What Are Your Favorite Winter Energy Savings Tips?

January 27th, 2012 by Michelle Resnick No comments »

This week, Amanda highlighted the Energy Savers seasonal website as a great place to get tips to save money and energy in any season. We want to know which winter energy savings tips you've tried. Have you covered your drafty windows, added weatherstripping to your doors, or opened your south-facing window curtains during the day? How well have these tips worked for you?

We want you to share your own favorite tips and tricks with us. What have you done to save energy and money in your home this winter? Tell us!

Each week, you have the chance to share your thoughts on a question or frequently-asked-question about energy efficiency or renewable energy for consumers. Please comment with your answers, and also feel free to respond to other comments.

No comments »

Posted in Question of the Week, Winter

Energy Department Announces Student Teams, New Location for Solar Decathlon 2013

January 26th, 2012 by Energy Savers No comments »

At an event today in Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced the 20 collegiate teams selected to compete in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2013 and unveiled the competition's location, the Orange County Great Park in Irvine, California. The 20 teams from colleges and universities across the United States and from around the world will now begin a two-year process to build solar-powered, highly energy-efficient homes that combine affordability, consumer appeal and design excellence. Throughout the two-year process, the teams will design, construct, and test their homes before reassembling them at the Solar Decathlon 2013 competition site. As part of the Solar Decathlon, teams compete in ten different categories—ranging from best architecture and engineering to energy production for heating and cooling—while gaining invaluable real-world experience in a growing global industry.

Aerial photo of Orange County Great Park in Irvine, California.

Orange County Great Park in Irvine, California.

"As President Obama made clear in the State of the Union address this week, we need to ensure that the next generation of America's architects, engineers and entrepreneurs have the hands-on experience and training they need to lead our nation's clean energy future," said Secretary Chu. "The Solar Decathlon will unleash the ingenuity, creativity, and drive from these talented students to demonstrate new ideas for how families and businesses can reduce energy use and save money with clean energy products and efficient building design."

In fall 2013, the student teams will showcase their solar-powered houses at the Orange County Great Park, highlighting renewable energy systems and energy-efficient technologies, products and appliances that are already available to homeowners. The selected teams and their proposed projects represent a diverse range of design approaches, building technologies, target markets, geographic locations, climates, and regions, including urban, suburban, and rural settings.

Since 2002, the National Mall in Washington, DC, has been the venue for five successful Solar Decathlons. For 2013, Solar Decathlon organizers decided to extend the competition's reach beyond Washington and showcase energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies to a new group of visitors and sponsors. The Orange County Great Park, located between Los Angeles and San Diego, is a dynamic venue that can accommodate the 20 competition houses and the special needs of the Solar Decathlon event—featuring flexible space, ample visitor parking, existing facilities for large special events, and nearby services for visitors. With direct freeway and rail access and generally favorable weather conditions, the park will also ensure that residents across Southern California have an opportunity to experience the Solar Decathlon.

The following teams have been selected from around the world to compete in Solar Decathlon 2013:

  • Arizona State University and the University of New Mexico (Tempe, Ariz., and Albuquerque, N.M.)
  • Czech Technical University (Prague, Czech Republic)
  • Hampton University and Old Dominion University (Hampton and Norfolk, Va.)
  • Middlebury College (Middlebury, Vt.)
  • Missouri University of Science and Technology (Rolla, Mo.)
  • Norwich University (Northfield, Vt.)
  • Queens University, Carleton University, and Algonquin College (Kingston and Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)
  • Santa Clara University (Santa Clara, Calif.)
  • Southern California Institute of Architecture and California Institute of Technology (Los Angeles, Calif.)
  • Stanford University (Palo Alto, Calif.)
  • Stevens Institute of Technology (Hoboken, N.J.)
  • The Catholic University of America, George Washington University, and American University (Washington, DC)
  • The University of North Carolina at Charlotte (Charlotte, N.C.)
  • The University of Texas at El Paso and El Paso Community College (El Paso, Texas)
  • University of Calgary (Calgary, Alberta, Canada)
  • University of Louisville, Ball State University and University of Kentucky (Louisville, Ky.; Muncie, Ind.; and Lexington, Ky.)
  • University of Nevada Las Vegas (Las Vegas, Nev.)
  • University of Southern California (Los Angeles, Calif.)
  • Vienna University of Technology (Vienna, Austria)
  • West Virginia University (Morgantown, W. Va.)

