If you want these programs to serve a smart, strategic business function, you need to give them the tools to function at peak efficiency.

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Such big projects make sense for large solar-cell producers like SunPower and Arizona-based First Solar, since they provide reliable demand with which to keep their manufacturing plants running at peak efficiency.

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When a retailing system is operating at peak efficiency, a delivery truck arriving late or carrying the wrong goods immediately triggers messages to a decision maker who can quickly order more.

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But progress stalled in 1967, which represented the peak in power plant efficiency.

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Or they may increase the efficiency of the grid by consuming off-peak load and pushing more kilowatt-hours over the same infrastructure.

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