From John Shannon, who writes about green energy, sustainable development and economics. Email him at john[AT]borderstan.com.
Embedding Sustainability As A Core Value
An international team of Volkswagen executives at the LEED Platinum certified VW plant in Chattanooga, Tenn., plant, following the ‘Think Blue’ five-year (2012-2018) global sustainability initiative, have developed a comprehensive, four-stage Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology that now serves as the template for its manufacturing facilities worldwide.
Baseline references in four key performance indicators (KPIs) — energy, water, waste, CO2 and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) — have been established to mark progress.
With Think Blue, VW management aims to reduce carbon and greenhouse gas emissions, water use, waste, and (VOCs) at its manufacturing facilities another 25% by 2018. (Information courtesy of cleantechnica.com.)
BMW to Power Leipzig Factory with Wind Energy
In addition to winning many prestigious awards for sustainable production practices, BMW is powering its Leipzig factory with four massive wind turbines located near the vehicle assembly facility which pumps out over 200,000 cars per year. (See BMW Group Dow Jones Sustainability Index Leader for 8th consecutive year.)
Mercedes Benz Making Electric Models Exciting
2014 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive. (Courtesy AMG)
Mercedes too, has upped the ante of super clean energy and sustainable production practices and the largest selection of all-electric vehicles in the world.
Not all electric drive and hybrid cars need to be boring, perhaps this little blue number will pique your interest.
Mercedes says the 2014 Mercedes Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive will hit 62 mph in 3.9 seconds and seconds later, you will find that it is electronically limited to 155 miles per hour.
AMG’s latest supercar comes with 740 of the quietest horsepower you will ever own and can be recharged in three hours.
The automakers have responded to calls for sustainability in their production facilities and vehicle materials and continue to post huge gains in those areas.
But who would have thought that they could make sustainability so much fun for consumers? I’m getting on the bandwagon all over again.
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World Energy Map. (Courtesy of tqe.quaker.org)
From John Shannon, who writes about green energy, sustainable development and economics. Email him at john[AT]borderstan.com.
Governments have decided collectively that the world needs to limit the average global temperature increase to no more than 2°C and international negotiations are engaged to that end. Yet any resulting agreement will not emerge before 2015 and new legal obligations will not begin before 2020.
Meanwhile, despite many countries taking new action, the world is drifting further and further from the track it needs to follow.
The energy sector is the single largest source of climate-changing greenhouse-gas emissions and limiting these is an essential focus of action. The World Energy Outlook has published detailed analysis of the energy contribution to climate change for many years.
But, amid major international economic preoccupations, there are worrying signs that the issue of climate change has slipped down the policy agenda. This Special Report seeks to bring it right back on top by showing that this dilemma can be tackled at no net economic cost. Access it at WEO Special Report 2013: ES – Redrawing the Energy Climate Map.
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From John Shannon, who writes about green energy, sustainable development and economics. Email him at john[AT]borderstan.com.
DC’s Capital Bikeshare program. (Luis Gomez Photos)
DC has fallen in love with Capital Bikeshare (although not everyone in DC loves bikes, bikers or bike lanes). The system has grown in numbers of bikes, stations and users ever since its opening. It has made parts of our city more accessible and helped many Washingtonians get into better shape.
However, in New York City the story might seem different with the opening of Citi Bike, at least according some detractors. New York’s bike sharing plan might even be a totalitarian plot!
Dorothy Rabinowitz, of Wall Street Journal Editorial Board fame, has criticized New York City’s bike share infrastructure plan in a video, which can only be characterized as an indignant rant, complaining that the bikes and ostensibly the people who ride them, are mucking up the scenery for her and her friends.
Apparently, “we now look at a city whose best neighborhoods are absolutely, you know, begrimed, is the word… by these blazing blue Citibank bikes, in all the finest, most picturesque parts of the city.”
She says, “the majority of citizens are appalled by what has happened,” and, “the bike lobby is an all-powerful enterprise.”
How all-powerful you may ask? Let’s ‘hit the streets’ to find out! Here are comments that accompanied a New York magazine article.
- Just how powerful is the bike lobby? So powerful that you’ve never heard of it.
