Distributed Energy Issues

Alber www.alber.com APR Energy www.aprenergy.com Association of Energy Engineers www.aeecenter.org Atlas Copco www.atlascopco.com Avtron Loadbanks www.load-bank.com Enercon Engineering www.enercon-eng.com Evans Cooling Systems www.evanscooling.com Girtz Industries www.girtz.com Global Power Supply www.globalpwr.com GTI-Altronic Inc. www.gti-altronicinc.com Guascor Inc. www.guascor-usa.com Harco Manufacturing www.harcomanufacturing.com Hotstart Mfg Co www.hotstart.com INDECK Power Equipment Co. www.indec...>... More >

By Elizabeth Cutright Saving energy is as easy as turning back the clock, right? Every year during Daylight Savings Time (and sometimes again, upon the return of Standard Time), millions ponder the efficiency of resetting clocks and creating the illusion of an extra hour of daylight. In an attempt to assuage our gritty eyes and sleep-deprived souls, we console ourselves that the time change is important because it saves energy. But is that really the case? While studies disagree as to whether Daylight S...>... More >

By Dan Rafter At Washington state’s NetRiver, the power can’t go out—ever. If it does, this high-density data center located in the Seattle suburb of Lynnwood, WA, will lose its most important asset: its reputation among customers for providing reliable service. That’s why NetRiver works with manufacturers such as Eaton Electrical, manufacturers that provide the data center with the uninterruptible power supply systems—better known as UPS systems—that make sure power outages don’t happen. “If we have ca...>... More >

By Lori Lovely Data centers account for an increasing amount of power usage worldwide, according to Jeff Klaus, director of Data Center Solutions for Intel Corp. Describing the growth rate of data centers as "significant," he says, "Handhelds are everywhere; everyone has GPS...." The rapid growth of Internet connectivity has caused a sense of urgency in the data center field. The challenge, Klaus,   believes, lies in the “explosion” on the Internet that requires “more in the backroom. “Servers...>... More >

Lighting can represent as much as 35% of building energy use, according to Randy Dollar, vice president, systems marketing development, for Universal Lighting Technologies, a global leader in ballasts and controls for commercial lighting applications, with headquarters in Nashville, TN. Particularly in today’s economy, companies need to cut costs; however, there are limits where they can capture money without sacrifices. Dollar believes lighting is the “low-hanging fruit” that allows companies to simult...>... More >

Addressing the role of the interconnection between onsite power and the smart grid, E2America CEO Dara O’Neill says the ability for utility companies to connect to devices beyond the meter and gather consumption and usage patterns enables them to make recommendations and reductions beyond current capabilities. “Once onsite connectivity reaches a critical mass, it provides the utility companies with the ability to manage their generation requirements more intelligently,” says O’Neill. “The ultimate goal ...>... More >

With significant heating and hot-water requirements, the 364-room Philadelphia Four Seasons Hotel has turned out to be a great fit for a combined heat and power (CHP) retrofit over the past two years. The hotel features three onsite restaurants, an on-premises laundry, and an indoor pool and spa. Until 2009, the hotel relied heavily upon the city’s district steam utility and the local grid for hot water and electricity production, respectively. Management saw real potential for a dedicated CHP system to...>... More >

Nick Kottyan wouldn’t be able to run his two colocation data centers without the eight uninterruptible power supply systems from Mitsubishi. These UPS systems provide his clients—healthcare organizations, financial institutions, manufacturing companies, and accounting firms—with the confidence that they’ll also have access to their electronic data. With the 9900A and 9900B UPS systems from Mitsubishi, Kottyan's company, Winston-Salem, NC-based DataChambers never has to worry about losing power in its tw...>... More >

This isn’t the best of times for business owners. The national unemployment rate has hovered above 9% for more than a year. Housing foreclosures have hit record levels. And more people are on pace to declare bankruptcy than in any year since 2005. Consumers are struggling. They don’t have nearly as much disposable income as they had just three years ago. And when this happens, they don’t spend nearly as much at their local department, grocery, and clothing stores. John Boyer knows this. He’s vice presid...>... More >

When you’re focused on each step, it’s easy to get sidetracked and find yourself miles away from your final destination. So, what if we look at energy efficiency and reliability as a journey from a past littered with waste and misuse towards a future full of clean, renewable energy served up to a conscientious and informed public? How far off the path have we wandered in search of low-lying fruit and early adopters? And have we failed to notice that, sometimes, energy efficiency can be more of a burden ...>... More >

