Energy User News articles from June 2000

Energy User News archives from June 2000

Critics Increasingly Vocal About Deregulation, Reliability Issues.
June 1, 2000... WASHINGTON, DC--If there were any doubt that the honeymoon is over for electric utility deregulation, the rising tide of increasingly sharp criticism, underscored by growing concern about reliability, should put to rest any questions on that...

J.D. Power Ranks Electric Utility Customer Satisfaction.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... AGOURA HILLS, CA and DEERFIELD, IL-Mid-size business customers demand more from their electric utility service providers in terms of service, reliability, and price than do residential customers, according to the inaugural 2000 Electric Utility...

Legal Maneuvers and Charges Spotlight Power Struggles.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... A court decision, a challenge to one state's deregulation plan, and a commercial defamation suit are among just a few of the contentious legal issues that lurk barely below the surface of the electric power industry as it struggles with...

Secretary of Energy.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson has directed the Department of Energy (DOE) to purchase 3% of its total electricity needs from non-hydro renewable energy sources by 2005, and 7.5% of its total electricity purchases from green power by 2010....

The boards of directors of GRI.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... The boards of directors of GRI (formerly Gas Research Institute) and the Institute of Gas Technology (IGT) have approved the merger of the two organizations. The combined organization has yet to be named, and the creation of new bylaws and the...

Southern Company Energy Marketing.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... Southern Company Energy Marketing has announced an alliance with Washington Gas Energy Services (WGES) to supply the regional natural gas retailer with wholesale electricity and power scheduling services. WGES serves more than 115,000 customers...

Panda Energy International.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... Panda Energy International signed a multi-year power supply contract with Dynegy. A 2,720-MW generating facility that Panda is developing in El Dorado, AR will supply the power to meet the terms of the contract. Dynegy will, in turn, sell the...

FuelCell Energy.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... FuelCell Energy has signed a contract with Kentucky Pioneer Energy (a subsidiary of Global Energy) to incorporate one of FuelCell Energy's 2-MW Direct FuelCell power plants into the Clean Coal V Project. The project is part of the federal Clean...

Arizona.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... Arizona has become the first state to order utilities to produce a certain percentage of their electricity from solar sources. Although 27 other states have such mandated portfolios that contain electricity derived from solar and renewable,...

Aggregation Strong in States with Active Retail Energy Markets.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... BURLINGTON, MA--Over a third of commercial and industrial customers surveyed in Pennsylvania and Illinois were approached last year by an electricity buying group, according to a new study on the latest retail aggregation trends by XENERGY Inc....

First LEED-Certified Green Buildings Announced.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... WASHINGTON, DC--At a ceremony held in Washington, DC, on March 30, 12 buildings were recognized as achieving standards for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. LEED is a comprehensive rating system that provides...

Gas and Electric Companies Create Industry-wide Internet Trading Platform.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... KANSAS CITY, MO--A new independent energy trading consortium formed by six of the nation's largest gas and electric companies will own and operate an Internet-based, business-to-business, over-the-counter energy trading platform. The new...

NYSERDA Demonstrates Aggregation.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... ALBANY, NY--The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has begun a project to demonstrate the feasibility of aggregating backup generators to provide peaking energy and spinning reserve capacity. In New York State,...

A Fast-Changing World.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... In the ever-changing world of energy management, reality has a way of knocking insistently at the door. The Facility manager who delays answering that knock might find the world has changed in ways that were unanticipated as recently as...

Earth Day is Still Relevant.
June 1, 2000... Have 30 years made a difference? Another Earth Day-- the 30th--has come and gone with minimal fanfare. Have we become complacent, or are all our environmental and energy-related problems either solved or so well on their way toward...

The States Can Lead--And Often Do.
June 1, 2000... NYSERDA officials talk about the importance of state initiatives Facility managers seeking to reduce their energy bills find support from manufacturers, federal agencies, ESCOs, and others. However, many of the most innovative programs and...

Commercial Sector Looks to New Technology for Savings.(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2000... Energy-savings technologies often get their first application in commercial facilities Energy conservation and energy cost savings have been a major concern for facility managers since the energy crisis of the late 1970s. Currently the...

Restructured Electricity Markets Mean More Complexity and Increased Opportunities.(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2000... CCHP owners have opportunities to sell into the grid The ongoing restructuring of the electric industry has complicated the decisions associated with investing in and operating combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) facilities. Those...

90.1-1999: The New Standard for Energy Conservation.(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2000... Changes in 90.1 increase the importance of maintaining an energy plan ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-1999 and the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC-2000) take a broad view of energy conservation and do not view each energy-related...

