SunFarmer's Notable News Report

DO YOU THINK THEY ARE A LITTLE LATE TO THE PARTY? Starbucks Testing Cup Recycling Program

2009-09-15T11:48:00.003-06:00

Seven Starbucks stores in Manhattan have launched a cup-recycling program in cooperation with Global Green USA’s Coalition for Resource Recovery (CORR). The pilot will test the collection and recycling of coffee cups when combined with old corrugated cardboard (OCC), which CORR says is the most extensively recycled material in the U.S. The objective of the program is to develop a cost-effective mechanism to close the loop on paper packaging, reducing greenhouse gases and assisting municipalities inreaching their solid waste diversion goals.

Starbucks participation in the pilot is an extension of the company’s efforts to develop a comprehensive recyclable cup solution by 2012. While Starbucks paper coffee cups can be recycled and composted in some communities, most commercial and residential services are not currently able to process this form of packaging. “In addition to the cup design, it’s critical that we address the full product life cycle—including the recycling collection infrastructure,” says Jim Hanna, Starbucks director of Environmental Impact. “Any enduring solution will require collaboration with stakeholders across the value chain.”

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT GREENERPACKAGE.COM

MAYBE SMARTER CONSUMER CHOICES CAN FUEL $ RECOVERY - Prius Sales up 45% From 2008

2009-09-02T23:00:00.003-06:00

Toyota is continuing to see impressive sales of its new 2010 Prius hybrid here in the United States. Though not quite as high as last month's 48-percent sales increase over the previous year, we're sure Toyota is plenty happy to see the 45.7-percent bump in August sales over the same month in 2008.

For those that like seeing actual number in black and white, Toyota sold 19,173 Prius hybrids here in the States in July and another 18,866 in August. It seems highly likely that Cash for Clunkers helped those figures a bit for both months, and the Toyota brand in total saw a sales increase of about 15 percent last month over the previous August.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT AUTOBLOGGREEN

eSolar Prepares to Change the Face of Energy - US's FIRST SOLAR POWER TOWERS GO ONLINE

2009-08-13T15:37:00.004-06:00

By Alana Semuels LA TIMES

The hundreds of glass mirrors break the dusty field in Lancaster, a sea of silver in a landscape of brown.

When switched on for the first time today at an opening gala with investors, local politicians and others, they'll make up the first operational solar tower energy facility in the United States.

They reflect the sun into a tower in the middle of the field, boiling water into steam that travels through pipes to power a turbine and create electricity. The plant, created by Pasadena company ESolar Inc., will be able to power 4,000 homes.

The strength of the small field of mirrors is surprising, but what might be more surprising is the technology's source. It was established by Pasadena incubator Idealab, a 1996 creation of entrepreneur Bill Gross. Gross, whom Time magazine once called the "man with a billion dollar brain," generated some big hits with GoTo.com, Internet Brands Inc. and Cooking.com, along with such misses as Eve.com and EToys.

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT THE LA TIMES

MORE INFORMATION AT ESOLAR.CO M

PV FROM HEAVEN - Solfocus Builds a More Productive, Efficient, Recyclable Solar Panel at Lower Cost

2009-07-30T10:16:00.008-06:00

SolFocus, the leading developer of Concentrator Photovoltaic (CPV) systems, announced today that its SF-1000P module is the first CPV product to meet the rigorous performance, qualification, and safety standards of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 62108 standard. The IEC is the world's leading organization that prepares and publishes international standards for electrical and electronic technologies.

"The real-world testing conducted for the IEC CPV standard proves that SolFocus systems meet both the performance, qualification, and reliability criteria, critical in bringing CPV to a truly global scale," said Mark Crowley, president and chief executive officer of SolFocus. "We have already proven that CPV can yield nearly twice the efficiency of traditional PV systems, but meeting the IEC's rigorous CPV requirements proves that SolFocus systems can perform consistently across a variety of climates and environments. This validation sends a message to developers, investors and customers that CPV is on track to global commercialization."

The IEC 62108 standard for photovoltaic concentrators and receivers was created to verify the safety, photoelectric performance and environmental reliability of panels designed with CPV technology and ready to be introduced to this emerging marketplace. The standard was designed to be universal, taking into account different environments and manufacturing technologies across geographies.

The SolFocus system was shown to meet all requirements of the IEC 62108 standard, which specifies the design qualification and type approval of concentrator photovoltaic modules and assemblies suitable for long-term operation in general open-air climates. The electrical, mechanical, and thermal characteristics of the SolFocus CPV system were shown to be safe, high-performing and capable of withstanding prolonged exposure in varied climates.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT SOLFOCUS.COM

SUNNY NEW JERSEY PLANS TO STAY THE EAST'S TOP SOLAR PRODUCER-PSE&G's 'Solar 4 All' Program Approved

2009-07-29T13:29:00.005-06:00

NEWARK, N.J., July 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- PSE&G today received approval from the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to invest $515 million in 80 megawatts of solar projects, doubling the state's solar capacity and creating green jobs. Under an agreement reached in its Solar 4 All filing, the utility expects to complete the installations by the end of 2013.

The program has two segments, each 40 megawatts in size. The first segment consists of installing a solar unit (small distributed solar system of approximately 200 watts) on 200,000 utility poles in PSE&G's service territory, which includes the state's six largest cities and roughly 300 rural and suburban communities. It will be the largest pole-attached solar installation in the world. The solar units will be connected directly into PSE&G's electric distribution system and the power will be sold into the PJM wholesale grid.

The second segment will focus on centralized solar, with PSE&G developing solar gardens and roof-top installations on facilities it owns and also at third-party sites.

"Our program will effectively double the size of New Jersey's installed solar capacity," said Ralph LaRossa, president and COO of PSE&G. "That is more solar capacity than currently exists in any state other than California. We have worked with New Jersey regulators and the solar community to develop a program that brings the benefits of solar to all of our customers."

PSE&G also announced today that it awarded the contract for the supply of the 200,000 pole-attached units to New Jersey-based Petra Solar. With headquarters in South Plainfield, Petra Solar has committed to make the solar units in New Jersey and expects to hire more than 100 employees to meet the needs of the contract.

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT PRNEWSWIRE

OPED: ROBERT REDFORD -Why We Need a Bold Vision for Preserving Our Wilderness

2009-07-28T15:41:00.002-06:00

I have welcomed several promising signs coming out of the Obama Administration, from the president's push for clean energy to Interior Secretary Salazar's efforts to block oil and gas leasing near some of Utah's most stunning landscapes.

But there is still something I am waiting to see: a bold new vision for preserving America's wilderness.

Why does wilderness matter right now? It matters to me personally because I believe that our last public wilderness areas, with their rugged beauty, uncharted terrain, and ability to test human strength, are essential symbols of the American spirit.

But it also matters legally. According to the Wilderness Act of 1964, once a landscape has been altered by human development--including natural gas pipelines, oil drill heads, or roads for seismic thumper trucks--it can never become a protected wilderness area.

This is exactly the cynical calculus the Bush administration used to convert America's public lands into money-making ventures for a few energy companies.

OPED CONTINUES HERE AT THE HUFFINGTON POST

MAKING CLEAN ENERGY CLEAN - BioSolar Makes PV panels Less Toxic While Cutting Costs

2009-07-28T13:20:00.003-06:00

Santa Clarita, CA – BioSolar, Inc. (OTC BB: BSRC) has garnered media coverage in numerous high-profile publications following its recent announcement that the company will be shipping its first commercial product, BioBacksheet-C™, in the second half of 2009. BioBacksheet-C is a protective covering in the back of virtually all photovoltaic solar cells designed to replace expensive and hazardous petroleum-based film with a bio-based film.

“It’s no secret that solar panels, while capable of producing clean renewable energy, are themselves laden with potentially harmful materials. One California company says it has developed products that will make panels more environmentally palatable,” reported Sustainable Industries of BioSolar’s line of proprietary BioBacksheet™ protective coverings on June 18.

The same article mentions BioSolar has been working with several unnamed solar panel manufacturers to test its products before transitioning into production mode by the end of 2009 for its cotton- and castor oil-derived materials that “match plastic’s durability and can be used in existing panel manufacturing facilities.”

ARTICLE CONTIUES AT BIOSOLAR.COM

87MPH & 34%PV EFFICENCY - 4time World Solar Challenge Winner NUON SOLAR Unveils Newest Car

2009-07-27T02:16:00.009-06:00

The World Solar Challenge is a grueling car race that runs across more than 3000km of Australian outback, spanning the entire breadth of the continent from Darwin to Adelaide. But the real challenge of this race, which is rather obvious from the name, is that all the competing cars must be completely solar-powered. The objective of this race is to promote research on solar-powered cars and teams from various enterprises and universities participate in it for their quest to better alternative power source technology for automobiles.

For the last four outings of the World Solar Challenge, the team from the Delft University of Technology in Netherlands has been taking home the top prize with their Nuna solar-powered racer. Now, the Delft University's Nuon Solar team has unveiled its latest contender for the 2009 challenge, the Nuna5. Like its predecessor, the Nuna5 is covered by six square meters of solar panels, but now, thanks to advancements in technology, weighs in 30kg less, a total of 160kg excluding the driver, than the previous car.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT ZIGWHEELS.COM

WORLD'S MOST ADVANCED GREEN SUPERMARKET Opens in Maine & Achieves LEED's 1st Platinum Green Rating

2009-07-27T01:31:00.009-06:00

AUGUSTA, Maine -- From its roof sown with plants to the depths of its two geothermal wells, a new Hannaford supermarket has been declared the greenest of the green groceries in the United States. It's the first to earn the highest rating possible from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The 49,000-square-foot store on the grounds of a former high school in Augusta, Maine, opens on Saturday.

With its newly minted LEED-Platinum certification, awarded this week, the Hannaford store has become the most prominent symbol of success among the growing efforts by supermarkets to make their operations more environmentally responsible through stricter management of energy and water use and waste.

Improving energy efficiency is a key challenge for food retailers whose imperatives are to keep perishables chilled properly and customers comfortable in buildings with large front doors that are constantly opening and shutting. Typically, refrigeration eats up the most energy (PDF) in a supermarket and accounts for more than half the electricity consumed. Lighting and HVAC systems are the No. 2 and No. 3 draws, respectively, on power.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT GREENERBUILDINGS.COM

NAVAJO NATION COUNCIL MAKES HISTORY, Becomes 1st Nation in Indian Country to Initiate Green Jobs

2009-07-23T16:05:00.005-06:00

“Once again, the Navajo Nation Council has taken the lead in Indian Country and has displayed a leadership role in paving the way for other Nations and tribes to begin their own initiatives. It’s a good day in Indian Country.”
— Navajo Council Speaker Lawrence T. Morgan

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — The Navajo Nation Council made history today by becoming the first Nation in Indian Country to pass legislation promoting green jobs. In a 62-1 vote, the Navajo Council passed the Navajo Green Commission Act that will establish Green Jobs across its sprawling 27,000 square-mile reservation

Legislation No. 0179-09 was sponsored by Navajo Council Speaker Lawrence T. Morgan. On April 22, the legislation was tabled during the Council’s Spring Session to allow more time to educate the Council members about the commission, with a then directive to create an Energy Policy by the Navajo Division of Natural Resources.

In a presentation to the Council, Speaker Morgan urged his colleagues to support the legislation which will have great positive impacts on the Navajo people and the Navajo Nation.

NAVAJO PRESS RELEASE CONTINUES HERE AT NAVAJO.ORG

Ahhh....A Stroll Down Memory Lane IN PICTURES- GREEN TECHNOLOGY THROUGH THE AGES

2009-07-23T15:27:00.002-06:00

6 August 1882: The operation of a solar-powered printing press, which produced copies of Le Chaleur Solaire by Augustin Mouchot, a newspaper that he created especially for the event. The press rattled off 500 copies an hour. The experiment was conducted in the Garden of Tuileries, Paris, for the festival of L'Union Francaises de la Jeuenesse.

THE SLIDE SHOW CONTINUES HERE AT GUARDIAN UK

VIDEO: STEVEN CHU ON THE DAILY SHOW

2009-07-23T12:26:00.002-06:00

They talk Cap&Trade, White Roofs and Climate Deniers.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Steven Chu

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Joke of the Day

FEED-IN TARIFFING SPREADS TO CALIFORNIA - 100mw Worth To Be Available In Sacramento Area

2009-07-22T13:23:00.006-06:00

The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) has established a feed-in tariff (FIT) that will become effective in January 2010.