Follow the progress of Solar Decathlon 2013 on Facebook, Twitter, and U.S. Department of Energy website. To learn more about the Solar Decathlon and take a virtual tour of Solar Decathlon 2011, visit the Solar Decathlon website.

DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy invests in clean energy technologies that strengthen the economy, protect the environment, and reduce America's dependence on foreign oil. The Solar Decathlon supports the Administration's goal of creating a clean energy economy, while saving American families and businesses money and reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. Learn more on the Solar Decathlon website.

Originally posted on Energy.gov. View original.

No comments »

Posted in Solar, Websites

New Lighting Facts Label: Takes the Guess Work Out of Shopping for Light Bulbs

January 25th, 2012 by Energy Savers No comments »

If you're like me, it sometimes feels overwhelming standing at the store and staring at a big wall of light bulbs, trying to understand all the lighting choices. With new lighting standards taking effect this year, now's a great time switch to energy-saving incandescent, CFL, and LED light bulbs, which are available in most hardware and home improvement retailers. They all are more energy-efficient than traditional incandescent bulbs, and upgrading 15 of the inefficient incandescent light bulbs in your home could save you about $50 per year.

I've learned that when I'm shopping for light bulbs, it's most important to compare lumens to be sure I'm getting the amount of light, or level of brightness, I want. More lumens means it's a brighter light; fewer lumens means it's a dimmer light.

The brightness, or lumen levels, of the lights in your home may vary widely, so here's a rule of thumb:

  • To replace a 100-watt (W) incandescent bulb, look for a bulb that gives you about 1600 lumens. If you want something dimmer, go for less lumens; if you prefer brighter light, look for more lumens.
  • Replace a 75 W bulb with an energy-saving bulb that gives you about 1100 lumens.
  • Replace a 60 W bulb with an energy-saving bulb that gives you about 800 lumens.
  • Replace a 40 W bulb with an energy-saving bulb that gives you about 450 lumens.

To help people like you and me better understand the switch from watts to lumens, the Federal Trade Commission will require a new product label for light bulbs in the coming months. It will help people buy the light bulbs that are right for them.

example of a Lighting Facts label

Example of a Lighting Facts label.

The Lighting Facts label will help consumers understand what they are really purchasing. The label clearly provides the lumens—or brightness—of the bulb, the estimated operating cost for the year, and the color of the light (from warm/yellowish, to white to cool/blue).

Download our placard Lumens: the new way to shop for light to see how to use the Lighting Facts label to buy the right light bulb for your needs.

For more information:

Chris Stewart is a senior communicator at DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which assists EERE in providing technical content for many of its websites.

No comments »

Posted in Lighting

Seasonal Tips

January 23rd, 2012 by Energy Savers No comments »

I’ve often wished I lived in one of those fabulous places where it’s 72 degrees and sunny year-round. But unfortunately, most of us don’t. And to stay comfortable, we need heat and hot coffee in the winter, and air-conditioning and lemonade in the summer. Luckily, part of the Energy Savers site is dedicated to helping us save energy during all four seasons.

Bring up the dedicated Energy Savers seasonal website and learn great ways to reduce your energy bill. Tips range from small changes you can make immediately, such as closing your drapes, to information on modifications you can make to your home for even larger benefits. There is even information on assistance for energy-savings improvements to your home.

On the page you’ll also find the Weekly Tips widget, with fresh tips on how to stay warm and toasty without your heating bill skyrocketing. Imagine if you utilized one easy tip a week, the savings could have a tremendous effect on your energy costs! The widget is downloadable as well, so improve your personal webpage or blog with the weekly tips, and spread the savings!

