May/June 2010
Editorial
Opportunity knocks - on a keyboard
There is an old joke among software developers speaking of their craft that failure is not an option it comes bundled with the software. The punch line...
Features
Diffusers get better at handling LEDs
It's no secret that Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) have taken over such segments of the lighting market as electronic displays and traffic signals. Now,...
Navigating international efficiency mandates
Standards, standards, everywhere. That could be the refrain for those who are designing the next generation of energy-efficient products. Whether it's...
How to build a low-loss stepper motor
Stepper motors are well known for their ability to perform accurate positioning in an open-loop mode. But they have a reputation for generating a lot...
Squeezing more efficiency from anti-friction bearings
Bearings, by design, are energy-saving devices. They limit friction between moving parts in countless machines and, over hundreds of years, have continually...
News
DoE gives lighting designers a new software tool
The traditional way of designing energy-efficient lighting generally starts with a lamp and a ballast. But that approach comes up short in an age when...
IEC quality standards recommended for U.S. PV market
The DOE-funded Solar America Board for Codes and Standards (Solar ABCs) now recommends that IEC quality standards be adopted for all solar modules purchased...
Sustainability software sheds light on energy efficient design
It looks as though energy efficiency could be the next frontier for vendors of computer-aided design software. Increasingly CAD packages are building...
Clean gas turbines are more efficient
In the power generation industry, keeping gas turbines squeaky clean is key to getting the best performance and energy efficiency out of these massive...
DoE tightens Energy Star criteria
Say goodbye to gas-powered alarm clocks and similar unlikely gadgets. After some embarrassing revelations that almost anything could get an Energy Star...
Vote of confidence for wireless pneumatic thermostats
The California Smart Grid Center (CSGC) recently did a demonstration test of a Wireless Pneumatic Thermostat (WPT) which, according to WPT maker Cypress...
Legislation
Europe tightens energy-labeling regulations
For those who make appliances or construction-related products bound for Europe, be aware that the labels placed on household appliances such as refrigerators,...
New guide explores energy codes for buildings
Manufacturers and designers of energy efficient equipment might be well advised to check out Building Energy Codes 101: An Introduction. This guide is...
Tax law helps green manufacturers grow profits
California Senate Bill 71 recently was signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. The new legislation exempts green manufacturers from paying...
Invention of the month
A driver IC for dimmable LEDs
It makes no sense to put super-efficient LEDs on ordinary dimmers. The dimmer would consume more energy than the LEDs being dimmed. That's why NXP Semiconductors,...
Energy figures of the month
On the Energy Front
TURBINES CAPTURE MORE AND MORE WIND Global wind power capacity increased by 38,343 MW to a total of 158,505 MW in 2009, according to the Worldwatch Institute,...
Technology update
A better way to harvest minuscule amounts of power
Thermoelectric and piezoelectric generators generally operate at voltages below a volt and produce electrical current in the micro- and milliamp range....
Standby currents keep getting lower
Say one thing for Smart Grid and distributed energy applications: They've helped stimulate the design of low-power processors. Among the most recent examples...
Hybrid powertrains get isolated for safety
Consider today's Prius. It has a main battery voltage of about 200V. It carries dc/dc converters to step down the main battery voltage to 12 V for charging...
Energy Smarts
Programmable LED drivers The LEDC10 Series of dc-dc LED drivers are designed for LED lighting applications with output ratings up to 10 W. The nonisolated,...
Energy myths
Pulling the plug on hybrid myths
Forest Jehlik, a vehicle systems engineer at the Center for Transportation Research at Argonne Laboratory, lifts the lid on six myths surrounding plug-in...
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Videos
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History and The SmartHome Project
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