Articles for April 27, 2009
ENERGY NEWSBRIEFS is a
weekly current awareness service provided by the Washington State University
Extension Energy Program Library and written by Angela Santamaria, WSU Energy
Library Manager, to assist users in tracking developments in the energy field.
To view past issues or to subscribe to receive an email notification of the
publication of a new issue, go to Energy Newsbriefs archives at http://www.energy.wsu.edu/library/newsbriefs.cfm.
Please be aware that
although every URL is checked for accuracy prior to the publication of Energy
Newsbriefs, URLs are, for various reasons, subject to change. Further, servers
sometimes fail to connect to working URLs.
AGGREGATING SAVED ENERGY
"Lucrative Approach to Conserving Energy,"
by Jeff Gelles, Staff Writer,
Philadelphia
Inquirer
, explains a business model which differs from the traditional
demand response model. In this new model, unneeded power is aggregated to the
point that it is in very great quantity and can be sold at prices high enough
to bring returns to the power seller and support the aggregator business as
well. See this article in the Philadelphia Inquirer, March 23, 2009, at
http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20090323_Lucrative_approach_to_conserving_energy.html.
ENERGY EFFICIENT HOMES
The Thousand Home Challenge
of the non-profit ACI (Affordable Comfort, Inc.) is set for the Summer of 2009
after over a year of planning. It involves "deep energy reduction"
retrofits of existing homes. See the website at http://www.affordablecomfort.org/initiatives.php?PageID=16
and select "Thousand Home Challenge" from a short list of titles.
FENESTRATION
"Can
These Windows Be Saved," by Jean W. Tamisin, Associate, Elstner
Associates, and Richard A. Weber, Associate Principal, WJE, is a three-part
article in the March 2009 issue of Building Operating Management:
Part 1: Avoiding Water Penetration in Windows includes discussion of the
fundamentals of windows. Read it at http://www.facilitiesnet.com/windowsexteriorwalls/article/Avoiding-Water-Penetration-in-Windows--10687.
Part 2: Moisture, Condensation, and Mold: Typical
Window Problems covers how to understand what the problems entail. View it at http://www.facilitiesnet.com/windowsexteriorwalls/article/Moisture-Condensation-and-Mold-Typical-Window-Problems--10688.
Part 3: Repair or Replace the Windows: Making the
Right Decision shows how to decide whether compromised window systems need
repairing or replacing. See it at http://www.facilitiesnet.com/windowsexteriorwalls/article/Repair-or-Replace-the-Windows-Making-the-Right-Decision--10689.
HVAC (HEATING,VENTILATION, and AIR CONDITIONING)
"Systems Design and
Performance Tips for Packaged Rooftop Units (RTUs)" was written by Richard
L. Kronick and Michael Ivanovich, Editor-in-Chief, Consulting-Specifying Engineer. System size, energy efficiencies, noise and
vibration, and other considerations are aired with some disagreement among the
experts that were consulted by the author. See this article in
Consulting-Specifying
Engineer
, March 2009, at http://www.csemag.com/article/CA6644872.html
.
POLICY
"Contaminated
Sites = Renewable Energy Hotspots," by Jessica Ebert, shows the effort of
the EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) to identify contaminated sites -
10,000 of them have been mapped - and see how they can be cleaned and prepared
for renewable development. Using these de-contaminated sites, many of which
are near large population centers and the grid, for planting fuel crops would
avoid some of the need to disturb farmland that is needed for food crops. This
article includes a link to the sidebar, "Contaminated Sites Defined."
See this article in Biomass Magazine, March 2009, at http://www.biomassmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=2467&q=&page=all.
Laying the Foundation for Implementing a Federal Energy Efficiency
Resource Standard
is a 43-page,
March 2009, report from ACEEE (American Council for an Energy Efficient
Economy). It was written by Laura A. Furrey, Steven Nadel, and John A. "Skip"
Laitner, all of the ACEEE. The authors' research focused on the economic
benefits of a federal EERS (energy efficiency resource standard). Over $1.6
billion in savings to utilities is cited. See the report at http://qualenergia.it/UserFiles/Files/aceee_e091_mar09.pdf.
SOLAR
"Electric Industry Examines Adding Solar Energy
to Coal Plants" is an article that describes the way in which solar would
be harnessed to power a coal plant. It includes other information and links to
documents that provide further, related information. See this article in
EERE
Network News
, March 11, 2009, at http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/news_detail.cfm/news_id=12287.
"Selling
Solar Homes in Arizona" is a short article, by staff, that points to the
growing acceptance of solar in the part of the business community that
specializes in real estate. Read this article in Alternative Energy Retailer,
March 10, 2009, at http://www.aer-online.com/mail/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.2361.
"Solar Center Educates, Supports, Plans toward
Future," by Camille Villanueva, WSU Today Intern, shows the progress of
solar use in the state of Washington aided by the Northwest Solar Center. See this article in WSU Today, March 13, 2009, at http://www.wsutoday.wsu.edu/Pages/Publications.asp?Action=Detail&PublicationID=14067&PageID=
WORKFORCE
"Filmmakers Spotlight the Blue Collars at the
Heart of Green Building," by Leslie Guevarra,
describes the film which focuses on a green building project from the
perspective of its blue collar construction crews and their suppliers. The
article includes a five-minute clip of the film via YouTube. See this article
at in Greener Buildings, April 22, 2009, at http://www.greenerbuildings.com/blog/2009/04/22/blue-collars-in-green-building.
"U.S.
Wind Power Industry Increases Employment by 70% in One Year," by staff, is
an article based on the Annual Wind Energy Report: Year Ending 2009 from
AWEA (American Wind Energy Association). According to the report, employment
in the U.S. wind industry is now at 85,000 and growing. The article links to a
press release from AWEA and the full 32-page report. See this article in
EERE
Network News
, April 15, 2009, at http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/news_detail.cfm/news_id=12454.
Past issues of
Energy
Newsbriefs
are available at http://www.energy.wsu.edu/library/newsbriefs.cfm.
Generally, subscription information
for the journals cited above can be found at the home page of their web
sites.
© 2009
Washington State University Extension Energy Program. This publication
contains material written and produced for public distribution. Permission to
copy or disseminate all or part of this material is granted, provided that the
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referenced by title with credit to the Washington State University Extension
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for any other use requires prior written permission from the Washington State
University Extension Energy Program.
