EnergyFacts

Apple iPad 3G Energy Management Tools

2010-04-20T17:06:00.004-05:00

Ways that the iPad help reduce energy consumption around the World....

Apps to Control Energy Use:

Control4: Home automation
ZipCar Reservations
VisibleEnergy UFO Power Center

New Senate Legislation Apr 26

2010-04-16T10:17:00.000-05:00

New Senate Carbon Tax Legislation being released April 26?

Wind Turbine Guidelines, Data Center Energy Star Study Results

2010-04-14T09:05:00.002-05:00

Recycling Challenges

2010-04-06T09:45:00.001-05:00

Recycling: Practical Issues.....

Energy Efficiency Manual

2010-04-04T08:00:00.004-05:00

This is an excellent fundamentals book on the topic of Energy Efficiency....

% of Income spent on Gasoline (By State); Energy Star Building Upgrade Manual

2010-04-01T08:46:00.002-05:00

EPA Letter Clarifying Intent to Enforce Carbon Emissions

2010-03-23T14:35:00.001-05:00

EPA Letter Clarifying Intent to Enforce Carbon Emissions (Feb 22, 2010 .pdf)....

$65 Billion Investment Worldwide for Wind Power in 2010 (China is #1)

2010-03-22T10:12:00.000-05:00

World to Spend $65 Billion on New Wind Power in 2010... (China will be #1)

15 States Sue EPA over Greenhouse Gas Rules

2010-03-20T06:49:00.004-05:00

15 States Sue EPA to STOP Greenhouse Gas Control...

State of Green Business 2010 Report; US Governors Wind Energy Report

2010-03-19T05:57:00.004-05:00

AT&T Reduces CONSUMER Paper & Electric Use; Los Angeles 5% Renewable Rate Increase; Federal Subsidies Summary for Energy Industry

2010-03-18T05:44:00.004-05:00

Gallup Poll shows Environmental Concerns at 20 Year Low; Servers hit Limits of Energy Efficiency

2010-03-17T12:52:00.003-05:00

Solar Leasing Program, 2010 State of Green Business Report, BloomBox Fuel Cell Case Studies

2010-03-05T05:19:00.003-06:00

Top 100 CSR Companies, Energy Services is $5.6 B Industry

2010-03-03T14:18:00.008-06:00

CRO's 2010 List of the Top 100 "Corporate Social Responsible" Companies

Commercial Energy Efficiency Services is now a $5.6 Billion Industry....

Hydro Leads Renewables, McKinsey - Water Scarcity Report, FORBES 45 Billionaires from Energy, NREL Renewable Summary by State

2010-03-03T13:15:00.004-06:00

Hydro Power still leads Renewable Energy electric generation mix at 70%.....

Scarce water resources are an increasing business risk (McKinsey Report).....

Another view of the McKinsey Water Report

45 Billionaires that made their money from Energy (Forbes)...

NREL Renewable Energy Summary (.pdf) - State by State

Newsweek Top 500 Green Companies, Walmart's Vendor Sustainability Index

2009-12-01T05:21:00.001-06:00

Green Rankings of Top 500 US Corporations (Newsweek)

Walmarts Vendor Sustainability Index Assessment Questionnaire....

QUICK POLL - Will a Carbon Bill Pass the Senate in 2009 / 2010?

2009-11-18T05:39:00.005-06:00

Take the Poll....

See Poll Results!

Apple, Carbon Trading, California PUC, Lighting Savings Calculator, Wind Turbines, GREENWASH, Chamber of Commerce, Carbon Emissions

2009-10-01T12:26:00.005-05:00

Apple Launches Major GREEN Effort....

Carbon Trading would Dwarf that of Crude Oil, and create a $2 Trillion Trading Market...

California PUC approves $3 Billion for Energy Efficiency Rebates....

Online Lighting Energy Savings Calculator by Wattstopper (EXCELLENT )....

US Wind Turbine Installations to hit 8,000 by 2015...

GREENWASH - Proliferation of 400+ Green Seals Detracts from Message....

Wind Energy Outlook Report for North America (Pike Research)

Large Utilities Quitting U.S. Chamber of Commerce over Carbon Dispute....

CO2 Emissions in the U.S. DROPS 2.8% in 2008....

