February 2012
3 posts
6 tags
With 300th Home Lighting Visit, Neighbor to...
Community Energy Waste Reduction Effort Touches 300 Homes in 14 Communities, Creating Dramatic Home Energy Cost Savings for Connecticut Homeowners
The Connecticut Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge, a community energy savings campaign that is helping Connecticut residents save money, reduce energy use and create vital green jobs in their communities, announced that its Clean Energy Corps has...
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Eco-Stars Receive More Than 5,000 Votes
Public voting opened last week for America’s Next Eco-Star, a nationwide search for the standout among our country’s next generation of energy leaders, and already more than 5,000 unique voters have cast their ballots for who they think deserves the ultimate title.
Nominees range from an eco-conscious rapper who goes by the name of “Mr. Eco” to a high school student who co-founded with her...
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EPA Names Top Green Power Purchasers
For stats on the country’s largest purchasers of clean energy, look no further than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s latest listing of Top Green Power Purchasers.
Once again, department store chain Kohl’s leads the Retail Top 20, with Wal-Mart, Whole Foods, Starbucks, and Staples rounding out the top five spots. Perhaps not surprisingly, the U.S. Department of Energy...
January 2012
5 posts
13 tags
Obama's Top 5 SOTU Energy Quotes
President Obama’s State of the Union address included several strong statements on America’s energy future. The president didn’t shy away from the opportunity to tout his successes and ask for more.
“Because of federal investments, renewable energy use has nearly doubled, and thousands of Americans have jobs because of it,” Obama said.
Here at SmartPower, we...
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Obama Gets It Right With Smart Power Energy Ad
President Obama recently launched a nationwide television ad campaign highlighting steps taken to make the U.S. energy independent and create an economy that’s built to last.
Despite critics’ efforts to knock him down, Obama has a lot to be proud of when it comes to energy policy. He has been a strong proponent of domestic energy production, supporting technology investments that...
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Join SmartPower's "Ask the #SolarCoach" Twitter...
SmartPower’s Solar Coach Dru Bacon will be hosting a Twitter chat at 4 PM (EST) today to answer people’s questions about solar.
Make sure you are following Solar Coach Dru Bacon at www.twitter.com/solarcoach!
You can join the chat by searching for #SolarCoach on Twitter once the chat begins at 4 PM to see what people are saying and join in the conversation by tweeting a question,...
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Connecticut Energy Challenge Grants $5,000 Reward...
The Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge continues to make great progress in the fourteen clean energy communities across Connecticut, helping homeowners save money on rising utility bills and reinvest in the local economy.
The program recently announced the winners of the highly competitive Community Group Rewards Competition, which rewarded participating community organizations for their...
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SmartPower COR Takes Massachusetts Energy Program...
SmartPower’s COR approach, including community outreach, online platforms/social marketing, and rewards and incentives, proved to be effective in Massachusetts as the four community outreach towns in the Western Mass Saves pilot program outperformed all others in terms of energy efficiency program signups.
A complete list of customer penetration rates, as measured by web signups for the...
December 2011
4 posts
2 tags
Town of Bedford, N.Y., recognizes local energy...
In a ceremony Monday night, officials in the Town of Bedford recognized 21 local homeowners (above) for their individual efforts to make their homes more energy efficient. These homeowners are projected to reduce energy consumption 10 to 40 percent, saving approximately $43,000 on their combined home energy costs – a significant achievement that Bedford hopes will catch on throughout the town...
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Happy Holidays from the whole SmartPower team!
From our family to yours, best wishes for a joyous holiday season and a prosperous new year.
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Arizona receives $710,000 grant to streamline...
The State of Arizona has been awarded nearly $710,000 as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s SunShot Initiative, which strives to get more solar on our nation’s rooftops.
The Initiative is a large-scale effort to make solar energy more accessible and affordable, and to accelerate domestic solar deployment nationwide.
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer was pleased to announce the grant...
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SmartPower to Schwarzenegger: You're dead wrong.
By Brian F. Keane President, SmartPower
In a Washington Post op-ed today, former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger argues we should vet all our clean energy investments to get a good return for the American people.
I’m with him there.
But, contrary to how you might think I come down on this issue, Schwarzenegger’s wrong about investing more federal dollars into clean energy...
November 2011
5 posts
3 tags
Celebrate Thanksgiving with family, turkey, and...
While you’re serving up your turkey and stuffing, SmartPower and the Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge are serving up holiday efficiency tips!
Some quick kitchen efficiency facts:
Use pots and pans that are the same size as your cooktop range burner to maximize efficiency and prevent energy waste.
When you can, prepare several dishes in the oven at the same time to cut down on...
