LED Lighting Grows into Agricultural and Horticultural Sectors
 |
| LumiGrow LED Grow Lights |
This white paper from LumiGrow, Inc., a LED lighting solutions provider, outlines the benefits of using LED lighting for horticultural and agricultural industries.
When it comes to growing plants, LEDs are steadily gaining ground in this new market segment. Compared to widely-accepted types of grow lights like high pressure sodium, metal halide and fluorescent lamps, LEDs dramatically reduce the energy costs for farmers, growers and horticulturalists. Some studies even show that plants respond more favorably to high-quality LED lighting products.
According to a February 2010 DOE report, the projected energy savings from 2010-2030 as a result of LED lighting systems is estimated to total 1,488 terawatt-hours, representing $120 billion at today’s energy prices. With the widespread adoption of LEDs into general lighting applications, these savings would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 246 million metric tons of carbon.
Here’s an excerpt from “Selecting LED Lighting for Horticultural Applications” that talks about why LED’s are so well suited for growing plants.
By using LED technology, we can turn electricity into light tailored specifically for plants with no waste heat. LEDs can dramatically improve the efficiency and quality of horticultural lighting by customizing the output spectrum to where plants can use it most. Because LEDs run cool, we can create productive small grow chambers or reduce heating costs in large ones. And, because we can control a mix of different LED colors, we can even mimic the natural seasons by changing the light output spectrum over time.
It’s no surprise that in the $100 billion lighting industry, LEDs are the fastest growing segment, projected to reach $8.2 billion in 2010 and $20.2 billion by 2014.
This Summer, Save Money and Help Prevent Blackouts
 |
Keep cool this summer by sealing and weatherstripping against leaks.
|
As home and business owners across California prepare for the hot summer months, a growing number of individuals are getting on-board with Flex Your Power’s Flex Alert program. By conserving energy on hot summer days, Flex Alert participants generate up to 1,000 megawatts of conservation, equal to the output of a large power plant. This not only helps prevent blackouts, but also protects the environment by obviating the need for “peaker plants,” the dirtiest of power plants which utilities must use to meet demand when power systems are strained.
Residents and business owners alike can play a critical role in helping California save power on hot days. For businesses, some key steps to prepare for a Flex Alert include:
- Enroll in a Demand Response Program. Demand Response Programs typically provide incentives and other benefits to customers who can reduce their power when energy supplies are low.
- Improve your overall efficiency. Saving energy year-round means saving money year-round. You can find energy saving tips and recommendations in one of Flex Your Power’s Best Practices Guides. Or explore energy-saving tips for commercial and industrial facilities.
- Check for any rebate or incentive programs in your area that can help you with your energy saving efforts.
Residents can also prepare for hot-weather days by following our summer energy-saving tips which include:
- Perform a do-it-yourself home energy audit. Watch video >>
- Use fans to make indoor temperatures feel cooler, most ceiling fans use less energy than a light bulb.
- Have your air conditioning unit serviced to cut 15% of cooling costs.
- Install a programmable thermostat and only cool the house when you’re home — It can save up to $160 per year and pays for itself in 6-9 months. Watch video >>
- Sign up for Flex Alerts! In the event of a Flex Alert, be prepared. We will send you an email or a text letting you know that a Flex Alert is in effect and you can choose to draw-down power at your home or office.
In the event that a Flex Alert does occur, remember these important energy-saving actions:
- Turn off all unnecessary lights, computers and appliances including decorative lighting or fountains.
- Postpone using major appliances until after 7 p.m.
- Turn your building’s air conditioning thermostat to 78° F or higher.
- More tips (PDF, 60 KB)
Following these tips will not only save energy and help communities across California avoid blackouts, they will also save you money. Join the thousands of Californians working to save energy this summer and sign up to receive Flex Alert notifications via email or your mobile phone.
Lights Out for Earth Hour This Saturday
Join individuals around the world in celebrating Earth Hour by turning off lights, appliances and other electronics for at least one hour this Saturday, March 27 at 8:30 p.m. Started by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the annual event helps to raise awareness about global warming and demonstrate the collective power of simple, energy-saving actions.
Earth Hour began in Sydney, Australia in 2007, with 2.2 million homes and businesses switching off their lights for one hour. In 2008, participation rose with over 50 million people switching off their lights world-wide, and last year that number sky-rocketted to nearly 1 billion world-wide. Famous landmarks chose to go dark as well including the Golden Gate Bridge, the Empire State Building, the Las Vegas Strip, the Parthenon and Acropolis in Athens, and more.
