Wind Tops 10 Percent Share of Electricity in Five States

A new picture is emerging in the U.S. power sector. In 2007, electricity generation from coal peaked, dropping by close to 4 percent annually between 2007 and 2011. Over the same time period, nuclear generation fell slightly, while natural gas-fired electricity grew by some 3 percent annually and hydropower by 7 percent. Meanwhile, wind-generated electricity grew by a whopping 36 percent each year. Multiple factors underlie this nascent shift in U.S. electricity production, including the global recession, increasing energy efficiency, and more economically recoverable domestic natural gas. But ultimately it is the increasing attractiveness of wind as an energy source that will drive it into prominence.

Wind power accounted for just 2.9 percent of total electricity generation in the United States in 2011. In five U.S. states, however, 10 percent or more of electricity generation came from wind. South Dakota leads the states, with wind power making up 22 percent of its electricity generation in 2011, up from 14 percent in 2010. In 2011, Iowa generated 19 percent of its electricity with wind energy. And in North Dakota, wind’s share was 15 percent.

Even though the cost of generating electricity from the wind has fallen substantially, certain policies have been needed to help it compete with the longtime support and lack of full-cost accounting for fossil fuels. Through so-called renewable portfolio standards (RPS), 29 states now require a percentage of utilities’ electricity to come from renewables by a certain date. This includes 8 of the top 10 states in total installed wind power capacity.

NO KIDNEY LEFT BEHIND

A Conversation About A New Bill Introduced in Congress

GLENDALE, Calif., – November 1, 2011 – Renal Support Networks’ (RSN), KidneyTalk covers a topic that affects most people who have or are waiting for a kidney transplant. People who have received a kidney transplant who have Medicare will lose their Medicare benefits 36 months post-transplant, if they are not disabled or are not over the age of 65. If a transplant recipient does not have health insurance and/or access to the medications that keep the organ viable, it leaves them at risk of losing their transplant due to rejection. Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D., from Texas, introduced the Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act of 2011 (H.R. 2969) to help transplant recipients have continued access to the life-saving medication.

Lori Hartwell, RSN Founder and host of KidneyTalk, received a kidney transplant herself in February of this year. She has lived through the difficulty of losing a transplanted kidney in the past due to health issues and discusses with Congressman Burgess the unneeded pain and suffering people go through when it happens due to lack of funds to pay the medications.

Congressman Burgess explains why this bill is good policy and a necessity, to save Medicare money and to save patient lives. The Bill needs support and RSN urges the public to contact their representatives support H.R. 2969.

KidneyTalk can be found on Renal Support Network’s website, www.RSNhope.org and is also available as a free download on iTunes.

About Renal Support Network
Renal Support Network is a nonprofit, patient-focused, patient-run organization that provides non-medical services to those affected by chronic kidney disease. Renal Support Network strives to motivate and assist patients in developing their personal coping skills, special talents and employability by educating and empowering them (and their family members) to take control of the course and management of their disease. Renal Support Network values people with kidney disease and helps them become self-sufficient through education, advocacy and hope for a better tomorrow through numerous educational and support programs including the RSN HopeLine, KidneyTalk and KidneySpeak. For more information, please visit www.RSNhope.org.

Green Construction

Net-Zero Energy Buildings Are Coming

In my last post, I wrote about the traveling *Das Haus pavilion, a showcase of German-made sustainable technologies available for homes and offices today. The conference that preceded my tour of the Das Haus exhibit, “The Net-Zero House – Propelling Green Building Concepts into Mainstream,” presented by the German American Chamber of Commerce on February 23, grappled with the thorny subject of how to successfully deploy energy-efficient technology in new and existing buildings.

German Exhibition Showcases Cutting-Edge Sustainable Technology In San Francisco Justin Gerdes Contributor

Powerful Solar Financing Program For Homeowners Gets Reprieve Justin Gerdes Contributor

In the opening keynote, Dan Geiger, Executive Director, U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) – Northern California Chapter, noted that green building has been a bright spot in an otherwise gloomy market. Total construction starts were down 24% in 2009, he said, but “the good news is that green construction is growing like mad.”

Geiger cited figures from McGraw-Hill Construction’s Green Outlook 2011. From 2008 to 2010, he said, the value of green construction increased by 50%. “Within a down market, green is up,” he said. The growth is not limited to new construction. McGraw-Hill predicts three- to five-fold growth in major green retrofit projects from 2010 to 2015. Forty-two percent of businesses surveyed said that net-zero energy building presents a business opportunity.

Geiger also noted the evolution of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) guidelines. Every two or three years, he said, LEED raises the bar. The trajectory of improvement, he said, suggests that LEED Platinum will likely mean net-zero energy construction by 2018; by 2030, LEED Platinum will likely mean “regenerative” buildings.

As usual, California is out front. Geiger mentioned the importance of the state’s celebrated Title 24 building energy efficiency standards, which partly explain why Californians pay 20% less on their electricity bill than the average American. Less well known is that coming rules will push the state much further. By 2020, all new residential construction must be net-zero energy; by 2030, the same applies for new commercial buildings. The revised 2013 Title 24 standards will, Geiger said, incorporate photovoltaics into the code, including solar-ready requirements.

