Commercial, Energy Efficiency, Industrial, Sourcing Renewables  -  October 13, 2018

Weekend reads: Amazon vs. Big Oil; Cities embrace RE

It's the weekend! Kick back and relax with these must-read energy articles from around the web:

Big Oil Should Be Worried About Amazon’s Battery Play (Bloomberg Businessweek)  While you were busy reading Elon Musk’s tweets, Audi AG was unveiling its Tesla challenger, the E-tron. One of the most interesting bits of the glitzy launch concerned simply plugging the thing in: The carmaker, it turns out, has teamed up with Amazon.com Inc. to install home chargers for E-tron buyers. While Amazon helping to get new plugs put into garages may not scream revolution, it should still worry the likes of Exxon Mobil Corp. 

These 10 cities are embracing 100% renewable energy (Mother Nature Network)  A new report published by the Sierra Club serves as proof that despite the geography, politics and social norms that divide American cities, a growing number of towns big and small can come together and work towards a common goal: the rejection of fossil fuels in favor of clean, renewable energy sources. Released just ahead of the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco, the 2018 Case Study Report profiles 10 cities from coast to coast that have vowed to transition to 100 percent clean energy. 

How Energy Efficiency Impacts Your Operations’ Bottom Line (Material Handling & Logistics)  As businesses continue to focus on achieving more with less, companies have been finding ways to increase productivity and reduce their carbon footprint. Implementing energy-efficient efforts throughout facilities and choosing energy-efficient equipment positively impacts both bottom-line savings and the environment. From new technology to advances in energy-efficient lift truck equipment, consider these tips to further enhance your operation’s productivity and efficiency. 

These companies are leading the fight against climate change (Channel 3000.com) The world has only until 2030 to stem catastrophic climate change. Can global companies be part of the solution? A report published Monday by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said that "rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society" are needed to avoid disastrous levels of global warming. While often seen as culprits, some businesses are setting a positive example. 

Ancient Pigment Can Boost Energy Efficiency (Berkeley Lab)  A color developed by Egyptians thousands of years ago has a modern-day application as well – the pigment can boost energy efficiency by cooling rooftops and walls, and could also enable solar generation of electricity via windows. Egyptian blue, derived from calcium copper silicate, was routinely used on ancient depictions of gods and royalty. Previous studies have shown that when Egyptian blue absorbs visible light, it then emits light in the near-infrared range. Now a team led by researchers at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) has confirmed the pigment’s fluorescence can be 10 times stronger than previously thought. 

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