More CES 2010 Fever

The bloggers over at Earth2Tech have put together a "Green Guide" for CES 2010. Some of their highlights match the PSP Blog's top list, but it still should be an interesting read.

Click here for earth2tech's guide to CES 2010.

Everyone be on the lookout for updates from the CES floor on Friday January 8th. The event will be a great time, and it will see the road map laid out for 2010 and beyond. The technology world might not be caught up with Power Smart Pricing, but I guess we should give them a chance to wow us this year...

Solar Gets a Hand from Auto Manufacturers

An interesting story out of the New York Times Environment and Energy blog called Green, Inc discusses the great fit between the expanding solar industry and the struggling auto industry. As the solar industry is looking to expand their manufacturing capabilities with the rise of consumer and industrial demand, the auto industries well documented difficulties through the recession give access to an eager and well trained manufacturing workforce.

On Tuesday solar start-up, Skyline Solar announced that Cosma International will produce the metal components of their solar panels. Cosma's other clients include: GM, Ford, Honda, and Toyota. This comes after a similar announcement that Clairvoyant Energy and Xtreme Power Inc. are converting an idled Ford plant in Michigan to produce renewable energy components.

Clearly the solar industry has a long way to go to fill the gap in lost manufacturing, but its a heartwarming story to see the ingenuity and ability of a trained workforce in action. Car manufacturers will bring the expertise of handling a large supply and production efficiencies to lower costs. The car industry's misfortune presents quite an opportunity for the younger solar industry, and this trend should only continue to the benefit off all involved.

For more go to the Green Inc article.

Design Concepts in Energy Displays

Arriving all the way from Brussels we can find a series of interesting design concepts to report and track household energy consumption. Most conventional products getting developed look more like traditional programmable thermostats, but this exhibition is anything but ordinary.

The Visual Voltage Exhibition at Design Vlaanderen is definitely pushing the envelope. The show hopes to provide information on electricity, energy consumption, and environmental issues. Whether or not you come to the conclusion that any of these concepts are practical, they at least give you an opportunity to think about it in an entirely different light.

With Power Smart Pricing getting price information to our customers in an easy way is of utmost importance. We are constantly seeking and examining the ways in which our participants want and currently receive their information. Since the price of electricity changes each hour, ease of access to the information becomes a high priority.

In the past we have incorporated a great tool called The Price Light. It is an orb that changes colors in a range of blue (for the lowest prices) to red (the highest). We have documented data that shows that participants using the Price Light shifted more of their electricity to lower priced times. Due to technology restraints, reliability concerns, and cost we had to discontinue its use, but since we have been eager to fill its void with another device.

No one would have guessed that a light that changed colors could do some much. Check out the designs from the visual voltage exhibition here.

Cash for Refrigerators

Business Week has put out an article this week outlining an upcoming federal rebate program that will give rebates and discounts on Energy Star rated appliances. Without a catchy title, people have declared the new incentive program "Cash for Refrigerators" (after the very popular Cash for Clunkers program).

The program includes $300 million set aside for consumers to purchase all kinds of energy efficient appliances from washers, dryers, refrigerators, and more...! Rebates will be given out in an amount ranging from $50 to $200 at the time of purchase.

Unlike the CARS program, buyers will not be forced to scrap their old appliances. But no worries because Ameren's Act On Energy portfolio includes a refrigerator recycling program. After you set up your pick up date, Ameren will come to your home and take your old working appliance and recycle it for you. If that's not easy enough, Ameren will give you (as in pay you) a $35 credit on your bill.

For more on "Cash for Refrigerators", read the Business Week article here.

Sears Tower Plans $350 Million Upgrade

The tallest building in the United States is getting a $350 million renovation that will ultimately cut its electricity consumption by 80%. The ambitious plans include wind turbines and solar panels for an extra bit of appeal in the public eye. The rest of the savings will be achieved through upgraded efficiency in most everything a building needs to operate.

An improved glass exterior will help maximize the use of natural light while limiting passive solar heating within the office space during hot summer months. The new windows will be accompanied with an improved indoor lighting system to lower the necessary watts to illuminate the office space while insuring that lights are only used when necessary.

