As Gas Prices Reach Record Highs, Alliance Offers Consumer Tips,
Vision 2010 Legislative Plan
Gas prices down the street from Alliance headquarters in Washington, DC, this week. |
"The U.S. average retail price for regular gasoline increased [to] the highest price ever recorded (not adjusted for inflation)" and has risen for six straight weeks, reports the Energy Information Administration. In the wake of the rising wave of gasoline prices, the Alliance to Save Energy offers consumer tips to lower gasoline costs (en español), plus Vision 2010, an energy-efficiency legislative plan that could reduce annual energy use by approximately 1.5 quads by 2010. Current news on gasoline prices: Washington Post, Bloomberg, Christian Science Monitor:
Policy
Round Three on Energy Bill
Congress is again gearing up to attempt to pass a national energy bill. The House Energy and Commerce Committee is marking up an energy bill this afternoon at 4:00 that closely mirrors last year’s energy bill conference report. The Senate is trying to write a bipartisan bill, perhaps to be considered later this month. With oil and gas prices continuing to rise across the country, the Alliance is working to beef up the energy-efficiency provisions with its own comprehensive energy-efficiency policy legislative package, Vision 2010, which seeks substantial energy savings in all major end-use sectors. Statement by Alliance President Kateri Callahan.
USDA Boosts Energy-Efficiency Grant Support
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced it will increase its investment in energy-efficiency improvements and renewable energy systems for agricultural producers and rural small businesses to $67.8 million from the current $45 million. The additional $22.8 million will be in the form of competitive grants and guaranteed loans. USDA news release.
New Standard for Energy Star Clothes Washers Includes Water Saving Requirements
 Right: One model of Energy Star clothes washers. |
A tougher Energy Star criteria for clothes washers will, for the first time, require water savings as well as energy savings. . The DOE projects that these new criteria could result in yearly savings of more than $52.8 million and approximately 8.9 billion gallons of water, equivalent to the annual water needs of all the residents of Topeka, Kansas. DOE News Release.
Strange Bedfellows
 Environmentalists and groups of conservative Republicans are running a campaign to promote fuel alternatives for cars, in an effort to reduce the country’s dependence on foreign oil, reports The Washington Post.
At the Alliance
Energy Efficiency Checks in to Hotels
In Indonesia, Sri Lanka
Hotel engineers in Indonesia
learning to calculate efficiency of systems |
Energy efficiency is at least as important—if not more so—in the developing world as in economically-advanced countries. When large, energy-intensive operations become more energy-efficient, they put far less strain on an electrical grid that is often taxed to capacity, and they use fewer resources in a region where every little bit counts. This in mind, the Alliance has two upcoming workshops for hotels and resorts in Indonesia and Sri Lanka, in late April and early May respectively. Participants will gain critical insights into the financial and energy-saving benefits of various energy-efficiency technologies and services, the advantages of employing high-efficiency equipment, and initiating energy management programs. For more information contact Felicia Ruiz.
Alliance Report Details Habits
Of Highly Efficient Facilities
Cover of "Energy Management Pathfinding"
|
At the upcoming Industrial Energy Technology Conference (IETC), the Alliance's Industrial Sector Director Christopher Russell will deliver a paper, "Energy Management Pathfinding," which reveals energy-management strategies and organizational attributes that help determine a company’s ability to reap the benefits of energy efficiency. The paper also summarizes the experiences of a handful of manufacturers that have increased their revenues through energy efficiency and energy management. Learn more about “Energy Management Pathfinding.” More on the IETC
Earth Day!
What's Greatest Environmental Challenge? Post Your Thoughts at Earth Day Forum
 Apathy, overpopulation, and clean water are a few postings on Earth Day Network's (EDN) message board topic, “What's the greatest challenge facing the environment in 2005?”—Add your thoughts. Celebrating its 35th anniversary April 22, EDN has a revamped web site with detailed information, guidance, and organizing tools pertaining to this year's theme, "Protect Our Children and Our Future." EDN also offers this ecological footprint quiz.
Manage Your Alliance Newsletter Account
You can subscribe or unsubscribe to Alliance newsletters and add information that will allow the Alliance to customize the emails you receive. Manage your account.
Correction: Last month, e-FFICIENCY NEWS inadvertently ran a digitally manipulated photo of the Northeast in a blackout. Thanks to the careful readers who wrote to the Alliance to bring the counterfeit picture to our attention. More on the hoax. |
e-FFICIENCY NEWS Exclusive Interview:
Hugh Baker
 All enterprises—from hospitals to restaurants to universities, retailers, and government institutions—rely on a steady stream of energy for continued operation. Hunt Power is part of an organization that has helped businesses manage this commodity for almost 70 years. Efficient use of energy adds to the bottom line and enhances the effectiveness of any business. e-FFICIENCY NEWS asked Hugh Baker, president of Hunt Power, about the business of energy efficiency.
e-FFICIENCY NEWS: Hunt Power has many energy products and services. What is your overall goal, and how do you achieve it?
