Published on April 23rd, 2017 | by The Beam

April 23rd, 2017 by The Beam

The Beam interview series, edition 34: Frdric Cramp

CleanTechnica keeps on publishing some of The Beam interviews and opinion pieces twice a week. The Beam magazine takes a modern perspective on the energy transition, interviewing inspirational people from around the world that shape our sustainable energy future.

This week Anne-Sophie Garrigou, journalist at The Beam, interviewed Frdric Cramp, a former rocket scientist at NASA who became an entrepreneur and investor in the energy sector. Cramps last startup, BeeBryte, is at the nexus of energy management, IT and cleantech.

Hello Frdric Cramp and thank you for taking the time to talk to The Beam. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself. Where does your commitment for the environment comes from?

In the late 90s at NASA I used satellite instruments to study the earth, especially natural disasters and climate change. It was frightening to see how fast the ice caps were melting for instance.

From then on, I decided to focus my career on serving the environment and developing cleaner energy solutions. Although I later shifted from engineering to business development and strategy then finance, Ive remained committed to contributing to the energy transition.

As an entrepreneur, I spent about 10 years bringing renewable energy and energy efficiency to developing countries in Asia. It was exciting and rewarding yet quite challenging! I guess I love action and cannot stop!

I founded BeeBryte, my latest startup, with my business partner Patrick Leguillette in 2015. Were based in France & Singapore and have now a team of 21. The company is intending to become a leader in energy intelligence solutions for commercial & industrial buildings. Our goal is to make buildings use less electricity and become smarter.

What do we call energy intelligence and whats the role of your company in the process?

Thanks to a combination of affordable solar panels, batteries, and internet connected building automation systems, energy users can now modulate the use of controllable / flexible load (e.g HVAC), release stored energy to meet a portion of the building load, reduce/increase its consumption of grid power according to price signals and capture the rewards by optimizing electric service consumption and cost while conducting business as usual and not affecting comfort levels.

However, to capture this opportunity, one needs an energy intelligence solution using data analytics to create significant economic value. And thats where BeeBryte comes in.

We add value at three levels by facilitating the integration of renewable energy, helping customers lower their energy costs while increasing their power supply security and making the power grid more reliable and resilient.

Ive read that you are developing a cloud-based energy intelligence software which is expected to reduce utility bills by up to 40%. How is this possible?

Our cloud-based Software-as-a-Service controls in real-time both batteries (that we install in the buildings) and existing heating / cooling equipment (e.g HVAC) to benefit from the cheapest tariff and deliver up to 40% utility bill savings.

We temporarily shift heating/cooling loads and use batteries as energy buffers to

We have a solution that helps large energy consumers buy more electricity from the grid when it is cheaper and less when it is expensive.

If I understand well, people will be able to buy and sell the energy through your system?

In more and more countries, large energy consumers can buy their electricity on the spot market where price varies at any point in time. We make sure they buy at the right time.

In other places, BeeBryte is partnering with electricity retailers who are buying energy on the wholesale electricity spot market and then supplying it at flat rate (or on/off peak tariff) to their customers.

By installing BeeBrytes solution in their clients buildings, electricity retailers can generate new revenues using their customers flexibility to buy energy at the cheapest price and to sell new grid services. It is for the electricity retailer a new hedging mechanism leading to higher margins.

Then, they can engage and retain their customers by sharing a portion of these savings through discounted rate plans. It is a win-win situation!.

Read the entire interview here.

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Tags: BeeBryte, Frdric Cramp

The Beam The Beam Magazine is a quarterly print publication that takes a modern perspective on the energy transition. From Berlin we report about the people, companies and organizations that shape our sustainable energy future around the world. The team is headed by journalist Anne-Sophie Garrigou and designer Dimitris Gkikas. The Beam works with a network of experts and contributors to cover topics from technology to art, from policy to sustainability, from VCs to cleantech start ups. Our language is energy transition and that's spoken everywhere. The Beam is already being distributed in most countries in Europe, but also in Niger, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Japan, Chile and the United States. And this is just the beginning. So stay tuned for future development and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Medium.

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Frdric Cramp: "In more and more countries, large energy consumers can buy their electricity on the spot market ... - CleanTechnica

[In photos: The slope behind Skidmores Bernhard Theater under which geothermal pipes were installed. Levi Rogers (at left) and Paul Lundberg in one of Skidmores geothermal control rooms. Photos by Larry Goodwin.]

