Breaking News

Notice anything different about Breaking News? We’ve gone interactive! Look for the same information on programs, policies, technology and opportunities you’ve always found on Energy Services’ Breaking News, only faster.

Even better, this format allows you to share your insights with Western and other readers. We at Energy Services know that it’s going to take the best and brightest minds to meet the challenges facing the utility industry today, and that describes you, our customers. Use the comment section at the end of each story to add your two cents’ worth. Expand upon the information in the post—or ask us to. You can also link to other resources, including those on your website.

To celebrate our new format, we will be covering the Utility Energy Forum,  May 5-7, from Tahoe City, Calif. We hope you’ll follow our reports, and visit—and contribute—to the new, interactive Breaking News often. Bookmark this URL and the RSS feed, read up on our comments policy and get into the conversation. We look forward to hearing from you.

Con Edison received the WasteWise Gold Achievement award from the Environmental Protection Agency for recycling nearly 50,000 tons of waste. Randolph S. Price, the New York utility’s vice president for Environment, Health and Safety, noted that Con Edison’s recycling program saves money and manages materials in an environmentally sound way. In 2008 alone, the company estimated that it saved over $19 million through its waste-reduction efforts. Read more.

Members of the American Public Power Association (APPA) can now get the latest industry news,  keep up to date on upcoming events and check out images from recent meetings on APPA’s  Facebook page. The Facebook page is the first step in the rollout of other Web 2.0/social media endeavors the association plans in upcoming weeks. APPA encourages members to become fans today and to share feedback about this new tool for communication.

Through the collaborative efforts of EPA’s Green Power Partnership, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program, the World Resources Institute, and the Center for Resource Solutions the Guide to Purchasing Green Power has been updated to include new and updated information on green power purchasing. The guide provides current and potential buyers of green power with information about the different types of green power products, the benefits of green power purchasing, and how to capture the greatest benefit from a green power purchase. The updated guide and other useful resources can be downloaded from the Green Power Partnership’s publication library.

DOE has finalized higher energy efficiency standards for a key group of heating appliances that will together save consumers up to $10 billion and prevent up to 164 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions over the 30 years after they take effect. The new standards apply to residential water heaters, pool heaters and direct heating equipment such as gas fireplaces. The new standards will cut the energy use of large electric storage water heaters by 47 percent and of large gas-fired water heaters by more than 30 percent. The standards for water heaters will go into effect in 2015, while the standards for pool heaters and direct heating equipment—including gas-fired wall, floor, and hearth heaters—will apply to products manufactured in 2013 and beyond. On average, these products account for about 18 percent of the energy use in U.S. homes. Read more.

Perhaps taking a cue from The Great Refrigerator Robbery, columist Pablo Päster hooked his washing machine to a Kill-a-Watt power meter to determine the payback on buying a new Energy Star appliance.

The reader-submitted question to “Ask Pablo,” a weekly column on Treehugger, is one that utilities can expect to hear often in coming months with so many rebates available for efficiency upgrades. Power providers have a great opportunity to provide straight-shooting advice and consumer education. Contact the Equipment Loan Program to borrow energy auditing equipment today!