Earth and Industry » Energy Efficiency

‘Clean-Idling’ Technology Could Stop Trucks from Wasting a Billion Gallons of Fuel Annually in the U.S.

Timothy B. Hurst — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 08:46:58 +0000

Idling costly for truckers, consumers and the environment, but electric auxiliary power units could change all that.

If you've ever traveled on a U.S. Interstate at night, you've likely come across large numbers of trucks idling at rest areas and truck stops. Long-haul truckers are required by law to rest for 10 out of every 24 hour period. But at rest, most trucks will idle their main diesel engine to provide heating and cooling, to keep the engine and fuel warm in winter, and to provide power for electrical appliances like microwaves and TV sets without draining the batteries.

But all that resting really adds up, both in terms of cost to the truckers and trucking companies, and in terms of environmental cost. At current fuel prices, the average long-haul truck uses $3,000-$4,000 worth of diesel every year just idling. And with some fleets as large as 10,000 vehicles, the high cost of idling cuts into already narrow profit margins.

But the bigger issue for state and municipal governments is not fuel cost, it is air pollution (the federal government has yet to enact any anti-idling laws but they have set forth guidelines for states to follow if they wish). Idling anywhere between 500 and 3,500 hours a year and burning an average of .80 gallons of diesel fuel per hour, long-haul trucks emit 11 million tons of CO2, 200,000 tons of NOx, and 5,000 tons of particulate matter into the air annually.

Trucking companies used to eat the costs of truck idling, including the cost of state and local fines. But rising fuel and fine costs have spurred companies to seek alternative solutions to truck idling because, according to some reports, it has gotten to the point where it can cost less to get a hotel room than idle a truck.

New laws spurring development of clean-idling technologies

As of July 2010, 22 states and several large municipalities including the District of Columbia have enacted anti-idling regulations that normally limit idling to no more than five minutes. And in California, anti-idling enforcement is on the rise (pdf). In 2007, the California Air Quality Resources Board issued 135 anti-idling violations for large vehicles. In 2008, this number jumped to 511.

But despite the rash of new regulations and stepped-up enforcement, industry estimates are that less than 10 percent of the 1.4 million big trucks on the road have some form of auxiliary power unit (APU) on board that allows the main diesel engine to shut down yet still provide heating, cooling and electrical power for interior lighting and appliances. And of those roughly 100,000 trucks that do have APUs, most of those still run on diesel fuel, emitting CO2 and particulates into the air. Not only that, but the more costly diesel APUs still require fuel and cost more to keep up.

Bucking this trend, several companies including Thermo King, Idle Free and Glacier Bay have developed all-electric APU and battery systems that can provide climate control and electricity for a truck cab or sleeper -- and do so while producing zero emissions.

According to Glacier Bay company spokesman Russell Castronovo, who I recently spoke with via telephone, Glacier Bay's ClimaCab can keep a truck’s cab at 75°F for 10 hours anywhere and at any time of year in the US and Canada.

The ClimaCab combines a four-battery system with advanced battery management and variable-speed compressors and blowers. The variable speed motors are critical component of maximizing battery life and performance while the truck is at rest.

"Depending on variables, an electric APU can pay for itself in 1-2 years," said Castronovo. The all-electric ClimaCab system costs $6,000-$7,000 to install on a standard sleeper-cab truck. Castronovo also pointed out that many states have rebates and other incentives that could help reduce the cost even more.

And apparently Glacier Bay is onto something. In 2009, while the market for new trucks was down by 50 percent and the overall trucking APU market was down by 70 percent, Glacier Bay grew from a $2 million business to a $15 million business.

Photo: 'Idling trucks' Some rights reserved by C. G. P. Grey

Plastiki: A Lesson in Finite Resources Aboard a ‘Floating Sustainability Station’

Timothy B. Hurst — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 20:09:43 +0000

What an 8,000-mile journey across the Pacific on a boat made out of plastic bottles can us about energy efficiency and phantom loads.

When the expedition leader of The Plastiki, the sailing vessel made entirely of recycled materials and 12,000 CO2-filled plastic bottles, was faced with the option of decking out the boat with the finest, most expensive communications, satellite, IT and navigation gear--and he had the pick of the litter at expedition sponsor HP's company store--or going with equipment that was maybe one step down, but available at your local computer store, he opted for the latter.

"In a way wouldn't it be cooler if we just had stuff that was off the shelf?" expedition leader David de Rothschild told me on Friday as he and the Plastiki crew prepared for the final leg of a 130-day journey across the Pacific Ocean from San Francisco to Sydney.

