In a development that is good for national security, consumers’ wallets, and tree-huggers’ consciences, the latest projections from the US Department of Energy expect our production of energy to grow faster than our consumption. EIA projections show U.S. energy production growing faster than consumption through 2040
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Opportunity on Mars and on Earth
In a recent discovery by the Mars Rover, Opportunity, NASA has found evidence that there was once water on Mars; potable water that you could drink. Mars, at one time could support life. When I think about the red planet and its similarity to the earth, it makes me want to check my toilets for…
Water, wind, and sun: helping to power America
The forces of nature are among the “green and clean” sources of electric power generation. While the United States is a world leader in terms of total KWH generated via renewable sources, it produces only about 13% of our total power. Many hope to see the renewable portion increase in the future for reasons of…
Should we be worried? America’s power infrastructure is getting older
You may have heard that many water utilities around the country are increasing their rates in order to help offset their rising capital costs to maintain and upgrade their aging infrastructure. But do these same concerns relate to electric utilities? How old are U.S. power plants?
Solar PV installations are on the rise
Wind energy gets most of the renewable energy attention these days, but solar PV has been growing too. As the technology grows more affordable, perhaps you have communities worth considering. For more info, see: Utility-scale installations lead solar photovoltaic growth New EIA data show total grid-connected photovoltaic solar capacity
How to compare electricity, natural gas, and other energy uses with a common unit of measure
Rental properties use electricity, natural gas, and other forms of energy. These commodities do not have a common unit of measure by default. NWP’s Consumption Smart and other tools help to make these conversions, but sometimes you have a need to understand and make the conversions on your own. How can we compare or add…
Green Button Promising to Give Millions of Americans Better Handle on Energy Costs
In September 2011, former White House Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra challenged the utility industry to make energy data more available to their customers, using one standard all providers could agree upon. A standard has been developed and is called Green Button. It provides millions of utility customers with easy access to a downloadable copy…
Who said the only thing we have to fear is fear itself?
Franklin D. Roosevelt said “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself” in his inaugural address on March 4, 1933. Despite that these words were spoken prior to my birth, I am connected to them. You are connected to them. For those of you that read this website, you are looking for something. You…
How Net metering policies impact you
Net metering is the name of state and local policies that allow consumers to sell power back to the grid. For communities that are considering generating power on site, knowing the local regulations on net metering might make a big impact on your ROI. For more info, see: Policies for compensating behind-the-meter generation vary by…
Eight Green Credentials you should know about
When you hear the topic of green certification for buildings, LEED is typically one the first things to come to mind. But the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is not the only legitimate option. The City of San Francisco recently began recording sustainability labels of buildings in their official…