SmartPower Government Services (SPGS) Partners...
In 2010 SmartPower partnered with The Concourse Group, an 11-year-old company that provides consulting services to private and public sector clients on federal privatization projects. Concourse’s expertise in federal pubic-private partnerships has resulted in over $2 billion worth of successful development projects on federal land.
SmartPower and the newly created SmartPower Government...
6 tags
For Clean Energy, Politics is Bad Business
Allow us to let you in on a well-kept secret:
Energy isn’t a political issue. It’s a consumer issue.
So explains SmartPower President Brian F. Keane in an eloquently worded Huffington Post piece this week. Calling out a recent Washington Post article about the huge gap between Dems and Republicans on clean energy, Keane says the mainstream media is off the mark:
While it makes...
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Help SmartPower win Mashable's Social Media Awards
SmartPower is in the running for Mashable’s “Must-Follow Non-Profit on Social Media” award, and you can help us win!
Here’s how to do it:
Visit the Mashable Awards site and choose to log in with either Facebook or Twitter (preferably, do both!).
Enter @SmartPower_org in the nomination field.
Choose “Must-Follow Non-Profit on Social Media” in the drop-down bar.
Leave the...
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Cape Wind hits new stumbling block
Nearly a decade in the making, Cape Wind - what will be America’s first offshore wind farm - was a done deal after receiving federal approval in April. Or so it seemed. Ever since, anti-wind groups have fought tooth and nail against the project, which would power most of Cape Cod and offset the consumption of 113 million gallons of oil each year.
The latest setback: a federal appeals...
October 2011
5 posts
4 tags
This Halloween, don't feed the vampire!
Did you know that your home is full of energy vampires?
Also known as phantom load, vampire appliances are things like cell phone chargers, microwaves, and even flat-screen TVs that continue drawing power from wall outlets even when they appear to be switched off.
The Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge has launched an energy vampire education campaign, just in time for Halloween! Flyers and...
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Westchester religious leaders preach energy...
ABOVE: Rabbi Jason Naverez handed out nearly 1,000 flyers in support of the “Care for the Earth Starts at Home” campaign during Yom Kippur services at Temple Shaaray Tefila.
Bedford, N.Y.’s Energize Bedford program recently partnered with local sustainability organization Bedford 2020 to launch a unique energy efficiency campaign with eight local houses of worship.
The...
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SmartPower to Celebrate America’s Sunniest City at...
Arizona SmartPower is thrilled to be partnering with the City of Yuma, Arizona Public Service, and the Yuma International Airport to host Solar Up Yuma, a day of solar fun and education for all!
Check out our press release below - and if you’re in or around Yuma on Friday, stop by for free food and a chat with our Solar Coach.
* * * * *
Arizona SmartPower to Celebrate America’s Sunniest...
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Steve Jobs leaves legacy of innovation in energy...
We opened up our daily POLITICO Playbook email today expecting to find the news of Steve Jobs’ death in the headline. What we did not expect to find was this: “Steven Paul Jobs, who made the world more efficient and enjoyable.”
While Mike Allen was likely referring to efficiency in the organizational and professional sense, we couldn’t help but think of the revolution in...
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SmartPower Scouts America’s Next Eco-Star at U.S....
Is America’s Next Eco-Star in West Potomac Park?
SmartPower staff members hoped to find out when they stopped by the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon Wednesday, where they canvassed the event’s grounds in support of SmartPower’s new sustainability video contest, America’s Next Eco-Star.
Launched in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy, America’s Next Eco-Star is a...
September 2011
11 posts
13 tags
Are you ready for some solar?
Above: “Solar Man” stands outside of FedEx Field in Landover, Md.
Football is back and D.C. is abuzz with the Redskins’ first 2-0 start in what feels like a century. But there’s something else making waves: the team’s recent decision to install solar power at FedEx Field.
The Philadelphia Eagles, arguably the most sustainably conscious team in America, have also...
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Solyndra: Not indicative of solar's bright future
It’s easy to look at Solyndra and think, That’s it for solar… But the reality is, it’s only just the beginning.
What happened with Solyndra is exactly what we discussed in a previous post. China is investing in and manufacturing solar power at such an incredibly fast rate that no other country can keep up.
Just last year, the China Development Bank invested $30 billion...
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General Motors rep discusses Chevy Volt at Arizona...
On September 7, Arizona SmartPower hosted its third Electric Vehicle Stakeholder Meeting at Arizona State University. We were joined by 40 people from diverse sectors and industries, all brought together with one common goal: advancing understanding of electric vehicles and how they will impact the state of Arizona.
