Energy Efficiency

Forty years ago when rubber tire gantry cranes were first used at the Port of Long Beach, they were the latest thing in technology to move cargo containers around the port. But the 80-foot-tall green cranes with their 1,000-horsepower diesel engines guzzled 10 gallons of fuel an hour and spewed dirty emissions into the air. The port, working with Southern California Edison, is hoping to help solve that problem with a demonstration project to electrify nine of the gantries at one of its terminals.

ECN Magazine highlighted the 2 megawatt, 24-acre solar photovoltaic array that is being constructed at the Dugway Proving Ground (DPG) site in Dugway, Utah. This new system will allow DPG’s existing electrical grid to produce 4 million kilowatt-hours of energy per year. Tetra Tech and joint venture partner TriEco are serving as the prime contractor for the design and build of the array. DPG is executing this project to optimize efficiency and conserve natural resources through on-site renewable energy generation and to support their objective of meeting renewable energy goals. This is the first of many prospective renewable energy projects to support to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) renewable energy goals.

etra Tech is helping Kenya create a 5,000-acre technopolis, supporting the country as it grows into a globally competitive, prosperous nation. The Government of Kenya, through the Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA) selected Tetra Tech as the Master Delivery Partner 2 (MDP2) for the Konza Technopolis project. Tetra Tech is providing program management, architecture-engineering services, and capacity building to support KoTDA with the implementation of Phase I.

Rachel Hutchisson of Blackbaud talks with Justin Bakule of the Shared Value Initiative about how shared value strategies can create long term economic value for companies on this episode of the Champions for Social Good podcast.

In response to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announcement today that current vehicle fuel economy and emission standards need to be weakened, Carol Lee Rawn, director of transportation at Ceres, which works with influential investors and Fortune 500 companies on sustainability issues, stated, “Major investors and businesses understand that rolling back the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) and emissions standards will undermine the global competitiveness of the U.S. auto industry at a time when the rest of the world is moving in the opposite direction, prioritizing clean vehicles and responding to consumer demand for cars that save them money.”

Mohawk Industries announced today that it has been awarded LEED® Gold certification for its renovated showroom at the Glasgow, Va. commercial carpet tile manufacturing facility. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the most widely used green building rating system in the world. Available for virtually all building, community and home project types, the rating system provides a framework to create healthy, highly efficient and cost-saving green buildings.

UPS has deployed a radical new charging technology in London that overcomes the challenge of simultaneously recharging an entire fleet of electric vehicles (EVs) without the need for the expensive upgrade to the power supply grid.

Consumers Energy’s investment in West Michigan continues with plans announced today for a new $20 million headquarters in the city of Grand Rapids to serve the fastest-growing region of its company. Locating the building in the city’s West Side, a vibrant area seeing significant redevelopment centered on sustainability and walkability, is a promise to Consumers Energy’s employees of today and tomorrow.

A future where driverless cars are roaming city streets may be closer than you think. Quickly moving past test and pilot phases, autonomous vehicles are now hitting the road in business parks and on limited fixed routes, bringing the promise of increased safety, reduced emissions and the potential for streamlined public transportation.

Contrary to popular belief, compressed air is not a free utility. Almost all industrial plants use compressed air, but little attention is given to its costs when used improperly. These five tips will help users can reduce wasteful consumption of compressed air, saving time and money.