26 economical ways to keep your house cooler
Simple changes such as moving lamps away from thermostats can save you hundreds of dollars. Here is more money -- and energy -- saving tips.
Sure, go ahead and turn that thermostat up to 80. You'll be sweaty and still shelling out a bundle -- unless you take other steps to make summer heat more bearable and reduce stress on your air conditioner.
Most of these cost little or nothing. Thank the Department of Energy's Energy Savers program, which provides most of these tips (and more) on its own
Get the most from your air conditioning
Open windows and use portable or ceiling fans instead of operating your air conditioner. Even mild air movement of 1 mph can make you feel three or four degrees cooler. Make sure your ceiling fan is turned for summer -- you should feel the air blown downward. If you live in a relatively dry climate, a bowl or tray of ice in front of a box fan can cool you as it evaporates.
Use a fan with your window air conditioner to spread the cool air through your home.
Without blocking air flow, shade your outside compressor. Change air filters monthly during the summer.
Use a programmable thermostat with your air conditioner to adjust the setting at night or when no one is home.
Don't place lamps or TV’s near your air conditioning thermostat? The heat from these appliances will cause the air conditioner to run longer.
Consider installing a whole house fan or evaporative cooler (a "swamp cooler") if appropriate for your climate. Attics trap fierce amounts of heat; a well-placed and -sized whole-house fan pulls air through open windows on the bottom floors and exhausts it through the roof, lowering the inside temperature and reducing energy use by as much as third compared with an air conditioner. Cost is between $200 and $400 if you install it yourself. An evaporative cooler pulls air over pads soaked in cold water and uses a quarter the energy of refrigerated air, but they're useful only in low-humidity areas. Cost is $200 to $600. (See "Keep cool without pricey AC.")
Install white window shades, drapes, or blinds to reflect heat away from the house. Close curtains on south- and west-facing windows during the day.
Install awnings on south-facing windows. Because of the angle of the sun, trees, a trellis, or a fence will best shade west-facing windows. Apply sun-control or other reflective films on south-facing windows.
Landscaping for a cooler house
Plant trees or shrubs to shade air conditioning units, but not block the airflow. A unit operating in the shade uses less electricity. Clean your compressor/condensing unit monthly – power wash.
Grown on trellises, vines such as ivy or grapevines can shade windows or the whole side of a house.
Avoid landscaping with lots of un-shaded rock, cement, or asphalt on the south or west sides. It increases the temperature around the house and radiates heat to the house after the sun has set.
Deciduous trees planted on the south and west sides will keep your house cool in the summer. Just three trees, properly placed around a house, can save a few hundred dollars in annual cooling and heating costs. In summer, daytime air temperatures can be 3 degrees to 6 degrees cooler in tree-shaded neighborhoods.
Little things mean a lot
Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents or LED; they produce the same light but use a fifth the energy and heat
Air-dry dishes instead of using your dishwasher's drying cycle.
Use a microwave oven instead of a conventional electric range or oven.
Turn off your computer and monitor when not in use.
Plug home electronics, such as TVs and VCRs, into power strips and turn power strips off when equipment is not in use.
Lower the thermostat on your hot water heater; 115° is comfortable for most uses.
Take showers instead of baths to reduce hot water use.
Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes.
Don't air-condition the whole neighborhood
Caulking and weather-stripping will keep cool air in during the summer.
If you see holes or separated joints in your ducts, hire a professional to repair them.
Add insulation around air conditioning ducts when they are located in unconditioned spaces such as attics, crawl spaces, and garages; do the same for whole-house fans where they open to the exterior or to the attic. Install ERV.
Check to see that your fireplace damper is tightly closed.
Plan ahead
More costly but effective cooling measures are available as your home undergoes normal upgrades and repairs.
A 10-year-old air conditioner, for example, is only half as efficient as a new one. A quick check of your air conditioner's efficiency can help you decide whether to call in a service professional. Use a household thermometer to measure the temperature of the discharge air from the register and the temperature of the return air at the return-air grill. (Keep the thermometer in place for five minutes to get a steady temperature.) The difference should be from 14 to 20 degrees, experts say. An air conditioner that's not cooling to those levels could be low on refrigerant or have leaks. A unit cooling more than 20 degrees could have a severe blockage.
Using light shingles on a new roof can cut the amount of heat the house absorbs. Repainting in a light color, especially south- and west-facing exterior areas, helps as well.
Upgraded insulation in the attic, attic fans and double-paned windows all around, complete with tinting to reflect sunlight, are good ideas, too. Install outdoor window shades on Southern and Western Exposure.
Keep cool without pricey AC
Whole-house fans and evaporative coolers can take the edge off summer's heat for just pennies an hour. But they're not for everyone or every climate.
You might think your only options for a heat wave are air conditioning, fans or sweating it out. But a couple of old-school technologies could keep you cooler and cut your electricity bills at the same time.
There's always a catch, though, isn't there? These alternatives -- whole-house fans and evaporative coolers -- don't perform well in all climates. If your area is humid, you won't be able to use most evaporative coolers. If your skies stay warm at night or if you don't have an attic, don't try a whole-house fan.
But if nights are cool and you've got a hot attic, or if your air isn't already dripping with moisture, read on. You could save a bundle.
energy bills?
Not long ago, fans and evaporative coolers -- known with derisive affection as "swamp coolers" -- made homes livable in the hottest climates. "In the '60s, an evaporative cooler was all we had," recalls Arizona native John Kirby, an engineer with SRP, a Phoenix-area utility. "Most homes couldn't afford air conditioning until it got more reasonable."
But there were downsides, including noise and, with swamp coolers, lots of maintenance. Enter central air conditioning: Invisible and quiet, it became the high-status choice. In the U.S., 89% of homes built in 2006 had central air, says the National Association of Home Builders, compared with just 46% in 1976.
But air conditioners draw lots of power, so now, with both summer temperatures and electricity costs rising, these old energy misers deserve a second look with newer, quieter models that need less maintenance.
Evaporative coolers
These also are called "poor people's air conditioning" because they're so cheap to run. But what's wrong with that? They use up to 75% less energy than air conditioners, says Gerald Katz, an energy specialist with Colton (Calif.) Electric Utility.
Because they don't cool as effectively as air conditioning, in really hot climates their use is limited to late spring and early fall.
There are several types:
Rolling. These budget coolers cost about $300, and run for as little as pennies an hour, depending on local electric rates. They are particularly effective in apartments and condos, where rooms are smaller and rules might prohibit anything in the windows.
Window. Old coolers were big, noisy metal boxes that covered a window. Many new ones use high-quality plastic and sit outside, beneath a window, with an outlet through the window into the home. They cost about $400 and up, installed, and less than 10 cents an hour to operate. They must be flushed and cleaned regularly to prevent rust and calcium buildup. Newer models need only yearly maintenance.
Roof-mounted. These high-end, low-maintenance coolers are installed on roofs and connected to ducts that direct cool air into the house and force hot air up and out. Some are built right into attics. They cost $1,000 and up, installed, and up to 20 cents an hour to run. But compare that with $5,000 to $6,000 for new central air that costs 75 cents to $1 an hour to run.
Save more money
Katz's municipally owned utility gives small evaporative coolers to some low-income customers. "I've seen bills drop by $100 a month when we give people these," he says.
His job includes helping customers conserve electricity -- and money. "I see people paying $150 a month for electricity in apartments and $200 to $300 or more in homes," he says. In summer, electricity use typically doubles, which tells him that air conditioning accounts for about half the bill.
The heat is on
You can count on your power bills to rise alongside summer's temperatures.
Evaporative coolers work by pulling fresh air over pads soaked in cold water. The air is chilled, cleansed and sent into the house on a cool breeze. You must open windows or doors while it's running so hot air can escape. If that's unsafe, consider an UpDuct, a pressure-operated damper ($12 to $15 where you buy evaporative coolers) installed in outside walls.
Continued: Making the decision
Advanced systems -- two-stage evaporative coolers such as those made by AdobeAir and Davis Energy Group's OASys -- employ a pre-cooler to extend the product's usefulness into hotter and more-humid conditions.
