Tag: solar energy

Energy Saving Tips for Small Businesses This Earth Day | Entrepreneur

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Every small business leader I know worries about taxes, hiring and a million other things. There’s a lot to juggle and prioritize just to keep your doors open, let alone scale. It may seem overwhelming to add energy efficiency to your plate, but the early days of your small company are the ideal time to start integrating sustainability into your business model.

As someone who once took a break from corporate America and ran my own small business, I know firsthand that being environmentally responsible is doable even when you still have lots of room to grow.

Implementing these recommendations when you’re still the person turning off the lights at the end of the day can create a foundation of environmental awareness you can lean on for generations to come.

1. Making greener choices

The biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions is transportation at 27%. This includes your company cars, trucks and other vehicles. So one of the most impactful things you can do for the environment is to switch to electric vehicles (EVs) wherever possible. Although you might pay more upfront for an EV, you’ll likely save over the long haul in both fuel and maintenance costs. If you do a lot of long-distance traveling, look for airlines with carbon-neutral flights to make your air travel more sustainable.

Next, check out where you’re spending energy. Take light bulbs. Are you using low-energy bulbs, or are you just going to your local club warehouse and getting the cheapest bulbs on the shelves? Just like with EVs, upfront costs can seem offputting. But when you do the math, the products with the high initial sticker prices – like low-energy light bulbs – often are the best long-term money savers.

Evaluate your energy provider, too. Just because a company offers energy doesn’t mean it’s an energy-friendly business — coal and solar both can provide power, but solar is cleaner and cheaper.

Take note of your furniture and other office supplies, as well. One office chair or sofa can be much harder to produce or recycle than another. As you make swaps, let everything in the office advertise your environmental values for you. Your water fountains can display how many gallons of water are saved. Your coffee can be responsibly sourced. Your paper can be recycled. You sacrifice nothing in terms of functionality, but the fact you use a different approach to even the little things makes a statement to every employee and guest.

Related: 3 Ways Going Green Can Boost Revenue and Employee Happiness

2. Bringing employees on board

Most people respond more to positive reinforcement than they do to negative reinforcement. So offer as many environmental incentives to your employees as you can. At Merchants Fleet, we offer $2,500 to workers who buy EVs, with additional reimbursement for chargers.

Can’t spend $2,500+ per incentive? Just look for one that fits your budget and environmental goals. In addition to the EV option, we donate $10 in each employee’s name to a charity that plants trees in Kenya. The employees can see exactly where their trees are planted through video.

We also support environmental activities and clubs on-site, such as our composting group. To get these kinds of activities going, see if you can spring for their supplies or slot time off of the workday for them to go participate. Getting people to volunteer in the community is free, too. Options are everywhere.

The most important thing is to have open conversations about environmental responsibility and things you can do. Suppose you walk into a meeting and tell your staff you just read a great article about a company that’s doing great things for the environment, and you’d love to implement certain tactics from the article, such as evaluating the office. Team members can take on the tasks they feel comfortable with, and at the end of the meeting, everybody leaves feeling empowered and as though the environmental goals are one step closer to becoming reality.

The more you make environmental consciousness a part of your day-to-day operations and form good habits around it, the more people will get behind environmental responsibility as part of your culture.

Related: Three Letters That Will Make Your Company More Successful and Sustainable

3. Partners for the cause

The saying goes that you become the company you keep. So if you want a powerful reputation as a company that does right by the environment, make sure the people around you don’t make you guilty by association. By the same token, there are companies that may be larger and established enough to be a little more public with their stances. If you align with them, you draft off of their brand equity. Chances are, you have several business partners, such as your legal or PR firms or certain suppliers. Ask yourself if they align with where you are headed as a company environmentally. Do they share the same ESG values you do?

You can also build your environmental reputation by going local where you can. Local products and services don’t have to be transported, which means a smaller carbon footprint as well as cost savings for your business. A simple place to start is with meals. If you have a company lunch, cater from a family-owned shop in your neighborhood rather than a big-name national chain. Having you as a client can make a big difference in their ability to stay afloat, and you’ll get the service you need in a green way.

Related: 5 Tips for Creatively Going Green With Your Business

If you want to grow responsibly, plant the seed

Being a green company doesn’t have to be complicated, costly or reserved for huge businesses. You can build environmental practices into your organization from day one, as long as you are willing to plant the seed for your employees. It’s part of your role as a leader to inspire all the people around you not only to do their job but to be part of the fabric of the company. Once you open up the conversation and set the example, let them take that environmental seed and water it.

Brendan P. Keegan

Source link

April 21, 2023
How electric tuk-tuks could become a ‘virtual power plant’ for this country | CNN

CNN
—

The streets of Dhaka are filled with constant clamor. Among the chorus of honking horns and ringing bells, roaring cars and rattling rickshaws, you can hear the electric hum of the city’s three-wheeled open taxis, called tuk-tuks, as they weave through traffic.

Among the chaos, one Bangladeshi startup has spotted an opportunity. SOLshare plans to tap into the country’s estimated 2.5 million electric tuk-tuks, and turn them into a “virtual power plant.”

“When (the tuk-tuks) return to the garage at the end of the night, they come back with 30% juice in their batteries,” says Salma Islam, head of projects, fundraising and communication at SOLshare. “If they can feed that back into the grid when the demand is really high, that would be amazing.”

SOLshare knows exactly how much electricity is left in these tuk-tuks because it has been working with local garages to upgrade their conventional lead-acid batteries to smart, lithium-ion batteries. These are equipped with SOLshare’s digital chip, which collects data on the battery’s performance, location, and charge level.

The startup claims that the leftover electricity in these batteries could provide up to 20% of the nation’s energy when demand is at its highest. The vehicles would recharge overnight when demand on the grid is lowest.

