This week in energy efficiency news…
Schneider Electric was nominated for a BCTIA Technology Impact Award for its construction of a high-power MicroGrid Lab in Burnaby to facilitate the design and testing of Schneider Electric’s revolutionary SE1 1500V platform for utility-scale solar plants.
More about Schneider Electric’s nomination
Montgomery County, Md., has become the first county in the nation to pass an energy benchmarking law, requiring owners of large nonresidential buildings to track and report their properties’ energy use. The county follows nine major U.S. cities – Austin, Boston, Chicago, the District of Columbia, Minneapolis, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle – that have enacted similar laws to cut energy waste, lower utility bills, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Montgomery County’s new law requires the annual benchmarking, or tracking, of energy use in county-owned nonresidential buildings with an initial deadline of June 1, 2015; the benchmarking of privately owned nonresidential buildings of 250,000 or more square feet by Dec. 1, 2016; and the benchmarking of private nonresidential buildings of 50,000 to 250,000 square feet by Dec. 1, 2017.
More about Montgomery County’s new energy benchmarking law
Philips has achieved Energy Star certification for the new SlimStyle bulb, enabling it to qualify for instant energy efficiency program rebates. Philips has worked with The Home Depot to lower pre-rebate pricing on the SlimStyle bulb to $8.97, making it one of the most affordable 60-watt LED equivalent bulbs on the market. Moreover, after applying available instant energy efficiency program rebates, the price of the lamp will be significantly lower. For example, in some states, consumers could see pricing as low as $3.97 on the shelf at The Home Depot. As of next week, consumers in the state of Maine will be among the first to see prices as low as $1.97 after Efficiency Maine rebates, making the SlimStyle an innovative rival to the incandescent.
More about Philips’ new SlimStyle bulb
ForceField Energy announced that it completed the acquisition of American Lighting & Distribution, based in San Diego, Calif. American Lighting is a leading energy-efficient, commercial lighting specialist with over 20,000 installed customers and standing relationships with many major California utilities, including Pacific Gas and Electric, Southern California Edison, and San Diego Gas & Electric. ALD reported unaudited revenues of approximately $7.0 million in 2013, with adjusted EBITDA in excess of $900,000, or a 13 percent EBITDA margin.