Making the decision
Coolers add humidity, so they shine where humidity is low. How low? A chart at the California Energy Commission's site shows optimum conditions to help you decide. A map at the Washington State University site marks the best regions (typically from the Rockies westward).
Should you buy a new evaporative cooler? That depends on your bills, your weather and the efficiency of the system you've already got. You might purchase a portable unit on a trial basis. Find them at home-improvement centers and chains such as Sears and Wal-Mart. They often sell out in heat waves, so call around to locate one, then check the store's return policy to ensure you could get a full refund. Learn how many days you have to return it and save your receipt. If the model you buy is noisy, try other brands.
Higher-end coolers require professional installation, so contact air-conditioning companies. They cost less than air conditioners and need no expensive professional maintenance, so providers are less motivated to carry them. You may have to phone around to find one.
Whole-house fans
Where nights are cooler, even during one or two seasons, a whole-house fan can whittle your electric bill. Their cost ranges from a few hundred dollars to more than $1,000 for the most expensive home units, with installation starting at around $300, more if attic venting is included. But it can shave 30% off your bill if you run it instead of air conditioning at night.
"At night you bring all this cool air into the house, then you close the house up in the day and you are living off the cool you got in the night," says Kirby, who used a whole-house fan while living in Missouri.
Video on MSN Money
The heat is on
You can count on your power bills to rise alongside summer's temperatures.
You'll need an attic because the point of the fan is to cool it off. It fits into the ceiling, usually in a hallway, and sucks hot air up and out attic vents. It can be quite effective.
Manny Robledo, in sweltering San Dimas, Calif., uses a whole-house fan. Returning home after a hot day, "you turn this thing on, and in a matter of 15 minutes you cool the house," he says.
Comparing costs
Here's how to compare the cost of operating your air conditioner with an evaporative cooler or whole-house fan:
Estimate how many hours a month you run air conditioning.
Check the label on your air conditioner to see how many kilowatts it uses. The label may not say, but it will show the amps and volts used, so calculate the number of watts it consumes by multiplying the amps (quantity of energy used) by the volts (pressure at which the energy is delivered) on the label. Divide by 1,000 for kilowatts.
Multiple the kilowatts used by the number of hours you run air conditioning each month to find the kilowatt-hours it consumes monthly.
Next, see what it's costing you to run the air conditioner by consulting your electric bill to find the cost of a kilowatt-hour of electricity. Multiple the cost by the number you arrived at for kilowatt-hours.
Do the same for the new appliance.
If in doubt, remember: The savings from an energy-efficient appliance will increase over time. "The way utility costs are rising, savings could potentially grow,"
Compiled by: Jay Draiman
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Utilizing all the sources into one formula.
Utilizing all the sources into one formula.
Often partial solutions to our problems are presented on the Internet but nobody puts the pieces together. Recently, I have focused quite a bit on the energy issue, and I have found that solutions abound, but the political will to implement them is lacking, or they appear uneconomical because they are, by themselves in fact uneconomical.
A good example of this is wind power penetrating the grid at more than about 20%. By itself taken in isolation, with all other variables ignored; more than about 20% seems impractical because of the variability of wind. But taken with other solutions the picture is quite different.
Our existing electrical grid is mostly an AC grid, the east and the western grids aren't substantially connected, and overall it's inefficient, unreliable, and at capacity straining to meet ever growing demands.
If this weren't the case; if we modernized our electrical grid adding east-west ties and converting all spans longer than 300km to DC transmission, first, doing this alone would be like adding 15% additional generating capacity to the grid without any additional pollution because we could cut the losses from around 17% to around 2%. Moreover, efficient east-west transmission would allow us to distribute the peak load across the time zones requiring less peak capacity and making more efficient use of the capacity we already have, above and beyond grid losses.
If we can utilize geographical diversity with wind generation, something only possible with the modernization of our power grid; then the total capacity available from wind power never falls below about 1/3rd of peak capacity, and then we could, if we choose, simply overbuild capacity and supply our entire electrical needs from wind alone. I'm not advocating wind alone, ideally we'd use a mixture of renewable sources, solar, geo-thermal, ocean-current, ocean-wave, tidal, ocean-thermal, various forms of hydro (there are forms that can capture energy from the movement of river water without dams), etc.
We could generate all of our electricity by wind if we so choose simply by building 3x as much capacity as we need and modernizing the electrical grid. But there is a snag, wind, presently the least expensive method of generating electricity, less so even than coal now, would lose its attractive economics if we had to overbuild by 3x AND if there were no market for that peak power.
Add in some other technologies, for example, we can take electricity, carbon dioxide, and water, and using one of three processes, we can make an alcohol called Butynol (Butynol is manufactured by combining the petroleum gases. isobutylene and isoprene at the extremely low temperature of 100 degree centigrade) which can directly be used as a replacement for gasoline in ordinary gasoline cars. Butynol actually has tremendous advantages over gasoline. Butynol produces only 3% of the hydrocarbon emissions, almost un-measurable carbon monoxide emissions, and greatly reduced nitrous oxides relative to gasoline. It also produces slightly better fuel mileage and power, greatly reduced acidic blow-by products (thereby enhancing engine life) and less waste heat (also enhancing engine life).
We can make Butynol from electricity, carbon dioxide, and water by one of three methods. There exists a kind of reverse fuel cell that was recently invented that uses a catalyst in the presence of electricity to convert carbon dioxide and water to Butynol. That is one method; it's a method that from what I've read Richard Branson paid to have developed to produce Butynol as a renewable jet fuel. However, there are two other methods also that can be used, carbon dioxide can be electrolyzed into oxygen and carbon monoxide, the carbon monoxide can be mixed with steam to form "process gas", and then in the presence of catalysts, this can be used to create a variety of useful hydrocarbons including Butynol. Lastly, electricity can be used to create sufficient heat to disassociate carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide and oxygen and then the same process that follows electrolysis can be used. The last process has been demonstrated on an industrial scale, I'm not sure if the first processes have made it out of the lab, but they have at least been demonstrated in the lab. Using the latter two processes it is also possible to make synthetic diesel.
If use the electricity generated during times when there is excess capacity to create Butynol, we can replace imported oil used for gasoline and diesel, while at the same time providing a market for the peak electrical production, thereby allowing wind power to be economical even when capacity is overbuilt, and we create a market for the carbon dioxide generated by existing coal and gas fired plants instead of just releasing the carbon dioxide into the air. When the Butynol is burned it will release carbon dioxide, but this is displacing oil that would have been burnt, so the net result will be a reduction in carbon dioxide and if we can bring enough renewable electricity capacity online to eliminate the need for fossil fueled power generation, then we can continue to make Butynol by sequestering carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere, thus making the process a closed loop resulting in no net carbon dioxide increase.
Any one of these elements by themselves may not be economic; but they are all mutually synergistic and implemented together they could eliminate our dependency upon foreign oil first, and later eliminate our dependency upon fossil fuels (or for that matter abiotic oil) entirely. (Abiotic - generally asserting that oil is formed from magma instead of an organic origin)
We should be doing this, and we should not be doing it ten or fifty years from now, we should be doing it now.
Jay Draiman said...
Water is the source of life - treasure it! R4.
Water is the source of all life on earth. It touches every area of our lives. Without it, we could not thrive — we could not even survive.
Sustainability – “We strive to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.
We should discourage wastefulness and misuse, and promote efficiency and conservation.
"Conservation is really the cheapest source of supply,"
For the benefit of mankind, maintain the quality of life and preserve the peace and tranquility of world population. Water resources must be preserved - to sustain humanity. We must eliminate wasteful utilization of water, conserve our water sources and implement rigid conservation methods. We should utilize solar and or other source of renewable energy to operate desalinization projects from the oceans. Utilize renewable energy sources to purify and transport the water to its final destination. As world population increases the scarcity of water will become a cause for conflict, unless we take steps now to develop other sources of water for drinking, rainwater harvesting – storm-water and gray-water utilization. Designing of landscaping that uses minimal amount of water.
