Uncategorized

How NREL Consumes 74% Less Energy Than National Average for Office Buildings

June 23, 2015

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory consumes 74% less energy than the national average for office space. NREL has a supercomputer, a plug-and-play megawatt smart grid and laboratories.

Lisa Cohn

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory consumes 74% less energy than the national average for office space. NREL has a supercomputer, a plug-and-play megawatt smart grid and laboratories. The lab used state-of-the-art technologies to achieve the savings and took advantage of incentives from utility Xcel Energy. The total project cost of the efficiency efforts was $596,486, the lab got $259,915 in rebates, and the investment is expected to pay back in a little more than a year. Shanti Pless, senior research engineer at NREL explains what NREL did in this podcast.

About the Author

Lisa Cohn | Contributing Editor

I focus on the West Coast and Midwest. Email me at [email protected]

I’ve been writing about energy for more than 20 years, and my stories have appeared in EnergyBiz, SNL Financial, Mother Earth News, Natural Home Magazine, Horizon Air Magazine, Oregon Business, Open Spaces, the Portland Tribune, The Oregonian, Renewable Energy World, Windpower Monthly and other publications. I’m also a former stringer for the Platts/McGraw-Hill energy publications. I began my career covering energy and environment for The Cape Cod Times, where Elisa Wood also was a reporter. I’ve received numerous writing awards from national, regional and local organizations, including Pacific Northwest Writers Association, Willamette Writers, Associated Oregon Industries, and the Voice of Youth Advocates. I first became interested in energy as a student at Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, where I helped design and build a solar house.

Twitter: @LisaECohn

Linkedin: LisaEllenCohn

Facebook: Energy Efficiency Markets