InCharge Battery Station

The Greener Gadgets Design Competition is on in anticipation of Greener Gadgets Conference to be held in New York City on February 25. You can make your voice heard by voting for the gadget you find more eco-friendly.

Consider, for instance, the BuLogics Smart Grid Home Controller. It’s billed as the world’s first smart grid-compatible wireless controller. By installing the Z-Wave HAN in your home, you can automatically shut down appliances and electronics that are not being used during peak electricity demand times. This occurs when your local utility grid sends a demand change request and allows you to reduce your monthly power costs. You can also monitor how much you’re using and saving using a wireless computer or cell phone. It’s a great way to really get a handle on when and how much energy you use in order to save power as much as possible.

Another option is the InCharge Battery Station by Pensa. We all know that using rechargeable batteries is not only cost-effective, it’s more environmentally-friendly than disposable batteries. But it can be a pain to plug in the charger and hook up the batteries. With the InCharge Battery Station, simply drop the batteries into the base—it automatically sorts them and begins charging. The LED light indicates the relative charge in each individual battery, holding charged batteries until you need them so that you always have batteries at the ready.

And if you want to produce your own power to charge your electronic devices, check out the RollerGen. As you cycle, the RollerGen will automatically charge two devices—cell phone, mp3 player, and so on—simultaneously. In fact, a 2-mile ride can charge a smartphone!

Or how about the Turbine Light? It’s a renewable energy harvesting device that doubles as a renewable energy system. As the wind turns the turbine, energy is created, which can be used to power the lighting at night. The wind is generated by weather or by passing vehicles.

So don’t miss out on your opportunity to vote for the greenest gadget (deadline February 25)!

RollerGen bicycle powering device

Turbine Light

Wattvision YouTube video shows you how you can save energy by monitoring your power consumption

If you want a stupid simple way to see how much energy you use and what appliances are costing the most on your utility bills, then here’s a very user-friendly solution. Wattvision’s Sensor is a really easy system you can install yourself (no electrician required) to monitor the energy you use at home, at your school, or in your business. Once the system is installed, you’ll get a whole-house or whole-building energy-use report (with 15-second intervals) that can be read on a computer or your iPhone.

Many great features make this system incredibly practical. First, you can view how much energy you’ve saved (or used) over the history of your Wattvision system, down to the minute. So you can track trends by hour, day, week, or time of year. Additionally, with 15-second updates, as soon as you turn the system on you can test to see which appliances and electronics in your home are using the most energy. Unplug the fridge and watch the energy use diminish or plug in the kettle to see how much energy it takes to boil some water. With this system, you can pinpoint which energy-using devices need to be recycled or replaced so that you can begin to really make changes that count.

Wattvision saves you energy by showing you where you use the most

You can get started with your very own Wattvision Sensor by going to their site, telling them where you are (approximately) and what type of energy meter you have, and then ordering the right sensor for your home or building for $149 (with code wvbetablog; they’re regularly priced at $199). To see a Wattvision in action, check out their live demo.

Bring your power bills down in 2010 with energy-saving ideas - image via Flickr - Tanis Fox

In the spirit of the New Year, we thought it would be a good idea to make some suggestions as to how you might make 2010 greener than 2009. After all, according to a new nationwide survey conducted by Tiller Research LLC, more than 50% of all Americans are likely to get into the green spirit of things in the New Year, which is an increased interest in green compared to years past. In fact, 85% of all Americans are somewhat likely to reduce their household energy use this year, which is great news for the environment and those looking to save money on utility bills.

So here are some great resolutions you may want to try in your quest for saving power:

-          Make a big green impact on your energy consumption by choosing to take fewer flights this year. Since air travel has a significantly bigger footprint than driving or taking the train, this one energy-saving option can have a huge impact on your carbon footprint. Just one fewer cross-country flight can reduce your carbon emissions by 4 tons.

-          Get a power monitor like the Black & Decker Power Monitor (for less than $100) to find out where you’re wasting the most energy in your home. You can then take action to put a stop to energy waste.

