This Year-in-Review highlights Leaders in Energy’s activities in 2022. Climate, Green Economy, and Energy Leadership LE representatives took part in attending and speaking at a number of conferences throughout the year on climate, green economy, and energy leadership ranging on numerous topics as follows below: LE Executive Director, Janine Finnell was an invited speaker at...
By DR. MIRIAM ACZEL Cambodia has one of the lowest electrification rates in Southeast Asia: roughly half of Cambodia’s population does not have access to the electric grid. While the country has seen relatively strong economic growth over the last two decades, a majority of the population lives in under-resourced, rural areas. This has...
By DR. MIRIAM ACZEL and KATE RINGNESS On August 16, 2022, President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) into law, which includes $369 billion for climate and energy programs—the biggest federal investment to combat climate change in U.S. history. Among other measures, the IRA offers financial incentives to consumers who buy...
By DR. MIRIAM ACZEL After refusing to support the nearly $2 trillion Build Back Better Act last year, Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-WV) has reversed course and signed off on a scaled-down version of the original spending package. Known as the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, this agreement contains the most ambitious strategy for...
By DR. MIRIAM ACZEL Home performance describes how the different systems in a home work together to create comfortable, healthy, and energy-efficient indoor environments. This building science-based approach evaluates different factors such as air flow, moisture/humidity, and thermal protection to improve occupant comfort, energy savings, and indoor air quality (IAQ). Why is home performance...
By Dr. Miriam Aczel and Janine Finnell Introduction 2021 was another challenging year in many ways. From the COVID-19 pandemic which continued to cause dramatic impacts to yet another year of record-breaking temperatures, natural disasters, and artic sea ice loss, it was a difficult year for people across the globe. But one bright beacon of...
By DR. MIRIAM ACZEL Induction cooking, a relatively new technology powered by electricity, is cleaner and more energy-efficient than cooking with gas or even traditional electric burners. Many cities throughout California are passing regulations banning natural gas use in new buildings. This means that residences and businesses—including restaurants—will need to switch from gas to...
By DR. MIRIAM ACZEL As we continue to practice social distancing to keep those around us safe during the pandemic, many of our usual activities are not possible or available. ‘Stress-relief’ activities such as playing team sports or spending time with friends may not be possible. However, we do have a great option to...
By DR. MIRIAM ACZEL Induction cooking, a relatively new technology powered by electricity, is cleaner and more energy-efficient than cooking with gas or even traditional electric burners. Many cities throughout California are passing regulations banning natural gas use in new buildings. This means that residences and businesses—including restaurants—will need to switch from gas to...
By DR. MIRIAM ACZEL In recent years, California has suffered from water shortages. This year’s severe drought—and previous ones—have led to the loss of crops for many grape growers in the state’s wine country. Studies show that it can take anywhere from two to over fifteen gallons of water to make just one glass of California...