"With power shortages and a water scarcity a constant threat across the West, it's time to look at water and energy in a new way,"
To preserve the future generations sustainability, we should look into urban farming – vertical farming. The term "urban farming" may conjure up a community garden where locals grow a few heads of lettuce. But some academics envision something quite different for the increasingly hungry world of the 21st century: a vertical farm that will do for agriculture what the skyscraper did for office space. Greenhouse giant: By stacking floors full of produce, a vertical farm could rake in $18 million a year.
Jay Draiman, Energy and water conservation consultant
June 29, 2008
PS.
Hydro dynamics: forget oil. Sharing freshwater equitably poses political conundrums as explosive and far-reaching as global climate change.
Quoted from other sources
Anyone who has ever stood on a beach and looked out into the vast expanse of an ocean knows that there is a lot of water on this planet. In fact, 70 percent of the Earth's surface is covered by water. It may seem like water is all around us, but safe, clean, reliable drinking water is not a ceaseless resource. The problems facing drinking water range from failing infrastructure, to climate change, to insufficient supplies.
Personal Conservation
Preserving our water resources is not a job for water industry professionals alone. We all have a vested interest in ensuring that water remains safe, affordable and available. Therefore, each individual American has a responsibility to monitor and control their water use, There are many simple ways for people to reduce excess water use, lower water bills and protect the environment, especially in die spring and summer months, Beyond the standard constraints of watering the lawn only when necessary and washing car wisely by using soap and a bucket of water, some steps include: draining water lines to outside faucets, disconnecting hoses, shutting off outdoor water sources during cold weather and running a small trickle of water on whiter nights to prevent pipe from freezing.
Conclusion:
Water supply management is an issue that affects us all. It may not be apparent to every citizen today, but with climate change and population shifts transforming the United States, it soon will be. Effective solutions need to be put into place today before we are faced with a water crisis. A focus on careful planning, treatments, innovations and conservation measures will help to create stability for long-term water management. Commitment to keeping water at the top of the list for communities and citizens will better prepare us for whatever the future of water holds.
WATER!
The indispensable source of life-without water there would be no industry, no agriculture and, most importantly of all, no life. In dry parts of the world this essential commodity is even more precious. Almost all human actions involve water from taking a shower to reading a newspaper to driving a car or simply eating a sandwich - almost everything we do or touch is somehow related to this precious treasure. We ask that you stop and think how you use water and what you can do to conserve this essential natural resource.
*Water, beliefs and customs,
*Water as a vehicle of the economy,
*Water, source of art and life, irrigation and cultivation.
The people have decided to act to try and develop a real awareness program on the theme of water preservation and distribution in an attempt to help maintain the original purity of rivers and streams.
In many parts of the world water sources and wells are not equally distributed. Water as a source of life can also be at the source of conflict.
Whether we live in India, Iceland or the Atlas… we have always tried to trap and tame water. Dams, pumps, canals, water treatment centers; there are so many different ways to exploit this resource that we often forget how fragile this unique and essential treasure actually is.
Unfortunately, many of the things we do every day can harm our water. That’s why all people and government should be working with municipalities, farmers, business leaders and developers just like you to take action to protect our water and clean it up.
Small changes can make a big difference. This guide outlines practical things we can all do to preserve and protect our water. We all need to be part of the solution.
Concentrated Solar Power, which requires no solar panels at all. It works by concentrating sunlight onto a small pipe using cheap parabolic reflectors. The pipe contains a liquid that’s heated to very high temperatures by the sun and drives a steam boiler that rotates a turbine to generate electricity (much like nuclear power plants, but without the nuclear waste). It’s cheap, low-tech, and far more affordable than solar power. Plus, it can be built in practically any desert, so it doesn’t take up valuable land. As another bonus, when CSP operations are built near the ocean, they can desalinate ocean water as a side effect, providing fresh water for irrigation to grow food. This is the only renewable energy technology I know of that can produce cheap energy, fresh water and crop irrigation all at the same time. Plus, it has no emissions, no toxic chemicals, no nuclear waste and very little environmental impact..
“You can’t escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today” - Abraham Lincoln said it.
“That man is richest whose pleasures are the cheapest” – Henry David Thoreau.
“To waste, to destroy, our natural resources, to skin and exhaust the land instead of using it so as to increase its usefulness, will result in undermining in the days of our children the very prosperity which we ought by right to hand down to them amplified and developed” – Theodore Roosevelt.
“When the ‘study of the household’ (ecology) and the ‘management of the household’ (economics) can be merged, and when ethics can be extended to include ‘environmental’ as well as human values, then we can be optimistic about the future of mankind. Accordingly, bringing together these three E’s is the ultimate holism and the great challenge for our future” – Eugene Odum.
Water, it’s been said, is the "oil of the 21st century" -- a commodity whose availability and quality may be subject to both known and unknown influences. For companies, that poses significant risks, and many companies are making water a strategic issue, creating water management plans that include efficiency and conservation as well as contingency plans should water become less available or more costly. Many firms are examining their products, policies, and processes through the lens of a world in which the availability of water becomes a constraint to doing business.
June 29, 2008
Comment
To be sure water is important to life; it's one of the first things we look for on another planet when considering whether that planet may or may not be capable of supporting life.
That said; fresh water on Earth is a secondary problem. Water is an issue only to the degree energy is an issue because there is plenty of salt water and energy can turn salt water into fresh water.
You and I disagree with respect to priorities. You make the statement, "As population rises water will become more scarce".
Well, that's true; but let's look at the first part of that equation, "As population rises", and attack that issue first.
Population doesn't rise in developed countries with robust economies except through immigration.
The lesson there is, if we can eliminate poverty globally, we'll eliminate population growth. In my view, this ought to be priority number one because sustainability depends upon a stable population.
Eliminating poverty, even with conservation, is going to require increased energy production and that can't be accommodated by fossil fuels.
Even worse; the production of fossil fuels has at least temporarily peaked, and even though recent discoveries and new technology will no doubt allow it to continue to grow, no new technology will produce more air; or ocean capable of absorbing carbon dioxide; therefore it's important that the use of fossil fuels not increase, even if we are capable of doing so.
However, the demand is growing and supply is stable or shrinking, if this issue isn't addressed immediately we're looking at a world of economic collapse, widespread hunger, and increased population growth rate.
So we need to consider every option available to replace declining sweet light crude production, we can not, absolutely can not "forget oil" as you suggest.
June 29, 2008
Often partial solutions to our problems are presented on the Internet but nobody puts the pieces together. Recently, I have focused quite a bit on the energy issue, and I have found that solutions abound, but the political will to implement them is lacking, or they appear uneconomical because they are, by themselves in fact uneconomical.
A good example of this is wind power penetrating the grid at more than about 20%. By itself taken in isolation, with all other variables ignored; more than about 20% seems impractical because of the variability of wind. But taken with other solutions the picture is quite different.
Our existing electrical grid is mostly an AC grid, the east and the western grids aren't substantially connected, and overall it's inefficient, unreliable, and at capacity straining to meet ever growing demands.
If this weren't the case; if we modernized our electrical grid adding east-west ties and converting all spans longer than 300km to DC transmission, first, doing this alone would be like adding 15% additional generating capacity to the grid without any additional pollution because we could cut the losses from around 17% to around 2%. Moreover, efficient east-west transmission would allow us to distribute the peak load across the time zones requiring less peak capacity and making more efficient use of the capacity we already have, above and beyond grid losses.
If we can utilize geographical diversity with wind generation, something only possible with the modernization of our power grid; then the total capacity available from wind power never falls below about 1/3rd of peak capacity, and then we could, if we choose, simply overbuild capacity and supply our entire electrical needs from wind alone. I'm not advocating wind alone, ideally we'd use a mixture of renewable sources, solar, geo-thermal, ocean-current, ocean-wave, tidal, ocean-thermal, various forms of hydro (there are forms that can capture energy from the movement of river water without dams), etc.
