Energy Efficiency

The Smart Meter That Can Tell Your TV From Your AC

The Smart Meter That Can Tell Your TV From Your AC

Jeff St. John: April 4, 2012

U.K. startup Navetas says it can disaggregate individual household power loads without sensors in the home. Smart meter giant Sensus is a new investor and partner.

Opower Launches Facebook App

Opower Launches Facebook App

Jeff St. John: April 3, 2012

Want to upload your energy bill data directly to your new “social energy app”? It will be a lot easier if your utility is connected to Opower’s new Facebook platform. 

Powerit Takes Big Factory Energy to the Cloud

Powerit Takes Big Factory Energy to the Cloud

Jeff St. John: April 2, 2012

Industrial power controls heavy Powerit Solutions becomes the latest to turn to cloud computing to integrate smart buildings and smart grids.

EnerSys Gives Thumbs Up to PowerGenix’s Nickel-Zinc Batteries

EnerSys Gives Thumbs Up to PowerGenix’s Nickel-Zinc Batteries

Jeff St. John: April 2, 2012

PowerGenix’s deal with big battery maker EnerSys will give its nickel-zinc batteries a chance to prove their worth.

Research Triangle: The New Silicon Valley of the Smart Grid?

Research Triangle: The New Silicon Valley of the Smart Grid?

Jeff St. John: April 2, 2012

We explore the 60-plus smart grid players and cutting-edge test labs and pilot projects of North Carolina’s Research Triangle.

Coal Consumption Drops to Lowest Level Since 1996

Coal Consumption Drops to Lowest Level Since 1996

Katherine Tweed: March 30, 2012

Natural gas gains ground, but what will it take for renewables to be a part of the conversation?

Xtreme Power Quietly Building Small-Scale Energy Storage

Jeff St. John: March 28, 2012

The startup behind big wind power storage projects in Hawaii and Texas is also building small-scale batteries to back microgrids for border colonias, and is eyeing other markets.

Microgrids Take Shape in India, South Africa

Microgrids Take Shape in India, South Africa

Jeff St. John: March 28, 2012

Echelon is deploying its smart grid technology to manage microgrids of on-site generators and power consumers in countries where the grid can’t be relied on.

The China-US-UK Smart Grid Connection

The China-US-UK Smart Grid Connection

Jeff St. John: March 27, 2012

Echelon and Holley Metering partner for China’s smart grid market, while Huawei joins Landis+Gyr to aim at U.K. smart meter rollout.

GreenTouch Touts 30X More Efficient Fiber-to-the-Home

GreenTouch Touts 30X More Efficient Fiber-to-the-Home

Katherine Tweed: March 27, 2012

Data centers aren’t the only part of IT getting a green makeover.

BuildingIQ, Enlighted Make Strides in Energy-Smart Buildings

BuildingIQ, Enlighted Make Strides in Energy-Smart Buildings

Jeff St. John: March 27, 2012

Smart HVAC startup BuildingIQ partners with Schneider Electric, and Enlighted links its smart lighting with HVAC and demand response.

Vigilent Raises $6.7M for Big-Data-Style Data Center Efficiency

Vigilent Raises $6.7M for Big-Data-Style Data Center Efficiency

Jeff St. John: March 26, 2012

Keeping data centers running efficiently adds up to a big data problem in itself, over time.

SolarCity Charges Into Home Efficiency With Admirals Bank

SolarCity Charges Into Home Efficiency With Admirals Bank

Herman K. Trabish: March 26, 2012

“We’re doing for energy efficiency what we’ve done for solar.”

Comverge’s Lessons for the Smart Grid Industry

Comverge’s Lessons for the Smart Grid Industry

Jeff St. John: March 26, 2012

The first publicly traded demand response company gets bought out at a discount. Can its long-term growth plans remain intact?

GreenSmith, Sendyne, ARPA-E, and the Road to Better Battery Management

GreenSmith, Sendyne, ARPA-E, and the Road to Better Battery Management

Jeff St. John: March 23, 2012

ARPA-E wants technologies that boost battery performance all the way down to the cell level. Here are some startups working on it.