February 25, 2010

Dan Leary, a U.S. Army veteran, is president of Nexamp Inc., a clean energy company that specializes in solar installation. Dan founded the company in 2006 and has witnessed its impressive growth from six employees to 65 and counting as of July 2010. [More]

February 25, 2010

Kentucky’s per capita electricity consumption is among the highest in the United States, likely a result of cheap energy costs fueled by a reliance on coal — a nonrenewable energy source. [More]

February 23, 2010

When Patrick Cloney —executive director of the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center — had his first child in 2004, he was concerned about what the world would look like for the next generation. [More]

February 23, 2010

The Alaska state legislature’s plan to give all homeowners an incentive to weatherize their homes is a hit.

In 2008, the legislature relaunched the once-dormant Home Energy Rebate Program, which reimburses homeowners up to $10,000 for every dollar spent making energy-efficient upgrades. [More]

February 22, 2010

One of the smartest ways for homeowners to save money on major appliance upgrades is to hook into an energy efficiency rebate program. The Neighborhood Energy Connection (NEC), a non-profit organization in St. Paul, Minnesota, helps local residents take advantage of Xcel Energy’s rebate programs that cut the cost of whole-house energy efficiency upgrades. [More]

February 22, 2010

Reducing our dependency on foreign oil means finding ways to harness the power of renewable energy sources, but it also means saving energy whenever and wherever possible. [More]

February 22, 2010

A quick Web search reveals that many sources consider Portland, Ore., to be one of the most green-minded cities in the United States. [More]

February 22, 2010

Americans are seeing renewable energy sources put to use all around the country, and now some power plants are taking advantage of one source that rests deep within the Earth — geothermal energy. [More]

February 22, 2010

As the real estate business rebounds, homebuilders are seeing some growth because of a new nationwide awareness of energy efficiency and the money it can save homeowners. [More]

February 22, 2010

After getting laid off in the fall of 2007 from her executive assistant job at a blues and gospel music group in Jackson, Miss., Kendra Lofton needed a way to pay her bills and support her teenage daughter. [More]

February 22, 2010

In Dayton, Ohio, residents will see several projects popping up soon that will save them money and help them to conserve energy.

Dayton was awarded an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant for $1.6 million toward five projects that will increase recycling participation, install new cooling units, implement an energy efficiency and conservation strategy, install LED sidewalk light fixtures and install energy-efficiency measures at a new street maintenance building. [More]

February 20, 2010

An innovative pilot program in Minneapolis, Minnesota, focuses on rallying whole communities around energy efficiency, one neighborhood at a time. Through the program, area residents cash in on a home energy-efficiency upgrade that saves them roughly $130 on their annual energy bill.

All they have to contribute is a little time and a small initial payment.

“The most effective way to get people involved is for people to tell each other, neighbor to neighbor,” says Lola Schoenrich, who signed up after reading about the program in her neighborhood newsletter. She even volunteered to go door-to-door on her block handing out registration materials and talked to about two thirds of her neighbors.

The program is administered by the Center for Energy and the Environment (CEE), a local non-profit. After attending a free energy-efficiency workshop put on by the group and paying $20, qualified participants receive a home visit by two qualified energy technicians. The crew installs up to $400 worth of efficiency items such as, compact fluorescent light bulbs, programmable thermostats, low flow showerheads, faucet aerators and pipe wrap. Crews perform a blower door test to measure air leaks and use their findings to suggest upgrades, including attic air sealing and insulation. Working with a group of pre-qualified contractors, crews are able to provide estimates on the spot, as well as information about financing and rebates.

[More]

February 12, 2010

You may recall this post on Energy Empowers, which previewed an upcoming episode of ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" where the U.S. Department of Energy collaborated with builders to incorporate energy-efficiency and renewable energy technologies at The Fishing School, one of two such collaborative projects in an episode that was set to air during a special 2010 Valentine's Day episode, featuring filmmaker Tyler Perry as a guest. The episode aired and told the story of energy efficiency changing the lives of some very special mentors and of America's youth.

[More]

February 1, 2010

Virginia Tech's Lumenhaus---a net-zero energy, solar-powered, 650-square-foot home--- made a stop in New York on its tour, right in the middle of Times Square. The house was previously featured at the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Decathlon in October, and the team will head to Madrid in June for Solar Decathlon Europe as the only U.S. team to participate in both competitions. While in Times Square, the team and the house were featured on "Good Morning America" and drew the attention of hundreds of passersby. The home's pavilion design features sliding walls, incorporating the use of lots of natural light. A geothermal loop helps with heating, and double-hit solar panels generate extra electricity. Virtually everything in the home can be controlled via iPhone. Click here to visit the official Lumenhaus Web site. [More]