Net-zero energy buildings are coming, but panelists at a recent conference in San Francisco agreed that more must be done to retrofit existing homes for energy savings. Credit: City and County of San Francisco

Challenges to adoption

All of the morning’s speakers agreed that green building is thriving, and that net-zero energy buildings will not be held back for want of proven building technologies and strategies, such as passive house construction, that save energy. But panelists repeatedly emphasized that available solutions are not being deployed, owing to the inertia, lack of education, and misreading of the consumer.

“We need to be pushing the envelope,” said James Bill, a licensed architect and board member of Passive House California. “We’re building buildings that won’t be renovated again for another 50 years. They’re going to be consuming energy that we could easily and cost-effectively eliminate from the process.”

Tenaya Asan, Senior Manager, Build It Green, emphasized the need to educate realtors. There are just two MLS (Multiple Listing Service) professionals in California trained to recognize and identify a green home, she said – making it difficult for sellers to receive maximum value for their energy-efficient home. “The fact is that most real estate professionals don’t feel that they have enough experience, or don’t want to take the risk, to identify the green features,” she said. A problem Build It Green is addressing through trainings.

Dan Geiger cited research undertaken by the USGBC on schools. What parents want, he said, “is a modern, healthy school, so that their children get good grades and go to college. I didn’t say the word ‘green.’ Consumers think about this in a different way than we, the practitioners, think about it.”

Humans are also reactionary, said David Edwards, Founder, Earth Bound Homes. “The majority of our population doesn’t do things for the better good now. They do things because they have to. The problem now is that water is so cheap there is no ROI (return on investment) on water conservation. The ROI is 10,000 years for a high-efficiency sprinkler system. What person would do an ROI of 10,000 years for anything? It has to be something where you actually care.”

USGBC to be Honored at the Annual Accent on Architecture Gala in Washington, D.C.

U.S. Green Building Council Selected as American Architectural Foundation’s 2012 Keystone Laureate

Benchmarking Energy for Buildings

Benchmarking energy means measuring the energy consumed by a building, using a standard set of tools like the Portfolio Manager, and comparing these measurements against a relevant set of energy consumption data using a program like Energy Star. Energy benchmarking in CA is currently mandated for certain non-residential buildings of size greater than 10,000 sq. ft. which are sold, leased or refinanced.

The legislation for energy benchmarking for CA buildings calls for a mandatory disclosure of energy benchmarking data by buildings within a certain timeframe. This is primarily enforced by AB 1103 – the Commercial Building Benchmarking Law that was signed by the Governor in 2009 and it currently applies to non-residential buildings. This bill is now regulated by the CEC and it mandates that by the end of 2011, CA based Utilities like PG&E are able to provide energy consumption data per request from their customers as a first phase of implementation. The second phase for implementing the same law requires that by 2012, non-residential building owners will have to disclose benchmarking data for the refinancing, sale or lease to the market for an entire building.

The timeframes for implementing benchmarking criteria (as defined in AB 1103) are separately established by AB 531 which provides for the CEC to establish the schedule to implement AB 1103 through a CA non-residential building energy use disclosure program.

Accordingly the requirement for implementing AB 1103 is that by 2012 buildings with 50,000 square feet area should disclose their energy benchmarking data; that by Jan 2013 buildings with areas between 10,000 and 50,000 square feet should disclose their benchmark data, and that finally by July 2013 buildings with areas between 5,000 to 10,000 square feet should disclose their energy benchmark data. AB 1103 also mandates that buildings that are eligible to receive Energy Star scores from 1 – 100 must also disclose their final scores to the market.

The energy benchmarking process is itself carried out by following certain steps as outlined by the Portfolio Manager. The energy performance rating resulting from this process utilizes certain building variables affecting energy consumption like Building Size, Space Type, Weather, Hours of Operation, Occupancy and Plug Load. Once a building has its energy benchmarking data, it also sets itself up for periodic energy audits to measure changes in energy consumption patterns over periods of time.

 Utilities like PG&E now provide Automated Benchmarking Service (ABS) for their customers which create Portfolio Manager Accounts for users and allow them to view energy consumption data and benchmarking results online. Similarly the City of San Francisco is also active in disseminating information about energy benchmarking strategies that it plans to carry out through webinars in collaboration with Utilities like PG&E, as well as by establishing detailed ordinances that describe the practicalities of dealing with benchmarking data from commercial buildings in San Francisco. The city’s goal is to reduce energy consumption by 50% over the next 20 years by identifying potential savings, engaging tenants, and leading by example in public facilities.

Green Policy

A Green Policy is your company’s statement about the commitment to sustainability and environmental management that your business is prepared to make.  Having a formal green policy shows your employees and customers that managing environmental issues is a high priority for your company.

A green policy usually contains the following components:

A declaration of your company’s commitment to the environment and a concise description of what your company is trying to achieve with your environmental goals and how you will accomplish your goals.  It all includes the prevention of pollution and to continuously improve environmental performance.  A commitment to keeping employees and community members safe and a statement of the strategies and actions your business is willing to undertake to meet its commitments. Green policies don’t have to be drawn out  they are the most effective when the policies are written simply that is motivating and inspires people to change. The policy should be communicated to all employees, stakeholders and customers as a commitment to improving environmental sustainability over time.  