SARATOGA SPRINGS A gentle slope on the campus of Skidmore Collegeone that leads down to a pond rippled by two fountainsnaturally hides the evidence of previous construction.

Several years ago, contractor machines had made a mess of it by digging straight down 450 feet to install a field of five-inch-wide pipes, which supply a sophisticated geothermal heating and cooling system at the college.

The lush green grass behind the Bernhard Theater building now makes the clean-energy infrastructure impossible to see.

Last year, another large geothermal installation was completed on campus after Facilities Services crews had ripped up a portion of the Palamountain parking lot, in preparation for construction of a Center for Integrated Sciences.

Nobody really knows what weve been doing here for a long time, stated Paul Lundberg, the assistant director of Facilities Services. Lundberg is widely considered on campus to be the most enthusiastic promoter of geothermal energy projects.

Lundberg is happy to explain how closed-loop networks ofpipes circulate famously pure local water for indoor climate control at Skidmore. The goal is to get the best bang for your buck in terms of energy consumption, he said.

Geothermal heat pump installations use the constant temperature under the grounds frost line to renewably heat and cool homes and businesses without producing greenhouse gases on site, the New York Geothermal Energy Organization (NYGEO) states in a summary of the technology.

Lundberg admitted that he was eager to attend the NYGEO conference this week at the Radisson Hotel in Albany. In 2015, the same conferencenicknamed Geopaloozawas held at Skidmore College.

In 2012, a national academic association recognized Skidmore with an award for the operation of its geothermal energy system.

Before giving a brief tour of one of the systems two main nodes, or control rooms, Lundberg had joined an interview with Karen Kellogg and Levi Rogers, who direct and coordinate various activities through Skidmores Sustainability Office.

Rogers said his office works with a large group of people on campus who are united in their support of Skidmores environmentally sustainable projects. These include the promotion ofsolar power, ambitious recycling and composting programs, and the annual maintenance of a thriving community garden on campus.

Many students are currently participating in Earth Week activities, which include an off-campus March for Science starting at noon on Saturday in Congress Park and a film screening about the Hudson River on Monday at 7 p.m. in the Emerson Auditorium.

Kellogg, Lundberg and Rogers sat down together outside a coffee shop on the second floor of the Case Center, as Skidmore students and faculty were socializing or studying intently nearby.

Kellogg explained that, at present, geothermal energy heats and cools nearly 40 percent of the square footage inside all of Skidmores buildings. That includes theArthur Zankel Music Center, Tang Teaching Museum, the Northwoods and Sussman student apartments, and numerous other structures on campus.

More geothermal projects are being planned to increase the colleges overall energy efficiency, she said.

Lundberg described how Skidmores geothermal system (in scientific terms) is able to store heat energy very efficiently due to a large underground formation of Dolostone, which he called near perfect for optimum heat exchange.

Weve done our homework, Lundberg added.

Rogers pointed out that Skidmore utilizes all of the geothermal power generated on site, which he said eliminates any need for the college to participate in complicated renewable energy credit markets.

I really do think that sets us apart from other institutions, Rogers said.

According to John Manning, a spokesman for Earth Sensitive Solutions in Skaneateles, New York, a firm that has partnered with Skidmore to install geothermal pipes, emissions of greenhouse gases are going to be a growing concern in the years ahead.

Manning said the New York Energy Research and Development Authority is close to finalizing economic incentives that could spur more commercial and residential projects statewide similar to those being completed at Skidmore.

Its good to see geothermal finally catching on, Manning said. He called it the best sustainable way to lower our carbon footprint.

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A Clean Way to Heat and Cool at Skidmore - Saratoga TODAY Newspaper

George Senerth (right) WhidbeyHealth executive director of facilities, checks on construction progress of the new addition. Its innovative heating and cooling system is predicted to reduce energy use by half. Photo by Patricia Guthrie/Whidbey News-Times

Climate change is coming to WhidbeyHealth Medical Center.

An innovative heating and cooling system being installed at its $50 million new addition could turn the facility into one of the most energy-efficient hospitals in the country.

Known as a variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system, it will respond quickly when patients want their rooms warmer or cooler and it could cut energy use and bills in half.

Comparing it to conventional systems, Im told with the VRF system the energy savings is 50 percent, said George Senerth, executive director of facilities for the healthcare system.

Cutting back on its heating and cooling bills means less demand for electricity, and ultimately less burning of fossil fuels.