The internal systems will also be overhauled. Energy efficient heating and cooling will lower the building's burden on the grid. Alongside these traditional improvements will be a new elevator systems design. This sounds like a small task until you consider that 102 elevators cover the 4.5 million square foot, 110-story building.

This is quite the task for the architects and builders to achieve, but it will be a sterling example of what smart renovation can achieve. A portion of the cost will be covered by its own energy improvements, not to mention a boost in tourism and the upgrade in desirable office space.

For more information:

The Chicago Tribune
The New York Times
Treehugger

Solar Powered Trash Can Saves Millions

In other news...

It's great to come across a story that seems so backwards, but in the end it makes complete sense. The image of a trash can with solar panels appears to be the symbol of excess in the name of "green." Enter BigBelly's solar powered trash compactor.

By July, Philadelphia will install 500 of these BigBelly trash cans throughout their downtown neighborhood Center City. Normal trash cans in this area have to be emptied 19 times a week compared to just 5 times with BigBelly. The lower removal rate will allow the city to employ just 8 workers rather than 33. The city insists that these jobs will be retained in other areas.

Richard Kennelly, vice president of marketing for BigBelly Solar, in Needham, Mass, looked through some city numbers, coming up with $12.9 million in savings over 10 years. The savings will quickly pay back the initial $2.2 million price tag for the bins.

It is not a coincidence that something that helps the environment can save a city government money. Efficiency is the tie that bonds these two entities together, and it will happen again and again. While your home may not need a BigBelly can, let this be an example of how to look at the true cost of the things you buy.

More on BigBelly Solar.
Article on BigBelly cans from Philly.com.

Whirpool to Make all "Smart" Appliances by 2015

Today Whirlpool announced that all of its appliances will be able to respond to smart grid signals by 2015. Customers on a real time pricing program can instantly see the benefit for a more integrated household system. Instead of eking out the lowest priced hour yourself, your appliances will be able to do that automatically.

Whirlpool also indicated some of the hurdles and logistical roadblocks that will need to be navigated before this will be possible. Bracken Darrell, president of Whirlpool Europe, and executive vice president of Whirlpool Corporation found two key public-private developments that needed to be addressed:

-- The development by the end of 2010 of an open, global standard for transmitting signals to and receiving signals from a home appliance

-- Appropriate policies that reward consumers, manufacturers and utilities for using and adding these new peak demand reduction capabilities.

This is why, according to Darrell, Whirpool is "going to invite the appliance industry, the utility industry, policymakers, NGOs, and relevant technology companies to come together at the upcoming Copenhagen climate change conference to discuss how we can accelerate the adoption of these new capabilities."

Now you just need all of those people to agree...

Follow PSP Prices on Twitter

We have set automated messages to tweet each hour as the price for electricity changes. Use the button located on the sidebar to get to our new Twitter page. This will provide another way to get the information you need whenever you need it.

We also want to encourage all of our participants to use this new platform to discover new and innovative ways to use this service to its full potential.

Here is a little positive encouragement on the endless possibilities:
http://www.goodcleantech.com/2008/12/make_your_own_remote_lighting.php

Some interesting ways to get started on your own can be found here with their selection of widgets and other apps for your desktop, website, or your iphone/itouch. You can even use their API (Application Programming Interface) to create your own.

Walmart and Vatican Add Solar to Their Rooftops

Two different organizations announced they were adding more solar panels to their buildings on Earth Day: the Vatican and Walmart.

The Vatican is planning to build Europe's largest PV plant - a full 100 MW. This solar farm will be 740 acres and will produce roughly six times the amount of energy used in the small country of 108 acres. This will allow the Vatican to be a net energy exporter when the project is scheduled for completion in 2014.

German born Pope Benedict XVI has long been an advocate for the environment. In 2006 he said that "the destruction of the environment, its improper or selfish use, and the violent hoarding of the Earth’s resources cause grievances, conflicts and wars, precisely because they are the consequences of an inhumane concept of development." This past November a smaller solar farm became operational atop the Paulo VI Papal audience hall (shown above).

