Unmanned Aircraft To Study Southern California Smog And Its Consequences - Science Daily, May 8, 2008.
Using sophisticated unmanned aircraft, research scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego hope to assess Southern California's potential for climate change and better understand the sources of air pollution.
Bright Future for Daylight Harvesting System - News10.net, April 21, 2008.
With its white walls and a skylight beaming rays of sunshine through the roof, a lighting lab at UC Davis could hold a key to conserving energy and saving money. Professor Konstantinos Papamichael is exploring ways to develop a sensor that automatically adjusts indoor lighting based on measurements of outdoor lighting.
Video Link
Enlighten Your Customers - EC&M, March 1, 2008.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, lighting alone accounts for 44% of a building's energy usage - more than any other source (including HVAC systems or office equipment). For educational buildings, that figure rises to 56%. Therefore, the installation of energy-efficient lighting systems and controls can reduce the electric bill considerably. It's not uncommon for buildings and campuses to report an energy savings of 60% or more after installing these types of systems.
2007
Finelite "Personal" LED Lighting System is an Approach that Works - Compoundsemi Online, November 8, 2007.
The idea is simple enough. If you can provide sufficient lighting on the individual workspace, such as with these LED-based desk and under cabinet lamps, then the need for overall ambient lighting is reduced.
CORRECTIONS (10/16/07) - SF Chronicle
A story Monday on measuring greenhouse gases in the atmosphere contained incorrect information based on an error in a Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory document. Texas emits the most greenhouse gases, followed by California. With its 546 million tons a year of emissions in 2004, California released about 7 percent of the total U.S. emissions, according to federal and state agencies.
Scientists gauge greenhouse gases above S.F. in warming experiment - SF Chronicle (SFGate.com), October 15, 2007.
In a first-of-its kind experiment, a group of university and government scientists has begun to monitor greenhouse gases in the air above San Francisco.
Measuring Our Success Reducing Carbon Emissions - Capital Public Radio, October 16, 2007.
It's one thing to talk about reducing greenhouse gasses to combat global warming, or to pass laws like last year's landmark AB 32 in California. But how will we know if we're having any success? A new, local program measures pollutants in our air.
TV tower may help experts tune in on Valley emissions - Recordnet.com, October 16, 2007.
A television broadcast tower one-third of a mile high could give scientists their clearest picture yet of the greenhouse gases that swirl invisibly in the Central Valley sky.
Sites to gauge emissions from region - Contra Costa Times, October 16, 2007.
California's legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is the toughest in the nation, and now scientists will be better able to monitor how successful the state's efforts are.
Tower to gauge climate success - Sacramento Bee, October 16, 2007.
Sensors will help show if Valley is reducing emissions quickly enough.
TV Tower Tests to Measure Greenhouse Gas Emissions - KRON 4 T.V. (video), October 16, 2007.
Sensors will help show if Valley is reducing emissions quickly enough.
Green ventures rake in money, but their power can rise and fall - SFGate, May 13, 2007.
Renewable energy companies saw their revenue grow by 39 percent last year to a total of $55.4 billion globally, according to Clean Edge, a clean energy research group.
Israeli study finds air pollution cuts vital mountain rainfall - Israel21c, May 10, 2007.
In a study carried out with Chinese researchers, Prof. Daniel Rosenfeld discovered that airborne particulate pollution from China's factories and vehicles is seriously reducing rainfall in hilly areas of the country, a phenomenon that will have dire consequences for water resources.
Urging Energy Efficiency In Everyday Life - KGO-TV April 25, 2007.
Next week, United Nations scientists, meeting in a conference in Bangkok, are expected to release a new study urging every citizen of the world to utilize technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. That includes embracing energy efficiency in industry and in everyday life. Professor Michael Siminovitch is the director of the California Lighting Technology Center at U.C. Davis.
Commentary by Evan Mills - Forbes, April 23, 2007.The notion of a necessary tension between energy and environment is one of the false dichotomies falling by the wayside in the energy-environment conversation.
DC power for data centres - Zero Down Time, March 21, 2007.
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and its consultants, Ecos Consulting and EPRI Solutions had recently completed studies that concluded that there was a large energy saving potential inherent in the power conversions that occur in data centers.
Food waste getting new life at Chico State - Chico Enterprise Record, April 8, 2007.
Two programs using food byproducts include a project to create methane to fuel the energy needs at the University Farm on Hegan Lane, and another to create biodegradable plastic.
Tecogen Launches First CHP Product to Run Seamlessly On and Off the Utility Grid, Using an Advanced Control System - Marketwire, March 28, 2007.
TECOGEN news release: Premium Power Module CM-100 Delivers Energy Cost Savings, High-Quality Power and Hot Water
BlueFire Ethanol Fuels Approved for California Energy Commission Grant of $1,000,000 - Marketwire, March 20, 2007.
On March 14th, 2007 BlueFire (PINKSHEETS: BFRE) was one of three companies selected to receive funding from the California Energy Commission (CEC).
Transported Black Carbon a Significant Player in Pacific Ocean Climate - Web Wire, March 14, 2007.
Soot and other particulate pollution from Asian sources make up more than 75 percent of black carbon transported at high altitudes, according to a Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego-led study.
Asian pollution contributes to California warming - Mongabay.com, March 14, 2007.
Pollution from Asia may cause warmer spring temperatures on the West Coast of the United States according to a new study led by scientists at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, at the University of California San Diego.
State says global warming may impact water supply - Central Valley Business Times, March 12, 2007.
New research finds that air pollution particles, responsible for decreased rainfall in China, may also affect California's water supply, the California Energy Commission says.
Cow power means money from manure via electricity - Sacramento Bee, February 17, 2007.
