Energy Management Articles
Texas A&M International University begins energy efficiency project
Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) announced the beginning of construction on a $9.7 million comprehensive campus-wide energy efficiency project intended to streamline facility operations, encourage sustainable behavior and improve the quality of life for students and staff.
Is Tesla falling apart?
Tesla Inc. announced to employees on May 14 that the company was undergoing a thorough reorganization in order to face production problems, senior staff departures and crashes involving its electric cars.
2018 Innovation Awards
The inaugural Smart Energy Decisions Innovation Awards were presented on February 28, 2018 to twelve large electric power users and utilities to recognize their efforts in support of the energy transformation currently underway.
Mercedes-Benz Cars plants to become CO2-neutral
Mercedes-Benz announced on May 14 that all its German plants will be supplied with CO2-neutral energy.
Republicans request solar panel tariff exemption
Eight Republican senators joined together to send a letter to the U.S. Trade Representative and other federal agencies calling for utility-scale solar panels to be exempt from tariffs.
Weekend reads: Electrify America boosts EVs; Big oil eyes RE & more
Kick back and relax with these must-read energy stories from around the web:
Better Buildings 2018 Progress Report
The 2018 Better Buildings Annual Progress Report highlights accomplishments, strategies, and solutions in the commercial, industrial, residential, and public sectors to improve energy productivity.
Tesco achieves carbon emissions cut
Tesco announced a decline in net carbon emissions by 13% in the past year and 26% over two years. In its Annual Report, the retail company said it achieved the reduction by increasing procurement of renewable power, now at 100% in the UK and 55% globally
Five Fortune 100 companies ask FERC to focus on electric transmission
Cargill, General Mills, Nestle, P&G, and Unilever joined forces to ask the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to intensify its focus on expanding the nation’s electric transmission system as a key part of its push for grid resiliency.
Stanley Black & Decker targets approved
Stanley Black & Decker announced that its long-term environmental sustainability goals have been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative. The company committed to reducing Absolute Scope 1 and 2 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions 100% by 2030
Denton, Texas approves 100 MW solar PPA
The Public Utilities Board of Denton, Texas voted unanimously to approve a 15-year contract with NextEra for the output of the Bluebell 2 solar plant, a 100-MW project to be built in West Texas and operational by November.
Infographic: U.S. energy consumption for 2017
The results are in: for 2017 by sector, transportation was responsible for the highest energy consumption in the U.S, followed by the industrial, residential, and commercial, according to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and the Department of Energy.
Portland Trail Blazers make a play for wind energy
The Portland Trail Blazers agreed to a new partnership to power 100% of the Moda Center’s electrical usage through RECs purchased from Pacific Power for wind energy produced at BayWa r.e.’s Chopin Wind Project.
Visa goes 100% RE at corporate campus
Visa’s corporate campus in Foster City, California is committing to transition to 100% renewable energy as the company has enrolled in the ECO100 program from San Mateo County’s official electricity supplier Peninsula Clean Energy (PCE).
Whole Foods adds EV charging stations
Whole Foods Markets premiered EV charging stations at three of their Pennsylvania locations and will add them to new stores as they open.
Dominion Energy’s RE proposal rejected
State regulators in Virginia rejected Dominion Energy’s plan to offer 100 percent renewable energy plans to its big customers, saying the electric monopoly’s proposal isn’t fair or reasonable.
Tesla energy storage up, solar down
Tesla almost tripled its entire 2017 energy storage deployment volume in the first quarter of 2018 alone, while its solar deployments have declined to the lowest level since 2014.
FedEx plans solar panels for distribution center
FedEx Ground Package System plans to add solar panels to the roof of its Cecil Commerce Center distribution center in Jacksonville, Fla., in what is estimated to be an almost 1.3-megawatt system.
Weekend reads: DOE's $68M for vehicle research; U.S. now more RE-attractive
Kick back and relax with these must-read energy stories from around the web:
Anheuser-Busch orders hydrogen-electric powered semi-trucks
Anheuser-Busch announced on May 3 that it has placed an order for up to 800 hydrogen-electric powered semi-trucks from Nikola Motor Company. The zero-emission trucks, which will be able to travel between 500 and 1,200 miles and be refilled within 20 minutes
Businesses buying renewable power at record pace
A total of 36 businesses, government agencies, and universities have agreed to purchase 3.3 gigawatts of wind and solar power so far this year, setting a pace that could shatter the previous high of 4.8 gigawatts of deals for all of 2017.
Volvo smashes energy goal, sets new one
Volvo Group North America achieved a 25% reduction in energy consumption at U.S. facilities in 2017, five years ahead of schedule and has set a new goal of 25% more in savings by 2024.
Medline opens second NA solar installation
Medline announced the completion of a new solar installation, a 1.1-megawatt system in Rialto, Calif. The system, Medline’s second in North America and fifth worldwide, is estimated to generate power equivalent to 75% of the facility’s usage
Infographic: Craft Beer Alliance targets World Class Craft
The Craft Brew Alliance, an independent operator of breweries and brewpubs across the U.S., launched its "World Class Craft" initiative in 2016, including three-year sustainability targets for reducing emissions and energy usage.
Nestlé Waters signs PPA for Sacramento plant
Nestlé Waters North America signed a PPA with Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) to allow its Sacramento facility to be powered by 100% renewable energy. Nestlé Waters is the only food and beverage company in Sacramento to pur
Harvard achieves 30% GHG emissions reduction
Among the milestones reported in the 2017 Harvard Sustainability Report was a 30% reduction in net GHG emissions from 2006 to 2017.
Webinar: The Future of Energy Management at The Ohio State University
This webinar, sponsored by ENGIE, discusses integrated energy solutions at The Ohio State University. OSU's quest to advance visionary sustainability objects has provided a first-of-its-kind energy solution, enhancing the university’s academic mission while reducing energy costs, furthering environmental commitments, and ensuring reliable supply.
GM unveils 100MW wind project in Ohio
The Northwest Ohio Wind Farm was unveiled by General Motors and Starwood Energy Group on Apr. 30 in Paulding County, Ohio. Power purchased from the 100-megawatt wind project, currently under construction, will help offset the power used at GM’s Ohio and Indiana manufacturing facilities with renewable energy.
Otis Elevator Company adds 1.2MW solar system
Construction was recently completed on a 1.2-megawatt ground-mounted solar array for the Otis Elevator Company at their facility in Florence, S.C.
Target's charging up its EV program to reach more than 20 states
All throughout Earth Month and every day at Target, we’re working toward ambitious goals to help keep the planet healthy.