So even though I’m not spending the winter on a sunny beach in Hawaii, I’m going to make a cup of hot cocoa, and learn how to make my energy bill much brighter.

Amanda McAlpin works for New West Technologies supporting the Vehicle Technologies Program at the U.S. Department of Energy.

No comments »

Posted in Spring, Summer, Winter

Choosing a Location for a Residential Wind Turbine

January 23rd, 2012 by DIYen No comments »
wind turbine installation Choosing a Location for a Residential Wind Turbine

The proper site to install a residential wind turbine depends on many different factors. For example, the ground and air space required by a residential wind turbine depends on the size of the turbine and the height and type of the tower. You must also ensure that the area in question is sufficiently windy to power the turbine. Additionally, some communities may not allow wind turbines within city limits, or may have certain residents who oppose their installation. Make sure you do plenty of research and planning ahead of time to ensure that you have foreseen every possible mishap and pitfall. The last thing you want is to invest a significant amount of time and money in setting up a wind turbine only to find out later that the site you chose will not work.

The amount of electricity you hope to generate from your wind turbine is a major factor in its vertical space requirements. The greater the amount of kilowatts desired, the longer the required length of the rotor blades and therefore the taller the tower. The turbine’s manufacturer can generally assist you in determining your power and size requirements. Unfortunately, towers must never be installed on building roofs or attached to homes or other structures; the vibration of the rotating turbine may eventually cause damage to roofs and buildings. Additionally, the turbulence created at roof top level generally creates stress for the turbine.

Individuals planning on installing residential wind turbines must choose a location where the top of the tower and rotor blades have clear access to consistent and unobstructed air flow. Try to install the device away from trees. Even short shrubs that cause no interference initially can eventually grow to the point that they block the wind. Manufacturers generally suggest installing the device on an elevated area of ground without nearby buildings or trees. The higher the elevation above ground level, the faster the wind speed.

Installing the turbine in the direction of prevailing winds also ensures optimization and increased efficiency. This means facing the turbine in the direction of typical air current paths. For example, where winds frequently blow from west to east, individuals typically face the turbine toward the west. Of course, most turbine heads come equipped with wind vanes that rotate the entire turbine head into the direction of the prevailing wind.

The type of wind turbine homeowners require may make a difference in where installation is possible. Towers constructed of latticed pipes, similar to communication towers, require more ground space. The radius of the guy lines used to stabilize this type of tower generally expands the same distance away from the tower as one-half to three-fourths of the tower height. The bottom of the rotor blades should also have approximately 30 feet, or about 9 meters, of clearance between the tip of the blade and any obstructions below.

Finally, homeowners should familiarize themselves with local zoning regulations or stipulations before installing a do-it-yourself wind turbine. Community regulations may inhibit wind turbine towers in residential areas, may restrict height, or may simply require that individuals acquire special permits. Potential wind turbine owners should also consider the opinions of neighbors before installing the device. Wind turbine towers might obstruct views or produce undesirable noise. Though the noise level created by turbines generally ranges between 50 and 55 decibels, the constant whirring sound may prove irritating to neighbors at close range.


Choosing a Location for a Residential Wind Turbine

No comments »

Posted in DIY Wind Power, location

Tags:

Have You Ever Tried Composting?

January 20th, 2012 by Energy Savers No comments »

This week, Erin talked about how she's helping her parents (and learning from them) as they maintain an outdoor compost pile. By composting, you can nourish your garden for very little cost while keeping organic garbage out of sewer systems and city dumps. Compost materials range from food scraps to worms, and you can keep your compost in an open pile outdoors or in a specialized container.

Of course, composting isn't just for homes - you can also participate in composting at the office.

Whether at work or at home, indoors or outdoors, worms or food scraps: Have you ever tried composting? Why or why not?

Each week, you have the chance to share your thoughts on a question or frequently-asked-question about energy efficiency or renewable energy for consumers. Please comment with your answers, and also feel free to respond to other comments.

