“Ontarians used 5.2 per cent less electricity in the first six months of 2007 than they did in the same period in 2005, according to Peter Love, who delivered the annual report card on energy conservation yesterday. The report also found that the province would meet its 2007 target to reduce peak demand to 1,350 megawatts.”

Source: Forbes.com

“With a flood of renewable-energy supplies coming online, it’s time for the electricity grid to get smart.

In a yearlong trial run that ended in the spring, 200 or so homes on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula engaged in a daily bidding war for electricity. It was a sort of robotic Ebay auction in which the thermostat in one house, say, bid against the clothes dryer in another for scarce electrons. The loser would turn off and wait for prices to drop before jumping back onto the grid.”

Higher energy costs from emissions trading schemes may threaten New Zealand’s climate change policies, analysts say.

British Columbia uses more per capita electricity than most places around the world. In fact, some European communities use 60% less electricity. In order to make significant changes, individuals, businesses, communities and governments in B.C. need to take leadership and encourage the right choices.

Source: Scientific American Magazine

Solar technology is ready and can make a huge difference. Some believe the move to solar, away from coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear power plants, could supply 69% of the United States’ electricity and 35% of its total energy by the year 2050.

Source: IEEE Spectrum

When you add up all the electricity produced by renewable sources and nuclear reactors worldwide, energy from coal production still comes up on top.

“In response to EPA’s nationwide challenge issued in December 2006, 53 Fortune 500 companies led by Intel Corporation are now collectively purchasing more than six billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power annually. These purchases surpassed the goals set by EPA’s Green Power Partnership and equal the avoided carbon dioxide emissions of more than 570 million gallons of gasoline each year or the equivalent amount of electricity needed to power nearly 670,000 average American homes annually.”

Ottawa Mayor Larry O’Brien will announce Ottawa’s participation in the Earth Hour challenge, an international event on March 29 between 8 to 9 p.m. local times. During this one hour, lights will be turned off, as a way to raise awareness for climate change.

“A surge of interest in Earth Hour – with Canadians among the world leaders – has left organizers scrambling to add a new computer server to cope with a crashing system swamped by people revving up for Saturday night’s event.”