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This clever system taps basement temps to cool your home, and now it can heat, too

Cool Down

New York-based Cool Down makes a thermal transfer system that moves naturally cool air from your basement into your living space while sending excess heat back down below to cool homes more efficiently. By dispersing that heat into the ground, Cool Down helps keep homes comfortable during hot summer months and cuts electricity bills in the process.

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Trump wants to kill ENERGY STAR – here’s how that impacts you

ENERGY STAR

The Trump administration wants to pull the plug on ENERGY STAR, the federal program behind those familiar blue labels on energy-efficient appliances, homes, and buildings. Launched in 1992, ENERGY STAR has saved Americans more than $500 billion in energy costs while slashing greenhouse gas emissions.

To dig into what this means for everyday Americans, we spoke with Rebecca Foster, CEO of clean energy nonprofit Vermont Energy Investment Corporation (VEIC), which has spent decades working to make homes, schools, and businesses more energy efficient.

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Here’s how the US climate act will lower household energy bills

climate act energy bills

The Democrats passed the big climate bill – the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) – in the US Senate on Sunday, 51-50. It’s expected to pass in the House of Representatives this week, and President Joe Biden says he’ll sign it as soon as it lands on his desk. Here’s how the IRA helps homeowners achieve energy efficiency and lower their energy bills.

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How smart home energy monitors could avert huge bills

home energy trends

During last week’s power crisis in Texas, prices surged to the market price cap of $9,000 per megawatt-hour for several days, resulting in some huge bills for a lot of homeowners. (To put that in perspective, the state’s seasonal average is $50 per megawatt-hour.) The entire US, not just Texas, has a lot of infrastructure work to do in order to avoid more power crises like this. But in the meantime, how can consumers protect themselves from exorbitant surprise power bills when extreme weather increasingly occurs?

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EGEB: US energy efficiency standards at risk, South Australia’s 100% goal, Pa. solar, and more

US solar industry

In today’s EGEB:

  • US energy efficiency standards have reached a state of uncertainty due to the DOE.
  • South Australia plans to be “net” 100% renewables by 2030.
  • A study shows how much Pennsylvania has to gain from solar.
  • Maryland gets a tall meteorological tower before its offshore wind farm.


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Energy Management making plays for the SmartHouse, and it might win it all

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Much has been made about the coming SmartHome – it started with the Jetsons and their robots, however the reality has been a bit slow coming. Last week, EnergySage+WiseAir+Schneider launched an offer of $300 cash back if you install solar power and a smart thermostat. Back in February, SolarCity+Nest+Tesla introduced the “Smart Energy Home” that combines solar panels, battery storage, smart electric water heaters and the Nest Learning Thermostat. Vermont utilities are renting PowerWalls. It has become clear the home energy generation & management is on the path into powering the SmartHome.


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