Energy Efficiency Programs Can Help Users’ Health

Many articles in this series show how building design can influence energy usage. Characteristics can be built in to save energy usage and cost, independent of behavior. These same energy efficiency strategies can also influence the health of those that spend time in the building, whether residents or workers who spend 40 hours per week there. A recent article from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy compiles recent evidence behind this conclusion. https://aceee.org/research-report/h1901

A poorly-sealed building envelope not only allows conditioned air, which required energy to be expended (electricity or fuel combustion), to leave, but also allows pests, moisture, and air pollution to enter interior spaces, raising the exposure of users to allergens, mold, and disease. Leaky windows and poor insulation can lead to drafts and extreme temperatures, triggering asthma attacks and leading to other respiratory illnesses. Inefficient appliances can affect air quality through incomplete combustion or improper venting. Together, these conditions contribute to increased rates of cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, heart disease, and stroke in the US, disproportionately affecting low-income people.

Energy efficiency programs can make homes healthier and save lives, while directly benefiting families financially. The problem is that energy efficiency upgrades require upfront costs to correct a condition or procure a new or better technology, upfront capital that poorer families (or companies) do not have.

The link between energy efficiency and public health is not recognized as energy efficiency programs have historically been implemented either by energy utility companies or government agencies focused on energy management; there has been no or little contribution from public health institutions. It is recommended that research be done to identify energy program elements that would also have the greatest impact on public health and data collection of collateral public health effects in buildings after undergoing energy upgrades. This bridging the gap may need the intervention of other government agencies, such as departments of health and housing. For example, elements of the national Affordable Care Act can use energy efficiency programs to help its goal of a healthier society (making fewer health insurance claims). If a given community is a focus of a weatherization or home energy efficiency program, data should be collected, not only concerning the amount of Btus of energy saved by the program, but also whether there has been a reduction in the number of emergency room visits for children experiencing asthma attacks, for example.

While the ACEEE study followed 23 potential frequently measured health indicators, most programs tracked 3 or fewer of them. Many of the energy programs did take steps to assess and communicate their health impacts, and, in some cases, bring in health care professionals to raise the effectiveness of the program. More needs to be done to show this cross-effectiveness of energy efficiency and health.

CCES has the experts to help you assess not only the cost savings of a potential energy efficiency program, but the potential health benefits, as well. We can help you design a program to measure and heighten beneficial health effects as your reduce energy usage, costs, and greenhouse gas emissions. Contact us today at 914-584-6720 or at karell@CCESworld.com.

Progress and Regress in Clean Energy

The International Energy Agency (IEA) recently published its annual World Energy Outlook (https://webstore.iea.org/world-energy-outlook-2019), a major report forecasting global energy trends to 2040. The report has changed its projections since last year, significantly increasing projected offshore wind farms, solar installations and battery-powered cars due to both the growing affordability of these technologies and progress of developing nations to progress toward clean energy goals. However, their rapid growth is not sufficient to slash overall global GHG emissions and meet reduction goals.

The report states that global GHG emissions will not decline as is needed but will continue to rise for the next 20 years, mainly because of the overall rise in demand for energy globally. While the rise in renewable energy is encouraging, it is not large enough to satisfy the extra demand. Fossil fuels will supply the rest of the demand.

Global consumption of coal is declining. The report notes that investment in new coal-fired power plants has dropped sharply recently. Renewable energy with battery storage is now a cheaper way to produce power and is predicted to surpass coal by 2030, rising to 42% of global generation. Natural gas will also cut into coal’s portion, which would drop to 34%. Coal will not go away, as hundreds of young coal plants will continue to operate to fulfill initial investments; policies to retire such plants early are not in place.

Solar power with battery storage is growing fastest of all renewables. However, offshore wind may make bigger gains in the near future. Land-based systems are difficult to approve, but major offshore projects are in the offing. Offshore wind is expected to supply as much as 18% of the European Union’s electricity by 2040 from the current 2%. Major new projects are planned for the U.S., China, South Korea and Japan.

The report states that the transportation sector has mixed news. Last year, 2 million electric cars were purchased globally, helped by declining costs, improved infrastructure (places to “fuel up”), and financial incentives. The IEA expects the electric car market to continue to grow; gasoline/diesel use for the transportation sector will peak by the mid-2020s. However, sales of large SUVs, which use more gasoline than conventional cars, has grown from 18% of passenger vehicles sold in 2000 to 42% today. If this continues, the report notes, it could negate much of the fossil fuel savings of the electric car boom. Carmakers are researching how to manufacture battery-powered versions of SUVs.

