Tag: smart grid

Under Construction: Top Facility Projects of August 2023

Facilities Management Advisor’s “Under Construction” series highlights some of the latest, most interesting facility project announcements every month. LEED Platinum Warehouse Developers of the massive Bronx Logistics Center project in New York City have received a precertification letter from the U.S. Green Building Council designating the project with a LEED v4 Platinum rating, the highest […]

EV Policy Report Ranks Top States, Calls for ‘Significant Improvement’ Overall

Leading states are strengthening policies to enable widespread use of electric cars, trucks, and buses, but all states will have to dramatically step up their efforts to enable a full transition, according to a new report. The 2023 State Transportation Electrification Scorecard from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) evaluates states’ policies to encourage electric […]

Energy Efficiency ‘More Critical Than Ever’ as Power Grid Decarbonizes

As power generation shifts to clean energy, using electricity more efficiently will be critical for reducing costs, averting blackouts, and cutting pollution, according to a new report from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). The group evaluated five U.S. grid regions (California, Texas, the Pacific Northwest, the Southeast, and the Midwest) and found that […]

North America’s Largest Floating Solar Project Powers Water Treatment Facility

Organizations wanting to go green typically install rooftop or ground-mounted solar projects or buy renewable energy credits. But a water utility in New Jersey has embraced a novel approach, installing North America’s largest floating solar project. Consisting of 16,510 solar panels, the 8.9-megawatt (MW) solar array covers 17 acres of the Canoe Brook reservoir in […]

Feds Ink Another MOU to Power Facilities with 100% Clean Energy

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and the White House Council on Environmental Quality announced a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) with major utility Xcel Energy. Under the MOU, the parties will work toward powering federal facilities in Minnesota, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin with 100% carbon-pollution-free electricity (CFE) by 2030. The deal is in […]

The Surprising Connection Between Cholesterol and Electricity—and What It Means for Facilities

For many people, the term “cholesterol” is associated with serious health issues such as heart problems, clogging of the arteries, and stroke. But doctors will tell you that not all cholesterol is created equal. HDL, high-density lipoprotein, is considered by doctors today to be “good” cholesterol, while LDL, low-density lipoprotein, is “bad.” It took doctors […]

EPA, Utilities Partner to Deploy Electric School Buses Nationwide

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael S. Regan announced a new pledge from electric utilities to support efforts to electrify the nation’s school bus fleet. Regan unveiled the pledge while visiting Wabaunsee USD 329 School District in Alma, Kansas, to celebrate the delivery of the state’s first all-electric school buses. He also highlighted federal […]

NYC Firehouses Install ‘Resilient’ Solar Projects to Protect Against Blackouts

City officials have announced completion of a $2.4 million project to install solar photovoltaic (PV) systems atop six New York City Fire Department (FDNY) firehouses in Queens and Brooklyn. In addition to generating emissions-free energy, these systems will use battery storage to ensure that the firehouses remain operational during blackouts, brownouts, or storms if electric […]

Utility, School District Use Electric Buses to Send Power Back to the Grid

California utility San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) announced that it has successfully deployed an innovative technology that enables eight electric school buses to put electricity back on the power grid when needed, such as on hot summer days. A collaborative effort between SDG&E, the Cajon Valley Union School District, and locally based technology company […]

Solar Powers Target’s First Net Zero Energy Store

Major retailer Target Corp. announced its most sustainable store to date, as the site will generate more renewable energy than it needs annually to operate and will test multiple innovations to reduce the building’s emissions. The Vista, Calif., store’s retrofit and new features will inform Target’s investments in new stores and remodel programs that support its […]