Green Energy News | April 29, 1996

April 29, 1996 – Vol.1 No.5

ENERGIES... week of April 29, 1996

RECHARGEABLE TOOLS are taking up more space on retailers’ shelves than ever before. Freedom from tangled extension cords reduces frustration and adds productivity to a workplace or job site.

Black & Decker will introduce a host of new products over the next two years under both the Black & Decker and the successful Dewalt labels. While promising up to 18 volts of battery power in some of the new tools, retailer scuttlebutt is that 24 volts will eventually be available with remote battery packs on belt clips or back/shoulder harnesses. (Weight becomes a concern as batteries get more powerful. A heavy tool is tiresome over long periods.)

SPEAKING OF BATTERY POWER, rechargeable electric lawn mowers are dropping rapidly in price. Black & Decker’s battery version has been seen on sale for under $270 at the local Home Depot. When these were first introduced a few years ago expected “lawn” price was close to $500.

Maybe Black & Decker will develop a model with removable battery packs for people with large lawns. Maybe they’ll develop a charger with a built-in timer for off-peak recharging. Cross your fingers.

As prices drop and technology improves on these pollution free mowers, more consumers will consider them instead of a gasoline version. Aside from no smelly exhaust, the mowers are relatively maintenance free and easy to use.

NEW HOME BUYERS ARE COOKIN’ WITH GAS. Some 70% of new homes built in 1995 in the Baltimore metropolitan region were connected to gas lines, up from 1.7% ten years ago. People not only prefer warm gas heat over previously popular heat pumps, but new piping technology has made gas line installation cheaper.

After the cold and nasty East Coast winter of 95-96 new home buyers this spring will likely opt for more gas furnaces over heat pumps.

WHERE OIL HEAT IS KING some people might consider a cogeneration unit for heat and electricity such as that from Intelligen Energy Systems of Hopkinton, Mass. Their Alpha-550 cogenerator will produce domestic hot water, hot water for heat, and electricity at the same time. During periods of low electric demand excess electricity will be pumped back into the electric grid - reducing electric bills in most areas. (Sometimes turning the meter backwards.)

The congeneration unit provides some measure of personal energy independence as well as releasing fewer greenhouse gas emissions for a comparable amount of energy from the utility company. The Alpha-550 is powered by a 11HP diesel engine fueled by home heating oil.