Top Ten Cleantech Initiatives of Honeywell

Honeywell is a Fortune 100 company known for inventing and manufacturing a number of technologies addressing various challenges seen in today’s world, including security, safety and energy. On the website, it says that Honeywell is aimed at, “Making our world safer and more secure, more comfortable and energy efficient, and more innovative and productive.” As such, Honeywell is known for its large number of clean technology initiatives.

1) Honeywell Enters into an Agreement with EnergyHub to Expand Smart Grid Portfolio. In October 2010, Honeywell announced a supply agreement with leading home energy solutions provider EnergyHub to integrate EnergyHub’s technology. This will provide customers with necessary tools to simplify energy management and control energy costs. According to Joseph Puishys, Honeywell’s president of Environmental and Combustion Controls, “The Honeywell Home Energy Manager will complement our existing product line and improve consumers’ visibility and control over the cost and comfort of the utilities within the home. The Honeywell Home Energy Manager provides real-time meter reads, energy usage, cost and trending data as well as load measurement, load control, remote access, and real time connection to utility control systems.”

2) Honeywell UtilityPRO becomes the Fastest Selling Demand Response Thermostat. In 2010 Honeywell announced that its UtilityPRO is the biggest selling thermostat for all utility-sponsored demand response programs. Once it was introduced in 2008, over 350,000 were shipped, providing control over peak consumption while helping homeowners cut their energy costs. By 2011, Honeywell expects that its thermostat will give thirty-three utilities in the United States and Canada control over more than 500 megawatts of energy use. “Utilities are looking for ways to proactively manage consumption and meet their demand management goals with confidence, and advanced technology like UtilityPRO is the means to that end,” said Kevin McDonough, general manager of Honeywell Utility Solutions. “UtilityPRO appeals to both utilities and their customers by combining precise demand response control with Honeywell’s best-selling programmable thermostat and legacy of reliability.”

3) Honeywell Gasoline Turbocharger Technology Look to Provide Better Fuel Technology. In December 2010, Honeywell’s turbocharged Chevrolet Cruze Eco engine is putting less efficient hybrids on notice with its major benefits. By 2015, Honeywell expects that its turbocharged gasoline vehicles will reach 20 percent of all vehicles. “Small gasoline turbocharged vehicles will play a huge role in the future of the US auto industry as automakers develop cars that meet drivers’ needs for better fuel economy, without compromising performance or price,” said Alex Ismail, President and CEO of Honeywell Transportation Systems. “The Cruze is a great example of a vehicle that refuses to compromise on fuel efficiency, affordability and fun-to-drive responsiveness.”

4) Honeywell Gets a $213 Million Energy Infrastructure Contract in Maryland. In March 2011, Honeywell was awarded a $213 million contract with the United States General Services Administration to support the development the Food and Drug Administration headquarters’ on-site utilities and energy infrastructure in Maryland. The 20-year projects will save more than 48 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 24,000 tons. The new plant will include “ two 7.5MW dual-fuel turbine generators, a 4.5MW natural gas turbine generator, two 2.25MW diesel standby generators and a 5MW steam turbine generator, as well as three 2,500-ton chillers and a two million gallon thermal energy storage tank.”

5) Honeywell Provides Energy Efficient Services in Pennsylvania. In March of 2011, Honeywell created an agreement to provide energy efficient services to Pennsylvania’s Montgomery County correctional facility. The upgrade is said to save approximately $2.5 million in operating and utility costs. A new water management system will be installed to control water more effectively and reduce annual water use by estimated 20 million gallons.

6) Honeywell Introduces New York Energy Conservation Program. In February 2011, Honeywell introduced a new $18.8 million building modernization and energy conservation plan for New York’s Municipal Housing Authority in the city of Yonkers. This program will assist the authority in improving energy efficiency, resident comfort and its own facilities, while at the same time reduce emissions and save approximately $1.4 million in yearly utility costs.

7) Honeywell Does the Lindergh with Biofuels. In June of 2011, Honeywell made the announcement that its Jet Biofuels will be a part of a trans-Atlantic flight from Morristown, New Jersey to Paris, France. The corporate jet will house executives from Honeywell UOP, the petrochemical division of the company. This will be the very first non-stop trans-oceanic flight on jet fuels.

8 ) Honeywell Increases Smart Grid Presence by Acquiring Akuacom. In May 2011, Honeywell announced that it had purchased California based Akuacom, a development company created automated demand response technology and services for smart grids. This service provides utilities with the ability to effectively monitor peak energy demand.

9) Integrated Energy Services. Honeywell offers buildings all around the world, including schools, commercial and industrial facilities with assistance in monitoring their energy expenses to increase savings. Honeywell’s Integrated Energy Services assists in taking advantage of all energy market changes. They work with the business to develop a strategy that includes energy supply and energy using assets. Integrated services include energy demand management, energy supply management, energy asset management, and power generation strategies.

10) Honeywell Selected to Provide their Automation Solutions to Newly Expanded Liquefied Natural Gas Terminals. Honeywell was selected by Korea Gas Corporation to supply a comprehensive automation solution for liquefied natural gas terminals. The solutions offered by Honeywell will guarantee the efficient and seamless performance of all Korea Gas Corporation facilities.

Article by Shawn Lesser, Co-founder & Managing Partner of Atlanta-based Watershed Capital Group – an investment bank assisting sustainable fund and companies raise capital, perform acquisitions, and in other strategic financial decisions. He is also a Co-founder of the GCCA Global Cleantech Cluster Association ”The Global Voice of Cleantech”. He writes for various cleantech publications and is known as the David Letterman of Cleantech for his “Top 10″ series. He can be reached at shawn@watershedcapital.com