Breaking News

Has your utility just launched a Facebook page and now you are scrambling for content to engage your customers?  You might want to check out the APPA Product Store, now offering Facebook content through the eco@home consumer outreach program.

Subscribers to this service will receive postings for each work day that provide daily energy-efficiency information and energy-saving tips for residential customers. Subscriptions to the Facebook content service are on an annual basis. Utilities will receive their posts each month via email.

The APPA Product Store also offers the eco@home quarterly newsletter. The newsletters are co-branded with the utility’s name and contact information and include tips to help public power customers save energy and reduce their costs. The deadline for enrolling in the spring edition of the newsletter is March 1.

For more information or to subscribe to the eco@home newsletter or Facebook content service, contact the APPA Product Store or 202-467-2926.

Consumers are catching on to the value of home energy-efficiency improvements, and building contractors are following.

Last year alone, the Building Performance Institute (BPI), the national standard-setting and credentialing organization, issued 14,571 certifications. That’s an increase of 120 percent over 2010, and represents 63 percent of the total certifications issued from 2001 to 2010. More than 22,000 home performance contractors, weatherization assistance program providers, utilities, home inspectors and other residential service providers hold a total of 31,662 active certifications.

The number of building professionals seeking BPI certification has surged since 2008. This is partly because state and local governments and utilities are getting serious about their energy efficiency programs, observed BPI Marketing and Communications Director Leslie McDowell. “They are offering substantial incentives, rebates and loans to homeowners to have their homes upgraded for energy efficiency. The workforce is reacting to that demand,” she said.

The certifications BPI offers to contractors currently include:

• Building analysis – Focusing on whole-home assessments that go beyond traditional energy audits to identify and correct problems at the root cause through building science.
• Building envelope – Quantifying the building shell performance and prescribing improvements to help stop uncontrolled air leakage and optimize comfort, durability and HV/AC performance.
• Residential building envelope whole-house air leakage control installation – Installing dense-pack insulation materials to reduce energy loss from air leakage, and reduce pollutants and allergens through air migration.
• Manufactured housing – Applying house-as-a-system fundamentals to the specific needs of various types of housing technologies.
• Heating – Optimizing the performance of heating equipment to help save energy and ensure occupant comfort, health and safety.
• Air conditioning and heat pumps – Integrating these systems within the whole home, and diagnosing and correcting problems to achieve peak performance.
• Multifamily housing – Diagnosing problems and improving the performance of larger, more complex residential structures.

Starting in June 2012, BPI is adding pilot exams for new Home Energy Professional Certifications for the four most common jobs in the home energy upgrade industry— energy auditor, retrofit installer, crew leader and quality control inspector. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is supporting the development of the new certifications and chose BPI as the certifying body.

The new certifications will meet the International Organization for Standardization (ISO 17024) accreditation—the international benchmark for personnel certifications across all industries. Under ISO 17024, each new certification is developed and administered using international best practices, such as cross-disciplinary peer review and industry validation of technical materials.

BPI’s goal for the new ISO 17024-accredited certifications is to provide home energy upgrade professionals with more opportunities for career growth, while building consumer confidence in the value energy-efficiency improvements. BPI expects to roll them out nationally in the fall of 2012.

DOE announced on Feb. 16 that 19 clean energy projects by tribal nations would receive more than $6.5 million to support tribal energy development. The competitively selected projects in 10 states will allow American Indian tribes to assess local energy resources, develop renewable energy projects and deploy clean energy technologies within their communities. The projects will help save money and create new job and business opportunities.

The projects selected for awards fall under three project areas:

• Feasibility studies
• Renewable energy development projects
• Installation projects

Thirteen tribes will use the funds to study the feasibility of developing renewable energy resources or installing renewable energy systems on their lands to reduce energy use by 30 percent. For example, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of Pablo, Mont., will evaluate the technical and economic viability of a co-generation biomass-fuel power plant that uses fuels from tribal forest management activities to provide up to 20 megawatts (MW) of electricity.