No comments »

Posted in Climate Change, Question of the Week

New Energy 101 Video: Electric Vehicles

January 17th, 2012 by Energy Savers No comments »

Electric vehicles, sometimes called EVs, can give drivers like you a convenient way to get around, while saving you money on fuel, reducing emissions, and supporting the nation’s energy security. Learn about the advantages of electric vehicles, see EVs in action, and find out how they work by checking out DOE’s new Electric Vehicle 101 video.

The basics principles behind this technology are this: the EV’s battery transfers energy to an electric motor, the motor turns a drive train, which then turns the wheels. Up to 80% of the energy in the battery is transferred directly to power the car, making it a highly efficient mode of transportation. With all-electric vehicles, you never have to fuel up at the gas pump—instead, you just recharge the batteries at home or at charging stations on your route.

Compared to conventional vehicles, the driving range of an all-electric EV – typically about 100 miles per charge – may seem limited. However, when you consider the average American commutes fewer than 40 miles roundtrip, it becomes clear that EVs are a reliable and comfortable way to regularly get from point A to point B, while reducing energy waste and contributing to a sustainable environment. For longer trips, you can simply recharge the battery along your way. Use the Alternative Fueling Station Locator to find a charging station near you.

For drivers looking for an energy-saving car with longer range, an “extended-range” electric vehicle makes longer trips easier by switching to a gasoline-fueled engine to power the car’s electric motor when the battery is low. Visit the Vehicle Cost Calculator on DOE’s Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center to make side-by-side comparisons of a broad array of EVs, hybrids and conventional vehicles on the road today.

The cost of today’s EVs is coming down relative to similar-sized conventional and hybrid vehicles, and long-term savings can be realized through fuel savings and by taking advantage of a federal tax credit and state and local incentives.

View more Energy 101 videos.

Visit the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy website to learn more about alternative fuel vehicles.

Eric Barendsen is a communications specialist and former Presidential Management Fellow with EERE's Communications and Outreach office in Washington, D.C.

 

No comments »

Posted in Energy Education, Vehicles

What is the Difference Between Diesel and Biodiesel?

January 16th, 2012 by DIYen No comments »

Many people have heard the term biodiesel recently, and are wondering what it is exactly and if it is different from regular diesel fuel.

Diesel from oil consists of a combination of paraffin and cyclo-paraffin hydrocarbons. The combustion of this oil and air in normal engines creates residual smoke particles of varying dimensions. It also typically contains a high content of sulphur and produces chemicals that are known to exist in acid rain as they form sulfuric acid.

Biodiesel is actually a type of diesel fuel that is made out of chemically-reacting lipids such as vegetable oil and/or animal fat. It is usually made by combining the oil and fat with some type of alcohol. The product is designed to be used as a fuel in standard types of diesel engines. This makes it different from waste and vegetable oils that are utilized in converted diesel engines. You can use biodiesel on its own, as well as a blend with petro diesel.

Biodiesel is a golden or dark brown liquid form that is immiscible with water. It has a high boiling point and low vapour pressure. The flash point of biodiesel is quite a bit higher than petroleum diesel and gasoline. The fuel has almost no sulphur in it and is often added to Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) fuel.

In most countries, a B factor is used to indicate how much biodiesel there is in a fuel mix. For example, a fuel that has 25 per cent biodiesel in it is known as B25. Pure biodiesel is named B100. Blends that mix 20 per cent biodiesel along with 80 per cent petroleum diesel can typically be utilized in unmodified types of diesel engines. You can also use pure biodiesel, but this may lead to some engine modifications in order to prevent performance and maintenance issues. Pure and blended biodiesel may be utilized with petroleum diesel at any rate of blend in the majority of injection pump diesel engines. However, some high pressure rail engines possess strict limits on the levels. Biodiesel differs from petro diesel as it possesses different solvent properties, and it will erode the natural rubber hoses and gaskets in most vehicles produced before 1992.

Biodiesel has also been reported to break down residue deposits in any fuel lines in which petro diesel have been used. This may lead to clogged fuel filters if a quick switch to 100 per cent biodiesel is made. If you switch to biodiesel, it is suggested to switch fuel filters on heaters and engines soon after changing to a biodiesel mixture.