"It seems real. It makes it attainable."

>>Read more about Plastiki's wired environmental campaign in ecopolitology's interview with David de Rothschild

"I feel good that we didn't go that route. Go down to your local computer store and you can get the technology we have off the shelf, and people are like, really, are you sure?"

De Rothschild says they wanted to look at the Plastiki like a closed system, or as he calls it, a "Floating sustainability station with finite resources." Living on a small boat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean for four months taught the Plastiki crew how to make the most of what they have. And since they were attempting to bring attention to the scourge of single-use plastics and the throwaway culture we live in, it would kind of defeat the purpose if the boat was only a resource-sucking PR stunt.

"It's simple things like optimizing your battery settings. Making sure you turn it off, not just leave it on standby and let it suck out the power. Making sure you unplug at the socket, at the main so you are not creating phantom loads," says de Rothschild, a self-styled technology geek who proudly adds that everything aboard the Plastiki runs on renewables.

"Not once did we turn on our generators to support our power -- which is no easy feat," he adds.

Now that the Plastiki is safely in port in Sydney, it will be open for public viewings for the next few weeks. After that, it's not entirely clear what will happen with the boat but de Rothschild and crew assembled the Plastiki without glues or resins, so when the trip is over, the entire boat is recyclable.

Photo credit: Plastiki

BT in smart energy meter plan

LiveOAK Staff — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 09:25:13 +0000

This article was written by Graeme Wearden, for guardian.co.uk on Monday 19th July 2010 08.17 UTC

BT is launching a bid to take part in the multi-billion pound rollout of smart energy meters across the country.

BT will today announce a partnership with broadcasting firm Arqiva and Detica, a branch of BAE Systems. The three companies hope to persuade the government that they should build and operate a new nationwide long-range radio network to communicate with the intelligent meters that are being installed in Britain's 28 million homes and small businesses over the next decade.

This pitches BT into a battle with mobile firms such as Vodafone and Orange, who also want to share in a project estimated to be worth upwards of £7bn.

Smart meters will use telecommunications to deliver important environmental benefits and so BT is determined to be at the heart of the project, said Olivia Garfield, BT Group strategy director.

Under BT's plan, smart meters installed by electricity, gas and water providers would be linked to a new, secure wireless network running across Arqiva's radio spectrum, which is currently used to transmit TV and radio signals. Detica will provide security measures, while BT will run the project.

The government wants smart meters to be rolled out nationally by 2020. They will allow customers to better track their energy use, which should help to cut consumption and carbon emissions.

The long-term goal is to create a smart grid where electricity demand can be closely monitored, allowing householders to run power-hungry devices such as washing machines at off-peak times.

Utility firms are already testing and deploying smart meters, and the mobile operators appear to have made the early running in the race to work with them. Vodafone is providing the network access to British Gas as it aims to install two million units by 2012, while Orange began trials with nPower and Scottish and Southern Energy this year.

BT and its partners, though, argue that long-range radio will provide wider coverage and better reception indoors than mobile phone networks, which would be useful for where meters are installed in remote locations or in basements.

A communications network designed to meet the different needs of all of Britain's utilities – electricity, gas and water – must be able to deliver universal connectivity and long-term resilience, said John Cronin, managing director for Arqiva Wireless Access.

The government is expected to publish its plans for smart meter deployment in the next few weeks.

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010

Large Hadron Collider Spurs Use of New Superconductive Cables

Matt Embrey — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 18:38:14 +0000

This picture shows two cables with vastly different efficiencies. Both rated for 12,500 amps, the top one is a conventional copper based cable and the bottom a superconductive cable used in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).

According to physicists at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, the Superconductive cables:

"...house 36 strands of superconducting wire, each strand being exactly 0.825 mm in diameter. Each strand houses 6300 superconducting filaments of Niobium-titanium (NbTi). Each filament is about 0.006 mm thick, i.e. 10 times thinner than a normal human hair."

They used over 7600 km of this superconductive cable in the LHC, weighing only about 1200 tons. The total length of the filaments used if laid end to end would stretch "5 times to the sun and back with enough left over for a few trips to the moon."

Not only do the superconductive cables pave the way for a massive amount of material conservation in the LHC, these highly advanced super-conductive cables offer tremendous gains in energy efficiency, which will play a critical role in the greening of our energy grid.

