Smart Energy Decisions News

Energy Efficiency - January 6, 2017

Toyota has improved energy efficiency 24% in 5 years

On a path toward a net positive environmental impact, Toyota recently released its 2016 environmental report for North America, tracking its progress on a number of long-term goals and its laser-sharp focus on improving energy efficiency.

Energy Efficiency - January 6, 2017

ASHRAE issues updates to refrigerant standards

ASHRAE has published two new major refrigerants-related standards as a package, with 30 new refrigerants and refrigerant blends added.

Energy Storage - January 5, 2017

Tesla Gigafactory begins battery cell production

Tesla Motors Inc. and Panasonic Corp. have begun mass production of lithium-ion battery cells at Tesla's Gigafactory in Nevada.

Solar - January 5, 2017

Bloomberg: Solar to become cheapest power source

Though solar generated power is already cheaper than coal in some parts of the world, new data from Bloomberg New Energy Finance suggest that may be the case globally, on average, by 2025.

Energy Storage - January 4, 2017

Massachusetts moves to create energy storage targets

Massachusetts is moving forward with plans to establish targets for the use of energy storage after the state Department of Energy Resources deemed such targets as prudent.

Regulation - January 4, 2017

Green group challenges Duke Energy monopoly

A North Carolina environmental group is taking a challenge to a long-standing state policy preventing the sale of electricity by parties other than a utility to a court of appeals.

Utilities - January 3, 2017

WSJ: Cyberattacks renew power grid security concern

While a recent article reporting that Russian hackers had penetrated the U.S. electric grid was later proved incorrect, renewed alarm about the security of the country's infrastructure is not without merit, according to a recent report from The Wall Street Journal.

Sourcing Renewables - January 3, 2017