We could generate all of our electricity by wind if we so choose simply by building 3x as much capacity as we need and modernizing the electrical grid. But there is a snag, wind, presently the least expensive method of generating electricity, less so even than coal now, would lose its attractive economics if we had to overbuild by 3x AND if there were no market for that peak power.
Add in some other technologies, for example, we can take electricity, carbon dioxide, and water, and using one of three processes, we can make an alcohol called Butynol (Butynol is manufactured by combining the petroleum gases. isobutylene and isoprene at the extremely low temperature of 100 degree centigrade) which can directly be used as a replacement for gasoline in ordinary gasoline cars. Butynol actually has tremendous advantages over gasoline. Butynol produces only 3% of the hydrocarbon emissions, almost un-measurable carbon monoxide emissions, and greatly reduced nitrous oxides relative to gasoline. It also produces slightly better fuel mileage and power, greatly reduced acidic blow-by products (thereby enhancing engine life) and less waste heat (also enhancing engine life).
We can make Butynol from electricity, carbon dioxide, and water by one of three methods. There exists a kind of reverse fuel cell that was recently invented that uses a catalyst in the presence of electricity to convert carbon dioxide and water to Butynol. That is one method; it's a method that from what I've read Richard Branson paid to have developed to produce Butynol as a renewable jet fuel. However, there are two other methods also that can be used, carbon dioxide can be electrolyzed into oxygen and carbon monoxide, the carbon monoxide can be mixed with steam to form "process gas", and then in the presence of catalysts, this can be used to create a variety of useful hydrocarbons including Butynol. Lastly, electricity can be used to create sufficient heat to disassociate carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide and oxygen and then the same process that follows electrolysis can be used. The last process has been demonstrated on an industrial scale, I'm not sure if the first processes have made it out of the lab, but they have at least been demonstrated in the lab. Using the latter two processes it is also possible to make synthetic diesel.
If use the electricity generated during times when there is excess capacity to create Butynol, we can replace imported oil used for gasoline and diesel, while at the same time providing a market for the peak electrical production, thereby allowing wind power to be economical even when capacity is overbuilt, and we create a market for the carbon dioxide generated by existing coal and gas fired plants instead of just releasing the carbon dioxide into the air. When the Butynol is burned it will release carbon dioxide, but this is displacing oil that would have been burnt, so the net result will be a reduction in carbon dioxide and if we can bring enough renewable electricity capacity online to eliminate the need for fossil fueled power generation, then we can continue to make Butynol by sequestering carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere, thus making the process a closed loop resulting in no net carbon dioxide increase.
Any one of these elements by themselves may not be economic; but they are all mutually synergistic and implemented together they could eliminate our dependency upon foreign oil first, and later eliminate our dependency upon fossil fuels (or for that matter abiotic oil) entirely. (Abiotic - generally asserting that oil is formed from magma instead of an organic origin)
We should be doing this, and we should not be doing it ten or fifty years from now, we should be doing it now.
Jay Draiman said...
Water is the source of life - treasure it! R4.
Water is the source of all life on earth. It touches every area of our lives. Without it, we could not thrive — we could not even survive.
Sustainability – “We strive to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.
We should discourage wastefulness and misuse, and promote efficiency and conservation.
"Conservation is really the cheapest source of supply,"
For the benefit of mankind, maintain the quality of life and preserve the peace and tranquility of world population. Water resources must be preserved - to sustain humanity. We must eliminate wasteful utilization of water, conserve our water sources and implement rigid conservation methods. We should utilize solar and or other source of renewable energy to operate desalinization projects from the oceans. Utilize renewable energy sources to purify and transport the water to its final destination. As world population increases the scarcity of water will become a cause for conflict, unless we take steps now to develop other sources of water for drinking, rainwater harvesting – storm-water and gray-water utilization. Designing of landscaping that uses minimal amount of water.
"With power shortages and a water scarcity a constant threat across the West, it's time to look at water and energy in a new way,"
To preserve the future generations sustainability, we should look into urban farming – vertical farming. The term "urban farming" may conjure up a community garden where locals grow a few heads of lettuce. But some academics envision something quite different for the increasingly hungry world of the 21st century: a vertical farm that will do for agriculture what the skyscraper did for office space. Greenhouse giant: By stacking floors full of produce, a vertical farm could rake in $18 million a year.
Jay Draiman, Energy and water conservation consultant
June 29, 2008
PS.
Hydro dynamics: forget oil. Sharing freshwater equitably poses political conundrums as explosive and far-reaching as global climate change.
Quoted from other sources
Anyone who has ever stood on a beach and looked out into the vast expanse of an ocean knows that there is a lot of water on this planet. In fact, 70 percent of the Earth's surface is covered by water. It may seem like water is all around us, but safe, clean, reliable drinking water is not a ceaseless resource. The problems facing drinking water range from failing infrastructure, to climate change, to insufficient supplies.
Personal Conservation
Preserving our water resources is not a job for water industry professionals alone. We all have a vested interest in ensuring that water remains safe, affordable and available. Therefore, each individual American has a responsibility to monitor and control their water use, There are many simple ways for people to reduce excess water use, lower water bills and protect the environment, especially in die spring and summer months, Beyond the standard constraints of watering the lawn only when necessary and washing car wisely by using soap and a bucket of water, some steps include: draining water lines to outside faucets, disconnecting hoses, shutting off outdoor water sources during cold weather and running a small trickle of water on whiter nights to prevent pipe from freezing.
Conclusion:
Water supply management is an issue that affects us all. It may not be apparent to every citizen today, but with climate change and population shifts transforming the United States, it soon will be. Effective solutions need to be put into place today before we are faced with a water crisis. A focus on careful planning, treatments, innovations and conservation measures will help to create stability for long-term water management. Commitment to keeping water at the top of the list for communities and citizens will better prepare us for whatever the future of water holds.
WATER!
The indispensable source of life-without water there would be no industry, no agriculture and, most importantly of all, no life. In dry parts of the world this essential commodity is even more precious. Almost all human actions involve water from taking a shower to reading a newspaper to driving a car or simply eating a sandwich - almost everything we do or touch is somehow related to this precious treasure. We ask that you stop and think how you use water and what you can do to conserve this essential natural resource.
*Water, beliefs and customs,
*Water as a vehicle of the economy,
*Water, source of art and life, irrigation and cultivation.
The people have decided to act to try and develop a real awareness program on the theme of water preservation and distribution in an attempt to help maintain the original purity of rivers and streams.
In many parts of the world water sources and wells are not equally distributed. Water as a source of life can also be at the source of conflict.
Whether we live in India, Iceland or the Atlas… we have always tried to trap and tame water. Dams, pumps, canals, water treatment centers; there are so many different ways to exploit this resource that we often forget how fragile this unique and essential treasure actually is.
Unfortunately, many of the things we do every day can harm our water. That’s why all people and government should be working with municipalities, farmers, business leaders and developers just like you to take action to protect our water and clean it up.
Small changes can make a big difference. This guide outlines practical things we can all do to preserve and protect our water. We all need to be part of the solution.
Concentrated Solar Power, which requires no solar panels at all. It works by concentrating sunlight onto a small pipe using cheap parabolic reflectors. The pipe contains a liquid that’s heated to very high temperatures by the sun and drives a steam boiler that rotates a turbine to generate electricity (much like nuclear power plants, but without the nuclear waste). It’s cheap, low-tech, and far more affordable than solar power. Plus, it can be built in practically any desert, so it doesn’t take up valuable land. As another bonus, when CSP operations are built near the ocean, they can desalinate ocean water as a side effect, providing fresh water for irrigation to grow food. This is the only renewable energy technology I know of that can produce cheap energy, fresh water and crop irrigation all at the same time. Plus, it has no emissions, no toxic chemicals, no nuclear waste and very little environmental impact..
“You can’t escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today” - Abraham Lincoln said it.
“That man is richest whose pleasures are the cheapest” – Henry David Thoreau.
