Image via WikipediaOntario power authority has announced a list of projects to benefit from its conservation fund ( set up to provide funding for sector-specific electricity conservation pilot projects to test new or unique conservation program elements) to the tune of $2 million.

projects to be funded are:-

Canadian Plastics Industry Association – A combination of outreach and educational tools and electricity-use assessment to promote energy conservation within the plastics industry, a large consumer of electricity.

Colleges Ontario – To provide energy management training services and real-time energy management systems to provide the colleges with the facilities they need to reduce energy consumption.

Council of Ontario Universities Holdings Association – Ontario Universities will help to establish a benchmarking system for energy use at each of Ontario’s universities.

Tags: Energy Conservation, Energy Efficiency, Geothermal heat pump, Ontario Power Authority, Photovoltaics, Solar Energy, Solar hot water, Water heating

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Cate Blanchett’s bid to save the planet has hit the headlines as she ‘greenovates’ her luxury $10 million Sydney mansion. Apparently Cate, and her playwright husband Andrew Upton, are investing more than $1.5 million on the energy conservation renovations, which will transform their home into an eco-friendly haven for her family. Conservation measures include: Grey water recycling, a 20,000-litre water tank, solar panelling and energy-saving lights. Palm Beach-based Lesiuk Architects, a company which specialises in environmental projects, is in charge of the renovation. Lesiuk Architects, PO Box 30, Palm Beach, NSW 2108. p: (02) 9974 1010 f: (02) 9974 5502

Chief spokesperson for Who On Earth Cares? a website campaign that brings together Australians from all walks of life who are concerned about climate change and want Australia to reduce its greenhouse pollution.

Tags: Australia, Cate Blanchett, Energy Conservation, Sydney, Sydney Theatre Company

Solar lights uk

Solar power as an efficient and affordable option for lighting in the UK would have been unthinkable just a few short years ago - solar power in wet, windy and gloomy UK? - but now thanks to better technology and lower prices (due to increasing consumer awareness of global warming and emissions) it has now become a viable technology to save energy, money and the enviroment. There are several ways in which solar energy can be used to reduce usage of more conventional forms of energy such as fossil fuels.

• use the light from the sun to create electricity via photovoltiac cells
• use the heat from the sun to warm water/spaces
• use the natural light from the sun to provide light indoors wherever possible

Decorative solar garden lights Uk

Tags: Light fixture, Light-emitting diode, Optical fiber, Renewable energy, Solar cell, Solar Energy, United Kingdom

Image via Wikipedia Powerfactor energy savings - also known as Demand Side Management

Energy consumption was brought into focus for industry when the Climate Change Levy (CCL) was introduced. There is a proven way to save energy costs and reduce this levy that large electricity users may be overlooking. While there are no tax benefits for installing efficient and effective power factor correction measures yet, the Government is to introduce Enhanced Capital Allowances (ECA) that enable the full cost of certain energy saving devices, when used in certain applications, to be written down against taxable revenue in the first year (Why power factor correction equipment was not included in the tax allowances introduced along with the Climate Change Levy is a complete mystery!). However the fact remains that by applying powerfactor correction methods, many large electricity consumers can reduce their electrical energy costs significantly.

Tags: AC power, Climate Change Levy, Energy Conservation, Energy Efficiency, Power-factor correction

Image via Wikipedia Unfortunately, the reality didn’t quite match up with the dream. Solar power cells were ( and still are) expensive to manufacture, and unless you had a lot of panels exposed to a lot of sunlight, solar power systems didn’t produce very much power. However, now that we’re seeing more refinement and advancements in solar power technology, along with growing popularity of renewable energy systems we may be witnessing a rebirth in solar power systems, at least in certain environments.

Solar PV (photovoltaic) uses energy from the sun to create electricity to run appliances and lighting. PV requires only daylight - not direct sunlight - to generate electricity.

Tags: Electricity generation, Energy, Energy Saving Trust, Photovoltaics, Renewable energy, Solar cell, Solar Energy