Home
Colin Bennett's Library tagged → View Popular
Public buildings in Europe will lead the way in energy efficiency
-
<script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ google_key = 'UA-542403-53'; var in_article_size = 1; var in_article_fixed_array = new Array(); var in_article_variable_array = new Array(); in_article_fixed_array.shuffle(false); in_article_variable_array.shuffle(false); var in_article_array = new Array(); for(var i = 0; i < in_article_fixed_array.length; i++) { if(i > in_article_size){ break; } in_article_array[i] = in_article_fixed_array[i]; } for(var i = 0; i < in_article_variable_array.length; i++) { if(in_article_array.length == in_article_size){ break; } in_article_array[in_article_array.length] = in_article_variable_array[i]; } in_article_array.shuffle(false); /* ]> */ </script><script type="text/javascript"> display_advert(in_article_array, 'in_article_10','','','','',''); </script>
The European Commission, European Parliament and European Council talks in Brussels yesterday have ruled that public buildings will lead the way in improving the energy efficiency of buildings in the region.
The decision makers reached an agreement that will see new or refurbished public buildings having to reach new standards in energy efficiency from the end of 2018.
Most newly constructed buildings will also have to meet the same improved efficiency standards, but only be the end of 2020.
Member States will be responsible for setting their own energy efficiency standards, as the talks concluded that it would be impractical to set levels applicable to all the climate conditions across the region.
The proposals will now go to the European Parliament for endorsement at the beginning of next year.
New European alliance seeks sustainable energy innovations
-
The “European Sustainable Energy Innovation Alliance” (ESEIA) aims to create innovations for sustainable technologies, establish an interdisciplinary panel of experts, and strengthen measures for further and continuing education.
Smart Plugs (TalkingPlugs) for Your Home
"Google’s PowerMeter can monitor home energy usage in great detail as well but it generally requires that an electrician install a smart meter or a home energy display. LaMonica reported a couple months ago that IBM and the utility company Consert have been working together on a smart grid program where major appliances can be hooked up to controllers and can communicate with a meter in much the same way as these TalkingPlugs do. With this system, a person can view the data and even control appliances on the web as well. The end use is much the same as these TalkingPlugs."
Nanomaterial Being Produced By the Ton
Because of its light weight Graphene is the ideal substitute for copper for aerospace defense against emerging weapons technologies such as electromagnetic pulse as well as lightning strike protection for the aerospace market.
-
Graphene is an extremely low density material, almost an atomic-scale chicken wire made of carbon atoms and their bonds. It has been the focus of much research because of its exceptional electrical, mechanical and optical properties. It holds great promise in renewable energies.
Among the so far underutilized advantages Graphene offers are that it is fifty times stronger than steel, and it has five times the conductivity of copper, with only one quarter of the density.
Can technology persuade us to save energy?
-
Last week New Scientist reported that US emissions could be cut by more than 7 per cent if people changed their ways at home. Separate studies in US, Dutch and British homes have reported that 26 to 36 per cent of domestic energy use is "behavioural" – determined by the way we use machines, not the efficiency of the hardware itself.
This means that "machines designed to change humans", as the persuasive technology group of Stanford University, California, calls them, could save us huge amounts of energy and money.
Energy awareness
Many projects are trying to make that happen, with two main motivations. One is to understand which facets of human nature can be manipulated to change behaviour. The other is to develop technical strategies to do so.
The Energy Producing Home
-
Who says that a home with cutting-edge energy efficiency has to look like an ultra-modern pod? This recently completed Wisconsin home packs so much energy tech that it makes money by selling electricity back to the grid, and it still keeps a low neighborhood profile.
Want fewer power plants? Make outdoor lighting more efficient
-
The proposed changes will phase out the least efficient outdoor lighting products by the end of 2012, transitioning to new lighting products that are better for the environment and less costly to run. For example, new outdoor lights will be required to have a sensor that will turn them off during daylight hours, putting an end to wasteful streetlight operation during the day. New parking lot lights must be capable of being dimmed, which can cut their energy use in half.
