Energy Management Articles
White Plains school buses feed Con Ed grid with new vehicle-to-grid tech
Electric school buses that transport students in the White Plains area are being used in a project experimenting with vehicle-to-grid technology to provide power to the Con Edison grid.
Innovation Summit goes virtual; Leading keynotes announced
Smart Energy Decisions will lead off its 2021 slate of events with the Virtual Innovation Summit, set for March 8-12, 2021. The fifth edition of the industry’s premier event will once again bring together energy, sustainability and facility man
First-Ever Peace REC Transaction Drives Renewable Energy Development in Africa
Microsoft recently executed the first-ever Peace Renewable Energy Credit (P-REC) transaction with Energy Peace Partners and Congolese solar developer Nuru, facilitated by 3Degrees. Learn more about this groundbreaking renewable energy transaction’s transformative impacts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Cisco covers 100% of U.S. operations with RE in 2020
Cisco announced Dec. 10 that it officially achieved 100% renewable energy for its U.S. operations during this fiscal year.
Clemson University joins federally-funded hydrogen research team
Clemson University is teaming up with Siemens Energy and Duke Energy on a federally-funded research project looking into the use of hydrogen for energy storage and low- to no-carbon fuel.
Virginia schools across seven counties to receive onsite solar power
Twenty-one schools in Virginia will be powering their operations with solar power through a new partnership announced Dec. 11.
Weekend reads: A look at solar power's success in 2020; The EU's biggest oil producer looks to cease its main product
It's the weekend! Kick back and catch up with these must-read articles from around the web.
Smart Energy Voices Podcast - Episode 18: 5 Predictions for the Corporate Renewable Energy Market in 2021
In this episode of Smart Energy Voices, Rob Collier, Vice President of Developer Relations at LevelTen Energy, provides his five predictions for the Corporate Renewable Energy Market for 2021. Among the topics discussed is the impact a move toward social justice in renewables will have on diversity and inclusion in the industry, the increased number of companies committing to reducing Scope 3 emissions, and how the need for speed will drive innovation.
All Roads Lead to Green Leasing
Real estate in the U.S. and around the world is experiencing an astronomical disruption that will reshape the future of buildings, how they are built, operated, and occupied for the foreseeable future. In this column, Audi Banny of the Institute for Market Transformation (IMT) explains why traditional leases aren’t working, and why green, high-performance leases are becoming the new standard.
Smithfield Foods launches RNG project with Utah hog farmers
Smithfield Foods announced Dec. 9 its first renewable natural gas project through a joint venture with Dominion Energy in southwestern Utah.
W. M. Keck Observatory completes the largest solar installation at world's highest altitude
The W.M. Keck Observatory, a facility that features two telescopes on the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii, announced Dec. 10 that it has completed the installation of the world’s largest commercial solar system at the highest altitude.
Tractor Supply Company to source 100% RE for 30 Virginia stores
Tractor Supply Company announced Dec. 10 that it has executed a contract to supply 100% renewable energy to its more than 30 store facilities in Virginia through a three-year power agreement.
Square targets net zero carbon in operations by 2030
Square announced Dec. 8 its plans to achieve net zero carbon in its operations by 2030, including in its primary Scope 3 emissions.
Starbucks explores utility-scale storage in new procurement endeavor
Starbucks announced Dec. 9 that it has entered into an agreement to virtually procure 5.5 MW of battery storage capacity and 24 MW of solar energy in a first-of-its-kind corporate financial agreement for utility-scale storage.
Amazon becomes largest corporate RE purchaser with 26 new projects
Amazon announced Dec. 10 a list of 26 new utility-scale wind and solar projects totalling 3.4 GW, making it the largest corporate purchaser of renewable energy.
