News Updates for the Week of February 2

1.      National Grid Assembles Smart Grid Team - National Grid has assembled a team of technology and business solutions companies from across the United States to help test and deliver the energy system of the future for more than 15,000 customers in Worcester, Massachusetts. National Grid’s smart grid pilot is designed to provide participating customers a new level of choice and control over their energy use through advanced technology, with the goals of empowering customers to save energy, increasing electric service reliability and improving response to power outages. The pilot calls for installation of advanced metering systems that provide the very latest in technology and security. http://www.nationalgridus.com/non_html/SmartGrid_city.pdf

2.      $3.1M for Lights Approved by City - Downtown Salina, KS could be getting a little brighter after Salina city commissioners approved a $3.1 million contract with Johnson Controls to install new LED lights. The total cost of the project is $3,108,534. The city's loan payments, at 1.9 percent interest, would be $3,435,599 over 16 years. The lights are expected to be installed by Nov. 23. 1/29 The Salina Journal

3.      SDG&E Customers Can Connect Home Area Network Devices With Smart Meters - San Diego Gas & Electric customers can now purchase and install home area network devices to see how much energy they are using in near real-time and help identify high energy use appliances. With in-home energy display devices connected to their electric smart meters, SDG&E customers have access to a new tool to help them make smart energy consumption decisions to reduce their overall energy usage and costs. http://www.sdge.com/residential/home-and-business-area-network

4.      Sacramento, CA Energy Efficiency Effort - Sacramento officials have launched a $100 million effort to upgrade the energy efficiency of the city's homes and commercial buildings - at no up-front cost to property owners. The Clean Energy Sacramento program lets building owners pay for upgrades over the course of up to 20 years through a line item added to their property taxes. They can use the financing to add new, efficient lighting and air conditioning. Or they can install solar panels, immediately lowering their electric bills while paying for the equipment bit by bit. https://www.ygrene.us/ca/sacramento

5.      Minneapolis Plan Aims to Let Market Drive Efficiency - Minneapolis is poised to become the first city in the Midwest to adopt an energy benchmarking and disclosure rule for commercial buildings. The City Council’s energy and environment committee unanimously passed a proposal Monday 1/28 to require large commercial building owners to annually measure and report energy consumption data. http://v.qwikcast.tv/view.aspx?q=61J53  

6.      LFE Solutions Looking to Fill Void in Current Value Chain - Veteran energy industry and ESCO professionals Robert Quintal and Mike Doucette formed LFE Solutions – an acronym for Lighting For ESCOs, a bridge between manufacturers who do not have a direct channel to the ESCO and the ESCO who is being inundated with new LED and other products, many with unrecognizable names and bold offerings.  The ESCO and Manufacturer have finally reached the tipping point where changes in the old supply chain are required to keep pace with the ultimate goal; utilization of leading-edge cost-effective solutions for lighting retrofit and upgrade projects. www.LFESolutions.com

7.      Westinghouse Lighting Bolsters Focus on Canadian Market with Joint Venture - Westinghouse Lighting-US, Philadelphia, announced the establishment of Westinghouse Lighting Canada (WL-C), a joint venture between Westinghouse Lighting-U.S. and Combi Inc. Westinghouse Lighting-U.S. currently sells products into Canada through distributors and retail partners. Combi will remain Westinghouse Lighting’s representative and third-party logistics provider. The new entity will have dedicated resources including an office and distribution facility in Montreal.

8.      US Economy Shrinks 0.1 Percent - The U.S. economy unexpectedly shrank at an annual rate of 0.1 percent from October through December, the first quarterly drop since 2009 and a reminder of the economy’s vulnerability as automatic cuts in government spending loom. The Commerce Department said the economy shrank mainly because companies restocked at a slower rate and the government slashed defense spending. Economists say those factors could prove temporary, and the likelihood of another recession appears remote. Still, the sharp slowdown from the 3.1 percent annual growth rate in the July-September quarter raised concerns about 2013. 1/30 Washington Post

9.      US Economy Adds 157,000 Jobs in January, but Unemployment Rate Ticks Up to 7.9 Percent -The Labor Department report Friday showed a jump in hiring in the final two months of last year, just when the economy was sputtering and facing the threat of deep government spending cuts and tax increases from the fiscal cliff. The department revised up the estimated job gains for November from 161,000 to 247,000 and for December from 155,000 to 196,000. The mostly encouraging jobs report included one negative sign: The unemployment rate rose to 7.9 percent from 7.8 percent in December. 2/01 Washington Post

10.  Energy Efficient Lamps and Ballasts Market - Latin America – The report is designed to provide insight into the Latin America market for energy efficient lamps and ballasts, with focus on key growth regions, namely--South America, Caribbean, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Central America. The report includes industry analysis, market size, share, growth, trends and forecast, 2012 – 2018 as well as a cross sectional analysis of the market across all these regions. For more info: http://www.researchandmarkets.com/publication/qj9374/energy_efficient_lamps_and_ballasts_market   

11.  Lighting Retrofit (Without Upgrade) Equals Wasted Opportunity - Instructed by Stan Walerczyk. A 2-Hour Distance Learning Seminar Earns 0.2 CEU/2 PDH; Presented in one 2-hour live online session. New Program Starts March 15. Experience has shown repeatedly that if customers are provided upscale options--and understand their benefits--they will often choose them. The brand new dimming and Kelvin changing LED troffers, troffer kits and task lights and their personal control, circadian rhythm, visual acuity and energy saving benefits will also be briefly discussed during this program. www.aeeprograms.com/realtime