McKinsey Energy Efficiency Report, Red Robins LED Lights, Fedex Solar in NJ, Renewable Energy in US

2009-09-30T04:45:00.001-05:00

McKinsey Energy Efficiency report shows $1.2 Trillion Reduction Opportunity...

Red Robins Restaurant chain installs GE LED lights at 150 retail locations ...

Fedex installs 2.4 MW solar system in NJ - largest in US..

Renewable Energy adds 4,000 MW of electricity in in 2009....

Yahoo Greens Data Centers, FREE Carbon Calculator, G8 Countries ranked, Waxman, Ocean Damage

2009-08-02T06:00:00.005-05:00

Yahoo Drops Carbon Offset purchases - focuses on Green Data Centers...

Data Center ONLINE carbon and cost calculator...

G8 Countries - Ranked from Most sustainable to Worst....

Concessions that were "Agreed to" to pass the Climate Bill in the house last Friday....

It's sad what is happening to the Oceans....

NEW Federal Lighting Standards, Climate Bill Winners & Losers

2009-07-02T05:25:00.002-05:00

White House (Obama) announces NEW efficient lighting standards...

Climate Bill Summary, CISCO Telecommuting, Honeywell Wind Turbines at ACE Hardware, Arizona Solar Plant, Wind Power Resource Map, MBA in Sustainable B

2009-06-30T06:22:00.002-05:00

CISCO's Telecommuting program a MAJOR success.. Saves $277 Million annually....

Honeywell Roof mounted wind turbine to be sold at local ACE hardware stores in Fall 2009...

Arizona Solar Power plant to deliver electricity day and night WITHOUT needing batteries...

Wind Power resource map of the U.S.....

MBA in Sustainable Business is now offered ONLINE...

ACEEE Climate Bill Analysis, Microsoft Launches HOHM, Stimulus Fund Tracking, IBM Energy Management Consulting

2009-06-29T05:37:00.001-05:00

ACEEE Energy Analysis impact of Climate Bill (,pdf)

Microsoft Launches HOHM Energy Management System for residential homes...

Website (Recovery.org) that tracks how Stimulus Funds are spent...

IBM now offer Consultation on Energy Management and Environmental Sustainability (.pdf)

Warren Buffet on Cap & Trade Bill, Sears Tower Goes Green, Top 10 Myths on Climate Bill, How US Military reducing Energy.

2009-06-26T05:52:00.004-05:00

Warren Buffet calls the proposed Cap & Trade legislation a "Regressive" Tax

Sears (Willis) Tower goes Green with $350 million renovation - 80% reduction in electricity!....

Top 10 Myths about the proposed Waxman-Markey Clean Energy Bill....

How the U.S. military is trying to cut its enormous energy appetite....

Climate Bill, Cap and Trade Cost Report, Green Energy Jobs, IBM Green Sigma Coalition

2009-06-25T06:01:00.004-05:00

Climate Change Bill APPROVED by Committee.... Going to House for Vote!

Congressional Budget Report: Cost Impacts of Proposed Cap & Trade Bill (.pdf)

REPORT: Green Energy Jobs: Survey of the Green Industry (.pdf)

IBM Launches "Green Sigma" Coalition (use of six sigma and energy management)....

Top 25 Green Power Buyers, Ford, Green MBA's, DOE IT Audit, Green Job Networking, High Altitude Wind Power

2009-06-21T06:15:00.000-05:00

EPA's Top 25 List: Companies using GREEN Energy...

Ford - Great Corporate Case Study on Reducing Energy

Green MBA's: Opportunities EXPLODE!

DOE Audit of its own facilities reveals HUGE IT Energy Reduction Potential

Network Your Way to a GREEN Job in 3 easy steps...

STUDY: High altitude winds offer HUGE Energy Promise

Stephen Chu, Madagascar Extinction

2009-06-17T04:59:00.003-05:00

Video: Stephen Chu on Energy and Intellectual Horsepower

Sad...Madagascar: Exctinction of one of the World's Most Diverse Wildlife Reserves..... (Video)

Carbon Offset Failure, Federal Codes, Obama Climate Bills, Water Pollution, Child Algae Invention, Waxman Bill Bulleted, HomeBoy Industries

2009-06-13T07:01:00.004-05:00

UK Report: "Dangerous Distraction", Why Carbon Offset Programs have Failed around the World (.pdf)

Federal Building Codes to replace Local Codes?.....