Another avenue to reduce GHG emissions is to improve the energy efficiency of buildings and vehicles through building codes and fuel economy standards. The report states that the energy intensity of the global economy improved by only 1.2%, a lower than usual rate. Many nations are weakening these policies, thinking this will lift their economy. In the US, the Trump administration plans to roll back light bulb standards.

The report also notes concerns about Africa, which is projected to grow over the next few decades at a faster pace than China did in recent years. If Africa supplies the energy for such growth with fossil fuel sources, then global GHG emissions could rise greatly. The African continent, researchers say, has greater potential than China and others for solar energy if it can be allowed to be developed properly.

CCES has the experts to help your company or building learn more about energy to become more efficient, save costs, and reduce GHG emissions. We can help you tap into existing incentive programs (which you may be paying into without realizing it) to pay some of the upfront costs and quicken the payback. Contact us today at karell@CCESworld.com or at 914-584-6720.

Cost Effective Start For A Green Cleaning Campaign

More and more building owners and managers are recognizing that a “green”, sustainable building is not only the “right thing to do”, but also ultimately financially prudent. However, some decision makers balk at the high administrative and other costs of becoming formally LEED certified and want to implement beneficial changes quickly for the least upfront cost, even if it means they don’t get formal recognition.

One area that can be very effective in “greening” one’s building is “green” cleaning, typically focused on reducing the amount and toxicity of chemicals, equipment and procedures used to clean facilities. However, an effective “green” cleaning program can be achieved without overly considering cleaning chemicals, for example. An effective way of keeping buildings clean is to prevent dirt and microbes from entering in the first place. Studies have shown that one of the greatest sources of microbes, soil, chemicals, and other contaminants that enter a building and can get into the ventilation system is from the shoes and boots of users entering. Walk-off mats can remove much such dirt quite effectively at a low cost.

Studies have concluded that coliforms was detected on 96% of shoes tested, and, therefore, can easily enter and spread in a building. Transfer efficiency of bacteria from shoe bottoms to clean tiles inside a building ranged from 90 to 99%. It was also found that 1,000 people walking into a building over 20 days can track in up to 24 lbs of soil if no mats are in place.

When an effective matting system is installed, the International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA) estimates that as much as 70 – 80% of these contaminants can be stopped from entering a facility, causing users to be healthier and reducing cleaning requirements, which itself, saves the facility labor and chemical costs and reduces building impacts on the environment.

The USEPA’s Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools program recommends that mats be installed at all key school entries, as both an effective and a cost-effective action.

Not all types of mats are as effective at source control. Look for high-performance mats which do the best job of capturing soil matter. Look for mats with the following:

 Pile: Made using higher quality fibers and have a deeper, thicker pile, allowing them to more effectively capture and trap soil particles.

 Backing: Using a higher-grade rubber backing designed to be longer lasting, resist curling, and cracking. They hold up better under different conditions.

 Construction: Many are “bi-level,” allowing soils and moisture to be trapped below its surface so this is not transferred from the mat onto other’s shoes.

 Warranty: Because they are built using higher quality materials, high-performance mats last longer and have longer warranties, usually 1-6 years.

Another consideration is size. Studies indicate that for matting to be truly effective, at least 15 feet should be installed; it could be inside and/or outside the building.

CCES has the experts to help your building assess and meet LEED “green” building standards. If, instead, you wish to implement simple, effective steps for your buildings to be more “green” and healthier for all, we can help there, too, cost-effectively and with minimal disruptions and impacts. Contact us today at 914-584-6720 or at karell@CCESworld.com.

What Is POE Lighting?

Power over Ethernet or PoE lighting refers to the ability to use an Ethernet cable to power light fixtures and transmit data between the lamp and the control software. A single cable can both supply power and control the fixtures attached to the network. The Ethernet cable plugged into the fixture provides the fixture not only its on-off power, but through a unique IP address can automatically control the fixture through its software. For each unique IP address the user can program the features it wishes into the light. Such commands from software can be carried by standard Cat 5/6 cable already used by sensors and wall switches.

Data can be collected from attached devices, such as switches or motion sensors, to prompt specific lighting commands. The user can maximize efficiency or comfort by affecting the dimming, timers, sensors, lighting colors, daylight harvesting, etc. based on the appropriate software.

PoE also means information can be sent from the fixture, such as actual energy usage, lumens of light produced, and the condition of the fixture for maintenance purposes instead of waiting for a component to fail.

