KUB small business customers averaging 50 kw or less can still take advantage of a free lighting assessment program with grants contributing toward energy efficient upgrades. 

Since the MainStreet Efficiency program's launch in January, more than 500 KUB small business customers have signed up to implement recommended lighting upgrades, and 285 have been installed as of April 17, according to data from EnerPath. 

Funding for the program is provided by TVA, which has set aside $1.5 million to be used through September 30.

Customers receive a free lighting assessment from TVA contractor EnerPath showing how much they could save on energy costs with more efficient lighting. The program will pay up to $2,000 to offset the cost of energy efficient upgrades if they decide to implement suggested changes. 

To see if your business qualifies for the lighting program, visit the Enerpath website.

According to TVA, lighting consumes nearly 35 percent of the electricity used in commercial buildings in the country. Lighting also impacts other building systems through its use of electricity and through waste heat.

Most upgrades in the program have cost an average of $1,310, less than the max grant amount, so most customers have no out-of-pocket costs, a KUB spokesperson said.

Projected energy savings from the committed projects is more than 2 million kilowatt hours, with an average per-customer savings of $482 per year.

Under MainStreet Efficiency, lighting upgrades could include replacing fluorescent fixtures with higher-efficiency lamps and ballasts, changing regular bulbs to compact fluorescent lights or light-emitting diode lights, or upgrading "Exit" signs to LED technology.

May 17 is National Bike to Work Day and Knoxville-area bike commuters are invited to participate by stopping by Market Square on their way to work. Celebrate with free coffee and biscuits from 7:30-8:30 a.m. with Mayor Rogero.

Can't get downtown? Even if you have a different destination or start time, several businesses around town will also participate independently. See the full list of where to snag a free cup of coffee for biking to work.

Bike to Work Day is a way for people who have considered biking to work, whether to save money on parking and gas or to improve their health, to try it out. 

A two-day conference on electric vehicle policy, market issues and infrastructure will be at the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy on the University of Tennessee campus Thursday and Friday of this week.

Electrifying the Vehicle Market in the Southeast will explore the potential of all electric drive vehicles (battery electric, hydrogen fuel cell, plug-in hybrid, and hybrid) to help address problems with national energy security, climate change, and local air pollution.

Sales of electric vehicles were at record highs in 2012, but still below expectation for many automakers. This workshop will bring together industry, policy makers, researchers, stakeholders and practitioners to share knowledge and experience, and explore strategies that could advance the market for electric drive vehicles in the US in general and in the Southeastern region, in particular.

During the conference a free display of electric vehicles will be available and open to the public. Cars are on loan from the Tennessee Valley Authority and GM.

Discussions include:

Prospective benefits and costs of electric vehicles, both public and private

Assessment of the current market and supply and demand challenges

Effectiveness of incentives, infrastructure investments and public information

Dialogue on future policy initiatives

The keynote speaker is David Green, a senior fellow with the Howard Baker Center and Oak Ridge National Lab. He will present "Achieving Sustainable Transportation by 2050: The National Research Council's Transitions to Alternative Vehicles and Fuels."

Other experts include representatives of Nissan and Ford and state and local governments already implementing zero emission vehicle plans.

The conference is sponsored by FedEx, Nissan, the U.S Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the University of Tennessee College of Engineering, and the University of Tennessee's Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy.

The 2013 Nissan LEAF has been named the Best Green Car of 2013 by Kelley Blue Book. Now in its third model year, Nissan LEAF is the world's best-selling, pure electric vehicle with nearly 60,000 sold worldwide.

The LEAF is manufactured in Nissan's Smyrna, Tenn. plant and batteries for the vehicle are produced at an adjacent facility.

"The 2013 Nissan LEAF marks a turning point in the electric vehicle movement ... We're seeing buyers diversify beyond early adopters," said Erik Gottfried, Nissan director of electric vehicle sales and marketing.

The car was recently redesigned for the new model year. Upgrades include quicker charging and an improved driving rage, the company said. The LEAF has an EPA range of 75 miles at an average 90 percent charge or up to 83 miles on a full charge.

Vehicles from Tesla and Ford, and LEAF challengers Chevrolet Volt, and Toyota Prius are also featured on the list.