In the past, some cities have been able to cut electricity demand by 13% during those peak hours. Help your city make an impact by powering down at 8:30 p.m. this Saturday.
Cities Suffering from Localized CO2 Domes
 |
Photo: Flickr
|
A new study recently found that local carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions may result in localized health and pollution impacts unrelated to global climate change. It is widely known that CO2 emitted in one city will eventually mix with CO2 emitted across the globe, contributing to an overall increase in the atmospheric concentration of CO2. As such, it doesn’t much matter where CO2 is emitted in terms of its contribution climate change. In contrast, the new study finds, CO2 may have direct local impacts on health and air pollution related to where CO2 is emitted and where its concentrations are highest.
While older research has found that local “domes” of high CO2 levels often form over cities, little was known about the health impacts of these domes. The study, “Enhancement of Local Air Pollution by Urban CO2 Domes,” by Mark Jacobson of Stanford finds that local CO2 emissions may increase local ozone and particulate matter that contribute to respiratory ailments. The study also estimates that local CO2 emissions may increase premature mortality by 50-100 people per year in California and 300-1000 per year in the United States.
The study carries significant implications for cities where high amounts of CO2 and other pollutants are emitted, and bolsters the already compelling case for local action.
e-Newswire Sign-Up Contest Continues, Congratulations to First 6 Winners
Congratulations to our first six winners! Flex Your Power is holding an e-Newswire sign-up drive and contest, and we have already given away six of our ten no-cost tickets to West Coast Green. That means there are still four tickets left, so stake your claim! Sign up three friends for e-Newswire and you will receive a no-cost floor pass to the 2009 West Coast Green conference in San Francisco this October (normally $45 in advance, $50 at the door).
Simply ask your friends to write “Referred by your email address” in the “How did you learn about e-Newswire?” box when they sign up, and we will tally the numbers. Tell your friends to sign up today: http://www.fypower.org/news/enewswire_registration.html and don’t miss out on the chance to see the great exhibits at this year’s West Coast Green.
CPUC Approves $350 Million for Utility Demand Response Programs
 |
On hot summer days, utilities may have to resort to using older, dirtier backup plants, demand response programs help avoid this. (Photo: Flickr)
|
Last Thursday, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) voted to give the state’s three largest utilities approval to spend a total of nearly $350 million on energy saving demand-response measures. Edison International’s electric utility will spend around $188.8 million on demand response programs over the next three years, Pacific Gas and Electric around $109 million, and Sempra Energy’s electric utility around $51.6 million.
Demand response programs are a critical step in preventing global warming pollution. California’s peak daily power usage is generally somewhere between 35,000 and 40,000 megawatts of electricity a day, but on extremely hot days when air-conditioning use is high, utilities must generate up to 50 percent more electricity. On these occasions, utilities are forced to employ the use of older, dirtier backup plants, known as ‘peaker plants’ that rely on fossil-fuels. The cost of reserving peaker plants for only a few hundred hours of service a summer can be more than one billion dollars annually.
By enrolling in demand response programs and cutting energy use during peak hours, business customers can help avoid the need for peaker plants, prevent rolling blackouts and contribute to cleaning California’s air.
Sempra Energy Holds $1 Million Environmental Contest for Non-Profits
 |
Non-profits will be awarded prizes for environmental stewardship in CA including natural resource conservation (Photo: Flickr)
|
The Sempra Energy Foundation is ready to give away $1 million to environmentally-focused non-profit organizations this fall, with their new Environmental Champions Awards program. Applicants must explain what they would do to ‘green’ Southern California if they were given prize money, and each winner will receive between $25,000 and $100,000.
The program was created as part of an effort to recognize the environmental efforts of Southern California organizations. “There are so many organizations doing valuable, forward-thinking work for our environment, we want to encourage those efforts that are judged to have the most far-reaching positive benefits,” explained Jessie Knight Jr., chairman of the Sempra Energy Foundation.
The deadline to apply is September 4 and non-profits can submit their applications online. Winners will be announced on October 1 and will be chosen in each of three categories: natural resource protection and conservation, environmental education and environmental health.
In addition, from now until September 4, all Sempra Energy employees will have an opportunity to donate funds to a select list of non-profit environmental organizations in Southern California, and the Sempra Energy Foundation will match the contribution dollar-for-dollar, up to $500 each.
