Energy evaluation job openings in Madison area

From TecMarket Works:

TecMarket Works is looking to hire experienced evaluation professionals to work on a variety of energy efficiency program impact, process and market research evaluation studies. This position is located in Oregon, Wisconsin, just outside of Madison.

We are also looking for entry-level evaluation professionals skilled in evaluation, scientific or statistical analysis techniques and who understand experimental and quasi-experimental designs and analysis approaches. Excellent writing skills are essential. Applicants should have an advanced degree in a research related field of study (evaluation research, social science research, scientific research, etc.)

We are looking for dedicated, skilled evaluation professionals that enjoy working on the leading edge of the evaluation field with a variety of research projects across the United States. Competitive salaries and benefits are provided. Work schedules are typically from 9AM to 5PM weekdays, however work beyond these hours is periodically required. There is some travel required with overnight stays.

TecMarket Works is currently the California Master Evaluation Contractor supporting, planning, supervising and monitoring over $70 million worth of evaluation efforts in California. We also are heavily involved in other states including Oregon, Massachusetts, Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. We also design and conduct evaluation research for the US Department of Energy and other government agencies and energy/utility companies. For more information about our company, please visit www.TecMarket.net.

Please feel free to forward this announcement. Those interested in applying can send a resume and cover letter to JRoth@TecMarket.net by Wednesday, June 11, 2008.
The TecMarket Works main office is in Oregon, WI, 7 miles south of Madison, with a satellite office in California. Remote locations can be established for seasoned professionals who can self-direct a client-focused, profitable operation. Ability to successfully work with others in a team environment is critical.

Sheboygan school district lauded for saving energy

From an article by Doug Carroll in the The Sheboygan Press:

Fail to turn off the lights or close the door in the Sheboygan Area School District, and Gene Gasper just might fail you.

Gasper, the district's energy manager for the past 2½ years, has the responsibility of educating the educators on energy use. He knows the district's schools inside and out. Those needing to watch things more carefully usually hear from him in the form of a "building report card."

He's getting results. Already, nine of the district's 20 schools have been certified as Energy Star award winners, ranking in the top 25 percent nationally for energy conservation among schools of similar description. Factors include a school's size, location, enrollment, number of computers, air-conditioning capacity and lighting specifications.

The district's winners are Cooper, Jackson, Jefferson, Lincoln-Erdman, Pigeon River, Sheridan and Wilson elementary schools and Farnsworth and Horace Mann middle schools. The announcement of the awards was made Tuesday night at the regular meeting of the Sheboygan School Board.

Only 117 schools in Wisconsin and 1,003 in the country have received the Energy Star designation as part of a joint program of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy.

It's a feather in the cap for the district, which committed in the fall of 2005 to an energy education program and claims it has saved 24 percent in energy costs over two years, even with an additional 330,000 square feet in facilities. Most of the savings are realized when buildings are empty of staff and students and can be shut down at least partially.

For example, about $275 a year is saved when a computer is turned off during non-school hours.

"It's a combination of education and management," said Gasper, 61, who has been with the district for 24 years. "You educate them to be more efficient and cost-conscious with lighting and heat."

Does turning fluorescent lights off use more energy than leaving them on?

From an article by John Matson in the Scientific American:

So you bought a compact fluorescent lightbulb in a bid to be green. Such bulbs are vastly more energy-efficient than traditional incandescents and screw into standard sockets. Should you treat them like their older cousins?

After all, four- and eight-foot- (1.2- and 2.4-meter-) long tubular bulbs common in more institutional settings are sometimes left on permanently, perhaps due to their slow, flickering start-ups. The thinking is that the boost of energy such bulbs require to power up means that it might be best to keep them on when leaving a room, rather than subjecting them to the stress of a restart on your return.

Turns out, however, that power surge is so brief that its energy draw doesn't amount to much: the equivalent of a few seconds or so of normal operation, according to U.S. Department of Energy estimates. In other words, from a strict energy-conservation standpoint, it's almost always beneficial to shut off fluorescents when leaving the room—the start-up energy is offset by the power saved in even the briefest outages.

But what about the wear and tear on the bulb itself? Being too switch-happy reduces the operating life of the lamp, and given that newer fluorescents are still a few times more expensive than old-fashioned incandescents, it makes sense to forestall burnouts. There are also real environmental impacts of their production and disposal to consider.

A simple rule of thumb that balances both concerns is to shut off fluorescents if you’re planning to leave a room for more than five minutes, according to Francis Rubinstein, a staff scientist in the Building Technologies Department at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Environmental Energy Technologies Division. Mary Beth Gotti, manager of the GE Lighting & Electrical Institute in Cleveland, agrees. For all practical purposes, "it almost always makes sense to turn the lights off," Gotti says. "From an environmental standpoint, the best way to save energy is to turn off the things that you're not using."

