Energy User News articles from March 2005

Energy User News archives from March 2005

Energy efficiency best practices website.(www.eebestpractices.com)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... BERKELEY, CA -- California's investor-owned utilities and energy commissions have sponsored an effort to systematically benchmark and draw lessons learned from energy-efficiency programs implemented throughout the United States. The Energy...

Tractebel survey reveals NE businesses not well informed on energy.(Tractebel Energy Services's report on deregulation in Northeast region )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... HOUSTON -- Tractebel Energy Services released a survey of nearly 700 business managers in New York, Maine, and Massachusetts that shows that decision-makers in businesses in the Northeast region consider their energy procurement to be an...

Plug power installs gensite hydrogen generators.(Plug Power Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... LATHAM, NY -- Plug Power Inc. announced on January 18th that the company intends to install two GenSite hydrogen generators under two recently awarded programs sponsored by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)....

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab).(estimated the cost of power failures)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... A study conducted by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) researchers Kristina Hamachi-LaCommare and Joe Eto estimates that electric power outages and blackouts cost the nation about $80 billion annually. The study estimates the...

Advance Transformer.(celebrating its 60th anniversary, launched website)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Advance Transformer announced that the company would hold a series of events in 2005 to celebrate its 60th anniversary. Advance anticipates holding a number of internal celebrations, customer events, and special communications. The company has...

Florida's Public Service Commission.(ordered Florida Power & Light Co. to reimburse for faulty thermal meter readings)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The Palm Beach Post, FL, reported that Florida's Public Service Commission has ordered Florida Power & Light Co. to pay back more than $31,000 it collected over a year from faulty thermal meter readings at 11 businesses, including two Target...

Siemens Building Technologies Inc.(energy savings performance contract from Kentucky)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Siemens Building Technologies, Inc., announced on January 27th that it had won a six-year energy savings performance contract from the Commonwealth of Kentucky to retrofit traffic signals on all state-maintained roads. With an estimated annual...

Regional trading for ozone pollution a model for greenhouse gas markets.(Industry news: current happenings and events)
March 1, 2005... DAVOS, Switzerland -- State-level action to reduce air pollution through emissions trading is working, according to a report released January 27th by the World Resources Institute (WRI) at the World Economic Forum in Davos. This success may...

EUN calendar.(Industry news: current happenings and events)(Calendar)
March 1, 2005... MARCH 15-17 Building Energy 2005, Seaport World Trade Center, Boston, MA. NorthEast Sustainable Energy Association For more information, visit: www.nesea.org 20-22 EGSA 2005 Spring Convention, Mission Possible: 40 Years of Power...

Napa/Sonoma vineyard goes 100% solar.(Industry news: current happenings and events)(Shafer Vineyards Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... GE Energy's solar electric power systems were recently installed by Premier Power at Shafer Vineyards in Napa, CA., making it the first winery in the wine country of Napa and Sonoma counties to move to 100% solar power, according to a release...

FERC needs to improve market power tests.(Industry news: current happenings and events)(Federal Energy Regulatory Commission)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) needs to refine its market power tests using best practices from energy sectors abroad and the experiences of other industries, London Economics International LLC Managing Director Julia Frayer...

Emerson and pentadyne demonstrate high-power parallel operation.(Industry news: current happenings and events)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... CHATSWORTH, CA -- Pentadyne Power Corporation and Emerson Network Power announced the successful demonstration of the Liebert FS flywheel power system with a 750 kVA Liebert Series 610 Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) on January 28th. The...

Debate on MCCs: illustration is one concern.(Your letters: our readers speak out)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... Conflicting ideas make for interesting reading. Here are two opposing positions on MCCs demonstrate--at least--that no one solution works will in every application. Second Opinion Dear Editor: After reading the article "Motor...

Errata.(Your letters: our readers speak out)(Correction Notice)
March 1, 2005... A letter published in the January issue of EUN reads in part: "The standby service fee enacted is one of the highest in the nation. The rate varies by contract demand, but in worst-case scenarios it is excess of $100 per kilowatt-hour on an...

