Manufacturers and Vendors - News & Trends
Wal-Mart to conduct energy audits
BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and the National Governors Association (NGA) have formed “Greening State Capitols” partnership to offer energy audits of capitol complexes and provide recommendations on efficiency improvements and estimates of how much energy and money each state can save.
A team of Wal-Mart engineering experts will survey state capitol facilities and suggest energy efficiency improvements based on technologies Wal-Mart has successfully deployed in many stores, clubs, and other facilities around the world. The audit will cover lighting; heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems (HVAC); refrigeration and other equipment; technologies such as programmable thermostats; and building structure, including insulation and windows.
Wal-Mart will only recommend technologies with a return on investment within five years, unless a state specifically asks for a different time frame. At a state’s request, Wal-Mart will use its procurement capabilities to attract bids from interested companies and facilitate installation of the recommended technologies. For more information, see www.walmartfacts.com/articles/5687.aspx
[ page top ]
Arab business leaders to reduce energy use
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – Business leaders from the Arab world have agreed on staunch commitment to advance and adhere to the principles of environmental responsibility and cleaner production, and set a target to reduce the consumption of energy and water in their operations by 20% by the year 2012, according to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.
The business leaders debated ways to integrate environmental considerations into their operations, and shared views and experiences about corporate environmental policies, in view of advancing adequate programs to ensure sustainable business practices. For more information, see www.wbcsd.org/
[ page top ]
Free white paper on cutting energy use
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Emerson Network Power’s free white paper Energy Logic: Reducing Data Center Energy Consumption by Creating Savings That Cascade Across Systems explains a prioritized approach to reducing energy consumption.
The paper outlines a vendor-neutral roadmap for optimizing data center energy efficiency that starts with IT equipment and progresses to the support infrastructure. The approach can produce a 50% or greater decrease in data center energy consumption without compromising performance or availability. To download a copy, go to www.liebert.com/common/ViewDocument.aspx?id=880
[ page top ]
DOE invests in renewable fuels
ORLANDO, FL – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will invest up to $33.8, over four years, (Fiscal Years 2008-2011) for four projects that will focus on developing improved enzyme systems to convert cellulosic material into sugars suitable for production of biofuels.
These projects aim to address key technical hurdles associated with mass production of clean, renewable fuels, such as cellulosic ethanol. Combined with industry cost share, up to $70 million will be invested in these projects, with a minimum of 50% cost share from industry.
These four projects seek to more cost-effectively and efficiently breakdown processed biomass into fermentable sugars, a significant challenge in converting biomass into fuels. Projects were selected based on their demonstrated ability to reduce the cost of enzymes-per-gallon of ethanol by improving an enzyme’s performance. Selected projects must demonstrate the ability to produce enzymes at a commercial-scale, and have a sound business strategy to market the enzymes or enzyme production systems in biorefinery operations.
Cellulosic ethanol is a renewable fuel made from a wide variety of non-food materials, including agricultural wastes such as corn stover and cereal straws, industrial plant waste like saw dust and paper pulp, and energy crops such as switchgrass, specifically for fuel production. By relying on a variety of feedstocks, cellulosic ethanol can be produced in nearly every region of the country, using material grown locally. Though it requires a more complex refining process, cellulosic ethanol contains more net energy and results in lower greenhouse emissions than traditional corn-based ethanol.For more information, see www.doe.gov/news/6015.htm
[ page top ]
West focuses on alternative fuels
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Western governors agreed today to take action within their states and as a region to speed the development and use of alternative fuels, improve vehicle fuel efficiency and reduce our dependence on foreign petroleum.
A resolution adopted by the Western Governors' Association incorporates many recommendations contained in its new report, Transportation Fuels for the Future. The report was developed at the request of the governors and with the assistance of more than 100 energy experts representing government, industry, the environmental community, academia and the general public. The fuels and technologies covered are biodiesel and renewable diesel, biofuels, coal-to-liquids, compressed natural gas, propane, electricity, and hydrogen.
The report addresses the West’s particular transportation challenges and ways the states can position themselves to become key producers and beneficiaries in the emerging “alternative fuels economy.” It highlights both cross-cutting and priority recommendations developed by each team of experts working on the various fuel types and fuel efficiency. It addresses:
- Potential resources, technologies and capabilities of the Western states to develop alternatives fuels and the policy measures that will be required.
- Issues surrounding sustainable feedstock development, environmental impacts and availability of conversion technologies.
- Infrastructure that will be necessary for the full range of alternative fuels to succeed.
- Challenges common to all of the fuel types, including changing a century-old practice of fueling the transportation sector with oil.
- The development of measurable goals and analytical tools to determine and mitigate the environmental impacts of the new fuels.
The Transportation Fuels for the Future report and all of the working group reports are available at www.westgov.org
[ page top ]
Using 100% green energy
ADAIRSVILLE, Georgia –Beaulieu Commercial has become the first commercial carpet manufacturer to replace 100% of the energy used to power their operations with cleaner, sustainable renewable energy.
Designated as a member of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partners’ Leadership Club, Beaulieu Commercial will use green energy to directly power a portion of their manufacturing operations and will offset their remaining energy use through the purchase of Renewable Energy Credits, or RECs, from wind power producers throughout the country. Although not required by the EPA, the company’s renewable power sources are all third-party certified by the non-profit Center for Resource Solutions’ Green-E program. For more information, see www.beaulieucommercial.com/newsEvents.asp
[ page top ]
Solar energy market to soar by 2012
NEW YORK– The solar energy market is poised to reach nearly $12 billion by 2012, representing triple digit growth, according to a report from SBI entitled The U.S. Solar Energy Market.
Despite strong factors favoring the solar energy market, major obstacles must still be overcome before it reaches the mainstream. Perhaps the biggest challenge is economic. Pricing, affordability, financing, and lack of investment prevent solar energy from advancing as explosively as it could. Other obstacles include potential supply shortages, unfavorable legal structures, utility barriers, and lack of skilled laborers.
The U.S. Solar Energy Marketexamines the dynamics both pushing solar forward and holding it back. Comprehensive data on shipments, along with sales estimates and five-year projections are offered for the two major solar categories: photovoltaic and solar thermal with a special focus on concentrating solar power. Key trends are analyzed and major competitors in the marketplace are profiled. The report is available at www.sbireports.com
[ page top ]
Sustainability Yearbook ranks cos.
ZURICH, Switzerland – SAM, the leading asset manager for sustainability investments, has introduced in collaboration with PricewaterhouseCoopers the Sustainability Yearbook 2008.
The Sustainability Yearbook assesses exchange-listed companies according to their economic, ecological, and societal success factors. For the first time SAM, has developed a classification system that breaks down the leading companies into SAM Gold, Silver, and Bronze classes. In addition, the company in each industry sector that has made the greatest progress in the area of sustainability is noted as a "Sector Mover".
SAM also offers an interactive tool that facilitates individual queries as well as the generation of graphs and user-defined overviews of the various companies included in the Yearbook. For more information, see www.sam-group.com
[ page top ]
|