According to SMUD, the FIT will be aimed at systems up to 5 MW connected to SMUD's local distribution system, and is capped at 100 MW system-wide. The SMUD FIT will apply to both renewable and fossil-fuel generation technologies, and the utility states that it will set higher prices for power produced from renewable sources like solar and biogas.

SMUD adds that it sees the FIT as a way to provide a new opportunity for customers to own or host efficient small-scale generation plants, and that it will help the utility meet its
renewable portfolio standard and greenhouse gas reduction goals.
ARTICLE POSTED AT ALTERNATIVE ENERGY RETAILER

FEDERALLY FUNDED FUEL CELL FUTURE - Hydrogen fuel cell funding amendment passed in Washington D.C.

2009-07-21T15:46:00.004-06:00

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the Energy and Water Appropriations Act, which includes an amendment to restore $45 million in hydrogen fuel cell research funding, New York Democrats Eric Massa and Steve Israel announced.

Because of the amendment, funding for the Department of Energy’s hydrogen fuel cell budget for 2010 totals $153 million. The initially proposed DOE budget included just $68 million for hydrogen fuel cell research, a substantial decline from this year’s levels.

“I want to thank Congressman Israel for joining me in our effort to make a meaningful investment in zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell technology. My district has a 21st century, state of the art fuel cell research and development center where General Motors has built and is literally driving the cars of tomorrow. By making an investment in this technology today, we are paving the road toward the clean energy economy of the future,” said Massa.

“Hydrogen fuel cell development is driving our auto industry into the future. New York is already home to important hydrogen fuel cell research and development centers. We can’t let Japan and Germany leap frog the United States in the implementation of this promising technology. That’s why I restored federal funding for hydrogen fuel cell research,” said Israe

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT THE ELMIRA STAR GAZETTE

URANIUM MINING HALTED NEAR GRAND CANYON - Salazar moves to block new mining claims

2009-07-20T11:23:00.004-06:00

By David O. Williams 7/20/09 10:25 AM

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar today issued a notice of withdrawal of nearly 1 million acres of Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service land around the Grand Canyon from new mining claims for the next two years to allow for more study and analysis.

The move drew the praise of conservation groups such as the Pew Environment Group, which has been hammering on the antiquated 1872 mining law and the pressing need for reform in light of thousands of new mining claims for minerals such as uranium, copper and gold in and around some of the nation’s most treasured national parks.

“We are pleased that the Obama administration has encouraged Congress to protect our national parks and other special places by modernizing the country’s 1872 mining law,” Jane Danowitz, U.S. public lands program director at the Pew Environment Group, said in a release. “Clearly a law that is powerless to prevent mining just outside one of the most iconic treasures in the world needs to be reformed.”

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT THE COLORADO INDEPENDENT

DID VENUS HAVE AN OCEAN? - New Map Hints at Venus' Wet, Volcanic Past

2009-07-15T17:15:00.002-06:00

Venus is often referred to as Earth's twin, as the two planets share a similar size. But perhaps the similarities don't end there. A new infrared map from Venus Express hints that our neighboring world may once have been more Earth-like, with a plate tectonics system and an ocean of water. While previous radar images have given us a glimpse of Venus' cloud-shrouded surface, this is the first map that hints at the chemical composition of the rocks. The new data are consistent with suspicions that the highland plateaus of Venus are ancient continents, once surrounded by ocean and produced by past volcanic activity.

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT UNIVERSETODAY.COM

YOUR PUBLIC LANDS WILL BE USED FOR LARGE SCALE SOLAR PROJECTS AND THE BLM SEEKS YOUR INPUT

2009-07-15T13:12:00.009-06:00

The federal Bureau of Land Management is seeking public comment on its proposed designation of federal acreage in Colorado and neighboring states for large-scale solar energy development.

The land management agency announced June 29 that 24 large tracts of federal land in the West — including nearly 21,000 acres in Colorado’s San Luis Valley — would be studied for their solar power potential.

Other states involved are California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and New Mexico. The goal is to speed project permitting for utility-scale solar power projects.

The 24 tracts — known as Solar Energy Study Areas, totaling 670,000 acres — will be evaluated for their environmental and resource suitability for large-scale solar energy production.

In Colorado, the three areas in the San Luis Valley that will be part of the study could generate up to 4,182 megawatts of solar power if fully developed, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior, which oversees BLM.

Areas deemed suitable for large solar power projects would be available for companies to build installations with a capacity of 10 megawatts or more. Companies proposing projects in these areas would be eligible for faster permit processing, the department said.

Click here to download maps of the study areas in PDF format.

Click here to submit comments. The public comment period ends July 30.

THIS ARTICLE CONTINUES AT BIZJOURNALS.COM

DRINK BEER TO CREATE FUEL-German-led Collaboration Yields Biofuel from Beer Waste

2009-07-14T12:04:00.004-06:00

By Emily Gertz- ENERGY BOOM

Love your ales, pilsners, weissbeers and stouts, but worried about all that fermented grain waste?

Thanks to German researcher Wolfgang Bengel, brew lovers can help create cleaner energy every time they down a pint.

Bengel, the technical director at German biomass company BMP Biomasse Projekt, has developed steam boilers that safely burn the spent grain left over from brewing beer. In the process, Bengel and his partners created a system for effective anaerobic (oxygen-free) treatment of waste water from breweries as well.

The combined systems offer breweries a comprehensive way to reduce their environmental footprints, as well as cut operating costs: recycling their brewing waste into a biofuel source; slashing the amount of grain waste trucked out of their facilities; and ultimately using less energy overall.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT ENERGYBOOM.COM

VIDEO: AGREE or DISAGREE? Futurist STEWART BRAND Updates His Views on Energy & Geo-Engineering

2009-07-13T12:44:00.008-06:00

The man who helped usher in the environmental movement in the 1960s and '70s has been rethinking his positions on cities, nuclear power, genetic modification and geo-engineering. This talk at the US State Department is a foretaste of his major new book, sure to provoke widespread debate.

Why you should listen to him:

Founder of the Whole Earth Catalog, cofounder of the Well and the Long Now Foundation, writer, editor and game designer, Stewart Brand has helped to define the collaborative, data-sharing, forward-thinking world we live in now.

Since the 1960s, he has maintained that — given access to the information we need — humanity can make the world a better place. One of his early accomplishments: helping to persuade NASA to release the first photo of the Earth from space. The iconic Big Blue Marble became the cover for his Whole Earth Catalog, a massive compendium of resources and facts he thought people might like to know. And we did: the 1972 edition sold 1.5 million copies. In 1987, he wrote The Media Lab: Inventing the Future at MIT; in 1994, How Buildings Learn.

Currently Brand is working with computer scientist Danny Hillis to build the Clock of the Long Now, a 10,000-year timepiece; his Long Now Foundation also runs a number of spinoff projects, including the Rosetta Project, cataloguing the world's languages, and the Long Bets website. He's also busy with the Global Business Network (part of the Monitor Group), helping businesses plan for the near and way-far future.

VIEW ORIGINAL AT TED.COM

NO ONE WANTS SMOG - LOS ANGELES to Be Completely Off Coal By 2020- Helps UTAH Abandon Another Coal Plant

2009-07-10T00:31:00.007-06:00

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

"Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said his city would completely wean its 1.45 million electricity customers from coal-fired power by 2020"

The Intermountain Power Agency said Wednesday it will let the air-quality permit for a coal-fired Unit 3 expire. Instead, the company will focus on other options for the central Utah site, said IPA spokesman John Ward.

"The understanding within IPA is that if there were ever an attempt to start another third coal-fired power unit at that location, they would have to start over," he said. "This particular permit application would be moot."

Environmental groups, who have been fighting Unit 3 since it was first proposed, applauded the move.

The plant "would have burdened Utah with more coal-burning pollution," said Wayne Hoskinson, chairman of the Utah Chapter of the Sierra Club. "This opens the door for additional renewable projects, like the Milford wind development, allowing the state to still be an exporter of energy without the cost of worsened air quality and more mercury pollution."

The Sierra Club's appeal of the Unit 3 air permit has been on hold for more than a year, while IPA, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems were in court over a breach-of-contract suit over the new 900-megawatt generating station. That suit was settled quietly last month.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE

3.6F MAX RISE IN EARTH'S TEMPERATURE IS ACCEPTABLE FOR G8

2009-07-09T11:46:00.005-06:00

L'AQUILA, Italy, July 8 -- The world's leading industrial nations tentatively agreed Wednesday to try to prevent global temperatures from rising above a fixed level, after a more far-reaching proposal to slash production of greenhouse gases fizzled, according to U.S. and European negotiators.

Leaders meeting here for the Group of Eight summit said they would pledge to keep temperatures from rising more than 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit above average levels of more than a century ago, before large-scale industrial pollution occurred.

Temperatures have already risen by nearly half that amount, leaving little wiggle room. It was unclear what mechanisms, if any, would be adopted to enforce the target.

Some environmental groups saw the announcement as a weak nod at the obvious.

"This was such an opportunity," said Tobias Muenchmeyer, a Berlin-based activist with the group Greenpeace. "We are very disappointed that the result is so limited."

For other groups, the best that could be said of Wednesday's declaration was that, although it did not commit countries to specific cuts in greenhouse gases, it appeared to create a moral imperative to do so eventually.

"It may be symbolic now," said David Hamilton of the Sierra Club. But, he added, "if we have a commitment to a temperature goal, then you're actually going to figure out how we're going to get there."

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT THE WASHINGTON POST

WINDS CHANGE COURSE FOR T BOONE - World's Largest Wind Farm is Off

2009-07-07T23:10:00.005-06:00

T. Boone Pickens' plan to build the world's largest wind farm is off.

Instead, Pickens said he will build five or six smaller wind farms, in the Midwest and possibly Texas, though he hasn't settled on locations.

Last year, Pickens announced that he would build a 1,000-megawatt wind farm in Pampa, Texas. The problem a lack of a transmission line to bring the juice to population centers, Pickens said in an interview last week.

"I don't think the first place we build, though, is where we thought we would because we don't have the transmission," he said.

Remember that idea he had to build his own transmission line? "It was a little more complicated than we thought," he said.

In May 2008, Pickens announced that his company, Mesa Power LP, would order 687 wind turbines, or 1,000 megawatts of capacity, from GE for about $2 billion. By 2014, he expected to expand the Panhandle wind farm to 4,000 megawatts.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS

PV DISCREET - Santa Monica wants property owners to hide solar panels

2009-07-05T22:52:00.004-06:00

Santa Monica has held itself up as a model of innovative energy policies, but now the city may be moving to hide away some of its solar technology.

Solar equipment must be installed "in the location that is least visible from the street" on certain properties, according to a 4-1 decision by the city council on Tuesday. The measure provides exceptions for when energy production would be decreased by more than 10% or the cost would go up significantly. It passed as part of an ordinance specifying standards for solar permits.

"From my perspective, the ordinance will simplify permitting for the installation of solar panels, and it still respects reasonable aesthetic concerns," said Mayor Ken Genser in a phone interview Thursday.

But Mary Luevano, policy director for Global Green, a Santa Monica-based advocacy group, said: "It creates what we think is unnecessary bureaucratic red tape. There are cities outside the state that are looking at Santa Monica, because they have been a leader for years."

Luevano said the decision is puzzling given that Santa Monica is "a progressive, environmentally conscious city."

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT LA TIMES

CONNECTICUT FUELS SMALL SCALE SOLAR - reopens solar rebate program with new funds

2009-07-03T13:30:00.002-06:00

The Connecticut Clean Energy Fund is once again accepting applications to its solar rebate program thanks to $3.1 million in fresh funding.

The rebate program, which provides rebates of up to 40 percent for installation of small solar photovoltaic systems, had been closed since November because all previous funding had been allocated. The new funding comes from a mix of federal stimulus funds and electricity ratepayer charges.

“We are delighted to be able to offer this program once again to Connecticut homeowners,” said Lise Dondy, president of Connecticut Clean Energy Fund in a statement. “It has been a highly popular program, enabling the purchase and installation of more than 1,000 small, solar PV systems statewide since the program was first introduced in late 2004.”