- WSJ thinks that the bike lobby is all-powerful, but oil companies, arms manufacturers and Goldman Sachs are just victims.
- “The majority of citizens are appalled by what has happened.” a line often used by someone who is part of a definite minority.
- Truly disturbing interview by Dorothy Rabinowitz. Even the WSJ interviewer inserted a reality check by mentioning that no pedestrians have been killed by NYC cyclists in the past 4 years, yet there have been nearly 600 deaths of cyclists and pedestrians by cars. Dorothy didn’t pause for a split second before starting her rant.
- Love the curmudgeons. If Ms. Rabinowitz looked at one bike, she would see the Rules of biking right on the handlebars. Those poor taxicabs don’t stand a chance against a bike – better watch out.
As is often the case with these kind of stories, the fun is in the comment sections, but some serious and thoughtful comments were posted on NYC websites and on YouTube.
- bikeshare is great. an urban game changer. only problem is that the smart-dock technology is outdated: http://inventropolis.com/bikeshares-technological-…
- How come no one has noticed that the citibike app continually posts the wrong information about the bikes available at the bike stations? The number of bikes that are supposedly available is off by double or triple the number of bikes — right now E45 and 3rd is supposed to have 4 bikes and it has 13. I just passed 3 stations in Midtown East and all were way off.
- @driverseven – Use Spotcycle app – it’s 10,000 times better. Plus it has all the OTHER cities with bike share.
In a growing city of 8.3 million people, according to an NPR piece on March 13, apparently there is only one disgruntled voice so far to complain about NYC’s new bike-share system.
Even at this early stage of New York City’s bike-share program, that statistic must surely qualify it as a resounding success.
Hats off to New York City, hats off!
Helmets “on” though, riders!
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From John Shannon, who writes about green energy, sustainable development and economics. Email him at john[AT]borderstan.com.
Cleaner energy and cleaner air by mid-century? (Courtesy drsoram.com)
Most of the world’s energy supply is fossil fuel-based — 86.2%. However, that statistic is set for unprecedented change as recent successes in renewable energy foretell of a cleaner energy future.
World energy consumption increases every year, while the kinds of energy we use is changing, and environmental standards are (unequally) improving worldwide.
In short, we are using more energy — but it is “cleaner” energy.
For instance, half of the added electrical capacity every year comes from renewable energy. And with major political initiatives in many countries promoting renewable energy, it is realistic to think that the share of renewables will increase over the coming decades.
Natural Gas Boom
Even major petroleum companies are changing their ways.
A recent, landmark report by Royal Dutch Shell illustrates a dramatically new order among the various kinds of energy and how the energy we use will change over the next 80 to 90 years. In Shell’s “New Lens Scenarios – A Shift in Perspective for a World in Transition” the company discusses two different scenarios, named “Mountains” and “Oceans” in our global energy future.
The boom in natural gas figures prominently, with natural gas quickly ramping up to become the number one type of energy in the world by 2030.
“The underlying pent-up demand for gas is very strong… we see it being sucked up, every molecule.” – Jeremy Bentham, the main author of Shell’s “New Lens Scenarios – A Shift in Perspective for a World in Transition,” talking about the anticipated level of demand for natural gas between now and 2030
21st Century Trends
- Solar energy becomes the dominant kind of energy by the mid-2060s supplying 38% of all demand worldwide. By 2060, the report has PV solar power moving from today’s 13th place, into 1st place, to provide at least 38% of global energy demand. (See “Shell Sees Solar As The Biggest Energy Source After Exiting It in 2009.“)
- Due to enhanced carbon capture and storage and clean combustion technology, “Global emissions of carbon dioxide dropping to near zero by 2100.”
- Shell’s “New Lens Scenarios” states, “By 2100, energy from oil will account for only 10% of worldwide energy use and natural gas will account for just 7.5 percent of the global total.”
While the “energy produced to emissions released ratio” looks utterly dreadful over the short term, over the long term it looks quite wonderful. If only we had a time machine to take us to the latter half of this century, we could all go for a nice breath of fresh air.
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From John Shanno, who writes about green energy, sustainable development and economics. Email him at john[AT]borderstan.com.