Alber  www.alber.com             Association of Energy Engineers www.aeecenter.org Capstone www.capstoneturbine.com Chesapeake Energy www.chk.com Comrent International LLC www.comrent.net EliteEnergy LLC www.eliteenergysys.com Enercon Engineering www.enercon-eng.com Evans Cooling Systems www.evanscooling.com             Girtz Industries www.girtz.com Guascor Inc. www.guascor-usa.com HarcoMa...>... More >

Rebates, incentives, and increasingly energy-efficient technologies are driving the trend toward co- and tri-generation in small- to medium-sized applications.>... More >

Energy efficiency and solid economics have made combined heat and power (CHP) technology an attractive choice for distributed energy projects, but the number of installations in North America have yet to reflect the technology’s value and potential. Realistically, the same is true on a worldwide basis, and, according to the International Energy Agency, the increased use of CHP could reduce power sector investments by $795 billion (USD) over the next 20 years, while reducing transmission costs and retiri...>... More >

ALTRONIC LLC The Altronic ECMD-100 is a full-featured, cost-effective system for monitoring critical parameters such as temperatures and pressures associated with environmental regulations including RICE-NESHAP. The ECMD is designed to cost-effectively assist operators of reciprocating engines facing strict guidelines specific to exhaust emissions monitoring and recording. Built around a proven and stable platform of Altronic and optional third-party products, the ECMD systems offer users flexible acces...>... More >

EPA’s recent list of top 50 organizations in the Green Power Partnership have purchased more than 12 billion kWh of green power annually, equivalent to avoiding the carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions from the electricity use of more than one million average American homes. They’re using renewable power sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, and low-impact hydropower.  In Johnson Control’s fifth annual energy efficiency survey, conducted among 4,000 building owners and operators worldwide, t...>... More >

The movement is spreading. Last year it started with the Arab Spring: Citizens protesting in the street and accomplishing the unthinkable—toppling regimes and inspiring their neighbors to do the same. Then this fall, the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement sparked, and our nightly news was suddenly dominated with dispatches from tent cities and interviews with the disgruntled and displaced. Whether or not you agreed with the claims and complaints of the participants, one thing became crystal clear: empowe...>... More >

The idea of organized collection and disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW) is relatively new, beginning in the mid-19th century. Bacteriological and epidemiological studies revealed that refuse dumped in city streets was the primary source of the plagues and epidemics that swept countries and continents. This finding resulted in the development of municipal refuse disposal schemes and operational practices that resulted in almost all municipalities disposing of their own MSW at disposal sites within t...>... More >

Power disturbances cost the US industry tens of billions of dollars yearly in lost data, material, and productivity. Recent global events affecting power supplies have demonstrated more than ever the need for facilities depending on mission-critical loads to be able to be up and running as soon as possible. To that end, a host of facilities are updating their UPS systems with the latest technologies. Choices abound and opinions differ as to which systems excel: battery, flywheel, or microturbines. ...>... More >

COLUMBIA LIGHTING Columbia Lighting’s new Transition fixtures are enhanced with soft, matte white reflectors to provide uniform illumination and high visual comfort. The deep, sculpted look created by the balanced reflector lens compliments any space. Designed with precision optics and a custom-engineered polyester coating, Transition configurations achieve performance with efficiencies from 90–100%. The Transition family of fixtures feature three lamp sizes available in five different configurations of...>... More >

If owners of commercial office buildings can incorporate variable-frequency drives (VFDs) into their HVAC systems, more often than not they probably should, says Pete Miceli, vice president, regional engineering manager for real estate service, development, and investment management at Transwestern’s Midwest office. Recently, Transwestern installed VFDs for supply and return fans at a six-story, 136,500-square-foot office building that primarily serves as a telecommunications call center in Arlington He...>... More >

Since the introduction of regulations in the mid-1990s, nonroad diesel emissions have been dramatically reduced (Figure 1). By the time Tier 4 Final is introduced in 2014 and 2015, nitrogen oxides (NO x ) and particulate matter (PM) emissions from diesel exhaust will have been reduced by 99%. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began to enforce limits on diesel exhaust emissions from nonroad diesel engines in 1996 and stationary diesel-engine generator sets in 2006. Implemented in a series of s...>... More >

