Elana Cole, ERS, for Zondits One of the largest online lighting distributors recently shared some information with Zondits regarding the ENERGY STAR program for lighting, specifically the new 2.0 version for lamps that goes into effect on January 2, 2017. What is ENERGY STAR 2.0? ENERGY STAR 2.0, which replaces the current 1.1 version, includes … Read more
What do the 2016 election results mean for energy efficiency? American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), November 10, 2016 Now that the hard-fought 2016 election is over, I think it is useful to consider its impact on energy efficiency policy. No doubt, a lot of uncertainty remains because of President-elect Donald Trump’s lack of … Read more
Britain’s last coal power plants to close by 2025 The Guardian, November 9, 2016 The last coal power station in Britain will be forced to close in 2025, the government said as it laid out its plan to phase-out the polluting fossil fuel. Ministers promised last year that the UK would close coal power within … Read more
Guess who gets zapped by Springfield’s latest energy-efficiency plan Crain’s Chicago Business, November 5, 2016 Who knew cutting electricity usage could cost so much? The state’s large industrial and manufacturing companies would see significant increases in their electric bills to help bankroll a dramatic expansion of energy-efficiency programs run by Commonwealth Edison and downstate utility … Read more
Santa Monica City Council Votes in the World’s First Zero-Net Energy Building Requirement; Implementation Begins in 2017 City of Santa Monica Newsroom, October 27, 2016 The Santa Monica City Council voted this week to approve an ordinance requiring all new single-family construction in the City of Santa Monica to be zero-net energy (ZNE), the first … Read more
Behavior Change Programs: Status and Impact American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), October 18, 2016 Behavior change programs are becoming a common method for reducing energy consumption and increasing energy efficiency. But what types of programs are out there, why do they work (or fail to work), and how effective are they? This report … Read more
A Turning Point For Energy Productivity Alliance to Save Energy, October 20, 2016 We are at an historic turning point, in so many ways. The Paris Agreement to reduce global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will enter into force on November 4, 2016 after having reached the threshold for enactment on Oct. 5. With 81 countries having ratified … Read more
Large Maine Companies to Get Millions Back in Cap-and-Trade Payments Maine Public, October 24, 2016 Sixteen of Maine’s biggest manufacturers, from Verso Paper to Jackson Laboratories, are in line to get millions of dollars from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI. The payments are seen by some as equitable payback for the millions the … Read more
LED Replacements to Peak as China Incandescent Bulb Ban Enters Last Phase LED Inside, September 6, 2016 The last phase of China’s incandescent bulb ban will be effective as of Sept. 30, 2016. China will ban the imports and sales of 15W and above general incandescent bulbs Starting from Oct. 1, 2016, and will make … Read more
Gita Subramony, ERS, for Zondits Behavior change might be the next frontier for energy efficiency programs. Although it is not as prevalent as traditional efficiency offerings, these programs offer a new and growing source for savings. Behavior-change programs come in all different shapes and sizes, and there are varying amounts of data on their effectiveness. … Read more