Bike for better health. (Luis Gomez Photos)
We all want to feel healthier, and many people these days ‘want to do their part’ to lower their personal carbon footprint. One way to do both at the same time is to ride a bike whenever you can. It is obviously a good thing to do.
But when you are traveling, it can be difficult to lug your bike around just so that you can take a daily, hour-long ride in Naples, Barcelona, Miami, or other warm and sunny place.
Rapid Growth of Bike Sharing Systems
You may be surprised to know just how many bikes are available for rent at low cost, or are completely free to use, from the so-called Bicycle Sharing Systems (BSS) in many of the world’s cities. The total number of bikes available from these various systems around the world at the end of 2011, was 236,000 bicycles.
That’s right, from five European-only operations with less than 100 bicycles 10 years ago — to more than 375 BSS worldwide, with 236,000 bikes in almost every country as of the end of 2011. BSS is a textbook definition of high growth!
According to Wikipedia, the Hangzhou Public Bicycle program, which was launched in 2008 in China, is the largest bicycle sharing system in the world, with around 61,000 bicycles and more than 2,400 stations. The Vélib in Paris, which encompasses 20,000 bicycles and 1,450 bicycle stations is the largest outside of China. Other countries with similar systems are Spain (100-plus), Italy (80), and Germany (50).
There are many compelling reasons to have a bike-sharing operation in your city or town. If you drive part way to work in the city, many cities have convenient and low cost parking areas for your car which is where you pick up a bike. Done with your bike? Just pull out your smartphone, it will display a drop-off point close to you.
Does your city have a bike-sharing program or low cost bike-rentals? If it doesn’t, ask why not.
CitiBike Coming to New York
Solar powered bike-docking stations are popping up across New York City in preparation for the launch of the United States’ largest bike-sharing program, CitiBike. The initial roll-out of the program will include 300 stations and 5,500 bikes. A few years ago, the city’s department of transportation (otherwise known as NYC DOT) started replacing single-space parking meters with bike parking. Now, many more parking spaces will be converted into CitiBike hubs, according to Meribeth Deen, EnergyBoom.com.
Cities such as Washington, DC can’t install bike stations fast enough to keep up with the demand — even with their time-weighted pricing schedule. The DC program has been called a victim of it’s own success.
Advantages to Society
From a government perspective, having healthier citizens will help to lower total health infrastructure expenditures and overall health care costs, while cleaner air and less traffic congestion in downtown or tourist areas can improve access, lower infrastructure costs and improve the visitor experience — meaning visitors might stay longer and spend more money
For daily commuters or for tourists from outside the immediate area, adding the option of affordable bikes, means lower gasoline and parking costs. It adds convenience, health and enjoyment to their visit
So, the next time you are planning to run errands downtown all day (and trying to find parking spots) or if you are enjoying a weekend at the beach, ask yourself; Would my life be more enjoyable and would I spend less money on parking fees and gasoline, if I simply rented a bike?
Of course it would. Enjoy getting that extra sunshine! It will do you a world of good.
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From John Shannon, who writes about green energy, sustainable development and economics. Email him at john[AT]borderstan.com.
Renewable energy in DC. (Luis Gomez Photos)
Borderstan’s John Shannon interviews Harry Warren, the president of Washington Gas and Energy Services, to find out more about the future of renewable energy in DC. Part I of the interview ran Wednesday and Part II ran on Friday.
Borderstan: What do corporate executives think of renewable energy, generally? Is it an easy fit, a normal upgrade, or is it troublesome to implement into an existing grid?
Harry Warren: I think they are very interested to learn that buying grid connected wind power is very easy to do and very affordable.
Our clients span corporations, governments and non-profits such as the University of Maryland, Panera Bread of Maryland, Mandarin Oriental, Washington, D.C., and The Phillips Collection. That’s a testament to how enthusiastic many leaders are about renewable energy options. You can see a more complete list of companies and organizations that we work with here.
Borderstan: Understanding that the wind can’t blow all the time, what is the backup power for wind and how much capacity is required? Does having to keep all that spare capacity available, actually save any money?
