Efficiency improvement remains the key, Metal Wrap Through (MWT) technology ready to take the market According to EnergyTrend, a research division of TrendForce, solar cell and module manufacturers will be more active in improving product efficiency under the pressure of both installation costs and subsidy cut. As for new technologies, MWT technology has been generally appreciated by related industries; it …

By Elisa Wood Advanced lighting has brought us not only energy savings, but also a slew of new screw-in-a-light bulb jokes. For LEDs, it usually goes something like this: How many people does it take to screw in a LED light? One. And a roomful of deep wallets to pay for it. To be fair, the cost of LEDs (light-emitting …

It’s not a difficult formula: the lighter a car is, the less fuel it needs to consume. So why aren’t all of our cars lighter and more fuel-efficient? The answer is a little more complicated. These days, drivers want a host of safety, entertainment and comfort features that ultimately make cars heavier. Lighter weight cars are more fuel-efficient, but they …

100% Recycling Actor and environmental advocate and Energy Upgrade CA in LA County spokesperson, Ed Begley, Jr., gives easy, do-it-yourself tips for homeowners looking to reduce their energy use. This segment highlights recycling practices in the home and the importance of buying recycled products for the home. Other Energy Saving Tips: Number one Number two Number three Number six

Energy and Environmentally Conscious Laundry Habits Actor and environmental advocate and Energy Upgrade CA in LA County spokesperson, Ed Begley, Jr., gives easy, do-it-yourself tips for homeowners looking to reduce their energy use. This segment highlights how homeowners can do laundry in the most energy efficient and environmentally conscious way possible. Other Energy Saving Tips: Number one Number two Number …

Thermostat Episode Actor and environmental advocate and Energy Upgrade CA in LA County spokesperson, Ed Begley, Jr., gives easy, do-it-yourself tips for homeowners looking to reduce their energy use. This segment highlights how to use an energy conserving thermostat to regulate heating and cooling air in the home. Other Energy Saving Tips: Number one Number three Number four

Thermostat Episode Actor and environmental advocate and Energy Upgrade CA in LA County spokesperson, Ed Begley, Jr., gives easy, do-it-yourself tips for homeowners looking to reduce their energy use. This segment highlights “vampire power,” or those electronics sucking electricity but giving you nothing in return, and energy efficient lights for the home. Other Energy Saving Tips: Number two Number three …

By Elisa Wood John Lennon wrote that life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans. Apparently, the same is true of energy efficiency. Energy savings happen when we’re busy doing other things – Internet-based things specifically. We use email, bank online and download music not to save energy, but to make life easier and more interesting. …

Solar plane flies to Sahara sun in Ouarzazate, Morocco Highlights World Bank-financed Morocco solar project linking Europe, N Africa to power of Sahara sun After completing its historic 2,500-kilometer intercontinental flight to Morocco earlier this month, the Swiss solar-powered plane, Solar Impulse, lifted off from Morocco’s capital Rabat morning of June 21 on the second attempt at its most challenging …

According to EnergyTrend, a research division of TrendForce, affected by economic instability in the eurozone, some European power plant investments have not progressed on schedule. Furthermore, Q3 order expectations were initially high, but prospects have changed after the conclusion of the Intersolar Europe exhibition. Although there have not been significant alterations to orders with Taiwanese manufacturers, and suppliers indicate all …

By Elisa Wood Why do some states avoid creating policies that encourage consumers and businesses to save energy? What’s the psychology of the laggards? A new report by the American Council for an Energy Efficiency Economy sheds some insight as it examines the states that consistently fall behind in the organization’s annual energy efficiency ranking. The bottom states are: Alabama, …

Your clients may hold some common misconceptions about how to begin conserving energy in their homes. In this article, I hope to debunk a few of those misconceptions. An audit from a company like EnergyLink is a good place to begin; it shows homeowners where to concentrate. A report called Driving Demand for Home Energy Improvements looked at successful and …

SoloPower Sets Record for Flexible CIGS Solar Panel Efficiency SoloPower Flexible Panel Measured at 13.4% Aperture Efficiency by National Renewable Energy Laboratory SoloPower, a San Jose, California-based manufacturer of flexible thin film solar cells and modules, announced today that its next generation panel has achieved an aperture area efficiency of 13.4%, a record for flexible copper, indium, gallium and (di)selenide …

By Elisa Wood March 8, 2012 US Congresswoman Michele Bachmann often asks why government should tell us which kind of light bulb to choose. Turns out it’s a question with a trillion dollar answer. We will save $1.1 trillion through 2035 because of existing energy efficiency mandates for light bulbs and appliances, according to a report issued this week by …

ALTA DEVICES SOLAR PANEL RECEIVES NREL VERIFICATION OF 23.5% EFFICIENCY Technology Moves Closer to Solar Power without Subsidies Alta Devices’ most recent solar panel has been verified by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) at 23.5% efficiency. This is the highest solar panel efficiency yet achieved and demonstrates Alta’s progress toward its objective of developing solar photovoltaic (PV) solutions that …

ACEEE REPORT: U.S. BETTER OFF “THINKING BIG” ABOUT ENERGY EFFICIENCY INSTEAD OF FOCUSING FIRST ON DEVELOPMENT OF NEW ENERGY SOURCES How Lack of Emphasis on Major Energy Efficiency Investments Leaves “3 Jokers in the U.S. Economic Deck”; Slashing Energy Use 60% Could Generate 2 Million Jobs & Save the Equivalent of $2600 Per Household Annually. WASHINGTON, D.C.///January 12, 2012///America is …

Ultimately, you want an energy efficiency plan for your business – understanding it makes good business sense to lower your energy consumption, to save money, improve your bottom line and protect the environment in the process. You followed the preliminary steps of benchmarking to see how your building compares with similar buildings in your area. You’ve also had an energy …

Test results indicate that the company’s breakthrough design will produce conversion efficiency far in excess of current solar technology Santa Barbara, CA – December 13, 2011 – Solar3D, Inc. (OTCBB: SLTD), the developer of a breakthrough 3-dimensional solar cell technology to maximize the conversion of sunlight into electricity, today announced the results of a simulated test of its new solar …

By Elisa Wood December 7, 2011 Electric utilities operated under a rarefied business model for decades. Their customers were captive so they rarely had to think about what motivated them to buy. New government energy efficiency mandates have changed that, and done so with an ironic twist. Now utilities must figure how to get their customers to refrain from buying. …

Altumkell asked: Alaska Airlines says it, like the rest of the aviation industry, has done everything it can to improve fuel efficiency but that can only do so much. The Seattle-based airline says a concerted effort to develop sustainable aviation biofuels is critical. Two new reports find that if policy makers take action, locally-grown sustainable biofuels can become a viable …