Cal-Denier Dairy in Galt has a deal with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District to capture methane gas from cow manure to generate electricity.
PIER 4.5 Research Receives Recognition - Finelite Press Release.
The research conducted by Finelite and the California Energy Commission, through its PIER program, continues to receive recognition by the lighting industry.
Waste not - Sacramento News & Review, Feb. 1, 2007.
Organic leftovers a renewable source of energy? Davis center demonstrates that it works.
Project converts biomass and food processing waste into useable energy - PlantServices.com, January 5, 2007.
Approximately 8 tons of food waste from the San Francisco area's finest restaurants has been processed weekly through the Biogas Energy Project at the University of California, Davis.
2006
UC Davis to research plug-in hybrids with state grant - Central Valley Business Times, December 15, 2006.
Scientists at the University of California, Davis have gotten a $3 million grant from the California Energy Commission for a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle research center.
New Technology Turns Food Leftovers Into Electricity, Vehicle Fuels - Uc Davis, October 24, 2006.
Starting today, tons of table scraps from the Bay Area's finest restaurants will be turned into clean, renewable energy at a new UC Davis research and technology demonstration facility.
Leftover Food To Fuel New UC Davis Energy Project - CBS13.com & Associated Press, October 24, 2006.
The University of California, Davis started an environmentally friendly power plant Tuesday that will convert tons of table scraps from San Francisco Bay area restaurants into renewable energy.
Bay Area Restaurant Leftovers Converted To Energy - NBC11.com & Associated Press, October 24, 2006.
The University of California, Davis started an environmentally friendly power plant Tuesday that will convert tons of table scraps from San Francisco Bay Area restaurants into renewable energy.
"Powerful Leftovers" - By Sharon Stello, davisenterprise.com, October 24, 2006.
Tons of broccoli spears, melon rinds, fish bones and other food scraps from Bay Area restaurants will be transformed into natural gas and electricity in a waste-to-energy system that starts Tuesday at UC Davis.
"Power lunch: Bacteria turn leftovers to energy" - By Edie Lau, Sacramento Bee, October 24, 2006
With the help of billions of hungry bacteria, a University of California, Davis, engineer has cooked up a system to extract energy from table scraps.
"High-Tech Approach To Energy Conservation" - By David Louie, KGO-TV/DT.
With our air conditioning running full blast, energy conservation is on everyone's mind. Managers of the state's power grid are asking that we keep our afternoon electricity use to a minimum. High-tech equipment is a prodigious user of energy, but now an innovative program is underway in the Bay Area to help alleviate that problem. - article online & dated June 22, 2006.
"Energy-Efficient Direct-Current-Powering Technology Reduces Energy Use in Data Centers By Up to 20 Percent" - LBL News, June 21, 2006.
Scientists Develop Simple Alternative for Harvesting Daylight and Saving Energy" - News Rleases from Rensselaer Polythechnical Institute, April 19, 2006. "California Lighting Technology Center Offers 'Daylighting Academy' - A new course for architects, designers and builders at UC Davis illuminates the growing practice of incorporating natural light into building designs to save energy and improve lighting quality." Actual Website - UC Davis
article online & dated March 17, 2006.
2005
"UC Davis Bathroom Light Promises Savings and Safety" - UC Davis News, May 27, 2005.
2004
UCB center wins funding to develop wireless lighting controls - UC Berkeley news, September 24, 2004
"Berkeley Lab to Operate PIER Demand Response Research Center for California Energy Commission. New Center Will Evaluate and Develop Technologies and Strategies to Reduce Electricity Use, Power Price Increases, Threats to the Electric Grid - LBL News June 30, 2004.
2003
"New laws reshape, fuel solar power growth, Rebates generate call for more energy businesses" - Sacramento Business Journal article dated October 20, 2003.
GeoPraxis Awarded Key Funding Projects for gbXML and New "Green Building Studio" Web Service. News release on GeoPaxis website dated September 22, 2003.
Energy Info Source story "California Energy Commission uses Enterprise Energy Management to Research the Impact of Distributed Generation on the Utility Grid" dated July 15, 2003.
Energy User News story "Hotel Hosts Energy-Efficient Lighting Controls" (posted 5/29/03) about PIER-funded project at the DoubleTree Hotel in Sacramento.
Solar Today magazine had a feature story in its May-June issue on the PIER program's building-integrated photovoltaic research.
"Sacramento hotel to host demonstration of energy-efficient lighting control system based on Berkeley Lab research". News release from Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, March 17, 2003
Cover article "Winding Up" features Wind Turbine Co. Mechanical Engineering Magazine, January 2003 issue
2002
"Call for Participation: Utilities Seek More Capacity from Existing Right of Way" (article mentions EPRI project SliM - Sagging Line Mitigator - funded by Energy Commission) Transmission & Distribution World, December 1, 2002
"Birds collide with power lines. Deadly results cause outages" Monterey Herald, December 8, 2002
"Advanced Distillation Technology Could Boost Refinery Capacity, Reduce Energy Use, and Decrease Pollution, says EPRI" EPRI News Release, December 5, 2002
"First-Of-Its-Kind Power Project Fires Up In Silicon Valley" Energy Info Source, October 2, 2002
"World's First Fuel Cell-Gas Turbine Hybrid Now Operating in California" U.S. DOE News Release, March 27, 2002
"Lamp lights way to energy savings" United Press International, March 24, 2002
"First Microturbines Meet CA Grid Interconnnect Standards" Energy Users News,February 22, 2002
2001
US EPA Honors PIER Program Recipient November 28, 2001
Bright Lights, Big City? Not Ideally lighting.com article
UC Berkeley Deploys Free Berkeley Lamps June 12, 2001
Berkeley Lamp Now Available to the Public
