Mr. Green's Efficiency Watch - August 2024

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Mr. Green's Efficiency Watch

The quarterly review of energy efficiency standards & regulations

August 2024

Mr. Green says…

Welcome to a red-hot summer edition of Efficiency Watch. We begin this issue in the City of Light, with a look at the efforts to reduce carbon emissions during the Paris Olympics. We continue our journey in sunny California, answering the question: Should we cover deserts with solar panels? While on a hot streak of good ideas, we examine the increasingly popular concept of converting streetlights to EV charging stations. Then, we discuss the EU’s plan to update energy efficiency evaluation methods for new computers. Finally, we delve into the need for robust gallium nitride (GaN) technology in high-voltage applications.

As always, if you have any questions or comments, or would like me to report on a specific regulation, please feel free to contact me through our web form.

In this issue:

The 2024 Summer Olympics took place in Paris this August. Previous editions of the world’s largest multi-sport event averaged 3.5 million tons of CO2 emissions, and Paris 2024 aimed to halve that number. We look at many measures the organizers took to reduce or offset emissions associated with the Games, including France’s largest urban solar PV array covering the 5,000 m² roof of the Aquatics Centre.
Read more.

At first glance, the answer seems to be a no-brainer. Given the need for more clean energy, why not cover large tracts of seemingly barren land with solar panels in places where the sun is almost always shining? However, large-scale desert solar installations need to be implemented with sensitivity. In addition to environmental concerns, massive, remote solar farms present huge technical challenges associated with storage, conversion, and power transmission losses.
Read more.

In the United States, 64% of EV owners have the convenience of a Level 2 home charger, aligning with the 70% of Americans who reside in single-family homes. Those living in multi-unit dwellings, however, face challenges in accessing overnight EV charging. The UK now boasts 8,000 streetlight and bollard charging stations, and the concept is catching on in mainland Europe, with Berlin installing 200 streetlamp chargers and planning for 800 more.
Read more.

The landscape of computing technology in the European Union is poised for a transformation, guided by the principles of sustainability and efficiency. As part of this evolution, Regulation (EU) No 617/2013, which oversees the energy efficiency of laptops, desktops, and servers, is undergoing a thorough review. The European Commission is developing an innovative methodology to assess the energy efficiency of computers.
Read more.

In the realm of electronic engineering, the trend towards higher operating voltages is a significant development driven by the need for increased efficiency and power density in various applications. GaN technology is emerging as a robust solution to meet these demands. In industrial settings, internal voltage rails are also trending upwards. These higher voltages are crucial for delivering increased power in applications such as motor drives, compressors, and large HVAC systems.
Read more.

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