SOLshare hopes that this mobile power supply could help to stabilize Bangladesh’s energy grid — and power the country’s economic development.

“The demand is constantly growing, because the population is also growing, and as people’s livelihoods get better, their energy requirements also increase,” says Islam.

SOLshare launched its EV pilot program, called SOLmobility, in 2021. It partnered with 15 tuk-tuk garages to upgrade the batteries of around 40 vehicles and began gathering data on the mileage and activities of the three-wheelers.

The smart batteries use 40% less energy than lead-acid batteries, says Islam. Additionally, the lithium-ion batteries charge in just six hours, around half the time of lead-acid batteries, and are lighter and more efficient. Although they’re more expensive, costing more than double compared to lead acid batteries, they last up to five times longer, says Islam.

Muhammad Delwar Hossain, who has been driving a tuk-tuk in the Dhaka suburb of Tongi for over a decade, started using a SOLshare smart battery last year. He says it’s boosted his monthly earnings by 50% because he can make more trips on a single charge, and he feels his health has improved because he’s no longer breathing in the toxic fumes emitted by the lead-acid battery.

SOLshare’s ambitions go far beyond tuk-tuks – it wants to transform Bangladesh’s entire energy sector through multiple strands.

In 2015, the company began building peer-to-peer solar-powered microgrids that allow households without solar panels to buy excess energy from others in the community using a pay-as-you-go mobile top-up system. To date, it has installed 118 microgrids across the country. The startup has raised $6 million so far.

The company also installs solar panel systems for homes and commercial buildings, and has 27 megawatts of installation in the pipeline, says Islam.

Increasing solar power can help the country reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, says Islam – and these microgrids could even feed excess energy back into the national grid.

SOLshare’s innovations come at a pivotal time for the nation’s energy sector.

“We had massive power grid failures last summer … that was an eye opener for everyone,” says Islam.

Across the country, households experienced frequent load-shedding, a practice of enforced power outages that reduces strain on the grid to prevent a total blackout. Then, in October 2022, Bangladesh suffered its biggest blackout in eight years when the national grid failed and plunged 96 million people into darkness.

Despite being home to the world’s largest off-grid solar power program, Bangladesh’s rapid growth and increasing demand for electricity means renewables account for just 3.5% of its energy.

The low-lying nation is also one of the most climate change-vulnerable countries in the world and is highly susceptible to floods, droughts and storms – so finding a sustainable way to support its growing energy demand is vital.

“I think they were a little bit early, ahead of their time,” says Sonia Bashir Kabir, founder of Bangladesh venture capital firm SBK Tech Ventures and an early investor in SOLshare. She believes the next five years hold a lot of opportunity for the company.

“The government has taken a very serious mandate to look at climate, which helps because that means the policies are going to be favorable,” she says.

Bangladesh isn’t the only country struggling to meet energy demand: disruptions in the oil and gas supply throughout 2022 have caused a global energy crisis. This has fueled a renewable revolution, with solar and wind energy growing 30% faster than expected last year – and many are hoping it will accelerate the expansion of the green energy sector.

SOLshare is continuing to upgrade more tuk-tuks, as well as working with battery manufacturers to install its digital chip directly into the battery.

Through its different projects, Islam hopes the company will become “Asia’s largest virtual utility provider” – a model that could play “a massive role” in other countries with large fleets of electric three-wheel vehicles, such as Thailand and India, she says.

“We are tapping into as many decentralized renewable sources as possible, and not relying on just a central power grid,” says Islam. “The way we see it, if we can do this right here in Bangladesh, you can actually do it anywhere.”

Source link

April 10, 2023
Plankton Energy Installs 229 kW Solar System for Cheshire Academy

Press Release
–

Feb 8, 2023

NEW YORK, February 8, 2023 (Newswire.com)
–
New York solar energy developer Plankton Energy recently energized a 229 kW rooftop solar system at Cheshire Academy in Cheshire, CT. By utilizing the roof of the campus facilities building, the John J. White ’38 Science & Technology Center, and the Gideon Welles Dining Commons, the electricity needs of each of these buildings will be supplied by onsite solar power.

Funded entirely by Plankton Energy, at zero cost to Cheshire Academy, the system is expected to generate approximately 272,000 kWh of solar power annually. Over the lifetime of the system, Cheshire Academy will save over $297,000 on electricity expenses and avoid over 1,248 metric tons of CO₂emissions, the equivalent of avoiding burning 140,000 gallons of gasoline. The panels serve as a visible reminder of the Academy’s commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship.

“Our mission is to empower students to thrive as global citizens. Nothing is more global than our environment, and the solar cells and energy made possible through our work with Plankton is a daily reminder to our students, faculty, staff, alumni and visitors that acting locally has positive global impacts,” said Jennifer Dillon, Sustainability Coordinator of Cheshire Academy

“We’re thrilled to see this project come to fruition. Our team was grateful to partner with the team at Cheshire to assist them in achieving their environmental goals,” said Dan Giuffrida, CEO of Plankton Energy.

The success of this project was made possible by the Connecticut Zero Emission Renewable Energy Credit Program and by the Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which was recently extended for 10 years through the Inflation Reduction Act.

Plankton Energy is a turnkey solar energy provider dedicated to serving schools, houses of worship, small and medium enterprises and community solar across the United States. Plankton supports schools and community institutions like Cheshire Academy to save considerably on their electricity bills and pioneer energy choices that align with their sustainability values.

Founded in 1794, Cheshire Academy is a college preparatory boarding and day school for students in grades 9-12 and postgraduate. The historic 104-acre campus is nestled in the bucolic but central town of Cheshire, Connecticut, just two hours from Boston and from New York. With approximately 343 students from 14 states and 27 countries, Cheshire Academy takes a flexible and tailored approach, allowing students to combine a variety of academic and extracurricular offerings optimal to their individual needs, strengths, and interests.