-          Tune up your heating and cooling systems with a programmable thermostat and other energy-saving techniques.

-          Drive less by taking public transit, carpooling with co-workers and friends, walking, running, or cycling, or working from home. You’ll reduce wear on your vehicle and save fuel money, too.

For many more power-saving tips and tricks to inspire your New Year’s resolutions, check out our other SavingPower Tips section!

A programmable thermostat can significantly reduce your cooling and heating bills - image via Flickr - Mick Wright

Use alternative modes of transportation for your daily commute - image via Flickr - Richard Drdul

Take fewer flights to shrink your carbon footprint in 2010 - image via Flickr - america.gov

Obama administration recently announced a new clean energy REDI program

The Obama administration announced a new program on December 14: The Renewables and Efficiency Deployment Initiative (REDI), which will offer $350 million in funds to accelerate the development of clean energy technologies. As both a domestic and global initiative, some of the funds ($85 million) will go into a joint coffer (supported by other countries such as Australia, Norway, Switzerland, Netherlands, the UK, and France) to be used to develop and deploy clean energy tech around the world.

The program will operate in several industries, including advanced vehicles, bioenergy, building and industrial efficiencies, smart grid technologies, carbon capture, high-efficiency coal,  and of course, solar, wind, and marine energy. The official REDI website outlines the following programs that will receive this funding:

• The Solar and LED Energy Access Program will accelerate deployment of affordable solar home systems and LED lanterns to those without access to electricity.  This program will yield immediate economic and public health benefits by providing households with low-cost and quality-assured solar alternatives to expensive and polluting kerosene.
• The Super-efficient Equipment and Appliance Deployment Program will harness the market and convening power of MEF countries to improve efficiency for appliances traded throughout the world.  A number of MEF countries have implemented, or are exploring, incentive programs for energy-efficient appliances. Coordinating incentives, standards and labeling systems can create unprecedented economies of scale for these appliances.

• The Clean Energy Information Platform will establish an online platform for MEF countries to exchange technical resources, policy experience and the infrastructure to coordinate various activities in deploying clean energy technologies, and share this information with the world.

• The Scaling-up Renewable Energy Program (S-REP), under the World Bank’s Strategic Climate Fund, will provide policy support and technical assistance to low-income countries developing national renewable energy strategies and underwrite additional capital costs associated with renewable energy investments.  Funding through Climate REDI will accelerate the launch of S-REP.

Further, it states that REDI will use the following tools to disseminate the new technologies:

1. Quality assurance to guard developing country consumers against sub-standard renewable energy products;
2. Minimum efficiency standards to remove the lowest efficiency appliances from the market;
3. Labeling to guide consumers to quality-assured and high-efficiency products;
4. Financing for scale up of early-stage low-carbon products, to bring down costs and remove barriers to deployment and to catalyze investment by the private sector;
5. Information sharing that enables all energy stakeholders to access state-of-the art information on technology and best practices.

Using the parabolic structure of the concentrating solar system, this new MicroCSP can be used to provide a building with a variety of services, including air conditioning, drying, dehumidification, desalination, steam, and hot water.  It’s both lightweight and more rugged (so they say) than traditional solar PV systems, making it simple and easy to mount and fasten to almost any rooftop. It is then integrated into existing natural gas systems.

Sopogy has a proprietary integrated tracker technology to boost its efficiency and has priced the new system 30% cheaper than other rooftop solar technologies (such as solar photovoltaics, according to the company). They also tout a 3-year payback on the system when energy savings are taken into consideration.

“Sopogy has incorporated our unique frame, ready-to-assemble manufacturing and automated controls into a new compact product designed for rooftop installation. This brings concentrating solar power to the commercial and industrial facility in a cost effective, space efficient and contractor friendly solution. All combined our customers receive the fastest paybacks available in solar helping them save money and fight global warming” – Darren T. Kimura, President and CEO, Sopogy, Inc.

