Affordable housing is disappearing; energy efficiency and solar energy can help reverse that trend
Many low-income individuals and families are finding it increasingly difficult to rent apartments, but energy efficiency and solar energy can help save affordable multifamily housing. ACEEE’s new report shows how building owners are combining energy efficiency upgrades and rooftop solar systems to reduce energy use and lower their energy bills. [ACEEE Blog]
How a D.C. law firm installed solar panels to help low-income people save on utilities
Ever wondered how community solar works? Jeff Lesk and Herb Stevens, of the law firm Nixon Peabody, decided to install solar panels on the firm’s office in DC's Chinatown neighborhood and to make them benefit the city’s most vulnerable residents. And they can even explain the complex process simply. [Washington Post]
How solar emergency microgrids provide resilience to vulnerable communities
Microgrids have become crucial to the rebuilding effort in Puerto Rico in the six months since Hurricane Maria. When the next hurricane season starts up again in June, hospitals and medical clinics must be equipped to power lights, refrigeration for medication, and life-saving equipment. Solar emergency microgrids will ensure continuous operation of critical loads at these facilities. [pv magazine]
Energy Efficiency is the Global Economy’s “Hidden Fuel”
There may already be a new source of energy within the global power grid: energy efficiency. While the term is often associated with localized changes aimed at reducing the power bill, energy efficiency goes further than just reducing energy consumption. [Investing News Network]
More Than Half of New Energy Jobs Last Year Were In Efficiency
How many people work in energy efficiency in the United States? It’s not an easy number to figure out, but a new report by the Energy Futures Initiative (EFI) and the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) gives us the latest and best calculation – and the numbers are impressive. [ASE Blog]
Vermont law 'ups the ante' on energy efficiency
Vermont Republican Gov. Phil Scott last week signed a bill that aims to raise the ante on energy efficiency and drive more federal action. The new standards apply to a variety of appliances, including computers and monitors, air compressors, urinals and showerheads. The law also corrects a loophole for some types of fluorescent lights. [Utility Dive]