U.S. Could Save $1.2 Trillion with Energy Efficiency
A new report by the consulting firm McKinsey & Co. shows that with $520 billion invested in efficiency the U.S. could cut our collective national energy bill by $1.2 trillion, a $700 billion return on investment. The firm also called energy efficiency the most compelling way to fight climate change and reported that 40% of U.S. emissions reduction potential comes from energy efficiency. This means that we can dramatically reduce our carbon emissions while also saving money and creating jobs.
The investment would cut U.S. energy consumption by approximately 23 percent, a savings “greater than the total energy consumption of Canada” said Ken Ostrowski, a senior partner at McKinsey. These gains could be made across the board in all sectors, although the report did not look at transportation. The residential sector accounts for about 35 percent of the possible efficiency savings, the industrial sector accounts for about 40 percent and the commercial sector about 25 percent.
The report did not factor in a price that could be imposed on greenhouse gasses. If carbon emissions were priced at $30 per ton it would lead to an additional 8 percent savings.
The McKinsey study outlines recommendations in four main categories:
- Increasing awareness and education: Increasing knowledge about energy saving methods and opportunities will motivate action and allow end-users to act more effectively to save money.
- Increasing incentives and financing: Monetary incentives such as rebates, tax credits, grants and tiered pricing will spur action, as will increased access to financing for capital expenses.
- Changing codes and standards: To capture all of the efficiency potential it may be necessary to mandate upgrades. This could include stricter building codes and efficiency standards for appliances and equipment.
- Third-party involvement: A private company, utility, government agency or NGO could purchase and install energy efficiency improvements directly for the end-user.
The study also identified a number of barriers to achieving the full $1.2 trillion in energy savings. The first would be cost, as this would represent many times the energy spending of the stimulus package, and would have to be maintained for a decade. Many consumers would not have the money for upgrades, even if they would eventually see full payback. There are also issues around who makes investments and who reaps the benefits. In many situations landlords, both commercial and residential, would have to make capital improvements, but it is their tenants who save on the bills.
Despite these obstacles, the report makes it clear that investing in energy efficiency has the potential to save America billions on our energy bills and is the fastest and cheapest way to cut our carbon emissions.
Win Free Tickets! e-Newswire Sign-Up Drive and Contest
In preparation for the cooling season, Flex Your Power is holding an e-Newswire sign-up drive and contest, and we need your help! Be the first of ten readers to sign up three friends and receive a no-cost floor pass to the 2009 West Coast Green conference (normally $45 in advance, $50 at the door).
Simply ask your friends to write “Referred by your email address” in the “How did you learn about e-Newswire?” box when they sign up, and we will tally the numbers. You’ll be helping us connect with more readers who want to Flex Their Power and you’ll have the chance to win. Tell your friends to sign up today: http://www.fypower.org/news/enewswire_registration.html and don’t miss out on the chance to see the great exhibits at this year’s West Coast Green.
Cool Roofs: Former Military Scientist Designs New Reflective Paint
 |
Cool roofs can help cut air conditioning bills by up to 50%. (Photo: Department of Energy)
|
Cool roofs are getting a lot of attention these days, and rightly so. Not only do they have the potential to cut a building’s air conditioning bills by up to 50% by reflecting light and reducing heat gain, but they can also fight global warming directly by reflecting heat back out into space. In a recent address at a conference in London, Energy Secretary Steven Chu praised the technology, saying that whitening the world’s roofs and roads would have the same effect on global warming as removing all the world’s cars for 11 years.
Now, cool roof technology has taken another step forward with a new paint designed by Colonel Ronald R. Savin, an 82-year-old former military scientist from the Inland Empire, and owner of Hyperseal, Inc. Likened to a Rice Krispies treat, the paint’s Hyperglass topcoat is filled with tiny glass “microspheres” - the same hollow balls that are used to lighten airplanes and bowling balls. The microspheres are suspended in a reflective paint and help to deflect heat, while a waterproof undercoat made of recycled rubber helps prevent water damage and erosion. Hyperseal paints are free of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and the undercoat even has the added benefit of providing a use for the millions of tires that are discarded each year in the U.S.
Savin’s paint is already reflecting rays atop the Anaheim Hilton, which spent $150,000 to coat their roof. According to the director of property operations at the Hilton, the project cost $300,000 less than the cost of a conventional repair to the leaky roof, and those savings will be only be augmented by reduced cooling loads summer after summer. Another customer, resident David Baron of Rancho Mirage, credits Hyperseal paint with cutting his $2,500-a-month summer electricity bill by more than half.
Cool roofs are not ideal for everyone as they can increase heating loads in the winter, but for homes and businesses in hot, sunny climates, the technology may be nothing short of a very bright idea.