Harry Warren: The power grid operates with a variety of power plants constantly coming on line, going off line, and ramping production up and down to meet the varying demand for electricity over the course of the day and over the course of the year. There are always power plants idle and ready to generate more as part of the overall plan to assure reliable power. So, nothing special is needed to back up wind power. Load just shifts to other power plants when the wind isn’t blowing. When the wind is blowing, other power plants, many of which burn fossil fuels like coal, ramp their operation down.
Borderstan: When did, and why has, wind power suddenly become comparable with other kinds of electrical energy production in terms of electricity rates?
Harry Warren: The cost of wind power has come down significantly in recent years for a number of reasons, with the big driver being the increase in demand for clean energy in the U.S. and abroad. That demand has created economies of scale in the wind industry and supported research into more efficient wind turbine design and wind farm operation. In 2012, more new wind power capacity was built in the U.S. than any other type of power plant. So today, it costs as little as a fraction of a cent per kilowatt hour for a customer to include wind power as part of their electricity supply.
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From John Shannon, who writes about green energy, sustainable development and economics. Email him at john[AT]borderstan.com.
WGES is introducing new offers for residential customers. (Luis Gomez Photos)
Borderstan’s John Shannon interviews Harry Warren, the president of Washington Gas and Energy Services to find out more about the future of renewable energy in DC. Part I of the interview ran Wednesday.
Borderstan: Thank you for sharing your thoughts with Borderstan readers. Do you see WGES opportunities for renewable energy other than wind power?
Warren: Our parent company, WGL Holdings, is making very large investments in solar power, not only in the greater Washington, D.C. area, but around the country as well. Through affiliated companies like Washington Gas Energy Systems the corporation has invested more than $150 million. We own two large solar projects in D.C., a set of systems at Catholic University and another set at American University.
Borderstan: What WGES projects or plans are in the near future?
Warren: In the weeks ahead we are introducing some new offers for residential customers to allow them to buy renewable energy and carbon offsets in a packages suited to their needs.
We are offering new residential customers in Washington, D.C. a special WGES Green Energy Bundle, which includes both 100% WGES CleanSteps® WindPower and 100% WGES CleanSteps® Carbon Offsets. Customers that sign up not only help to improve air and water quality in their region, but they also receive a $75 VISA® Debit Card. DC residents can take advantage of this offer by going to www.wges.com/greenmeup and using the code: BUNDLEDC.
We are also offering a new product we call WGES Blanket Bill™ Plus. The Blanket Bill™ is a natural gas supply offer where each household receives a customized fixed monthly price for its entire gas bill including WGES natural gas supply charges, utility charges, taxes and all other fees. Unlike utility budget bills, there is never any true up or extra payment no matter what the weather. WGES Blanket Bill™ Plus customers also get 100% of their natural gas use matched with WGES CleanSteps® Carbon Offsets. To get a WGES Blanket Bill Plus quote, DC residents can request a quote for WGES Blanket Bill™ Plus by sending an email to blanketbill[AT]wgesinfo.com.
Read Part III of this interview this Monday, April 29.
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From John Shannon, who writes about green energy, sustainable development and economics. Email him at john[AT]borderstan.com.
Union Station is now powered completely by wind energy. (Luis Gomez Photos)
Borderstan’s John Shannon interviews Harry Warren, the president of Washington Gas and Energy Services to find out more about the future of renewable energy in DC.
Borderstan: Thank you for making time for the Borderstan community. Washington, DC’s Union Station recently decided to switch to 100 percent wind power from WGES. How much energy does Union Station use per year and how many tons of greenhouse gases will their switch to wind power save?
Warren: Union Station’s electricity use is 19,000,000 kilowatt hours annually, about the same as 1,500 homes. The switch to 100 percent WGES CleanSteps® Wind Power will avoid more than 13,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions per year. This is comparable to avoiding the annual emissions of 2,700 cars using 1.4 million gallons of gasoline.
Borderstan: What does the future hold for renewable energy at WGES? Do you see solar, biomass, or Power Purchase Agreements with other renewable energy producers as part of that future?
Warren: The awareness about renewable energy that prestigious end-users like Union Station create is something we will look to capitalize on in communicating to other businesses and institutions throughout the region. Of course, Washington, DC, as a city, is a recognized leader when it comes to renewable energy. Currently 11.4% of the city’s energy — more than one billion kilowatt-hours annually — comes from green sources, making it the nation’s #1 EPA Green Power Community.