Officials estimate the funding will provide rebates to an additional 325 projects and should last until 2010.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT MASS HIGH TECH

DEFENSE DEPT GETS SERIOUS ABOUT SOLAR - $100million for US NAVY SOLAR PROJECTS

2009-07-01T16:16:00.003-06:00

Atlantic Contingency Constructors in Norfolk, VA received 3 task orders totaling up $100 million to install solar energy systems at U.S. Navy shore facilities in the United States. The task orders were awarded under a Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic multiple-award global contingency construction contract (N62470-06-D-6007).

All of the task orders involve installation of solar energy systems that will be tied to the electrical distribution grid. Altantic Contingency Constructors expects to complete work on the task orders by Sept. 30/10. Funds are provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

DID has more details on each of the task orders…

A breakdown of the individual task orders follows:
ARTICLE CONTINUES AT DEFENSE INDUSTRY DAILY

SALAZAR PAVES WAY FOR LARGE SCALE SOLAR PROJECTS IN THE WEST

2009-06-30T14:31:00.003-06:00

Sun, wind and geothermal energy development are on a fast track for development on public lands in the West, including Nevada, federal officials announced today.

Federal agencies will work with western leaders to designate tracts of public lands in the western states to develop utility-scale solar energy generators, wind farms and geothermal sources, said Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.

Speeding reviews and identifying prime zones for such renewable energy development are part of the plans, Salazar and Reid said.

For example, Nevada has 40 applications for solar energy development, enough to generate 19,000 megawatts of electricity, second only to California with 72 applications and a potential 48,000 megawatts.

Under one initiative, 24 tracts of Bureau of Land Management sites in six western states will be known as Solar Energy Study Areas, fully evaluated for their environmental and resource suitability for large scale solar energy production.

Companies that propose projects on a grander scale in areas already approved for such solar development would be eligible for priority processing, the secretary and senator said.

In addition, Nevada will host a new Interior Department renewable energy coordination office, the first of four. The others will be in Arizona, California and Wyoming.

HISTORY MADE TODAY - THE WORLD'S FIRST SOLAR POWERED MANNED AIRCRAFT UNVEILED

2009-06-26T14:45:00.005-06:00

After four years of design and development, Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard today unveils the solar-powered aircraft with which he plans to demonstrate the potential of renewable energies by circumnavigating the globe. It will be the world’s first manned solar-powered aircraft.

The Solar Impulse HB-SIA prototype has a wing span of 61m, which is comparable with a commercial airliner, but at 1,500kg the solar-powered plane weighs the same as a small family car.

Dr Piccard made history in 1999 by flying around the world non-stop in a balloon.
He plans to test the solar-powered plane by making a crossing of the Atlantic in 2012.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT ETA

POWERING EUROPE FROM AFRICA DESERTS

2009-06-19T13:14:00.001-06:00

By James Kanter

Desertec.org A German consortium is hoping to drum up support for the idea of harvesting solar power from the deserts of North Africa and transmitting it to Europe. (Click map for larger view.)

Germany has become a global leader in solar energy by building up a substantial industry at home. Can the country now repeat the feat in North Africa?

Munich Re, an insurance company, is leading efforts to garner support for a vast project, dubbed Desertec, to collect energy at solar farms in countries like Tunisia and then send it to Europe in the form of electricity. Munich Re wants other companies like the giant engineering group Siemens, Deutsche Bank, and utilities like RWE and E.ON to become involved.

Under the plan, energy would be gathered mostly using concentrating solar power, a technology that uses mirrors to harness rays from the sun to produce steam and drive turbines that make electricity. The power would then be delivered to Europe through high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cables.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT THE NEW YORK TIMES

WHAT YOU CAN SEE FROM SPACE - Astronauts Spot Mysterious Ice Circles in World’s Deepest Lake

2009-06-18T12:06:00.001-06:00

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station noticed two mysterious dark circles in the ice of Russia’s Lake Baikal in April. Though the cause is more likely aqueous than alien, some aspects of the odd blemishes defy explanation.

The two circles are the focal points for ice break-up and may be caused by upwelling of warmer water in the lake. The dark color of the circles is due to thinning of the ice, which usually hangs around into June. Upwelling wouldn’t be strange in some relatively shallow areas of the lake where hydrothermal activity has been detected, such as where the circle near the center of the lake (pictured below) is located. Circles have been seen in that area before in 1985 and 1994, though they weren’t nearly as pronounced. But the location of the circle near the southern tip of the lake (pictured above) where water is relatively deep and cold is puzzling.

The lake itself is an oddity. It is the largest by volume and the deepest (5370 feet at its deepest point), as well as one of the oldest at around 25 million years. The photo above was taken by an astronaut from the ISS. The photo below was taken by NASA’s MODIS satellite instrument.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT WIRED.COM

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT MAJOR NEWS Vermont Establishes Feed-In Tariff for Renewables

2009-06-18T01:03:00.004-06:00

Vermont is the first U.S. state to establish a full system of renewable energy feed-in tariffs.

Legislation went into effect at the end of business on May 27, 2009.

H. 446 creates tariff rates for renewable energy based on the cost of generation, plus a reasonable profit. Costs will be covered by ratepayers.

Several other U.S. states are considering similar legislation, which has proven effective in boosting solar energy in Germany and Gainesville, Florida. The legislation is similar to Ontario, Canada's Green Energy Act.

The program is capped relatively low, at 50 megawatts (MW). And individual projects are capped at 2.2 MW. But the tariff levels are generous--differentiated by technology and size.

The legislation also creates a specific tariff for small wind turbines of less than 15 kW capacity. That tariff mandates payments of $0.20/kWh to owners of grid-connected small wind turbines.

Other tariff levels include:

$0.14/kWh for wind tubines larger than 15 kW
$0.12/kWh for landfill and biogas
$0.30/kWh for solar

Republican Governor James Douglas allowed the bill to become law without his signature, as is allowable by Vermont law.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT SUSTAINABLEBUSINESS.COM

VIDEO: San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom talks solar with CURRENT TV

2009-06-17T00:18:00.005-06:00

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is interviewed by Current Green's Leah Lamb on his run for Governor and his take on solar energy. The question was submitted by sbove, topics covered included: solar incentive programs, solar map, solar installation, urban wind task force, solar portfolio, green renewable energy.

ARTICLE AT CURRENT.COM

HOW HUMANS SHOULD GATHER - 100% SOLAR STADIUM OPENS IN TAIWAN - STADIUM ENVY

2009-06-14T19:51:00.004-06:00

Taiwan recently finished construction on a solar-powered stadium that will generate 100% of its electricity from photovoltaic technology. Designed by Toyo Ito, the 50,000-seat arena will officially open later this year to welcome the 2009 World Games, which features many sports not included in the Olympics, such as parachuting, tenpin bowling and rugby sevens

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT GUARDIAN UK

BOY DOES WHAT SCIENTISTS HAVEN'T - Discovers Microbe That Eats Plastic

2009-06-14T13:14:00.005-06:00

It's not your average science fair when the 16-year-old winner manages to solve a global waste crisis. But such was the case at last ~~month's~~ May's Canadian Science Fair in Waterloo, Ontario, where Daniel Burd, a high school student at Waterloo Collegiate Institute, presented his research on microorganisms that can rapidly biodegrade plastic.

NOTE: a bit of confusion... there are TWO high school students who discovered plastic-consuming microorganisms. The first was Daniel Burd (last year). The second was Tseng I-Ching (last month), a high school student in Tawain.

Daniel had a thought it seems even the most esteemed PhDs hadn't considered. Plastic, one of the most indestructible of manufactured materials, does in fact eventually decompose. It takes 1,000 years but decompose it does, which means there must be microorganisms out there to do the decomposing.

Could those microorganisms be bred to do the job faster?
ARTICLE CONTINUES AT MOTHER NATURE NETWORK

THE FUTURE IS NOW - Smart Grid: 5 Cities Leading The Way

2009-06-12T13:05:00.002-06:00

The nation's electricity industry is in for an overhaul. Power lines spread across the country are finally moving into the digital age with smart grids that provide instant information on energy consumption.

The hope is that people can finally deal with the impending climate crisis by using less energy. So smart grid leaders are creating thermostats that cut off depending on the price of power -- and plug-in hybrid cars to charge at night or even put power back into the grid. Barack Obama's stimulus package contains about $4.5 billion in grants for smart-grid investments.

Here are five ongoing Smart Grid projects:

Boulder, CO: Boulder is aiming to become the world's first smart grid city by the end of 2009. The city has partnered with Xcel Energy on the $100 million effort and customers can use the Internet to lower their thermostats or home or change the temperature on their furnace.

Worcester, MA: National Grid will be building a smart grid pilot in Worcester. The pilot, believed to be the largest in New England, will work towards creating a highly reliable modern grid that can provide customers with energy use information, automation, and the ability to control how they use energy.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT THE HUFFINGTON POST

GLOBAL CLEAN ENERGY NOW GETS MORE NEW INVESTMENT THAN OIL

2009-06-09T14:02:00.007-06:00

In 2008 investors pumped $155 billion into clean energy companies and projects worldwide--not including large hydro--according to a United Nations report released last week.

Extremely difficult financial market conditions prevailed during 2008 as a result of the global economic crisis. Nevertheless investment in clean energy topped 2007's record investments by 5% in large part as a result of China, Brazil and other emerging economies.

Of the $155 billion, $105 billion was spent directly developing 40 gigawatts (GW) of power generating capacity from wind, solar, small-hydro, biomass and geothermal sources.

A further $35 billion was spent on developing 25 GW of large hydropower, according to the report.

This $140 billion investment in 65 GW of low carbon electricity generation compares with the estimated $250 billion spent globally in 2008 constructing 157GW of new power generating capacity from all sources.

It means that renewables currently account for the majority of investment and over 40% of actual power generation capacity additions last year.

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS

AUSTIN MANDATES ENERGY AUDITS TO PREVENT BUILDING POWER PLANT

2009-06-08T21:11:00.004-06:00

By Shonda Novak
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Come Monday, many Austin home sellers will have one more chore, along with touching up the paint and sprucing up the yard, before putting their house on the market.

That's when a new city ordinance kicks in that requires sellers of homes older than 10 years to get an energy audit and disclose the results to prospective buyers.

City leaders who approved the audits last year said it was one more way to reduce Austin's energy consumption and make Austin greener, although sellers are not required to make any improvements as a result of the audit. The idea is to encourage sellers or buyers to make their houses more energy-efficient.

But with the requirement taking effect in a slower housing market, some real estate agents say it could delay or torpedo sales and will add costs for sellers.

"There's never a good time to add fees to a transaction," said City Council Member Mike Martinez, "but I think this requirement is a good thing. It allows the consumer to fully understand the purchase they're about to make. If you spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on an investment, you would want to know how efficient that investment is going to be for you."

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT THE AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN

IS THIS THE WAY TO SOLVE OVERPOPULATION? - Drift around the world on a high-tech lily-pad city

2009-06-01T11:24:00.003-06:00

IT COULD be the solution to rising sea levels - a floating city for 50,000 people in the shape of a lily pad. "Lilypad" is the brainchild of Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut.

"Lilypad is what a completely self-sufficient floating city for 50,000 people could look like," he said. "The design of the city is inspired by the shape of the great Amazonia Victoria Regia lily pad.

"Some countries spend billions of pounds working on making their beaches and dams bigger and stronger but the Lilypad project is actually a long-term solution to the problem of the water rising.

Mr Callebaut's computer-generated design is of an amphibious city without any roads or any cars. "The whole city is covered by plants housed in suspended gardens," he said. "The goal is to create a harmonious co-existence of humans and nature."

Sea levels are predicted to rise by about 50centimetres by 2100, leaving low-lying Pacific islands such as Tuvalu and Kiribati largely submerged and their populations homeless. In Australia, councils along the NSW coast are already dealing with dramatic coastal erosion.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

THIS BATTERY TECHNOLOGY MAY IMPROVE EV'S RANGE BY 3-10X - Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

2009-05-29T09:53:00.005-06:00

Sulfur power: This prototype lithium-sulfur battery was developed by Sion Power. In cooperation with BASF, the company intends to improve the battery design for use in electric vehicles.
Credit: Sion Power

Lithium-sulfur batteries, which can potentially store several times more energy than lithium-ion batteries, have historically been too costly, unsafe, and unreliable to make commercially. But they're getting a fresh look now, due to some recent advances. Improvements to the design of these batteries have led the chemical giant BASF of Ludwigshafen, Germany, to team up with Sion Power, a company in Tucson, AZ, that has already developed prototype lithium-sulfur battery cells.