Wausau schools to advise others around state on energy conservation

From a story in the online edition of the Wausau Daily Herald:

Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton announced today that the Wausau School District will provide energy-saving tips and advice to other schools as part of the Governor’s Energy Star Challenge.

The challenge requires schools to enroll in the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Start Partner program.

Lawton spoke to a small group at Wausau East High School, which included members of the school’s Outdoor Club and Wausau School Board members.

The Wausau School District became an Energy Start Partner earlier this school year.

Over the past 11 years, the district has implemented a number of energy-saving initiatives, including motion-sensor lights and regulating temperature in every school building, said Superintendent Steve Murley.

Tour of solar heating in homes & businesses, Madison area, June 14th

Hot Water Products, Cardinal Solar, Advantage Plumbing, Hydronic Solutions announced a tour on June 14th of local homes and businesses that have gone solar.

Here are the details from Cardinal's Web site:

WHAT:
A free bus tour of homes and businesses that harvest the sun’s energy to provide heat and hot water. Viewing of entire system by bus tour only.
WHEN:
Saturday June 14th from 10:00am – 4:00pm. Bus tour begins at 11:00am & 1:30pm.
WHERE:
Advantage Plumbing / 2881 Larue Field Ln., Sun Prairie, WI
RSVP:
Please rsvp before tour day to 608-837-9367 as seating is limited.

LEARN HOW TO:
• Reduce energy cost and be a more efficient energy user
• Reduce carbon emissions in and around your home
• Improve the comfort of your home

UW-Platteville to offer renewable energy minor

From a press release issued by the UW-Platteville:

PLATTEVILLE - Faculty from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville have been working on the development of a renewable energy minor. Renewable energy encompasses energy sources such as wind, solar, geothermal, hydrogen, bio-fuels and bio-products. A minor in renewable energy is applicable to any major field of study at UWP including agriculture, engineering, business and political science.

In December 2006, UWP administration, faculty and a number of Wisconsin companies met to discuss Wisconsin's future energy needs. At this meeting, it was determined that UWP has a strong interest in alternative energy and bio-products.

In 2007, a Renewable Energy Council was formed by chair, MesutMuslu, electrical engineering; Chris Baxter, School of Agriculture; Charles Knox, industrial studies; John Iselin, mechanical engineering; Mike Dalecki, social science; Rami Reddy, agriculture; and Tim Zauche, chemistry. The council's purpose is to address the university's interest in alternative energy and bio-products, or renewable energy.

The council recommended that a university-wide renewable energy minor be established at UWP. The minor will be open to students in all majors wishing to seek credit with an interest in renewable energy. The minor will be a standard 24 credit minor, with nine core credits and 15 elective credits.

Details released on nation's premier energy education event in Custer, Wisconsin

Join the MREA and RENEW for the 19th annual Energy Fair June 20-22, 2008. The Fair will be held at MREA's headquarters, the ReNew the Earth Institute, located at 7558 Deer Road in Custer, WI. See the Travel and Accommodations page for directions and other information.

General Energy Fair Information
Since 1990, the Energy Fair has shown fairgoers how to change the world while having fun. Each summer the Fair transforms rural central Wisconsin into the global hot spot for renewable energy education. The Energy Fair is the world's largest renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable living educational event of its kind. Please join us this year!

The Energy Fair features hundreds of workshops and exhibits all emphasizing clean energy & sustainable living and is fun for the whole family. In 2007, the Energy Fair hosted over 19,500 attendees. We hope to see you in 2008!

WPPI awards energy efficiency program grants to Columbus, Oconomowoc, and River Falls

From a story by Matthew Inda on LivingLakeCountry.com:

City of Oconomowoc - For the next two years, Oconomowoc will partake in a communitywide effort that will raise even stronger conservation ethics by way of a pilot program awarded by Wisconsin Public Power Inc. (WPPI).

The program known as Leading by Example will give Oconomowoc Utilities the opportunity to better educate and demonstrate the effectiveness of energy efficiency, conservation and renewable resources development.

The program suits Oconomowoc well, based on its established environmental awareness and involvement, according to Wisconsin Public Power Inc. spokeswoman Anne Rodriguez.

"We were looking for a community where there is strong leadership in this area," she said. "Oconomowoc really provided that natural fit."

The only other two municipalities in the state to receive the grant were WPPI member communities River Falls and Columbus.

The program will reach out to, and help, citizens via ongoing conservation education efforts with local students, businesses and residential customers. It will also assist with energy efficiency improvements to municipal buildings and conservation projects in cooperation with industrial utility customers.

Kohl's solar program becomes world's largest among retailers

From a press release issued by Kohl's Department Stores:

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis., May 12, 2008 — Kohl’s Department Stores (NYSE: KSS) announced today that it plans to convert more than 50 of its existing New Jersey, Connecticut and Maryland locations to solar power, representing nearly 80 percent of its locations in these three states. Currently, Kohl’s operates 34 stores in New Jersey, 17 in Connecticut and 16 in Maryland.