“To waste, to destroy, our natural resources, to skin and exhaust the land instead of using it so as to increase its usefulness, will result in undermining in the days of our children the very prosperity which we ought by right to hand down to them amplified and developed” – Theodore Roosevelt.
“When the ‘study of the household’ (ecology) and the ‘management of the household’ (economics) can be merged, and when ethics can be extended to include ‘environmental’ as well as human values, then we can be optimistic about the future of mankind. Accordingly, bringing together these three E’s is the ultimate holism and the great challenge for our future” – Eugene Odum.
Water, it’s been said, is the "oil of the 21st century" -- a commodity whose availability and quality may be subject to both known and unknown influences. For companies, that poses significant risks, and many companies are making water a strategic issue, creating water management plans that include efficiency and conservation as well as contingency plans should water become less available or more costly. Many firms are examining their products, policies, and processes through the lens of a world in which the availability of water becomes a constraint to doing business.
June 29, 2008
Comment
To be sure water is important to life; it's one of the first things we look for on another planet when considering whether that planet may or may not be capable of supporting life.
That said; fresh water on Earth is a secondary problem. Water is an issue only to the degree energy is an issue because there is plenty of salt water and energy can turn salt water into fresh water.
You and I disagree with respect to priorities. You make the statement, "As population rises water will become more scarce".
Well, that's true; but let's look at the first part of that equation, "As population rises", and attack that issue first.
Population doesn't rise in developed countries with robust economies except through immigration.
The lesson there is, if we can eliminate poverty globally, we'll eliminate population growth. In my view, this ought to be priority number one because sustainability depends upon a stable population.
Eliminating poverty, even with conservation, is going to require increased energy production and that can't be accommodated by fossil fuels.
Even worse; the production of fossil fuels has at least temporarily peaked, and even though recent discoveries and new technology will no doubt allow it to continue to grow, no new technology will produce more air; or ocean capable of absorbing carbon dioxide; therefore it's important that the use of fossil fuels not increase, even if we are capable of doing so.
However, the demand is growing and supply is stable or shrinking, if this issue isn't addressed immediately we're looking at a world of economic collapse, widespread hunger, and increased population growth rate.
So we need to consider every option available to replace declining sweet light crude production, we can not, absolutely can not "forget oil" as you suggest.
June 29, 2008
Monday, August 8, 2011
Renewable Energy Manufactures/suppliers should use their own product to manufacture.
Renewable Energy Manufactures/suppliers should use their own product to manufacture.
The manufacturers’ of Solar Panels and other forms of renewable energy with related support products manufactures/suppliers - should have at least the decency to practice what they preach what they market to the public.
That would be the best marketing approach I can think off.
If they believe in the product they manufacture/sell, they should utilize it to its fullest potential.
It will give the manufacturer the actual experience of utilizing the product on a daily basis, view and experience any shortcoming or improvements that are needed, implement the improvements and capitalize on that revision to improve the product and its performance.
This will instill confidence in the public to purchase the product.
Jay Draiman, Energy Analyst
PS
As with any new technology, PV will become more efficient, cheaper and cleaner to produce. In order for this to happen we (Governments / NGOs / Individuals) need to invest more time and money into making PV viable, e.g. through increased incentives, regulations, technical standards, R&D, manufacturing processes and generating consumer demand.
Just like the automobile industry, the manufacture used its own product.
Over the years the automobile industry and technology has evolved from the early 1900 to what it is today the year 2008.
I predict that in 10 years the automobile we know today will change drastically for the better, with new fuel technology and other modification that will improve its scales of economy and features.
The manufacturers’ of Solar Panels and other forms of renewable energy with related support products manufactures/suppliers - should have at least the decency to practice what they preach what they market to the public.
That would be the best marketing approach I can think off.
If they believe in the product they manufacture/sell, they should utilize it to its fullest potential.
It will give the manufacturer the actual experience of utilizing the product on a daily basis, view and experience any shortcoming or improvements that are needed, implement the improvements and capitalize on that revision to improve the product and its performance.
This will instill confidence in the public to purchase the product.
Jay Draiman, Energy Analyst
PS
As with any new technology, PV will become more efficient, cheaper and cleaner to produce. In order for this to happen we (Governments / NGOs / Individuals) need to invest more time and money into making PV viable, e.g. through increased incentives, regulations, technical standards, R&D, manufacturing processes and generating consumer demand.
Just like the automobile industry, the manufacture used its own product.
Over the years the automobile industry and technology has evolved from the early 1900 to what it is today the year 2008.
I predict that in 10 years the automobile we know today will change drastically for the better, with new fuel technology and other modification that will improve its scales of economy and features.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Energy Savers Utilities Analyses Guarantees Savings on Your Utility Costs
“Determination and perseverance will bring your goal to fruition” – never give-up
"THE KEY TO SUCCESS - IS BEING HONEST AND CANDID WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS"
“Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion”
Sustainability - "We strive to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs".
“It is cheaper to save energy than make energy”
Are you paying your fair share of Gas, Electric, Phone, Water and Sewer bills? Chances are you are not. Recent studies have shown that a high percentage of companies and property owners are being over-charged on their utility bills.
TRUE OR FALSE
___ Utility firms automatically give their customers the lowest rate obtainable.
___ State Public Service Commission establishes utility rates.
____ The Federal Power Commission exercises direct authority over utility rates.
____ Telephone companies only charge for completed (connected calls).
____ You can’t recover money overpaid on telephone and utility bills (gas, electric, water) in past years.
____ You must buy your gas and electricity from the local gas company. Can you increase energy efficiency?
IF YOU CHECKED “TRUE” to any of these statements, you could be throwing money away each month when you pay your telephone and utility bills.
A survey by Consumer’s Checkbook, a non-profit consumer group, showed that 7 out of 8 major long-distance phone companies were overcharging their customers.
Also companies that qualify for tax and rate concessions designed to attract new industry, many are not receiving any or all of these reductions on their utility bills.
The following outlines the services that we can offer you.
1. Energy Savers specializes in helping clients recover refunds or credits found on utility and telephone bills. We also help utilize better tariffs; there are yearly changes in tariffs which affect the consumer, utility taxes are modified.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPLEMENTATION IS CRUCIAL TO OUR ECONOMY
Offering cost recovery programs for Gas, Electric, Telecom and Water
"Paying for utility costs without using a Utility Auditor and Monitor is like driving a car at night with the lights turned off"
Water is the source of life - treasure it!
We should discourage wastefulness and misuse, and promote efficiency and conservation.
We can help you conserve water and reduce your costs.
Protect Yourself from Unauthorized Third-Party Charges on your Phone Bill
Energy sources and conservation
Our energy sources should not be limited to PV/Solar.
It should be a combination of PV/Wind and many instances Geothermal.
There are also Tidal and Wave Energy, Thermal, Fuel cell, etc.
You could also use renewable energy to convert water into hydrogen which would give you fuel to power generators and cars. We should utilize renewable energy for desalinization and transport the water to its ultimate destination.
People have to realize that in order for this approach to be successful.
We need everyone on board to work together for this common goal.
The Government, Corporate America and the people of the United States must make a commitment to this cause and pursue it relentlessly.
Above all that people have to concentrate on energy efficiency.
“It is cheaper to save energy than make energy”
Many people have to monitor their habits and be conscience of their daily habits in the use of energy and utilities. In changing your daily habits peoples can cut their energy costs between 30-60%, without any physical modification. Tests have proven for this to be correct. Imagine how much more you can conserve and save if you made some minor physical modifications.
There are many programs available to anyone which helps achieve these goals.
It is educating the public to conserve and not waste that will make the difference.
As a nation United States consumes more resources than any other country in the world.
Today’s economic crisis should serve as an impetus to implement a mission of conserving resources for all of the people in the United States. Conserve resources for our sake and the sake of future generations.
