So I plugged the Nissan LEAF into a Blink Level 3- Direct Current (DC) fast charger for the first time today. Cool Stuff! This charger is capable of taking the car from a low state of charge up to 80% of full charge in about 20 mins. Level 2 chargers take 6-8 hrs (using 240 volts, [...]
Winter is by far my least favorite season. With the time change, and sinking sun, it gets and stays dark outside much longer than any other season. Not that you’d want to go outside – it’s too cold and windy to do much anyway. Sure, there are some great holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas to [...]
A recent study released by the Tennessee Solar Institute (TSI) highlights the state’s growing solar value chain as one of the bright spots in Tennessee’s economy, but warns that Tennessee must remain diligent to avoid losing solar-related jobs and business opportunities to neighboring states. The study details a well-diversified solar value chain, with installers, manufacturers, [...]
I wanted to wrap up our holiday series by addressing a final, major seasonal activity that is generally high in energy consumption: holiday entertaining. I know that party planning can be a daunting task at times, and just having a few relatives and friends over for a quiet evening can require hours of preparation. There’s [...]
Over the last couple weeks, I’ve shared with you some tips and tricks for minimizing the energy impact of your holiday cooking exploits and your shopping and gift giving activities. However, I’ve not yet touched on the aesthetics of the season. No winter season is complete without the ornamental lights, or the cheerful air of [...]
Recent articles in the New York Times and the Raleigh News & Observer suggested that North Carolina and its governor, Bev Perdue, may have played a key role in halting White House efforts to ratchet up the current ozone air standards. In September, the Obama Administration suddenly announced it was dropping its two-year effort to [...]
If you follow this blog regularly, you know that my posts tend towards technical and, well, boring. You’ll have to take that up with my editors. I assure you that my first drafts are always rollicking romps through environmental policy. I do recognize though that analyzing coal retirements and administrative rulemakings are informative at best. [...]
Earlier this week, I shared with you a list of tips and tricks for minimizing the energy impact of your holiday cooking activities. As today is one of the busiest shopping days of the year in the U.S., it seemed only fitting to continue our Holiday Efficiency Series with a focus on environmentally-conscious gift giving [...]
Hope everyone is having a great Thanksgiving with lots of family, friends and food. Many things to give thanks for today, including for me, that we may be on the verge of a significant investment in renewable energy that will benefit the Southeast. A recent article in the Tennessean titled “TVA may pipe in wind [...]
Last week, SACE participated in a media flurry over two released reports. The first report documents how America’s traditional power plants (like coal and nuclear) consume vast amounts of freshwater – an invaluable, and increasingly stressed resource here in the Southeast. The second report gives us a path forward – away from dirty, thirsty coal [...]