GreenBiz

Feb. 29, 2008
These items are condensed from the GreenBiz newsletter, a twice-monthly newsletter, which went out last week covering the latest news in the green market of interest to the readers in the electrical industry.

These items are condensed from the GreenBiz newsletter, a twice-monthly newsletter, which went out last week covering the latest news in the green market of interest to the readers in the electrical industry. The newsletter is compiled by the editors of EM, EW and Electrical Construction & Maintenance. If you would like to subscribe to GreenBiz, go to http://subscribe.ewweb.com/subscribe.cfm.

Eoff Electric’s energy savings

Eoff Electric Supply, a subsidiary of Sonepar USA, won the “Outstanding Contributions Award” from The Energy Trust of Oregon. The annual award is presented to an electrical distributor that contributes the industry’s greatest overall amount to energy savings. This is the third year in a row that Eoff Electric Supply has brought home the top honor.

Gil Amestoy, energy management specialist for Eoff Electric, headed up several projects aimed at cutting energy costs throughout various industries. He has achieved significant energy savings in a number of warehouse facilities, manufacturing facilities and office spaces. Recently, Amestoy removed all 400W and 1,000W metal-halide lamps from a manufacturing facility, replacing them with a 4-lamp and 6-lamp T5/HO system. The project saved $80,000 in yearly costs for the facility.

ComEd launches new green campaign

ComEd, the mammoth Midwestern utility, has launched the year-long “12 Ways to Green” campaign to raise awareness about energy efficiency and other environmental initiatives that could save customers $155 million.

The Commercial and Industrial Prescriptive program provide businesses a menu of incentives for pre-approved, environmentally friendly lighting, motors, HVAC equipment and chillers. Commercial and industrial customers would receive an incentive from ComEd for the implementation of these technologies.

Other commercial/industrial incentives are available for more complex projects, such as industrial processes, that provide energy efficiency savings.

ComEd provides service to approximately 3.8 million customers across northern Illinois — 70 percent of the state’s population.

Watch out for NanoSolar

If you want to keep an eye on some of the latest thinking in the photovoltaics industry, visit the blog published by NanoSolar’s CEO Martin Roscheisen. The blog offers some fascinating insight into the radically new thinking behind NanoSolar’s technology. The San Jose-based company has won accolades for its innovative thin-film solar panel, including the “Top Innovation of the Year Award” from Popular Science magazine. Backed by a bevy of blue-chip investors, Roscheisen plans to bring down the price of solar-generated electricity to $1-per-watt. NanoSolar has figured out how to print solar cells on thin sheets of aluminum with a printing press, eliminating much of the waste in traditional manufacturing processes used produce solar panels.