The deployment of energy harvesting devices will grow at a compound annual growth rate of nearly 38 percent over the next few years, resulting in annual shipments of 235.4 million units by 2015 (from a base of 53 million in 2012), comprising a range of consumer and industrial applications, according to a report from Pike Research.
According to a Harris Poll, majorities of Americans are doing some basic things to be more energy efficient like turning off lights, televisions, or other appliances when not in use (82 percent), replacing incandescent bulbs with fluorescent ones (58 percent), and looking for Energy Star labels when replacing appliances (55 percent). But there are other things majorities of Americans are not doing.
In commercial buildings, workers usually come and go en masse each day. As a result, energy use can rapidly become inefficient. Now, a new study done on Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) buildings reveals some data that could help designers and building managers optimize energy usage.
The Obama administration announced that nine major utilities and electricity suppliers have committed to providing more than 15 million households with access to data about their energy use with the click of an online “Green Button.”
A number of high-level policymakers, business representatives including some HVACR manufacturers, and nongovernmental organization leaders recently converged in Orlando for the 2012 Energy Efficiency (EE) Global Forum.
The U.S. solar energy industry installed a record 1,855 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaic (PV) capacity in 2011, more than doubling the previous annual record of 887 MW set in 2010, according to the latest U.S. Solar Market Insight report.
The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) has released a review of research on the use of smart grid technologies, “Results from Recent Real-Time Feedback Studies,” which finds residential electricity savings ranging from 0 to 19.5 percent, with average savings of 3.8 percent.
To help building owners reduce their energy costs, a new building labeling program is available from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) that not only rates buildings according to the in-operation energy use but also provides owners with suggested measures that can improve energy efficiency.