"Compared to existing technologies used in electric vehicles, the plan is to increase driving distance at least 5 to 10 times," for a given-size battery, says Thomas Weber, CEO of a subsidiary of BASF called BASF Future Business. Other experts say that a threefold improvement is a more reasonable estimate, but that would still be an impressive jump in performance. Weber says that BASF's expertise in materials will help Sion Power further improve its technology and bring it to market faster. He declined to provide details of the arrangement, however, including how much money is involved and how the companies will share any profits.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT MIT'S TECHNOLOGY REVIEW

WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS SHOULDN'T STAY IN VEGAS - President tours Vegas solar power facility, discusses stimulus efforts

2009-05-27T17:33:00.002-06:00

LAS VEGAS - President Barack Obama on Wednesday hailed solar energy as a cost saver for a major Air Force base, one stop on a Western trip devoted to raising political money and promoting his economic policies.

Obama's aides had mocked reporters for making a fuss over his first 100 days in office, but the president was eager to assess the first 100 days of his $787 billion economic stimulus package.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

HYDROGEN CAR DESTINY - Entrepreneur Dreams of ’Hydrogen-Hybrid’ Car Network

2009-05-27T13:33:00.006-06:00

By Steven Cole Smith / The Orlando Sentinel
ORLANDO, Fla. — Malcolm Bricklin, a legendary automotive entrepreneur, says he has spent the last year spending time and money developing "something everybody said was a scam."

His plan could revolutionize the auto industry, keep open at least two factories and offer a product that rejected Chrysler and General Motors dealers could sell, the former Orlando resident says.

In a nutshell, Bricklin is proposing his company, Visionary Vehicles, buy up to 300,000 new vehicles a year from GM and Chrysler, upgrade the interiors "from standard to luxury," and install "hydrogen hybrid" engine technology he says could double fuel mileage.

"I know I have a product that I can put on cars that will make them get 100 percent better mileage," he said in a recent interview.

In a three-page proposal, his company would market these vehicles as Visionary Vehicles/Chrysler or Visionary Vehicles/GM.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT THE BOSTON HERALD

GERMANY INVESTS IN AMERICA'S NEW ECONOMY- Daimler buys stake in Tesla

2009-05-21T14:51:00.004-06:00

Tesla's dream of creating affordable, all-electric cars got a high-voltage jolt Tuesday when German auto giant Daimler bought a 10 percent stake in the San Carlos company.

"We're thrilled," said Diarmuid O'Connell, Tesla's vice president of business development. "Daimler invented the internal combustion engine. To partner with them is the greatest endorsement you can have in this business."

Tesla spokeswoman Rachel Konrad only described the dollar value of Daimler's stake in the venture-backed company as being eight figures. In addition, Daimler Vice President Herbert Kohler will take a seat on Tesla's board of directors.

The move follows Daimler's recent purchase of Tesla's lithium-ion battery packs and chargers for the first 1,000 electric Smart cars, which Daimler hopes to introduce next year. Daimler rolled out the gasoline-powered versions of Smart cars in January 2008 in the United States.

Tesla is best known for its Roadster, a zero-emission sports car that can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in four seconds and hit speeds of 130 mph. Unveiled to great fanfare in 2006, the Roadster looks like a Lotus and costs $109,000.

Charged by plugging into an ordinary wall socket, the Roadster can travel 250 miles before its battery needs re-charging.

Tesla executives hope Daimler's investment will help the company achieve its ultimate goal - fine-tuning the technology to create zero-emission, all-electric vehicles with less astronomical prices. The firm is now working on a sedan, expected to come out in 2011, that will cost about $50,000.

article continues here at THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

MORE AC POWER FROM SOLAR PANELS-Enphase Energy is shrinking DC-to-AC inverters to extract more juice from solar panels

2009-05-21T11:53:00.002-06:00

There's more to solar power than blue glassy panels shimmering on rooftops. Just as important are the inverters that convert DC power created by the solar panels into grid-ready AC power. Typically, all the panels in a rooftop PV system are connected to one large inverter mounted on the side of a house.

Startup Enphase Energy of Petaluma, CA, is now making the first micro-inverters. These smaller inverters can be bolted to the racking under each solar panel, to convert DC power into AC for each panel individually. The company claims that the devices will increase a PV system's efficiency by 5 to 25 percent and decrease the cost of solar power.

Enphase has raised more than $20 million in its latest round of funding. The company has teamed up with various distributors and partners, including solar-module manufacturer Suntech Power Holdings and installer Akeena Solar, to bring its device to customers. The micro-inverters could be used on residential, commercial, or even utility-scale PV systems, says Todd Wilson, a general partner at RockPort Capital Partners, one of the leading investors in Enphase's technology.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT MIT TECHNOLOGY REVIEW

CNN VIDEO: Obama says U.S. must get in front on green energy

2009-05-20T15:34:00.003-06:00

President Obama said Wednesday the United States must take the lead on energy, citing the "enormous job creation potential that exists."

Obama's remarks came at the end of his first quarterly meeting with the Economic Recovery Advisory Board, which was created in February to provide the administration with independent, nonpartisan advice on how to promote economic growth and stability.

The focus of Wednesday's meeting, which was streamed live on the White House Web site, was job creation and green energy.

Read the full article at CNN.COM »

JAPANESE PRIUS BUYERS NOW HAVE A SOLAR ROOF OPTION-Toyota Taps Kyocera for Prius Rooftop Solar Module Option

2009-05-20T12:54:00.004-06:00

Toyota has chosen Kyocera to supply photovoltaic modules for the carmaker's new solar ventilation system option now offered on its Prius hybrids for the Japanese market. The system ventilates the air inside of the car by using the electricity generated by the rooftop module to drive the fans and moderate inside temperatures while the car is parked during the daytime.

Kyocera says it has set up a dedicated production line for the Prius-bound modules at its Ise plant in Mie Prefecture, where it has implemented strict quality control evaluations, done through rigorous testing to confirm heat resistance, vibration resistance, shock resistance, and other aspects, in order to ensure that the quality meets the standards required for onboard components in the car.

The modules, comprised of dark navy-blue crystalline-silicon solar cells fabricated at the company's Yohkaichi plant in Shiga Prefecture, will have cell conversion efficiencies of 16.5% and an average output of 56 W.

ARTICLE ORIGINALLY POSTED HERE AT PVTECH.ORG

60 MINUTES VIDEO-COLD FUSION IS HOT AGAIN - Is This The Silver Bullet?

2009-05-20T11:45:00.004-06:00

(CBS) Twenty years ago it appeared, for a moment, that all our energy problems could be solved. It was the announcement of cold fusion - nuclear energy like that which powers the sun - but at room temperature on a table top. It promised to be cheap, limitless and clean. Cold fusion would end our dependence on the Middle East and stop those greenhouse gases blamed for global warming. It would change everything.

But then, just as quickly as it was announced, it was discredited. So thoroughly, that cold fusion became a catch phrase for junk science. Well, a funny thing happened on the way to oblivion - for many scientists today, cold fusion is hot again.

"We can yield the power of nuclear physics on a tabletop. The potential is unlimited. That is the most powerful energy source known to man," researcher Michael McKubre told 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley.

McKubre says he has seen that energy more than 50 times in cold fusion experiments he's doing at SRI International, a respected California lab that does extensive work for the government.

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT CBSNEWS.COM

WANT TO DRIVE A HYDROGEN CAR?-First hydrogen highway opened in Norway

2009-05-14T23:40:00.001-06:00

Mazda Hydrogen RX-8 - Click above for a high-res image gallery

Now that Mazda has shipped the first Hydrogen RX8 REs to N orway, our thoughts naturally turn towards the driving experience. Since the biggest question surrounding hydrogen-powered vehicles right now is where to find an appropriate hydrogen pump, it strikes us as a good idea that Norway has opened up its first hydrogen highway.

This hydrogen highway is part of Norway's HyNor project and stretches for 580 kilometers from Oslo on the eastern coast to Stavanger on the western North Sea coast. So far, the route consists of 12 hydrogen pumps, which is apparently sufficient to allow the Mazdas to be refueled along the way.

This is reportedly the first integrated network of hydrogen pumps in the world, and it's a creation of Norway's StatoilHydro, the company that installed the underlying structure as well. Future plans call for the highway to extend into the rest of Scandinavia, as shown in the map to the right. Afterward, the alliance intends to extend into Germany.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT AUTOBLOGGREEN

15% RENEWABLE BY 2020-House Dems edge closer to consensus on climate and energy bill

2009-05-13T22:18:00.003-06:00

House Democrats are within sight of an agreement on key pieces of a major energy and climate change bill as the Memorial Day deadline for an Energy and Commerce Committee markup draws near.

Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) is trying to produce a draft of the legislation this week, and Democratic aides said Friday that the first of several consensus points may be unveiled as early as today. But they also urged caution considering several false alarms late last week when similar deals appeared imminent.

"We're moving well, making a lot of progress on these issues," Waxman said Thursday. "We're getting very, very close."

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT THE NY TIMES

IT'S TIME - High-speed solar train proposed as Tucson-Phoenix connection

2009-05-11T14:37:00.002-06:00

Project, in idea stage, could cost $27B for 1st phase

By Mariana Alvarado - Arizona Daily Star

The solar train could travel from Tucson to Phoenix in 30 minutes and might someday run from Nogales to the Grand Canyon.

A Tucson company wants to send you someday on a sun-fueled ride from one end of the state to the other.

The idea of a high-speed train that runs on solar power is still in its early stage, but the project's creators are pitching the idea to area cities and potential investors.

The idea is to start a train system that connects Tucson and Phoenix in a first phase. In the future it would extend north to Grand Canyon and south to Nogales. The cost for the first phase alone is estimated at $27 billion. It could start operating in 2018.

Retired civil engineer Bill Gaither and business partner Raymond Wright set up Solar Bullet LLC in Tucson in hopes of designing and building the 220 mph solar bullet train, which would run on four tracks.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT ARIZONA DAILY STAR

AL GORE VIDEO: Alarming new slides depict a worsening climate crisis

2009-05-07T10:29:00.001-06:00

TED.COM

FORD GETTING READY TO MASS PRODUCE EVs - Will Build Electric Focus in Wayne, Retool Plant FOR 2011 Launch

2009-05-06T12:59:00.002-06:00

About 300 UAW workers, Ford Executives and politicians celebrated Ford Motor Co.’s announcement today that it will not only build the Ford Focus at its Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, but also will built an electric version of the car.
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Ford’s $550-million investment preserves about 3,200 jobs and will help the state transform its image from a rust belt state to a green belt state, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm said.

“Thank you for choosing Michigan,” Granholm said. “They could have chosen to go somewhere else in the world, but they chose to have American workers make this car.”

Ford is in the process of transforming Michigan Assembly, previously known as Michigan Truck, from a plant that previously built large SUV's into a plant that will build the compact European version of the Ford Focus starting next year. And, starting in 2011, Ford plans to begin building an electric version of the Ford Focus.

“In the worst of times worldwide, what we are here to do today is to celebrate a plan to profitably grow Ford,” Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally said.

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT DETROIT FREE PRESS

PLASTIC SOLAR CELL TECHOLOGY ADVANCING - Researchers make cells with near-perfect internal efficiency.

2009-05-05T10:12:00.003-06:00

Powerful polymers: This illustration shows the different layers that make up a new plastic solar cell with nearly perfect internal efficiency. From bottom to top, the layers are glass, a transparent electrode, two polymer layers, a titanium oxide layer that redistributes light, and an aluminum electrode.
Credit: Nature Photonics

Plastic solar cells are lightweight, flexible, and, most important, cheap to make. But so far, these devices have been too inefficient to compete with silicon solar cells for most applications. Now researchers from a few institutions claim to have made polymer solar cells with record-breaking efficiencies. These cells still aren't good enough to compete with silicon, but polymer efficiencies have been increasing at a rate of about 1 percent a year. If they can keep this up, say researchers, plastic solar cells will be competing with silicon within a few years.

