HEADLINES

On Solyndra the buck stops with Secretary Steven Chu
Politico

First, Chu counseled with experts inside and outside the department, as well as senior aides, before deciding to grant the California solar company's application for a $535 million loan guarantee in March 2009, DOE spokesman Damien LaVera said in an ...
 
US Could Become Geothermal Leader By 2020
PC Magazine

By Andrew Webster According to a new study from Pike Research, in less than a decade the United States will be the global leader in producing geothermal energy. The report predicts that by 2020 America's geothermal output will reach 4.2 gigawatts, ...
 
Constellation Energy Begins Construction on Maryland's Largest Solar ...
MarketWatch (press release)

"Utility-scale PV solar is a clean, affordable source of renewable energy in many parts of the United States beyond the Southwest, where it is typically thought of." In February 2009, the Maryland Energy
Administration, in partnership with the ...
 
Need a new roof? Solar power's included
CNET

OneRoof Solar is offering a new twist on the solar lease: when you replace your roof, you can get integrated solar panels with no incremental cost. The company today announced it raised a $50 million series A round led by the solar arm of Korean conglomerate Hanwha Group. The company also said it has secured the funding to finance solar installations at residential customers.


Electric car maker Tesla drops bid for Energy Department loans
The Detroit News

Washington— Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk says the start-up electric vehicle manufacturer will not seek any additional Energy Department loans. In 2009, the Palo Alto, Calif.-based company received approval for a $465 million low-interest government loan ...

HEADLINES

$400 million deal bringing wind turbine plants to Niagara
Hamilton Spectator

THOROLD Niagara Region Wind Corporation has partnered with a private German company to manufacture 77 wind turbines, each capable of producing 3 megawatts of energy, at a facility in Niagara. The deal is reported to be worth about $400 million and ...
 
New wind energy farm in northwest Arizona keeps the juice flowing
The Republic

If the sun isn't shining, but the wind is blowing, a new wind-energy farm in northwestern Arizona can still produce the juice. Vancouver, British Columbia-based Western Wind Energy recently turned on the Kingman I site and connected it to the grid of ...
 
Don't increase taxes on wind energy
REVE

Wind power utilizes the Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit to incent over $7 billion of other private investment to keep growing a new US wind turbines manufacturing sector. Wind power, as a proven commercial technology, utilizes the Renewable ...
 
DOE Loan Program: Time Running Out and Questions Remain
RenewableEnergyWorld.com

By Steve Leone, Associate Editor, RenewableEnergyWorld.com New Hampshire, USA -- Friday's deadline is looming and the Department of Energy finds itself racing against both the clock and intense political pressure. At stake is more than $8 billion ... 
 
Google: Rent your solar panels from us
CNET

Google has created a $75 million fund with Clean Power Finance, a company that offers financing for residential solar panel installations. The investment will enable 10000 homeowners to install solar panels on their homes. ...
 
Green Energy Ohio Tour to have stops in area
News-Herald.com

It gives visitors a chance to visit an assortment of residences, businesses and public facilities that use solar thermal, geothermal, biomass and solar electric features. The group says it will be its largest tour yet. Last year's edition was the ...

HEADLINES

California treasurer: Put renewable-energy tax exemption on hold

Los Angeles Times

The head of a California panel that hands out sales tax exemptions to renewable-energy manufacturing companies wants to suspend the program in the wake of the Solyndra scandal. State Treasurer Bill Lockyer said he will ask fellow members of the ...
 
Goldman buys green energy co stake for 1k cr

Times of India

MUMBAI: In what could be termed as one of the largest private equity deals in India's renewable energy sector, Goldman Sachs has picked up a majority stake in ReNew Wind Power for Rs 1000 crore ($201 million). The renewable energy start-up- with ...
 
Florida County Selected for 400-MW Solar Project

RenewableEnergyWorld.com

By Renewable Energy World Editors New Hampshire, USA -- National Solar Power has selected Gadsden County in northern Florida as the site for a 400-megawatt photovoltaic solar farm that will use 4000 acres. The Florida-based company said a minimum of 20 ...
 
Japan to Install Wind Turbines off Fukushima Coast

SustainableBusiness.com

Japan says it will spend 20 billion yen ($260 million) to install six or more floating wind turbines off the coast of Fukushima in the next five years. Trade ministry official Masanori Sato made the announcement. Norway is currently the world leader in ...

ARE WE ADDICTED TO TURM-OIL?

“The lights are on, but you’re not home…..might as well face it you’re addicted to love" (Robert Palmer) This could be the song Americans use as a theme and just replace the word "Turm-Oil for love." Ask anyone and they’ll tell you they want to live in a safe environment where their children can have opportunities they didn’t have and they want to be able to prosper. They would add that paying down our debt and reducing spending stands in the way.

