of a power grid that cannot handle the new demands.
The dirty secret of clean energy is that while generating it is getting easier, moving it to market is not. MATTHEW L. WALD, The Energy Challenge @ The New York Times, August 27, 2008 ... more -
U.S. Renewable Energy Growth Accelerates
Renewable energy markets surged in the United States in the first half of this year despite uncertainty over federal tax credits and a sluggish national economy, according to mid-year figures.
Wind, solar, and geothermal energy are all on the rise. At least 17,000 megawatts (MW) of these three energy sources are now under construction. According to the Energy Information Administration, renewable energy will account for about one-third of new electricity generation added to the U.S. grid over the next three years.
Wind energy is leading the way with 19,500 MW of installed capacity at mid-year, including more than 1,000 MW added in the last six months. The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) second-quarter report [PDF] predicts that total additions for the year will come to 7,500 MW, boosting U.S. wind capacity by 45 percent. In Texas alone, more than 4,200 MW of wind capacity has been installed this year or is currently under construction. Iowa is in second place with 1,770 MW.
Geothermal energy is expanding as well, although at a slower rate. Nearly 3,000 MW is currently on-line and about 4,000 MW is under development, the U.S. Geothermal Energy Association said in its August report [PDF]. Nevada is the hotbed for U.S. geothermal, with as much as 1,900 MW in different phases of development. At a government auction last week, a record $28.2 million of leases was sold for geothermal energy exploration, which suggests that additional projects may soon begin.
While U.S. solar energy data for 2008 are not yet available, last year's Solar Energy Industries Association report [PDF] said demand for photovoltaic (PV) panels, concentrated solar plants, and solar water heaters continues to expand. An additional 150 MW of PV panels were installed last year, 45 percent more than in 2006. Less than 500 MW of concentrated solar power - utility-scale solar plants that use mirrors to produce heat for power generation - is operational, but another 4,000 MW is in the works.
The accelerated growth of renewable energy projects is a response to the powerful combination of high energy prices and growing state government support. In addition, fears that Congress will not renew the federal tax credits before they expire at the end of this year have led developers to rush to connect their projects to the grid by December 31. The tax credits are crucial for renewables industries to remain competitive with the fossil fuel industries that receive regular government support.
"The pipeline of investment for 2009 has been on hold for months, with escalating risks and costs for the industry," said Randall Swisher, executive director of AWEA, in a prepared statement. Both major political parties support extension of the tax credits, but debate over how to make up for the estimated $8.2 billion loss in tax revenues has resulted in a stalemate between the parties.
Swisher's organization said this year's surge in installed wind capacity will likely enable the United States to surpass Germany as the world leader in wind power by the end of the year. Germany has installed more than 22,000 MW of wind power, almost 24 percent of the world total.
In the meantime, China has laid claim to the world's fastest growing wind industry and is on track to surpass the U.S. in the next few years. China currently has 10,000 MW of wind capacity installed, and this is expected to double by 2010. Renewable energy markets surged in the United States in the first half of this year despite uncertainty over federal tax credits and a... more -
Low-Energy Transpo System to be Tested in Japan - GoodCleanTech
Many of you might know that trains are a major means of transportation in Japan. This train-like new type of transportation system however, isn't a train at all, but rather a roller coaster-like system which is low on energy consumption. Called the Eco Ride, it's a lightweight urban transpo system which test line would be constructed in Chiba Prefecture, Japan starting October, 2008.
According to Nikkei, Eco Ride resembles a roller coaster in that the railway features installed drive units at various points that pull the cars up to provide the needed energy. Eco Ride, which has a capacity of 2,000 to 2,500 passengers per hour and an average speed of 20-30km/h, uses an energy value of 226.8kJ per passenger-km which is reportedly half of that used by trains and a third of that used by buses. Aside from having the capacity to save energy though, construction could cost only US$18.2-22.7 million, which is 1/10th of the average costs for a small subway system. Many of you might know that trains are a major means of transportation in Japan. This train-like new type of transportation system how... more -
New Energy Economy and Green Jobs
The following op-ed ran in the Denver Post yesterday by John Podesta, president of the Center for American Progress and former chief of staff to President Bill Clinton, and Timothy Wirth, president of the UN Foundation, who represented Colorado in the U.S. House and Senate from 1975 to 1992.
The key paragraphs recognize that energy is the essential issue facing this country:
The Democratic Party platform recognizes the energy opportunity in its section on “Investing in American Competitiveness” — but it does not go far enough. The size and urgency of this task require a president willing to make it the top domestic priority in the White House — not pigeonholed as an energy initiative or environmental initiative or even as a security initiative, but made the centerpiece of his economic agenda. Indeed, it will demand that the president refocus the mission and responsibility of all relevant government agencies and convene them in a new National Energy Council in the White House.... The following op-ed ran in the Denver Post yesterday by John Podesta, president of the Center for American Progress and former chief o... more -
Prioritze the 3 R's
Hopefully, most, if not all, of us know that in order to reduce material waste and help conserve raw materials we ought to follow the three R’s: reduce, reuse, and recycle. The overall goal of the three R’s is to get people to consume and throw away less, but the best known of the them, “recycle”, isn’t about throwing less materials away, but rather converting waste material into a useful resource.
Recycling is a valuable member of the three R’s and it’s essential that all of us practice it more and practice it better. However, recycling needs to be a third line of defense rather than the sum total of your family’s waste reduction effort. First and foremost, “reduce” by using less in the first place. Before you buy anything, ask yourself 1) if you really need it, 2) if you already have something similar that will fill your need, and 3) if you could buy something slightly different that would use fewer materials or resources (e.g. buy nonperishable food in bulk).