Web Browser Interface: The Next Step in Facility Management.
June 1, 2000... The Internet extends control systems indefinitely Ten years ago, what answer would be given to the question of what new innovation in energy management will have the most far-reaching impact on the discipline? BACnet, LonWorks, or other...

Gas Cooling in the Era of Deregulation.(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2000... Gas and electric deregulation give customers new choices in cooling The world of the electric customer is changing drastically. But, as before, decisions made about chiller plants will continue to affect the owners and occupants of...

Internet-Enabled Lighting System Scores Big Savings.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2000... Building energy data can be monitored on-line, 24 hours a day Los Angeles County's Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) has installed a building-wide controllable lighting system in its Metro Special District offices in downtown Los...

Performance Contract Is Rx for Hospital Ills.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2000... Agreement provides infrastructure improvements, savings, and improved patient comfort Sharply increasing maintenance costs are a reality in an aging hospital building. New regulations, mandates, and environmental guidelines, along with...

Creative Financing Brings BHA $16 Million for Energy Investment.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2000... Performance contracts enable housing authority to improve livability while saving energy Through an ambitious public/private partnership, the Boston Housing Authority (BHA) will capture $16 million in energy savings over 10 years and...

Gas-Fired Absorption Chillers Ease Growing Pains.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2000... Upgrade provides needed capacity and eliminates chlorofluorocarbons With California's public colleges and universities headed for an enrollment boom by the year 2010, many campus facility managers are scrambling to come up with ways to deal...

Energy Management Fundamentals Series: Energy Audits.
June 1, 2000... Good energy management begins with an energy audit Effective management of energy-consuming systems can lead to significant cost and energy savings as well as increased comfort, lower maintenance costs, and extended equipment life. A...

Replacement and Conversion of CFC Chillers Slows.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2000... ARLINGTON, VA--The pace of replacement and conversion of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) chillers slowed in 1999, leaving approximately 48,484 units still in use for comfort cooling in buildings, despite a ban on production of CFCs that went into...

HID dimming control.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2000... HID dimming control can reduce energy costs as much as 60%, the manufacturer says. Each dimming control module is self powered and will operate on luminaire voltages ranging from 120 to 480 Vac. The kit installs in a matter of minutes on most...

Three-phase kWh/kW submeter.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2000... Three-phase kWh/kW submeter features onboard communications, 15-minute interval load profiling, a four-line by 20-character backlighted LCD readout, installed current sensor diagnostic capability, optional fixed or cellular modem, a broad...

Pulse-start metal halide system.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2000... Pulse-start metal halide system offers more initial light output, better maintained light output, and a 50% increase in lamp life over standard 250-W metal halide lamps, the manufacturer claims. Lamps are available with a mogul base and in...

Power meter.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2000... Power meter holds more information and performs automatic throw-over schemes within switchgear. The meter's modular, open-ended design can be customized for virtually any application, such as calculating costs/kWh or monitoring water pulses. It...

Building automation and energy management system.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2000... Building automation and energy management system offers improved graphics, flexibility, alarm notification, and security with enhanced password protection levels. Designed for small- to medium-sized facilities and centralized management of...

Ultrasonic lighting sensors.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2000... Ultrasonic lighting sensors mount in ceilings and cover between 800 and 2000 [ft.sup.2]. For larger area coverage, additional sensors can operate using a single powerpack. For multi-circuit loads, one sensor can control multiple power-packs....

Metal halide lamps.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... Metal halide lamps deliver 22% more light (mean lumens) over the life of the lamp, the highest light output of any Standard CW/CWA system, the manufacturer says. The lamps are suited for application in retail ceilings, industrial facilities,...

Digital power meter.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... Digital power meter is suited for users who want high accuracy readings, data/event recording, and multi-port communications but don't need advanced power quality analysis features like waveform recording or transient detection. The...

Circuit monitors.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... Circuit monitors, combined with System Manager Software 3.1, provide power quality and disturbance monitoring capability, accurate energy consumption data, and multiple utilities monitoring. The monitors also offer optional high-speed voltage...

Automatic relay pack (ARP).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... Automatic relay pack (ARP) distributes lighting control by connecting to a junction box close to the electrical load it controls. This reduces the cost of branch circuit wiring and low-voltage switch wiring required when a centralized control...

Calibrated illuminance lightmeter.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... Calibrated illuminance lightmeter measures in footcandles or lux and features an individual calibration certificate traceable to U.S. National Standards. The device's angled silicon photodiode sensor allows light measurements to be taken while...

Remote monitoring service.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... Remote monitoring service for commercial and industrial heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, now offers a choice of services, making it suited to a wider range of applications and budgets. The ProTech remote monitoring...

