Energy Efficiency
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What's transactive energy? PNNL's Carl Imhoff fills in the blanks
Upon entering Thursday’s Conference and Workshop on Transactive Energy in downtown Portland, I really only had one question. What, exactly, is the working definition of transactive energy? Turns out,…
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Bill them later: A round-up of Oregon's energy measures
Last week’s Future Energy Conference included plenty of talk about pending legislation that could sway Oregon’s energy outlook. A panel that included Gov. John Kitzhaber’s Energy Adviser Margie…
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Future Energy Conference: Four tips on reenergizing your building
Chris Smith's company Energy 350 focuses on managing the energy demand of buildings. It makes sense, then, that Smith, speaking at Wednesday's Future Energy Conference, offered a set of rapid-fire pieces…
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Future Energy Conference: Google's search for renewables
Sam Arons, a member of Google Inc.'s Global Infrastructure team, captivated a crowd of about 300 energy industry types Tuesday afternoon at the Northwest Environmental Business Council's Future Energy…
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Future Energy Conference: Getting more efficient
Utility experts told attendees of the Future Energy Conference that their industry faces several questions as customers, in looking to reduce their various energy footprints, demand more efficient options. The…
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Six Oregon schools make 'Green Colleges' list
Six Oregon universities have landed on Princeton Review's annual Guide to Green Colleges. Presented in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council, this year's Green Colleges list features 322 public…
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Future Energy Conference: Five trends that are 'stressing out' the PUC's Susan Ackerman
Susan Ackerman, the chair of the Oregon Public Utility Commission, told Future Energy Conference attendees this morning she has five things on her mind. They’re “stressors” that, as Ackerman said…
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The Oregon Resilience Plan: A call to expand the sustainability conversation
Resilience and sustainability are not the same, but they have a lot in common. Resilience tends to be concerned with the capacity to withstand and recover from disasters, both natural and human-caused. Both…
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Gallery: Energy efficiency, mainstream amenities define 'Next Home'
From the outside, this house looks like a typical, high-end single-family home. The 2,730-square-foot Southwest Portland project dubbed 'Next Home' is nestled on a slope north of Taylors Ferry Road. But…
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Wanted: balanced solutions to environmental problems
As the coordinator of the Oregon Conservation Network, a coalition of 44 organizations working to pass pro-conservation laws and protect our natural legacy, balance defines my work. Am I meeting the needs…
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Low-energy kilns power Oregon Craft College
Oregon College of Art and Craft is getting fired up about sustainability. The Portland school has added two ceramics kilns made by the Netherlands-based company Blaauw Products. The kilns, which use 60…
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NEEA nails new data on home energy use
The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, known as NEEA, last week announced the first results of a comprehensive survey of home energy use in the Northwest, the first time such data has been collected…
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Texas renewable energy advocates face tough season
Renewable energy advocates are bracing this session to defend critical policies that have helped Texas become the leading wind-power state, the Texas Tribune reports. The ascendancy of the Tea Party,…
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NW Energy Angels invested close to $4.7M in 2012
Regional investment network Northwest Energy Angels announced Tuesday that the group invested $4,696,500 in 15 cleantech companies in 2012 — the biggest investment year since the group was founded in…
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Feds offer $150M in clean energy tax credits
The U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Treasury have announced $150 million in energy manufacturing tax credits for clean energy and energy efficiency manufacturing projects in the U.S. The Advanced…
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Oregon energy loan program under scrutiny
A powerful lawmaker wants the Legislature to investigate a popular state loan program that recently made headlines for a series of bad loans, including a loan to ReVolt Technology, a battery technology…
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Portland startup Byngo marries sustainability with gaming
Lewis & Clark College is among several colleges and companies teaming with software startup Byngo to test-drive the Portland-based company's new cloud gaming software this week. Despite its name, the…
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Portland council set to approve rebate program for commercial efficiency upgrades
Portland City Council is expected to vote next week to approve a rebate offering — called Bucks for Buildings — designed to help small businesses make energy efficiency improvements. Starting this…
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Building energy benchmarking gets underway in Washington D.C.
Building owners across the District have three months to accumulate energy use data for nearly 1,100 properties and submit it to the D.C. government for mandatory benchmarking. The final benchmarking…
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Energy Trust has $1M for large solar project developers
Energy Trust of Oregon put out a call this week for large solar projects that would operate in Portland General Electric's territory or sell power to the utility. The nonprofit has $1 million in its budget…
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Nest to raise $80M for smart thermostats
Nest, makers of smart, sleek thermostats that learn user behavior and adjust to save residents money, has reportedly raised $80 million, according to tech blog GigaOm. GigaOm said the company is shipping…
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Sacramento sees a quiet cleantech boom
Revenue and employment from Sacramento area cleantech manufacturing and design companies both got big boosts in 2012, setting new records for the region’s cleantech sector, according to a report released…
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PNNL, Oregon State get $2.8M from Department of Defense
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory will receive up to $2.8 million from the federal government to develop an energy-efficient air chilling system that could be used by troops on the front lines. PNNL…
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Oregon startup refining solar-powered rooftop ventilator
An Oregon startup landed a commercialization grant from Oregon BEST that will fund its work with the Oregon Institute of Technology to refine its solar-powered building ventilator for a national product…
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Battle Ground schools tap Ameresco for $3.9M efficiency upgrade
The Battle Ground School District will work with Ameresco Inc. on a $3.9 million energy savings performance contract that will be partially paid for by a $1 million grant and some $322,000 in rebates from…
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