Michigan is also a national leader in the development of new technologies including:
Life-cycle budgeting, a process that abandons the old, short-term approach of quick fixes for road maintenance and places emphasis on maximizing the life of the road. A Congressional Budget Office study shows life-cycle budgeting can reduce long-term maintenance costs by 40 percent.
High-strength Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers (CFRP) to reinforce concrete bridges. The use of this new product offers several distinct advantages, one of which is the virtual elimination of corrosion, a common problem among steel reinforced bridges.
Energy efficient LEDs in freeway lighting and trunkline signaling devices. Today, some 55 percent of state highway lights have been upgraded with LED lenses. As a result, MDOT is seeing a 90 percent power savings where LEDs are used.
The use of solar power to reduce its energy consumption. A demonstration project undertaken with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation Michigan Energy Office is using elevated solar panels at an MDOT carpool lot in west Michigan to feed power directly into the electrical grid during the day and offset the power needed for the freeway interchange lights at night.
A modern electronic bidding system developed in partnership with the private sector that uses the Internet to reduce errors, save taxpayer dollars, and shorten processing time. That means doing away with 10,000 pieces of paper that a single bid letting previously required along with the inefficiencies of such a labor-intensive process. For example, in 2002, the state had 34 low bid rejections, which cost about $370,000 to correct. In 2007, with the introduction of electronic bidding, there were no low bid rejections among 1,106 projects.
These innovations have saved money and stretched our transportation dollars, and we must do more. Today, I am challenging MDOT to provide opportunities for increased competition for maintenance services, like snow plowing. I propose taking a portion of the state network and competitively bidding for long-term engineering management services, construction and maintenance operations. I am giving the department 12 months to have the contracts in place and report back to me on the progress.
Moving to a performance-based system for managing and maintaining roads will lead to more efficiency in the preservation of our roads and bridges and save taxpayers money.
It is time to streamline the way we do business. We saw how successfully that worked for the auto companies who took painful steps to become leaner and more efficient. Ultimately, those difficult decisions helped make those companies sustainable. Many other businesses in Michigan have had to make similar painful choices in order to survive the past decade of difficult economic times.
2011年6月15日 星期三
Solar LED Lights
Before discussing solar LED lights, let us first understand what LED lights are. LED is the abbreviated term for Light Emitting Diode which is actually a chemical substance that is capable of emitting light if it is supplied with electricity. LED technology has come a long way from being used as an indicator to even being used in television sets these days. What has made LEDs most popular is their ability to emit a great amount of light while producing an insignificant amount of heat. They are also extremely cost-efficient and energy-efficient because not only do LED lights last for thousands of hours, they also use up only a fraction of the power that the other more standard sources of light do. As it is should be evident now that LED lights are a great way to save both energy as well as money in the long term, it is time to explain the association of solar technology with the LED lighting technology.
If you use solar LED lights, you can eliminate even the relatively small charges that an LED light would otherwise put on your electricity bill. If one can put together a technology that lasts for a long time while using only a small amount of electrical power with a technology that allows unlimited electrical power from the largest renewable energy source on the planet, then it is a very advanced and powerful technology indeed. If properly utilized, then solar LED lights can replace the conventional street lights as well as residential outdoor lights. The technology from the outset however, is as simple as attaching a photo voltaic cell to a LED light to make it independent of the grid electricity. What makes powering LED lights with solar cells easier is the fact that the LEDs do not require the current to be converted to AC from DC in order to run. As a result of being independent from the conventional sources of electricity, these solar LED lights are also wireless, which is an added advantage of course.
As is the case with most solar powered lighting systems, these are also made mainly for outdoor uses like street lighting, garden lighting, deck lighting and other similar purposes. The outdoor nature of the solar LED lights often makes it a necessity that they be made waterproof as well to withstand the climatic conditions. The only reason as to why people may not choose to install solar LED lights can be the relatively high costs, but that too is mostly one time because they hardly ever need maintenance. Apart from lasting a very long time, Solar LED lights will cost you nothing to use as you would be utilizing the free energy stored within sunlight to power them without even attending to the procedure. If you are a person who is conscious of the environment, then you should have more reasons for preferring the solar LED lights because they are harmless to the environment as they do not emit greenhouse gases or use up non-renewable sources of energy.
If you use solar LED lights, you can eliminate even the relatively small charges that an LED light would otherwise put on your electricity bill. If one can put together a technology that lasts for a long time while using only a small amount of electrical power with a technology that allows unlimited electrical power from the largest renewable energy source on the planet, then it is a very advanced and powerful technology indeed. If properly utilized, then solar LED lights can replace the conventional street lights as well as residential outdoor lights. The technology from the outset however, is as simple as attaching a photo voltaic cell to a LED light to make it independent of the grid electricity. What makes powering LED lights with solar cells easier is the fact that the LEDs do not require the current to be converted to AC from DC in order to run. As a result of being independent from the conventional sources of electricity, these solar LED lights are also wireless, which is an added advantage of course.
As is the case with most solar powered lighting systems, these are also made mainly for outdoor uses like street lighting, garden lighting, deck lighting and other similar purposes. The outdoor nature of the solar LED lights often makes it a necessity that they be made waterproof as well to withstand the climatic conditions. The only reason as to why people may not choose to install solar LED lights can be the relatively high costs, but that too is mostly one time because they hardly ever need maintenance. Apart from lasting a very long time, Solar LED lights will cost you nothing to use as you would be utilizing the free energy stored within sunlight to power them without even attending to the procedure. If you are a person who is conscious of the environment, then you should have more reasons for preferring the solar LED lights because they are harmless to the environment as they do not emit greenhouse gases or use up non-renewable sources of energy.
2011年6月13日 星期一
Let there be cheaper light
A geothermal pump helps heat the building.
