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Energy Efficiency

All articles tagged with #energy efficiency

EU rolls out green data-center label to curb energy and water use
energy-and-climate18 days ago

EU rolls out green data-center label to curb energy and water use

Brussels unveiled an optional A–G sustainability label for large data centers powering AI, requiring disclosure of energy efficiency, water consumption and clean power uptake to boost transparency and spur decarbonization. The scheme takes effect August 2027, with later mandatory standards planned to tighten the requirements. Compliance is currently low (about 36% of sites disclose data). While some industry groups warn it could deter investment, the EU frames the label as essential to align AI infrastructure with climate goals and Europe’s competitiveness in the AI race.

via politico.eu|
#data-centers#energy-and-climate#energy-efficiency
VW's Mission Efficiency sets eye-popping aero and energy benchmarks for road EVs
transportation25 days ago

VW's Mission Efficiency sets eye-popping aero and energy benchmarks for road EVs

Volkswagen's Mission Efficiency, a near-production two-seat EV, claims the world’s lowest drag coefficient for a road-legal car (0.158) and a record 6.48 kWh/100 km at 68 km/h; VW also reports a 1,278 km Wolfsburg–Vienna trip on a single charge with 164 km of range left, aided by aero-focused design (teardrop shape, full underbody, wheel covers) and lightweight components, plus a solar roof. The takeaway is that aero efficiency here is as much a design challenge as a hardware race, and it highlights broader industry push for slipperier EVs.

via The Verge|
#aerodynamics#drag-coefficient-0-158#electric-cars
Optimal-control pulses could dramatically cut energy in magnetic memory
technology1 month ago

Optimal-control pulses could dramatically cut energy in magnetic memory

University of Edinburgh researchers use an optimal-control framework to design ultrafast magnetic-field pulses that switch magnetic states with far less energy than current memory technologies, potentially reducing energy use by orders of magnitude and moving memory devices closer to the Landauer limit; the approach includes practical guidance for device design and could extend to electrical currents or ultrafast lasers for future data storage.

via Science Daily|
#energy-efficiency#landauer-limit#magnetic-memory
Dunlop Chief Warns California Tire Rules Could Mirror High-Speed Rail Pitfalls
business1 month ago

Dunlop Chief Warns California Tire Rules Could Mirror High-Speed Rail Pitfalls

Dunlop Tires North America CEO Darren Thomas criticizes California’s new replacement-tire efficiency rules as rushed and insufficiently tested, urging real-world validation and noting potential price hikes and broader tire-performance trade-offs; he likens the move to California’s High-Speed Rail project and suggests exploring options like tire-pressure management before the 2029 rollout.

via New York Post|
#business#california#energy-efficiency
Cooling smarter: reducing building electricity use
technology1 month ago

Cooling smarter: reducing building electricity use

As summers get hotter, AC demand climbs, but researchers are pursuing a mix of strategies—blocking heat entry with smart windows and shading, reflective roofs, and passive cooling materials; improving efficiency with desiccant-based cooling, built-in storage to ease peak load, and smarter ventilation—tailored to climate and building type. No single fix fits all, but reducing peak demand can lessen the need for new power generation while keeping people cool and safe.

via Axios|
#buildings#climate-change#cooling
Newsom Defends California’s Low-Res Tire Rules Amid Price Backlash
politics1 month ago

Newsom Defends California’s Low-Res Tire Rules Amid Price Backlash

California Gov. Gavin Newsom defended the state’s controversial tire rules, arguing that mandating lower-resistance, energy-efficient tires will save drivers money and reduce fuel use, with the California Energy Commission estimating nearly $1 billion in annual savings in fuel and electricity; the policy could affect about 70% of replacement tires, drawing opposition from Goodyear and some Republicans who warn higher costs, while other manufacturers voiced caution on enforcement and affordability.

via New York Post|
#california#energy-efficiency#fuel-economy
Liquid cooling could curb data centers' water hunger
environment-energy1 month ago

Liquid cooling could curb data centers' water hunger

Rising AI workloads are driving a boom in data centers that currently rely on water-intensive cooling. Air cooling is energy-inefficient and its evaporative methods strain water supplies; liquid cooling—especially direct-to-chip systems—could dramatically cut both water use and electricity, with potential for heat reuse and rainwater harvesting. Adoption faces retrofit costs and safety concerns, so a gradual shift toward liquid cooling and smarter water management may offer the best path to reducing the sector’s environmental footprint.