Beyond wind power sales, another near term focus is our WGES CleanSteps® Carbon Offsets product, which matches locally sourced carbon offsets to a customers’ natural gas usage. WGES CleanSteps® Carbon Offsets support independently verified emission-reduction projects in our region and also help to fund new projects, such as tree plantings along rivers and streams that flow into the Chesapeake Bay. That local focus makes WGES CleanSteps® Carbon Offsets a unique product and program.
Read Part II of this interview here on Borderstan this Friday, April 26.
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Union Station now powered by 100 percent wind energy. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From John Shannon, who writes about green energy, sustainable development and economics. Email him at john[AT]borderstan.com.
DC’s Union Station is now powered by 100 percent wind energy. The popular tourist site has signed a three-year contract for 100 percent WGES CleanSteps® WindPower from Herndon-based Washington Gas Energy Services. Union Station previously used 50 percent wind power for its electricity needs.
According to Roy Staeck, vice president of business development for Union Station, “Reducing our environmental impact is a key priority for Union Station and using renewable wind energy greatly aids us in decreasing our carbon footprint. As one of the most visited tourist destinations in the world, Union Station’s switch to wind energy through Washington Gas Energy Services is an important milestone in its history and a great opportunity to inform visitors about wind energy’s viability for businesses of all sizes.”
Month-long Interactive Eco-friendly Event
Union Station is hosting Earth Month 2013, a month-long event throughout April featuring interactive, eco-friendly experiences designed to raise awareness of environmental issues and encourage sustainability. Presented by Earth Day Network and the Premier Tourist and Landmark Association, this event will reach the more than 100,000 visitors who travel through Union Station’s doors each day.
As an event sponsor, Washington Gas Energy Services will educate attendees about how they can reduce the environmental impact of their energy use through carbon offsets and wind power.
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From John Shannon, who writes about green energy, sustainable development and economics. Email him at john[AT]borderstan.com.
Change the light bulb. (Luis Gomez Photos)
With spring right around the corner, you might be thinking about washing your carpets and sweeping the porch, but have you thought about cleaning out your energy bills? The average DC household spends more than $2,200 a year on energy.
With summer months of higher energy usage ahead, spring is a great time to evaluate your in-home energy use and take advantage of rebates to upgrade your appliances and lighting.
Lighting and Appliances
Whether you are replacing light bulbs or appliances in your home, ENERGY STAR qualified products can help you save energy and reduce energy bills.
- Save water, energy, and time. ENERGY STAR clothes washers use 35-50% less water and 50% less energy per load. Most ENERGY STAR clothes washers do not have a central agitator which causes less wear and tear and fewer wrinkles, plus, it increases the capacity.
- Save money. Using advanced technology and better insulation, ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerators use half the electricity of standard models and can save you up to $1,100 on energy costs over their lifetime.
- Upgrade for less. The DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DC SEU) is offering discounts on energy-efficient lighting and appliances. Download $50 easy-to-use mail-in rebates for ENERGY STAR qualified clothes washers and refrigerators at DC SEU.
- Brighten up. Lighting accounts for about 20 percent of annual household electricity bills, or approximately $200 per year. Compact florescent light bulbs (CFLs) and long-lasting light emitting diodes (LEDs) offer higher quality light than incandescent bulbs and use less energy. Find retailers in your area with CFLs for prices as low as $1 and download $5 and $10 rebates for ENERGY STAR qualified LEDs.
Heating and Cooling Maintenance
Nearly 50 percent of the energy used in your home goes to heating and cooling. To prune your energy bill this spring, maintain your cooling equipment.
- Keep it clean. Dirt and neglect are the top causes of heating and cooling system failure.
- Schedule a checkup. Have a licensed contractor make sure your system is operating at peak performance.
- Check your system’s air filter. When it is dirty, change it. At a minimum change it every three months.
For more information on the DC SEU, visit their website or contact Hanna Grene at 202-309-3839 or hgrene[AT]@dcseu.com.
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From John Shannon, who writes about green energy, sustainable development and economics. Email him at john[AT]borderstan.com.