PoE not only allows the user to control its lighting from a computer or even a mobile phone, but the software can replace more expensive existing equipment, such as a motion sensors, to allow implementation to be more competitive price-wise.

Most PoE systems generate almost no residual heat, which is valuable for temperature control (reducing AC needs) or other potential impacts to the building, such as heat above the ceiling.

Being software-based, PoE likely requires less expensive labor (IT professionals rather than certified electricians) to be used to install or upgrade such systems. In some cases, PoE may be exempt from permits or inspections required of most electrical systems.

PoE is now being produced by a variety of different vendors, giving the user choices.

We are entering a world where fixtures are not simply devices that produce light for a given room or area, but can address other issues, such as security, carbon monoxide concentration, dimming, mood, energy efficiency (turning on and off when needed), providing alarms when necessary for evacuations and to aid first responders, and providing information back to the user thanks to PoE lighting.

CCES has the experts assist you in your lighting needs, whether it is merely switching to more efficient LED lighting, upgrading lighting to improve the productivity of your workers or comfort of your customers, or exploring whether PoE is right for you. Contact us today at 914-584-6720 or karell@CCESworld.com.

Recent Activities of Climate Change Litigation

Please note: this is not meant as a legal discussion of the issue. Do not take this information as legal advice. Speak to a legal professional.

In only the last couple of years there has been a major increase in lawsuits against businesses involved in the oil & gas or related industries for the consequences of climate change, including disastrous impacts. Many of these lawsuits have been brought by municipal officials seeking huge amounts of money for use to develop climate change resiliency programs, although, undoubtedly some funds are likely used by government overall coffers. In general, these lawsuits are founded on the claim of public nuisance or lost income due to events they feel was contributed to by these companies. Such lawsuits began in the early part of this decade were dismissed before going to trial. A key case was American Electric Power Company v. Connecticut where 8 states, New York City and three land trusts sued 6 electric power companies, alleging a public nuisance, and seeking an immediate cap and future reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions plus damages. Initially dismissed as “political”, the matter was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court who ruled that the plaintiffs had standing to make a claim of nuisance under federal law, but that in this case they could not because of exemptions of this in the Clean Air Act. In subsequent cases, nuisance claims were dismissed, but plaintiffs had the right to sue for direct damages.

The next issue to come up was whether plaintiffs can sue for nuisance under their state law. However, legal opinion discouraged this due to the interstate (and global) transport of GHGs, that the federal Clean Air Act provisions took precedent over state law, and different states define “nuisance” in different ways.

More recent climate change cases that are currently pending against businesses cover nuisance, but also seek damages based on calculated physical damage and costs and defendants’ production and promotion of fossil fuels. Several cases are currently being appealed based on decisions similar to those described above earlier in the decade. None have been concluded yet and rulings in federal district courts so far mixed. If any succeed, it is likely that more such lawsuits will be filed using the arguments and strategies of the successful ones.

Another type of climate change litigation has picked up steam recently, “public trust” claims where citizen groups bring suit against governments for enacting policies promoting fossil fuel use causing them to lose business, be displaced or suffer other hardships. In one case, Juliana v. United States, the federal government is being sued. A court hearing was held June 2019. One other category of climate change cases concerns alleged violations of state or federal securities laws, such as misrepresenting climate change information or disclosures in public documents, such as a lawsuit brought on by the State of New York against Exxon.

Given this increase in climate change litigation and the likelihood that it will continue so for some time, the insurance industry is beginning to offer policies to minimize risk of such lawsuits and payouts.

The information is presented here by an engineer and is not meant to be a strict legal interpretation of events. For more information and before implementing any policies, speak to a legal professional. This information here should not be taken as legal advice.

CCES has the technical experts to help your firm determine your carbon footprint, your emissions of GHGs and determine ways to reduce them reliably and economically with minimal impact on operations. We do not provide legal advice. Contact us today at 914-584-6720 or at karell@CCESworld.com.

New Research To Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

See the companion article on new research to promote renewable power. Research is going on in other GHG reduction technologies. After all, there are two ways we can reduce GHG emissions drastically to forestall the effects of Climate Change, for which scientists now predict there is a 90% chance of major deleterious effects. One is a worldwide cultural change and doing actions that will reduce such emissions to meet goals, spurred on by government rules and incentives. That, honestly, is not working, as is the nature of governments and politicians. The other is with new technologies that will reduce GHG emissions, yet are affordable and will fit people’s lifestyles. This article details a few that are in the research phase that have the potential to be effective.

