The following executive summaries of current news items were compiled from various news sources by the Association of Energy Service Professionals.

New York Negawatts

The New York Public Service Commission (NYPSC) set electric energy efficiency portfolio standards in June 2008 for investor-owned utilities (IOUs) in the state. The NYPSC issued an order that called for IOUs to file three-year energy efficiency plans intended to create savings of nearly 2.1 GWh from 2009 to 2011 at a cost of roughly $518 million. The six IOUs affected by the order - Central Hudson, Con Edison, NYSEG, Niagara Mohawk, Orange & Rockland, and Rochester Gas & Electric - could potentially earn an estimated $27 million yearly in cumulative performance incentives over three years. The NYPSC opted to implement an incentive structure based on bonuses because it said such an approach offers a "reasonable balance of risk and opportunity" for utilities. Under the NYPSC's three-tiered scheme, utilities are penalized if their portfolio savings fall below 70 percent of the target in relation to their performance. Savings that reach 70 percent to 80 percent are neither rewarded nor penalized, while utilities that see portfolio savings exceed 80 percent of the target are rewarded. In addition, performance rewards are restricted to a maximum of 100 percent of the target, while penalties are limited to performance levels below 50 percent of the target. The utilities face three types of risk - a lack of acceptance by consumers, measure-performance risks such as improper installation, and behavioral uncertainties such as rebounds or take-back effects. Another concern regarding the NYPSC's approach is that it does not take into consideration random variations in savings between years. A utility might fall short of the yearly target in one year, yet achieve the target over a three year period.

From "New York Negawatts"
Public Utilities Fortnightly (01/10) Vol. 148, No. 1, P. 12; Haeri, Hossein; Stewart, Jim; Jenniges, Aaron


Small-Scale Solar Plan Clashes with Big Energy

Even though much of the environmental movement has rallied behind the construction of large wind farms and solar power plants, an undercurrent argues that they aren't necessary, or even desirable. They argue it is better to get energy from hundreds of smaller facilities close to home than a giant one far away. Bill Powers an engineer and energy consultant, asserts that California should cover every available rooftop with photovoltaic solar panels, especially commercial buildings. The panels can be installed quickly, unlike large solar power plants that take years to win government permits. They don't require big new power lines, and their price has dropped about 40 percent in the past year. "The solar plants in the desert are albatrosses," Powers says. "We've come to a point where (photovoltaic solar) is either going to be in the remote installations or it's going to be in the urban core. It'll be much more beneficial for those solar panels to be sitting in the urban core where they're going to be used." Most energy industry professionals claim the small-scale approach won't work, citing the large and still-increasing demand for energy. Solar panels are still a relatively expensive way to generate electricity, and they cost more than large solar thermal plants. "Because of the economic and operational issues, I think we're going to see large-scale, grid-connected power for a long, long time," says Jonathan Marshall, a spokesman for Pacific Gas and Electric Co. Carl Zichella, regional director for the Sierra Club in California, has been deeply involved in a state process to plan for new power lines linked to wind farms and solar plants. While he wants as much small-scale generation as possible, he admits that alone it won't meet the state's demand for renewable power. "We need to do it all," Zichella says. "It's quite possible we can get more distributed generation than we thought, and if we get enough, we can build fewer big plants. But I haven't seen any studies I think are credible that say we won't need any."

From "Small-Scale Solar Plan Clashes with Big Energy"
San Francisco Chronicle (01/04/10) Baker, David


Efficiency and Building Envelope

Building performance is based on the controllable factors of the systems within the building and the envelope's efficiency. When constructing a new project, facility executives can request engineering firms to build an envelope model that estimates the cost of energy against heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system performance, building load needs, construction materials, and various other factors. Executives should be able to use the model requirements to make informed decisions about the R-values, U-values, window, wall, and roofing specifications necessary to fulfill targeted envelope performance. Andre Desjarlais with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Building Envelope program says that there is abundant aid that facility executives can take advantage of to model envelope performance in existing buildings. However, he advises retrieving the original building schematics in instances where the budget to hire a team of consultants is unavailable. In addition, an accurate metric of any building's envelope performance requires a little more research. For example, facility executives also should look into the applicable energy codes and standards at the time of a building's construction.

From "Efficiency and Building Envelope"
Building Operating Management (01/01/10) Snyder, Loren


Giving People the Power - to Save: Electricity Monitors Can Change Behavior

Researchers say the more people know more about how much electricity they are using, the less they tend to use it. Knowing about power usage may lead consumers to turn off lights when they leave the room, shut down the computer when you're finished using it or adjust the thermostat. San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) will make energy usage information available to customers on their computers, their phones, and dedicated dashboards, as it begins replacing 1.2 million electric meters with computerized smart meters. SDG&E is installing 7,000 meters a day and recently topped 300,000 meters overall. Starting in January, customers with smart meters can track usage information online. The utility has teamed up with Google for a free service called the Google PowerMeter, enabling users to see how they used power the day before, how their usage compares with their neighbors, and get a bill estimate. SDG&E will offer tracking options, including on its Web site, and is testing in-home dashboards, devices that display the cost of power. SDG&E is providing usage information in many different ways and is also pushing programs designed to reward customers who save power on days when supply is scarce. Annika Todd, a researcher at Stanford University's Precourt Energy Efficiency Center, says studies have shown that when given up-to-date information about energy use, people cut back their usage 5 percent to 20 percent. Customers in the Pacific Northwest participated in a recent study in which they were given information on their electricity usage by appliance and rewarded with cash if they allowed their utility to reprogram thermostats and water heaters depending on the needs of the grid. That resulted in a 10 percent cost savings and a 15 percent reduction in the peak load.