Sopogy MicroCSP

Wind turbine Via Flickr - greenforall.org

Many have argued that switching to a renewable energy structure in the short term would really put the economy on the rocks. But a new report put out by Greenpeace and the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC) called Working for the Climate shows that moving to a renewable energy economy while phasing out dirty energies like coal would create 2.7 million new jobs!

Perhaps more surprising than the statistics pointing to new jobs with a renewable energy push (are we surprised?) is the conclusion that continuing with business as usual could actually lead to additional job losses.

We found that under the Energy [R]evolution scenario, there would be an overall increase of around 2 million power sector jobs over 20 years. But if we carry on without measures to make the shift to clean energy, we will see sector-wide job losses – half a million energy supply jobs would disappear between 2010 and 2030.

As one way of proving the stability of the renewable sector, they cite these statistics:

According to the UNEP Report “Global Trends in sustainable Energy Investment 2009”, investment in the sustainable energy market has in some ways defied the global recession growing by around 5%—from  $148 billion in 2007 to around $155 billion in 2008.

These kinds of reports fly in the fact of clean energy deniers who purport that injecting funds into renewable energy will destabilize the economy even more than it already was. In fact, those who have claimed that for every green job created two jobs will be lost, the NREL has this to say:

The analysis by the authors from King Juan Carlos University represents a significant divergence from traditional methodologies used to estimate employment impacts from renewable energy. In fact, the methodology does not reflect an employment impact analysis. Accordingly, the primary conclusion made by the authors – policy support of renewable energy results in net jobs losses – is not supported by their work.

In combination with emissions-savings projects, such as improving building efficiencies and planting forests, the renewable energy sector has tremendous potential to re-employ America and get the country thriving again. And healthier in the process.

Installing solar PV panels Via Flickr - bkusler

Recycling pick-up Via Flickr - vict0r ram0s

Brown Station Road Sanitaroy Landfill Via Flickr - Steve Snodgrass

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (the Stimulus Bill, as it is commonly known) now includes consumer rebates for ENERGY STAR qualified appliances. Much like the Cash for Clunkers program, this green stimulus program will encourage consumers to trade their old, inefficient appliances in for newer, more energy-saving models. Appliances that will be included in the program are as follows:

• central air conditioners
• heat pumps (air source and geothermal)
• boilers
• furnaces (oil and gas)
• room air conditioners
• clothes washers
• dishwashers
• refrigerators/freezers
• water heaters

The program will be rolled out fully this fall (October 15, 2009) by the Obama administration and will involve $300 million that will be doled out to states that will then devise their own incentive programs for their residents. Rebates for upgrading to more efficient appliances will range anywhere between $50 and $200. It is unknown yet whether these incentives will be made available retroactively for previous purchases.

People are calling this a much-needed shot-in-the-arm for the appliance industry in the US since sales for that sector have flagged over the past year. Business Week put it this way:

The money can’t come soon enough for the home appliance industry, which is mired in an unprecedented sales slump that began when the housing market cooled in 2006. Since then that slump has worsened considerably. Shipments of washers, dryers, refrigerators, and ovens dropped 10% in 2008 and are down 15% through July, according to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers.

According to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, if every California household upgraded to ENERGY STAR appliances with the rebate program, it would result in utility savings upwards of $1.2 billion annually.

WEEE Man in Cornwall Via Flickr - law_keven

Appliance Recycling in Leiston Via Flickr - Adam Tinworth

Air conditioner Via Flickr - jeffk

Americans spend an enormous amount of money on cooling their homes every year. To be precise, air conditioners consume more energy than any other appliance in the average American home, accounting for about 16 percent of residential electricity use annually. Finding ways to reduce your cooling energy consumption is therefore a great way to cut energy bills and reduce your greenhouse gas emissions, too.