A Shot heard round the world: Kyoto takes effect. Will it make a difference?(Editorial: opinions and commentary from the editor)(Editorial)
March 1, 2005... Although the Kyoto protocol finally became effective on February 15, 2005, after years of wrangling, it is still fair game to ask whether the treaty will ultimately be effective. The February 14th Wall Street Journal reported that even some of...

A guide to selecting adjustable-speed drive systems: ASDs can save money and energy.(Fundamentals: understanding current industry technologies)
March 1, 2005... Commercial and industrial firms use adjustable-speed drive (ASD) systems to control pumps, fails, and blowers. ASDs may also be found controlling hoists and cranes, conveyors, and machine tools. These applications present a wide range of...

Quasi-competitive market offers cost reduction opportunity: volatility means that prices will eventually drop.(Power outlook: energy costs and trends)
March 1, 2005... Many large commercial and industrial (C&I) consumers now operate in a quasi-competitive electric market with a changing mix of regulated and competitive supply options. Regulated tariff rates are periodically adjusted to keep pace with...

Catching the benefits of gas price volatility: four strategies for playing the market.
March 1, 2005... Almost every week, newspapers and magazines decry the volatility of natural gas prices and the havoc wreaked by that unpredictability. Any thoughtful examination of the gas market shows that the volatility is, in fact, undeniably large and...

Lead to LEED certification: cutting-edge lighting design and controls contribute toward LEED certification.(Energy-Saving Opportunities)(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
March 1, 2005... LEED--Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design--is a rating system built upon scientifically-based performance criteria. Sanctioned by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), the LEED Rating System provides a national standard...

T5/HO electronic ballasts from advance.(Products: literature & services: UPS, generators, and lighting)
March 1, 2005... Advance Transformer's Centium Electronic Ballasts with Intellivolt-Hi technology (enabling 347-480 V operation [+ or -] 10%, 50/60 Hz) now include a new four-lamp model for 54-W T5/HO applications. The new four-lamp model is ideal for general...

Ring lights from micro-lite.(Products: literature & services: UPS, generators, and lighting)
March 1, 2005... FL-1000 and FV-1000 ring lights for microscopes from Micro-Lite now feature full spectrum lighting (FSL) bulbs as standard equipment--without extra charge--the company has announced. Full spectrum light contains the entire range of visible...

Power Strips from Emerson.(Products: literature & services: UPS, generators, and lighting)
March 1, 2005... Liebert MP Advanced Power Strips form a family of power distribution solutions that bring advanced control and visibility to rack-level power distribution. The Liebert MP Advanced Power Strips are available in multiple configurations that...

150-kW spark-ignited gas genset from Cummins.(Products: literature & services: UPS, generators, and lighting)
March 1, 2005... The 150-kW model GGLB spark-ignited natural gas generator set from Cummins Power Generation is designed to provide full-rated standby power for backup and emergency power applications. In addition, every alternator option offers full-rated...

Screw chiller from York.(Products: literature & services: UPS, generators, and lighting)
March 1, 2005... Changes to the MaxE water-cooled screw chiller from York International Corporation continue to improve the efficiency of these 170- to 430-ton chillers. Upgrades to the unit's Frick compressors have improved efficiency by more than 3% for...

UPS from Powerware.(Products: literature & services: UPS, generators, and lighting)
March 1, 2005... A new, double conversion online, 8000-15,000 VA uninterruptible power system (UPS) from Easton, the Powerware 9155, features a slim and modern tower design and produces the highest level of protection from power disturbances for critical...

Mobile generators from Ingersoll-Rand.(Products: literature & services: UPS, generators, and lighting)
March 1, 2005... Ingersoll-Rand offers six mobile generators with a compact design and environmentally friendly features. These rugged and reliable machines provide industry-leading environmental protection, enhanced operator interface, and the ability to power...

Bypass-Isolation switch from ASCO.(Products: literature & services: UPS, generators, and lighting)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The new 7001 Series Bypass-Isolation Power Transfer Switch from ASCO provides a 600-1200 A power transfer switch for hospitals, data centers, financial institutions, and other mission critical facilities. The switch can be highly engineered for...