American Superconductor Corporation and the Long Island Power Authority were the first to implement a high-temperature superconductor power-transmission cable system in the commercial grid in April of 2008. There are currently a number of other companies and research groups continuing to work on integrating this technology into into a "Smart Grid," most notably:

Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) of Palo Alto, California estimates that the use of super-conductive DC transmission lines could reduce transmission losses around 150% as compared to AC or high-voltage DC.
Scientists at Los Alamos National Labratory (LANL) have developed a super-conducting cable that can carry 100x more electricity with zero loss.
Researchers at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona have developed superconducting electric cable that they estimate could reduce energy loss by 50-70% in parts of the Spanish Energy Grid.

Image via Wikipedia

India to Replace 400 Million Incandescent Lamps with CFLs

Mridul Chadha — Thu, 06 May 2010 20:04:43 +0000

By way of the largest 'Clean Development Mechanism' ever, India plans to replace 400 million incandescent lamps with compact fluorescent lamps, saving 6000 MW annually.

Incandescent bulbs are highly energy-intensive and are widely used in India as they are easily available and are very cheap. Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), on the other hand, are energy efficient but costly. Cost is one of the main factors restricting the proliferation of CFLs in India.

The Indian government will work in collaboration with power distribution companies and private investors to implement this scheme which is being called the Bachat Lamp Yojna. Under this scheme, the distribution companies will pick private investors to buy CFLs at the market price. As the less-efficient incandescent lamps are replaced by CFLs and reduction in carbon emissions are realized, the private investors can then receive the emission reduction certificates through a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). The investors can then sell these certificates to companies in the developed countries which fail to meet their emission targets.

According to official estimates, the investors would be able to break even within five to six years and can then make healthy profits. The current market price of a CFL is INR 100 ($2.22) while consumers can buy them at a price of INR 15 ($0.33) that means a subsidy of INR 34 billion (more than $758 million).

The Bachat Lamp Yojana is a part of India's National Action Plan on Climate Change which, among other objectives, aims at improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions per capita GDP. India announced its plans to reduce carbon intensity by 20 to 25 percent by 2020.

Energy savings

The most commonly used incandescent lamps are of 100 W rating and cost around INR 10 to 13. Assuming that the 400 million incandescent lamps are of 60 W lets calculate the energy savings when they are replaced by 15 W CFLs:

Annual consumption by incandescents (8hrs/day) = 70 million MWh

Energy consumption annually = 70 million MWh/ 8760 = 7990 MW

Annual electricity consumption by CFLs (8hrs/day) = 17.5 million MWh

Energy consumption annually = 17.5 million MWh/ 8760 = 1997 MW

Energy savings = 6000 MW or 0.05% of India's total energy demand.

Since about 70 percent of the electricity in India is generated by coal-fired power plants, 6000 MW of savings means about 4200 MW of coal-powered generation prevented. The Indian government believes that if everything goes as planned, this massive incandescent replacement program will bring significant reduction in carbon emissions from the power sector, helping achieve country-wide carbon intensity targets.

Hat tip: The Times of India
Image credit: KVLvey via Flickr/Creative Commons

The views presented in the above article are author’s personal views and do not represent those of TERI/TERI University where the author is currently pursuing a Master’s degree.

Earth and Industry Day: Win an HP Compaq 8000f Desktop w/22-Inch LCD Display

Timothy B. Hurst — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 20:00:16 +0000

Tell us more about your office's sustainability efforts and you could win this eco-friendlier HP computer/monitor.

The energy efficient HP Compaq 8000f Elite is the first Windows-based Desktop PC in the industry to be completely free of brominated flame retardants and Polyvinyl chloride -- and thanks to the good people at HP, we're giving one away for Earth Day.

The 40th anniversary of Earth Day is less than a week away and if there is one message that has become increasingly clear over the last 40 years, as the environmental movement has moved from the fringe the main stream of public consciousness, it is that most environmentalists now agree that getting business to operate more sustainably will be a critical part of solving any of the major environmental problems we face today.

So in that spirit, LiveOAK media is partnering with HP to celebrate Earth Day in the work place by giving away one HP Compaq 8000f Elite and HP Compaq LA22f display (worth a combined value of $1,079) to a lucky winner who tells us a little more about how, why or what their office is doing/planing on doing/could be doing to 'go green.' Here's the nitty-gritty:

How to Enter to Win:

1. Become a fan of Earth & Industry (or other LiveOAK Media sites including ecopolitology, greenUPGRADER) on Facebook; alternatively you can subscribe to any of the above via Twitter or sign up for our newsletter (but you must become a new subscriber to something, even if you unsubscribe in a week, which we hope you won't do, of course);

2. Share this post with your friends and coworkers on Facebook or Twitter (You don't have to do this but they're gonna find out anyway so you might as well be the one to tell them).