Carbon Capture & Sequestration (CCS)

CCS is a technology that would take CO2 out of a power plant exhaust and insert it deep in a rock formation, returning the carbon to underground. The USEPA is interested in this technology but is concerned about the long-term fate of the CO2 (it may still exit into the atmosphere in time, negating the effort). This summer, a bill was proposed in the House of Representatives, identical to one in the Senate, which would authorize a new type of exempt facility bond to be issued for qualified CCS facilities. The Senate has already passed an act nicknamed “USE IT”, which would support CCS technology through technology prizes, R&D programs to promote the technology, permitting guidance, a mechanism for tax-exempt bonds, and a regional permitting task force. The chances for long-term legislative encouragement seem to be growing stronger.

Nuclear Energy With Less Risk

A company, General Fusion, is working on a new commercially viable nuclear fusion energy power plant. It would produce no GHG emissions, emitting only helium as exhaust, requiring less land than other renewable technologies currently, with no chance of a meltdown scenario and no long-term hazardous waste.

Alternative to Battery Storage

It has been estimated that 20-25% of global GHG emissions derive from the transportation sector. One of the biggest issues holding back the electric cars is the limitations of riding due to current batteries. Researchers have discovered new materials offering an alternative to battery power and proven to be thousands of times more powerful than a supercapacitor. In theory, the new technology could have the potential for electric cars to travel to longer distances, as long as gasoline-fired cars before a recharge is needed, which could take just minutes to achieve. If this can be achieved affordably, then polluting cars can be replaced in large quantities.

Meat Substitutes

It has been estimated that as much as 30% of global GHG emissions derive from the growing desire for meat and dairy in our diets and the methane emissions of over a billion cows used to produce this. One alternative is lab-grown meat and substitutes that look and taste like the real thing. Two companies, Beyond Meat and Impossible Burger, have created plant-based meat burgers from vegetable protein found in plants that appear to fool many people in taste tests. If demand for cow-based meat declines, that would certainly reduce GHG emissions.

Taken together, these technologies would offer people alternatives that are acceptable and affordable and, at the same time, reduce GHG emissions.

CCES has the experts to help your company use existing technologies to be more efficient, use less energy, reduce your carbon footprint, and benefit in other ways. Contact us today at karell@CCESworld.com or at 914-584-6720.

New Solar Power Advanced Technologies Research

I am writing this during Climate Week, 2019, where the general mood is frustration that while most of the world – and most youth – are concerned about the impacts of climate change affecting us, the political and business leaders of the world have done little, and certainly not enough to forestall what many scientists believe will be huge, life-changing adverse impacts. I happen to be an optimist about this. I think, as a planet, Earth will be impacted negatively. But I do think we will eventually address the issues, no thanks to current politicians, because of the great gains in technology. Technologies are beginning to be developed to develop clean energy, GHG-free, and cheaply and reliably. Here are a few new technologies soon to come out that may make a difference.

Work at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, CO focuses on taking the weak point of any building, windows (takes up much space, but tends to leak air more than any other part of a building), and not only improve its characteristics, but see if it can have a positive energy role for a building. Their research is attempting to turn windows into solar panels. While light-absorbing films on windows have altered the light that comes through a window and attempted to use the radiation to form energy, such solar windows tend to have an unattractive brown tint.

New solar window technologies are able to absorb almost exclusively invisible UV or IR radiation, allowing the glass to appear clear while blocking the radiation that would add to the heating load during the cooling season. The portion of the film that absorbs radiation is called perovskites, which are cheaper than silicon and, in the laboratory, almost as efficient in converting radiation to electricity. Therefore, it is possible as development advances that buildings can create some or most of their own electricity using perovskites, affordably.

Another approach is solar concentrators on windows, quantum dots, which absorb radiation at UV and IR frequencies and re-emit them at wavelengths that traditional solar cells can capture. Placed on windows, the dots can emit the concentrated radiation sideways, through the glass, to solar cell strips embedded in the window frame. This technology is promising because quantum dots are inexpensive to make and only a small amount of solar cell material is needed to capture the re-emitted radiation.

Another idea being researched is semitransparent organic solar cell windows. These windows absorb about half of the incident sunlight that hits them, including visible light. While this darkens these windows compared to clear glass, they absorb light from across the spectrum rather and therefore, do not take on the unsightly reddish hue.