Skylights and a wall of windows provide natural lighting.
Flat screen televisions flash the latest information on energy use.
If you think this sounds like the description of a cutting edge, energy conscious company, you would be half right.
It's a school -- two actually: Machias and Riverview elementary schools in Snohomish. Like many organizations, school districts are anxious to cut costs. Using more energy-efficient systems can help in the long run, especially if the local utility is willing to chip in. Snohomish County Public Utility District is.
The PUD offered roughly $200,000 in incentives and rebates to help the two schools incorporate energy efficient features like solar panels.
"It helps the project become a little more attractive for a business or a school," said Neil Neroutsos, spokesman for the utility. The PUD figures it's cheaper to support projects that save energy than it is to develop new energy sources. Ultimately, the schools could see up to $100,000 annually in energy savings.
The utility worked with Snohomish School District as it developed plans for its new elementary schools. Ronn Larpenteur, a senior energy engineer for the PUD, highlighted a few of the energy-saving ideas incorporated in the two schools.
•Solar photo voltaic rooftop systems: The schools have a 100-kilowatt solar panel installment on their roofs. Until recently, the solar project was the biggest in Washington state. The solar installation should cover 15 to 20 percent of the schools' energy needs.
"It's a huge leap forward," Larpenteur said.
•Geothermal heating pumps: Installed under the parking lots, these systems help bring up some of the earth's heat in the winter. In the summer, heat from the buildings is pushed back out. It will take about 15 years before the school district sees a return on its money for this system.
Advanced lighting and windows: To reduce lighting needs, the schools incorporated natural lighting with skylights and window walls. This should cut lighting costs by 50 percent, Larpenteur said. The electric lights that the schools use run on a dimmable ballast that keep the light levels in the school constant. They also have added some more efficient LED lights.
The added use of windows required great attention to the glass used. The schools used triple-paned glass, which costs roughly 30 percent more than double-paned, the PUD estimates. It will take the school district about 10 to 15 years for the energy efficiency gains to make up for the extra cost.
"The quality of light is much better," Neroutsos said.
•Smart ventilation system: The schools use "displacement ventilation" systems, which save energy by minimizing the need to circulate air for heating, cooling and ventilation. It uses natural air currents, with warm air moving from low levels to higher levels.
"They're taking advantage of the natural buoyancy of air," Larpenteur said.
This type of ventilation system uses about 40 percent less energy than a conventional one, he said. It's also quieter.
Steven Moore, project manager for capitol projects for Snohomish School District, is enthusiastic about many of the advances at the two schools. Moore, who previously worked for schools in Seattle, believes the Snohomish School District is "taking sustainability to a whole other level."
Still, it will be a while before the district can say it's saving energy. In fact, Moore is still tweaking how the different systems work within the schools.
"It's not always the system, it's also the staff," Moore said.
School staff members have to be trained on how to use the new features, he said. But they've embraced the sustainable features of the schools.
Skylights and a wall of windows provide natural lighting.
Flat screen televisions flash the latest information on energy use.
If you think this sounds like the description of a cutting edge, energy conscious company, you would be half right.
It's a school -- two actually: Machias and Riverview elementary schools in Snohomish. Like many organizations, school districts are anxious to cut costs. Using more energy-efficient systems can help in the long run, especially if the local utility is willing to chip in. Snohomish County Public Utility District is.
The PUD offered roughly $200,000 in incentives and rebates to help the two schools incorporate energy efficient features like solar panels.
"It helps the project become a little more attractive for a business or a school," said Neil Neroutsos, spokesman for the utility. The PUD figures it's cheaper to support projects that save energy than it is to develop new energy sources. Ultimately, the schools could see up to $100,000 annually in energy savings.
The utility worked with Snohomish School District as it developed plans for its new elementary schools. Ronn Larpenteur, a senior energy engineer for the PUD, highlighted a few of the energy-saving ideas incorporated in the two schools.
•Solar photo voltaic rooftop systems: The schools have a 100-kilowatt solar panel installment on their roofs. Until recently, the solar project was the biggest in Washington state. The solar installation should cover 15 to 20 percent of the schools' energy needs.
"It's a huge leap forward," Larpenteur said.
•Geothermal heating pumps: Installed under the parking lots, these systems help bring up some of the earth's heat in the winter. In the summer, heat from the buildings is pushed back out. It will take about 15 years before the school district sees a return on its money for this system.
Advanced lighting and windows: To reduce lighting needs, the schools incorporated natural lighting with skylights and window walls. This should cut lighting costs by 50 percent, Larpenteur said. The electric lights that the schools use run on a dimmable ballast that keep the light levels in the school constant. They also have added some more efficient LED lights.
The added use of windows required great attention to the glass used. The schools used triple-paned glass, which costs roughly 30 percent more than double-paned, the PUD estimates. It will take the school district about 10 to 15 years for the energy efficiency gains to make up for the extra cost.
"The quality of light is much better," Neroutsos said.
•Smart ventilation system: The schools use "displacement ventilation" systems, which save energy by minimizing the need to circulate air for heating, cooling and ventilation. It uses natural air currents, with warm air moving from low levels to higher levels.
"They're taking advantage of the natural buoyancy of air," Larpenteur said.
This type of ventilation system uses about 40 percent less energy than a conventional one, he said. It's also quieter.
Steven Moore, project manager for capitol projects for Snohomish School District, is enthusiastic about many of the advances at the two schools. Moore, who previously worked for schools in Seattle, believes the Snohomish School District is "taking sustainability to a whole other level."
Still, it will be a while before the district can say it's saving energy. In fact, Moore is still tweaking how the different systems work within the schools.
"It's not always the system, it's also the staff," Moore said.
School staff members have to be trained on how to use the new features, he said. But they've embraced the sustainable features of the schools.
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