Source: Plankton Energy

Source link

February 8, 2023
BLUETTI Readies to Ignite a Romantic Valentine’s Day

Press Release
–

Feb 7, 2023 06:00 EST

LOS ANGELES, February 7, 2023 (Newswire.com)
–
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, lovebirds are racking their brains to find more creative gifts than traditional flowers or chocolate to express love. Luckily, BLUETTI has rolled out loads of savings on solar generators as of Feb. 6 to bolster the sweet celebration with someone special at home, outdoor entertainment or RV trips on the road.

AC500 is arguably the most prominent model launched in 2022. It has 3,072Wh~18,432Wh expandable capacity while working with B300S. The max. 8,000 input rate (PV+AC) allows a lighting charging speed, 0 to 80% capacity charging takes within ONE HOUR.

AC300 is another modular model that has established a distinct presence in the market. Boasting up to 12,288Wh capacity and a 3,000W PSW inverter for securely running high-load devices, it’s an ideal gift for both outdoor enthusiasts and DIYers.

It’s frustrating to lose power unexpectedly while spending quality time at home or in the wild. AC200MAX adopts premium LifePO4 battery to provide 3,500+ life cycles. It also has a 2,200W PSW inverter and 2,048Wh capacity to fulfill most power demand, which can be extended by connecting with B230 or B300 expansion batteries.

Valentine’s Day is a nice chance to have a relaxing time in the backyard. BLUETTI EP500/ EP500Pro can tackle your problem of utilizing off-grid power in the open air.
Equipped with 5,100Wh capacity and 2,000W/3,000W PSW inverter, they’re built for 24/7 home charging and less dependent on the utility grid. The wheel design on the bottom allows effortlessly moving it from one place to another.

Walk through the wonderland of nature, where there’s clean air, acres of woods, and streams flowing by. Portable power stations like BLUETTI EB3A, EB55 or EB70S can charge cellphone, walkie-talkie, camera, coffee maker, mini fridge, and more. Intuitive BLUETTI APP control makes it easy to monitor update firmware with clicks on the cellphone.

Enjoy a solar lifestyle with BLUETTI solar panels PV68, PV120, PV200, PV350 to PV420. Simply set up the solar panel and adjust the tilt based on the sunlight intensity to generate the optimal solar input. Given up to 23.4% high conversion rate of the solar panel, batteries can quickly sip power from the sun and run your electronics for hours. Achieving power self-sufficiency has never been easier.

BLUETTI will launch a BLUETTILOVE campaign during its Valentine’s Day Sale. Participants can upload photos and share their love stories or post anonymous SMS to express their affection. Free EB3A, PV68, and $20 coupons are available to lucky winners. Click here to learn more.

About BLUETTI

With over 10 years of industry experience, BLUETTI has tried to stay true to a sustainable future through green energy storage solutions for both indoor and outdoor use while delivering an exceptional eco-friendly experience for everyone and the world. BLUETTI is making its presence in 70+ countries and is trusted by millions of customers across the globe. For more information, visit https://www.bluettipower.com/.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bluetti.inc
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluetti_official/

Source: BLUETTI POWER INC.

Source link

February 7, 2023

These 20 stocks were the biggest winners of 2022

Even during a year in which the S&P 500 index declined 19%, with 72% of its stocks in the red, there were plenty of winners.

Before showing you the list of the best performers in the benchmark index, let’s look at a preview: Here’s how the 11 sectors of the S&P 500
SPX,
-0.25%
performed for the year:

Index	2022 price change	Forward P/E	Forward P/E as of Dec. 31, 2021
Energy	59.0%	9.7	11.1
Utilities	-1.4%	18.9	20.4
Consumer Staples	-3.2%	21.0	21.8
Health Care	-3.6%	17.6	17.2
Industrials	-7.1%	18.3	20.8
Financials	-12.4%	11.9	14.6
Materials	-14.1%	15.8	16.6
Real Estate	-28.4%	16.5	24.2
Information Technology	-28.9%	20.1	28.1
Consumer Discretionary	-37.6%	21.3	33.2
Communication Services	-40.4%	14.3	20.8
S&P 500	-19.4%	16.8	21.4
Source: FactSet

Maybe you aren’t surprised to see that the energy sector was the only one to increase during 2022. But it might surprise you to see that despite the sector’s weighted price increase of 59%, its forward price-to-earnings ratio declined and remains very low relative to all other sectors.

It might also surprise you that West Texas Intermediate crude oil
CL.1,
+2.69%
gave up most of its gains from earlier in the year:

FactSet

The reason investors are still confident in energy stocks is that oil producers have remained cautious when it comes to capital spending. They don’t want to increase supply enough to cause prices to crash, as they did in the run-up to the summer of 2014, after which prices fell steadily through early 2016, causing bankruptcies and consolidation in the industry.

Now the oil companies are focusing on maintaining supply, raising dividends and buying back shares, as Occidental Petroleum Corp.’s
OXY,
+1.14%
chief executive explained in a recent interview with Matt Peterson. Click here for more about Occidental and the long-term supply/demand outlook for oil.

Best-performing S&P 500 stocks of 2022

Here are the 20 stocks in the benchmark index that rose most during 2022, excluding dividends. Proving that there are always exceptions, not all of them are in the energy sector.