Developing Renewable Energy sources should be the “Manhattan project of the 21st century”
Thank you
YJ Draiman, Director of Utilities & Sustainability
No Cost / Low Cost Measures Energy
No Cost / Low Cost Measures
While a lighting or refrigeration upgrade is one of the most cost-effective steps you can take to save energy, boost your cash flow, and improve the look of your business, there are many other simple steps you can take in your facility to help reduce energy costs even more. These measures require little or no investment on your part, and can reap great energy benefits. So make sure you aren’t throwing money down the drain, out the window, through cracks in your ducts…and so on.
Consider implementing these simple changes:
NO-COST MEASURES
Lighting
Turn off lights in unoccupied areas, when not in use, or when windows supply sufficient daylighting. Examples include break rooms, storage rooms, walk-in refrigerators and freezers.
Make sure lighting controllers (time clocks, occupancy sensors and photocells) are set and working properly.
Make sure exterior lights are off during the daytime.
HVAC
Do not block air flow to HVAC vents to allow system to operate efficiently.
Keep windows and doors closed while HVAC system is running. Set thermostat to 68 degrees (heating) and 78 degrees (cooling) when occupied.
Refrigeration
Clean dirty condenser coils.
Allow air flow around coils so that waste heat can dissipate; shield coils from the sun.
Keep refrigerators loaded to reduce cycling; gallon jugs filled with water can serve this purpose well.
Office equipment
Turn off equipment such as computers, monitors, copy machines, and printers when not in use, including each night and on weekends. Make sure to turn off desk lamps, coffee machines and desk fans too.
Check cubicles to make sure “personal” heaters are turned off – these small heaters are often left on by accident, and surprisingly, represent a significant winter electric load in office buildings.
Shades and Blinds
In winter, open shades and blinds during daylight hours. In summer, close shades during daylight hours in areas that experience heat buildup.
LOW-COST MEASURES
Lighting
Replace incandescent lighting with Energy Star®-labeled
compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs).
Replace incandescent exit sign lamps with light-emitting diode (LED) or T1 cold cathode fluorescent (CCFL) exit sign lamps.
Reduce general overhead lighting by de-lamping, and use task lighting where needed. Lighting can be reduced more near windows.
Replace any incandescent or halogen torchiéres with Energy Star® CFL torchiéres.
Install occupancy sensors in non-essential lighting areas.
When standard halogen bulbs fail, replace with halogen infrared (HIR) that use 30% less energy.
When purchasing task lighting, buy lamps that use CFLs. If you already have halogen task lamps, when a bulb fails replace it with a halogen infrared (HIR) bulb.
HVAC
Perform regular scheduled maintenance on units, including cleaning burners and air conditioner coils, cleaning and replacing air filters regularly, and checking ducts for leaks and pipe insulation for damage. Have your HVAC service person check the coolant charge, since an incorrect charge can make the unit work harder (and use more energy) to cool your air.
Install an Energy Star®-labeled programmable thermostat, with a locking cover to prevent tampering.
Replace HVAC air filters at least every three months.
Weatherization
Make sure windows and doors are closing properly, maintain tight seals and remain closed. Add weatherstripping to doorways to reduce leakage and drafts.
Insulate hot water lines where possible, especially in unconditioned spaces.
RESTAURANTS: NO-COST MEASURES
Be systematic about startup and shutdown of your appliances and cooking equipment.
Reduce dishwasher usage: fully load the washer and turn off tank heaters when not in use.
Turn off all fans when the building is unoccupied.
Turn off exhaust hoods when the appliances under them are off.
Maintain evaporative coolers—fan pumps and pads.
RESTAURANTS: LOW-COST MEASURES
Install high-efficiency pre-rinse spray nozzles at dish wash stations to reduce water and natural gas usage.
Maintain refrigerator doors by aligning them, replacing worn gaskets, enabling auto door-closers. Replace damaged strip curtains where present.
Insulate refrigerant lines where possible.
Install low-temperature occupancy sensors in walk-in refrigerators, to save on lighting costs.
Remember to buy Energy-Star® and other high-efficiency equipment when replacing old appliances—the incremental cost is usually minor, and rebates are often available!
LIGHT INDUSTRIAL: NO-COST MEASURES
Turn off compressed air systems when not in use—especially nights and weekends.
Do not use compressed air for cleaning; use blowers or sweep instead.
LIGHT INDUSTRIAL: LOW-COST MEASURES
Distribute heating and cooling loads by installing ductwork to each machine or station, rather than conditioning large open spaces.
SCHOOLS: NO-COST MEASURES
Organize after-school activities for outdoors or to utilize as few heating/cooling zones as possible so that HVAC systems can be turned off.
SCHOOLS: LOW-COST MEASURES
Organize student activities to look at energy conservation opportunities and to track the school’s energy performance.
While a lighting or refrigeration upgrade is one of the most cost-effective steps you can take to save energy, boost your cash flow, and improve the look of your business, there are many other simple steps you can take in your facility to help reduce energy costs even more. These measures require little or no investment on your part, and can reap great energy benefits. So make sure you aren’t throwing money down the drain, out the window, through cracks in your ducts…and so on.
Consider implementing these simple changes:
NO-COST MEASURES
Lighting
Turn off lights in unoccupied areas, when not in use, or when windows supply sufficient daylighting. Examples include break rooms, storage rooms, walk-in refrigerators and freezers.
Make sure lighting controllers (time clocks, occupancy sensors and photocells) are set and working properly.
Make sure exterior lights are off during the daytime.
HVAC
Do not block air flow to HVAC vents to allow system to operate efficiently.
Keep windows and doors closed while HVAC system is running. Set thermostat to 68 degrees (heating) and 78 degrees (cooling) when occupied.
Refrigeration
Clean dirty condenser coils.
Allow air flow around coils so that waste heat can dissipate; shield coils from the sun.
Keep refrigerators loaded to reduce cycling; gallon jugs filled with water can serve this purpose well.
Office equipment
Turn off equipment such as computers, monitors, copy machines, and printers when not in use, including each night and on weekends. Make sure to turn off desk lamps, coffee machines and desk fans too.
Check cubicles to make sure “personal” heaters are turned off – these small heaters are often left on by accident, and surprisingly, represent a significant winter electric load in office buildings.
Shades and Blinds
In winter, open shades and blinds during daylight hours. In summer, close shades during daylight hours in areas that experience heat buildup.
LOW-COST MEASURES
Lighting
Replace incandescent lighting with Energy Star®-labeled
compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs).
Replace incandescent exit sign lamps with light-emitting diode (LED) or T1 cold cathode fluorescent (CCFL) exit sign lamps.
Reduce general overhead lighting by de-lamping, and use task lighting where needed. Lighting can be reduced more near windows.
Replace any incandescent or halogen torchiéres with Energy Star® CFL torchiéres.
Install occupancy sensors in non-essential lighting areas.
When standard halogen bulbs fail, replace with halogen infrared (HIR) that use 30% less energy.
When purchasing task lighting, buy lamps that use CFLs. If you already have halogen task lamps, when a bulb fails replace it with a halogen infrared (HIR) bulb.
HVAC
Perform regular scheduled maintenance on units, including cleaning burners and air conditioner coils, cleaning and replacing air filters regularly, and checking ducts for leaks and pipe insulation for damage. Have your HVAC service person check the coolant charge, since an incorrect charge can make the unit work harder (and use more energy) to cool your air.
Install an Energy Star®-labeled programmable thermostat, with a locking cover to prevent tampering.
Replace HVAC air filters at least every three months.
Weatherization
Make sure windows and doors are closing properly, maintain tight seals and remain closed. Add weatherstripping to doorways to reduce leakage and drafts.
Insulate hot water lines where possible, especially in unconditioned spaces.
RESTAURANTS: NO-COST MEASURES
Be systematic about startup and shutdown of your appliances and cooking equipment.
Reduce dishwasher usage: fully load the washer and turn off tank heaters when not in use.
Turn off all fans when the building is unoccupied.
Turn off exhaust hoods when the appliances under them are off.
Maintain evaporative coolers—fan pumps and pads.
RESTAURANTS: LOW-COST MEASURES
Install high-efficiency pre-rinse spray nozzles at dish wash stations to reduce water and natural gas usage.