There is a reason Walmart was number one on the Fortune 500 for such a long time (Exxon Mobil recently surpassed the retail giant). Walmart has constantly pushed for better business practice. They are now using their strong purchasing power to make investments in their energy future.

Walmart is doubling the amount of solar power used at their stores. This may sound like a lot, but really they are increasing their distribution by 20 stores, up from 18. Do not let the Earth Day press release fool you, this is a smart business decision. Making a one time investment to lower their operating costs will continue to allow Walmart sell their goods at lower and lower prices.

Energy costs pile up without a significant return. They take capital and investment opportunities away from businesses and homeowners alike. Generating one's own electricity are steps toward a leaner operating budget. In business, it provides room for more jobs and cheaper goods, and in the home it lowers the cost of living. All the meanwhile, allows us to be better stewards of our fragile planet.

For more information on the Vatican's solar project.
For more information on Walmart's solar project.

In Other News: Space-Based Solar Power

You read that correctly.

California based electric utility PG&E has reached a deal with solar energy company Solaren to purchase any power the company can produce from a proposed 200 MW solar plant to be launched into orbit. The project is scheduled to come online in 2016. On the surface, the deal looks as if PG&E's rate payers will be protected because the utility will only be obligated to pay for the electricity and not the construction.

As far as the technology is concerned, Solaren and its team of engineers have plans to launch their SSP (Space Solar Power) plant into geosynchonous orbit meaning it will travel around the earth at that same speed as the earth's rotation completing its cycle in one day. It will then obsorb power from the sun and direct it back to a receiving antenna on earth through microwaves.

So this all seems futuristic. It is, but the concept has been around for the past 30 years or so. The incentives for developing this technology are endless. In terms of energy, the solar power accumulated in space is 8 to 10 times more powerful than it is on earth because there is not any atmospheric interference. Also, the plant would constantly be in the sun so it would provide a steady base load of power.

If Solaren can pull this off for a reasonable price, then they deserve congratulations. Good luck!

To learn more check out PG&E's blog Next100.

Today's Winner: The Verizon Hub

Here at the PSP blog we promote the notion that something must be measured before it can be reduced. Homeowners looking to reduce their energy bills will be given a much better chance to succeed if they can watch their usage in real time.

The key to acheiving this reality begins with smarter energy meters that can measure usage as it ocurrs, instead of once a month. This will essentially begin the integration of the internet onto the electric grid with systems interacting with each other remotely over some agreed upon protocal (another step towards acheivement). The question I am posing today is, how is this information going to be displayed so the homeowner can actually use it to save some real money?

Let's forget about the software for moment (think Google PowerMeter). After a recent visit to the Smart Home exhibit at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry, it was clear that the ultimate outcome to display energy information has yet to be determined. Will it mount on the wall like your programmable thermostat? Will it only get as far as your computer screen? Or will something entirely different come along?

The Verizon Hub is an interesting proposal. It combines the home phone with a small display (not unlike the Chumby) that includes a series of applications to help people organize their lives. Hopefully, this initial effort to "reinvent" the home phone will be successful and further development will include software that is open to all the living room software developers out there.

All the big names are hard at work on this: GE, Google, Verizon, AT&T, IBM... (this list goes on). There are many more smaller companies that have done the tough job of proving that the technology works, but it sadly appears as if they will be eaten up by the power players. The competition is great, it's a proven method of finding the best solution. Now we get to sit back and enjoy.

I declare today's winner, the Verizon Hub. It's new, different, it looks great, and it would be a great place for that killer app to show me how I can save some money if I was just a little bit smarter with my energy usage. Tomorrow's winner, might win it all... so stay tuned.

Learn more about the Verizon Hub.

Wind Powered Drive-in Theater

The Harvest Moon Drive-In is only open on the weekends in April, May, and September, daily throughout June, July, August, and its closed during the winter, but that does not stop the wind from blowing. Here is another great example of a business lowering its energy costs that can now put that money towards the customer experience.

GIBSON CITY, Ill. - "Monsters vs. Aliens" had top billing at the Harvest Moon Twin Drive-In in Gibson City. But the three-armed, 50-foot beast at the gate and its shorter companion weren't part of the production.