Why do you need a Green Policy?

• An improved and safer workplace

• A way to engage employees and your customers in discussions around green policies

• An improved financial bottom line

• The ability to meet customer green contractual requirements

• A competitive advantage in the marketplace

• An enhanced image in the community and with existing and potential customers.

For more refer to: http://www.pge.com/includes/docs/pdfs/b2b/purchasing/supplierdiversity/gogreen/Developing_Your_Green_Policy.pdf

New Air Conditioning Design may Increase Efficiency by 90 Percent

New technology developed by researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado may someday eliminate the energy-gobbling condensers and compressors currently in use in air conditioners. NREL engineer Eric Kozubal and other staff members think energy use and summertime electricity bills can both be reduced with their new prototype, a design that could make air conditioning units 90 percent more efficient than ones available today.

The new Desiccant-Enhanced eVaporative air conditioner combines an evaporative cooler and a desiccant to reduce heat and humidity. While neither technique is new, a design that combines them in a fashion effective enough for commercial use is innovative and holds promise for success. Additionally, the desiccant used, calcium chloride, is less harmful to the environment than the chlorofluorocarbons used as refrigerants in traditional AC systems.

NREL estimates that building a cost competitive air conditioning system will take three to five years and could reduce usage and costs by an estimated 25% or more.

California to Institute First U.S. Green Building Standard

The California Building Standards Commission has recently adopted the first-in-the-nation mandatory Green Building Standards Code, called CALGreen. The program, which took effect on January 1, 2011, will require all new California buildings to be more energy efficient and environmentally responsible. This green building regulation lays the foundation for constructing buildings in a manner that reduces energy use, decreases waste, and conserves resources.  The California Air Resources Board estimates that the mandatory CALGreen green building standard will reduce carbon emissions by the equivalent of 3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2020.

The CALGreen green building standard will mandate inspections of energy systems such as furnaces, heat pumps and air conditioners for nonresidential buildings larger than 10,000 square feet, to ensure that the energy systems are working efficiently at their maximum capacity. It will also require that newly constructed California buildings reduce water consumption by 20%, divert 50% of construction waste from landfills, and install materials that emit low amounts of indoor pollutants. In addition, the CALGreen green building regulation will require separate water meters for indoor and outdoor water use in nonresidential buildings and moisture-sensing irrigation systems for larger landscape projects.

The new CALGreen green building regulation will allow property owners in California to label their buildings as CALGreen compliant after passing a state building inspection, allowing their building to receive a "green" designation without the need for an additional third-party certification.

Simple Steps to Lower Your Summer Cooling Bills

With another hot summer around the corner, keeping cool is becoming a primary concern for many people. If it were a year or two ago, one answer to this concern might be to keep the AC flowing as high as necessary to stay cool. Yet, this year, the economics of home ownership and rental are, quite possibly, a bit different. Finding ways to keep cool and keep money in your pocket is a goal of many, or so I’ve heard.So, how do you stay cool in this heat and keep your energy bills low?  Following these suggestions could be a good way to start: Lower Cost Solutions

• Keep air moving, but only if you are in the room. Human thermal comfort is influenced by four factors, one of which is air movement. Fans create a natural breeze which carries heat and moisture away from the body. People “feel” cooler even though the air temperature has not changed. The trick is to only keep the fans blowing when someone is in the room. Otherwise, the fans’ energy is wasted and may increase the heat.
• Close window blinds, curtains, or other coverings on east and west sides of your home in the summer to prevent solar heat gain. The sun’s heat will be absorbed into your home’s floor, walls, and other internal masses if you allow exposure. Then, that heat is trapped in your home and will re-radiate into the internal air.
• Remove or decrease the moisture and heat from the kitchen and bathroom. Don’t hang laundry in the bathroom because the increased humidity will make your home feel warmer. Use exhaust fans when necessary.
• Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs which release less heat.

• Use weather-stripping to seal leaky doors and windows where your conditioned air is escaping.
• Although curtains and other internal window coverings block the sun, they do absorb the sun’s heat and then release that heat inside the house. The best practice is to use plants or other shading devices on the outside of east and west walls and windows to intercept the sun’s rays and then release the absorbed heat to the outside air.
• Buy a programmable thermostat. For $50-70, you can decrease your consumption by approximately $180 per year according to ENERGY STAR.

• Add insulation to your attic. Approximately 40% of heat loss and heat gain occur through your roof.
• Seal your heating and cooling ductwork if you have it. Gaps and openings lower the efficiency of your cooling equipment dramatically.
• Consider buying or making a solar oven and cook your meals outside.
• Install a whole house fan which will remove warmer interior air after the night cools down outside. This is an especially great option for people in climates where the summer nights are at least 15 degrees cooler than the days.

Finding strategies to keep cool and keep costs down is part and parcel of living in this point in our world’s economic history. With some ingenuity and planning, we can be comfortable and keep our money for those fun summer blockbusters!