And finally, here is research being done on solar panels for mobile sources. In Portugal, an experimental program is being implemented using electric cars to help power an area. Porto Santo Island has begun testing a strategy in which batteries in electric vehicles are charged by solar power during the day but while parked at night return spare energy to the grid to power people’s homes. Some experts say this form of energy storage could become a global trend.

While many issues remain before solar can power our planet given our lifestyles (length of time windows and cars and their solar power technologies must remain reliable, cost, etc.), research is progressing that could make clean, solar power practical and affordable for all and reduce dependence on fossil fuel-powered power plants and gasoline.

CCES has the experts to help you ascertain whether new technologies, like renewable power, is beneficial to you and your operations now. Contact us today at 914-584-6720 or at karell@CCESworld.com.

Save Money, Develop a Preventative Maintenance Program for Your Boilers

Equipment, such as a building’s boiler, is often taken for granted. You turn it on (or a thermostat turns it on), and it provides heat and domestic hot water for your building or space. Perhaps you do a little checking in the summer, and it’s ready for the heating season. And many boilers last a decade or two or longer. But that does not mean that your boiler is operating efficiently. A boiler that is not maintained (or well-maintained) can be costing you lots of money in wasted fuel combustion every year, not do its job, and not last as long (forcing increased capital costs). A preventative maintenance program for your boiler will save you in these areas much compared to the effort it takes to implement it. According to a study conducted by the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors, poor maintenance practices causes most boiler incidents. (https://www.nationalboard.org/SiteDocuments/Bulletins/SU03.pdf).

Each Preventative Maintenance program should be unique to your building, its needs, the equipment, and the workload of personnel. Therefore, the recommendations are merely that, recommendations. Your program should reflect your equipment and needs. Here are some of the things that your staff or contractor should look at.

A basic issue is that Preventative Maintenance programs should be written down. There should be a document listing the steps that need to be done, when and/or how often they should be done, and who is responsible. There should be a place to check off when and by who each item was completed, the results, and any comments on the boiler’s results or “behavior”. Just saying one does an item or two, but not recording it is not a true Preventative Maintenance program. Management should oversee that staff takes the program seriously and look at the results and comments for critical trends.

A good Preventative Maintenance program can be divided into 5 categories: items which must be done daily, weekly, monthly, semi-annually, and annually. Again, this should be tailored to your equipment and needs. Daily maintenance could include blowdown of water columns and recording boiler temperature and pressure, gas or oil pressures, feedwater temperature and pressure, stack temperature, and visual inspection of soot, and water or oil leakage.

Weekly could include testing each Low Water Cutoff to ensure it shuts off boiler at its set point, pressure controls, flow controls (i.e., combustion air), fuel valves (able to open and close completely at appropriate commands), and motor operation (needs greasing).

Monthly could include checking the burner diffuser (presence of cracks or sooting), check the electrode for obstructions or damage, checking the burner tubes from the outside for damage or cracking, and inspect the outside of the boilers for any hot spots.

Semi-annual inspections (shutting down the boiler briefly once during the heating season) could include cleaning and inspecting the probe and piping of the Low Water Cutoff, clean strainer, check pumps that they are aligned and operating properly, and check the accuracy of your analyzers for combustion, O2, CO2, and other parameters.

Annual inspections could include opening all doors and performing a physical inspection of the fireside tubes, clean and replace tubes, as needed, and inspect the refractory and insulation, and upgrade, as necessary.

And again, take time to review the sheets that the workers or contractors fill out for each inspection to determine if certain trends are present and major upgrades may be necessary. It is better to catch problems early, compared to the boiler breaking down in the middle of the heating season.

CCES has the experts to help you assess your boiler and your Preventative Maintenance program and advise you on how to make it effective for your needs. Contact us today at 914-584-6720 or at karell@CCESworld.com.

Energy Strategies For The C-Suite

For many firms, energy is recognized as its third largest expense, behind labor and real estate costs. Some companies spend millions of dollars directly on energy each year—and more indirectly (supply chain, transportation, etc.). However, except for energy-intensive industries, most firms have historically taken energy for granted. When they turn on the switch, the equipment goes on and vice versa. They don’t pay much attention to the volatility and risks of energy availability and costs.

In the last few years, however, energy is climbing up the corporate agenda, due to greater environmental and climate change awareness, increasing pressures on natural resources, as recent large-scale fires in Latin America show, and innovations in energy technologies together with dropping renewable energy prices.

