Data center containment and control drives energy efficiency Datacenter Dynamics, May 11, 2016. Image credit: Containment and Control is an element in the strategy to improve the efficiency of data center cooling systems by isolating either the heat produced by IT equipment (hot aisle containment) or the cooling provided to the equipment (cold aisle containment). … Read more
Reefer units get quieter, more efficient CCJ Digital, May 10, 2016. Image credit: I, 天然ガス, CC BY-SA 3.0 Transportation refrigeration units (TRU) are reaching heights of sophistication that rival the modern tractors that pull them across the highway. And like their truck counterparts, TRUs have made many strides to throttle back fuel consumption while also … Read more
Cree files patent infringement counterclaims in US against Feit Electric Semiconductor Today, May 12, 2016 LED chip, lamp and lighting fixture maker Cree Inc of Durham, NC, USA has filed counterclaims in the US District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina against Feit Electric Company Inc of Pico Rivera, CA, USA to stop … Read more
Commission warmly welcomes benefits of industrial insulation Euractiv, May 12, 2016. Image credit: MichaelGaida Energy audits at 180 industrial plants revealed that they were missing out on savings of more than 750,000 MWH/year. The audits found that insulation could bring reductions of 500,000 tonnes of global warming CO2 to the plants. That is roughly equivalent to … Read more
The Phononic solid state heating and cooling revolution is almost here Treehugger, May 9, 2016 In 2014 TreeHugger covered Phononic and its solid state cooling devices, suggesting that we may be on the verge of a cooling revolution. These were devices that they believed could actually replace compressor technologies in our fridges and our air … Read more
Regulations look past motors to improve system efficiencies Plant Engineering, May 6, 2016. Image credit: S.J. de Waard – CC BY-SA 3.0, Electric motor system efficiency and power electronics are impacting future energy saving opportunities as attention moves from motor efficiency to motor-driven system efficiency. In the U.S., the first move was to apply motor … Read more
More Good Efficiency News for Rooftop Air Conditioners NRDC, April 29, 2016. Image credit: derwiki The Department of Energy (DOE) recognized six large companies this week for their investments in increasing the efficiency of these rooftop air conditioners by replacing or retrofitting aging, inefficient units with more efficient machinery. Rooftop air conditioners—commonly used in low-rise buildings … Read more
Can smart thermostats really help save money on your energy bill? Global News, May 1, 2016. Image credit: Nest According to a recent study commissioned by Telus, one of the greatest perceived benefits of living in a “smarter” home includes saving money and being greener. Of those who currently own a smart home gadget, 36 … Read more
How to make cities more energy efficient MIT News, April 20, 2016. Image credit: bryanucla New research shows how to identify the buildings where retrofitting for energy efficiency will have the biggest impact on a city’s overall greenhouse gas emissions. The new findings, which require only minimal information about the buildings and their energy use, was … Read more
Turning Windows into Solar Panels DOE, March 7, 2016. Image credit: LANL Researchers in the Center for Advanced Solar Photophysics at Los Alamos National Laboratory are seeking to transform everyday windows into solar collectors by harnessing the unique properties of quantum dots. The advantages of solar power as a source of clean, renewable energy seem … Read more