This week, in the online edition of Nature Photonics, researchers reported on polymer solar cells that convert about 6.1 percent of the energy in sunlight into electricity--inching a bit closer to the 10 percent that they say will be needed to gain a significant foothold in the market. (Conventional silicon cells are about 15 percent efficient.) The new efficiency numbers "show that we're in the game," says Alan Heeger, a professor of physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, who led the research. Heeger shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2000 for his role in the development of the first conducting polymers, and he's cofounder and chief scientist at Konarka, a plastic solar cell company headquartered in Lowell, MA.

A RTICLE CONINTUES AT MIT'S TECHNOLOGY REVIEW

A FIRST:CHARGE YOUR EV WHILE YOU DRINK AT SIERRA NEVADA BREWING

2009-05-04T18:33:00.006-06:00

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Becomes First Corporation to Install Networked Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles

CHICO, Calif.--Coulomb Technologies, the leader in electric vehicle infrastructure, today announced Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. has installed its ChargePoint™ Networked Charging Stations at its brewery in Chico, CA. The two charging stations are available for patrons and employees of the brewery with electric vehicles. Coulomb's charging stations are an important part of Sierra Nevada's sustainability initiatives that include solar, fuel cells, recycling, energy efficiency, water conservation and transportation improvements. Sierra Nevada is the first corporation to install the ChargePoint networked charging stations.

The Coulomb charging stations will be featured at Chico Fest on Sunday, April 26, 2009 from 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm. Chico Fest is a free event featuring a sustainability focused expo, food, live music and the dedication of Sierra Nevada's new 1.5 MW AC solar system. For more information on Chico Fest visit www.chicofest.com.

"Along with our award-winning brew, we take our commitment to the environment very seriously," said Ken Grossman, owner and founder of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. "To be the first company to install these charging stations is another milestone in our history and we are proud to lead by example. We hope and expect other organizations will follow in our footsteps in reducing their carbon footprint and our country's dependence on foreign oil."

FULL PRESS RELEASE IS AVAILABLE AT AUTOBLOGGREEN

AN AID FOR WIND FARMS AND BIRDS TO COEXIST-Texas wind farm pioneers radar technology to protect migrating birds

2009-05-04T14:14:00.002-06:00

US wind farms kill about 7,000 birds a year but radar systems developed for Nasa can prevent fatal collisions by detecting approaching birds and analysing weather condition

Conservationists argue that wind farms should still be sited away from migration routes in the first place. Photograph: David Tipling/Getty Images

It could be considered an air traffic control system for birds who have flown perilously off course. A wind farm in southern Texas, situated on a flight path used by millions of birds each autumn and spring, is pioneering the use of radar technology to avoid deadly collisions between a 2,500lb rotating blade and bird.

US wind farms kill about 7,000 birds a year, according to a recent study. Other studies of individual wind farms suggest a higher toll on bats and birds, who crash into towers, blades, power lines and other installations. Estimates from a single wind farm in Altamont, California showed as many as 1,300 birds of prey killed each year – or about three a day.

Such direct threats to wildlife, and concerns for habitats, have increasingly pitted conservationists against the renewable energy industry. A handful of wind power projects in the US have been shelved because of wildlife concerns.

But new radar technology now in use at the Peñascal wind farm in Texas claims to have found a balance between competing environmental concerns – taking action against global warming and protecting wildlife – by protecting migrating birds at times of peak danger.

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT GUARDIAN UK

CHINA SET TO OUTPACE THE WORLD IN WIND-100 GW capacity by 2020

2009-05-04T09:52:00.004-06:00

BEIJING, May 4 (Xinhua) -- China plans to finish 100 gigawatts of wind power capacity by 2020 and expand its renewable energy consumption to 40 percent of the energy market by 2050.

The goal for wind power capacity was more than three times of the 30 gigawatts target that the government set 18 months ago, Monday's China Daily reported.

China will also become the biggest growth market for wind power generating capacity this year, ahead of the United States, said the report, citing a forecast from the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC).

As the world's second largest energy consumer, China has around 12 gigawatts of wind power capacity and has said it wants to raise that to around 20 gigawatts by next year.

The plan means wind will be a bigger source of renewable energy than nuclear, despite a construction boom in nuclear power plants, and also far bigger than solar, which is expected to hit 1.8 gigawatts by 2020, according to a 2007 plan.

The annual growth rate in China's wind power will be around 20 percent, said Fang Junshi, head of the coal department of the National Energy Administration.

China is currently the fourth largest wind power producer in the world after the United States, Germany and Spain.

The World Wind Energy Report 2008 had predicted that Asia, under China's lead, will "become the worldwide locomotive for the wind industry" and "Chinese wind turbine manufacturers will be among the top international suppliers".

ARTICLE ORIGINALLY POSTED AT XINHUANET.COM

Chu Announces $193 Million For Renewable Energy Research

2009-04-30T15:51:00.001-06:00

Senior Scientist Miguel Contreras shows U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, center, a solar battery charger that was developed at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory during a tour of the center near Golden, Colo., on Wednesday, April 29, 2009. Chu announced that more than $100 million for the Recovery Act would be used to support wind energy projects at NREL. Others looking on are Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, left, NREL Director Dan Arvizu, second from left, and research fellow Art Nozik, right. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski)

GOLDEN, Colo. — The primary U.S. lab for renewable energy will receive $110 million in federal stimulus funds and another $83 million will go toward wind energy and other alternative power and efficiency projects, Energy Secretary Steven Chu said Wednesday.

"Wind energy will be one of the most important contributors to meeting President Obama's target of generating 10 percent of our electricity from renewable sources by 2012," Chu said.

Also on the administration's priorty list is making buildings more energy efficient.

NREL, in Golden, will get $68 million for an energy-efficient office building, with the goal of creating a design process for use on other construction projects. NREL will also receive $19.2 million for solar, geothermal and fuel cell equipment to produce electricity for its labs and $13.5 million for upgrades to its biorefinery research facility.

NREL will get another $10 million for testing and evaluation of wind technology at the Energy Department's Wind Technology Center in Colorado.

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT THE HUFFINGTON POST

MORE ON SOLAR POWER FROM SPACE - Are Solar Satellites the Next Big Thing?

2009-04-28T14:05:00.004-06:00

By Keith Johnson

Is Pacific Gas & Electric’s plan for space-based solar power as crazy as it sounds? Yes and no—it’s not as crazy as it is expensive with today’s technology.

The California utility, which just requested permission to enter a 15-year agreement with privately-held Solaren Corp. to deploy a big solar-power satellite in space, buried all the technical and economic details of the proposal in the confidential section of its regulatory filing. In a ho-hum manner, PG&E largely portrayed space-based solar as just another way for the power company to comply with increasingly-stringent state targets for clean-energy generation.

The biggest challenge, PG&E said, is building a large, multi-megawatt satellite to harvest solar power in space; the small solar arrays currently in use are a fraction of that size.

For the Pentagon, which took a close look at space-based solar power in 2007, the idea has both more potential and even bigger challenges. The report called space-based solar a “viable and attractive” way to diversify the nation’s energy supplies.

The upside: Solar arrays in space would have unfettered, 24-hour access to solar radiation, making it true baseload power. The 2007 report notes that a single, kilometer-wide strip in space holds more energy potential than all the world’s oil and gas reserves.

The downside: Putting solar arrays in space in the first place. Simply put,
“existing launch infrastructure cannot close the business case,” the report found.

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

A SOLAR FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH - SPAIN PUTS THE WORLD'S LARGEST SOLAR TOWER ONLINE

2009-04-28T12:02:00.002-06:00

Photo via Abengoa

The world's largest solar power tower just began operating outside Seville, Spain—and it marks a historic moment in the saga of renewable energy. The solar tower PS20, seen above right next to its smaller sister PS10, produced even more power than expected over the course of its trial testing. It's been confirmed that the groundbreaking solar tower generates 20 megawatts of electricity: and it's now powering 10,000 homes with renewable energy.

The tower, built and operated by Abengoa Solar, is one of the more innovative examples of solar technology. Though we've seen similar solar towers before, we've never seen it executed on such a scale.

How the World's Largest Solar Tower Works
Here's how it works, according to Abengoa:

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT TREEHUGGER

AT 80mpg FORD READY TO COMPETE - Fusion hybrid 1,000 miles with 1/3 of a tank left

2009-04-28T11:04:00.004-06:00

by Sam Abuelsamid on Apr 28th 2009 at 8:47AM

The team that set out this past weekend to cover 1,000 miles on a single tank of gasoline succeeded and then some. When the team of race drivers, engineers and hyper-milers crossed the 1,000 mile a little after 9 a.m. on Monday morning, there was still more than a third of a tank left. Over 47 hours of running, the team led by NASCAR driver Carl Edwards and including record braking hyper-miler Wayne Gerdes averaged over 80 mpg. The plan is to drive the bone stock Fusion until the tank runs dry. Along the way team members are running public clinics to help teach people how to drive more efficiently even if they can't necessarily match the antics of Gerdes. They are also raising money for the Juvenile diabetes Foundation. While it is no doubt possible to achieve these kinds of lofty mileage numbers in the Fusion, it certainly isn't something most people will be doing on a regular basis.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT AUTOBLOGGREEN.COM

VIDEO - OBAMA Close to Making Changes to Bush's Horrific Mountaintop Removal Policy

2009-04-27T15:56:00.002-06:00

In only hours, we expect President Obama's agencies to decide whether to keep his campaign promise and end mountaintop removal mining—a devastating practice that has destroyed hundreds of mountains and thousands of miles of streams in Appalachia.

This is one of the most critical moments in our years-long fight to stop this environmental tragedy.

But, even as you read this, the powerful lobbying forces of King Coal are banging on the White House door, urging Obama to break his promise. Coal's forces run deep and are gathering. They know that Obama is about to make a decision. Their voices are loud.

We need to be louder.

But we must act fast. Decisions are expected as early as tomorrow, and Tuesday is a big day in court.

Please act now. Tell President Obama not to support Bush administration policies that continue the irreversible and destructive practice of mountaintop removal. Urge President Obama to keep his promise to enforce the Clean Water Act and let science lead policies on coal mining.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT CURRENT.COM

CALIFORNIANS SET ANOTHER RECORD - 78 MW Of Solar Panels Installed in 1Q -Govt

2009-04-25T10:20:00.003-06:00

SAN FRANCISCO (Dow Jones)--Defying a global trend of weak solar demand, owners of homes and businesses in California installed a record 78 megawatts of solar panels in the first quarter of 2009, the California Public Utilities Commission said Friday.

While solar-panel prices have fallen 25% or more, on average, due to a global slowdown in demand, rooftop solar panels remain in high demand in California, the world's third-largest solar market, the CPUC data show.

The strength of California's solar market is due largely to generous state incentives, coupled with federal tax credits that greatly reduce the cost of installation and the fact that California has among the highest utility rates in the nation, making self-generated solar power competitive with conventional utility power, especially for large users.

The state is spending $3.3 billion to install 3,000 megawatts of solar panels over 10 years.

 -By Cassandra Sweet, Dow Jones Newswires; 415-439-6468; cassandra.sweet@dowjones.com

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

WHAT? AMAZING....HOUSEPLANTS ARE USING TWITTER TO COMMUNICATE

2009-04-24T19:20:00.005-06:00

Internet-Enable your Houseplant

There’s a school of thought that says that plants, like higher animals, have thoughts and feelings. They have an inner voice, and can tell you their life-stories, if only you could speak "plant." It’s not a difficult language to learn, actually - there are only a few words to contend with, since all they seem to care about is how much water they’re getting. There are no masculine or feminine nouns. Plus, there are no verb tenses, because plants have no concept of linear time.

The original breakthrough was made just a few months ago when the chief scientist at CERN, attempting to converse with a patch of catnip translated through their Milliard Gargantubrain computer, was able to discern "I CAN HAZ TWITTER?" The scientist didn’t quite understand that gibberish, but his granddaughter did, and the Plant Twitter Kit was born.