This is very unique for the West Coast. Its energy efficient but not with high cost, says Don Iverson, mechanical engineer at Coffman Engineers, Inc., a consultant on the project. Youre not creating a very high construction cost to get energy efficiency.

WhidbeyHealth Medical Centers new 39-patient room addition, designed by HDR Architecture, is expected to open by summer. The hospitals contractor is Andersen Construction.

Construction is about 82 percent complete, Senerth said.

Seattle-based Coffman Engineers suggested using the VFR system as a way to reduce electric bills and more efficiently provide climate control. The Coupeville-based hospital depends on propane and electricity for heating and cooling, which are more expensive than natural gas.

Hospitals may heal people, but they tend to be unhealthy for the environment.

Thats because most hospitals rely on a traditional reheat system that blows cold air into hundreds of rooms at the same time from a large, centrally-located ventilation system.

The air is delivered cold because some interior rooms need cooling. Rooms that dont need cooling have individual heating coils that heat the cooled air back up to room temperature.

As much as 40 percent of all energy consumed by a hospital is used for reheating, Iverson says.

Instead of blowing air continuously throughout a building using a standard compressor, VFR systems use variable speed compressors and technology that sense when a room needs to be cooled or heated.

With variable refrigerant flow technology, it spreads out the control of the system into a zoned basis, Iverson explained. Heating coils are controlled by the room, not the central system.

Thermostats exist in patient rooms now, Senerth said, but theyre inefficient.

Our system is so old that if a patient turns it down to 68 degrees from 74 degrees, it will take awhile, he said.

The VFR system recovers heat from where its not needed and redirects it. It also senses when a rooms temperature rises as more people gather, such as in a conference room. It adjusts accordingly.

Whidbeys addition is designed with two long corridors with windows facing south and north. Although built as a two-story addition, only one floor is being used for patients.

We have north-facing patient rooms and south-facing patient rooms, Iverson said. We need to cool the south facing and we need to heat north facing. This system is ideal for that.

The VRF concept was developed in Japan decades ago and caught on in Europe long before it came to the United States.

Its been installed in mid-size buildings throughout the country, but WhidbeyHealth is the first health care facility to install it large-scale for a patient wing.

Students with the University of Washingtons Integrated Design Lab are tracking the project to gauge energy savings. It could qualify for a maximum rebate from Puget Sound Energy, which requires a 25 percent reduction in energy usage.

It will reduce the load of electricity needed from Puget Sound Energy and it will save them coal, Iverson said.

Another plus is that patients will breathe air thats only been recirculated from their own rooms and not the entire building as is done with conventional systems, Iverson explained.

In addition to projected energy savings, the WhidbeyHealth addition is designed to reduce water usage with low flow plumbing fixtures and less irrigation, said Annette Himelick with HDR Architecture.

A courtyard being built as an outdoor extension of the existing cafeteria is designed with conservation in mind, Himelick added.

The site is landscaped with 100 percent Pacific Northwest native plants, 65 percent of them native to the island. These native plants do not have the same irrigation needs that other plants require.

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Climate change predicted for new hospital | Whidbey News-Times - Whidbey News-Times (subscription)

K&E Distributing recently held their annual Dealer/Installer meeting at The Stoney Creek Conference Center in Johnston, Iowa. Three contractors were recognized for their sales and installation excellence. This year Local heating and cooling professional Southern Iowa Heating and Cooling of Centerville, Iowa was ranked No. 1 and awarded the prestigious Diamond award for their 2016 sales efforts.

Sales volume, professional installations, service methods, customer satisfaction, and overall excellence are all factors used to determine the areas top three annual award winners. Jesse Fagen, owner of Southern Iowa Heating and Cooling of Centerville, Iowa, was selected for their continuing performance as a regional leader and installer of GeoStar geothermal.

We are delighted to receive this award, which is a testament to the hard work of our employees and their commitment to the comfort of our customers, said Fagen, Owner of Southern Iowa Heating & Cooling). It is exciting to watch not only our geothermal sales continue to grow, but to see the increased awareness and acceptance of the most efficient heating and cooling technology available. We appreciate the fact that GeoStar recognizes our efforts and our achievements.

Southern Iowa Heating & Cooling began selling GeoStar geothermal products in 2014 and has watched that portion of their business grow as interest in geothermal energy has increased. Geothermal systems tap the free, completely renewable, unlimited supply of solar energy stored just a few feet below the Earths surface and use that energy to drive heating and cooling systems in both residential and commercial buildings.