2020 State of Distributed Energy Resources
The 2020 Distributed Energy Resources Study, conducted by Smart Energy Decisions and sponsored by NRG, explores the usage, consideration, drivers, and barriers for DERs among large electric power users. Among the findings: these customers want independence and control to choose their sources of energy - but first, they need to overcome the barriers of costs and economics of implementation.
Mercedes-Benz aims for carbon neutral supply chain by 2039
Mercedes-Benz announced this week its ambition to have a carbon-neutral global supply chain by 2039.
Largest Rhode Island solar farm to power local towns, school district
A rooftop solar installation that will provide power to the Town of Bristol, the Town of Barrington and Barrington School District is now under construction and is expected to be the largest such installation in the state of Rhode Island.
Nestlé makes its largest RE investment in Texas solar project
Nestle announced Dec. 9 that it will be the sole tax equity investor for a new 250 MW solar project in Texas, from which it will purchase 100% of the renewable electricity attributes generated by the project’s energy production.
New legislation can help Massachusetts build back a stronger, more equitable economy
As a sustainability professional living in the Commonwealth, Mike Mattera of Akamai Technologies is pleased to see that landmark climate change legislation was passed by the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Now all eyes are on the state's general court, where final terms of the bill are being negotiated. In this column, Mattera explains the importance of legislation to build back a stronger, more equitable, just, and sustainable economy.
Deutsche Bank to link management pay to hitting ESG targets
Deutsche Bank announced Dec. 7 that it intends to link management pay to environmental, social and governance-related (ESG) criteria, following the lead of a few other financial institutions.
McDonald's to reach 50% of emissions goals with 2020 VPPAs
McDonald's reported Dec. 7 that it used 2020 to increase its investment in renewable energy generation and will be halfway to its emissions reduction goal once its new projects come online.
Port of San Diego plans 700 kW microgrid project
The Port of San Diego announced Dec. 7 that it has awarded a contract for the construction of its 700 kW Microgird Infrastructure Project that will consist of a battery storage system and electrical infrastructure that could save the port $3.2 million in energy costs over 20 years.
Energy Treasure Hunts During COVID-19
2020 was supposed to be a big year for energy treasure hunts and the U.S. EPA’s ENERGY STAR© program - until COVID-19 hit. Yet even with restrictions brought about by the pandemic, this column from ENERGY STAR shows that organizations can still implement programs to find energy savings, engage employees, and build better energy management practices.
Google looks to intelligent computing for 24/7 RE supply
As Google pursues its new 24/7 clean energy goal, the tech company released its plans to design a machine learning platform that aligns its operations with the availability of renewable energy resources on the grid.
United Natural Foods to establish science-based emissions reduction targets
United Natural Foods, Inc., announced Dec. 2 its intention to establish science-based emissions reduction targets covering its operations and value chain in line with the Paris Agreement as part of its 2030 ESG agenda.
Nokia and Telefónica find 5G to be 90% more energy efficient than previous networks
Nokia and Telefónica announced Dec. 2 the findings of a joint study concluding that 5G networks are up to 90% more energy efficient per traffic unit than legacy 4G networks.
Weekend reads: Restoring Maryland's oysters with solar power; Delays in the USPS electric vehicle transition
It's the weekend! Kick back and catch up with these must-read articles from around the web.
An integrated approach to energy solutions provides flexibility in how you strategically buy, manage and use energy
In our rapidly evolving industry, energy suppliers face changing expectations and are developing new, innovative solutions for commercial and industrial customers. This column from Constellation explores how marketplace drivers - including changing customer objectives and accelerating technology - as well as the objective of sustainability, are being met with integrated energy solutions.
Smart Energy Voices Podcast - Episode 17: Lynda Clemmons on Navigating Transition in the Energy Industry
Because the energy industry is widely diverse and constantly changing, energy companies and their partners often have difficulty keeping up with the changes. Lynda Clemmons, Vice President of Sustainable Solutions at NRG Energy, joins us for this episode of Smart Energy Voices to speak on how best to navigate these fast transitions within the industry.