Once the kit is assembled, connect it to the Internet through the built-in ethernet jack, jam the leads into the plant’s soil, and subscribe to the plant’s twitter feed. It will tell you when it needs watering, or scold you if you’ve overwatered it, and report its status in between. The DIY Plant Twitter Kit comes unassembled, so you’ll have to break out the soldering iron and get to work. Don’t worry, it’s not that difficult to put together, and the satisfaction you get from building your own translation circuit is huge.

FOR MORE INFO OR TO PURCHASE GO HERE

A MOMENT OF RESPECT for The Lost Forests of America

2009-04-24T16:19:00.004-06:00

As deforestation leveled native trees, so too have infestations of disease and insects decimated forests.

Posted April 23, 2009 By Charles Q. Choi, LiveScience

You could plant any old tree to celebrate Arbor Day April 24. But consider instead a sugar maple, or another of the native trees that once abounded in this country.

The forests that once dominated this nation were full of trees such as chestnuts, hemlocks and white pines on the East Coast and conifers such as redwoods and Douglas firs on the West Coast.

Around the arrival of Columbus, "it's said that squirrels could travel from tree to tree from the Northeast to the Mississippi without ever having to touch the ground," said Chris Roddick, chief arborist at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in New York. "In the old growth forests in the Northeast, you had hemlock that were six or seven feet in diameter, chestnut trees 200 feet tall."

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT

RIGHT vs WRONG, CLIMATE FIGHT TODAY AT CONGRESS - GORE Overcomes Objections, GINGRICH Looks Foolish

2009-04-24T10:35:00.008-06:00

Gore’s testimony will be followed today by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who plans to blast the bill.

Photo: AP photo composite by POLITICO

Former Vice President Al Gore pushed Congress to find the “moral courage” to create a cap-and-trade system, endorsing a sweeping climate change proposal as “one of the most important pieces of legislation ever introduced in the Congress.”

“I believe this legislation has the moral significance equivalent to that of the civil rights legislation of the 1960s and the Marshall Plan of the late 1940s,” he said in testimony delivered to the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Friday morning.

Gore’s testimony will be followed today by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who plans to blast the bill as “wrong for our national security ... wrong for our economy,” while detailing his own 38-point climate change plan — which he pitches as “green conservatism.”

The two party leaders are testifying back to back after days of hearings that included dozens of witnesses from business, government and environmental groups to testify on the controversial legislation. Friday’s panel included former Republican Sen. John Warner of Virginia, who supported taking action on climate change but cautioned against moving too quickly.

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT POLITICO

SUN IS DIMMEST ITS BEEN IN A CENTURY - So Why are the Earth's Temps on the Rise?

2009-04-24T10:19:00.003-06:00

The sun is the dimmest it has been for almost a century, scientists say.

Leading astronomers admit they are baffled why the Earth's closest star has gone so quiet - and when it will burst back into life.

The sun normally goes through an 11-year cycle of activity. At its peak - a period known as the solar maximum - the sun is covered with dozens of sun spots as it spits out vast flares and balls of superheated gas the size of planets.

Baffled: Scientists last year assumed the sun was entering an active phase but instead it has hit a 100-year low in sunspot activity

At the other end of the cycle, during the solar minimum, it is calm with relatively few sun spots and few eruptions. Last year, scientists assumed the sun was about to become more active after a quiet few years.

But instead it has hit a 100-year low in sunspot activity, a 50-year low in solar wind pressure and a 55-year low in radio emissions. The observations have intrigued astronomers who are studying new images at the UK National Astronomy Meeting this week.

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT DAILY MAIL UK

NYC BUSINESSES USE OF WIND POWER ON THE RISE

2009-04-24T10:11:00.003-06:00

The use of wind power by owners of commercial real estate in New York City is rising rapidly, but from a very low base, according to energy service companies, which supply the power to businesses.

Wind power is expected to be a critical component of President Obama’s plan to expand the production of renewal domestic energy, and there are signs that this is starting to happen in New York. ConEdison Solutions, one energy supplier, said its sales of wind power to commercial customers rose 25 percent in 2007 and again in 2008.

Still, only about 250 businesses buy some measure of wind power from ConEdison Solutions. This number represents slightly over 1 percent of its commercial and industrial customers; of these, some 200 get all of their power from wind farms.

Jorge J. Lopez, chief executive of ConEdison Solutions, said that these buyers were “green pioneers” and that in honor of Earth Day, a ceremony this week involving the City Council speaker, Christine C. Quinn, would honor about a dozen customers.

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT THE NEW YORK TIMES

Penguins Seeking Top Rating as Greenest Sports Venue in U.S.

2009-04-24T10:03:00.002-06:00

Thursday, April 23, 2009

By Mark Belko, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh's new arena not only will be the newest in the National Hockey League when it opens in 2010 but the greenest in sports.

On Earth Day, the Penguins and the city-Allegheny County Sports & Exhibition Authority announced that they will seek a LEED Gold certification for the $321 million complex, which is being built adjacent to Mellon Arena.

The LEED Gold rating not only would be the first for any arena in the National Hockey League but also the first for any major sports venue in the country, according to the U.S. Green Building Council, the developer of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design system.

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT THE PITTSBURGH POST GAZETTE

ALGAE BIOFUEL ON THE RISE - Solazyme Demonstrates their Efficiency

2009-04-23T10:14:00.004-06:00

“Solazyme’s advanced biofuels substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions per mile driven over petroleum-based fuels and result in much lower carbon emissions than currently available first generation biofuels.

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A study undertaken by Life Cycle Associates, LLC, using the Argonne National Laboratories GREET model, concluded that full lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from field-to-wheels for Solazyme’s algal biofuel, Soladiesel^TM, are 85 to 93 percent lower than standard petroleum based ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD). The analysis also reveals that Solazyme’s advanced biofuels result in a significantly lower carbon footprint than any currently available first-generation biofuels.

“Solazyme’s advanced biofuels substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions per mile driven over petroleum-based fuels and result in much lower carbon emissions than currently available first generation biofuels. Lower process energy inputs combined with the production of algae derived feed results in much lower GHG emissions than currently available first-generation biofuels,” said Stefan Unnasch, President of Life Cycle Associates, LLC. “With findings like these, we are confident that algal-biofuels have the potential to play a significant role in alternative fuels and are excited that such a promising technology is in commercial development.”

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT BUSINESS WIRE

CELEBRATE THE EARTH! - Search Your Local EARTH DAY Events Here

2009-04-22T00:24:00.004-06:00

FIND EARTH DAY EVENTS NEAR YOU

Use the Earth Day Network's search tool to find a place to volunteer your time and celebrate the Earth.

THE BEGINNING OF EARTH DAY

John McConnell -- a peace activist whose interest in the planet grew from his experience working in a plastic factory -- proposed an Earth Day in 1969:

Mr. McConnell proposed an Earth Day -- to celebrate Earth's life and beauty and to alert earthlings to the need for preserving and renewing the threatened ecological balances upon which all life on Earth depends.

Of course, it wasn't official, and there's got to be somebody to make Earth Day official. That's where Senator Gaylord Nelson (D-WI) came in. He reportedly saw the damage from the major Santa Barbara, Calif., oil spill and got fired up, so he asked Congress to make Earth Day official -- which it did.

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT THE HUFFINGTON POST

IMPROVING UNDERWATER STEALTH - Submarines are Supreme Fuel Cell Vehicles

2009-04-21T10:36:00.005-06:00

Fuel cells are getting more popular for powering submarines, where they have useful advantages over nuclear power.

Fuel cells apparently make a good submarine hard to find.

Air Products of Pennsylvania this week announced it supplied a new fueling station to supply a state-of-the-art HDW 214 submarine of the Hellenic (Greek) Navy with hydrogen.

The first fueling of its kind in Greece took place this week in Skaramanga, near Athens.

Air Products supplied the integral components of the hydrogen fueling station to the submarine's designer, Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft GmbH (HDW), which has been experimenting with fuel cell technology for submarines since the late 1970s.

HDW's Class 212 and 214 non-nuclear submarines have been developed to use a silent operating fuel cell plant that runs on nine 34-kilowatt Siemens polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) hydrogen fuel cells.

Its air-independent fuel cell propulsion system provides extreme underwater endurance, diving depth and overall efficiency, HDW claims.

The fuel cells, which produce electrical energy from oxygen and hydrogen, allow the submarine to cruise under water for up to three weeks without resurfacing.

Perhaps most importantly, however, because the chemical reactions of fuel cells make no noise and produce no detectable exhaust heat, they make the submarine virtually undetectable, according to designers.

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT CLEANTECH.COM

HARNESSING THE SUN - Arizona Lands $1 Billion Solar Plant

2009-04-20T21:19:00.004-06:00

by Ryan Randazzo - Apr. 19, 2009 07:08 PM The Arizona Republic

The Arizona Department of Commerce and Albiasa Solar of Spain will announce Monday a $1 billion solar-thermal power plant will be built near Kingman next year, generating enough power for 50,000 homes at once when it opens in 2013.

It's the third large Arizona solar plant announced in less than 18 months, although one of the first two has been scrapped and the other won't be running until 2011.

The Kingman plant will create 2,000 construction jobs and 100 permanent jobs, according to the Commerce Department.

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC

US powers up fuel cell funding

2009-04-20T15:28:00.003-06:00

Fork-lift trucks and stationary generators are big winners as more than $40m in stimulus funding is ploughed into fuel cell pilot projects

The division of President Obama's $100bn clean tech stimulus package continued last week with the announcement that $41.9m has been earmarked for investment across 13 different fuel cell projects.

An additional $72.4m of private sector funding will also be invested in the projects, which primarily focus on areas where fuel cells have already enjoyed some success, such as in providing back-up power for buildings, battery packs for consumer electronics devices, and fuel for fork-lift trucks.

Combined, the 13 pilot projects will result in nearly 1,000 fuel cells being deployed for emergency back-up power and material-handling vehicles, while a number of larger fuel cells will also be used to provide combined heat and power to residential and commercial buildings.

The projects will also cover a range of different fuel cell technologies, including polymer electrolyte, solid oxide and direct-methanol fuel cells.

Energy secretary Steven Chu said that the funding would help accelerate the commercialisation of fuel cells in markets where they have already proven to be technically feasible.

"The investments we're making today will help us build a robust fuel cell manufacturing industry in the US," he added. "Developing and deploying the next generation of fuel cells will not only create jobs – it will help our businesses become more energy efficient and productive."

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT BUSINESSGREEN.COM

0 to 60 in 5.8 - FISKER KARMA to be FIRST PLUG-IN HYBRID SOLD in the US

2009-04-20T12:30:00.004-06:00

The price of green: The Fisker Karma is a plug-in hybrid that can run on batteries alone for 50 miles. Price: $87,000. Credit: Kevin Bullis

In November, Fisker Automotive will begin sales of a car with 50 miles of battery-powered range.

The first plug-in hybrid to be sold in the United States will likely be the Fisker Karma, which is due out in November. Fisker Automotive, which unveiled the concept version of the Karma in January, recently raised $87 million to help put it into production. A number of other plug-in hybrids, including models from GM, Chrysler, and Toyota, are scheduled to come out in the next few years.

The Karma, a luxury four-passenger sedan, can be recharged by plugging it in; it can then be driven on power from a battery alone for 50 miles. After that, an onboard gasoline generator kicks on to recharge the battery, extending the range by 250 miles between fill-ups. Power from optional solar cells on the roof will be used primarily to cool the car when it's parked, but they could also partially recharge the battery. The car will run on a lithium manganese oxide battery made by Advanced Lithium Power, based in Vancouver, BC. The battery is similar to the one selected for the Chevrolet Volt, a plug-in hybrid due out in November of 2010.

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT MIT TECHNOLOGY REVIEW

CAN GOOGLE HELP DIFUSE A SIMMERING GREEN CIVIL WAR? Google Earth to be used to map green energy zones

2009-04-19T23:43:00.004-06:00

Can Google help defuse a simmering green civil war between renewable energy advocates and wildlife conservationists in the American West?

That’s the idea behind a new Google Earth mapping project launched Wednesday by the Natural Resources Defense Council and the National Audubon Society. Path to Green Energy will identify areas in 13 western states potentially suitable for massive megawatt solar power plants, wind farms, transmission lines and other green energy projects. The app will also pinpoint critical habitat for protected wildlife such as the desert tortoise in California and Wyoming’s sage grouse as well as other environmentally sensitive lands.