Southern Iowa Heating and Cooling is a local, familyowned and operated company specializing in residential comfort system and light commercial HVAC with over 15 years experience in the industry in service, installation, manufacturers rep, customer service and system design.

GeoStar is WaterFurnace Internationals brand for wholesale distributors and a leading manufacturer of residential and commercial geothermal heat pumps. Although It started with geothermal, GeoStar has worked in recent years to expand their portfolio of clean and sustainable solutions. GeoStar is manufactured in the US and is based in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The rest is here:
Southern Iowa Heating and Cooling receives Diamond award - Centerville Daily Iowegian

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KSPR) -- The family of a couple from Springfield who died in their home from carbon monoxide poisoning filed a wrongful death lawsuit.

Dwaine and Judith Crigger died in their home last July. The medical examiner found lethal levels of carbon monoxide in their systems.

Experts say the number one way to prevent this type of death is with a carbon monoxide smoke detector. It's also recommended to have a regular inspection of your hot water heater.

"Check them over once a year, flush them out, that's a good idea because sediment builds up in them from the calcium in the water," said David Brammell.

Brammell is the plumbing manager at Air Services Heating and Cooling, and All Service Plumbing in Springfield. Brammell says, during those annual inspections, they often find some of the same problems.

"The obstruction is a bird's nest, or a dirt dauber nest, or a tree falls on the roof and crushes the wind cap. If you're not venting correctly there's a little sensor down here," Brammell said.

Inspectors blame a faulty hot water heater for a carbon monoxide leak in July 2016 that killed the Criggers.

The lawsuit shows the Crigger family claims 11 points of negligence against another company: DeLong Plumbing, Heating and Air of Springfield. According to the lawsuit, DeLong was negligent in installing and maintaining the Criggers' hot water heater and venting system.

Among the allegations in the lawsuit: DeLong was negligent in the installation of the heater back in 2000, and in the regular inspections up through December 2015. The lawsuit claims DeLong failed to use screws at any joint or fitting of the vent connector, the connector was too short, the company failed to install proper supports, failed to obtain proper permits, and failed to detect and warn the Criggers of a problem.

KSPR tried to contact the family's attorney in Springfield, as well as DeLong Plumbing, Heating, and Air for comment, but we have not received return calls.

In the wrongful death lawsuit, the Crigger family requests a jury trial against DeLong Plumbing, Heating and Air for "reckless and willful misconduct" for the deaths of the Criggers.

Experts say other ways you can protect yourself and your family from carbon monoxide poisoning: don't use an oven to heat your home, and keep your vents and flues free of debris, which can block ventilation.

According to the CDC, about 430 people in the United States die every year from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning.

Continue reading here:
Family sues for couple's deaths from carbon monoxide in Springfield - KSPR

Forbes

These 10 Home Cutting-Edge Solutions Can Save You Thousands Of Dollars Every Year Forbes Install Smart Thermostats: Programmable thermostats, like Nest Learning Termostat, Honeywell's Lyric, WiFi thermostat or ecobee3 lite, allow you to adjust the cooling and heating of your home while you're at work, asleep or on vacation, helping you ...

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These 10 Home Cutting-Edge Solutions Can Save You Thousands Of Dollars Every Year - Forbes

(BPT) - What would you rather do: Pay your utility bill or take a much-deserved vacation? With an endless stream of bills each month, you might wonder where you can find the money to jet off to the beach or mountain resort of your dreams. Read on for the solution.

The average U.S. household spends more than $2,200 yearly on energy bills, with about half of that for heating and cooling, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). As a large portion of that energy is wasted, making your home more energy efficient will pay big dividends.

With only a couple weekends of work, these three simple low-cost DIY projects can significantly reduce your home heating and cooling costs, freeing up money year after year so you can take vacations or do other fun activities. Best of all, the three actions work together to not only reduce your utility bills, but to make your home more comfortable year-round.

1. Add insulation

Chances are your home lacks sufficient insulation, despite when it was built. Some 90 percent of U.S. homes are under-insulated, reports the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA). Fortunately, adding insulation is simple, with products readily available at your local home improvement store.

One of the most cost-effective and easiest types of insulation to work with is expanded polystyrene (EPS) rigid foam boards. EPS panels are simple to cut to size without creating a mess, are recyclable and can be installed throughout your home, including in walls, floors, ceilings and foundation walls. A similar material, graphite polystyrene (GPS), also is easy to work with, and provides even higher insulating power, according to manufacturers. One of the EPS and GPS brands available at home improvement stores such as Home Depot and Lowes is R-Tech insulation from Insulfoam. R-Tech EPS and GPS insulations offer some of the highest insulating power per dollar, says Michael McAuley, Insulfoam general manager.