From "Giving People the Power - to Save: Electricity Monitors Can Change Behavior"
San Diego Union-Tribune (12/29/09) Soto, Onell


Builders Zero In on New Goal of Energy-Neutral Housing

With research showing that buildings are responsible for about 40 percent of energy consumption in the United States, there is a push toward "net-zero" and "near-net zero" development, in which houses and other buildings consume only as much power from the public grid as they generate or save. ZETA Communities Inc. expects to erect a net-zero apartment building with 30 units in Berkeley, CA, as well as open a factory to produce as many as 500 prefabricated net-zero houses annually. Other such developments are in the works, including Rural Development Inc.'s "near net zero" duplexes in Greenfield, MA, with eight of 20 already finished. However, these dwellings tend to cost more due to the inclusion of solar panels or devices to create power using wind. Rural Development says its net-zero, three-bedroom house costs about $240,000, while the same house without the net-zero components costs just $203,000. Still, utility companies are offering financial incentives for such development because it will reduce the number of power plants that must be on line.

From "Builders Zero In on New Goal of Energy-Neutral Housing"
Wall Street Journal (12/23/09) P. A8; Carlton, Jim


Funds Will Aid in Teaching Energy Efficiency Skills

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) reports that more than $3.8 million in funding is available for organizations to provide skills training for workers in the energy efficiency sector. Funding will significantly expand the availability of energy efficiency skills training in all facets of residential and commercial buildings, including equipment operation, weatherization, lighting and temperature controls. The funding will significantly expand the availability of energy-related training for positions such as heating and air conditioning contractors, electricians, building operators and energy auditors. "This program provides essential support to help prepare our workforce to meet the ambitious energy reduction goals Governor David Paterson has set for New York," says Francis J. Murray, president and CEO of NYSERDA. "Workforce development programs are critical for building a clean energy economy and for giving New York's workers the skills needed to help increase our energy efficiency and improve our environment." Training entities also may propose Train-the-Trainer initiatives, programs that will help increase the numbers of qualified teachers in New York state who can train workers to implement energy efficiency practices in designing, implementing, operating and maintaining energy-related measures and systems.

From "Funds Will Aid in Teaching Energy Efficiency Skills"
Register Star (NY) (12/29/09)


Launch of First Operating System for Smart Grid Home Automation

The Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy and Energy System Technology (IWES) has founded the Open Gateway Energy Management Alliance (OGEMA) to promote an open energy management software platform that connects a customer's loads and generators to the control stations of the power supply system while also featuring a customer display for user interaction. The software platform will enable end customers to automatically see the future variable price of electricity and shift energy consumption according to supply. "Already today electricity is for free on the German Energy Exchange at times when large power plants have to be derated due to high feed-in from wind power," says Fraunhofer IWES' Philipp Straub. "Using automated load-shifting, private households and small business should also benefit from such favorable electricity prices." Through the gateway platform's open nature, anyone will be able to convert concepts into software, even if they are not OGEMA participants. The initiative involves the rapid development of numerous applications that will encompass the unique needs of private households, supermarkets, small businesses, and public institutions and help to harness the potential for energy efficiency which is not currently available. The OGEMA-provided interfaces also can be used by the developers of driver software for linking the gateway to devices and energy systems within the building as well as to the control stations of the energy suppliers.

From "Launch of First Operating System for Smart Grid Home Automation"
Fraunhofer Institute (12/16/09)


Dialing Back Energy Use

An effective energy and sustainability program for any local government will maximize benefits and minimize costs. It also will spread throughout all levels of local government, from policy makers to facilities staff. The key to a successful energy management program is the planning behind it. There are five basic steps designed to help local governments plan comprehensive energy strategies. The first step is making a commitment. More than 1,000 mayors from around the United States have signed the U.S. Conference of Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement, promising to work toward meeting the emissions standards set forth by the Kyoto Protocol. The community also must commit to reducing emissions by setting up a committee or working group to guide the planning and implementation of the program. The second step is to define boundaries. It will help to know the parameters of what the plan will cover and what it will be responsible for. It often is wise to start with the energy use the city or county pays for directly, such as government heat and electricity, vehicle fleets, and street lights. The third step is to determine a baseline. The fourth step is to set achievable goals, which should take the form of a percentage of emissions reduction in relation to the baseline year. The fifth step is choosing the projects, and it is important to pick projects that make sense both financially and environmentally. For example, Saco, Maine, chose a wind power project and new efficiency measures such as using compact fluorescent light bulbs instead of incandescent bulbs, which resulted in more than $13,000 in annual savings and about 60 tons of reduced carbon dioxide emissions.

From "Dialing Back Energy Use"
American City & County (12/09) Vol. 124, No. 13, P. 42; Sheehan, Jay; Bouffard, David

Demand Response is a Hit in Nashville

Under its long-term planning strategy, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has implemented a program of promoting energy efficiency and peak demand mitigation. The federally-owned power provider hit an all-time system peak of 33,482 MW during the summer of 2007, but also surpassed its prior peak more than a dozen times over the course of that summer. As a result, TVA and its power distributor firms began seriously considering a demand response (DR) program for commercial, institutional and industrial (C&I) customers as a cost and energy efficient alternative to standard supply-side energy. Along with Nashville Electric Service (NES), TVA created a program that can be dispatched 365 days a year for as many as 80 hours, but will likely deal with events primarily in the summer. Between noon and 8 p.m. in April through October, and between 5 a.m. and 1 p.m. during the other months of the year, TVA can call an event where it asks its C&I customers to reduce their energy usage during times of high demand and high prices. TVA provides a 30-minute notification when calling an event, which can last anywhere from two to eight hours.

From "Demand Response is a Hit in Nashville"
Transmission & Distribution (12/09) Vol. 61, No. 12, P. 24; Purcell, Jim; Ingram, Michael