Integrated Facilities Systems (IFS).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... Integrated Facilities Systems (IFS) is a custom-designed approach to combining power distribution, control functions and environmental controls into a single, space-saving structure. The packages provide solutions to common problems, such as...

LED exit.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... LED exit, emergency, and illuminated interior building locator signs can be ordered in wall-, side-, or ceiling-mounted models to suit a broad range of applications. Their slender, curved-edge, smooth-surface design and even, virtually...

An open system for building automation.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... An open system for building automation, eBuilding runs on Microsoft's CE operating system and is BACNet compliant. The system's controllers communicate over Internet-ready 10/100MHz TCP/IP Ethernet LANs. The eBuilding controllers are configured...

HVAC controls.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... HVAC controls include Savvy, a single-building control processor for monitoring and controlling lighting and HVAC systems, and Hawki, a distributed direct digital air handling controller that provides precise air volume control. With advanced...

Reflector finishing process.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... Reflector finishing process for compact fluorescent downlight luminaires, known as the "American Matte" process, is said to create higher brightness than typical specular or semi-specular reflectors without sacrificing light output or...

Absorption water chiller line.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... Absorption water chiller line is available in 500 to 800 ton capacities. The single-stage chiller is able to produce chilled water in the range of 40 to 60 [degrees]F (4.4 to 15.6 [degrees]C) using a low grade heat source of 12 psig steam or...

LED kit.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2000... LED kit is an energy-efficient retrofit for existing exit signs. Designated the XK series, it is available for both red and green illuminated signs. Benefits include "zero maintenance" after installation, 90% or greater energy savings, and a...

Exit sign.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... Exit sign is constructed of die-formed steel and utilizes two 7-W incandescent lamps. Available in wall-, end-, or ceiling-mounted units, the sign offers universal mounting (canopy included); universal knockout chevrons; off-white housing;...

Air fan controls.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... Air fan controls provide advanced diagnostic capabilities, universal thermostat compatibility, a simplified wiring layout, and automatic multi-speed switching. The control acts as the interface between the thermostat and the air handler and has...

Snap-on pump controller.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... Snap-on pump controller designed for quick, simple field installation, the Add-A-Zone relay is compatible with any B&G NRF, NBF or 1/12 to 1/6 hp series PL circulator. Because it activates both the pump and the boiler as the thermostat calls...

Enclosed high-bay luminaire.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... Enclosed high-bay luminaire (Industria 4) features an adjustable inner reflector that offers uplighting at low, medium, and high levels. Uplighting creates uniform lighting of the ceiling, walls and floor, which is especially useful in general...

Ballasts for compact fluorescent lamps.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... Ballasts for compact fluorescent lamps are designed for flexibility in office, retail, and outdoor applications and are ideal for downlighting and small architectural fixtures. The C2642/347 model operates one 42-W, one 32-W, one 26-W, or two...

Kitchen hood control.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... Kitchen hood control saves fan energy and conditioned air during idle, non-cooking periods by reducing the hood exhaust (and make-up) fan speeds. A temperature and photoelectric sensor monitors the heat and smoke load inside the hood, and a...

A suite of software packages.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... A suite of software packages, WEBtalk provides web-based solutions for the Alerton BACtalk product line. Users may access building graphics and information from the web server over local networks or via their local ISP connection when the web...

Multi-voltage electronic ballasts.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2000... Multi-voltage electronic ballasts for quad-tube and triple-tube compact fluorescent lamps will operate two 18-W quad-tube compact fluorescent lamps at any voltage between 120 and 277 V at 50 or 60 Hz utilizing a single set of inputs. All units...

Steam exchange humidifiers.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2000... Steam exchange humidifiers are suited for facilities where steam is available from a boiler. The boiler steam passes through the unit's internal heat exchanger, bringing the surrounding water in the tank to atmospheric clean steam vapor. The...

Recording poly-phase power meter.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... Recording poly-phase power meter now offers waveform capture and harmonic analysis. It records parameters such as: true-RMS kW, kWh, volts, amps, kVA, kVAr, and power factor. The logger meters three-phase loads such as whole building loads,...

Building automation workstation software.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2000... Building automation workstation software allows building operators to manage environmental comfort and energy use. Users at one site may check conditions at other locations, but a flexible password feature lets facility managers determine how,...

DEGREE DAYS For Selected Cities.
June 1, 2000... [TABLE HAS BEEN CLIPPED]

Ranking of Gas Utility Prices by State Commercial.
June 1, 2000... [TABLE HAS BEEN CLIPPED]

Ranking of Electricity Prices Industrial.
June 1, 2000... [TABLE HAS BEEN CLIPPED]

Spot Market Gas: Posted Prices.
June 1, 2000... [TABLE HAS BEEN CLIPPED]