See the full list of the year's best green cars according to the Blue Book at KBB.com

Once they've finished powering electric vehicles for hundreds of thousands of miles, it may not be the end of the road for automotive batteries, which researchers believe can provide continued benefits for consumers, automakers and the environment.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers are studying five used Chevrolet Volt batteries to determine the feasibility of a community energy storage system that would put electricity onto the grid. Over the next year, researchers from ORNL, General Motors and the ABB Group will conduct studies and compile data using a first-of-its-kind test platform.

"With about one million lithium-ion batteries per year coming available from various automakers for the secondary market beginning in 2020, we see vast potential to supplement power for homes and businesses," said Dr. Imre Gyuk, manager of the Energy Storage Research Program in DOE's Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability in a press release. "Since these batteries could still have up to 80 percent of their capacity, they present a great opportunity for use in stationary storage devices before sending them to be recycled."

Last year in San Francisco, a GM/ABB energy storage system provided 100 percent of the electricity needed to power a temporary structure for several hours. A similar application could one day power a group of homes or small commercial buildings during a power outage or help make up for gaps in solar, wind or other renewable power generation.

The ORNL platform provides 25 kilowatts of power and 50 kilowatt-hours of energy that could potentially provide cost-effective backup energy, said Michael Starke of ORNL's Energy and Transportation Science Division.

The first annual GREEN + GO Sustainable Knoxville Green Tour will offer an inside look at some of Knoxville's high-performance buildings 9 a.m.-2 p.m. May 4.

The open house tours, organized by the East Tennessee Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, will present the features and benefits of sustainable construction. Participants can visit up to eight sustainable buildings in the Knoxville area that represent a variety of green design strategies. 

Sites on the tour include:

Scripps Networks Interactive Headquarters, rated LEED Gold

Knoxville Transit Center, LEED Silver

Three Rivers Market, Designed to meet 2010 LEED Retail NC

UT's Ayres Hall, Historic LEED Renovation at LEED Silver

UT's Living Light Solar Decathlon House 

Ijams Nature Center and solar array 

Sustainable Future's Net Zero Office

The Spectrum Solar Exhibit at East Town Mall. 

The city of Knoxville's recycling program continues to grow.

Recycling in Knoxville has nearly doubled since the city started its curbside program in 2011, according to city statistics.

"Before we did the curbside program we averaged 4,500 to 5,000 tons a year; now we are doing close to 9,000," said David Brace, director of public service for the city of Knoxville in a story by the News Sentinel's Mal Alder.

Officials say they see more people who are interested in recycling and want to do more.

Brace says the city hopes to expand the single stream recycling program to cover the 1,900 households now on the waiting list.

When it was launched in 2011 the program took less than three months to reach it's full number of participating households.

Local nonprofit ZeroLandfill East Tennessee invites area architects, contractors and similar businesses to donate supplies that would otherwise be thrown away.

 

The program, in its second year, encourages businesses to donate leftover, expired and unwanted samples to be "upcycled," or repurposed by the community.

Architecture and interior design-related businesses are asked to donate items such as expired samples, fabric, magazines, paint chips, tile, old marketing materials, flooring and more. Building retailers like Lowes and Home Depot that utilize product samples are also welcome to participate.

The organization cannot process paint, demolition material from construction sites or items from residential homeowners.

Businesses may drop off material at Office Furniture Outfitters, 1817 Grand Ave. SW in Knoxville:

2-4 p.m. April 22-25; 9 a.m.-5 p.m.April 26; 2 p.m.-4 p.m. April 29-30 and May 1-2; and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. May 3.

 

Volunteers sort material donated 

at a previous ZeroLandfill event

All photos submitted 

by ZeroLandfill East Tennessee

The Greater Knoxville Business Journal will recognize companies who have earned Green Achiever status at a special event 5-7 p.m. May 14 at the UT Gardens.

Additional recognition will be given to organizations -- large and small -- that have made notable achievements in recycling/waste reduction; energy efficiency; renewable energy; and community outreach.

Come and support East Tennessee organizations that are improving their business -- and the bottom line -- by being more environmentally friendly.

The GoGreenET.com Business After Hours event recognizing Green Achievers will be 5-7 p.m. May 14 at the UT Gardens. Register at the Knoxville Chamber website.