Accuenergy Corp.  www.accuenergy.com Aegis Energy Services Inc.  www.aegisenergyservices.com Alber  www.alber.com Association of Energy Engineers  www.aeecenter.org BHP Energy Solutions Ltd.  www.bhpenergy.com Capstone Turbine Corp.  www.capstoneturbine.com Cobra Wire & Cable Inc.  www.cobrawire.com ComRent International LLC  www.comrent.net Crestchic Loadbanks USA  www.crestchicusa.com Enercon Engineering Inc.  www.enercon-eng.com Energy Systems Gro...>... More >

Companies increase energy efficiency with intelligent energy management systems.>... More >

New UPS systems are another example of the ability of the latest tech tools to increase efficiency while lowering expenses.>... More >

Aegis Energy Services Inc. www.aegisenergyservices.com Alber www.alber.com ASCO Power Technologies www.ascopower.com Association of Energy Engineers www.aeecenter.org Crestchic Loadbanks USA/HPS www.crestchicusa.com Encorp www.encorp.com Enercon Engineering www.enercon-eng.com   Evans Cooling Systems www.evanscooling.com Girtz Industries www.girtz.com GT Exhaust Systems Inc. www.gtexhaustsystems.com Guascor Inc. www.guascor-usa.com Hotstart Mfg Co www.hotstart.com INDECK Power Equipment Co. www.ind...>... More >

Building envelopes are encompassing an increasing use of renewables as interdisciplinary cooperation between architects and engineers, and an emerging preference for outcome-based designs is ramping up. Addressing renewables and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, Joe Murray, a principle design architect with IDC Architects, a wholly owned subsidiary of CH2M Hill, notes that photovoltaic (PV) systems are being integrated into the building envelope to serve as both an ener...>... More >

Fewer options exist for exterior lights than are available for interior, believes John Noel, president and founder of Energy & Environment LLC, an Atlanta, GA-based company focused on energy audits and retrofits for increased energy efficiency. “You have the basics for roadway lighting: high-pressure sodium, which gives off an orange light and metal halide, which has a white light,” says Noel. Orange lighting is not as bright, but the sodium rates higher than halide on a foot-candle meter taking lum...>... More >

The Bradley Home and Pavilion in Meriden, CT, has been celebrating its 70th anniversary, so it’s no late arrival on the building scene. It needed to take a practical, lasting approach to its energy costs in the long-term care facility. The home provides 74 beds in residential care and 30 beds in the skilled nursing unit. In the winter, space heating and water heating come from three dual-fuel boilers (natural gas and #2 fuel oil), and, in the summer, the facility used three water heaters, with electric ...>... More >

Projects that pair combined heat and power (CHP) with innovative biomass and biogas technologies are on the rise, and natural gas-fueled CHP systems are displacing traditional heating solutions that once relied on fuel hungry boilers. Not surprisingly, universities are a leading force in the CHP revolution, but wastewater utilities and heat-intensive markets, such as the hospitality industry, are also investing heavily. And that’s despite a less-than-hospitable environment for funding. How are they doin...>... More >

COLUMBIA LIGHTING Columbia Lighting’s new Transition fixtures are enhanced with soft, matte white reflectors to provide uniform illumination and high visual comfort. The deep, sculpted look created by the balanced reflector lens compliments any space. Designed with precision optics and a custom-engineered polyester coating, Transition configurations achieve performance with efficiencies from 90–100%. The Transition family of fixtures feature three lamp sizes available in five different configurations of...>... More >

Automation pervades most modern plant systems, and their operations rely on the uninterrupted performance and reliability of the signal transmission infrastructure supporting the network. When a failure occurs, it happens most often within the data communications network infrastructure. In today’s world, companies routinely purchase insurance to protect their physical structures and valuable equipment. But how many think to provide the right kind of insurance—the preventive kind—to ensure uninterrupted ...>... More >

“Backup power is absolutely essential,” advise Lenny Chesal and Daniel Calderon of Host.net. “As to the important aspect of maintenance, all of it is essential. The center should have access to gear, the ability to replace equipment once a facility is built, and the ability to add or remove equipment without disrupting business or uptime at the center.” Host.net is a Florida-based data center and network infrastructure services provider. The company reminded us last summer that it has a full suite of bu...>... More >

For corporate data centers, bigger isn’t always better when it comes to the massive energy bills generated by all those bits and bytes.>... More >