Go AC Green’s Cool-N-Save can purportedly cut your air conditioning bill down by 30 percent and has been featured on sites like Treehugger and shows like Living with Ed. It works by adding mist to the air. Here’s how they describe the process:

Hot air from the condenser unit’s fan raises the flap on the patented Cool-n-Save™ control valve allowing water to flow to the misters that surround the AC unit. When the ultra-fine mist is released into the air, it evaporates almost instantly creating what is known as a “Flash Evaporation,” which literally sucks heat out of the air as water absorbs the energy it needs to evaporate. The result of the immediate evaporation constitutes a substantial drop in ambient temperature without wetness—up to 30 degrees Fahrenheit.

The patented system is supposed to install without tools in five minutes to virtually any regular home air conditioning system. The system can be purchased for about $100, although you may have to also purchase the Cool-N-Save Water Expansion Kit if you have a larger condenser (in excess of 3.5 tons) for an additional $15. Filters are also available to ensure there’s no build-up from hard water.

Letting go of old lighting technology

There are those, it would seem, who are mourning the loss of their traditional bulbs and choosing to are stockpile the things before stores run out. Whether it’s because they prefer the light quality of an incandescent or that they have a hard time stomaching the higher sticker price, enthusiasm for the program is certainly not universal.

While I can sympathize with the frustration over light quality (I’ve got a few yellow-ish compact fluorescents lights (CFLs) in my home that make my reflected image look less than appealing), the financials for incandescents just don’t add up. Sure, it will cost more to invest in CFLs, but as officials at the European Union (E.U.) point out, the savings are tremendous. CFLs use up to 80 percent less power than a traditional bulb and last 10 times longer, by some estimates, making them the sound lighting investment.

Making large-scale environmental progress

By force or by choice, the E.U. is serious about cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2020, and this recent incandescent light bulb ban is just one way they’re doing it. Additional programs involve efficiency improvements in all sorts of consumer products, including televisions and washing machines.

Of course, the debate over the effectiveness of environmental legislation rages on, and this will certainly give us a good indication of how it works ahead of the US ban on incandescents set for 2012.

1. Find the small business development organizations in your community. You’ll want to look for names such as “Chamber of Commerce,” “Small Business Development Corporation,” and “Economic Development Council.”
2. Research potential funding opportunities. Check out the websites of these organizations to see what kind of funding they provide, or call the office to get an interview with one of the staff members. Most of these organizations will also have an extensive library on how to start or run a small business, local labor laws, state regulations, and so on. Avail yourself of these resources as well.
3. Draft a proposal. Next, you’ll need to come up with a solid business plan and then spin that into an enthusiastic grant proposal. You’ll need to demonstrate good business sense as well as how you will benefit the local community. If you need help writing your proposal, ask these organizations if they know of professionals who specialize in grant proposals. If not, search online at sites like Elance.com, Guru.com, and other job sites.
4. Get help. Your local chamber of commerce will have a long list of diverse members, including people like medical professionals, non-profit organizations accountants, attorneys, realtors, bankers, and county personnel. You can generally have access to these people through your chamber, so take advantage of their wealth of knowledge.

If you’re not able to find funding through your local chamber chapter, there are other funding sources you can seek out. The Small Business Administration (SBA) which has been given $730 million from the Recovery Act to help small business owners—whether you’re already in business or just thinking of starting up a new company. They are offering several ways to get assistance from the government, including:

• Tax incentives
• Debt relief programs
• Loan fee reductions and eliminations
• Higher guarantees
• Expanded microloans
• Secondary market incentives

Here are the things you need to know about getting funding through the SBA:

You must fit the definition of a small business. The definition of “small business” varies somewhat depending on the industry in (get the complete picture here), but here are the basics:

Your company has to be independently owned and operated and must not be dominant in its field on a national level.

1. You must be a for-profit business that operates in the US or that uses American products, materials, or labor.
2. Your company can either be a corporation, a partnership, or a sole proprietorship.