Company	Ticker	Sector	Industry	2022 price change
Occidental Petroleum Corp.	OXY, +1.14%	Energy	Oil & Gas Production	117.3%
Hess Corp.	HES, +0.68%	Energy	Oil & Gas Production	91.6%
Marathon Petroleum Corp.	MPC, +0.18%	Energy	Oil Refining/ Marketing	81.9%
Exxon Mobil Corp.	XOM, +1.01%	Energy	Integrated Oil	80.3%
Schlumberger Ltd.	SLB, +1.04%	Energy	Contract Drilling	78.5%
APA Corp.	APA, +1.68%	Energy	Integrated Oil	73.6%
Halliburton Co.	HAL, +1.23%	Energy	Oil & Gas Production	72.1%
First Solar Inc.	FSLR, +0.68%	Information Technology	Semiconductors	71.9%
Valero Energy Corp.	VLO, +0.43%	Energy	Oil Refining/ Marketing	68.9%
Marathon Oil Corp.	MRO, +1.08%	Energy	Oil & Gas Production	64.9%
ConocoPhillips	COP, +1.38%	Energy	Oil & Gas Production	63.5%
Steel Dynamics Inc.	STLD, -0.72%	Materials	Steel	57.4%
EQT Corp.	EQT, -0.12%	Energy	Oil & Gas Production	55.1%
Chevron Corp.	CVX, +0.66%	Energy	Integrated Oil	53.0%
McKesson Corp.	MCK,	Health Care	Medical Distributors	50.9%
Cardinal Health Inc.	CAH, -0.46%	Health Care	Medical Distributors	49.3%
EOG Resources Inc.	EOG, +0.69%	Energy	Oil & Gas Production	45.8%
Enphase Energy Inc.	ENPH, -0.20%	Information Technology	Semiconductors	44.8%
Merck & Co. Inc.	MRK, +0.12%	Health Care	Pharmaceuticals	44.8%
Cigna Corp.	CI, +0.19%	Health Care	Managed Health Care	44.3%
Source: FactSet

Click on the tickers for more information about the companies.

Click here for Tomi Kilgore’s detailed guide to the wealth of information available for free on the MarketWatch quote page.

Don’t Miss: These 20 stocks were the biggest losers of 2022

Source link

December 30, 2022

energyware™ Drives Energy Conservation for Businesses Through Incentives for Sales Team
The company is offering a range of incentives for its channel to ensure energy conservation continues to be a priority.

Press Release
–

Nov 21, 2022 08:00 EST
NEW YORK, November 21, 2022 (Newswire.com)
–
energyware™, a leading national provider of energy-efficiency technology, is committed to offering support to businesses seeking energy-efficiency solutions and making advances in the environmental space. In alignment with this ongoing commitment, the company is pleased to announce it has launched a tiered incentive program for its sales agents that aims to drive the adoption of energy efficiency in businesses while providing the team with a range of compensation opportunities for their efforts.

energyware’s™ sales agents help customers determine the best options in financing, design, implementation, oversite and return-on-investment accuracy. Now through Dec. 31, sales team members can earn the following incentives:
- For the first $100,000 in sales, agents receive a $500 American Express gift card.
- For $259,000 in sales, agents receive a $1,000 American Express gift card.
- For $500,000 in sales, agents receive a $1,500 American Express gift card.
- For $1 million in sales, agents receive airline credit and lodging for a trip of their choice (up to a $3,000 value).
- For $5 million in sales, agents receive a leased luxury car of their choice (terms and qualifications may apply).
Incentives are offered only to those who originate the lead, and only one incentive will be paid per deal. All sales must be completed before Dec. 31, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. to qualify. Agents will also receive a commission in addition to each incentive.

“energyware™ is one of the most respected energy efficiency firms in the country, and our team helps customers make high-impact energy consumption improvements through our consulting services and design work,” said Jake Jacques, CEO of energyware™. “Our sales agents are making a difference through their support, and we want to ensure they’re recognized for their ongoing hard work and dedication in this critical space.”

The world we live in will change beyond all recognition unless there is a growing shift in how energy is used. energyware™ continues to be a one-stop-shop for businesses seeking energy efficiency solutions and has positioned itself as an industry leader in creating a better energy future.

The company’s solutions are at the forefront of solid business practices, and its mission is to provide the highest quality services at below-market pricing. The knowledgeable and experienced energyware™ team offers project consultation, project management, and maximizing the overall performance of these solutions, which includes LED smart technology engineering and deployment and solar technology.

Interested in accelerating the adoption of energy efficiency? Learn more about the promotion at the channel promotion page, where channel agents can submit leads directly to energyware™.

About energyware™

A national provider of energy efficiency technology, energyware™ eliminates the guesswork of energy efficiency by bringing engineers, designers, best-in-breed manufacturing, and trained energy technology installers all under one umbrella.

Source: energyware
Source link
November 21, 2022
Kinematics Releases Inaugural Environmental, Social, and Governance Report

Press Release
–

Nov 17, 2022

PHOENIX, November 17, 2022 (Newswire.com)
–
Kinematics, www.gokinematics.com, a world leader in intelligent motion control, is excited to share its inaugural environmental, social, and governance (ESG) report.

“The Kinematics team embarked on our Environmental, Social, and Governance compliance journey this year, and we’re pleased to issue our first-ever ESG report,” says Mike Baka, Chief Operating Officer. “Our commitment to ESG and sustainability is a key enabler in continuously improving our performance, transparency, and accountability to key stakeholders – our employees, customers, suppliers, investors, and the environment.”

Kinematics’ ESG program is one of several initiatives to amplify the vision of the company: intelligent motion control for a sustainable, connected future.

Kinematics’ sustainability goals include substantially reducing waste generation by 2030. To achieve this goal, they are analyzing current procedures and looking for ways to reduce waste, exploring packaging material options, and examining ways to reuse materials when traveling from one Kinematics facility to another.