Companies emitting significant greenhouse gases (GHGs) need to take steps now to ensure they are in compliance with current requirements and prepare for new regulatory developments. This article summarizes the impacts of the EPA rule for mandatory reporting of GHGs and guidance from the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on climate change disclosure and provides some practical tips for the electric utility industry. EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule In the wake of the Supreme Court decision i...>... More >

CHP developers deliver kilowatt-hours and income, asking little or no capital outlay.>... More >

When we think of the disaster planning process, one key area that continues to deserve attention is data center availability. With today’s heavy reliance on technology and automated systems, disruptions to electrical and cooling systems in the data center can have severe impacts on the business. Ensuring availability of electrical and cooling infrastructure is crucial because data centers are dynamic environments. Heat loads are constantly increasing, challenging cooling strategies; computer equipment i...>... More >

It’s a question that’s often pondered—does the political will exist to transform our current inefficient, fossil fuel-based energy system into an efficient, clean tech energy future? Certainly the financial incentives for increased efficiency are there. At a basic level, we all know that lowering our energy use results in a smaller utility bill and a better bottom line. Unfortunately, the concept of efficiency (and its bedfellow, “sustainability”) can be hard to pin down. One of the biggest stumbling bl...>... More >

AHR Expo - International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition  www.ahrexpo.com Alber  www.alber.com Association of Energy Engineers  www.aeecenter.org Blue Star Power Systems Inc.  www.bluestarps.com Capstone Turbine Corp.  www.capstoneturbine.com Crestchic Loadbanks USA  www.crestchicusa.com Davidson Sales Co  www.davidsonsales.com Evans Cooling Systems  www.evanscooling.com GE Jenbacher  www.ge.com Girtz Industries  www.girtz.com GT Exha...>... More >

From reciprocating engines to fuel cells to photovoltaic cells, the choices for commercial scale distributed energy (DE) technology have never looked better. Nor has the economic argument for producing energy onsite at 1 MW and higher. In fact, though manufacturers are seeing solid sales growth, they haven’t slowed their drive for innovation and efficiency. And with the recent mergers and acquisitions by some of the world’s top manufacturers and energy companies, the investment in research and developme...>... More >

Today’s buildings—residential, commercial, and industrial—consume more energy than any other sector of the US economy, including transportation and industry, and are responsible for 40% of US carbon emissions at a cost of more than $400 billion. In achieving greater energy efficiency, what’s wrapped around a building through its envelope is just as significant to its operation as the inside mechanical and lighting systems. What has been considered exceptional will soon become commonplace, says Eric Bloo...>... More >

As the cost drops and the incentives rise, new renewable energy technologies are becoming a more feasible option for businesses interested in increasing efficiency and preserving their bottom line.>... More >

To create more efficient operations, lower costs>... More >

We all know that combining renewables with distributed energy—as part of either a small-scale project or a larger smart energy network—adds to the security and reliability of that power system. By now, we are also painfully aware of all the arguments against further funding for the development of renewable energies as a means to wean us from our dependence on fossil fuels. At the top of the list is cost—that ever-present bogeyman that always pops up whenever checks need to be written to pay for past mis...>... More >

ALTRONIC Altronic has completed field trials of the CD200D Digital Ignition System. Designed for universal application on virtually any medium- or high-speed gas engine, the 12-24 VDC-powered CD200D is available in eight, 12, and 16 output configurations. The CD200D is a camshaft-triggered device, but is uniquely capable of accepting angular position inputs from either a camshaft-mounted magnet disc and Hall-effect pickup, or through a magnetic pickup monitoring position holes drilled into the engine ca...>... More >

The central framework of the nation’s electrical grid was established in the late 19th century. Considering that, it should come as no surprise that the power grid has become functionally obsolete. It is no longer capable of addressing the unique demands and challenges of a next-generation power infrastructure. This fact rings particularly true for the country’s rapidly growing information technology (IT) and telecommunications industries, which require a secure grid capable of reliably accommodating al...>... More >

At universities across the country, new technologies are helping redefine the role of distributed energy.>... More >

Masonic Village in Elizabethtown, PA, is a sprawling continuing-care retirement community, children’s home, and community service organization that opened in 1910. Today, the 1,400-acre complex serves more than 1,700 residents. For decades, the complex was driven by a coal-fired plant that burned more than 5,000 tons of coal each year. The antiquated energy system featured steam-driven generators that produced electricity for the entire campus. Even after the campus decommissioned the generators in the ...>... More >

Building owners are beginning to see the benefit of including microturbines in onsite power plans for commercial, industrial, and urban-residential projects.>... More >