Climate Bills fall WAY SHORT of Obama's goal of 25% Renewable Power by 2025.....

WORSE than Global Warming: Worlds Worst Polluted Lakes and Rivers.....

15 Year Old Invents Energy Solution using Algae

Waxman-Markey Climate Bill in Bullet Form....

Homeboy Industries (LA): Troubled Youth are trained to install Solar Panels...

Criticism ramping up over Cap and Trade Bills...

Oil Prices Predicted at $250, Snake Wave Power Generators, Dem Mutiny on Cap & Trade

2009-06-12T04:50:00.001-05:00

Oil prices rise again - $250 per Barrel Prediction.....

Anaconda "Snake Like" Wave Power Electric Generators? FASCINATING !

Dem mutiny on Cap & Trade Bill Growing......

Green Gifts, Green Investing, McDonalds Green Screens

2009-06-10T05:07:00.000-05:00

Green Gift Guide

New website linking GreenTech with Investors

McDonalds adding GREEN Touch Screens in Restaurants

A Guide to Green Investing (CNBC)

Green Companies, Carbon Disclosure Reports, Energy Act 2009, State Clean Energy Resource Project, Local Govt Energy Stimulus Funds

2009-06-05T07:13:00.002-05:00

America's Greenest Companies....

Carbon Disclosure Reports for Companies

American Energy and Clean Air Act of 2009(Summary)

State Clean Energy Resource Project (SCERP)

Local Govt Energy Efficiency Options - 2009 Stimulus

Cap and Trade, Plastic Solar Panels, LED Lighting, Garbage, US Natural Gas Fields, GOOGLE Powermeter

2009-06-01T05:50:00.000-05:00

The Flawed Logic of the Cap and Trade Debate

Pushing Plastic Solar Panels - Almost Perfect Efficiency

Quantum Leap in LED Lighting

Garbage Gets a Fresh look as Source of Energy

US Natural Gas Fields go from Bust to Boom

Introducing the GOOGLE Powermeter

EPA Energy Star Ratings for IT Servers, PEW Report on Carbon Policy Impact to Manufacturing

2009-05-20T04:32:00.003-05:00

EPA Releases Energy Star ratings for IT Servers

EPA Energy Star Server Standard Website

The Competitive Impact to the Manufacturing Industry due to US Carbon Policies pdf (PEW)

Green Grants, Waxman Cap & Trade Bill Revision, Green Careers Resource Guide, New York Sustainability Program, Canada's Oil Sands

2009-05-19T07:22:00.005-05:00

10 Tips for Finding Green Grants for your Company

NEW Waxman-Markey Carbon Cap and Trade Bill Released

Green Careers Resource Guide - FREE

NY City Releases SUSTAINABILITY Program - PlaNYC

Canada's Oil Sand Industry Hit Hard by Recession (US's largest source of Oil)

White House Concern over Cap & Trade, LEED Expense, Green Globes, State Carbon Policies, Infrastructure WIKI, Green Playbook for Cities, City Green Funds

2009-05-18T06:07:00.000-05:00

White House Office of Management and Budget issues Memo highlighting Concerns over Cap and Trade!

Costs of LEED are creating a roadblock for many Companies interested in seeking LEED Certification.....

Comparison Report of Green Globes as an alternative to LEED (pdf)....

State Climate POLICY Tracker Released - 33 States already have Carbon Reduction Policies....

Green Infrastructure WIKI - EXCELLENT RESOURCE!

Playbook for GREENING local communities and Cities

Resources to help Local Governments receive funding from the Green Economic Recovery Fund

National Grid Ties Executive Pay to Carbon

2009-05-15T04:47:00.000-05:00

National Grid Ties Executive Pay to Carbon Reduction

Energy Dashboards, Infrastructure Energy Efficiency, Smart Meters, UK

2009-05-14T12:29:00.000-05:00

Energy Use Dashboards for Buildings

Bringing Energy Efficiency to Infrastructure

Smart Electric meters in EVERY UK home by 2020...

Oil Price Drop, Energy Efficiency Report, Tuna Mercury Content

2009-05-13T05:50:00.000-05:00

CONTANGO: Oil Storage at all time high - may lead to HUGE OIL PRICE DROP!

IFMA Research Finds that Energy Efficiency Important - but Investment Lags....

World's Tuna getting more toxic with Mercury - Due to Rapid Growth of China's Coal Power Plants?