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT THE GREEN WOMBAT via FORTUNE.COM

WHITE HOUSE ROLLING OUT OUR FUTURE - Biden Announces Grants to Fuel National Smart Grid

2009-04-18T14:56:00.005-06:00

Vice President Joe Biden details the $3.3-billion plan to modernize the nations aging electrical system and create thousands of jobs.

By Rebecca Cole - 3:30 PM PDT, April 16, 2009

Reporting from Washington -- Vice President Joe Biden today unveiled details for distributing more than $3.3 billion in stimulus funding for grants to drive the rollout of a nationwide electrical smart grid.

The grid is a digitally networked set of devices that can communicate with each other to more efficiently deliver electricity by monitoring demand from customers and power generation.

A major plank of the Obama administration's "rebuilding America" pledge, the smart grid has been touted as a way to modernize the nation's aging electrical system and move the country off fossil fuels while creating thousands of jobs.

Under the plan, the Department of Energy will provide grants up to $20 million for smart-grid technology deployments and up to $5 million for the deployment of grid monitoring devices.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT LATIMES.COM

EPA moves toward regulating greenhouse gases

2009-04-18T02:05:00.006-06:00

By Sandy Bauers and John Shiffman - Inquirer Staff Writers

WASHINGTON - In a landmark move thatcountered eight years of inaction by the Bush administration, the Environmental Protection Agency determined yesterday that greenhouse gases threaten public health and welfare because they contribute to climate change.

The ruling set the stage for the agency to regulate emissions from a spectrum of sources, including automobiles, ships, airplanes, power plants, oil refineries, steel mills, and more.

Supporters and critics agreed that the finding was a game-changer with potentially profound consequences, though opponents warned that implementing new rules would have devastating impact on the economy.

The finding, which includes carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases, is subject to a period of public comment, after which the agency has no timetable and broad leeway in how to proceed.

"This finding confirms that greenhouse-gas pollution is a serious problem now and for future generations," EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said yesterday.

She said the solution would "create millions of green jobs and end our country's dependence on foreign oil."

Environmentalists said the decision, though long overdue, was the only logical course of action the government could take.

" 'Duh' may not be a scientific term, but it applies here," said Emily Figdor, global-warming director of Environment America. "Today, common sense prevailed over pressure from big oil and other big polluters."

Sen. Tom Carper (D., Del.), chairman of the subcommittee on clean air and nuclear safety, said: "The science about global warming is clear. The need to act is urgent. This announcement is further proof that the Obama-Biden administration is serious about addressing global warming."

Opponents have said the finding will prompt an economic train wreck and a constitutional crisis.

THIS GREAT ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

Budweiser is going Solar

2009-04-17T15:33:00.004-06:00

FAIRFIELD, Calif. -- More than 6 acres of ground-mounted photovoltaic solar arrays are now up and running at the Anheuser-Busch brewery in Fairfield, California.

The deployment marks the arrangement made last year between the beverage company and SunEdison, which financed, installed and operates the solar power system Anheuser-Busch agreed to host.

The system, which has a capacity of almost 1.2 MW, generates the equivalent of about 3 percent of the brewery's electricity needs. The company is considering whether to expand the solar installation and diversify the facility's on-site generation of renewable energy by putting in a wind turbine.

The solar deal was one of two major efficiency moves made by the brewery last year and part of a broader eco-friendly strategy adopted companywide by Anheuser-Busch.

The facility also installed a Bio-Energy Recovery System to generate more than 15 percent of the brewery's fuel needs by capturing the nutrients in brewing wastewater for conversion into biogas. Use of the renewable fuel enables the brewery to decrease its use of natural gas.

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT GREENBUILDING.COM

SAN DIEGO COUNTY GIVES ITS RESIDENTS EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO EASILY GO SOLAR

2009-04-17T11:52:00.008-06:00

Applied Solar Launches Solar Communities™ Launches Program in San Diego County - Aims to Speed Adoption without Significant Up-Front Cost

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Applied Solar, Inc. (OTCBB: APSO), a leading developer of solar energy solutions, today announced the launch of its Solar Communities^™program in San Diego County. The program, which is being kicked off with a series of open house events, aims to expedite the number of homes utilizing clean solar energy by overcoming two of the most common obstacles to solar adoption: cost and aesthetics.

While Americans are increasingly interested in utilizing renewable energy applications in their homes, many are hesitant to make an investment in rooftop solar panels due to the high upfront costs, which can run tens of thousands of dollars. In addition, while state rebates and federal tax incentives have the potential to significantly defray the cost of solar power, many homeowners are unable to take full advantage of these incentives. Applied Solar intends to change this.

“While it is true that now, more than ever, Americans are concerned about the environmental impact of their actions, they are also keenly focused on controlling their monthly household expenses,” said David Field, president and CEO of Applied Solar. “Any proposition to switch to solar power must also entail a way to save on household costs in the near term. If we are able to bring the payback period for solar down to three or four years versus the traditional 10 years, it makes a lot more financial sense for consumers.”

CHECK OUT THE DETAILS HERE AT BUSINESSWIRE.COM

World Energy Creates “Virtual Mall” for Carbon Offsets

2009-04-17T01:02:00.002-06:00

World Energy Solutions has created a “virtual shopping mall” to put buyers of carbon offsets in control of their trading by allowing them to browse for the offset or compliance unit of their choice.

The Worcester, Mass.-based company’s flagship trading platform, the World Green Exchange, now combines new technology with industry partnerships to create a “virtual mall” for carbon shopping that addresses the need for more transparency in carbon commodities procurement, said the company.

World Energy says buyers have been limited by broker and “black box” procurement models. While brokers offer consultative selling, they have limited inventory and are not compensated to provide customers the best price, and black box systems simplify transactions but blur individual carbon project distinctions, which has led to the current “rip-offsets” phenomenon, where buyers invest in projects that don’t provide added environmental benefit, said the energy exchange.

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT ENVIROMENTAL LEADER

GM plans to expand its Volt platform

2009-04-17T00:46:00.001-06:00

DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Corp has asked for $2.6 billion of low interest government loans to support the development of three new hybrid vehicles, according to a business plan update released on Wednesday.

GM's loan request, which would help develop two spinoffs from its all-electric Chevrolet Volt, raises to $10.3 billion the aid it is seeking under a U.S. Energy Department program designed to support development of fuel-efficient vehicles.

The request for low-interest taxpayer backed loans was made on Monday to the U.S. Treasury Department, GM said. It was the automaker's third request for loans under the program.

It was also the first time GM has confirmed that it intended to move ahead with production of variants of the Volt, a battery-powered car that will carry a small, 1.4-liter engine as a generator designed to kick in after 40 miles (64 km).

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT REUTERS INDIA

NISSAN, PHOENIX, AND TUCSON PAVE WAY FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE CORRIDOR

2009-04-16T08:31:00.002-06:00

by Sebastian Blanco on Apr 16th, 2009

Recently, ECOtality and Nissan announced the creation of an EV Micro-Climate Working Group in the Tucson, Arizona area. Nissan and ECOtality just announced they will expand their Arizona electric vehicle project to Phoenix. The Renault-Nissan Alliance will work with the Maricopa Association of Governments (and ECOtality, again) to promote an electric vehicle charging network with the goal to connect Phoenix and Tucson in an "EV charging corridor."

Nissan could use the charging stations pretty soon. Pure electric vehicles based on technology in the EV-02 prototype (above, a converted Cube) are coming in 2010. These vehicles will be able to go 100 miles per charge and won't cost that much more (or any more) than a standard vehicle, according to Nissan reps that spoke to Green Car Advisor. What will it look like? "It is a dedicated all-new car, not the conversion of something we already offer," the rep said to GCA. "You need something that is different enough to let people know you are driving a special car." Indeed.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT AUTOBLOGGREEN

SOLAR ARRAYS BECOME 4X MORE EFFICIENT - Northern California prepares for Solar power from space

2009-04-15T19:02:00.003-06:00

Pacific Gas & Electric is going to great lengths--all the way to space--in its quest for renewable energy.

The California utility on Monday said that it will seek approval from regulators to purchase 200 megawatts worth of solar energy delivered from stealth space solar power company Solaren over 15 years.

(Credit: Space Energy)

The idea of space-based solar power (SBSP) is to place a device in space that can convert solar energy into a usable form and have it transmitted wirelessly to Earth. Scientists have thought to capture solar energy from space for decades but has it has never been done commercially.

Solaren proposes placing solar panels on a satellite to generate electricity that is converted to radio frequency energy on-board and sent to a ground station in California. The receiver then converts the radio frequency energy to electricity and it is fed into the power grid.

The goal of the project is to provide electricity to PG&E by 2016, said Solaren CEO Gary Spirnak in a Q and A posted on PG&E's company blog.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT CNET

DOLPHINS TO THE RESCUE - Thousands of dolphins block Somali pirates

2009-04-14T21:01:00.006-06:00

Thousands of dolphins blocked the suspected Somali pirate ships when they were trying to attack Chinese merchant ships passing the Gulf of Aden, the China Radio International reported on Monday.(Photo: Cri.cn)

BEIJING, April 14 (Xinhuanet) -- Thousands of dolphins blocked the suspected Somali pirate ships when they were trying to attack Chinese merchant ships passing the Gulf of Aden, the China Radio International reported on Monday.

The Chinese merchant ships escorted by a China's fleet sailed on the Gulf of Aden when they met some suspected pirate ships. Thousands of dolphins suddenly leaped out of water between pirates and merchants when the pirate ships headed for the China's.

The suspected pirates ships stopped and then turned away. The pirates could only lament their littleness befor the vast number of dolphins. The spectacular scene continued for a while.

China initiated its three-ship escort task force on Dec. 26 last year after the United Nations Security Council called on countries to patrol gulf and waters off Somalia, one of the world's busiest marine routes, where surging piracy endangered intercontinental shippin

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT news.xinhuanet.com

Competetion for First Solar? Abound Solar opens first manufacturing plant

2009-04-14T15:38:00.004-06:00

Colorado solar panel manufacturer Abound Solar Inc. opened its first, full-scale manufacturing plant Tuesday.

Abound Solar, started in 2007 as a spinoff from Colorado State University and formerly known as AVA Solar, expects to create more than 300 jobs at the new plant in Longmont. At capacity, the plant is expected to produce enough panels to generate about 200 megawatts of power per year.

The company makes “thin-film” photovoltaic panels and believes its proprietary manufacturing process will reduce production costs of its panels compared to other companies. Abound Solar said its process uses continuous, in-line, semiconductor equipment to convert sheets of glass to solar panels in less than two hours.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT DENVER BUSINESS JOURNAL

Coal Loses Again - Governor Sebelius Vetoes Kansas Coal Plant Bill

2009-04-14T02:35:00.002-06:00

TOPEKA | Gov. Kathleen Sebelius followed through Monday on a promise to veto a bill that would allow construction of two coal-fired power plants in southwest Kansas.The measure was the fourth coal plant bill the governor has rejected in the past two years. Sebelius said in her veto message that the plants would have produced too much carbon dioxide and given too little power to the state.The bill would have permitted construction of the plants near Holcomb in Finney County. In 2007, Health and Environment Secretary Rod Bremby rejected a permit sought by Sunflower Electric Power Corp. to build the plants over concerns about potential health risks related to the emissions.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT KANSASCITY.COM

UCLA plans a Hydrogen refueling station

2009-04-13T12:39:00.001-06:00

photo: Gene Lee via flickr

The oft-touted hydrogen economy may still be a bit over the horizon, but a new $2.1 million grant given to UCLA professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering Vasilios Manousiouthakis will give the university and the general public a glimpse of things possibly to come:

140 Kilograms of Hydrogen Per Day
The grant ($1.7 million of which came from the California Air Resources Board and the balance from Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee) will go toward the construction of a hydrogen fueling station with a daily capacity of 140 kilograms of hydrogen.

The station will be run by UCLA Engineering's Hydrogen Energy Research Consortium and will be open to the general public.

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT TREEHUGGER.COM

SunEdison Activates a Record 9.7 megawatts/86 PV Energy Systems in 2008

2009-04-13T12:28:00.003-06:00

BELTSVILLE, Md. -- April 13 2009 -- SunEdison, North America’s largest solar energy services provider, today announced that it activated a record 86 photovoltaic (PV) solar energy systems in the U.S. during 2008 with a total capacity of 25.5 MW (DC). In the fourth quarter of 2008 alone, the company activated 37 PV systems in the United States for a combined capacity of 9.7 MW (DC).