Drive-in owner Mike Harroun (huh-ROON') has installed two energy-producing wind turbines. He believes the Harvest Moon is now the world's only wind-powered drive-in.

The turbines feed power to the electric grid and the theater is credited for that energy.

Harroun says the turbines will initially cut his costs by 30 percent. Eventually, he hopes the turbines will provide all of the drive-in's power.

The Harvest Moon is the only drive-in in east-central Illinois. Gibson City is about 30 miles north of Champaign.

Information from: The Pantagraph, http://www.pantagraph.com

Check out the Harvest Moon Drive-in here (with more pics of the windmills).

GE Announces 2012 Olympic Village Smart Meter Program

Here in Chicago, Olympic fever has reached an early climax with members of the IOC surveying the city this week in its bid as a possible host for the 2016 games. In that spirit, today's entry will feature the upcoming London 2012 games.

GE has announced that it will equip the 2012 Olympic Village with their smart meters. The goal is to use the platform as a launch point for the benefits of knowing the details of your household energy use.

“It’s how you use the information from smart meters to change people’s behavior, rather than the installation of the meters themselves, which is interesting,” explained Tony Gale, GE’s general manager of the company’s London 2012 projects team. “We want to show people the benefits of having detailed information on electricity use through information coming out of the Olympic village.”

A developed smart metering system is seen as such an essential piece of the future energy efficiency portfolio because it can provide improvements from both the supply and demand side of the issue. Utilities will have more knowledge, and thus control, over where, when, and how much electricity is being used. Customers will have up to the minute information on their own usage, and they will no longer be in the dark on their electricity costs until their bill arrives in the mail.

Pilot programs are beginning all over the country to determine the exact benefits utilities and customers can expect. The Olympic Village program will give the results a highly publicized stage. One can just hope that they will emphasize the ever elusive negawatts!!! (a PSP blog favorite...)

The DOE Is Tracking the Money

The U.S. Department of Energy's office for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy has developed a map that allows the user to click on a state to pull up an excel spreadsheet displaying the grant money that has been allocated to each city for energy efficiency.

This investment could pave the way for significant cost saving improvements if it is used properly. It will be interesting to watch how smaller communities who do not have the experience with using money for this purpose end up allocating their portion.

Following the largest investment in energy efficiency in the history of the United States is of utmost importance. It is essential that we can see where the money is going. You can also use this information to show your local representatives that your municipality could use more money. Community specific projects or work training programs are eligible for grants.

All cities with a population of over 35,000 can receive funding. They must first apply (the deadline for cities is June 25th; states must apply by May 26th). Cities must have at least a solid plan in place 18 months after they receive the grant, or they will lose the money.

Access the map here.

For more about the block grant program and eligibility click here.

Wired Magazine Examines Smart Grid

Wired Magazine featured a story about the solutions to overcome the hurdles of transforming our current electric grid into the smart efficient grid of the magical world of "tomorrow." Online the story features a 7 part slide with "Ways to fix the grid, now."

Despite the skeptics who look at this overhaul as an unnecessary undertaking, the technology to achieve this change is already here and they have been proven. The key to the change will be overcoming current regulatory obstacles and integrating the system of wires and transformers into a more collaborative national network.

The main feature I took from the article, was a well written historical perspective of why and how utilities were formed and how they developed the grid into what it is today. An effective smart grid will bring a wide range of new information and data that developers from the biggest companies to the smallest living rooms can use to create innovative ways to manage our daily energy usage.

Check out the series and article here.

Earth Hour Set for March 28, 2009

Earth Hour began in 2007 in Sydney, Australia. On that evening 2.2 million people turned off their lights for an hour in a statement showing the simple steps we can all make that have a significant impact on the environment. The campaign was so successful that it spurned a global event one year later that included over 400 cities and 50 million people. Earth Hour 2009 is expecting to make an even greater impact this year.

Currently over 80 countries and 850 cities have pledged to turn out the lights for Earth Hour this year.



