Customer Side Resources
Energy Efficiency 101
Energy efficiency means using energy wisely Simply put, energy efficiency means using each unit of energy as efficiently as possible to reduce waste. A common example of energy efficiency is switching from incandescent light bulbs to light emitting diodes – more commonly known as LED – light bulbs. LED bulbs produce a nearly identical amount…
Read MoreOpportunities to Act for a Strong Washington State Energy Code
As we tackle the biggest issue of this generation – the climate crisis – we also have an opportunity to recreate a society that is cleaner, healthier, more equitable, and more affordable. The buildings we sleep, cook, relax, work, create, and socialize in are just one area that is undergoing a transformation. Every time we…
Read MoreRegional electric system and demand management make the difference during California heatwave
Lower Snake River dams not critical – clean energy solutions will cover peak demand and protect salmon August is usually a time to take things easy, maybe go on vacation and enjoy our beautiful Northwest. But sometimes the weather just doesn’t cooperate. This year, that was the case in the middle of August, when a…
Read MoreFlexible demand webinar explores potential of customer-side technologies as an energy resource
Welcome to a conversation with Geoff Wickes, Jeff Harris, Conrad Eustis, and Tony Koch about how grid-integrated water heaters and other customer-side technologies can contribute to electric system efficiency and reduce the need for additional generations resources. The session runs about 90 minutes. It was recorded on July 1st, 2020. The moderator is Fred Heutte,…
Read MoreThe Technologies of The Harmonious Grid
The second in a series about changes coming to the Northwest electric system The internet of things (IoT) is an old concept that is about to come to fruition in the electric system. Grid-integrated appliances, home energy systems, and EV infrastructure are just a few of the “things” which the electric system will soon be…
Read MoreThe Harmonious Grid: A new direction for the NW electric system
The first in a series about coming changes to the Northwest electric system In ten years, the NW electric system will be a very different creature . . . we hope. In addition to reducing and ultimately removing fossil fuel resources, the grid will see another fundamental change — the integration of emerging customer-side resources…
Read MorePGE’s Smart Grid Test Bed pioneers customer-side resources
Achieving a low-carbon or no-carbon energy system isn’t just a matter of switching our sources of electricity from coal-fired and natural gas-fired power plants to wind and solar power. It’s also about embracing more energy efficient houses, buildings, and appliances that reduce our need for electricity. And it’s about engaging new resources, many of them…
Read MoreRESOURCES – REGIONAL AND BY STATE
What you can do to find the most energy savings for your dollar Energy Star, a program of the U.S Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency, offers information about planning, financing and executing energy efficiency projects of all sizes. Its guide for small business, Putting Energy Into Profits, is particularly useful. Energy Star…
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