Key to these activations was financing from Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC), which announced in March that it had provided $250 million in equity capital to solar energy projects since fall of 2007. More than half of this amount was for PV solar energy systems developed by SunEdison.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT INVESTORIDEAS.COM

Jews celebrate “Solar Seder” in the Arava Desert

2009-04-12T12:08:00.001-06:00

Joshua “Yoshi” Silverstein

Kibbutz Lotan, Israel - Just a few hours after Jews of all stripes gathered at the Western Wall in Jerusalem to celebrate “Birkat haChama” - the blessing of the sun - Aria Penkava slid a tray of kosher-for-Passover cookies into a solar oven to slow-cook using focused heat-energy from the sun.

“The sunrise was glorious this morning,” said Penkava, “but we wanted to not only bless the sun but actually use its energy to do something constructive and creative.”

Penkava, 20, is a recent graduate of Kibbutz Lotan’s 6-week “Green Apprenticeship” program, which combines coursework in permaculture design, organic farming and ecovillage design. To her, the timing of Birkat haChama coincided perfectly with the seder for the first night of Passover. Along with several other Green Apprentices who are staying on Kibbutz Lotan as “eco-volunteers,” Penkava decided to host a Seder in her own mud dome, built from straw-bales and mud-plaster, rather than the large seder hosted by the Kibbutz.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT KIBBUTZLOTAN.COM

Wind turbine industry growing in the U.S.

2009-04-11T11:22:00.001-06:00

Although imports have continued to rise, manufacture of wind turbine parts in the U.S. is increasing.

BY RENEE SCHOOF - McClatchy News Service

WASHINGTON -- Manufacturing of wind turbine parts in the United States grew last year as the market for wind energy boomed, but trade figures show that imports continued at a high rate after years of big growth.

Wind turbine imports from Europe and Asia rose from $60 million in 2004 to $2.5 billion in 2008, according to Customs data reviewed by McClatchy. Imports of other equipment usually, but not always, used for wind power production also increased in the same period. The value of AC generators and towers, for instance, jumped from $84 million to $1.6 billion.

The numbers suggest that there's potential for U.S. manufacturers to seize some opportunities, and some of the largest turbine makers say they're looking for U.S. suppliers.

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT THE MIAMI HERALD

Germany: The World's First Major Renewable Energy Economy

2009-04-10T22:25:00.001-06:00

by Jane Burgermeister, European Correspondent

Berlin, Germany [RenewableEnergyWorld.com]

Germany's Reichstag in Berlin is set to become the first parliamentary building in the world to be powered 100 percent by renewable energy. Soon the entire country will follow suit. Germany is accelerating its efforts to become the world's first industrial power to use 100 percent renewable energy -- and given current momentum, it could reach that green goal by 2050.

"The technical capacity is available for the country to switch over to green energy, so it is a question of political will and the right regulatory framework. The costs are acceptable and they need to be seen against the huge costs that will result if Germany fails to take action to cut its carbon emissions."

-- David Wortmann, Director of Renewable Energy and Resources, Germany Trade and Invest

A new Roadmap published by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment sketches out the route the world's largest exporter plans to take to switch over completely to renewable energy, and add 800,000 to 900,000 new cleantech jobs by 2030 as it does so.

To overhaul key parts of the German economic juggernaut while it is hurtling down the highway, the roadmap lays out an integrated approach, involving measures for greater energy efficiency as well as a steady expansion of all types of renewable energy and a stronger focus on research and development into the next generation of green technologies.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT RENEWABLE ENERGY WORLD

New Mexico, Kansas Create New Incentives for Renewables

2009-04-10T21:49:00.005-06:00

The Democratic governors of New Mexico and Kansas have signed into law new bills boosting support for renewable energy production in their states.

Bill Richardson signed a package of proposals for New Mexico, one of which expands an income tax credit for the installation of solar power systems in residences and businesses. Another provides an income tax credit for part of the construction costs of plants that generate electricity from solar or geothermal energy or coal-fired plants meeting certain emissions standards.

He also signed measures giving commercial and residential property owners new options for financing solar or other renewable energy power systems.

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT SUSTAINABLEBUSINESS.COM

Diatoms could triple solar cell efficiency

2009-04-10T14:38:00.001-06:00

R. Colin Johnson EE Times

PORTLAND, Ore. — Microscopic algae called diatoms could help triple the electrical output of experimental, dye-sensitized solar cells, according to researchers at Oregon State University and Portland State University.

By trapping light inside the nanoscale pores of thin-film solar cells coated with diatoms, the engineers claim that more incident photons are captured to boost electricity generation, thereby greatly increasing efficiency.

"In our system, photons bounce around inside pores formed from diatom shells," said OSU professor Greg Rorrer, "making them three times more efficient."

Dye-sensitized solar cells work by absorbing photons on an inexpensive thin-film composed of dye molecules attached to a titanium oxide layer on a glass or plastic substrate. When the dye molecules absorb a photon, the resultant excitation injects electrons into the titanium, which transports them to the negative electrode.

Dye-sensitized solar cells are favored as a thin-film material because they work in low-light conditions and are fabricated with environmentally benign materials compared to silicon solar cells. However, silicon cells have more than twice the efficiency, as much as 20 percent compared to less than 10 percent for dye-sensitized solar cells.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT EETIMES.COM

Researchers Make Battery Charging Breakthrough

2009-04-10T13:27:00.001-06:00

Two researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed battery cells capable of charging in under a minute, an amazing 100 times faster than a normal rechargable battery.

The breakthrough could revolutionize electric car battery technology and pave the way for ultra-fast power packs for everything from laptop computers to electric vehicles in as little as two years.

Byoungwoo Kang and Gerbrand Ceder of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge have found a way to get a common lithium compound to release and take up lithium ions in a matter of seconds. The compound, which is already used in the electrodes of some commercial lithium-ion batteries, might lead to laptop batteries capable of charging themselves in about a minute. The work appears in Nature1 this week.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT ALT.ENERGY

Congress pushing the Smart Grid forward

2009-04-09T17:19:00.003-06:00

by Nancy Spring, Senior Editor, Power Engineering

Washington, DC, United States [RenewableEnergyWorld.com]

The draft climate change bill released by House Democrats on March 31 calls on electric utilities to create a new infrastructure that will revolutionize the U.S. transportation system. Smart Grid technology will run it and clean electricity will power it.

"I would say we're asking the automotive industry to revolutionize the way they build cars and we're asking the utility industry to make sure we can charge those cars."

-- Mark Duvall, Director of Electric Transportation, Electric Power Research Institute

In the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, the Clean Energy Title (Title I) calls for the development of an electric vehicle infrastructure that would support the use of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and electric vehicles. Utilities will be weighing the merits of battery exchange and fast-charging infrastructure and other services. State regulators will also have a role to play. Among other directives, they will evaluate pricing options that would enable PHEVs and electric vehicles "to contribute to meeting peak-load power needs."

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT RENEWABLEENERGYWORLD.COM

Trends and Opportunities in Thin-Film Solar

2009-04-09T17:15:00.000-06:00

Virginia, United States [RenewableEnergyWorld.com]

Amorphous silicon (a-Si) will continue to lead the thin-film solar photovoltaics (PV) space for several years to come, says the research firm NanoMarkets. The firm projects that US $1.3 billion in revenues for a-Si based photovoltaics this year that will grow to $4.1 billion in the year 2014. These and other findings appear in the firm's newest report titled, "Materials Markets for Thin-Film Silicon Photovoltaics."

According to the report, a-Si combines the advantages associated with all thin-film technologies, notably reduced bulk and weight, flexibility, and the potential for lower-cost manufacturing, with benefits typically associated with a mature technology — stablished processes and equipment.

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT RENEWABLEENERGYWORLD.COM

Best Air-Filtering House Plants According to NASA!

2009-04-09T17:05:00.001-06:00

by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada

Plants to Filter the Air in Your House
Having good indoor air quality is very important, especially since many of us spend so much time inside. NASA did a study to find out which plants were best to filter the air of the space station, and their findings are available to all.

Read on to see which house plants are best to filter the air (no only producing Oxygen from CO2, but also absorbing benzene, formaldehyde and/or trichloroethylene.

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT TREEHUGGER

It’s On! Portland and San Francisco Battle For Electric Car Domination

2009-04-08T15:25:00.001-06:00

The EV wars have begun.

Written by Nick Chambers

Published on April 7th, 2009

Just a few weeks ago San Francisco’s visionary Mayor, Gavin Newsom, wrote a post for us describing his plan to make the Bay Area the electric car capital of the world by aggressively developing the charging infrastructure to support full-scale EV deployment. At the time he proclaimed:

“Electric vehicles have the possibility to transform our economy, revive our car industry, and improve our environment. To make sure electric vehicles succeed this time around we need to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in battery technology and [charging] infrastructure.”

Well, San Francisco, you have a challenger.

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE AT GAS2.0

Oil Companies Loath to Follow Obama’s Green Lead

2009-04-07T23:47:00.003-06:00

By JAD MOUAWAD

Published: April 7, 2009

The Obama administration wants to reduce oil consumption, increase renewable energy supplies and cut carbon dioxide emissions in the most ambitious transformation of energy policy in a generation.

David McNew/Getty Images

Royal Dutch Shell is freezing its investments in wind, solar and hydrogen power, and focusing its alternative energy efforts on biofuels. Above, a hydrogen fuel pump in Los Angeles

Most of the investments by oil companies go to traditional fossil-fuel resources, including carbon- intensive energy sources like tar sands, above, and natural gas from shale.

But the world’s oil giants are not convinced that it will work. Even as Washington goes into a frenzy over energy, many of the oil companies are staying on the sidelines, balking at investing in new technologies favored by the president, or even straying from commitments they had already made.

Royal Dutch Shell said last month that it would freeze its research and investments in wind, solar and hydrogen power, and focus its alternative energy efforts on biofuels. The company had already sold much of its solar business and pulled out of a project last year to build the largest offshore wind farm, near London.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AT THE NEWYORKTIMES.COM

Empire State Building going green

2009-04-06T23:46:00.004-06:00

By SARA KUGLER – 14 hours ago

NEW YORK (AP) — The lights atop the Empire State Building already change colors. Now the building itself is getting a permanent green makeover.

The goal is to cut energy use by 38 percent, saving $4.4 million a year in energy costs.

Former President Bill Clinton and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg are hoping that the environmental changes at the iconic skyscraper will serve as a model for buildings around the world. They are giving details of the $20 million project at a Monday news conference.

The updates include replacing 6,500 windows to reduce summer heat load and winter heat loss.

Tenants in the building will be given individualized Web-based power usage systems so that energy can be more efficiently managed.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar: Ocean wind could replace coal

2009-04-06T15:17:00.003-06:00

.......touts turning blades over burning fossil fuel

	Europe leads the world in offshore wind turbines, such as these in Denmark. View related photos
Heribert Proepper / AP

updated 12:01 p.m. MT, Mon., April. 6, 2009 ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. - Windmills off the East Coast could generate enough electricity to replace most, if not all, the coal-fired power plants in the United States, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Monday.

But those numbers were challenged as "overly optimistic" by a coal industry group, which noted that half the nation's electricity currently comes from coal-fired power plants.

The secretary spoke at a public hearing in Atlantic City on how the nation's offshore areas can be tapped to meet America's energy needs.

STORY CONTINUES AT MSNBC

Bacteria Turns Excess Clean Energy Into Methane for Storage

2009-04-05T13:32:00.002-06:00

Written by Alex Felsinger

Scientists at Pennsylvania State University have discovered a solution to the problem of reliable storage for alternative energy: a bacteria that can convert electricity to methane when combined with CO2.

Scientists note that using a bacteria instead of a high-cost catalyst is a promising development that could lead to the process’s implementation in just a few years.

“There are no noble metals involved, so it should be very cheap,” said Tom Curtis at the Institute for Research on Environment and Sustainability at Newcastle University. “You don’t get all the energy back, but that’s a problem with any form of energy storage.”

article continues here at cleantechnica.com