via The Conversation|
#ai#cooling#data-centers
California to phase out less efficient replacement tires
policy1 month ago

California to phase out less efficient replacement tires

California’s Energy Commission approved a two-phase rule to curb replacement tires with higher rolling resistance. Beginning in 2029, tires must meet a maximum rolling resistance of 9.1 N/kN, then drop to 7.2 N/kN in 2033, ensuring sold replacements are as energy-efficient as original equipment. Regulators estimate phase 1 could save about $79 in four months and phase 2 about $153 in seven months, while tire makers warn costs could rise and a large share of current tires could be banned. Enforcement will involve a lab testing program and retailer checks, with numerous exclusions (e.g., competition, winter, used/treaded, space-saver, and some off-road tires).

via KCRA|
#california#consumer-costs#energy-efficiency
Dell's XPS 13 Delivers Surprising Power Efficiency Against Apple Silicon
technology2 months ago

Dell's XPS 13 Delivers Surprising Power Efficiency Against Apple Silicon

Jeff Geerling’s comparison pits the MacBook Neo against Dell’s XPS 13 in a Linpack-style efficiency test: the MacBook hits 57.0 GFLOPS at 10.6W (5.38 GFLOPS/W), while the Dell posts 127.9 GFLOPS at 20.6W (6.21 GFLOPS/W); Dell also scores for Linux support and a backlit keyboard, with idle energy use similar to the MacBook. The takeaway: modern x86 hardware can rival ARM in energy efficiency, depending on workload.

via Hackaday|
#arm#dell-xps-13#energy-efficiency
Europe Chooses Cooling: Heat Waves Drive Air Conditioning from Niche to Necessity
world2 months ago

Europe Chooses Cooling: Heat Waves Drive Air Conditioning from Niche to Necessity

Record heat across Western Europe is pushing air conditioners from a luxury into a growing necessity, with European brands reporting double‑digit sales gains in markets like Italy, Spain, France, and the UK. Market observers say the trend is structural, driven by rising temperatures, aging housing, and public health concerns, even as Europe’s AC penetration remains far lower than the U.S. (about 1 in 5 households vs ~9 in 10 in the U.S.).

via Business Insider|
#air-conditioning#consumer-behavior#energy-efficiency
Sun-powered Vermont retreat on 52 acres blends privacy with mountain views
real-estate2 months ago

Sun-powered Vermont retreat on 52 acres blends privacy with mountain views

A solar-powered home on 52.6 acres in Tunbridge, Vermont, designed for energy efficiency and privacy, is on the market for $595,000. The property features elm kitchen countertops, a wide glass slider with mountain views, a primary bedroom with a barn-door wardrobe, a vintage clawfoot tub in the bath, and an on-site studio that mirrors the home’s design near the historic Cilley Covered Bridge.

via The Boston Globe|
#acreage#energy-efficiency#real-estate
Smart Home, Smarter Living: 10 Automations You Can Try Today
technology2 months ago

Smart Home, Smarter Living: 10 Automations You Can Try Today

A technology piece details 10 practical smart‑home automations using IFTTT, geofencing, sensors, and schedules to boost convenience and safety—examples include lights that welcome you after sunset when you unlock the door, geofence-based thermostat control for energy savings, sensor‑driven alerts with blinking lights and voice notices, a coffee maker prepped for your morning, vacation‑mode lighting to mimic presence, weather‑aware smart sprinklers, vacuums that stop near a trash bin, leaving‑home vocal reminders, daily weather briefings from your assistant, and auto‑max security when you depart.

via bgr.com|
#automation#energy-efficiency#home-security
Turning Heat Fluctuations Into Computation: The Promise of Thermodynamic Machines
technology2 months ago

Turning Heat Fluctuations Into Computation: The Promise of Thermodynamic Machines

Thermodynamic computing seeks to harness ambient thermal noise and energy flow as a computational resource, using either equilibrium dynamics or driven nonequilibrium trajectories to solve problems with far less energy and heat than conventional digital hardware. Early silicon-based prototypes and startup efforts show potential for tasks like matrix inversion and generative AI workloads, offering a path that could complement or compete with quantum approaches and providing new insights into how information processing occurs in biology.

via Quanta Magazine|
#energy-efficiency#langevin-dynamics#matrix-inversion