Washington not slowing down on energy efficiency as year coming to an end

It is encouraging to see how the Obama Administration has been able to push the agenda on sustainable energy, even though they have had no co-operation from Congress. Chris Mooney writes in the Washington Post about the latest rulings on minimum energy performance standards. The Department of Energy is calling this the “largest energy-saving standard … Continue reading Washington not slowing down on energy efficiency as year coming to an end →

Regulatory concerns about minimum energy performance standards for vacuum cleaners

Ever since the news about how VW flaunted the regulatory process on emissions testing, James Dyson, inventor of his famous bag-less vacuum cleaner, has been raising concerns about vacuum cleaner tests. Michael Pooler writes in the Financial Times about latest developments. Inventor James Dyson faces challenge to clean up EU vacuum tests It took … Continue reading Regulatory concerns about minimum energy performance standards for vacuum cleaners →

This week’s briefs

There are some good brief news items this week. • WSED Young Researchers Conference Only a few days remain to submit a paper. The deadline is October 9th. The annual World Sustainable Energy Days [http://www.wsed.at/en/world-sustainable-energy-days/] in Wels, Austria has grown from strength to strength over recent years. The World Sustainable Energy Days are organised … Continue reading This week’s briefs →

Regulations driving energy efficiency improvements

Writing on the BusinessGreen website, Stuart Turner of Hamworthy Heating looks beyond EU legislation on boiler efficiency to discuss how the real energy savings are to be achieved. Who’s driving energy- efficiency improvements? ErP [the Energy Related Products Directive] is seen as the driving force for energy-efficiency improvements. The criteria set out in the … Continue reading Regulations driving energy efficiency improvements →

Saudi Arabia making good strides forward in promoting energy efficiency

While we know of Saudi Arabia as one of the major oil producers globally, it is also taking energy efficiency seriously. The government efforts through “the Saudi Programme for Energy Efficiency”, seeks to put an end to the growing electric power consumption in the kingdom, through designed programmes and by updating the standard specifications for … Continue reading Saudi Arabia making good strides forward in promoting energy efficiency →

How do you wash dishes?

There are always debates on what is the most energy saving way to wash dishes – washing by hand or by a dishwasher. Chris Mooney writes in the Washington Post about a report in the latest Consumer Report suggesting that the dishwasher is the way to go. Do you agree? Why you shouldn’t wash … Continue reading How do you wash dishes? →

Global impact of the widespread use of air conditioners

The use of air conditioning globally is increasing at a rapid rate, particularly in non-OECD countries. Chris Mooney writes an important article in the Washington Post about this trend. As he writes, the motive is not increasing temperatures but greater wealth. However, unless the electricity can be provided by renewable energy, the impact on global … Continue reading Global impact of the widespread use of air conditioners →

Our desktop computers on stand by can be costly energy consumers

We know how much more energy efficient our computers and other electrical appliances are but we often forget – or simply do not know – how energy consuming they are when not in use. Chris Mooney provides a good article in the Washington Post that shows that many of these appliances are never fully turned … Continue reading Our desktop computers on stand by can be costly energy consumers →

24/7 for many of our appliances and what it costs us

Chris Mooney provides a good article in the Washington Post on our energy waste because we simply cannot (or do not) turn off energy-consuming devices. Many of you will be pleased to see that Alan Meier, a friend of EiD and many of us throughout Europe, gives his explanation. Alan is also a member of … Continue reading 24/7 for many of our appliances and what it costs us →

Even the common kettle can become more efficient

Shane Hickey provides an interesting article in The Guardian on the redesigned kettle. Two designers are convinced their new kettle will revolutionise the way we heat food and drastically reduce energy consumption. Boiling point: redesigning the kettle for the 21st century When Nils Chudy came up with the idea of redesigning the domestic kettle … Continue reading Even the common kettle can become more efficient →