“We congratulate John Payne (CEO), Mike Baka, and the Kinematics team on their inaugural ESG Report – a milestone in the company’s commitment to responsible environmental, social, and governance practices and its continued efforts focused on key strategic sustainability initiatives globally,” says Michelle Kincanon, SVP of Sustainability and Operations at Angeleno Group. “With products that have supported the generation of 53 gigawatts of clean solar power since its founding, we are proud of Kinematics’ impact as an Angeleno Group portfolio company.”

Kinematics is further advancing its ESG program with the objective of operating more sustainably, engaging employees, and expanding its impact in support of the 2030 United Nations Sustainability Development Goals and the long-term transition to a low-carbon economy.

To review Kinematics’ full ESG report, click here.

About Kinematics

Kinematics: Intelligent Motion Control for a Sustainable, Connected Future. For nearly three decades, Kinematics has delivered customized, robust solutions to customers with mission-critical applications. With a variety of motion control solutions, there’s virtually nothing we can’t do to satisfy our customers’ needs.

Source: Kinematics

Source link

November 17, 2022
energyware™ Highlights Benefits of Energy Efficiency, Sustainability Advisors for Businesses

Advisory services can offer businesses various valuable options when exploring every aspect of energy efficiency.

Press Release
–

Oct 17, 2022 08:00 EDT

NEW YORK, October 17, 2022 (Newswire.com)
–
Using energy more efficiently is one of the fastest, most cost-effective ways for businesses to save money, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create jobs and meet growing energy demands. The bottom line is that anywhere energy is used, there is an opportunity to make improvements. energyware™, a leading national provider of energy-efficiency technology, is committed to offering support to businesses seeking energy-efficiency solutions and making strides in the environmental space.

A recent survey found the global industry is accelerating its investment in energy efficiency in the next five years as the race toward net zero deepens. A key finding was that more than half, or 54%, of the companies surveyed are already investing, while 40% plan to make energy efficiency improvements in 2022. An energy efficiency expert will be able to provide these businesses with several options when looking at every aspect of energy efficiency, including solar, LED, HVAC, water efficiency and energy procurement.

energyware’s™ solutions are at the forefront of solid business practices, and its mission is to provide the highest quality services at below-market pricing. The knowledgeable and experienced energyware™ team offers project consultation, project management and optimization of the overall performance of these solutions, which includes LED smart technology engineering and deployment and solar technology.

“Energy efficiency experts design an easy path with less disruption for businesses that are looking to go green, as well as serves as a guide on the journey towards reducing expenses and the carbon footprint,” said Jake Jacques, CEO of energyware™. “Our team helps simplify this process for clients by assisting with selecting and implementing energy conservation practices and technologies.”

In recent years, companies have ramped up their commitment to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices as investors and shareholders are now using it as an important capital market measure. And the evidence showing companies that prioritize ESG issues are generating superior long-term financial performance is undeniable.

The world we live in will change beyond all recognition unless there is a growing shift in energy consumption. energyware™ continues to be a one-stop-shop for businesses seeking energy efficiency solutions. By offering a wide range of options, energyware™ has successfully positioned itself as an industry leader in this critical space.

To learn more about how energy procurement, LED lighting and solar energy services can help businesses save money on energy costs, visit www.energywarellc.com.

About energyware™
A national provider of energy efficiency technology, energyware™ eliminates the guesswork of energy efficiency by bringing engineers, designers, best-in-breed manufacturing, and trained energy technology installers all under one umbrella.

Source: energyware

Source link

October 17, 2022
This 100% solar community endured Hurricane Ian with no loss of power and minimal damage | CNN

CNN
—

Anthony Grande moved away from Fort Myers three years ago in large part because of the hurricane risk. He has lived in southwest Florida for nearly 19 years, had experienced Hurricanes Charley in 2004 and Irma in 2017 and saw what stronger storms could do to the coast.

Grande told CNN he wanted to find a new home where developers prioritized climate resiliency in a state that is increasingly vulnerable to record-breaking storm surge, catastrophic wind and historic rainfall.

What he found was Babcock Ranch — only 12 miles northeast of Fort Myers, yet seemingly light years away.

Babcock Ranch calls itself “America’s first solar-powered town.” Its nearby solar array — made up of 700,000 individual panels — generates more electricity than the 2,000-home neighborhood uses, in a state where most electricity is generated by burning natural gas, a planet-warming fossil fuel.

The streets in this meticulously planned neighborhood were designed to flood so houses don’t. Native landscaping along roads helps control storm water. Power and internet lines are buried to avoid wind damage. This is all in addition to being built to Florida’s robust building codes.

Some residents, like Grande, installed more solar panels on their roofs and added battery systems as an extra layer of protection from power outages. Many drive electric vehicles, taking full advantage of solar energy in the Sunshine State.

Climate resiliency was built into the fabric of the town with stronger storms in mind.

So when Hurricane Ian came barreling toward southwest Florida this week, it was a true test for the community. The storm obliterated the nearby Fort Myers and Naples areas with record-breaking surge and winds over 100 mph. It knocked out power to more than 2.6 million customers in the state, including 90% of Charlotte County.

But the lights stayed on in Babcock Ranch.

“It certainly exceeded our expectations of a major hurricane,” Grande, 58, told CNN.

Sign up for CNN’s Life, But Greener newsletter.

The storm uprooted trees and tore shingles from roofs, but other than that Grande said there is no major damage. Its residents say Babcock Ranch is proof that an eco-conscious and solar-powered town can withstand the wrath of a near-Category 5 storm.

“We have proof of the case now because [the hurricane] came right over us,” Nancy Chorpenning, a 68-year-old Babcock Ranch resident, told CNN. “We have water, electricity, internet — and we may be the only people in Southwest Florida who are that fortunate.”

Grande said Hurricane Ian came through southwest Florida “like a freight train.” But he wasn’t afraid that he would lose everything in a storm, like he was when he lived in Fort Myers.