3. Learn more about how the HP Compaq 8000f Elite Ultra-Slim Desktop and the HP Compaq LA22f Widescreen LCD Monitor really are greener than most computers;

4. Leave a comment for this post telling us which Facebook profile or feed you subscribed to, AND;

5. Answer one of the following questions in the same comment field (in 50 words or less):

What is your office doing to reduce energy use, cut waste or make it a healthier environment for everyone who works there?
What could your workplace be doing in that regard in 2010?
Based on what you know about the HP Compaq 8000f Elite desktop and LA22f display, how could these machines help your office achieve its environmental goals in 2010?

Please, no duplicate entries and only one entry per person per website. One winner will be randomly selected from all qualifying entries on Thursday April 22, Earth Day.

Good luck!

Earth Hour Becomes Earth Hours for Va. Cement Plant

Timothy B. Hurst — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 14:00:43 +0000

[I originally published this article at Celsias -- where 'climate change is not a spectator sport.']

As millions of people around the world observed Earth Hour, a cement plant tucked against the Blue Ridge Mountains in southwestern Virginia turned off the lighting array on its 400-foot pre-heater tower -- and has no intention of turning them back on.

Before plant managers at the Roanoke Cement Company in Troutville, Virginia, made the decision to switch off the lights almost 100 lights were visible from up to 13 miles away along the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway, a road that traverses high on the wooded slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The pre-heater tower now has just two prominent red lights to alert small aircrafts flying in the area.
"We knew we would make the neighbors happy if we'd just shut the lights off at night," said Kevin Baird, Plant Manager for Roanoke Cement Company.

Baird said he follows the guiding energy principle that "the easiest way to save power is to not use it."
"In times of economic downturn," said Baird, "we must look to the low-hanging fruit, like automation and optimization, for efficiencies."

This is not the first time Roanoke Cement Company has been recognized for its environmental performance. RCC has also been awarded the overall environmental excellence award by the Portland Cement Association for its work in the community.

A drop of cement in the bucket?

Cement production accounts for as much as 5 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions. Even though there have been some industry improvements in emissions--and one Canadian cement plant is capturing CO2 in algae--progress on sequestering large volumes of CO2 has been slow to get going.

Now, in the larger scale of things, the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the new lighting arrangement at Troutville will pale in comparison to the total GHGs produced in the process of cement manufacturing at the plant.

But throughout Botetourt County, where RCC's plant is located, residents will also benefit from a reduction in a different kind of pollution -- the glow emanating from the Troutville plant no longer exists, making the night sky darker and the stars shine a bit brighter.

Will Federal Push For Greener Appliances Spark Manufacturers?

Beth Buczynski — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:47:00 +0000

Manufacturers in the Cash for Appliances program are setting up an online infrastructure that will make it easier for consumers to apply for rebates.

Cash for Clunkers, the casual name for the government rebate program that paid thousands of drivers to swap their gas guzzlers for newer, more efficient models, was wildly successful, leaving many people shocked when they learned the program was over before they had a chance to take advantage of it.

The good news is that we've seen several reincarnations of the program, the latest of which is designed to motivate people to trade in their inefficient household appliances for models bearing the EnergyStar label of approval.

Unlike Cash for Clunkers, in which cloudy details about how to qualify and infrastructure problems caused some disgruntled consumers, manufacturers in the Cash for Appliances program are setting up an online infrastructure that will make it easier for consumers to apply for rebates.

Environmental Leader reports that "the federal government is kicking in $300 million for states to disburse as part of the energy efficiency upgrade program, which came about after the Cash for Clunkers car rebate program," and all major appliance manufacturers are hoping to reap the benefits of an expected spike in purchases.

According to EnergyStar.gov, all 50 States, Washington DC, and 5 US territories will have an appliance rebate program, although specific details of the program and the amount of money available for rebates might vary in each state. Consumers interested in taking advantage of the program in their area are encouraged to view the interactive map of states and territories with approved programs at EnergySavers.gov.

Whirlpool Corporation recently launched an easy-to-use rebate finder tool on three of its brand Web sites – Whirlpool, Maytag and KitchenAid brands, according to a recent press release. By entering a local zip code and appliance type, the online tool instantly informs the consumer of the amount of applicable state rebates through the federal program. Additionally, the rebate finder will provide information on rebates from a consumer's local utility company if available.

A general Web site, EcoRebates, has also sprung up to help consumers find rebates and connect with local participating appliance dealers.

