California Energy: Reducing Peak Loads and Improving Efficiency with Wireless Sensing and Communications

• February 10, 2006: 11:00am - 12:00pm
• Contact: Travis Richardson
• Location: 290 Hearst Memorial Mining Building, the Dado & Maria Banatao Conference Room

Our Friday Research Exchange continues with a presentation on "California Energy: Reducing Peak Loads and Improving Efficiency with Wireless Sensing and Communications," by Paul Wright, UC Berkeley professor of mechanical engineering, at noon in 290 HMMB, UC Berkeley. Lunch will be provided.

• Spring 2006 Schedule

<!--StartFragment --> This talk can be viewed online at mms://netshow01.eecs.berkeley.edu/Paul_Wright2-10-06

Abstract: The UC Berkeley and Merced California Energy Efficiency Center
The most recent Presidential Address (February 1st 2006) stressed, perhaps for the first time, the need to "reduce the American addiction to oil." This important goal goes hand-in-hand with the need to address global warming and a sustainable planet. Only a 'system approach' can solve such matters. It needs to involve international political accord and agreement, national commitments to policy change, macro- economic analysis, behavioral economics, consumer education and awareness, purchasing options, and of course new technology that will create alternative fuels, as well as using existing fossil fuels in a more efficient and effective way. A radical re-design of traditional "stovepipe" departments on University campuses is a crucially important element of the future stewarding of energy policy and technology. This multi-disciplinary seminar will describe parts of that future and invite comments and advice for the growth of and expansion of  "The UC Berkeley and Merced California Energy Efficiency Center." A special case study on recent progress in the CITRIS "Demand Response" project will be included. The purpose of the DR Project is to develop enabling wireless-based technologies for establishing a real-time demand response (DR) infrastructure in California.