scholarly journals Findings from a Pilot Light-Emitting Diode (LED) Bulb Exchange Program at a Neighborhood Scale

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (14) ◽  
pp. 3965 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sadie M. Witt ◽  
Shelby Stults ◽  
Emma Rieves ◽  
Kevin Emerson ◽  
Daniel L. Mendoza
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Salt Lake ◽  
Light Emitting Diode ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
The United States ◽  
Light Emitting ◽  
Neighborhood Scale

In the United States, 44% of low-income households struggle to pay their utility bills, affecting their ability to afford necessities such as food and health expenses. There is a high demand for, but low availability of, energy efficiency services in underserved neighborhoods, creating an opportunity for community-based programs to fill this inherent gap. This pilot project aims to bring energy savings and education to a uniquely targeted portion of Salt Lake City, UT, through the exchange of light-emitting diode bulbs and examines its feasibility in addressing energy insecurity at larger scales. Through the 8-month project duration, 1432 bulbs were exchanged at 23 events reaching 181 households in low-income areas that, through a year of use, were estimated to save residents approximately $18,219 in electricity bills, reducing CO2 emissions from power plants by 122 metric tons. Since this pilot reached less than 1% of households, we extrapolated a reach of 2%, 5%, and 7.5%, and found substantial potential decreases in power plant emissions and financial savings. Ongoing expansion efforts include more direct engagement with trusted members of the targeted communities and stronger attempts to engage participants in energy efficiency education as our project encountered some difficulties in reaching the intended population.

scholarly journals Findings from a Pilot Led Bulb Exchange Program at a Neighborhood Scale

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sadie M. Witt ◽  
Shelby Stults ◽  
Emma Rieves ◽  
Kevin Emerson ◽  
Daniel L. Mendoza
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Salt Lake ◽  
Salt Lake City ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Lake City ◽  
Neighborhood Scale ◽  
The U.S

In the U.S. 44% of low-income households struggle to pay their utility bills, affecting their ability to afford necessities such as food and health expenses. Several government and utility funded energy efficiency programs exist to assist those experiencing energy insecurity. In Salt Lake City, Utah, there is a high demand for, but low availability of, energy efficiency services in underserved neighborhoods creating an opportunity for creative community-based programs to fill this inherent gap. This pilot project, involving the exchanging of LED bulbs in Salt Lake City, highlights the development of a community-based energy efficiency program that aims to bring energy savings to a uniquely targeted portion of the city and determines its feasibility in addressing energy insecurity at a larger scale. Through the 8-month project duration, 1,432 bulbs were exchanged at 23 events reaching 181 households in low-income areas. Through a year of use, these bulbs are estimated to save residents approximately 18,219 USD in electricity bills and reduce CO2 emissions from power plants by 122.23 metric tons, in addition to a savings of 4,400 USD in social cost of carbon as defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Since this pilot reached less than 1% of households, we extrapolated a reach of 2%, 5%, and 7.5% and found substantial potential decreases in power plant emissions and financial savings. As this project is ongoing and being expanded, we discuss relevant findings that will help shape future community-based models so that they are appropriately deployed and more effective in alleviating local energy insecurity.

Using the private finance initiative for energy efficiency projects at the urban scale

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto De Marco ◽  
Giulio Mangano ◽  
Fania Valeria Michelucci ◽  
Giovanni Zenezini
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Light Emitting Diode ◽  
Project Finance ◽  
Private Finance Initiative ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Light Emitting ◽  
Alternate Forms ◽  
Private Investors

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to suggest the usage of the project finance (PF) scheme as a suitable mechanism to fund energy efficiency projects at the urban scale and present its advantages and adoption barriers. Design/methodology/approach – A case study is developed to renew the traffic lighting system of an Italian town via replacement of the old lamps with new light-emitting diode (LED) technology. Several partners are involved in the case project to construct a viable PF arrangement. Findings – The case study presents the viability of the proposed PF scheme that provides for acceptable financial returns and bankability. However, it also shows that the need for short concession periods may call for a public contribution to the initial funding to make the project more attractive to private investors. Practical implications – This case study is a useful guideline for governments and promoters to using the PF arrangement to fund energy efficiency investments in urban settings. It helps designing an appropriate PF scheme and understanding the advantages of PF to reduce risk and, consequently, increase the debt leverage and profitability of energy efficiency projects. Originality/value – This paper contributes to bridging the gap about the lack of works addressing the implementation of the PF mechanism in the energy efficiency sector in urban areas. The importance of this paper is also associated with the shortage of traditional public finance faced by many cities that forces to seek for alternate forms of financing.

scholarly journals Increased Plant Quality, Greenhouse Productivity and Energy Efficiency with Broad-Spectrum LED Systems: A Case Study for Thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.)

Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 960
Author(s):  
Jenny Manuela Tabbert ◽  
Hartwig Schulz ◽  
Andrea Krähmer
Keyword(s):  
Broad Spectrum ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Light Emitting Diode ◽  
Thymus Vulgaris ◽  
Light Spectrum ◽  
Light Emitting ◽  
Biomass Yields ◽  
Lighting Systems

A light-emitting diode (LED) system covering plant-receptive wavebands from ultraviolet to far-red radiation (360 to 760 nm, “white” light spectrum) was investigated for greenhouse productions of Thymus vulgaris L. Biomass yields and amounts of terpenoids were examined, and the lights’ productivity and electrical efficiency were determined. All results were compared to two conventionally used light fixture types (high-pressure sodium lamps (HPS) and fluorescent lights (FL)) under naturally low irradiation conditions during fall and winter in Berlin, Germany. Under LED, development of Thymus vulgaris L. was highly accelerated resulting in distinct fresh yield increases per square meter by 43% and 82.4% compared to HPS and FL, respectively. Dry yields per square meter also increased by 43.1% and 88.6% under LED compared to the HPS and FL lighting systems. While composition of terpenoids remained unaffected, their quantity per gram of leaf dry matter significantly increased under LED and HPS as compared to FL. Further, the power consumption calculations revealed energy savings of 31.3% and 20.1% for LED and FL, respectively, compared to HPS. In conclusion, the implementation of a broad-spectrum LED system has tremendous potential for increasing quantity and quality of Thymus vulgaris L. during naturally insufficient light conditions while significantly reducing energy consumption.

Investigation of the Down-Scaling Effects on the Low Swirl Burner and its Application to Microturbines

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Frank ◽  
Peter Therkelsen ◽  
Miguel Sierra Aznar ◽  
Vi H. Rapp ◽  
Robert K. Cheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Power Systems ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
The United States ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Department Of Energy ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
United States Department ◽  
Scaling Effects ◽  
Swirl Burner

About 75% of the electric power generated by centralized power plants feeds the energy needs from the residential and commercial sectors. These power plants waste about 67% of primary energy as heat emitting 2 billion tons of CO2 per year in the process (∼ 38% of total US CO2 generated per year) [1]. A study conducted by the United States Department of Energy indicated that developing small-scale combined heat and power systems to serve the commercial and residential sectors could have a significant impact on both energy savings and CO2 emissions. However, systems of this scale historically suffer from low efficiencies for a variety of reasons. From a combustion perspective, at these small scales, few systems can achieve the balance between low emissions and high efficiencies due in part to the increasing sensitivity of the system to hydrodynamic and heat transfer effects. Addressing the hydrodynamic impact, the effects of downscaling on the flowfield evolution were studied on the low swirl burner (LSB) to understand if it could be adapted to systems at smaller scales. Utilizing particle image velocimetry (PIV), three different swirlers were studied ranging from 12 mm to 25.4 mm representing an output range of less than 1 kW to over 23 kW. Results have shown that the small-scale burners tested exhibited similar flowfield characteristics to their larger-scale counterparts in the non-reacting cases studied. Utilizing this data, as a proof of concept, a 14 mm diameter LSB with an output of 3.33 kW was developed for use in microturbine operating on a recuperated Brayton cycle. Emissions results from this burner proved the feasibility of the system at sufficiently lean mixtures. Furthermore, integration of the newly developed LSB into a can style combustor for a microturbine application was successfully completed and comfortably meet the stringent emissions targets. While the analysis of the non-reacting cases was successful, the reacting cases were less conclusive and further investigation is required to gain an understanding of the flowfield evolution which is the subject of future work.

scholarly journals Can We Regulate Our Way to Energy Efficiency? Product Standards as Climate Policy