Power quality brochure from Caterpillar.(Products: literature & services: UPS, generators, and lighting)
March 1, 2005... A Caterpillar brochure provides information on the company's complete, single-source offering of power protection and power quality systems. The brochure discusses the benefits of a continuous power solution from Caterpillar that includes...

Power Distribution Units from HP.(Products: literature & services: UPS, generators, and lighting)
March 1, 2005... HP introduces the HP Power Distribution Unit with Power Monitoring to support rack-mount applications with either single-phase power or three-phase power. These rack-mount power distribution units (PDU) provide both single-phase and three-phase...

Power control systems from Russelectric.(Products: literature & services: UPS, generators, and lighting)
March 1, 2005... Russelectric provides the emergency/backup power needed to keep critical security equipment up and running in the event of a loss of utility feed. To ensure a continuous flow of power, Russelectric PLC controls automatically start and stop...

Modular Power System from Generac.(Products: literature & services: UPS, generators, and lighting)
March 1, 2005... The Modular Power System, designed and built by Generac, offers 99.9999% reliability in a cost-effective system. Generac's PowerManager control system eliminates the need for switchgear and provides built-in paralleling capabilities for...

ASE says budget takes 'wrong approach'.(Industry news: current happenings and events)(Alliance to Save Energy )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... WASHINGTON, DC -- Alliance to Save Energy President Kateri Callahan attacked the federal budget submitted just days earlier as taking the wrong approach at the wrong time in a February 7th release. She said, "Escalating oil, gasoline, and...

Market-based solutions could save $19 billion annually.(Industry news: current happenings and events)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... WASHINGTON, DC -- The Distributed Energy Financial Group (DEFG) and the Center for the Advancement of Energy Markets (CAEM), a non-profit energy policy think tank, released a 80-page study in January entitled "Resource Adequacy and the Cost of...

Portland program helps paper mill.(Industry news: current happenings and events)
March 1, 2005... PORTLAND, OR -- Blue Heron Paper Company worked with Energy Trust of Oregon, Inc., Oregon Department of Energy, and the Climate Trust to receive loans, financial incentives, and energy tax credits that will help the company expand and modernize...

Degree days for selected cities.(Marketplace and data: statistics, trends & energy data)(Illustration)
March 1, 2005... DEGREE DAYS For Selected Cities January Monthly Cumulative Monthly Deviation Comulative Deviation Monthly Deviation from Last...

Gas price comparison.(Marketplace and data: statistics, trends & energy data)
March 1, 2005... Gas Price Comparison Breakeven Rates ($/therm) Large Office (150,000 [ft.sup.2]) 1st Q-04 2nd Q-04 Boston Gas (Boston, MA)...

Weather hedging: Chicago mercantile exchange weather futures prices.(Marketplace and data: statistics, trends & energy data)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
March 1, 2005... Weather Hedging: Chicago Mercantile Exchange Weather Futures Prices Heating Degree Days Location Jan Feb Mar Apr Atlanta GA 563 490 330 135 Boston MA 1186 915 810 515 Chicago...

Ranking of electricity prices industrial * September 2004.(Marketplace and data: statistics, trends & energy data)(Illustration)
March 1, 2005... Ranking of Electricity Prices Industrial * September 2004 Rank Cts/kWh ST UTILITY % Total kWh 1 27.12 HI Kauai Island Utility Cooperative 0.02 2 22.69 HI Hawaii...

Rebate report.(Marketplace and data: statistics, trends & energy data)(Illustration)
March 1, 2005... Rebate Report Tech Building State Lighting VSDs Assistance Envelope Alabama X Alaska Arizona X X...

Ranking of gas utility prices by state industrial * October 2004.(Marketplace and data: statistics, trends & energy data)(Illustration)
March 1, 2005... Ranking of Gas Utility Prices By State Industrial * October 2004 Rank State Price/Mcf 1 Hawaii 14.06 2 Massachusetts 11.80 3 Maryland 10.54 4...