USDA and DOE partner to support rural communities

Urban households in the United States use a combined three times amount of total energy than rural households. Despite this, the Energy Information Administration has estimated that rural families spend more than $400 per year on energy bills.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has partnered with rural businesses and agricultural producers through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) to lessen some of these high costs.

The partnership aims to construct 6,605 renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvement, beginning with approval dating back to 2009. Since then, it has generated more than $213 million in grants, as well as $178 million in loan guarantees. By taking these measures, the security of energy improvements can be secured, in addition to the creation of jobs and the protection of natural air and water sources. 

When these projects are completed, they will have saved these communities 7.32 billion kWh annually, enough energy to power 68,000 household for a year.

In addition to this collaboration, the Department of Agriculture recently announced a partnership with the DOE, known as the State Energy Extension Partnership. This partnership is set to give America's farming communities and rural small businesses the energy efficiency tools, training and other resources necessary to reduce energy costs. These changes include:

• Incorporating educational materials and technical assistance on energy efficiency and renewable energy into programs for youth and adults.
• Providing easy access to information on tax credits and other incentives for using energy efficient means to complete tasks.
• Supporting rural communities in energy efficiency and renewable resources to assist in job creation, expand businesses opportunities and improve local economies. 

Energy efficiency is an important part of homes and businesses. Learn more with an energy audit in yours today. Visit our website to schedule a time and date.

Is your home taking all your energy? The answer may depend on who you ask, and where in your home you're actually looking.

According to the Natural Resources Defense Council Blog, the U.S. Department of Energy made great strides toward eliminating the waste of energy in homes across the country. During the final week of 2015, it issued rulings concerning ceiling fans and lights, as well as boilers and refrigerators.

Will this actually make a difference? Many of the standards that were implemented in 1987 did, saving consumers $60 billion on their utility bills in 2014 alone, and cutting emissions by 2.3 billion tons in the same timeframe.

The rules finalized in 2015 will only spur more energy savings and cuts to toxic emissions.

In terms of houses across the U.S., which areas or items waste the most energy?

Heating and cooling use the most energy, at 39 percent,  for items such as furnaces and boiler circulation points. The second highest use of energy, 23 percent, isn't a particular room or type of accessory, but rather a range such as cooking appliances, exterior lights and pool heaters. The third largest use of energy is water heating at 13 percent.

As appliance standards continue to emerge, the savings for homeowners are being tracked. Annual savings for households across the nation top out with the kitchen and laundry room, both a little over $9 billion.

If you're interested in making a change in your home, consider scheduling an appointment with Alban Inspections. By scheduling an energy audit, homeowners can determine what changes may be best for energy efficiency. Starting with small changes can make big differences down the road.

Learn more on our website.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is making some big changes in terms of energy efficiency and household appliances. By enacting new standards for commercial air conditioners and furnaces, more energy will be saved than any other change started by the DOE to date.

Over the product lifetime, businesses are set to save $167 billion on utility bills and reduce carbon pollution by 885 million metric tons.

New commercial air conditioning and furnace standards are scheduled to be implemented in two phases, beginning in 2018. This first phase will cause a 13 percent efficiency improvement in products. In 2023, an additional 15 percent increase in efficiency will be required for newer units. 

Commercial air conditioners, also known as rooftop units, are most commonly used in low-rise buildings such as schools and small office buildings. In total, they cool off about half of the total commercial space in the U.S.

This change was made after careful consideration as well as numerous meetings with the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute representing manufacturers, the Appliance Standards Awareness Project and the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy

"Just days after the Paris agreement to cut global emissions and create a new era of affordable energy, today's announcement marks the largest energy-saving standard in history and demonstrates that America is leading the effort to reduce energy costs and cut carbon emissions," said DOE secretary Dr. Ernest Moniz.

By making simple changes in both the workplace and home, energy efficiency can be improved. To learn more about the efficiency of your home, schedule an energy audit today. 

Visit our website here.

Energy efficiency has many benefits for those who choose to take part in its enhancements. One of these benefits is the growth of jobs in emerging fields.

According to the Frederick News-Post, the use of renewable energy is generating new jobs in Maryland.

The Solar Foundation, an independent, nonprofit organization, recently released its 2014 Maryland Solar Jobs Census. This report found that solar jobs in Maryland are growing, spurred by the drive to make solar changes in the home. As of November 2014, there were more than 3,000 solar jobs in Maryland, representing about 29 percent of increases in employment since 2013.