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noah M. Sachs
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Financial Incentives ◽  
Information Disclosure ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
The United States ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Political Support ◽  
Carbon Taxes ◽  
Regulatory Approach

In this Article, I demonstrate that the regulatory strategy for energy efficiency is working. Although information disclosure, financial incentives, and other softer alternatives to regulation play a vital role in reducing energy demand, these should be viewed as complements to efficiency regulation, rather than replacements. The regulatory approach has led to substantial cost and energy savings in the past, it has enjoyed bipartisan political support, and it targets products and behaviors that are difficult to address through other policy tools. Given the politics of climate change in the United States, which make federal carbon taxes or a cap-and-trade system infeasible, the regulatory option should be expanded, not abandoned.

Changes in Lighting Source Can Produce Inaccurate Assessment of Visual Poultry Doneness and Induce Consumers To Eat Undercooked Ground Turkey Patties

2019 ◽  
Vol 82 (3) ◽  
pp. 528-534 ◽  
Author(s):  
CURTIS MAUGHAN ◽  
EDGAR CHAMBERS IV ◽  
SANDRIA GODWIN ◽  
DELORES CHAMBERS
Keyword(s):  
Foodborne Pathogens ◽  
Light Emitting Diode ◽  
The United States ◽  
Extrinsic Factors ◽  
Visual Appearance ◽  
Light Emitting ◽  
End Point ◽  
Lighting Conditions ◽  
Compact Fluorescent Lamp ◽  
End Point Temperature

ABSTRACT Undercooked poultry is a potential source of foodborne pathogens, such as Salmonella and Campylobacter. The best way to avoid eating undercooked poultry is to use a food thermometer during cooking. However, consumers who cook poultry often use visual appearance for determining doneness, which relies on extrinsic factors, including lighting conditions. Because the United States recently mandated changes in lighting to promote energy conservation, this study evaluated the effect of lighting sources on consumer perceptions of doneness and willingness to eat cooked poultry patties. Consumers (n = 104) evaluated validated photographs of turkey patties cooked to different end point temperatures (57 to 79°C) and rated the level of perceived doneness and willingness to eat each sample. Evaluations were conducted under different lighting sources: incandescent (60 W, soft white), halogen (43 W, soft white), compact fluorescent lamp (13 W, soft white), light-emitting diode (LED; 10.5 W, soft white), and daylight LED (14 W). Lighting changed perception of doneness and willingness to eat the patties, with some of the energy-efficient options, such as LED and halogen making samples appear more done than they actually were, increasing the willingness to eat undercooked samples. This poses a risk of consuming meat that could contain bacteria not killed by heat treatment. Recent changes in lighting regulations can affect lighting in homes that affects perceptions of poultry doneness, requiring that educators place extra emphasis on the message that properly using a meat thermometer is the only way to ensure meat is cooked to a safe end point temperature.

Current Status of GaN-Based Solid-State Lighting

MRS Bulletin ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuji Nakamura
Keyword(s):  
Continuous Improvement ◽  
Charge Separation ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Light Emitting Diode ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Light Emitting ◽  
White Leds ◽  
Semipolar Gan ◽  
Near Future ◽  
Nonpolar Gan

AbstractThe continuous improvement in luminous efficacy of “white” light-emitting-diode (LED) sources offers the potential of considerable energy savings in general lighting applications. Recent experiments at UCSB have demonstrated 117 lumens per watt (lm/W) in white LEDs, with further improvements expected in the near future. Considerable progress has also been achieved using nonpolar GaN, such as a-plane {1120} and m-plane {1100} GaN, or semipolar GaN substrates. Such devices avoid the deleterious effects of charge separation due to spontaneous and piezoelectric polarization inherent in most c-axis-oriented devices.

scholarly journals Comparison of Intracanopy Light-emitting Diode Towers and Overhead High-pressure Sodium Lamps for Supplemental Lighting of Greenhouse-grown Tomatoes

2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Celina Gómez ◽  
Robert C. Morrow ◽  
C. Michael Bourget ◽  
Gioia D. Massa ◽  
Cary A. Mitchell
Keyword(s):  
High Pressure ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Light Emitting Diode ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Light Sources ◽  
Node Number ◽  
Light Emitting ◽  
Supplemental Lighting