“We’re very, very blessed and fortunate to not be experiencing what they’re experiencing now in Sanibel Island and Fort Myers Beach,” Grande said. “In the times that we’re living in right now with climate change, the beach is not the place to live or have a business.”

Syd Kitson, a former professional football player for the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys, is the mastermind behind Babcock Ranch. Kitson envisioned it to be an eco-conscious and innovative neighborhood that is safe and resilient from storms like Ian.

The ranch broke ground in 2015 with the construction of the solar array — which was built and is run by Florida Power and Light — and its first residents moved into the town in 2018. Since then, the array has doubled in size and thousands of people have made Babcock their home.

“It’s a great case study to show that it can be done right, if you build in the right place and do it the right way,” said Lisa Hall, a spokesperson for Kitson, who also lives in Babcock Ranch.

“Throughout all this, there’s just so many people saying, ‘it worked, that this was the vision, this is the reason we moved here,’” Hall told CNN.

Perhaps the highest endorsement for the city is that it is now a refuge for some of Ian’s hardest-hit victims. The state opened Babcock Neighborhood School as an official shelter, even though it didn’t have the mandated generator. The solar array kept the lights on.

Some of Chorpenning’s friends who live on Sanibel Island — which is now cut off from the mainland after Ian’s devastating storm surge severed the causeway — came to shelter at a friend’s house at Babcock Ranch. It will be a while before they can go back, she said.

“They’re going to be renting a place over here for a while, while they figure out what’s going to happen out there,” she said. “I joked that we may be the only people in southwest Florida whose property value just increased.”

Even Kitson chose to ride out the storm in Babcock to see how the community would fare in the hurricane. Kitson declined CNN’s request for an interview; Hall said he is focused on helping neighboring communities rebuild.

“He was there during the storm; he said, ‘where else would I be?’” Hall said. “We built it to be resilient and as much as you plan and think you’ve done the right thing, you don’t know until you put it to the test.”

As utilities scramble to restore power across the state, Babcock residents say September storms showed that America’s energy infrastructure is not well-equipped to handle worsening extreme weather events. Hurricane Fiona ravaged Puerto Rico’s power grid when it made landfall there on September 18. Now, Ian has left millions of people in the dark in Florida.

Babcock residents say their neighborhood is a model for urban development in a climate change-ravaged future.

“It’s not what it was 20 or 25 years ago; the storms are getting bigger and bigger, and it’s no surprise, because the warnings have all been there,” Grande said. “I think Babcock Ranch’s future has gotten even brighter.”

Source link

October 2, 2022
Plankton Energy Installs Solar System for Princeton Montessori School

Press Release
–

Sep 8, 2022

NEW YORK, September 8, 2022 (Newswire.com)
–
Plankton Energy partnered with Princeton Montessori School to install a campus-wide 202.5kW rooftop solar system at no cost to Princeton. By transforming three building roofs into solar-powered generators, most of the school’s electricity needs will be supplied by onsite solar power.

The system was energized this August and stands to save Princeton over $720,000 over its lifetime and will avoid the emission of over 3,400 metric tons of CO₂ over the life of the system. This is the equivalent of avoiding emissions from the use of over 380,000 gallons of gasoline.

Princeton Montessori Head of School Michelle Morrison says the school will utilize the “savings in supporting the education of our children and on other sustainability projects that will enable the School to live up to its ambitious environmental goals, and reflect the importance that Montessori teaching places on nature.”

“We’re thrilled to get this project operational before students returned to school and look forward to helping faculty utilize the system as a teaching tool for the students,” said Dan Giuffrida, CEO of Plankton Energy.

“Plankton Energy were professional, helpful and constructive all the way through the process. They answered myriad questions from school Board members and staff, patiently and clearly – very important when you are seeking to obtain agreement on such a major project. Plankton worked hard to ensure that the installation was not overly disruptive and we are now delighted to have a beautiful solar array providing us with renewable energy and significant savings.” – Gery Juleff, Sustainability Manager, Princeton Montessori.

The solar system was energized just three days after President Biden enacted the Inflation Reduction Act into law, which represents the biggest climate investment in U.S. history. The Act extended incentives for solar and eased the process for financing solar projects which will pave the way for solar deployments at schools across the country for the next decade.

Plankton Energy is a turnkey solar energy provider dedicated to serving schools, houses of worship, and small businesses across the United States. Plankton supports schools and community institutions like Princeton Montessori School to save considerably on their electricity bills and pioneer energy choices that align with their sustainability values.

Princeton Montessori School was founded in 1968 and is an independent, coeducational day school dedicated to the highest quality education of children, from infancy through middle school, according to the values and principles of the Montessori philosophy, which encourages self-motivated growth in children and adolescents. Approximately 200 families from the greater Princeton area enroll their children in Princeton Montessori School annually.

Source: Plankton Energy

Source link

September 8, 2022
BLUETTI’s Gift Ideas for Mother’s Day

Press Release
–

May 5, 2022

LAS VEGAS, May 5, 2022 (Newswire.com)
–
Flowers and chocolates are never a bad choice for the upcoming Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 8), but if considering something special, it’s lucky that BLUETTI has rounded up some gift ideas to make her smile from ear to ear on this big day.

AC300+B300 Combo – An Expandable Power Center
($3,499, was $3,798)
For the mom who likes RV trips or camping, she’ll definitely love this combo. AC300 is 100% modular without a built-in battery and can connect with up to four B300 battery packs for a 12,288Wh capacity. The BLUETTI Fusion Box Pro can combine two such units in the series and even boost to a massive 24,576Wh/ 6000W/ 240V, which is sure to cover all her power needs along the road.