In 2012 the total installed U.S. wind capacity was 50,000 MW, enough to power 12 million homes annually, and an 18-fold increase since 2000. (Photo courtesy U.S. Department of Energy)
Until now, U.S. government buildings in DC have had 50 percent of their electrical power needs met with wind-turbine powered electricity supplied by Washington Gas Energy Services (WGES) CleanSteps® WindPower. That percentage increased recently to 100 percent as part of the government’s renewable energy target and building efficiency improvement plan.
According to WGES, using 100 percent wind power for electricity means that the DC Government avoids using the equivalent of almost 32.8 million gallons of gasoline — equal to taking 61,000 cars off the road for a year. The world’s fastest-growing energy resource, wind power, displaces conventional power, reduces carbon dioxide and helps cut air pollution.
“Going green helps foster economic growth and creates modern and vibrant communities across the District of Columbia,” said Brian J. Hanlon, director, D.C. Department of General Services. “Our goals are to become more energy efficient and reduce our carbon emissions, and our strategic partnership with WGES is playing a role in helping us achieve these objectives.”
Even before this announcement, DC held the record among U.S. cities for the highest total renewable energy use at more than one billion kilowatt hours per year — or, 11.4 percent of it’s total electricity consumption. (For a complete breakdown of U.S. cities and their renewable energy use in 2012, see the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Green Power Community Challenge Rankings.)
“We have stated our mission for Washington, DC, to be the cleanest, greenest city in the nation, which includes the use of renewable energy for our power sources. We’re proud that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recognized Washington, DC, as the leading Green Power Community for our commitment to purchase green power,” said Keith Anderson, Director, District Department of the Environment
In his National Geographic NewsWatch piece, Sam Brooks, associate director of the DC Department of General Services and head of its Energy Division, said, “Conservative estimates indicate a long-term purchase of regional wind power could save more than $100 million over 20 years.”
What could be better than breathing clean air while saving $100 million?
Related Articles
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Expert Voices: Sam Brooks, Associate Director of the Washington, DC DGS (National Geographic).
-
DC Government Agencies Switching to 100% Wind Energy (Scientific American).
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Green Power Community Challenge Rankings (epa.gov).
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Wind Powering America (windpoweringamerica.gov).
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Wind Program (energyefficiencyrenewableenergy.gov).
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How Does a Wind Turbine Work? Interactive animation & related information at the: (U.S. Dept of Energy, Energy Efficiency Renewable Energy program).
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Renewable Energy Hits the Roof (jbsnews.com).
Notes
- The U.S. Department of Energy funds R&D to develop wind energy. Learn about the DOE Wind Program, how to use wind energy and get financial incentives, and access wind energy information.
- In the District of Columbia, Maryland and Pennsylvania, businesses, organizations, government entities, institutions and residents can buy their electricity and natural gas supply from retail energy providers. Customers in Virginia may buy natural gas and customers in Delaware may buy electricity from retail energy providers. To learn more about WGES and its CleanSteps® products, visit WGES or call 1-888-884-9437.
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From John Shannon who writes about green energy, sustainable development and economics. Email him at john[AT]borderstan.com.
DC SEU won a 2013 ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award. (Luis Gomez Photos)
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded the DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DC SEU) a 2013 ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award as part of the Northeast Retail Products Initiative. DC SEU won the award in recognition of its continued leadership in protecting our environment through energy efficiency.
The initiative, facilitated by Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) and made up of utilities and energy efficiency program administrators in New England, New York and DC, will be recognized at an awards ceremony on March 26, 2013.
In 2012, the DC SEU sold more than 43,000 compact florescent light bulbs (CFLs). This year, the DC SEU has already sold more than 80,000 CFLs and now offers rebates for ENERGY STAR qualified light-emitting diodes (LEDs), clothes washers, and refrigerators.
“Working with local retailers, the DC SEU is committed to ensuring energy-efficient products are available to all District residents throughout the city,” said Ted Trabue, managing director of the DC SEU.
An ENERGY STAR Partner since 2000, the Northeast Retail Products Initiative will be honored for its long-term commitment to energy efficiency. During the last 13 years, the Initiative has won 14 awards including six Excellence Awards.
“Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships is committed to speeding the adoption of high efficiency products in the region through our partnership with the DC SEU in the Retail Products Initiative,” said Sue Coakley, Executive Director of NEEP.
For more than 20 years, with help from ENERGY STAR, American families and businesses have saved more than $230 billion on utility bills and prevented more than 1.8 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.
The 2013 Sustained Excellence Awards are given to a select group of organizations that have exhibited outstanding leadership year after year. These winners have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by setting and achieving aggressive goals, employing innovative approaches, and showing others what can be achieved through energy efficiency. Award winners are selected from about 20,000 organizations that participate in the ENERGY STAR program.
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From John Shannon who writes about green energy, sustainable development and economics. Email him at john[AT]borderstan.com.
An electric vehicle at a charging station. (Luis Gomez Photos)
What if you could buy a car and (except for the normal taxes, insurance, maintenance and parking stall fees, etc.) you could drive it around for free? What I’m talking about is fuel, which for most people is a major cost these days.
Steve: In Los Angeles, the gas price is hovering around $4 per gallon. At that price, ‘Steve’ uses about $21 of gas (5.3 gallons) to travel 96 miles every weekday. He is likely to spend $106 per week in mixed driving, totaling about $425 per month.
The question is: What would ‘Steve’ rather do with $5,100 per year?
If you want an easy way to calculate vehicle fuel costs, miles per dollar (mpd) works as good as anything – and for this hypothetical SUV it costs about $0.22 per mile to drive in mixed traffic. (Maintenance, taxes, registration, parking, etc., are not included in these figures.)
Suzy: Her Hybrid Prius also does a lot of stop and go city driving. Her EPA sticker says she should get 48 miles per gallong (mpg) city driving and 45 mpg highway driving. At $4.00 per gallon for gas, she uses $8.00 of gas (2 gallons) to travel 96 miles. Her cost per mile? Suzy’s Prius costs about $0.08 per mile to drive in mixed traffic. (Maintenance, taxes, registration, parking, etc. are not included in these figures.)
Ken: He drives a Nissan LEAF, which doesn’t even have a gas tank — because it is an electric vehicle, but the EPA sticker on the car when it was new advertised an equivalent of 95 MPG, which is expressed as 95 MPG-e.
Scenario A: If Ken charges his car’s battery pack at home, he pays for the electricity to charge it resulting in an electricity cost of $0.04 per mile. Depending on how Ken drives and his electricity rate, each $1.00 of stored electricity could get him up to 25 miles.
Scenario B: If Ken uses the many available and free fast-chargers placed around the city to recharge his EV battery pack, he doesn’t pay anything per mile — as most 30 minute fast-chargers for electric vehicles are free to use in the United States. In which case, his cost is $0.00 per mile. Buy the car, drive it for free! (Maintenance, taxes, registration, parking, etc., are not included in these figures.)
It may interest you to know that there are over 11,500 electric vehicle chargers in the United States as of January 2013, with more are being added every month. They are easily located via smartphone app and are conveniently located in almost every U.S. city.
Now, what to do with that extra $5,100 each and every year?
Author’s Note: These numbers are hypothetical examples, your costs and/or savings will be determined by your city’s gas prices and your vehicle mileage. Your electricity rate only matters if you choose to charge your EV at home — instead of at a 30-minute fast-charging station, where you can fully charge it for free!
Related Articles
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Electric Vehicle charging stations. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From John Shannon who writes about green energy, sustainable development and economics. Email him at john[AT]borderstan.com.
Charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) are popping up all over the place these days, not just in Washington, DC — and that’s a good thing! Ford Motor‘s Mike Tinskey has said the total number of charging stations in the United States has risen sharply in the past few years to more than 11,500 installed units.
How to find them has been a problem in the past. But that is changing as sophisticated smartphone apps are now providing better information and easier access to EV charging points. Manufacturers of charging stations are forming vast complementary and interconnected charging networks across the country that are available via the new smartphone apps. Which is handy, and a good way to increase range and perhaps your EV’s overall performance, not to mention lowering anxiety.
One such network is ChargePoint, now the world’s largest EV charging network.