Maintain refrigerator doors by aligning them, replacing worn gaskets, enabling auto door-closers. Replace damaged strip curtains where present.
Insulate refrigerant lines where possible.
Install low-temperature occupancy sensors in walk-in refrigerators, to save on lighting costs.
Remember to buy Energy-Star® and other high-efficiency equipment when replacing old appliances—the incremental cost is usually minor, and rebates are often available!
LIGHT INDUSTRIAL: NO-COST MEASURES
Turn off compressed air systems when not in use—especially nights and weekends.
Do not use compressed air for cleaning; use blowers or sweep instead.
LIGHT INDUSTRIAL: LOW-COST MEASURES
Distribute heating and cooling loads by installing ductwork to each machine or station, rather than conditioning large open spaces.
SCHOOLS: NO-COST MEASURES
Organize after-school activities for outdoors or to utilize as few heating/cooling zones as possible so that HVAC systems can be turned off.
SCHOOLS: LOW-COST MEASURES
Organize student activities to look at energy conservation opportunities and to track the school’s energy performance.
Fuel saving tips
Inflate your tires to their maximum recommended pressure. High pressure in tires enables you to accelerate with less gas and coast farther. It also enhances turn-in capability and facilitates better tire longevity.
2. Use the lowest weight oil recommended for your vehicle. Low-weight oil is easier to pump through an engine, and the engine components will interact more efficiently.
3. Change your air filter at least once a year. Engines work harder when they have to pull air through a dirty filter.
4. Drive as if you hypothetically do not have brakes. Gerdes says that drivers usually burn fuel to get up to an excessive speed, then throw that energy away by slamming on the brakes at a stop sign or red light. Thus, he asks drivers to imagine driving a brakeless vehicle and adjust their driving style accordingly. He recommends accelerating only as needed, and coasting up to red lights and stop signs when possible.
5. Don’t use cruise control or worry about keeping a constant speed — instead, be concerned with not changing the load on your engine. In other words, it’s acceptable to slow down as you go up a hill, as long as your engine continues to work only as hard as it did when you were on level ground. You’ll make up the loss in speed on the other side of the hill due to the assistance of gravity.
6. Don't drive above the speed limit. The faster you go, the more you increase drag on the car from the wind, consuming more fuel.
7. Turn your engine off if you are idling for more than 10 seconds. Idling is one of the worst fuel wasters.
8. Practice “potential parking.” First, seek out the highest point of a parking lot and, if parking lot topography permits, coast uphill into a spot where you can face out, allowing you to coast right out when you depart.
9. Instead of relying on your fuel gauge, odometer and your long division skills, install a ScanGauge (scanguage.com) automotive computer that calculates and displays your fuel consumption. Many luxury vehicles already have this functionality.
10. Sweat it out sans A/C. Running a mechanical and electrical accessory like air conditioning steals fuel from the engine and decreases fuel economy. Operating the air conditioner on its maximum setting can reduce miles per gallon by up to 25 percent.
2. Use the lowest weight oil recommended for your vehicle. Low-weight oil is easier to pump through an engine, and the engine components will interact more efficiently.
3. Change your air filter at least once a year. Engines work harder when they have to pull air through a dirty filter.
4. Drive as if you hypothetically do not have brakes. Gerdes says that drivers usually burn fuel to get up to an excessive speed, then throw that energy away by slamming on the brakes at a stop sign or red light. Thus, he asks drivers to imagine driving a brakeless vehicle and adjust their driving style accordingly. He recommends accelerating only as needed, and coasting up to red lights and stop signs when possible.
5. Don’t use cruise control or worry about keeping a constant speed — instead, be concerned with not changing the load on your engine. In other words, it’s acceptable to slow down as you go up a hill, as long as your engine continues to work only as hard as it did when you were on level ground. You’ll make up the loss in speed on the other side of the hill due to the assistance of gravity.
6. Don't drive above the speed limit. The faster you go, the more you increase drag on the car from the wind, consuming more fuel.
7. Turn your engine off if you are idling for more than 10 seconds. Idling is one of the worst fuel wasters.
8. Practice “potential parking.” First, seek out the highest point of a parking lot and, if parking lot topography permits, coast uphill into a spot where you can face out, allowing you to coast right out when you depart.
9. Instead of relying on your fuel gauge, odometer and your long division skills, install a ScanGauge (scanguage.com) automotive computer that calculates and displays your fuel consumption. Many luxury vehicles already have this functionality.
10. Sweat it out sans A/C. Running a mechanical and electrical accessory like air conditioning steals fuel from the engine and decreases fuel economy. Operating the air conditioner on its maximum setting can reduce miles per gallon by up to 25 percent.
Welcome to Energy Savers
Welcome to Energy Savers. We’re leading consultants in the field of energy efficiency, renewable energy and telecom portfolio planning and management. For rate-payer funded and market-based energy efficiency products and services, we provide services in:
o Strategic planning, portfolio design, and service delivery consulting;
o Negotiation and expert witness testimony;
o Management consulting;
o Evaluation; Utility auditing and
o Technical research.
Our clientele includes utilities, government, non-profit organizations, and energy service companies.
Energy Savers strives to help clients examine, formulate and execute efficiency investment alternatives that:
Reduce electricity and/or gas demand growth sufficiently to postpone the need for more costly new supply.
Maximize economic value from efficiency savings by helping customers spend less on saving energy then they pay to use it.
Reduce reliance on non-renewable energy sources and the undesirable by-products of their production and use.
Maximize the benefits of your telecom expenses
Energy Savers provides two different types of services depending on the setting. The bulk of our practice deals with efficiency programs funded by consumers of regulated electricity and/or gas service. In this setting we assist clients with program design and development; program planning; program assessment and evaluation; implementation; management; and regulatory review and policy support.
We also serve a limited clientele of energy service businesses seeking to harness the value, safety, comfort, and quality of efficiency products and services to build market share and customer loyalty.
Efficiency and Renewable Portfolio Strategic Planning and Management Consulting
Program design and development
Defining program scope (regional, state, utility system, targeted electric distribution circuits)and objectives (market transformation, resource acquisition, economic value, customer service, distributional equity)
Devising and packaging technical, financial, marketing, and delivery strategies to maximize program energy, economic and environmental savings
Program Planning
Characterizing costs and performance of efficiency and renewable technologies
Estimating achievable market penetration and participant savings\
Setting program performance goals
Projecting program resource savings
Program budgeting
Program assessment and evaluation
Developing, applying and supporting use of cost-effectiveness screening tools to demonstrate economic value of programs and particular projects.
Valuing and integrating projected program savings and costs into supply planning and acquisition
Developing, overseeing, conducting, and reviewing evaluation of program results and market research
Management Consulting
Development of management performance goals for meeting program objectives
Assisting program management with development of implementation plans and procedures to meet and exceed program performance goals
Supporting business development for commercial and industrial customers and trade allies (e.g., vendors, architects/engineers)
Establishing methods and assumptions for estimating and tracking program savings
Providing decision support in staffing and contracting (job descriptions, recruiting, contractor scope of work).
Reporting of program progress and outcomes.
Quality assurance planning and execution
Regulatory review and policy support
Expert testimony and advice on regulatory policy for efficiency and renewable investments
Support in regulatory review and approval of efficiency and renewable program plans and results
Formulation and support of cost recovery and program performance incentives
Development, Planning, Startup and Ongoing Support For Retail Energy Products and Services Businesses
Product Development
Helping conceptualize and define efficiency and renewable products and services
Integrating efficiency and renewable offerings with related products and services to strengthen market position
Business Planning and Startup
Preparing written business plans capable of securing startup financing
Putting in place the sales, operating, and customer service personnel and procedures that will sustain and grow the business over time
Providing ongoing support to improve business performance
Energy Saver’s Cost Effectiveness Screening Tool is a key element of our analysis capabilities. The tool provides a foundation for strategic planning efforts by assessing and accounting the costs and benefits of both individual applications and comprehensive portfolios, supporting short-and long-term evaluations of strategies and offered services.