2. Seal air leaks

While inadequate insulation allows heat to pass out of your home in winter or to come in during summer, another path for energy loss is air leaks. Insulating your home and sealing air leaks can save you up to 20 percent on home heating and cooling costs, notes the DOE. Common places to look for leaks include attic access hatches, around windows and doors and in crawl spaces. Readily available weather stripping, caulks and spray foams can help keep your home airtight. For step-by-step instructions, consult the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys DIY Guide to Sealing and Insulating with ENERGY STAR."

3. Install a programmable thermostat

With your newly insulated and sealed home, a third step you can take to cut energy bills is to install a programmable thermostat. Todays sophisticated thermostats enable you to better manage your furnace when youll be away from home at work or to lower the setting when youre already in your warm bed. Either way, automatically turning down the heat can save you up to $180 every year in energy costs, says the DOE. Thats enough for a one-night hotel stay or a fancy dinner out.

These three utility bill-busting tips are within the skill set of many homeowners, but if you want a little extra help, hiring a contractor is also cost effective, as these are not large projects.

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3 ways to quickly and economically save big bucks on home heating and cooling costs - Mcrecordonline

NAMPA Thanks to the financial aid of two grants, the Canyon County Historical Society is making some modern upgrades to the historic train depot building in downtown Nampa.

Scorching-hot summers and frigid winters tend to deter potential visitors to the Nampa Train Depot and the artifact-filled building next door, commonly called the Red Building, officials say. At times, summer temperatures inside can get close to 130 degrees or as low as 10 degrees during the winter season.

Until Tuesday, the Red Building lacked a heating and air conditioning unit.

Inside the Red Building, historic artifacts abound, including a steel-gray metal high school sign for Kenwood High School, a polished black typewriter and Rosabelle, a mechanical dairy cow mascot that at one time could talk.

The first phase of upgrades, now underway, involves installing a heating and air conditioning unit and insulation in the Red Building so visitors can more comfortably enjoy their visit throughout the year.

Maintenance Director Daryl Hood, who is helping with the project and gives tours in the building, enjoys when visitors explore the Red Building because he likes seeing them learn. Sometimes, he said he even learns something new in the process.

Theyll see something they relate to and start talking, Hood said. That building creates a lot of learning both ways.

The upgrade, being done by Carlon Heating & Air and two volunteers, will cost about $13,100 and is funded by a grant from the Canyon County Board of Commissioners.

Later this summer, a retired baggage room in the Nampa Train Depot will be repurposed as a research room, where visitors can investigate their family ties to the city.

The room will have a desk and a computer, which can be used to click through digitally-preserved photos. Other resources will include bookshelves lined with yearbooks, old newspapers, locally-published books and more.

The room is currently being used for storage.

Its pretty amazing, what we want to do, said volunteer coordinator Gail Christiancy,

The new heating and air conditioning unit in the baggage room, also put in by Carlon Heating & Air, is funded through a $8,123 grant from Union Pacific Railroad Co., which the historic society will recognize this weekend when a steam locomotive passes through Nampa.

Hood is seeking a grant from the states historical society to get equipment, such as a computer, for the research room.

Were trying to improve things all around, said historic society director Larry Cain. Well keep doing that as long as theres funding.

Alx George is the IPT education reporter. Contact her at 465-8178 or ageorge@idahopress.com. Follow @missalxgeorge.

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Historic building at Nampa Train Depot gets modern upgrades ... - Idaho Press-Tribune

Forbes

Hack Your House: How To Knock $137 Off Your Utility Bill Forbes For example, Con Edison offers cash for the installation of certain LED fixtures and other energy efficient equipment. Other utility companies, like Duke Energy ... Water Heater Pipe Insulation. Savings: $7.32 per year. Time to complete: 15 minutes or ... and more »

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Hack Your House: How To Knock $137 Off Your Utility Bill - Forbes

Forbes

Why California Can Afford Green Energy More Than Your State Forbes One major reason Californians use less electricity is because mild weather limits heating and cooling needs (remember that for heating, electricity is second to natural gas but quickly gaining market share, here). ... less energy-intensive service ... and more »

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Why California Can Afford Green Energy More Than Your State - Forbes