One of the most popular features of biodiesel is the fact it can cut down on the direct tailpipe-emission of particulates on some vehicles when compared to fossil-sourced diesel. Biodiesel possesses a higher cetane rating than petro diesel. This can lead to improved performance and cleaner emissions compared to crude petro diesel.

No comments »

Posted in Biodiesel

Reducing Waste and Saving Energy with Composting

January 16th, 2012 by Energy Savers No comments »

“Hey, don’t throw that away!” This a phrase I heard quite often when I visited my parents over the holidays. What were they referring to? All the banana and carrot peelings I would discard, nonchalantly into the garbage bin. My father, an avid gardener for as long as I can remember, has taken-up composting again, this time with renewed fervor and an ever watchful eye.

photo of outdoor compost pile

The aforementioned compost pile, started in March 2011 — a mixture of manure from a local farmer, kitchen scraps, grass clippings, and leaves.

In addition to the usual suspects of compost (coffee grinds, apple cores, etc.) both parents insisted things as specific as the papery outer skins of onions, discarded bags of chai tea, and rinsed-out eggshells all go into the makeshift “compost bin” on the far side of the kitchen counter (to later be added to an outdoor pile).

The result of my compost-conscious parent’s hard work? A humungous nutrient-rich compost pile, perfect for all their summer outdoor gardening projects.

If you’re thinking, as I did, that composting is mainly for gardeners, think again. There are a multitude of reasons to give it a try, as evident in this 2010 Energy Savers post on composting from John Lippert:

“We've been doing this not so much to obtain good compost for the garden, but to avoid sending the food through the garbage disposer and then via the wastewater pipe to the water treatment plant.

It may not be obvious, but communities use a lot of energy pumping and treating water and wastewater. We may not see the results show up on our bills directly, but the more water that is used and treated, the higher our water bills (which include treating wastewater) are going to go.”

So there you have it. In addition to a plethora of environmental benefits, composting is an energy-saving action as well.

Interested in getting started? EPA has a very thorough primer on how to begin, as well as a list of regional composting programs to help you along the way. If you intend to use the soil for your outdoor gardening needs, keep in mind it will take about a year for your compost pile to break down—all the while, it should be turned and watered periodically to help with the decomposing process.

And, while I’ve no outdoor garden to tend to, I’m definitely inspired by my family’s efforts, as well as the idea of reducing waste. As a result, I’ll be looking into what local options I have to start a compost pile of my own.

All you compost-experts out there please chime in with your tips, suggestions, and experiences in the comments section below.

Erin Pierce is a New Media Specialist for the Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

No comments »

Posted in Climate Change

Have You Found Any Energy-Efficient Bargains?

January 13th, 2012 by Energy Savers No comments »

This week, Elizabeth shared her retail adventures in the clearance section of a store where she picked up some LED light strings at bargain prices. Whether you use them for holidays or every day just because they're irresistibly cheerful, light strings are an excellent example of LED products.

LED holiday lights have many advantages over ordinary incandescent lights:

  • Running LED holiday lights on one 6-foot tree for 12 hours per day for 40 days can save 90% or more energy when compared to traditional incandescent holiday lights
  • They last longer; they have an operational life span of roughly 20,000 hours, enough to last for 40 holiday seasons
  • They're cooler than incandescent bulbs, reducing the risk of fire and personal injury
  • They're more durable than incandescent bulbs, with lamps typically made out of solid plastic rather than glass
  • Because they use less power, it is safer to connect multiple strings of LED holiday light sets end-to-end without overloading the wall socket.

Prices vary, but if you can find them on the clearance aisle of your local retailer you may as well take advantage of the extra savings!

How about you? Have you found any energy-efficient bargains lately?

Each week, you have the chance to share your thoughts on a question or frequently-asked-question about energy efficiency or renewable energy for consumers. Please comment with your answers, and also feel free to respond to other comments.

No comments »

Posted in Lighting, Question of the Week