EPA Retail Website, Electronic Energy Tool, EPA Greenchill Refrigeration, Green Technology Reviews

2009-05-12T05:22:00.004-05:00

EPA: New Sustainability Page for RETAIL Industry

Energy Comparison Tool for Electronics (EPEAT)

EPA GreenChill - Energy Efficient Supermarket Refrigeration Resources

Green Innovation "New Technology" Reviews

Do Green Buildings Sell for More? - YES! (pdf)

Sub-Metering, Green Teams, Washington Recycled paper Law, City Green Goals, Green Home Make-Overs, Carbon Calculators

2009-05-11T06:26:00.002-05:00

Sub-Metering: Low cost Power and Lighting Options

How to Build a Green Team: Company First Steps

Washington State Signs Law that Mandates Recycled Paper

Living Cities Report: 4 of 5 Cities have MAJOR green Goals

Green Irene: Green Home Make-Over ($199)

Carbon Footprint: Extensive list of Calculators

Green Stimulus UPDATES, State and Federal Energy Rebates and Incentives

2009-05-08T06:56:00.000-05:00

Green Stimulus Program Status Updates

State Energy management Rebates and incentives

Federal energy management rebates and incentives

LEED Green Building Impact Report, Green Mayors

2009-05-06T15:53:00.001-05:00

REPORT: LEED Green Building Impact Report (.pdf)

15 Green Leaning Mayors

Video: "Global Technology Transformation", Green Grid?, Grid Interactive Map, Data Centers NEED Concrete Floors

2009-05-02T05:00:00.003-05:00

MUST SEE VIDEO "Did You Know" - Technology Transformation!

The Grid May be Smart - But will it also be Green? (NPR)

Visualizing the Electric Grid (Interactive US Map)

Data Centers: The Key to MAJOR energy savings is Concrete Floors?

Cap and Trade Commerce Study, WWF Report, Wireless Sensors, FREE Sustainable Mag, Merck Solar HQ, WBCFD Report, Ethanol, States Electric Productivity

2009-05-01T04:03:00.004-05:00

US Commerce Study: Cap and Trade would result in LOSS of 3.2 million US Jobs by 2025 (.pdf).....

Climate Change Legislation is COMING: Is your Company Ready?

WWF Living Planet Report.....

Wireless Motion Sensors now available (Lutron Site)

FREE subscription to "Sustainable Facility" Magazine...

Merck HQ (NJ) - LARGEST Solar System in Corporate Setting (7,000 Panels)

Deploying and Financing ON-SITE Renewable Electric Generation (WRI .pdf)

WBCSD: Energy Efficiency in Buildings Report (.pdf)...

Ethanol: Wikipedia Primer

Map of Electric Productivity for each STATE (RMI)

Obama Green Actions, Data Center Report, Solar 101, Carbon Cap helps Auto Industry

2009-04-30T05:19:00.000-05:00

100 Actions taken by Obama to GREEN America

Solar 101: "HOW TO" guide for putting solar on your house...

DATA CENTERS: ACCENTURE Energy Forecast Report (.pdf)

Carbon Caps could help Detroit?

Green Building Value, Carbon Calculator, WBSD Report

2009-04-29T05:40:00.002-05:00

REAL ESTATE: NEW REPORT says Green Buildings have a HIGHER VALUE

CARBON Calculator: Perkins and Will has free ONLINE Calculator for Facilities

Real Estate needs to reduce Carbon 60% by 2050 based on new report by WBCSD...

Global Warming, GSA, Real Estate, Obama, White House, Incandescent, Lighting

2009-04-28T05:37:00.005-05:00

GLOBAL WARMING SKEPTICS?
- Now GLOBAL COOLING due to lack of Sun Spots?
- Senate Report: 700 International Scientists Say NO!....

iTunes GREEN ROOM - Podcasts, TV shows, etc.....

GSA is leading Real Estate Industry by Investing $5.5 BILLION in GREEN STIMULUS FUNDS....
- View Complete list of identified GSA Projects (.pdf)

Introducing OBAMA's Environment and Energy Team...

NY Times: I ncandescent Light Bulbs are still NEEDED...

LED Lights: Not quite ready yet for General Purpose Lighting.....

NEW EPA ENERGY STAR Report for Commercial Buildings (ENERGY STAR SNAPSHOT .pdf)...