Electric supplemental lighting can account for a significant proportion of total greenhouse energy costs. Thus, the objectives of this study were to compare high-wire tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) production with and without supplemental lighting and to evaluate two different lighting positions + light sources [traditional high-pressure sodium (HPS) overhead lighting (OHL) lamps vs. light-emitting diode (LED) intracanopy lighting (ICL) towers] on several production and energy-consumption parameters for two commercial tomato cultivars. Results indicated that regardless of the lighting position + source, supplemental lighting induced early fruit production and increased node number, fruit number (FN), and total fruit fresh weight (FW) for both cultivars compared with unsupplemented controls for a winter-to-summer production period. Furthermore, no productivity differences were measured between the two supplemental lighting treatments. The energy-consumption metrics indicated that the electrical conversion efficiency for light-emitting intracanopy lighting (LED-ICL) into fruit biomass was 75% higher than that for HPS-OHL. Thus, the lighting cost per average fruit grown under the HPS-OHL lamps was 403% more than that of using LED-ICL towers. Although no increase in yield was measured using LED-ICL, significant energy savings for lighting occurred without compromising fruit yield.

scholarly journals Using Movable Light-emitting Diodes for Electricity Savings in a Plant Factory Growing Lettuce

2014 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 546-553 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kun Li ◽  
Qi-Chang Yang ◽  
Yu-Xin Tong ◽  
Ruifeng Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Energy Savings ◽  
Light Emitting Diode ◽  
Electricity Consumption ◽  
Light Emitting ◽  
Light Utilization ◽  
Lettuce Growth ◽  
Left And Right ◽  
Plant Yields ◽  
Butterhead Lettuce ◽  
Main Factor

In this study, the effects of light-emitting diode (LED) panels with different illumination schedules and mounted above butterhead lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. capitata) seedlings on lettuce growth and photosynthesis were examined, and the performance of the vertical and horizontal movable system on energy savings was evaluated. The illumination schedules used were fixed LED [F-LED (four LED panels illuminated the area below)] and movable LED [M-LED (two LED panels moved left and right once per day to illuminate the same area as F-LED)] at distances of 10 and 30 cm above the seedlings. The plant yields were uniform in all LED treatments. The highest light utilization efficiencies and lowest electricity consumption were found for the treatments with irradiation from a shorter distance above the seedlings. The true leaf numbers and ascorbic acid concentrations were the highest in the M-LED and F-LED treatments at a distance above the seedlings of 10 cm, while the leaf lengths and sucrose concentrations in these groups were significantly lower than those in the 30-cm treatment. These results indicate that illumination with M-LED can halve the initial light source input while maintaining yield and that sustained illumination from a shorter distance above the seedlings is the main factor in electricity savings.

Energy Efficiency in K-12 Schools: A Case Study in Florida

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ganesh Doiphode ◽  
Hamidreza Najafi ◽  
Mariana Migliori Favaretto
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
The United States ◽  
Payback Period ◽  
Background Information ◽  
Subtropical Climate ◽  
Institute Of Technology ◽  
K 12

Abstract Buildings are one of the largest energy consumers in the United States. K-12 schools are responsible for nearly 8% of energy consumption by commercial buildings which is equivalent to 1.44% of total annual energy consumption in the country. Understanding the baseline energy consumption of the schools as well as identifying effective energy efficiency measures (EEMs) that result in significant energy savings without compromising occupant’s comfort in a given climate condition are essential factors in moving towards a sustainable future. In a collaboration between Florida Institute of Technology and Brevard Public Schools, three schools are identified for a test study in Melbourne, FL, representing the humid subtropical climate. Energy audit is conducted for these schools and monthly utility bill data as well as background information, end-user’s data and their associated operating schedules are obtained. A detailed analysis is performed on the utility bill data and energy consumption by each end-user is estimated. Several EEMs are considered and evaluated to achieve an improved energy efficiency for the schools. The implementation cost of each EEM and the associated simple payback period is also determined. A study is also conducted to explore possibility of using solar power to cover 50% of energy requirements of each school and the cost and payback period of the project are evaluated. The results of this paper provide insights regarding prioritizing energy efficiency projects in K-12 schools in humid subtropical climates and particularly the state of Florida and help with decision making regarding investment in on-site power generation using solar energy.

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