The tool is highly versatile and multifaceted yet transparent. It is a spreadsheet-based software application, and is in use today at numerous utilities for efficiency program analysis.
Among the tools many capabilities are:
Full accounting of technology costs, including capital, fuel, operating and maintenance, and cost offsets such as non-electricity savings (e.g. gas) and non-energy benefits (e.g.water).
Proper accounting for the benefits of electric energy and demand savings from efficiency and renewable technologies, calculated using annual values of long-run avoided costs.
Precise treatment of various timing effects, including different lifetimes, multiple electricity costing periods, and proper handling of cost and savings shifts over time due to early retirement of existing inefficient equipment with high-efficiency technologies.
In-depth treatment of long-term market effects, including changes in technology costs and performance over time (e.g. reductions in technology costs due to market transformation), and projections of market penetrations under business as usual and under different policy initiatives.
Full reporting of electricity, economic, and environmental impacts over time.
Here are some of the hallmarks of Energy Saver’s approach to efficiency investment planning:
Rigorous analysis formulated and conducted to demonstrate the net economic value of efficiency investments, analysis that is both accessible to the public yet stands up to regulatory and investor scrutiny.
Complete treatment of all major determinants of efficiency technology and program performance, especially their interaction and integration as part of comprehensive solutions.
Effective integration of efficiency savings into energy supply planning, particularly the influence of efficiency program performance on the timing of generation, transmission and distribution needs.
Deep understanding of market barriers to efficiency investment by customers and suppliers , and solid grasp of proven market intervention strategies for overcoming these barriers rapidly and permanently.
Unique blend of hands-on experience with efficiency technologies and investment decision-making real-life business settings, backed by extensive technical, policy, management, and regulatory expertise.
Wide-ranging knowledge of the history, results, and lessons from efficiency programs run throughout North America over the past quarter-century.
Energy Savers has consistently brought these qualities to bear in the development, analysis and planning of energy-efficiency portfolios worth hundreds of millions of dollars throughout North America. These attributes make Energy Savers the first choice for consulting assistance in the design, development, planning, assessment, startup, and ongoing implementation management support for large-scale efficiency investment programs. Especially effective are the analytical tools Energy Savers uses to help clients demonstrate the net economic value to be realized from achievable efficiency and renewable technology potential, which manifests itself in the form of increased disposable income to households and increased competitiveness and profitability on the part of participating businesses.
www.energysavers2.com
o Strategic planning, portfolio design, and service delivery consulting;
o Negotiation and expert witness testimony;
o Management consulting;
o Evaluation; Utility auditing and
o Technical research.
Our clientele includes utilities, government, non-profit organizations, and energy service companies.
Energy Savers strives to help clients examine, formulate and execute efficiency investment alternatives that:
Reduce electricity and/or gas demand growth sufficiently to postpone the need for more costly new supply.
Maximize economic value from efficiency savings by helping customers spend less on saving energy then they pay to use it.
Reduce reliance on non-renewable energy sources and the undesirable by-products of their production and use.
Maximize the benefits of your telecom expenses
Energy Savers provides two different types of services depending on the setting. The bulk of our practice deals with efficiency programs funded by consumers of regulated electricity and/or gas service. In this setting we assist clients with program design and development; program planning; program assessment and evaluation; implementation; management; and regulatory review and policy support.
We also serve a limited clientele of energy service businesses seeking to harness the value, safety, comfort, and quality of efficiency products and services to build market share and customer loyalty.
Efficiency and Renewable Portfolio Strategic Planning and Management Consulting
Program design and development
Defining program scope (regional, state, utility system, targeted electric distribution circuits)and objectives (market transformation, resource acquisition, economic value, customer service, distributional equity)
Devising and packaging technical, financial, marketing, and delivery strategies to maximize program energy, economic and environmental savings
Program Planning
Characterizing costs and performance of efficiency and renewable technologies
Estimating achievable market penetration and participant savings\
Setting program performance goals
Projecting program resource savings
Program budgeting
Program assessment and evaluation
Developing, applying and supporting use of cost-effectiveness screening tools to demonstrate economic value of programs and particular projects.
Valuing and integrating projected program savings and costs into supply planning and acquisition
Developing, overseeing, conducting, and reviewing evaluation of program results and market research
Management Consulting
Development of management performance goals for meeting program objectives
Assisting program management with development of implementation plans and procedures to meet and exceed program performance goals
Supporting business development for commercial and industrial customers and trade allies (e.g., vendors, architects/engineers)
Establishing methods and assumptions for estimating and tracking program savings
Providing decision support in staffing and contracting (job descriptions, recruiting, contractor scope of work).
Reporting of program progress and outcomes.
Quality assurance planning and execution
Regulatory review and policy support
Expert testimony and advice on regulatory policy for efficiency and renewable investments
Support in regulatory review and approval of efficiency and renewable program plans and results
Formulation and support of cost recovery and program performance incentives
Development, Planning, Startup and Ongoing Support For Retail Energy Products and Services Businesses
Product Development
Helping conceptualize and define efficiency and renewable products and services
Integrating efficiency and renewable offerings with related products and services to strengthen market position
Business Planning and Startup
Preparing written business plans capable of securing startup financing
Putting in place the sales, operating, and customer service personnel and procedures that will sustain and grow the business over time
Providing ongoing support to improve business performance
Energy Saver’s Cost Effectiveness Screening Tool is a key element of our analysis capabilities. The tool provides a foundation for strategic planning efforts by assessing and accounting the costs and benefits of both individual applications and comprehensive portfolios, supporting short-and long-term evaluations of strategies and offered services.
The tool is highly versatile and multifaceted yet transparent. It is a spreadsheet-based software application, and is in use today at numerous utilities for efficiency program analysis.
Among the tools many capabilities are:
Full accounting of technology costs, including capital, fuel, operating and maintenance, and cost offsets such as non-electricity savings (e.g. gas) and non-energy benefits (e.g.water).
Proper accounting for the benefits of electric energy and demand savings from efficiency and renewable technologies, calculated using annual values of long-run avoided costs.
Precise treatment of various timing effects, including different lifetimes, multiple electricity costing periods, and proper handling of cost and savings shifts over time due to early retirement of existing inefficient equipment with high-efficiency technologies.
In-depth treatment of long-term market effects, including changes in technology costs and performance over time (e.g. reductions in technology costs due to market transformation), and projections of market penetrations under business as usual and under different policy initiatives.
Full reporting of electricity, economic, and environmental impacts over time.
Here are some of the hallmarks of Energy Saver’s approach to efficiency investment planning:
Rigorous analysis formulated and conducted to demonstrate the net economic value of efficiency investments, analysis that is both accessible to the public yet stands up to regulatory and investor scrutiny.
Complete treatment of all major determinants of efficiency technology and program performance, especially their interaction and integration as part of comprehensive solutions.
Effective integration of efficiency savings into energy supply planning, particularly the influence of efficiency program performance on the timing of generation, transmission and distribution needs.
Deep understanding of market barriers to efficiency investment by customers and suppliers , and solid grasp of proven market intervention strategies for overcoming these barriers rapidly and permanently.
Unique blend of hands-on experience with efficiency technologies and investment decision-making real-life business settings, backed by extensive technical, policy, management, and regulatory expertise.
Wide-ranging knowledge of the history, results, and lessons from efficiency programs run throughout North America over the past quarter-century.
Energy Savers has consistently brought these qualities to bear in the development, analysis and planning of energy-efficiency portfolios worth hundreds of millions of dollars throughout North America. These attributes make Energy Savers the first choice for consulting assistance in the design, development, planning, assessment, startup, and ongoing implementation management support for large-scale efficiency investment programs. Especially effective are the analytical tools Energy Savers uses to help clients demonstrate the net economic value to be realized from achievable efficiency and renewable technology potential, which manifests itself in the form of increased disposable income to households and increased competitiveness and profitability on the part of participating businesses.
www.energysavers2.com
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