Three renewable energy development projects will receive pre-construction funds for new renewable energy generation and one will significantly cut the need for diesel heating fuel. In one case, the Penobscot Indian Nation in Old Town, Maine, will complete the preparation needed to secure funding for the proposed 227-megawatt Alder Stream Wind Project.

Also receiving funding are two projects to deploy technologies that convert waste and biomass into energy. The Oneida Seven Generations Corp., De Pere, Wis., will build a state-of-the-art waste gasification energy recovery facility capable of converting 150 tons of municipal waste into 5 MW of electricity per hour. See the DOE press release, the Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs, and the project descriptions.

Source: DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 2/22/12

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) have released Community Solar Program Design: Working Within the Utility. This is the latest in the series of quarterly bulletins and briefs focusing on utility solar business models from the SEPA and EPRI partnership.

This brief focuses on community solar programs, a type of business model that requires innovative approaches and cross-functional coordination. From the point of view of the community solar design person or team within a utility, this brief explores topics including:

• The inter-departmental strategic needs that should be addressed in the development of a community solar program
• Strategic and design questions the community solar design team may need to answer, and how feedback from other stakeholders may help 
• Two case studies on community solar programs at Seattle City Light and Tucson Electric Power, including lessons learned during the development process

Visitors may login and download the report.  SEPA is happy to answer your comments and questions about any of this bulletin’s featured research and events. Please contact Bianca Barth at 202-379-1615.

Source: Solar Electric Power Association, 2/15/12

Free webinar
March 14, 10 a.m. MST

Western and the DOE Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) invite Federal agencies to participate in the 2012 renewable energy certificate (REC) soliciation. RECs can help Federal agencies meet their renewable energy goals and mandates, while improving the environment and supporting national energy security.

To participate in this solicitation, download and complete the Statement of Intent for Federal Agencies to Purchase Renewable Resources from Western’s Renewable Resources for Federal Agencies website. Fax or e-mail the completed form to Sandee Peebles at 916-985-1931 no later than April 20. Western will competitively procure the desired RECs with FEMP covering the administrative cost of the solicitation, a savings that will accrue to the participants.

Learn more about the key requirements and steps associated with this REC purchase by joining a 45-minute webinar March 14 at 10 a.m. MST. Register today for this free event.

Feb. 29, 2012
Webinar 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m MST

Learn how transmission policy is established and enforced, and the impact policy has on transmission resources at a free webinar, Unwinding Transmission Policies, Feb. 29 at 11:00 am to 12:30 pm MST. 

This webinar is the fourth in a series presented by the DOE Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs, DOE Tribal Energy Program and Western. The series will continue through September 2012 and cover topics such as tribal renewable project opportunities, transmission policy, vision of tomorrow’s transmission grid, National Energy Regulatory Commission (NERC) compliance and requesting transmission service. 

Space is limited, so register today. After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) released its 14th annual Greenest Vehicle rankings for 2012, and there is a new leader of the pack: Mitsubishi i-MIEV.  

The list, posted at GreenerCars.org, saw a considerable shake-up, as the battery electric vehicle claimed the top spot from the Honda Civic Natural Gas, which has held on to first place for eight years in a row.

In its model year 2012 debut on the American market, the i-MIEV earned a score of 58, the highest Green Score awarded since ACEEE began ranking vehicles in 1998. Its combined city and highway fuel economy of 112 miles per gallon equivalent outpaces all other vehicles currently sold in United States. “Even taking into account the emissions generated from the electricity used to power the i-MIEV, it still handily outscores other vehicles on the market today,” said ACEEE lead vehicle analyst Shruti Vaidyanathan.

Despite its improved fuel economy this year, the Honda Civic Natural Gas slipped to second place, tying with the Nissan Leaf. The Toyota Prius, Honda Insight and Smart ForTwo rounded out the top six performers.

This year, hybrids dominate the “Greenest” list, occupying half of all spots. Highly efficient conventional gasoline vehicles also continue to have a presence on the “Greenest” list, claiming three of the top twelve spots. This year saw the arrival of a number of new hybrid options for drivers from Hyundai, Kia and Infiniti, but none broke into the top twelve.

