Energy Management Articles
University adds Iowa’s first solar + storage
Maharishi University of Management (MUM) in Iowa premiered a new solar power plant that also incorporates battery energy storage, calling it the first system of its kind in the Midwest. The system is expected to cut utility costs by 30%.
Innovation Awards winners announced
Smart Energy Decisions has announced the winners of the second annual Innovation Awards competition, who were chosen by an independent panel of judges. The winners will be honored at a reception and special dinner sponsored by ENGIE North America on March 13, capping off the Smart Energy Decisions’ 2019 Innovation Summit in Houston, Texas.
Texas Power Pool to promote RE aggregation
The Texas Power Pool has been formed to offer a new power purchasing option for Texas public entities to utilize aggregated renewable energy. Texas Power Pool services include competitive procurement of utility-scale renewables and on-site solar for state agencies, higher education, cities, independent school districts, water districts, and other public entities across Texas, including cooperative and municipal utility regions.
Weekend reads: Predicting the biggest energy trends of 2019
It's the first weekend of the new year! Kick back and relax with a little champagne and a look ahead at the trends we'll be talking about in 2019:
Hoboken completes energy efficiency upgrades
The City of Hoboken announced on January 3 that it has completed the installation of energy efficient equipment at 11 municipal buildings. This comprehensive project, which used incentives from New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program, included LED energy efficiency lighting
U.S. DoD heads towards 2025 goals
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has reached energy offsets of 30-60% across four U.S. military installations, exceeding a goal of 25% savings by 2025.
JFK, LGA, EWR add electric bus fleets
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will deploy 18 electric vehicles for shuttle service at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and LaGuardia Airport (LGA), representing one of the largest electric bus fleet commitments of any airport authority in the U.S.
Waste Management commits to clean fleet
Waste Management has committed to reducing emissions associated with its fleet by 45% by 2038. In its just-released 2018 Sustainability Report, the company noted it has already reduced fleet emissions by 28% from 2010 through 2017.
Nevada’s largest clean energy investment approved
The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN) on Dec. 21 approved NV Energy’s Integrated Resource Plan, which will bring 1,001 megawatts of new renewable energy via six projects to Nevada, including, for the first time, 100 megawatts of battery storage capacity. The projects represent a direct investment of more than $2 billion.
Advocate Aurora sets 2030 goal for 100% RE
Advocate Aurora Health announced a goal to power its facilities with 100% renewable electricity by 2030. The health system currently operates more than 500 sites, including 27 hospitals, in Illinois and Wisconsin.
Weekend reads: A record-breaking year; Blockchain comes to RE
The holidays are here! Cozy up with these year-end energy articles:
Webinar replay: The Evolving State of the 3Ds: Digitization, Decentralization, and Decarbonization
The energy and sustainability landscape is rapidly evolving, and it’s important for businesses to adapt in order to be successful and competitive. This webinar, sponsored by ENGIE, provides an understanding of three main underlying forces, how they’ve impacted business over the last several years, and how businesses can leverage them to improve operations over the next two-to-five years.
Willis Tower reaches for energy upgrade
The 110-story Willis Tower in Chicago is undergoing a series of energy improvements covering HVAC, lighting, cooling towers, and elevators, which is expected to cut energy consumption and costs by 10% to 15%, providing significant savings the 4.5 million-square-foot building.
Regency achieves 10-year goals in five
Regency Centers Corporation announced it has met a series of 10-year environmental stewardship goals, including increasing energy efficiency and reducing GHG emissions, in five years.
Blockchain-based payments for RE come to Penn.
American PowerNet, an independent power supply company, announced its adoption of a blockchain-based digital payments platform to facilitate real-time payments within the renewable energy sector and to purchase power for Pennsylvania.
Johnson Controls plant to go 100% green
Johnson Controls Building Technologies & Solutions has selected one of its largest facilities as the first of its plants to shift 100% its electricity to wind power. The plant, located in Wichita, KS, will source power from a wind farm currently being built near the facility.
Digital Realty improves efficiency, achieves Energy Star
Digital Realty, a global provider of data center, colocation, and interconnection solutions, announced it has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR® certification for superior energy performance in 24 data centers in 2018.
City of Philadelphia secures largest PA solar project
The City of Philadelphia has approved a 70-megawatt solar PPA in Adams County, Penn., to power government facilities in Philadelphia. The project is the largest in Pennsylvania by sevenfold, and a significant step toward the City’s clean energy goal of sourcing 100% of its electricity from renewables by 2030.
Toyota reports progress on Environmental Challenge 2050
As part of the release of Toyota’s North American Environmental Report, the company recapped a year of positive impacts it has made as part of the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050, a long-term commitment to support and foster a more inclusive and sustainable society.
Mercedes-Benz signs Germany’s first PPA
Mercedes-Benz has signed a PPA to power its operations in Germany with wind, representing the first corporate renewable PPA signed in that country.
Webinar replay: Buyer aggregation - an emerging path for renewable energy purchasers
This webinar, sponsored by EDF Renewables, will provide an overview of the emerging trend of buyer aggregation. Not every major energy buyer is able to take down a significant volume of renewable energy to secure the lowest pricing. Enter the aggregation model
United Airlines to power flights with biofuel
United Airlines is expected to use biofuel created from a waste-to-energy plant for their planes.
Weekend reads: Ups & downs of clean energy; Utility grid of the future
It's the weekend! Kick back and relax with these must-read energy stories from around the web:
Renewable Energy Purchasing vs. Climate Goals
While renewable energy goals are part of a very promising trend towards adding more renewable energy to the grid, this column by Neil Kolwey suggests setting a strong climate goal based on energy efficiency and more selective renewable purchases is a more meaningful approach.
Brandeis University upgrades with LED
Brandeis University has retrofitted a large part of its campus with LED lighting that is expected to reduce annual lighting costs by 78% for savings of about $32,000 per year.
Maersk to cut carbon emissions by 2050
Danish group AP Moller Maersk, the world’s largest container shipping company, has pledged to be carbon neutral by 2050.
Sustainable Energy Solutions for Corporations
From grid-scale renewable power purchases to on-site production, this white paper, presented by EDF Renewables, discusses sustainable energy solutions that businesses are forging across the value chain.
Verizon sets clean energy goal
Verizon has set a goal to reach 50% clean energy use by 2025. Now at 2% renewables, the company previously indicated that it would only go to 4% in the foreseeable future.
Intel signs 100 MW PPA
Intel Corp. has signed a PPA to provide 100 megawatts of solar power to the Intel Chandler-Ocotillo facility in Arizona. The 15-year agreement was signed with Salt River Project, a not-for-profit public power utility.
Norfolk Southern highlights efficiency achievements
Norfolk Southern Corporation announced it improved locomotive fuel efficiency by 5% in 2017 vs. 2016, conserving 23 million gallons of diesel fuel and avoiding more than 233,750 metric tons of GHG emissions.
