Energy blogs

  • Graham7781
    IRENA launches global atlas of renewable energy potential
    11 Feb 2013 - 16:18 by Graham7781
    Utility Rate, OpenEI Community Central, Energy Data Jam, Geospatial, Energy Data Initiative (EDI), Energy Datapalooza Community, Clean and Renewable Energy

    The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) recently launched the Global Atlas project in January, bringing robust tools and maps of renewable energy potential to your fingertips.

    OpenEI is also involved, serving as a portal to the IRENA global atlas on our platform.

    The aim of the platform is to give users a comprehensive look at global renewable energy resources so that informed decisions can be made about a cost-effective combination of technologies country-by-country, as well as whether a particular country has the market to make benefit from investments.

    The IRENA global atlas accomplishes this by integrating all data one needed to make that informed decision. The global atlas integrates both physical data related to renewable technologies, as well as economic and policy information within their database. Other support data such as socio-economic data can be found in the portal.

    The IRENA Global Atlas is easy to use, and acts as a widget that can be embedded and shared.

    If you'd like to contribute data to the project, you can do that as well.

    Visit OpenEI to see the IRENA Global Atlas in action.

     

  • Graham7781
    Wind Powering America Guidebook officially launched on OpenEI
    30 Jan 2013 - 11:55 by Graham7781
    OpenEI Community Central

     

    Wind Powering America's Small Wind Guidebook is now featured in OpenEI, the U.S. Department of Energy's wiki platform for energy information. This guide and the state-specific versions are some of the most successful communications products ever produced by Wind Powering America, with tens of thousands of copies printed and downloaded.

    The guide is now hosted on OpenEI to enable more frequent content and contacts updates, as well as contributions from the small wind community. OpenEI also allows users to print state-specific versions of the guide, enabling distribution via traditional methods.

  • Graham7781
    The Consumer Electronics Show round-up
    23 Jan 2013 - 14:57 by Graham7781
    OpenEI Community Central

    Every January, Las Vegas hosts the Consumer Electronics Show. The CES is the world's largest technology-related trade show.

    The highlights of this year's show were OLED TVs, ultra-thin laptops, tablets, and smartphones. However, a few smart grid-related technologies were making an impression.

    There was a wide-range of tech related to home automation. Some of these devices included HVAC, lighting, audio-visual, shading, security, automated door locks, and security, all controllable my multiple in-home devices. These technologies, along with the "smart grid", are all the make-up of a true "smart home."

    Smart appliances were also showcased in abundance at the CES. These are also home automated devices. New technology aims at furthering the control you have over their operation with respect to energy and cost savings.

    To read more about the CES, click here.

     

     

     

  • Graham7781
    U.S. Global Change Research Program publishes "National Climate Assessment" report for United States
    18 Jan 2013 - 16:46 by Graham7781
    OpenEI Community Central

    The U.S. Global Change Research Program, established under the Department of Commerce in 2010, and partnered with NOAA, released an extensive National Climate Assessment report, projecting future climate changes in the United States under different scenarios.

    The 1,200 page report highlights some rather grim findings about the future of climate change.

    Here are 5 of the more disconcerting graphics from the report:

    1. U.S. Average Temperatures

    The SRES A-2 line is the worst case scenario, while the SRES B-2 line is the best case scenario. Data suggests that there will be a 4-11 degree Fahrenheit increase in the next century

    2. Days over 100 degrees:

    The amount of 100 degree days will dramatically increase in the next century, especially in the southwest

    3. US Pollen count:

    If you have allergies, they aren't going anywhere. The growth of pollen will coincide with rising CO2 levels.

    4a. The U.S. will be wet...

    Heavy precipitation patterns will increase, but only in some regions of the country such as the Midwest.

     

    4b. And it will be dry..

    In the Southwest, however, precipitation patterns will become even more infrequent leading to many more major drought events.

    5. Sea Level Rise:

    At best, there will be a 8 inch rise in sea level in the next century. However, it is possible there could be as much as a 6 and a half foot increase in sea level. That is enough to greatly impact major urban areas like Seattle, New York City, and Los Angeles:

     

     

  • Graham7781
    SDG&E Customers Can Connect Home Area Network Devices With Smart Meters
    16 Jan 2013 - 12:09 by Graham7781
    Utility Rate, OpenEI Community Central

    article reposted from Smartgrid.gov

    SAN DIEGO, Jan. 10, 2013 – San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) customers can now purchase and install home area network devices to see how much energy they are using in near real-time and help identify high energy use appliances. With in-home energy display devices connected to their electric smart meters, SDG&E customers have access to a new tool to help them make smart energy consumption decisions to reduce their overall energy usage and costs.

    SDG&E has tested several new in-home energy display devices and customers can learn how to connect these validated devices to their electric smart meters at sdge.com/han. By setting up an in-home display, SDG&E customers are able to instantly see how much energy their whole home is using. They can also determine approximately how much energy various appliances in their home are using, such as that new energy-efficient TV or outdoor patio light, while watching the kilowatts and estimated cost per hour go up or down on a small digital display as the appliances are turned on or off.

    “Now that this technology is enabled through SDG&E’s smart meter system, customers can see how much energy they are using in their home in near real-time, which gives them greater control of their energy use on a daily basis,” said Ted Reguly, SDG&E’s director of customer programs and projects.

    The third-party in-home displays below range in price from approximately $60 to $120, and have been tested and validated for smart meter compatibility. These devices operate on the standardized ZigBee network communication protocol for seamless integration with SDG&E smart meters. The devices display estimated energy costs that are intended to provide a general idea of approximate energy costs to help customers take action, but do not reflect actual SDG&E billing.

    Energy Aware Technology PowerTab In-Home Display
    - Where to purchase: store.energy-aware.com
    - Features: Shows how much electricity your home is consuming at any given moment on a wireless and rechargeable, easy-to-use, magnetic backed display.
    Rainforest Automation Energy Display (model EMU)
    - Where to purchase: rainforestautomation.com
    - Features: Real-time energy display with instant access to smart meter energy consumption as it happens; simple two-button interface with tabletop or magnet mount; battery-powered.
    Rainforest Automation Energy Display (model EMU-2)
    - Where to purchase: rainforestautomation.com
    - Features: Real-time energy display with instant access to smart meter energy consumption as it happens; simple two-button interface with tabletop, magnet, or wall mount; plug-in with battery backup.

    SDG&E has developed a simple process by which customers may purchase a validated in-home display device in the retail market and pair that device with the utility smart meter. Utility customers can start the process to connect an in-home display device to their smart meter by completing the online form at sdge.com/han or by contacting SDG&E’s Energy Savings Center at 800-644-6133 or HomeAreaNetwork@semprautilities.com.

    New home area network technology was recently pilot-tested with approximately 1,300 SDG&E customers and 2,500 devices. The devices have demonstrated effectiveness in increasing energy efficiency among customers who report they are turning off more lights, increasing air conditioning temperature, watching less TV and unplugging devices.

    Additional home area network devices are being tested by SDG&E to ensure the device is compatible with the meter and secure on the utility’s network. Once validated for compatibility, the list of devices available to customers will be expanded. More information on this test process is available atsdge.com/hantest.

    SDG&E is a regulated public utility that provides safe and reliable energy service to 3.4 million consumers through 1.4 million electric meters and more than 840,000 natural gas meters in San Diego and southern Orange counties. The utility’s area spans 4,100 square miles. SDG&E is committed to creating ways to help our customers save energy and money every day. SDG&E is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), a Fortune 500 energy services holding company based in San Diego.

Syndicate content