Energy Management Articles
Shell adds microgrid to Technology Center
Shell’s Technology Center in Houston has installed a microgrid to power part of the 200-acre campus while also serving as a research tool for Shell International Exploration & Production Company, Inc.’s work to explore the next generation clean power and distributed energy technologies.
City of Boston's improved energy management process
With nearly 4,000 utility accounts across more than a dozen different municipal departments as well as a need to leverage more granular data, the City of Boston needed a plan to improve their energy management processes. This column from Better Buildings reviews Boston's programmatic overhaul to how energy data was collected, analyzed, and reported, leading to the creation of real-time energy meter dashboards and recovering over $1.2 million in identified utility billing errors.
IBM sets next generation goals
IBM has announced a second-generation renewable electricity procurement goal and a fourth-generation GHG emissions reduction goal to cover the energy consumption and corresponding CO2 emissions associated with the company’s global businesses.
Volkswagen commits $800 million to build EVs in TN
Volkswagen AG announced it will invest $800 million in its Chattanooga, Tennessee facility to develop and build new electric vehicles. EV production at the site will begin in 2022.
Weekend reads: EIA says solar, wind to dominate; AOC & the Green New Deal
It's the weekend! Kick back and relax with these must-read energy stories from around the web:
Top 10 Utility Regulation Trends
As we move into 2019, let’s check in on the top public utility commission (PUC) actions and trends of the past year. Ten prominent trends and actions stand out above the rest, from renewables continuing their downward price trajectory, to electric vehicle charging infrastructure build-outs getting approved, to exploration of utility business model reforms and non-wires alternatives to traditional distribution investments.
Boston buses go electric
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has ordering 194 electric-hybrid buses to help the state reduce emissions and noise pollution on its transit bus routes.
Five cities added to Climate Challenge
Albuquerque, Austin, Denver, Orlando, and San Antonio have been announced as the final winners in the Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge. These five cities complete the twenty-five total winning cities in the challenge, joining the twenty others previously announced.
Toyota and Kenworth collaborate on zero emission trucks
Toyota Motor North America announced it is collaborating with Kenworth Truck Company to develop 10 zero-emission Kenworth T680s powered by Toyota hydrogen fuel cell electric powertrains. The vehicles, which will have a range of more than 300 miles under norman drayage operating conditions will transport cargo across the Los Angeles basin
Wistar Institute adds energy control solution
The Wistar Institute, a biomedical science facility, has implemented a new energy management system that provides new access to data to help reduce energy use and costs and provide a better working environment.
Optimizing Solar, Storage, and a Fuel Cell for a Brooklyn Apartment Complex
As one of the most energy-intensive urban environments in the world, New York City faces a significant challenge in maintaining reliable access to power during periods of high demand for electricity. This case study, presented by Enel X, showcases how an apartment complex in Brooklyn integrates distributed energy resources to improve access to independent power while reducing energy spend and maximizing incentive earning.
Rockline posts GHG reduction on the way to 2020 goal
Rockline Industries reported a more than 5% reduction in GHG emissions and energy use per standard unit in 2018, on its way towards a 15% goal in 2020.
GM partners on largest EV charging network
General Motors will collaborate with electric vehicle charging networks EVgo, ChargePoint, and Greenlots, to enable access to the largest collective electric vehicle charging network in the United States, including more than 31,000 charging ports.
FCA adds LED, cuts energy costs
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA US LLC) announced the installation of two intelligent lighting systems in two metro Detroit plants, which is expected to drive down energy costs by at least 50% and improve employee productivity by making the facilities responsive to the needs at each workspace.
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.