Besides making better use of the internet, many consumers and manufacturers are relieved to hear that this program won't require the trade in of a old appliance; however, this raises interesting questions about whether or not consumers will be able to properly dispose of this electronic waste, which is classified by the EPA as hazardous.

Image Credit: Ingorrr (Flickr Creative Commons)

Court Pulls Plug on Energy Star Rating for 40,000 LG Refrigerators

Timothy B. Hurst — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 23:36:54 +0000

Judge sides with the Dept. of Energy, strips Energy Star from LG refrigerators for fuzzy interpretation of testing rules.

LG Electronics refrigerators like the one pictured here will no longer carry the Energy Star label.

In what might be the first of many cases challenging the in-house energy efficiency testing procedures for the government's Energy Star Program, a United States District Court has ruled against LG Electronics and ordered them to remove the Energy Star rating from about 40,000 refrigerators.

LG Electronics brought the against the Department of Energy for the revocation of Energy Star labeling on 20 refrigerator models. The 20 models--all models with icemakers and "French Doors"--were not in compliance with efficiency requirements because, the DoE argued, LG had used a testing procedure that ignored the energy used to power the in-door icemaker.

The point of contention in the case stems from a difference between how the DoE wrote and intended the testing procedures, and how LG's in-house testing department interpreted and conducted those tests.

DoE said that the tests had to be conducted while the ice-maker and its components were on, but, “inoperative,” or not in active operation. But LG allegedly understood “inoperative” to mean turning the ice-maker and its components off altogether -- and this is where they were getting their big energy savings.

Previously, LG had measured energy usage based on a common approach in interpreting DOE's test procedure. This test procedure requires, among other things, that the ice maker be disabled but that all temperature controllable compartments, including ice storage bins, be set at their coldest temperature -- the last part of which, LG was not doing.

In the District Court opinion (pdf), Judge John D. Bates reminded LG that for most refrigerators and freezers to qualify for the Energy Star program, they must be at least 20% more energy efficient than the minimum efficiency standards set by law.

LG makes changes, still maintains it did nothing wrong

For its part, LG has agreed to take several steps to remedy the situation including: Offering to modify consumers’ refrigerators to make them more energy efficient; Making a one-time cash payment for past energy usage to cover the difference between the new measured energy rating and the amount listed on the original; And making cash payments for future energy usage each year over the expected useful life of the product to cover the difference between the new measured energy rating and the old one.

LG said it was "disappointed in the ruling and continues to believe that it properly followed the correct DOE test procedures," but that it will "work with its retail partners to remove the Energy Star label on the affected models."

Follow Tim Hurst on twitter @ecopolitologist

The Venetian’s Massive (and Massively Efficient) District Heating System

Timothy B. Hurst — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 05:10:22 +0000

Canals at the Venetian Las Vegas among the things heated by a district heating system (Photo: Marit & Toomis Hinnosaar)

Largest district energy provider in the U.S. signs-on with biggest resort-casino-hotel in the world

Maybe Las Vegas isn't known for its efficiency and attention to sustainability; or maybe it is. The world’s largest resort-hotel-casino, the Venetian Las Vegas has renewed its relationship with Veolia Energy to provide district heating services for the massive hotel for another ten years. Veolia Energy North America maintains the largest portfolio of district energy networks in the U.S.

Now before you quickly scoff at the idea of anything in Las Vegas possibly being built with sustainability in mind (and I also harbor those feelings at times), district heating allows buildings to work in concert, taking advantage of scale and proximity, to produce heat loss reductions of up to 35% of previous levels by use. And when you've got a property with four thousands rooms and over two million square feet of convention space, energy savings of 35% can really add up.

“In one of the most energy intensive cities in the world, we are proud to work with a Las Vegas icon to optimize its energy use for the benefit of Las Vegas residents and visitors alike," said Hal Falter, General Manager of Veolia Energy’s Las Vegas Operations.

The Venetian was one of the first Las Vegas luxury resorts to outsource the operations and maintenance of its energy infrastructure. Since 1999, the Veolia team in Las Vegas has operated and maintained the resort’s central plant and the hotel’s HVAC equipment to optimize the use of both chilled water and steam production to minimize energy use. Veolia Energy also maintains the pumps, heat exchangers and filtration systems for the resort’s pools, fountains, domestic hot water and comfort heating.

District heating projects like the one at the Venetian can act as templates for future projects in cities that have yet to develop their energy infrastructure, particularly those in the developing world.

Image: Marit & Toomis Hinnosaar via flickr under a Creative Commons License