Federal Stimulus Funds, CITI Data Center LEED, Ozone Hole, Gore, WorldWatch World Report

2009-04-25T06:39:00.011-05:00

Federal Government Money EVERYWHERE.....
- $40 billion for Electric Smart Grid
- $10 million for hybrid school buses
- $41.9 million for fuel cells
- $13 billion on high speed trains
- $60 million for Solar in Chicago

CITI DATA CENTER in Frankfurt gets 1st LEED PLATINUM, uses 70% LESS energy than a typical Data Center...
- LEED Data Center Standard DRAFT open for comment

OZONE HOLE IN SOUTH POLE is causing ice growth - SLOWING Global Warming????

GORE REFUSES TO HAVE Global Warming Skeptic on Congressional Panel....

WorldWatch Institute 2009 Sustainability Report (Full)
- State of the World, A Year in Review
- Chapter 1 - The Perfect Storm
- Chapter 2 - Safe Landing for the Climate
- Chapter 3 - Farming and Land Use
- Chapter 4 - An Enduring Energy Future
- Chapter 5 - Building Resiliance
- Chapter 6 - Saving the Climate
- Climate Connections, 22 Climate Essays

Environmental Kuznets Curve - Energy use naturally falls with established economy...

Utility Bills, State of Green, Space Solar, Book Reviews, Technology

2009-04-24T05:48:00.006-05:00

UTILITY BILLS - Primer on how to adjust energy bills for weather....

STATE OF GREEN BUSINESS REPORT 2009 (GreenBiz)

1st SPACE BASED SOLAR ELECTRIC GENERATION - PG&E submits application permit for 200 MW by 2016....

BOOKS THAT MATTER (Energy / Sustainability).....

2009 SUSTAINABILITY TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION WINNERS (Environmental Defense Fund)

Waxman Bill, FedEx, Data Centers, Smart Grid, NY Bloomberg

2009-04-23T04:06:00.004-05:00

WAXMAN / MARKEY ENERGY BILL: Proposed Bill would reduce US Energy use by 10% by 2020
- Download DRAFT copy of proposed bill .pdf
- EPA Summary opinion of proposed bill .pdf
- CARBON PRICE: proposed at $13 to $26 per ton
- FedEx CEO: Tax carbon but DON'T Cap & Trade!

DATA CENTERS: EPA set to add Data Centers to Energy Star Benchmarking in early 2010

SMART GRID: Miami launches 1st US Smart Grid Project ($200 Million)

NY: Bloomberg Proposes NY Existing Building Energy Reduction Plan ($2.8 Billion Private Investment)

WHOLE FOODS: Launches major energy savings program

REPORT: Clean Tech Energy Trends 2009 (.pdf)

China's ECO-CITIES remain dormant.....

Solar City FL, Walmart, LEEP AP's, EPA Carbon Endangerment

2009-04-22T07:19:00.014-05:00

First Solar Powered City (Babcock Ranch, FL)....

Walmart to eliminate all WASTE by 2025

LEED AP's now exceed 100,000

EPA's Full Proposal Document on Carbon Endangerment
Make comments to EPA using this .pdf form

Deloitte Carbon Risk, Green Cleaning, Chu Global Warming, Newspaper Use

2009-04-21T08:28:00.012-05:00

Deloitte Report: Carbon Trading Business Risks?

GREEN CLEANING: Steps to Evaluate a Green Cleaning Company...

DIRE GLOBAL WARMING SITUATION: US Energy Secretary Chu says...
Climate Change Skeptics STRONGLY disagree.....

Skip the Newspaper, Save the Planet? Maybe not yet...

U.S. rules greenhouse emissions endanger human health

2009-04-17T14:12:00.000-05:00

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration opened the way for regulating U.S. greenhouse gas emissions on Friday by declaring climate-warming pollution a danger to human health and welfare.

Environmental activists and their supporters in Congress were jubilant and industry groups were wary at the news of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's move. The White House saidPresident Barack Obama would prefer legislation rather than administrative action to curb greenhouse emissions.

