Electical Contractor

In times of great change, innovation becomes the norm. Already ahead of the curve for tapping plentiful solar, wind and other renewable sources, California continues to feed that trend. The state recently announced new, mandatory green-building standards.

Bringing power to the people could be more than just a 1960’s era goal for social change if promoters of localized electricity distribution systems—called “microgrids”—have their way.

Pepco Energy Services, a subsidiary of Pepco Holdings Inc., a utility for the mid-Atlantic region, was selected by the Maryland Stadium Authority (MSA) to implement a $9 million comprehensive energy-efficiency contract at Camden Yards, Oriole Park and M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

Southern Power, the Southern Co. subsidiary that acquires, builds, manages and owns wholesale-generation assets, took a major step in building one of the nation’s largest biomass-fueled projects with a groundbreaking ceremony in Sacul, Texas.

In the September issue, I discussed some of the claims that various organizations working on the smart grid have made in the two years since the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 passed. The act contained Title XIII, which has 10 characterizations of a smart grid.

In a pilot project designed to harness the power of the ocean breezes along North Carolina’s coast, the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill and Duke Energy announced they have signed a contract to place up to three demonstration wind turbines in the Pamlico Sound.

Residential customers of FirstEnergy Corp.’s Ohio utility operating companies will receive two compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) through a company program designed to reduce electricity usage and increase awareness of the benefits of energy-efficiency measures, including lower electric bills.

It’s entirely appropriate that California should take the lead in the generation of solar power. In the wake of Gov.

Ameren Cos.. in Illinois and Missouri are among the first electric utility companies in the nation to offer power outage information on mobile devices. Called ameren.mobi, it is available to Ameren’s 2.4 million electricity customers in Illinois and Missouri.