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1. U.S. Economy Added
80,000 Jobs in June, Unemployment Rate Unchanged at 8.2 Percent - U.S. employers
added only 80,000 jobs in June, a third straight month of weak hiring that
shows the economy is struggling three years after the recession ended. The
economy has added just 75,000 jobs a month in the April-June quarter. That’s one-third
of 226,000 a month created in the first quarter. Job creation is also trailing
last year’s pace through the first six months of 2012. 7/6 Washington Post
2. DOE Report Compares the Life-Cycle
Environmental Impacts of an LED Lamp with Incumbent Technologies - The
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has published a report that looks at the direct
and indirect material and process inputs to fabricate, ship, operate, and
dispose of LED lamps, compared with incandescent lamps and compact fluorescent
lamps (CFLs). Entitled LED Manufacturing and Performance, it is the
second part of a larger DOE project to assess the life-cycle environmental
impacts and resource costs of LED lighting products in relation to comparable
traditional lighting technologies. The report uses the conclusions of Part 1, Review
of the Life-Cycle Energy Consumption of Incandescent, Compact Fluorescent, and
LED Lamps, as a point of departure to produce a more detailed and
conservative assessment of the manufacturing process and use it to compare the
three lighting technologies, taking into consideration a wider range of
environmental impacts. This report is the most comprehensive study of its kind
for LED products, addressing both energy and environmental impacts, and is the
first public report to consider the LED manufacturing process in depth. To
download the PDF report www.ssl.energy.gov/tech_reports.html
3. The U.S.
Department of Energy Grants Ushio America Exemption for 700 Series T8 Lamps - The Office of Hearings and Appeals of the Department of
Energy has granted USHIO AMERICA, INC. a 2-year exemption relief from the new
efficiency regulations that go into effect on July 14, 2012 for certain T8
fluorescent lamps. As a result of this decision, USHIO along with GE Lighting (GE), Osram Sylvania, Inc. (OSI),
and Philips Lighting Co may continue to
manufacture its T8 700 Series general service fluorescent lamps (GSFLs) until
July 14, 2014. www.ushio.com/support/LampRegulations.htm
4. PG&E Seeks to Enhance Industry-Leading Energy Efficiency
Programs in Proposed Application for 2013-2014 - Pacific Gas and Electric
Company (PG&E) today will file with the California Public Utilities
Commission (CPUC) a proposed two-year energy efficiency portfolio that, if
approved, would enhance the company's industry-leading programs. The proposal
would allow PG&E to invest $433 million per year-about the same as
current levels-for two years to continue energy efficiency programs. PG&E
proposes to continue its work with component manufacturers and retailers to
develop, build and make available new, energy-efficient products for customers.
www.pgecurrents.com 7/2
PRNewswire
5. Potential
from Extending & Expanding Energy Efficiency Programs - Analysis included
in the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Annual Energy Outlook
2012 shows that extending and expanding certain energy-related policies beyond
the current sunset dates and current implementing regulations incorporated in
the AEO2012 Reference case could reduce projected national energy consumption
in 2035 by nearly 6%. http://www.eia.gov/forecasts/aeo/
6. Release
of ENERGY STAR Lamps V1.0 Specification Draft 2 - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the release of
the Draft 2 Version 1.0 ENERGY STAR Product Specification for Lamps (Light
Bulbs). Once finalized, this specification will replace the existing Compact
Fluorescent Lamps (V4.3) and Integral LED Lamps (V1.4) specifications. Stakeholders
are encouraged to submit comments on this draft proposal to www.lamps@energystar.gov no later
than August 24, 2012. When submitting comments, include “ENERGY STAR Lamps
Second Draft Comments” in the subject line. In addition, EPA will host a
webinar on August 8, 2012 to discuss the proposed Lamps Draft 2 specification.
7. DOE Publishes a New Report That
Breaks New Ground in Our Understanding of How Lighting Affects The Environment
- Entitled
Life-Cycle Assessment of Energy and Environmental Impacts of LED Lighting
Products: LED Manufacturing and Performance. It compares the environmental
impact of an LED lamp, an incandescent bulb, and a CFL from the beginning to
the end of their life cycle–including manufacturing, operation, and disposal.
This is the most comprehensive study of its kind for SSL products, addressing
both energy and environmental impacts, and it's the first public report to
consider the LED manufacturing process in depth. Copies are available at: http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/ssl/2012_led_lca-pt2.pdf
8. Acuity's Cheryl English Elected to IES Board of
Directors - Cheryl English,
Vice President of Government and Industry Relations at Acuity Brands Lighting,
has been elected to the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) Board of Directors for a two-year term beginning July 1, 2012. In her role, English will
provide strategic council to the Society’s long-term planning, operations,
education and research priorities.
9. Acuity Launches Web-based Design Tool That Calculates the Total
Life Cycle Costs of Lighting Systems - Acuity Brands, Inc. has developed
a leap-forward financial tool that allows users to determine the true economic
value of a lighting system, greatly exceeding the simple data output found on
many industry "payback" calculators. The Visual Economic Tool™ is a free, web-based, user-friendly design tool that uses
recommended industry practices to simultaneously estimate and compare the
life-cycle costs of up to three lighting systems. http://www.visual-3d.com/software/economictool.aspx
10. Harnessing Potential: Renewable
Growth - Here
we examine the past, present and future of four major clean technologies—solar,
wind, hydro and fuel cells—and the opportunities they present to electrical
contractors (ECs). June 2012 Electrical
Contractor