EP500/EP500Pro – The New Era of Home Power Backup
(EP500-$4,399, was $4,599; EP500Pro-$4,999, was $5,999)
Mom always takes on most of the housework at home. While unexpected power failure will easily drive her crazy. The EP500/EP500Pro solar generator should be on the top of the list when choosing a residential emergency power supply. Give mom the convenience to enhance her woman power. By connecting with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, remote control can be easily done on the cellphone. Release mom’s stress and prepare for outages anytime.

AC200MAX – Versatile Power Monster
($1,899, was $1,999)
Mother’s Day is a nice chance to set aside time and have a family gathering. Place an AC200MAX by the table to make the happy hour with mom last longer. Being one of the most popular models in the BLUETTI Store, the AC200MAX features 16 outputs to run multiple devices at once. It can be recharged in seven ways, the maximum 1400W input rate allows it to top up to full within 2 hours.

EB70S – Pack Lighter, Travel Further
($549, was $599)
EB70S will be a surprising gift for her because of its portability, which is highly competitive in the latest market. The easy-to-carry handle is constructed to save her hassle when moving from one place to another. Simply hook up with BLUETTI solar panels PV120 or PV200 to make it a remarkable power source with endless green energy.

In addition, BLUETTI will launch a #BLUETTIwithMom campaign on Mother’s Day, inviting members to share photos and the sweetest moment/story with their mom for a chance to win a free BLUETTI power station. Follow BLUETTI on Instagram to learn more.

About BLUETTI
With over 10 years of experience in the energy storage industry, BLUETTI is committed to building the world’s best power stations for van dwellers, explorers, and off-grid life. For more information, please visit https://www.bluettipower.com/

Press Contact
amanda@bluetti.com

Source: BLUETTI Power Inc.

Source link

May 5, 2022
Big-box stores could help slash emissions and save millions by putting solar panels on roofs. Why aren’t more of them doing it? | CNN

CNN
—

As the US attempts to wean itself off its heavy reliance on fossil fuels and shift to cleaner energy sources, many experts are eyeing a promising solution: your neighborhood big-box stores and shopping malls.

The rooftops and parking lot space available at retail giants like Walmart, Target and Costco is massive. And these largely empty spaces are being touted as untapped potential for solar power that could help the US reduce its dependency on foreign energy, slash planet-warming emissions and save companies millions of dollars in the process.

At the IKEA store in Baltimore, installing solar panels on the roof and over the store’s parking lot cut the amount of energy it needed to purchase by 84%, slashing its costs by 57% from September to December of 2020, according to the company. (The panels also provide some beneficial shade to keep customers’ cars cool on hot, sunny days.)

As of February 2021, IKEA had 54 solar arrays installed across 90% of its US locations.

Big-box stores and shopping centers have enough roof space to produce half of their annual electricity needs from solar, according to a report from nonprofit Environment America and research firm Frontier Group.

Leveraging the full rooftop solar potential of these superstores would generate enough electricity to power nearly 8 million average homes, the report concluded, and would cut the same amount of planet-warming emissions as pulling 11.3 million gas-powered cars off the road.

The average Walmart store, for example, has 180,000 square feet of rooftop, according to the report. That’s roughly the size of three football fields and enough space to support solar energy that could power the equivalent of 200 homes, the report said.

“Every rooftop in America that isn’t producing solar energy is a rooftop wasted as we work to break our dependence on fossil fuels and the geopolitical conflicts that come with them,” Johanna Neumann, senior director for Environment America’s campaign for 100% Renewable, told CNN. “Now is the time to lean into local renewable energy production, and there’s no better place than the roofs of America’s big-box superstores.”

Advocates involved in clean energy worker-training programs tell CNN that a solar revolution in big-box retail would also be a significant windfall for local communities, spurring economic growth while tackling the climate crisis, which has inflicted disproportionate harm on marginalized communities.

Yet only a fraction of big-box stores in the US have solar on their rooftops or solar canopies in parking lots, the report’s authors told CNN.

CNN reached out to five of the top US retailers — Walmart, Kroger, Home Depot, Costco and Target — to ask: Why not invest in more rooftop solar?

Many renewable energy experts point to solar as a relatively simple solution to cut down on costs and help rein in fossil fuel emissions, but the companies point to several roadblocks — regulations, labor costs and structural integrity of the rooftops themselves — that are preventing more widespread adoption.

The need for these kinds of clean energy initiatives is becoming “unquestionably urgent” as the climate crisis accelerates, said Edwin Cowen, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Cornell University.

“We are behind the eight ball, to put it mildly,” Cowen told CNN. “I would have loved to see policy help incentivize rooftop solar 15 years ago instead of five years ago in the commercial space. There’s still a tremendous amount of work to do.”

Neumann said Walmart, the nation’s largest retailer, possesses by far the largest solar potential. Walmart has around 5,000 stores in the US and more than 783 million square feet of rooftop space — an area larger than Manhattan — and more than 8,974 gigawatt hours of annual rooftop solar potential, according to the report.

It’s enough electricity to power more than 842,000 homes, the report said.

“Every rooftop in America that isn’t producing solar energy is a rooftop wasted as we work to break our dependence on fossil fuels and the geopolitical conflicts that come with them.”

Johanna Neumann, Environment America

Walmart spokesperson Mariel Messier told CNN the company is involved in renewable energy projects around the world, but many of them are not rooftop solar installations. The company has reported having completed on- and off-site wind and solar projects or had others under development with a capacity to produce more than 2.3 gigawatts of renewable energy.

Neumann said Environment America has met with Walmart a few times, urging the retailer to commit to installing solar panels on roofs and in parking lots. The company has said it’s aiming to source 100% of its energy through renewable projects by 2035.

“Of all the retailers in America, Walmart stands to make the biggest impact if they put rooftop solar on all of their stores,” Neumann told CNN. “And for us, this report just underscores just how much of an impact they could make if they make that decision.”