With the East Coast solar installation, Kohl’s is the largest retail host of solar power, and its distributed solar program is now the largest in the world among retailers. In a distributed solar program, silent, renewable energy is produced and used at the same location requiring no transmission infrastructure. Kohl’s has converted more than 25 of its 88 California locations to solar power with plans to activate approximately 50 additional sites in the state. Solar installations are also under way at three Wisconsin locations, and Kohl’s hopes to add other states to its growing solar offering before year-end.

Initial construction for the East Coast solar conversions began in January. On average, solar panels provide 30 percent of a store’s annual energy, or enough to power 54 homes annually. The total East Coast program is expected to offset 370 million pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) over the 20-year program and is equivalent to removing more than 36,200 cars from the road for one year.

Read more here.

Lt. Gov. Lawton lauds La Crosse schools for lowering light bills

From an article by Reid Magney in the La Crosse Tribune:

La Crosse schools will work to cut their energy use by another 10 percent, officials said Thursday.

Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton visited Central High School to announce the school district has accepted the Lt. Governor’s Energy Star School Challenge, a commitment to reduce energy consumption by 10 percent.

“School districts are true leaders when it comes to energy efficiency,” Lawton said. “Tight budgets demand it. I am proud that the leaders of La Crosse Schools have accepted the challenge to be better stewards of taxpayer dollars and of the environment.”

Central High School has already reduced its natural gas use by 45 percent and its electric use by 23 percent over five years, Lawton said.

“Reducing energy costs continues to be a high priority for our district,” said La Crosse Superintendent Jerry Kember. “We have realized over $2 million in energy savings in the last five years and welcome the challenge to save even more in the future.”

Lawton cited Environmen-tal Protection Agency statistics that U.S. schools spend $6 billion a year on energy costs, more than they spend on textbooks and computers combined. She said inefficient technologies and design rob them of an average of 20 percent of energy purchased.

Lawton issued her Energy Star School Challenge last month as part of her green economy agenda. Lawton said her goal for the challenge is to commit at least 100 new school districts, nearly 25 percent of all Wisconsin school districts, to reduce their energy costs by at least 10 percent.

Hidden appliance costs

An article from the Wisconsin State Journal:

The individual power drain and monthly costs of appliances can often seem miniscule, but put them together, and they can add up to more than you might think.

Appliance (the first figure is monthly cost; the second is yearly cost):
Laptop Computer* $0.22; $2.67
Old desktop computer $1.51; $18.13
New desktop computer $0.07; $0.89
Stereo $0.13; $1.56
Television $0.25; $3.00
DVD player $0.13; $1.56
VCR $0.17; $2.00
Electric toothbrush and charger* $0.12; $1.45
Mini vacuum and charger* $0.41; $4.90
Printer $0.26; $3.12
Treadmill $0.57; $6.90
Total $3.85; $46.17

* Tested with battery at full charge

SOURCE: Field testing using the Watt's Up? energy meter. Cost was calculated using a rate of $0.127 per kwh, MGE's average rate.

'Smart' power grid alters home energy use to cut it

From an Associated Press article by Brian Bergstein:

MILTON, Ontario -- The glowing amber dot on a light switch in the entryway of George Tsapoitis' house outside Toronto offers a clue about the future of electricity.

A few times this summer, when millions of air conditioners strain the Toronto region's power grid, that pencil-tip-sized amber dot will blink. It will be asking Tsapoitis to turn the switch off, unless he has already programmed his house to make that move for him.

For all the engineering genius behind the electric grid, that vast network ferrying energy from power plants through transmission lines isn't particularly smart when it meets our homes. We flip a switch or plug something in and generally get as much power as we're willing to pay for.

But these days, the environmental consequences and unfriendly economics of energy appear unsustainable. As a result, power providers and technology companies are making the electric grid smarter.

It will stop being merely a passive supplier of juice. Instead, power companies will be able to cue us, as with those amber lights in Tsapoitis' house, to make choices about when and how we consume power. Most likely, computers and appliances will carry out those decisions for us.

Done right, the smarter grid should save consumers money in the long run by reducing the need for new power plants, which we pay off in our monthly electric bills. However, if people fail to react properly to conservation signals, their bills could spike.

And certainly, a smart grid that can encourage us to conserve will feel different. Envision your kitchen appliances in silent communication with their power source: The fridge bumps its temperature up a degree on one day, and the dishwasher kicks on a bit later on another.

Smart-grid technologies have gotten small tests throughout North America, as utilities and regulators scout how to coax people to reduce their demand for power. But there's little doubt it's coming. The utility Xcel Energy Inc. plans to soon begin a $100 million smart-grid project reaching 100,000 homes in Boulder, Colo.

In Milton, a test with the Tsapoitis family and 200 other households reveals what will be possible. Tsapoitis uses his computer to visit an online control panel that configures his home's energy consumption. . . .