The Solar Foundation projected a 26 percent increase in solar jobs this year alone, with more than 174,000 across the U.S.

Making energy efficient changes doesn't just mean installing solar panels or building wind turbines. For some, making this change may be out of the question in terms of timing and finances. There are steps that homeowners can take now though that will increase efficiency and decrease utility bills. These include:

• Changing the light bulbs. If you haven't done so already, switch out the light bulbs in your home for a more efficient bulb. By eliminating incandescent lights, owners can reduce energy used by lighting up to 75 percent.
• Sealing and insulating the home will keep the cold air out and the warm air inside this winter. By doing so, comfort and quality of life can also be improved as filtered air fills the home instead of polluted air from the outdoors.
• Using electronics properly, such as loading a washing machine with the right amount of clothes or running the dishwasher only when it's full but not too full, can also make a difference. Running electronics correctly will also prolong their life.

To learn more, visit our website.

How has energy efficiency improved during 2015? As the year comes to a close, The Natural Resources Defense Council has determined that the U.S. made great gains in terms of better efficiency.

Utilities across the U.S. are vital to the overall improvement of smarter uses for electricity and natural gas, reducing energy bills and pollution. 

According to the Institute for Electric Innovation, U.S. utility investments in efficiency programs like weatherization and rebates for efficient appliances exceeded $7 billion in 2014. This number greatly surpassed the 2007 total of $2.7 billion.

A survey conducted by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy found that the amount of electricity saved by the addition of energy efficiency programs developed nationwide grew by 6 percent. Natural gas savings was one of the most noted developments, as well as reducing overall costs and investments in all noted categories. 

In August of this year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)  finalized the Clean Power Plan to cut carbon pollution from the nation's power plants, and requiring states to comply with set clean energy targets by 2022. As part of the final ruling, the EPA established the Clean Energy Incentive Program, which is designed to give states incentives for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. 

As states continue to change their energy efficiency stance, and create more clean energy opportunities, how can homeowners play their part? 

Consider scheduling an energy audit with Alban Inspections to determine how your house may factor into your state's overall energy efficiency initiatives. Visit our website to learn more.

According to The Baltimore Sun, three Maryland lawmakers are hoping to increase the amount of Maryland's electricity that comes from renewable sources, as well as spend $40 million on training for "green jobs" expected to be in higher demand in the future.

Sen. Catherine Pugh, Del. Dereck Davis and Sen. Rich Madaleno recently announced their plan to sponsor legislation requiring 25 percent of the state's electricity to come from renewable resources by 2020. This will accelerate the state's current plan to reach 20 percent by 2022.

Increasing this timetable, the three also hope to spend $40 million on job skills training to install solar panels and improve the overall efficiency of buildings.

"This is not a choice between addressing climate change and improving our economy," said Davis, chairman of the Economic Matters Committee and a Prince George's County lawmaker. "It's both."

Many advocates of the change believe it will create 2,000 new jobs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The higher percentage of renewable energy sources for electricity, though, may come at some cost for rate payers. This switch would cost about 52 cents per rate payer for year, according to a finding from the Sustainable Energy Advantage.

Energy efficiency and climate control remain hot button issues across the globe, especially in light of the Paris Climate Changes meetings. 

Enhancing the energy efficiency measures in your home, though seemingly small, can make a large impact. To learn more about the efficiency of your home or to schedule an energy audit, contact Alban Inspections today. 

Visit our website to learn more. 

How much of a difference can changing a light bulb make? Many may think any difference at all would be insignificant as it is small, but this is just not the case.

According to a recent study conducted at the Georgia Institute of Technology, effective energy efficient changes lead to greater energy savings, and in turn, greenhouse gas reductions.

"Many people consider energy efficiency to be the low-hanging fruit," Wang said. "If you're facing the target of trying to mitigate climate change, energy efficiency should be the first choice because it's cheap and easy in comparison with other options," said assistant professor of political science at Iowa State University Yu Wang.

By implementing a combination of energy efficient measures both at home and work, potential electricity savings alone could reach 10.2 percent by 2035.

Not everyone will change their light bulbs or make other small changes if they're not aware of the effect, or in some cases, told to do so. The U.S has a range of efficiency to make up for, especially in terms of a global comparison scale. The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy ranked the U.S. 13 of 16 on its 2014 International Energy Efficiency Scorecard. The U.S. was beat by South Korea, Germany and China, among others.

