Photovoltaic Systems

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Securitizing renewable energy networks from cyber-attacks is not complicated by their oft-cited operational headache of intermittency, but rather by their separation from a utility’s control system, said smart grid executives at the Gridwise Global Forum in Washington, DC in early November. Though renewable intermittency adds to the challenge of stabilizing a grid, the forum revealed new evidence of real-world smart grid load shifting that continues to chip away at the tired argument that renewable energy cannot successfully integrate into a legacy grid.

California-based kWh Power is tackling phantom energy loss by introducing the Plugwise system in the United States. Developed by Dutch company Plugwise in 2006, this system allows you to monitor, track, and control unnecessary energy use throughout your home or office.

The system consists of “Circles” which are plugged into standard wall outlets to measure load on that outlet, and a “Stick” that wirelessly relays data from the circles to your computer, where Plugwise Source, the monitoring and management software, allows you see and control usage. Data can also be uploaded to the web for remote access via laptops and smartphones.

The Plugwise system allows monitoring of energy use from a smartphone.

Plugwise Source gives you control of your energy use in three ways. First, it provides details of energy use at the appliance level. Second, it allows you to schedule background operation of appliances that do not need to be on all the time — similar to the way a programmable thermostat turns down the heating or cooling demand when you are not home. And third, it allows you to combine different circles into groups that can be made to run on different schedules.

Additional products coming soon to the Plugwise system include Sense, which can track room temperature data, and Scan, which is a retrofit solution for occupancy sensor lighting control. And for applications where monitoring and control of a hardwired device is desired, Stealth can be installed to give the same functionality as a Circle. These devices will all feed data to Plugwise Source as well.

The Plugwise portal can track plug load and energy use throughout the home or office

Plugs will be sold soon at major retailers and online at kWh Power for $50 each. The US distributor also sells a Home Start Kit for $99.95 with two Circles, a Stick, and a license for the Plugwise Source software.

Photo credits: kWh Power.

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New Town Builders, the company that uses beetle-killed pine for their framing, opened this net-zero energy home with an announcement yesterday.  The company is the first in the area to offer a zero-energy package as a regular, additional option.  In other words, if a buyer wants it, the buyer can get a home that generates as much energy as it uses over the course of a year for the right price — in this case, $26,900.

This home, located at 8146 E. 35th Ave. in Denver, achieved a zero HERS score with solar panels, super insulation, and a proprietary double-stud wall.  As you can see, the wall has a half-inch gap and 24 inches between the studs to reduce thermal bridging. External walls have a thin layer of spray foam and the rest of the cavity is filled with blown-in cellulose.

During construction, New Town Builders checked the ducts for tightness to ensure that air reaches its destination with 7% or less loss.  Also, the home has a high efficiency HVAC system, energy efficient windows, Energy Star appliances, 100% CFL and LED lighting, a tankless water heater, and a continuous whole house energy recovery exhaust fan.

The model home is priced at $424,000, which includes a 9.9 kW solar array.  Green elements add about $100 to the mortgage cost, says New Town Builders, but the extra cost is eaten up by $200 in net savings per month due to having having no energy bill.

[+] More about this net-zero energy home in Stapleton.

Credits: New Town Builders.

Related Articles on JetsonGreen.com:

1. Near NZE Morning Sun Home in Oregon
2. ZETA Fabricates Homes for NZE Project
3. Traditional NZE Home in Connecticut

New Town Builders, the company that uses beetle-killed pine for their framing, opened this net-zero energy home with an announcement yesterday.  The company is the first in the area to offer a zero-energy package as a regular, additional option.  In other words, if a buyer wants it, the buyer can get a home that generates as much energy as it uses over the course of a year for the right price — in this case, $26,900.

This home, located at 8146 E. 35th Ave. in Denver, achieved a zero HERS score with solar panels, super insulation, and a proprietary double-stud wall.  As you can see, the wall has a half-inch gap and 24 inches between the studs to reduce thermal bridging. External walls have a thin layer of spray foam and the rest of the cavity is filled with blown-in cellulose.

During construction, New Town Builders checked the ducts for tightness to ensure that air reaches its destination with 7% or less loss.  Also, the home has a high efficiency HVAC system, energy efficient windows, Energy Star appliances, 100% CFL and LED lighting, a tankless water heater, and a continuous whole house energy recovery exhaust fan.

The model home is priced at $424,000, which includes a 9.9 kW solar array.  Green elements add about $100 to the mortgage cost, says New Town Builders, but the extra cost is eaten up by $200 in net savings per month due to having having no energy bill.

[+] More about this net-zero energy home in Stapleton.

Credits: New Town Builders.

Related Articles on JetsonGreen.com:

1. Near NZE Morning Sun Home in Oregon
2. ZETA Fabricates Homes for NZE Project
3. Traditional NZE Home in Connecticut