Vaidyanathan noted that earning a spot on the “Greenest” list is getting tougher as automakers employ a greater variety of vehicle technologies.  ”It’s increasingly obvious that automakers are fully invested in providing consumers with the widest possible array of vehicle choices,” he said. 

GreenCars.org ranks vehicles with a “Green Score” that incorporates unhealthy tailpipe emissions, fuel consumption and emissions of gases that contribute to climate change. ACEEE made a number of updates to the Green Book® methodology this year to more accurately reflect vehicles’ environmental impacts. Improved emissions estimates for the vehicle manufacturing process, changes reflecting current natural gas extraction practices and consideration of upcoming shifts in the generation mix for the electricity used to power electric cars are now factored into the vehicle’s score.

A new tool is available to help municipalities evaluate the costs and benefits of converting to LED street and roadway lighting. The DOE Municipal Solid-State Street Lighting Consortium has released the Retrofit Financial Analysis Tool for immediate download. This Excel-based tool was developed in collaboration with the Clinton Climate Initiative.

Converting the nation’s streetlights to LED technology could not only reduce energy consumption significantly, but also improve the quality of illumination. The Retrofit Financial Analysis Tool will make it easier for cities, utilities and others to analyze the cost benefit of LED street lighting by giving them specific key information on costs and return on investment.

Users plug in data on variables relevant to their particular project to get a detailed analysis that includes annualized energy-cost savings, maintenance savings, greenhouse gas reductions and simple payback. Decision makers can use this information when putting together construction and conservation grant applications, as well as preparing budgets and comparing the incumbent costs to new.

Users who are purchasing and installing their own streetlights or those requesting bids from outside vendors can use the tool to make sure the lighting meets their goals and needs. The tool accepts data based on three common project models:

• Per unit cost for fixtures, hourly rate for installation (owner purchases fixtures and uses internal (or external) labor resources to install units at an hourly rate)
• Per unit cost for fixtures, per unit cost for installation (owner purchases fixtures and uses external labor resources to install fixtures at fixed per unit cost)
• Single Lump Sum cost for labor and material (owner hires external resources to purchase and install fixtures at a fixed lump sum per-unit cost for labor and material)

For each of these scenarios, pre-construction, construction engineering (inspection) and project management costs may be entered in the Project Overhead and Implementation section to capture all project costs. 

Imbedded notes within the tool provide at-a-glance guidance and can be quickly identified in cells with red tags in the upper right corners. MSSLC has created an instructional video, an example analysis and  tips to help users get the most from its Retrofit Financial Analysis Tool.  (Source: Municipal Solid State Lighting Consortium via American Public Power Association)

While utilities conduct projects to learn more about electric vehicles (EV), businesses are already moving to fill the need for filling stations for cars that run on electricity.

Walgreen’s drugstore chain has submitted plans to the city of Colorado Springs to install four electric vehicle charging stations around the city. The proposed stations are part of the chain’s larger plan to install 800 facilities around the country, giving EV drivers a convenient place to recharge.

The first of the stations became available in December 2011, and the rest of the facilities should be completed early this year. Walgreen’s, which is partnering with charging network developer 350Green, has plans for about 25 such stations across Colorado. The cost of the power at the stations will depend on local electricity rates.

Santa Monica, Calif., is working with EV Connect to create the infrastructure to support EVs and make the city “plug-in friendly.”  EV Connect is installing publicly accessible charging stations at seven sites and numerous residences around the city.  The high-traffic locations chosen for the stations include Santa Monica Place Mall, Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica Civic Center and Santa Monica Airport.

A report from Global Energy Watch anticipates that the market for EV charging stations will grow significantly over the next eight to 10 years as production of the vehicles increases. Governments and military installations are adopting EVs to meet environmental and efficiency mandates, driving the deployment of more charging stations. That, in turn, encourages consumers to buy EVs as they become confident that the infrastructure exists to allow them to charge their cars when- and wherever they need.

While there are still challenges to EV adoption, charging stations clearly represent a potential economic development opportunity for private companies, municipalities and even utilities.