Your second priority ought to be “reuse”. Before you toss something out, consider whether it could be reusable. A good washing might be all that’s needed to give something a second chance at life. Once you’ve exhausted the “reduce” and “reuse” recourses then it’s time to turn to recycling. If something’s gotta go, then it’s gotta go, but if that thing is recyclable, then it’s gotta go in your recycling bin. You can also try to buy good packaged only in recyclable materials. Hopefully, most, if not all, of us know that in order to reduce material waste and help conserve raw materials we ought to follow the ... more -
Turning Grey Into Green: Greywater Recycling Systems
First a word about something called "greywater". Greywater is basically washwater. As homeowners, we make a lot of it each day. It's all wastewater excepting toilet wastes and food wastes derived from garbage grinders. Homeowners make a lot of it each day, and no surprise, it can be re-used in your home for toilet flushing and watering gardens. Good for you, your water bill and good for the environmentespecially in drought stricken parts of the country where water is scarce. Especially when the Georgia Environmental Protection Division has recently declared a level four drought for sixty-one counties in the state.
The greywater technology, in this case a "Brac System", is designed to receive greywater -- that's water coming from your bath, shower, laundry and air conditioner. The greywater is filtered and treated bythe system, then sent on-demand for toilet flushing. By using recycled greywater for toilet flushing instead of using potable water, a typical homeowner can save 30% or more on water consumption. Most homes generate more greywater than what is needed for toilet flushing. The excess greywater is drained into the home’s sewer line, or it can be used with an irrigation system on your yard or garden. Due to plumbing considerations, this particular Brac System is more easily installed during new construction or major renovations of homes. This particular greywater recycling system was named by Sustainable Industries Magazine to its list of “Top 10 Green Building Products 2007”.
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In this case, a 53 gallon (two hundred liter) unit was installed in the home of Christine and Curt Mann by Mark Spencer of Sautee, Georgia. The Mann’s home is a meticulously renovated 1920s-era residence in Atlanta’s historic Grant Park neighborhood. Roger Cone of Southern Energy Solutions says that this Brac Greywater Recycling System is the first of its kind to be installed in Atlanta.
This is the first Brac Greywater Recycling System installed in the city of Atlanta, Georgia. The City of Atlanta Bureau of Buildings approved the system. First a word about something called "greywater". Greywater is basically washwater. As homeowners, we make a lot of it each d... more -
Planet friendly plastic an oxymoron or an answer?
Any environmental documentary from the last ten years paints plastic bags as an evil plague on the modern world, throttling wildlife, contaminating the Earth and beating up Captain Planet while giving the finger to endangered species. And they're right, which is what makes recent advances in biodegradable plastics so interesting.
Unwanted plastic buildup is so severe that governments across the globe have passed laws banning free plastic bags, and because the average supermarket chain is slightly less rich than a petrochemical country these laws are actually enforced. Millions who've had to balance precarious piles of groceries on the walk home might be pleased to hear about the biodegradable plastic being researched at the University of Hawaii.
Plastic_ocean_trash Fermenting corn run-off with bacteria might sound like something farmers would do during Prohibition (or in Alabama), but it could be major commercial process in the future. The billion-scrabble-points polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA to its friends) isn't just biodegradable - it can be made by recycling the waste products of corn-ethanol production, the process releases a quarter of the CO2 of regular plastic production and requires only half the energy. The Hawaii based team are working on streamlining the process to reduce the waste emissions still further, possibly because where they can't afford for things to get any hotter. They could only play the environmentally-friendly card harder if the press release had been printed on hemp.
The CO2 reduction is a major media-friendly point, but it's important to remember that less CO2 is only "less worse", not "actually good overall." Still, the chance for our century to be remembered as something other than a solid layer of shopping bags embedded in the Earth's crust is a major plus.
Posted by Luke McKinney. Image -plastic trash in Pacific. Any environmental documentary from the last ten years paints plastic bags as an evil plague on the modern world, throttling wildlife, ... more -
Your TV should not be a couch potato too
The California Energy Commission is considering a proposal by PG&E to require televisions sold in the state to meet a minimum efficiency standard. Why is a utility proposing its customers by more efficient appliances? Because California allows utilities to earn a return on investment from negawatts (see Energy efficiency, Part 4).
PG&E’s proposal begins by plotting the power consumption (in Watts) of existing TVs against screen size and finding a linear fit. They then look at the most efficient (least power consumption) at a given size, and propose a cut-off formula based on screen size:
Native Vertical Resolution Tier 1: Effective 2011 Tier 2: Effective 2013
≤480 (i.e. non-HD) PMAX = 0.12*A + 25 PMAX = 0.12*A + 25
>480 (i.e. HD) PMAX = 0.20*A + 32 PMAX = 0.12*A + 25
California has kept its per-capita power consumption flat since the late 1970s. Appliance efficiency standards (Title 20) have been one component of its tactics.
The expected power savings are large. Today’s average 38-inch LCD draws 175W, but this would fall to 125W in 2011, and 103W in 2013. (125W would be low enough that you could power your TV with a Pedal-A-Watt.) Statewide the savings are significant:
For First-Year Sales After Entire Stock Turnover
Scenario Coincident Peak Demand Reduction (MW) Annual Energy Savings (GWh/yr)
Coincident Peak Demand Reduction (MW)
Annual Energy Savings (GWh/yr)
Tier 1 33 349 362 3,831
Tier 2 23 243 253 2,684
Tier 1 and 2 combined 56 593 615 6,516
The Consumer Electronics Association has submitted a counter-proposal to the CEC. They would substitute labeling and an educational campaign for efficiency standards.
–Earl K. The California Energy Commission is considering a proposal by PG&E to require televisions sold in the state to meet a minimum effi... more
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