GLOBE-Net – Americans used more solar, nuclear, biomass and wind energy in 2008 than they did in 2007, according to the most recent energy flow charts released by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
The nation used less coal and petroleum during the same time frame and only slightly increased its natural gas consumption. Geothermal energy use remained the same.
The estimated U.S. energy use in 2008 equaled 99.2 quadrillion BTUs (“quads”), down from 101.5 quadrillion BTUs in 2007. (A BTU or British Thermal Unit is a unit of measurement for energy, and is equivalent to about 1.055 kilojoules).
http://www.globe-net.com/other_news/listing.cfm?type=2&newsID=4530
Standby power, vampire power, phantom loads, leaking electricity… Whatever you want to call it, standby power is the power consumed by a product when in the lowest power consuming mode—typically when the product is switched off or not performing its primary purpose.
Alan Meier and colleagues at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) noted that many household appliances are never fully switched off, but spend most of the time in a standby mode, consuming electricity to power such features as clocks and remote control operation. They estimated that standby power accounts for 5%-10% of household electricity consumption.
LBNL calculated that videocassette recorders (VCRs) consumed more electricity over the course of a year in standby mode than while actively recording or playing. They measured the power consumed by cable and satellite boxes and found that they consume nearly as much power when switched off as when turned on; switching from “on” to “off” with a remote control seemed to do nothing more than switch a light from green to red in some cases. These findings are enough to want me to pull the plug on all my appliances and electronic devices!
Of course, we can always plug many of these devices into power strips and turn them off at the power strips when not in use. But then when we turn them on to use, many of the devices will drive us nuts blinking “0000” unless we reset the clocks.
The other option, more appealing to many people, is to buy devices that have standby losses next to zero. The U.S. government, the largest consumer, is leading the push by requiring government purchasers to select products with low standby power. DOE’s Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) just launched the FEMP Standby Power Data Center, a new Web site to help Federal agencies identify these low standby power products. But this site is not limited to just Federal government purchasers. The general public can avail itself of this site to help them make informed energy purchases as well.
Products covered currently include computers and workstations, computer monitors, computer speakers, modems, printers, copiers, scanners, fax/printers, multifunction devices, docking stations, TVs, VCRs, DVD players, consumer audio equipment, telephones, a variety of major appliances, and more.
Visit the FEMP Standby Power Data Center. Make informed energy purchases and keep the energy-sucking vampires out of your house!
Post by John Lippert, an employee of Energy Enterprise Solutions, a contractor for EERE. He assists with technical reviews of content on the Consumer Guide Web site.
SAN FRANCISCO — Returning to their ranch-style house in Sacramento after a long summer workday, Jon and Kim Waldrep were routinely met by a wall of heat.
“We’d come home in the summer, and the house would be 115 degrees, stifling,” said Mr. Waldrep, a regional manager for a national company.
He or his wife would race to the thermostat and turn on the air-conditioning as their four small children, just picked up from day care, awaited relief.
All that changed last month. “Now we come home on days when it’s over 100 degrees outside, and the house is at 80 degrees,” Mr. Waldrep said.
Their solution was a new roof: a shiny plasticized white covering that experts say is not only an energy saver but also a way to help cool the planet. The rest of this article can be read here http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/30/science/earth/30degrees.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
Software Making Businesses Sustainable
GLOBE-Net (July 20, 2009) Companies with sustainability programs in place have improved their brand, cut costs, and minimized risks from environmental fines. Caps on greenhouse gas emissions are also underway, and companies requiring tools to manage the use of their resources have presented a profitable opportunity to software providers that specialize in offering sustainable solutions. Please see the rest of this article here http://www.globe-net.com/other_news/listing.cfm?type=2&newsID=4467
With the arrival of warmer temperature, we would like to offer some tips on how to save energy this summer.
1. Seal any air leaks around doors and windows.
2. Clean your air conditioner filters and coils every month to make them more energy efficient.
3. Install a programmable thermostat (or thermostats). Setting it 10 degrees warmer when your are not at home can save three to five percent on electric bills
4. Use fans – they can make the use of an air conditioner unnecessary. Ceiling fans, for example, can make a room feel six to seven degrees cooler.
5. Lower the temperature on your hot water heater to 120 degrees, a setting comfortable for most uses.
6. Plant leafy trees that shield the house from direct sunlight, keeping temperatures down. In addition, planting drought-resistant perennials, shrubs and trees can save on water bills because they require less watering.
7. Unplug certain appliances when not in use. Computers, cell phone chargers, MP3 players, televisions, VCRs, DVD players, stereos and microwave ovens often still use energy when they are turned off, but plugged into electric outlets (this is commonly known as phantom power).
If you are in the market for a new appliance, remember to purchase an energy-efficient model with the Energy Star label. Remember, we can do all or any of the above for you.