Hugh Baker |
Hugh Baker: Hunt Power’s objective is to provide our customers with the confidence of knowing that their energy lifeline is as efficient, reliable, and secure as possible. Hunt Power refers to this concept as “energy security.” As the electricity infrastructure and products arm of Hunt Consolidated, Inc., Hunt Power is part of an organization that has been a trusted energy company for almost 70 years. Building on this legacy, we see opportunities to help companies achieve a state of energy security, despite an environment of volatile primary energy prices, transmission grid constraint,s and localized utility infrastructure issues. Hunt Power’s vision is to become the “go to” partner for solving energy security issues. To this end we have built a strategic portfolio of energy products and services that contribute to energy security – and to energy efficiency. Full interview.
Transportation
Poll: Fuel Efficiency Is Patriotic
Choosing a fuel-efficient car over a gas-guzzler is a patriotic act, say 67 percent of Americans in a recent poll by the Civil Society Institute. From a pool of 1,000 NASCAR fans, both conservative and liberal, an astounding 89 percent supported government action to reach a 40 mpg fuel-efficiency standard in order to decrease U.S. dependence on foreign oil and reduce greenhouse emissions. News release
Alliance Associates Research Hydrogen Fuel Vehicles, Promote Solar Power
 Alliance Associate BP is forming unique partnerships with governments to advance hydrogen fueled vehicles. Several BP senior technical managers held a forum on Capitol Hill on March 31 to discuss their recent progress in hydrogen and fuel cell activities, advanced biofuels, and solar energy in both the US and Europe. BP is currently the largest energy partner in the world’s two biggest hydrogen demonstration programs in Europe and the U.S.
BP and Alliance Associates Home Depot also have created a new partnership to promote solar energy. This program will soon be extended to several East Coast states. More.
Hybrids Hit the Train Tracks
Union Pacific Railroad will be one of the first in the locomotive industry to incorporate a hybrid train in its permanent fleet, reports the Long Beach Press-Telegram. The installment of the electric-diesel switch engine in Los Angeles County was prompted by the increasing air pollution from railroad operations which emit nitrous oxide at the same rate as 100 of the state's largest oil refineries, power plants, chemical plants, and other industrial facilities combined, states the South Coast Air Quality Management District. Press-Telegram Article. South Coast Air Quality Management District Fact Sheet.
A hybrid locomotive on the tracks |
Efficiency in the States
Habitat, Utility Turn Florida Green
Habitat for Humanity and Florida Power & Light Company are joining forces to build 300 energy-efficient homes in 32 counties as part of their new BuildSmart for Humanity partnership. These Habitat homes will enjoy 30 percent lower energy bills than similar houses not upgraded to meet the BuildSmart standards. Florida Power and Light news release.
Energy Efficiency—Keeping California 'Lights On'
Graph from ISO report: "ISO Control Area Generation by Major Category" |
Consumer energy efficiency will be central to keeping the lights on in California this summer, reports the California Independent Systems Operator (ISO) Summer Assessment for 2005, which cautions that thin operating reserves and potential summer heat waves may cause outages. The ISO says it is crucial that residents do their part to conserve. California ISO Summer Assessment 2005. ISO news release.
Energy Efficiency in Wineries—Not Captured in ‘Sideways’
 California wineries now have a new computer-based tool to compare their performance to a similar yet more energy-efficient “reference winery,” thanks to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory researchers. This newly designed and easy-to-use Excel program allows vintners to calculate how much money, energy, and water can be saved if they adopt the available energy-efficiency technologies. Funny, we didn’t see that footage in the Academy Award-nominated film, “Sideways,” which put California wine-tasting and pinot noir on the map. News release
World Roundup
High Energy Costs Send Philippine Civil Workers Home
Drastic times call for drastic measures, and with oil inching towards $60 a barrel that meant government implementation of a temporary four-day work week for civil workers in the Philippines to curb energy usage and costs. Officials estimate the plan will lower government energy bills by 10 percent during their hot months of April and May, yielding significant savings for the major oil-importing country. Government news release.
Haven’t They Heard of Energy Efficiency?
Japan’s Prime Minister has proposed that he and other Cabinet members wear no neckties or jackets in the summer as part of an energy-saving drive to decrease the use of air conditioners in government offices, reports United Press International.
UK Report—Destroy Homes to Save the Planet
 The UK must demolish poor-quality housing stock at the rate of 80,000 a year for a decade to reach its goal of cutting 60 percent of the nation’s carbon dioxide emissions, advises a new report by the Oxford University’s Environmental Change Institute. Homes account for 28 percent of the country’s carbon dioxide emissions, and to achieve the 60 percent reduction in emissions, the fittingly named 40% House report advocates that 14 percent of existing homes be replaced with low-carbon dwellings and the rest be upgraded to use a third less energy. News release.
Executive Summary.
Landmark UN Report—Earth is in Danger
 Humans have depleted 60 percent of the planet’s natural resources in the last 50 years, the fastest rate to date, reveals a recent groundbreaking United Nations (UN) Report. The four-year, $24 million Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Synthesis Report also admonishes nations to implement eco-friendly policies that will decrease the likelihood of new disease outbreaks and major climate and water-quality changes in the next 50 years. Millennium Ecosystems Assessment Summary. UN news release.
|