By taking a step by step approach to energy efficiency, real change can be created. Governments across the globe must take an initiative now to make better efficiency a reality.

Start with the light bulbs in your home in terms of change. Consider looking at the age of your appliances, as well as heating and cooling systems for next steps. To learn more about the overall efficiency of your home, schedule an energy audit with Alban Inspections. Visit our website to learn more.

Climate change and energy efficiency must be considered across the globe, especially in larger economies with stronger overall output of goods and services, that use different means to complete transportation, building and industrial needs.

A recent report conducted by ClimateWorks found that global energy efficiency programs could neutralize decarbonization, slashing costs by $2.8 trillion by 2030, with $250 billion in cuts each year.

Energy efficiency may not have been on the front burner for long, but the idea has been around for a while, with many developers searching for cost cuts and more efficient means of work. The policies that have been in place since the early 90s have already helped reduce costs by about $750 billion in efforts to limit the spread of global warming.

The report, "How Energy Efficiency Cuts Costs for a 2 C Future," also found that reducing overall carbon footprints and use of important fossil fuels can be done with little to no cost. Many countries have agreed to band together to hit the 2 degrees Celsius upper limit for climate change.

In terms of the role the U.S. will play, tighter economy standards in relation to fuel and cleaner means of energy under the Clean Power Plan, "represent major steps forward to realizing the cost savings," the report found. "Nevertheless, incentives are still lacking for significant retrofits of existing buildings, and the reduction of fuel consumption in energy-intensive industries."

Buildings throughout the U.S. represent an extensive range of potential emissions savings.

By making changes now, the largest economies of the world can gain serious economic benefits in reducing the cost of energy access, reducing the need for exploitive expansion of energy supply and improving overall air quality and health.

Energy efficiency is an important part of the home and business. Learn more on our website.

Heating your home this winter doesn't have to be expensive in terms of money or energy efficiency. Take some time in the coming weeks to do a run-through of your house, determining areas that may need a change or two before the first snowfall. If you're not sure where to start, keep the following three tips in mind:

• Check holes inside of exterior walls: Whether a home is on the older side or has just been constructed, checking holes that allow pipe lines, electrical cables and other lines to enter the homes is a great way ensure heat isn't lost. These are often sealed with caulking, which can crack and peel with time if left untreated.
• Insulate: The insulation inside your home is the last barrier between the outside elements and what can be felt when inside. By ensuring insulation is in top shape and hasn't disintegrated, heat can be better maintained. While checking insulation, take some time to check ductwork, plumbing and other places where heat can be lost through nearby.
• Weatherstripping: Often, homeowners go right for doorways or windows for replacement, but this may be unnecessary and expensive. Instead, homeowners should first look at the weatherstripping around these doors and windows. According to Popular Mechanics, worn or torn weatherstripping causes seven-12 percent of heat loss in homes.

By conserving the heat in your home, the energy efficiency can be increased. Many homeowners can see a return on investment within months. To learn more about energy efficiency or to schedule an energy audit with Alban Inspections, visit our website.

According to Reuters, renewable energy supplies in eight major economies are projected to double by 2030 due to new national climate and energy plans. 

This projection, compiled by the World Resources Institute (WRI) found that the clean energy supply created by eight of the world's 10 largest greenhouse emitters — Brazil, China, the European Union, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico and the United States — will jump to 20,000 terawatt hours.

This number is equivalent to India's current energy demand.

"These new renewable energy targets send strong signals to energy markets and investment circles," said Jennifer Morgan, Global Director, Climate Program, WRI. "Combined with the Paris climate agreement, it's clear that renewable energy is poised to surge forward in the next 15 years bringing clean and affordable power to millions of people worldwide."

In addition to global changes, advancements are also being made in the U.S. on other fronts. Recent data from the Pew Research Center has found that American homes are about 31 percent more energy efficient (as measured in energy usage per square foot) than 1970. 

Despite this though, homes have also grown in size, about 28 square feet on average, which does not cancel out the energy efficient change, but rather, balances the two. All these energy efficient gains effectively allow Americans to own bigger homes and have more appliances running without causing a huge surge in energy usage.

One of the biggest notable changes found during this study is the amount of heat that homes use, now about 21 percent less for newer homes as compared to their older counterparts. 

If you're interested in learning more about the energy efficiency of your home, schedule a consultation with Alban Inspections today or visit our website.