Determine what kind of assistance is available to you. There are many ways the Recovery Act funds will be used by the SBA, all of which aim to increase the number of loans and more liquidity to help new businesses open and keep existing businesses going. Here’s a quick list of some of the programs being proposed (find out more by contacting your local SBA office):

1. You may be able to secure an America’s Recovery Capital (ARC) stabilization loan, which offers deferred-payment stabilization terms for those businesses unable to make their current loan payments.
2. If you’re a new start-up, you may be able to take advantage of an expanded Micro-loan program for newly established and growing small businesses.
3. Loan fees may be reduced, eliminated, or refunded for loans made on or after February 17, 2009. More information can be found at the SBA’s Policy Notice.
4. If you already have a small business loan, you may be able to tap into the 504 Certified Development Company program for refinancing existing loans (this is for fixed assets only).
5. You may be able to apply for an SBA guaranteed surety bond. The maximum for these bonds has been raised with the Recovery Act funds. These are important fro small business owners who would otherwise not qualify for a surety bond.

Get training. If you still have questions or want to get some more information about the various types of financial aid, check out the SBA’s online training center for small businesses. They will help you determine exactly what kinds of steps you need to take to avail yourself of Recovery Act and SBA funding.

Apply. Once you’re familiar with the available financial opportunities and know how the system works, get down to business and start to put together a winning proposal!

But the SBA isn’t the only government source for funding. Grants.gov has a wealth of funding opportunities available to non-profits and for-profits alike. Getting funding through this site is a multi-step process that can take some time, but here are the fundamental things you’ll need to work on:

1. Register. First, you’ll need to register for the Grants.gov site in order to get a user name and password.
2. Get training. The Grants.gov site and system is relatively complex, so you’ll want to become an expert on how to use the site before diving in. This will make subsequent steps much less painful and time-consuming. The site has many user guides, FAQs, and site information to help you navigate your way through the maze.
3. Sign up for emails. The site has several listservs so that you can stay informed about various developments in the organizations. Sign up for the ones that are appropriate for your search to stay on top of timely changes and announcements.
4. Research granting opportunities. Here’s where it gets interesting! You’re now ready to explore the possible grant opportunities that are available to you. Search through the extensive list of funding options by searching with keywords, categories, agencies, and even by Recovery Act Opportunities.
5. Download and fill out the forms. Finally, you’re at the application stage! Once you’ve narrowed your list of potential grants to apply for, download the forms (each grant has its own special form) and get applying! Once you’ve filled out the forms, you submit them online and can then track the progress of your application as it goes through the system. This can take some time, so be prepared to be patient.

The Grants.gov system is another one that can be a bit complex, so if you find yourself lost, you may want to hire a grant-proposal expert to help you go through your options and narrow the results. This can also take the pressure off you and help to alleviate the stress of the various steps through the system.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (known as the Recovery Act) has infused billions of dollars into local governments to help businesses and consumers improve the energy performance of their buildings. The package allots $3.1 billion to state governments and another $3.2 billion to local governments. This money will be spent by these government agencies to spur energy efficiency upgrades to buildings, renewable energy development, and other energy-related projects. They offer a great way for your business to green-up your reputation, save money on energy, and help the environment.

The premiere source for all renewable energy and energy efficiency financial aid programs throughout the country—including those  is the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency, which allows you to search on maps, through categories, and by keyword. It is the most comprehensive and up to day, but here are some additional resources you can use to find the tax incentives and tax breaks available for commercial businesses:

• Business.gov Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency: http://www.business.gov/expand/green-business/energy-efficiency/get-started/tax-credits.html

• Business.gov State and Local Energy Efficiency Programs: http://www.business.gov/expand/green-business/energy-efficiency/state-local/

• ENERGY STAR New Commercial Tax Incentives Summary: http://www.energystar.gov/ia/business/comm_bldg_tax_incentives.pdf

• Alliance to Save Energy’s Energy Efficiency Tax Incentives Fact Sheet: http://ase.org/content/article/detail/2862

• EnergyTaxIncentives.org’s Tax Incentives Assistance Project (TIAP) for Businesses: http://energytaxincentives.org/business/

Each program has its own unique system for qualifying and applying for the government funding, so once you’ve found a program that fits well with your business, follow the instructions you find there for going through the process.