The agreement also directs the US Department of Energy (DOE) to develop even better standards by 2013.
Motors Help Minimising Impact Of Sulphur Dioxide On Environment - Engineer Live, For Engineers, By Engineers
-
Chris Bennett, a senior electrical engineer at Ratcliffe, said: "It is always surprising to people who visit the site that we are so efficiency conscious, but they're often even more surprised that we have to pay for the power we use during the generation process so it's essential we don't use more energy than we actually need. Even more important is minimising the environmental impact of the power station and ensuring the reliability of the plant; outages have to be avoided where possible so critical equipment such as the motors have to be reliable."
Kansai Electric and Cree Demonstrate a 100 kVA Silicon Carbide Three Phase Inverter
""In the future, a tremendous amount of energy savings could be realized in industry by switching from Si inverters to SiC inverters because the power loss of the inverters is estimated to be reduced by more than 50 percent,""
EU to consider energy efficiency overhaul of buildings
"The EU is considering proposals that could require the upgrade of 15 million buildings across the region by 2020 to reduce their energy use by a fifth, according to a report from Reuters."
British consumers confused by proposed new energy labels
-
Which?’s survey of over 1000 consumers found that while 86% find the current label easy to use, 37% find the new system confusing.
Alternatives To Four-stroke Engines Promise An Increase In Efficiency
What, then, are the innovations in internal combustion engine design that will carry us through the next decade or so, meeting the need to increase efficiency and reduce emissions? For one, earlier this year the Scuderi Group unveiled a proof-of-concept prototype split-cycle engine. The new engine, which its designers claim has the ability to revolutionise the long-term viability of the internal combustion engine, was unveiled as a naturally aspirated one-litre petrol unit (Fig.1). Scuderi Group expects it to produce up to 80 per cent fewer toxins than a typical internal combustion engine and, when fully developed with turbocharged and air-hybrid components, to achieve significant gains in fuel efficiency.
Steven Chu Suggests Open Source to Design Net-Zero Energy Buildings
Steven Chu at the Department of Energy just opened up $346 million in stimulus funds for boosting the energy efficiency of new and existing buildings — but thinking ahead to new design, he wants the best ideas to be incorporated into structure designs from the beginning.
How better tap into the hive mind than with an open-source software platform.
He wants the DOE to provide advanced design tools for free or at very low cost so that it will become almost automatic that builders use the tools.
Volkswagen to Make Electricity in Your Basement
Volkswagen has formed a partnership with German energy supplier LichtBlick to build combined heat and power plants which are to be driven by high efficiency Volkswagen natural gas engines.
US completes energy efficiency standards for electrical appliances | Energy Efficiency News
US Energy Secretary Steven Chu yesterday confirmed that his department has completed new energy efficiency standards for electrical appliances in response to President Barack Obama’s request earlier this year.
Energy efficiency at the atom level
Nanotechnology researchers at IBM’s Zurich lab image the chemical structure of molecules to revealing insight in how charge transmits, potentially improving computer components and solar panels.
Holiday Inn switches to LEDs saving $4 million
As part of a $1 billion global relaunch, Holiday Inn is incorporating energy efficiency lighting measures at its 3200 hotels that will save over $4 million annually.
Selected Tags
Related Tags
Sponsored Links
Top Contributors
Groups interested in energy
-
Nuclear Reactors
Nuclear Energy and its impa...
Items: 17 | Visits: 959
Created by: Energy Net
-
Sustainable Futures
Items: 5 | Visits: 117
Created by: fred first
-
Energy Resources
Follow America's pursuit of...
Items: 11 | Visits: 121
Created by: liveinfreedom .
Highlighter, Sticky notes, Tagging, Groups and Network: integrated suite dramatically boosting research productivity. Learn more »
Join Diigo