More info at EarthHour.org.
Join the Movement

2008: A Banner Year for Wind Energy

Wind farm near Ellsworth, IL- David B. Vernon eScapesPhoto.com

As our newspapers are filled with gloomy economic report day after day, it is easy to lose sight of the accomplishments we have been able to achieve in the past year. Renewable energy development had a banner year in 2008 elevating the United States to become the largest producer of wind power in the world. Recently, Kathy Belyeu, manager of industry information services at the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) wrote an article in the February 2009 issue of Windletter documenting the remarkable strides we have made.

Some highlights:

"In 2008, the U.S. wind industry activated over 8,300 MW of new capacity, swelling the U.S. cumulative total by 50% to over 25,000 MW."

The new turbines are estimated to produce over 7 billion kWh. The equivalent of the electrical demand of 7 million average US households.

The Capricorn Ridge and Buffalo Gap had phases added in 2008, increasing their total capacity to 662.5 MW and 523.3 MW, respectively.

Aside from these large projects getting larger, smaller community wind farms also achieved a significant rise in capacity. Just like PSP blog's favorite at Bureau Valley High.

"There are now seven states in the "Over-1 [GW] Club," with Colorado and Oregon joining the top five states of Texas, Iowa, California, Minnesota and Washington."

Building on the resounding successes in 2008 will be more difficult in the credit choked atmosphere in 2009. However, future development will by no means cease. As much as 4000 MW of capacity is scheduled to begin construction, due to projects that were delayed in 2008 because the wind energy production tax credit was not continued until the end of the year. The AWEA also believes the stimulus package that was recently passed in Congress will allow additional projects to come on line in 2009.

The numbers may be down in 2009 versus 2008, but progress is still being achieved at a rapid pace.

Article found via RenewableEnergyWorld.com.

More information on the American Wind Energy Association.

GeoBulb II - LED on the Market

GeoBulb II is on the market as a direct replacement for a traditional 60 watt incandescent lamp. Their website claims a 30,000 hour life span (compared to just 1,000 for an incandescent and 2,500 for a CFL). The light bulb gives off the same amount of light while using just 7.5 watts which comes out to around $3 a year in electricity costs. An incandescent would be closer to $30 without including the cost of replacing a burned out bulb. There is no hazardous material (unlike the CFL which has a trace amount of mercury). All this sounds too good to be true right?

Well, it is true. However there's a catch. This bulb costs $120. At such a price it would seem like there would be no way to justify this purchase, but if you look at the numbers it's clear. According to their website, over the 30,000 hour life span the GeoBulb II costs (electricity + initial price tag) $147. During that same span an incadescent will run you $243. But today, the solution for cost effectiveness is the CFL which only costs $107 over 30,000 hours. When the price of the LED comes down to $80 it will be competitive over its life span with the CFL.

The lesson here is that despite the extremely high initial cost this one light bulb can save you over $100. That's one light bulb at a price that is surely to come down. Imagine all the light bulbs you have ever seen and multiply that by 100. That is the price and energy savings that will come with a dramatic shift to LED lighting.

This dramatic shift will not come without consumers. It took the CFL a few years after being introduced into the market until it was successful on the shelf next to an incandescent. Research and development money will need to continue to work towards lowering the initial cost of an LED. It is not hard to believe that this will happen, and if the price tag of the GeoBulb can get to $5, the total cost of the bulb would be a miniscule $32 (over $200 savings off an incandescent).

Check out GeoBulb here.
Savings comparison chart here.

Stimulus Tax Credit Guide

As we all have heard, the stimulus package has tons of tax credits for energy efficiency home improvements. However, I don't have the time to look through the 1000 pages of complicated legislative language to figure out what's exactly in there. Thankfully, Treehugger has has done the work for us. The website has compiled a slideshow outlining the various available credits and their criterium to get the full benefit.

Check it out here.

New Smart Grid video at GE

There is a great new video over at ge.com about their smart meter pilot program with Oklahoma Gas and Electric. It has some really interesting interviews with people who are on the program. The changes all come from one little in home display that tracks how much people are using and how it much costs.

I included Google at the top because currently the two companies have teamed up to lobby the knuckleheads in Washington to learn more about the aspects of this type of investment.

www.ge.com - The video should come up on their homepage. Its called "Building a Smarter Grid."

Google.org Blog - Google and GE go to Washington