“Through ChargePoint, DBT USA can now provide station owners and EV drivers features including the ability to help with trip planning, manage the cost of charging, and find and operate public stations.” – Green Car Congress
More and better charging stations, entire charging networks made easily accessible via smartphone, combined with recent, significant price drops for EV’s — what’s not to like?
Car manufacturers are getting into the game directly and Nissan‘s new network will initially start with 40 of their so-called eVgo Freedom Stations to be installed throughout the greater Washington, DC area — thereby becoming the first network of public fast chargers in the region. Owners of cars like the Nissan LEAF will enjoy the eVgo experience as these fast chargers can give an 80% charge in 30-minutes. Time for a latte? Of course, there’s no range anxiety here.
Ford’s MyFord Mobile teams up with PlugShare to give real-time information on nearby charging stations for Ford hybrid-electric and EV vehicles as you drive through the countryside or city.
“It is a little known fact that the majority of charging stations are currently free to use. By giving drivers a clear view of the reality of charging, PlugShare and Ford are showing more and more drivers that now is a great time to start driving on electricity,” Forrest North, CEO of Xatori, which makes PlugShare, said in a statement. “With our real-time, crowd-sourcing features that include photos, reviews and check-ins, PlugShare has quickly become one of the largest and most popular charging station locators in North America.” – PCMag.com
The MyFord system will conveniently and automatically locate the nearest charger to your favourite pizza joint, Starbucks, the mall, or wherever it is that you are going. I love it when technology plays this nice!
MyFord Mobile is available in the App Store and Google Play. Car information is also accessible on the Web via myfordmobile.com.
Related articles
- Ford taps PlugShare for EV charging app (sfgate.com)
- Nissan to Build 500 EV Fast-Charge Stations in U.S. Within 18 Months (treehugger.com)
- Report: KC is electric vehicle ‘ready’ (kansascity.com)
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From John Shannon who writes about green energy, sustainable development and economics. Email him at john[AT]borderstan.com.
The migration to large cities around the world continues. (Luis Gomez Photos)
A massive shift in demographics has taken place in the past few decades as millions of people leave rural lands and move to ever-expanding cities. This phenomenon is not limited to any one continent, it’s happening everywhere.
Today, more than half the world’s population live in cities and close to 80 percent of global economic and environmental output is tied to cities — as opposed to rural or undeveloped areas. The migration of people towards cities looks set to continue for some time.
And not alone in this is New York City, where the Big Apple’s three-term Mayor Mike Bloomberg recently commented about the NYC experience.
“Recent college graduates are flocking to Brooklyn not merely because of employment opportunities, but because it is where some of the most exciting things in the world are happening — in music, art, design, food, shops, technology and green industry. Economists may not say it this way but the truth of the matter is: being cool counts. When people can find inspiration in a community that also offers great parks, safe streets and extensive mass transit, they vote with their feet.”
“New York has an impact on the rest of the world” — according to Bloomberg. “The environmental stuff, whether or not it reverses climate change, influences you and your kids today–the air you breathe, the water you drink, the economy you have, the opportunities you have. Today. That’s how you sell the environment. Don’t try to sell it for 40 years from now. Think ‘my air, my water.’ And cities are where it’s all going to happen,” according to Bloomberg.
Acting in their own self-interest, a growing list of cities are joining together to find and share new environmental and economic solutions via the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40), which “is a network of the world’s megacities committed to addressing climate change.”
Acting both locally and collaboratively, C40 Cities are having a meaningful global impact in reducing both greenhouse gas emissions and climate risks. Through a partnership with the Clinton Climate Initiative, C40 brings together a unique set of assets and creates a shared sense of purpose. C40 offers cities an effective forum where they can collaborate, share knowledge and drive meaningful, measurable and sustainable action on climate change (C40).
As cities now comprise more than half of the world’s total population, which is slightly more than 7-billion as of January 2013, it makes sense for responsible and visionary leaders to find solutions to common problems and to find better ways to enhance the enjoyment of citizens. From Vancouver, Canada, to Washington, DC, to Copenhagen, Denmark, mayors and other civic leaders are at work improving the present model for more than three billion city-dwellers worldwide.
- Explore an interactive list of the C40 Cities and their current initiatives. (C40)
- Explore our latest research further to learn more about our work. (C40)
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