Congress is already considering a bill to cut emissions of carbon dioxide, one of six majorgreenhouse gases. (Full Article)

Focus: Commercial Building Energy Audits

2005-11-11T10:06:00.000-06:00

Energy Audits: Level 1 Energy Audits cost $500-$2K, Level 2 energy audits cost $3K - $5K, and Level 3 energy audits cost ~$0.10 to $.020 per square foot on average.
Retro-Commissioning: On average costs $.19 per square foot and produces a payback of 2 years or less. 5% to 20% savings is common.

Can Energy Conservation Reduce Natural Gas Consumption

2005-11-08T15:19:00.000-06:00

The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy developed a white paper discussing the impact of energy conservation activities on the growth of demand for natural gas in the US. (Read More)

Report: What Have States Done About Energy Efficiency

2005-11-08T15:03:00.000-06:00

The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy published a report on what Policies the States have taken to promote energy efficiency (Read More)

PEW Center - Is Global Warming Real?

2005-11-03T09:57:00.000-06:00

The Pew Center on Global Climate Change brings together business leaders, policy makers, scientists, and other experts to bring a new approach to a complex and often controversial issue. Our approach is based on sound science, straight talk, and a belief that we can work together to protect the climate while sustaining economic growth. (Go to WebSite)

Is "Pooling" of Energy Purchases with Competitors a Reality

2005-11-02T10:39:00.000-06:00

With energy rates escalating, major companies are now starting to "Pool" their electricity and natural gas purchases with other companies. (Read More)

Is Russia the Next Middle East for US Energy Supply?

2005-10-31T19:24:00.000-06:00

A quiet deal between the U.S. and Russia could change the landscape and the entire power structure in the energy markets.

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia, could be on its way to the U.S. by 2008. According to the Moscow Times, the controversial Sakhalin field could be fully operational by then, making the Murmansk port a key cog in the Russian LNG industry. (Read More)

Coal - Proven Reserves & International Imact

2005-10-21T13:58:00.000-05:00

The Energy Blog has compiled an excellent summary on Proven Coal Reserves, and the impact on Coal Rates. Pay special note to the R/P ratio (Reserve to Production) to realize the challenges facing the United States. (Read More)

Natural Gas - Proven Reserves & Imact on Pricing

2005-10-21T13:39:00.000-05:00

The Energy Blog has compiled an excellent summary on Proven Natural Gas Reserves, and the impact on Natural Gas Rates. Pay special note to the R/P ratio (Reserve to Production) to realize the challenges facing the United States. (Read More)

Gasoline Prices Fact or Fiction: A Primer on Supply and Demand

2005-10-21T06:22:00.000-05:00

A great discussion on what drives gasoline pricing by Tom Lehman (Read More)

Liquified Natural Gas Report and Pictures

2005-10-19T15:55:00.000-05:00

The following site has an amazing overview of liquified natural gas issues and pictures....(Link)

The Energy High Performance Buildings Database (DOE)

2005-10-18T18:54:00.000-05:00

The High Performance Buildings Database which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy seeks to collect data on various factors that affect a building's performance, such as energy, materials, and land use. The database collects information from buildings around the world, ranging from homes and commercial interiors to large buildings and even whole campuses and neighborhoods. These may be certified green projects, or simply projects that have one or more notable environmental features. (Read More...)

Training - Commercial Building Energy Systems

2005-10-13T17:35:00.000-05:00

Energy User News publishes a series of reports that discuss the fundamentals of energy systems used in commercial and manufacturing industries (Read More)

PG&E also offers many training articles on energy issues as well (Read More)

Energy Equipment Guides

Lighting (Lighting Design Guides: Designlights DesignBriefs)
Motor Guide
Central Refrigeration Guide
Food Service Guide
Office Systems Guide
Central HVAC Systems Guide
Packaged HVAC Guide

Oil: Its the US vs. China

2005-10-13T15:06:00.000-05:00

The US and China are the two elephants in the room, both gobbling up oil at an unsustainable rate given current supplies and production. We’re going to run out unless we learn to conserve and produce more. (Read More from FORBES)

Digitally Addressable Lighting Technology has Potential

2005-10-12T15:19:00.000-05:00

DALI (Digitally Addressable Lighting Interface) is an emerging lighting control technology that may change the future of lighting in commercial buildings. Each lighting fixture can:

Be "Addressed" and assigned to a lighting/operating zone.
Allow dimming of light between 1% and 100%.
Provide remote feedback on bulbs/ballasts that are burned out.