You may have seen or heard the term “phantom power” when reading articles or watching a news piece on cutting your energy consumption. “Phantom power” refers to the power still being used by devices in your home or business that are not currently being operated, they may even be turned off, but are still plugged in and using a small amount of power. Normally the devices that are doing this have a backlight or some kind or a clock that is on all the time. Some examples include coffee makers, cordless phones, cable boxes, video game consoles and many others. Depending on how many of these devices you have in your home or at your business, “phantom power” can increase your monthly electric bill by as much as 10 – 20%. For more information on how much “phantom power” could be costing you and some ideas on what to do about it, check out the article here http://earth911.com/tips/unplug-or-pay-up/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=Email+marketing+software&utm_content=580345920&utm_campaign=Earth911.com+Weekly+-+05%2f27+_+hhlkij&utm_term=Unplug+or+Pay+Up
We’ve been asked many times how to calculate the energy use of various appliances and electronics. Just follow the formula below. This formula is also very helpful if you’re trying to decide whether to upgrade and invest in a more energy-efficient appliance or other piece of equipment.
Formula for Estimating Energy Consumption
You can use this formula to estimate an appliance’s energy use:
(Wattage × Hours Used Per Day ÷ 1000 = Daily Kilowatt-hour (kWh) consumption
(1 kilowatt (kW) = 1,000 Watts)
Multiply this by the number of days you use the appliance during the year for the annual consumption. You can then calculate the annual cost to run an appliance by multiplying the kWh per year by your local utility’s rate per kWh consumed.
Note: To estimate the number of hours that a refrigerator actually operates at its maximum wattage, divide the total time the refrigerator is plugged in by three. Refrigerators, although turned “on” all the time, actually cycle on and off as needed to maintain interior temperatures.
Examples:
Window fan:
(200 Watts × 4 hours/day × 120 days/year) ÷ 1000
= 96 kWh × 8.5 cents/kWh
= $8.16/year
Personal Computer and Monitor:
(120 + 150 Watts × 4 hours/day × 365 days/year) ÷ 1000
= 394 kWh × 8.5 cents/kWh
= $33.51/year
Wattage
You can usually find the wattage of most appliances stamped on the bottom or back of the appliance, or on its nameplate. The wattage listed is the maximum power drawn by the appliance. Since many appliances have a range of settings (for example, the volume on a radio), the actual amount of power consumed depends on the setting used at any one time.
If the wattage is not listed on the appliance, you can still estimate it by finding the current draw (in amperes) and multiplying that by the voltage used by the appliance. Most appliances in the United States use 120 volts. Larger appliances, such as clothes dryers and electric cooktops, use 240 volts. The amperes might be stamped on the unit in place of the wattage. If not, find a clamp-on ammeter—an electrician’s tool that clamps around one of the two wires on the appliance—to measure the current flowing through it. You can obtain this type of ammeter in stores that sell electrical and electronic equipment. Take a reading while the device is running; this is the actual amount of current being used at that instant.
When measuring the current drawn by a motor, note that the meter will show about three times more current in the first second that the motor starts than when it is running smoothly.
Many appliances continue to draw a small amount of power when they are switched “off.” These “phantom loads” occur in most appliances that use electricity, such as VCRs, televisions, stereos, computers, and kitchen appliances. Most phantom loads will increase the appliance’s energy consumption a few watt-hours. These loads can be avoided by unplugging the appliance or using a power strip and using the switch on the power strip to cut all power to the appliance.
Typical Wattages of Various Appliances
Here are some examples of the range of nameplate wattages for various household appliances:
- Aquarium = 50–1210 Watts
- Clock radio = 10
- Coffee maker = 900–1200
- Clothes washer = 350–500
- Clothes dryer = 1800–5000
- Dishwasher = 1200–2400 (using the drying feature greatly increases energy consumption)
- Dehumidifier = 785
- Electric blanket- Single/Double = 60 / 100
- Fans
- Ceiling = 65–175
- Window = 55–250
- Furnace = 750
- Whole house = 240–750
- Hair dryer = 1200–1875
- Heater (portable) = 750–1500
- Clothes iron = 1000–1800
- Microwave oven = 750–1100
- Personal computer
- CPU – awake / asleep = 120 / 30 or less
- Monitor – awake / asleep = 150 / 30 or less
- Laptop = 50
- Radio (stereo) = 70–400
- Refrigerator (frost-free, 16 cubic feet) = 725
- Televisions (color)
- 19″ = 65–110
- 27″ = 113
- 36″ = 133
- 53″-61″ Projection = 170
- Flat screen = 120
- Toaster = 800–1400
- Toaster oven = 1225
- VCR/DVD = 17–21 / 20–25
- Vacuum cleaner = 1000–1440
- Water heater (40 gallon) = 4500–5500
- Water pump (deep well) = 250–1100
- Water bed (with heater, no cover) = 120–380