SmartPower President Brian F. Keane introduced the first speaker of the day:...
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Think you're eco-smart? Take our Energy Quiz to...
SmartPower’s energy efficiency video competition is in full force as eco-savvy students and faculty nationwide gear up to compete for the title of America’s Next Eco-Star.
In the true spirit of college, SmartPower will launch a two-week-long Energy Quiz to test our followers’ knowledge of energy efficiency. The quiz will take place Sept. 19-30, Monday thru Friday.
...
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SmartPower celebrates launch of America's Next...
SmartPower, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy, has launched a nationwide campus search for eco-savvy individuals who will compete in an online video competition to earn the title of America’s Next Eco-Star. The title requires a commitment to energy efficiency and campus sustainability, in addition to strong storytelling and video skills.
Students are nominated by campus...
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There's no confusion about solar's success
If you follow solar news, you’ve probably seen a mix of good and bad press. Manufacturing plants are filing for bankruptcy while the number of residential and commercial projects are booming. What’s the deal?
Solar is getting cheaper.
The market price of photovoltaics continues to fall because China’s government pumps tens of billions of dollars in loans into the...
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A larger, more efficient fleet of commercial...
Back in April, President Obama announced the National Clean Fleet Partnership to get major corporate fleets aligned in their commitment to reduce oil consumption. The original partners included AT&T, FedEx, PepsiCo/Frito-Lay, UPS and Verizon. Five months later, the fleet has expanded to incorporate Coca-Cola, Enterprise Holdings, General Electric, Staples and more — collectively operating...
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SmartPower's Daniel Francis talks GOP and energy...
SmartPower Program Assistant Daniel Francis was recently approached by Think Talk Radio to represent the liberal perspective in a debate about the role energy policy will play in the 2012 presidential election.
Think Talk Radio acknowledges its “conservative ideals,” yet still values voices from all sides. Daniel represented the clean energy side, supporting presidential candidates...
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Lessons learned: Reaching "peak coal" in China
China, like the U.S., relies heavily on coal for electricity. Even if you ignore the health and environmental problems that come with the black rock, you’ll find that coal is not capable of meeting all of our energy demands. And China is learning this the hard way.
China has a supply and demand problem: With an increasing population and a rapidly growing economy, the demand for power is greater...
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What's new: Keep up with Western Mass Saves on...
You already know about Western Mass Saves, our residential energy efficiency efforts in the Western Massachusetts Electric Co. service territory. Now you can stay up-to-date between newsletters and blog posts!
Follow Western Mass Saves on Twitter at @WMSChallenge.
And hit “Like” below to tap into our Facebook news feed:
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Just how much will EPA coal-fired plant regs...
…Not as much as some would have you believe, according to EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson.
In an op-ed in the Huffington Post, Jackson says the claims that her agency’s plans to regulate air pollution from dirty coal-fired power plants are an economic “train wreck” waiting to happen, leading to plant closure and job loss, are a bunch of nonsense:
On the issue of...
August 2011
6 posts
8 tags
This week’s cues for the next era of electric cars
It’s been a good week for electric cars — a pleasant break from all the fretful talk of low sales. While consumers may be having a difficult time making the leap from fuel-efficient cars to all-electric plug-ins, it appears manufacturers — and even the rental car companies — are full speed ahead.
Volkswagen will unveil a one-seat experimental electric car this September in Berlin. And CEO...
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SmartPower staff saddles up during Traverse City...
A bike meeting in Traverse City: (left to right) SmartPower Program Assistant Pat Doherty, SmartPower Vice President Jonathan Edwards, SEEDS Project Manager Mike Powers, SEEDS Executive Director Sarna Salzman, and Michigan Land Use Institute Policy Specialist Brian Beauchamp.
SmartPower staff members Jonathan Edwards and Pat Doherty recently visited Traverse City, Michigan, where SmartPower is...
SmartPower Ventures Announces Strategic...
SmartPower Ventures, the leading marketing firm solely dedicated to energy efficiency and renewable energy in the United States this week announced a strategic partnership with Welectricity Inc, based in Kingstown, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, to promote household energy efficiency across the Caribbean. The partnership combines the award winning and nationally acclaimed marketing of...
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Reps from Nissan North America, SWEEP speak at...
ABOVE: Russell Vare of Nissan North America addresses stakeholders at the July 26 meeting.
Arizona SmartPower held its second electric vehicle (EV) stakeholder meeting on July 26. Fifty people participated in this follow-up meeting, launching even more constructive discussions about EVs and their potential in Arizona. (Read about our first meeting here.)
The meeting, facilitated by Arizona...