However - The economics are not yet there (See below table). I predict - It is only a matter of time until this becomes standard practice in commercial properties. (Read More)

Electric Rates by State (Oct 2005)

2005-10-12T10:39:00.000-05:00

2005 Energy Bill - H.R.6

2005-09-15T17:07:00.000-05:00

For a full listing of the Approved Energy Bill (Thomas)
Summary of Energy Act 2005 By Section (Senate)

Summary of Tax Incentives (Read More)

National Energy Policy Document

2005-09-14T16:53:00.000-05:00

President Bush's 2001 National Energy Policy (Link to WhiteHouse)

US Energy Officials Warn of Much Higher Natural Gas Rates in 2005

2005-09-14T16:43:00.000-05:00

Winter heating bills could jump as much as 50% and could swell even more if forecasts for colder weather are realized, U.S. energy officials warned Wednesday. (Read More)

Research Shows Ethanol isn't Worth the Energy

2005-07-19T14:56:00.000-05:00

Farmers, businesses and state officials — including many in Nebraska — are investing millions of dollars in ethanol and biofuel plants as renewable energy sources, but a new study says the alternative fuels burn more energy than they produce.

Supporters of ethanol and other biofuels contend they burn cleaner than fossil fuels, reduce U.S. dependence on oil and give farmers another market to sell their produce.
But researchers at Cornell University and the University of California-Berkeley say it takes 29 percent more fossil energy......

Article Continued

There is also the Counter Argument that Ethanol IS worth the energy (Read More)

China Energy Efficiency Urged due to Searing Temperatures

2005-07-15T12:28:00.000-05:00

"Energy-efficiency" has become a catchphrase in booming China as searing temperatures across the nation drove up demand for power and water over the past month. The world's most populous nation is likely to face its worst energy crunch in two decades as 25 provincial-level power grids have started power cut-backs and more than 400 cities are suffering from water shortfalls............

Goto Article

What is Natural Gas?

2005-07-14T11:32:00.000-05:00

Natural gas is a fossil fuel. This means it originates from the remains of plants and animals that lived many millions of years ago. These organisms were buried and exposed to heat as a result of being highly compressed underneath thousands of meters of soil and rock. These forces transformed the once living organisms into natural gas.

Natural gas is found in reservoirs beneath the surface of the earth. Large layers of rock trap the natural gas as it tries to float to the surface. Although the areas where the gas is trapped are referred to as pools, the natural gas molecules are actually held in small holes and cracks throughout the rock formation.

Geologists, using sophisticated technology, help locate potential pools of natural gas, so they know where to drill a well to extract gas. However, due to the complexity of locating natural gas trapped many meters, and sometimes kilometres, below the surface, the exploration process is not always successful.

Once removed from an underground reservoir, the natural gas is usually transferred to a gas processing plant to remove impurities and by-products. Some of these by-products, including ethane, propane, butane, and sulphur, are extracted for other uses. After being processed, the clean natural gas (almost pure methane) is transported through a network of pipelines and delivered to its point of use, including our homes.

Natural gas is a hydrocarbon, which means it is made up of compounds of hydrogen and carbon. The simplest hydrocarbon is methane; it contains one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms.
Natural gas can be found by itself or in association with oil. It is both colourless and odourless and is in fact a mixture of hydrocarbons. While mainly methane, the other hydrocarbons include ethane, propane, and butane. Water, oil, sulphur, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and other impurities may be mixed with the gas when it comes out of the ground. These impurities are removed before the natural gas is delivered to our homes and businesses.

Natural gas can be measured in a variety of ways, although the most common unit of measurement is the Gigajoule (GJ), which signifies one billion joules, the metric measure for heat or energy. Other measures are Mcf (thousand cubic feet) and Btu (British Thermal Unit).

More on Natural Gas.....
Energy in a Cubic Meter of Natural gas
Further Overview of Natural Gas

What are the Worlds Largest Energy Consuming Nations?

2005-07-08T10:33:00.000-05:00

How Much Energy is Consumed in the World?

2005-07-08T10:14:00.000-05:00

The World consumed 411 quadrillion (ie. 10^15) BTU’s of energy in 2002 as follows:

How Much Energy is Consumed in the United States?

2005-07-08T09:33:00.000-05:00

The United States consumed 98.2 quadrillion (ie. 10^15) BTU’s of energy in 2003 as follows:
(EIA Annual Energy Outlook 2005)