Car manufacturers tout their efficiency. Consumer advocates dispute claims of 60-plus miles per gallon gas efficiency. Amidst the controversy, environmentalists still claim, in the absence of anything better – that hybrid vehicles are still better for the environment than their traditional gas-guzzling counterparts.

Hybrids, known for the way they combine both gas and electric power to offer a cleaner ride, have come under fire in recent months for their inability to reach gas mileage milestones set by the manufacturers. Critics say that most fail to live up to claims of getting more than 60 miles to a single gallon of gas. Advocates argue that recent studies confirm the same is true for efficiency ratings set on traditional engines, still making hybrids the better deal environmentally.

Touted as the gas-saver of the future when introduced in 1999, hybrids are known to use a fraction of the gas due to their ability to “share the burden”, with their electric motors. Full hybrid vehicles allow the electric motor to work independently of the more traditional internal combustion engine, while driving at low speeds. This in turn saves gas, and stops harmful emissions from entering the atmosphere. During an idle stop, a full hybrid actually shuts itself off, letting the electric motor take over to eliminate unnecessary idling and emissions.

Consumers should be aware, however, that the mild hybrids focus remains on traditional gas consumption, with the electric motor only assisting the gas engine at high speeds when more power is needed, thus making the mild hybrid much less environmental friendly than its full hybrid counterpart.

Great for in town drivers, the full hybrid allows slow speeding drivers to virtually use only the electric motor, thus saving even more gas, and eliminating harmful emissions into the environment.

Despite any controversy surrounding today’s hybrid vehicles, consumers seem eager to do what they can to decrease the harmful effects of emissions on the environment and save a few bucks at the pumps. Production of hybrid vehicles has tripled in the last four years, with production expected to double in 2007. The Yano Research Institute Ltd. estimates that by 2015, nearly 5.37 million hybrid vehicles will be on the global road, compared to less than one million last year.

Manufacturers have jumped on the bandwagon, with Honda, Toyota, Ford, Lexus and Chevrolet, all offering their own hybrid varieties. Newer models sport higher-powered and faster models, even making hybrid SUV’s and trucks available to the consumer. Of course, the heavier the vehicle, and the faster it rides, the more gas it is bound to use, despite the use and size of the internal electric motor.

Still, hybrids remain the most gas efficient and environmental friendly vehicles in mass production today.

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On January 1 of 2010, Massachusetts residents with installed solar power will be able to take advantage of the state’s new net metering law, which provides for grid-connected renewable energy installations like wind and solar to capture retail rates for energy not used in the home.

This overturns the provisions of the 2008 Green Communities Act, which provided for wholesale rates for excess electricity generation, though the intent of the Act – which focuses on energy remains the same; to reduce the consumption of electricity. Peripheral efforts, which require utilities to ramp up their energy conservation efforts (through more efficient lighting, air conditioning, appliances, insulation and sealing building envelopes), are also underway.

Massachusetts’ demand for electricity rises at about 1 percent annually. If allowed to continue unabated, this would mandate the state to build new power plants. Under the amended Green Communities Act, state energy regulators expect demand to fall by about 1.4 percent per year, which is enough for the state to meet its rising energy needs through efficiency and conservation measures rather than the added generation anticipated by 2020 at the latest.

A similar set of natural gas efficiency programs are expected to save $1.2 billion in energy costs over the next three years, with Gov. Deval Patrick estimating the total electric and gas savings at $6.5 billion over the same period, while creating new jobs.

Though the program doesn’t officially begin until Jan. 1, property owners can begin to submit applications Dec. 1 to earn the credits they will receive if generation exceeds usage. Participating utilities include Fitchburg Gas and Electric Light Company, or FG&E (a subsidiary of Unitil Corp. a utility holding company), National Grid, NSTAR and Western Mass. Electric Company, or WMECO.

Municipal utilities are not obligated to participate, and the state has no electric cooperatives, but the law does provide for “neighborhood net metering”, or a group of 10 customers of a single utility in the same vicinity. This provision covers all classes, and may incorporate additional “customers” (including commercial enterprises) as long as the base requirements are met.

The net metering payment is in the form of credits, and these can be carried forward from month to month indefinitely. They can also be transferred to another customer within the same utility service area and the same Northeast Independent System Operator (ISO) distribution zone.

The NREL recently published a report (State of the States 2009: Renewable Energy Development and the Role of Policy) which shows that Massachusetts – ranked 31st in the U.S. in renewable energy generation – has a long way to go to meet the 1-percent load limit imposed by the new Green Communities Act provisions on renewable energy fed into the grid.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory, or NREL – the premier organization devoted to renewable energy research and evaluation – also noted that states with renewable portfolio standards and/or net-metering rules in place generated more “clean” renewable energy than those which did not.

Cooler Planet is a leading solar resource for connecting consumers and commercial entities with local solar Installers. Cooler Planet’s solar panel resources and solar energy page contains articles and tools to help with your solar project.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/solar-energy-saves-massachusetts-6-12-billion-1615068.html

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