New York’s Grid is Getting Smarter
Tuesday, September 27th, 2011
For many New Yorkers, thoughts about the electricity grid don’t extend much further than their light switches. This may change soon, however, as major upgrades to the grid are planned that will lower electricity bills and improve reliability.
Taken together, these upgraded technologies are known as the smart grid. In August, the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO), the non-profit organization that manages New York’s electricity grid and administers the state’s wholesale electricity markets, unveiled a $74 million initiative to upgrade New York’s electricity grid with new smart grid technologies.
Backed by more than $37 million from the U.S. Department of Energy, these technologies will improve the efficiency of the state’s bulk transmission system and improve grid operators’ visualization capabilities and situational awareness. NYISO also held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new $35.5 million primary power control center in Rensselaer County.
What does it all mean?
New Yorkers will save money. New capacitor banks will reduce electricity costs in New York State approximately $9 million per year by reducing the amount of electricity that is lost when carried over long distances on the bulk transmission system. All told, the upgrades will provide New York with approximately $190 million in annual savings.
Power reliability will improve. New phaser measurement units will improve NYISO’s ability to receive, process and monitor changing conditions, which it does on a moment-to-moment basis, 24 hours per day. Ultimately, NYISO hopes to integrate its smart grid with others across the Northeast and Canada, which could help avoid potential outages, such as the 2003 blackout.
Renewable energy will get a boost. The smart grid upgrades and new power control center will aid the integration of renewable energy supplies, such as solar and wind, into the power supply.
To learn more, visit the NYISO website, read its press release or check out the NYS Smart Grid Consortium overview.
Posted in Cleantech, Energy $mart Communities, Energy Efficiency, Legislation, Sustainability, Technology | Permalink
Join Solar One This Saturday For FAB! Festival
Friday, September 23rd, 2011.jpeg "FAB! Festival")
Posted in Solar One | Permalink
Welcome! New Faces at Solar One
Friday, September 23rd, 2011
Solar One has been growing so fast we’ve barely had time to introduce all the new people who have joined the team. Playing catch-up on all our new faces, say hello to…
First row, left to right: Sara Jayanthi, Energy $mart Communities Coordinator for Manhattan and Staten Island, joined Solar One in 2010 and quickly became a driving force in our public education program, including playing a instrumental role in launching the new Clean Energy Connections series. James Kinyanjui, Workforce Lab Site Manager , also joining Solar One in 2010, a graduate of our Green Workforce Training program, James knew so much about green jobs that we figured out how to keep him around — first by hiring him as a workforce intern, and then promoting him to managing the Workforce Training Lab and teaching classes. Natasha Myles, Evaluation Consultant, joined Solar One as part of the Green Design Lab team, Natasha brings meticulous attention to the considerable job of looking at how the Green Design Lab benefits schools, figuring out “best practices” and helping Solar one refine the program for even better results as we go forward.
Second row, left to right: Gary Smith, STEP Coordinator, also a graduate of Solar One’s Green Workforce Training program, Gary graduated at the top of his class, then earned a BPI Building Analyst certification and graduated from several other trainings including AEA and Envirolution, and now brings his many years of experience as an educator to the Solar One Tenant Education Program (STEP). Jeff Irvine, Energy Connections Program Assistant, also recently joining the Solar One team from a background of working in PBS and documentary, Jeff’s experience making complex information understandable quickly and easily will help Solar One ramp up our outreach, social media, and public education in this fast-growing program. Abby Morse, Grantwriter, a part of the dynamic Solar One development team, Abby came to Solar One from working with the biking and environmental advocacy organization Time’s Up, and she brings fresh vocabulary and tireless energy to our equally tireless fundraising efforts.
Welcome everybody! Our office is sure crowded these days!
Posted in Solar One | Permalink
TONIGHT! Clean Energy Connections: The Energy-Water Nexus
Thursday, September 22nd, 2011Join us tonight for the 4th event of Solar One’s and NYC ACRE’s cleantech discussion series Clean Energy Connections: The Energy-Water Nexus.
Thursday, Sept. 22, 2011 7:00pm-9:00pm (doors open at 6:30p)
The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space at WNYC
44 Charlton Street, New York, NY 10014
General Admission: $25, Students: $10
Register for your advanced tickets here
Advanced ticket sales will close at 4:00pm today. A limited number of tickets will be available at the door.
Since the f
irst steam engines of the Industrial Revolution, water has been intricately linked with how we generate and consume energy. Today, that relationship is more important than ever. Hydrofracking, concentrated solar power, and nuclear energy are each increasing pressure and demand on our finite water resources. Join our expert panel of industry leaders, policy thinkers, and innovators in the discussion on how advanced management practices and technology innovations are ensuring that water resources are utilized responsibly in this rapidly changing energy age.
A networking reception will follow the panel discussion and audience Q&A.
Opening Speaker:
- Rupert Posner, Global Director of Energy, The Climate Group
Panelists:
- Jeff Fulgham, CSO, Banyan Water
- Sheeraz Haji, CEO, Cleantech Group
- Diana Glassman, Board Memeber, World Policy Institute, Co-author, “Water-Energy Nexus: Adding Water to the Energy Agenda”
- Frank Zammataro, President and Founder, Rentricity
Moderator:
- Adam Aston, Senior Writer, GreenBiz.com
Can’t make it? Greentech Media is the media sponsor for this series and will host a free live web stream of this event at www.livestream.com/
The Energy-Water Nexus is a featured event of Climate Week NYC, and part of the cleantech discussion series Clean Energy Connections. Clean Energy Connections is a program of Solar One and NYC ACRE at NYU-Poly that brings together professionals, policymakers, investors and academia to explore major topics shaping NYC’s blossoming cleantech industry, and provides an expert forum to share best practices and new inspirations.
Posted in Solar One | Permalink
UPDATE! TONIGHT’S SCREENING CANCELED Women In the Dirt: Landscape Architects Shaping Our World Screening This Thursday
Monday, September 12th, 2011| September 15, 2011 | ||
| 7:00 pm | to | 10:00 pm |
Well, it’s just not our year for screenings…
NY ASLA has decided to cancel tonight’s screening of Women In the Dirt. They’ll be rescheduling sometime in October in a different venue. You can find out more on their Facebook page.
Women in the Dirt is about the groundbreaking work of seven landscape architects. Their projects combine awareness of architectural and landscape principles, concern with sustainability, safety and beauty. The scope of their work ranges from private homes to vast public projects.
Through conversations with the landscape architects in their offices, or in the stunning spaces they’ve designed, the film explores each woman’s personal aesthetics and approach to their discipline. Women in the Dirt shows how these “masters of the obvious” create the sublime.
The New York chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects will be presenting this premiere screening at Solar 1 on Thursday September 15 at 7pm. Solar One is delighted to present this program- Stuy Cove Park was designed by a female landscape architect, Donna Walcavage. You can learn more about the design and construction of the Park on the Solar One website HERE.
Guest Presenter: Achva Stein, Professor & Director, Graduate Landscape Architecture Program at CUNY
Thursday September 15 at 7pm at Solar One
Rain date will be determined 24 hours in advance, if necessary.
Posted in Design, Film, Native Plants, Solar One Events, Stuyvesant Cove Park | Permalink
