Silicon Valley played host this week for the Department of Energy’s “Apps for Energy” awards presentation. Five teams came away with $75,000 in prize money. Their winning software apps could turn into profitable businesses in a vacuum left by the hasty exits of Microsoft and Google.
Buyer education is a never-ending task for manufacturers of light fixtures. With advances in areas such as color and dimming, light-emitting diodes are evolving faster than the public’s knowledge about them. Misconceptions persist, even among architects and lighting designers. As LEDs overcome their technical limitations, the conversation turns to the up-front cost.
What will it take for light-emitting diodes to achieve critical mass in the lighting marketplace? The biggest obstacles have been cost and cast. These futuristic nanofiber and nanoparticle technologies could overcome both.
Opower and NRDC announced a new app that uses smart meter data to let residents compare their energy consumption to that of their friends on Facebook. Initially 16 utilities are participating.
Efficiency Tomorrow is an automated sustainability advisor and advocate. It nudges small businesses and consumers by providing tips and information to help them take steps to sustainability and make better choices for the environment.
On-bill financing, a relatively new tool that allows customers to pay for energy efficiency investments though their utility bills, is extending opportunities to underserved markets, according to a new study released today by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).
