Technologies aimed at using energy efficiently and generating new sources of energy to reduce dependence on the grid continue to grow in the U.S., with a new report showing that wind turbines, solar installations, EVs, and LED lighting are driving major cost and energy savings across the country. The 2015 Revolution…Now report from the DOE highlights strong cost reductions in the renewable energy field as one driver for increased capacity, noting that between 2008 and 2014, 31% of all new installed capacity in the U.S. was from land-based wind energy. Solar is also noted as a major growth area, with over 8 GW of distributed photovoltaic installations being completed by 2014.
In addition to the fast growth in renewable energy, the report also spotlights LED technology as an improvements that can help mitigate the effects of climate change, with over 78 million of the bulbs having been installed through 2016, a six-fold increase over 2012’s numbers. Another area with potential, according to the DOE, is smart building technologies such as building controls, which can save an average of 55% per unit with a one- to three-year ROI. The study also notes that the addition of smart controls to large HVAC units could save up to 37 billion kWh per year.
Looking to save energy in your building? Check out these tips that can help identify inefficiencies.