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Ford Focus EV to come with solar option
Interested in an electric car that you could power with the sun? Then consider Ford’s all-electric Focus, which - through an innovative partnership with solar provider SunPower - will include an option to install a 2.5 kilowatt solar system on the car owner’s roof.
Solar panels, to be mounted on the car owner’s house, wouldn’t necessarily directly charge the electric...
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Duke Energy plans 200MW wind project in Texas
It’s getting windier in Texas: Duke Energy is planning a 200MW wind farm.
From PennEnergy:
Duke Energy Renewables, a commercial business unit of Duke Energy, will build, own and operate the 200-megawatt (MW) Los Vientos I Windpower Project in Willacy County, approximately 120 miles south of Corpus Christi and 20 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico.
Duke Energy will sell all of the...
July 2011
9 posts
4 tags
Brian F. Keane: "Debt talks remind me of high...
SmartPower President Brian F. Keane has a brand new column on the Huffington Post, taking House Republicans to task for walking away from the debt ceiling negotiation table - especially since bipartisan efforts have solved big fiscal problems in the past:
Twenty years ago I worked for two U.S. senators, one Democrat, Paul Tsongas (D-Mass.), and one Republican, Warren Rudman (R-N.H.). They had...
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Former SmartPower intern helps American University...
ABOVE: Solar panels atop a building on American University’s campus.
Keep in touch with your summer interns! Many of them go on to do great things. In a brand new Huffington Post column, SmartPower President Brian F. Keane discusses just that:
Take Joshua Kaplan. When Josh, then a junior at American University in Washington, D.C., began his internship at SmartPower, my first comment to...
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SmartPower President Brian F. Keane talks consumer...
CLICK HERE TO WATCH ON E&ETV’S WEB CHANNEL
Thanks to Monica Trauzzi for having SmartPower President Brian F. Keane on E&ETV today! Brian discussed consumer barriers to clean energy adoption, as well as what the current administration is doing to break down some of those barriers.
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Electric vehicle refueling one-tenth the cost of...
You already knew electric cars were gorgeous and incredibly innovative. But now there’s proof of how good they are for your pocketbook:
Under current utility electric vehicle (EV) tariffs, it is always cheaper to recharge an EV than to fuel a conventional gas-powered vehicle, according to a new study released today by Northeast Group, LLC. The study benchmarked and analyzed the first...
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SmartPower's D.C. interns visit Tesla Motors...
Last Thursday, the staff at Tesla Motors’ Washington, DC, showroom were nice enough to let us stop by and learn more about the infamous Tesla Roadster (seen above with SmartPower’s DC interns Sarah Kiner, Chandler Clay and Mark Ellis). Things you might not know about the Roadster:
It gets 254 miles per charge.
A full recharge only costs $5 in electricity.
Tesla batteries last 7-10...
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Nissan working on solar-powered Leaf charging...
Electric vehicles are just the beginning: Nissan is thinking ahead, working on ways charge its lithium-ion batteries with the sun’s rays:
In the new charging system, demonstrated to reporters Monday, electricity is generated through 488 solar cells installed on the roof of the Nissan headquarters building in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo.
Four batteries from the Leaf had been placed in...
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Going the distance: Are motorcycles more efficient...
Via the infographical folks at GOOD, here’s a visual comparison of the efficiency of various vehicles.
It turns out that motorcycles - which require the lowest per-person, per-mile energy consumption - travel the least distance, on average, per year. Meanwhile, individual airplanes - which at capacity are more efficient than cars and buses, but less efficient than motorcycles and trains -...
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Climate scientists lay down the real rap on global...
Finally… a rap video starring climate scientists. What took you so long, Internet?!
Climate scientists are often confused with conspiracy theorists and denialists, and real climate scientists have had enough. Two such scientists Dan Ilic and Duncan Elms joined together to write and perform a hip/hop and rap music video showing who real climate scientists are.
Best line:...
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June 2011
12 posts
5 tags
That new Nissan Leaf ad looks familiar...
Nissan has released a fairly brilliant new ad (above) for its all-electric Leaf. The ad invites us to imagine what it would be like if all of our appliances - from the alarm clock to the hairdryer to our office computers - were powered by gasoline.
We thought this was especially clever … because we had seen it before! The new Leaf ad is incredibly similar to “Generation,”...
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Utility executives: key partners in building clean...
Last month, President Obama tapped clean energy specialist John Bryson to head the Commerce Department. Bryson is a former utility executive and a co-founder of the Natural Resources Defense Council.
In a new Huffington Post column, SmartPower President Brian F. Keane says this appointment makes it clear that the ill affection toward “bad guy” utility companies is making way for a...