According to Environment America, Walmart had installed almost 194 megawatts of solar capacity on its US facilities as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year and additional capacity in off-site solar farms. The company’s installations in California were expected to provide between 20% to 30% of each location’s electricity needs.

Target ranked No. 1 for on-site solar capacity in 2019, according to industry trade group Solar Energy Industries Association’s most recent report. It currently has 542 locations with rooftop solar — around a quarter of the company’s stores — a Target spokesperson told CNN. Rooftop solar generates enough energy to meet 15% to 40% of Target properties’ energy needs, the spokesperson said.

Richard Galanti, the chief financial officer at Costco, said the company has 121 stores with rooftop solar around the world, 95 of which are in the US.

Walmart, Target and Costco did not share with CNN what their biggest barriers are to adding rooftop or parking lot solar panels to more stores.

Approximate number of households companies could power with rooftop solar
Walmart — 842,700
Target — 259,900
Home Depot — 256,600
Kroger — 192,500
Costco — 87,500
Source: Environment America, Frontier Group report, “Solar on Superstores”

“My suspicion is that they want an even stronger business case for deviating from business-as-usual,” Neumann said. “Historically, all those roofs have done is cover their stores, and rethinking how [they] use their buildings and thinking of them as energy generators, not just protection from rain, requires a small change in their business model.”

Home Depot, which has around 2,300 stores, currently has 75 completed rooftop solar projects, 12 in construction and more than 30 planned for future development, said Craig D’Arcy, the company’s director of energy management. Solar power generates around half of these stores’ energy needs on average, he said.

Aging rooftops at stores are a “huge impediment” to solar installation, D’Arcy added. If a roof needs to be replaced in the next 15 to 20 years or sooner, it doesn’t make financial sense for Home Depot to add solar systems today, he said.

“We have a goal of implementing solar rooftop where the economics are attractive,” D’Arcy told CNN.

CNN also reached out to Kroger, which owns about 2,800 stores across the US. Kristal Howard, a Kroger spokesperson, said the company currently has 15 properties — stores, distribution centers and manufacturing plants — with solar installations. One of the “multiple factors affecting the viability of a solar installation” was the stores’ ability to support a solar installation on the roofs, Howard said.

A worker walks among solar panels being installed on the roof of an IKEA in Miami in 2014. As of February, IKEA had solar installed at 90% of its US locations.

Cowen, the engineering professor at Cornell, said solar is already attractive, but that labor costs, incentives and the different layers of regulation likely pose some financial challenges in solar installations.

“For them, this means usually hiring a local site firm that can do that installation that also knows local policy,” Cowen said. “It’s just another layer of complexity that I think is beginning to make sense because the costs have come down enough, but it needs kind of reopening that door of getting into an existing building.”

Rep. Sean Casten of Illinois, who co-chairs the power sector task force in the House, said the US has “failed to provide the incentives to people who have the expertise to go in and build these things.” The reason both retail companies and the power sector have not made much progress on solar is because “our system is so disjointed” and has a complex regulation structure, Casten said.

“Why aren’t we doing something that makes economic sense? The answer is this horribly disjointed federal policy where we massively subsidize fossil energy extraction, and we penalize clean energy production,” Casten told CNN. “For a long, long time, if you wanted to build a solar panel on the rooftop of Walmart, your biggest enemy was going to be your local utility because they didn’t want to lose the load.

“We could have done this decades ago,” Casten added. “And had we done it, we would not be in this dire position with the climate, but we’d also have a lot more money in our pocket.”

For Charles Callaway, director of organizing at the nonprofit group WE ACT for Environmental Justice, strengthening the rooftop solar capacity in big box retail stores is a no-brainer, especially if companies allow the local community to reap benefits either through installation jobs or sharing the electricity produced later.

Either way, it would put a massive dent in curbing the climate crisis and help usher in an equitable transition away from fossil fuels — and it’s doable, Callaway told CNN.

Solar panels on the roof of a Costco store in Ingelwood, California, in 2021. Costco told CNN 95 stores in the US have rooftop solar installations.

The New York City resident led a worker training program that helped train more than 100 local community members, mostly people of color, to become solar installers. He also formed a solar workers cooperative to ensure many of the participants of the training program get jobs in a tough market.

In the last two years, Callaway said his group has not only installed solar panels on roofs of affordable housing units, but also equipment capable of producing 2 megawatts of solar energy on shopping malls up in upstate New York. He emphasized that hiring locally would be most beneficial since local installers know the community and local regulations best.

“One of my huge concerns is social equity,” Cowen said. “Access to renewable energy is a fairly privileged position these days, and we’ve got to figure out ways to make that not true.”

Jasmine Graham, WE ACT’s energy justice policy manager, said the potential of building rooftop solar on big box superstores is encouraging, only “if these projects use local labor, if they are paying prevailing wages, and if this solar is being used in a manner such as community solar, which would allow [utility] bill discounts for folks that live in the same utility zone.”

Pressure is mounting for global leaders to act urgently on the climate crisis after a UN report in late February warned the window for action is rapidly closing.

Neumann believes the US can meet its energy demand with renewables. All it takes, she said, is the political will to make that switch, and the inclusion of the local community so no one gets left behind in the transition.

“The sooner we make that transition, the sooner we’ll have cleaner air, the sooner we’ll have a more protected environment and better health and the sooner we’ll have a more livable future for our kids,” Neumann said. “And even if that requires investment, it is an investment worth making.”

Tag: solar energy

1. Making greener choices

2. Bringing employees on board

3. Partners for the cause

If you want to grow responsibly, plant the seed

Best-performing S&P 500 stocks of 2022

Approximate number of households companies could power with rooftop solar