In recent years, more critical business functions depend on reliable electricity and fuels. IT, data centers, and cloud computing have grown in complexity. These are energy-dependent and energy-intensive operations. Lose electricity for even a few seconds, and millions of dollars worth of data, not to mention records, reputation, lawsuits, are lost or become issues. Major companies are realizing this and are thoroughly evaluating risk related to energy. And conclusions are reaching the C-Suite, as risks are becoming existential for many companies. C-Suiters are also influenced by the growing quilt of energy- or climate change- rules, as well as the growing costs of energy.
More major firms are devoting effort to increase renewables in their energy mix and improve energy efficient, given the large costs involved. But it is not just “high tech” companies; others understand energy is a significant business issue. Agriculture is responsible for about one-third of greenhouse gas emissions. A number of leading firms in the food field have developed and are meeting stringent energy and carbon goals.

Whether your firm is major or not, it is a good idea to develop and implement an energy management plan. However, it is critical not to just “jump in there”. Planning is critical for your energy plan to succeed and minimize its costs. Perhaps the most important area is “political” success; “political” meaning getting all major factors on board, including, and most importantly, the CEO him or herself and all other major players in the company, so there is unity behind the effort and respect for the results. It is also important to coordinate efforts, to ensure you have enough staff to track energy at all levels throughout the company’s assets. Finally, it is important – before you start – to work through that there are resources to invest in smart energy projects (energy efficiency and/or the switch to renewables). Good, potential projects will not wither and not go forward. If these areas are worked out – or if you know the potential barriers that may occur in certain circumstances – the chances of success are raised tremendously.

CCES has the experts to help your firm develop and execute a smart energy plan with distinct financial benefits. We have helped firms prepare their plans to understand their strengths and weaknesses so they go in with firm goals and procedures to do it right. Contact us today at (914) 584-6720 or at karell@CCESworld.com.

Asia Moving From Smokey Energy To Renewables

Momentum is building for green energy in Asia, a region long known for fossil fuel dependency. Asia uses a lot of some of the most polluting sources of energy around, coal and wood. Particulate pollution from coal power plants and from individuals burning wood in non-professionally designed and built units is thick it coats buildings, cars, and, most important, lungs. There are many images of Asians associated with masks performing routine events on a daily basis.

But things are changing. China was faced with worldwide shame and condemnation at the Olympics it hosted in 2016 by the images of people and athletes wearing masks or breathing from oxygen tanks to avoid the toxic smog – despite efforts to clean the air in the months before the games. Ironically, China was the number one manufacturer of solar panels then, but nearly all for export. However, China quickly changed its policy, learning that the visible and potent air pollution not only made them a laughing stock, but had an adverse effect on their economy given the robust health effects it has on workers (lost productivity) and costs to take care of so many sick – costs and lost lives that could have been avoided. Plus, the government understood that visible air pollution was a factor that could lead to unrest and rioting. China now has the world’s largest installed capacity of renewable power, accomplished in a short time.

Vietnam is another example. This country had been aggressive in growing economically and attracting capital investment in industrial facilities. However, the huge growth in coal-fired power plants and wood burning from convenient jungles has worsened the country’s air quality and causing profound health effects. They are on an ongoing path to reduced fossil fuel combustion coordinated with economic growth.

Other Asian nations have realized that it is critical to invest in clean energy and green technology, not only for the sake of climate change, but also for healthier air quality and a better economy. And they are doing so. The collapse of a fossil fuel power plant in Laos that killed 40 people was another spur toward renewables. Governments are investing in renewable power and have learned it is less labor intensive and now less costly to build. While it is unlikely that renewables will fully replace fossil fuels soon, more Asian countries are investing in renewables.

Working with US and European giants like GE and Siemans, several Asian companies are now planning to build renewable projects. Thailand’s Meta Corporation is a leader, preparing to design a 220-megawatt solar project in Myanmar, the region’s largest project. Philippines’ AC Energy plans to spend over $1 billion on solar and wind projects by 2025. India is expected to invest $80 billion over the next 4 years in wind energy. Like China, India has massive public health problems due to air pollution yet is trying to expand electricity to the over 400 million people who have no access to it.

Of course, coal is still king in such nations as China and Malaysia. While renewable technology can replace coal, these and other governments feel an obligation to coal workers and are afraid of potential disruptions that could happen of anything “new.” So there is a lot to overcome financially and psychologically before Asia is high in renewables.

CCES has the experts to help you assess your company’s energy needs and sources. We can help you plan to have a resilient, flexible group of energy sources and determine if renewable power is right and beneficial for you. Contact us today at 914-584-6720 or at karell@CCESworld.com.