So how do we make this way of life happen. It doesn't take an Einstein to come up with ways to solve some of the issues that we currently face. The first thing would be able "to live in a safe environment." Which is why we have police, fire and ambulance, doctors, FBI, CIA, Secret Service, Border Patrol and on and on; since this is part of the everyday business of having a country and the first defense, we leave this alone.

Where else can we cut? One place could be the Military. U.S. military spending – Dept. of Defense plus nuclear weapons – is equal to the military spending of the next 15 countries combined. You do not need me to tell you that we have been in a constant war stance for a long time and it may be time to stand down. Oil arguably has been the main reason for a lot of these wars: “Shortly after the Marines rolled into Baghdad and tore down a statue of Saddam Hussein, I visited the Ministry of Oil. American troops surrounded the sand-colored building, protecting it like a strategic jewel. But not far away, looters were relieving the National Museum of its actual jewels. Baghdad had become a carnival of looting.” A statement by Peter Maass, Author.

Oil comes with so many strings attached that it is almost impossible to quantify the total cost of it. But it is safe to say that, exploring, drilling, shipping, protecting against environmental damages of, defending against terrorism caused indirectly from oil here and in other countries is very expensive and has taken a heavy toll. The money we spend so foolishly could be used here, to build schools, take care of our debt to our seniors and rebuild our roads.

Oil cost money, it’s not free, pollutes and when it’s burned it’s gone. Even the local drillers that want what’s under our feet can’t guarantee no turm-oil from their operations, as we all know. We will never know what could have been if the BP oil spill had not happened. So why do we continue to talk about drilling? It’s an addiction to turm-oil.

Let’s try a different way; it’s the only thing left. We have been at the drill, drill and drill game for a long time. We will be paying for the damage this energy source created for years to come. I know that standing down means we won’t be the most powerful nation in the world with thousands of planes in foreign airfields, but we could be the most forward looking nation in the world, leading the way to a cleaner earth. Let’s spend on health, education, transportation, renewable technologies, medicine and infrastructure.

We have been toying with solar energy, wind energy, geothermal and hydro. Now we even have electric cars and we can add more public transportation that runs on clean electricity. The future does not have to include turm-oil. We need more investment in renewables not less.

By George Lopez

HEADLINES

Duke Energy Carolinas Issues a Request for Proposals for Wind Generation

MarketWatch (press release)

22, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Duke Energy Carolinas is issuing a request for proposals for energy and renewable energy certificates produced from wind generation that can be delivered to the Duke Energy Carolinas transmission system. ...
 
Solectria Renewables Sponsors Team Massachusetts in the US Department of ...

RenewableEnergyWorld.com

Lawrence, MA – September 22, 2011 – Solectria Renewables, LLC, the leading US PV inverter manufacturer, announced today that it is sponsoring Team Massachusetts in the US Department of Energy's annual Solar Decathlon by donating an integrated inverter ...
 
As Solyndra Execs Prepare to Take the Fifth, Company Blames DOE for Its Demise

New York Times

Spokesman David Miller wrote that, at the same time Solyndra was building out the production facility that its hefty DOE loan guarantee had helped fund, the landscape for its solar photovoltaic panels was in flux. Miller noted that those conditions led ...
 
Solar Decathlon 2011: Ohio State University, enCORE

EarthTechling

enCORE uses a flat-plate solar thermal system that works with a heat pump water heater for optimal efficiency, and has a solar thermal hot air system that provides comfortable temperatures while using a minimum of energy. The thin-film PV array is ...
 
Solyndra employees: Company suffered from mismanagement, heavy spending
Washington Post

As the $344 million factory went up just down the road from the company’s leased plant in Fremont, Calif., workers watched as pallets of unsold solar panels stacked up in storage. Many wondered: Was the factory needed?

HEADLINES

GE Energy Enters Contracts To Supply 750 Wind Turbines

North American Windpower

by NAW Staff on Tuesday 20 September 2011 GE Energy says it has signed new contracts for 750 1.6 MW turbines for wind farms in North America and South America over the next two years. According to GE, the 1.6 MW wind turbine was launched in May and ...

New Jersey overtakes Calif. in commercial solar power

USA Today (blog)

The commercial solar market in New Jersey (aka "The Garden State") jumped 170% from the first quarter of this year to the second quarter, said Rhone Resch, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association, a trade group. ...
 
GM to Build Electric Cars in China, Protect Chevy Volt Technology

Fox News

AP SHANGHAI – General Motors Co. agreed Tuesday to deepen cooperation with its flagship Chinese partner on development of electric vehicle knowhow amid pressure from Beijing to hand over proprietary technology. Investments and other details of the plan ...
 
‘The Solar And Wind Expo Massachusetts’ Coming To Marlborough In Nov
Marlborough Patch
 

The Solar and Wind Expo Massachusetts’ will take place at the Royal Plaza Trade Center in Marlborough, November 4-6, 2011. Held across the country, the Expo will expose Bay State consumers to the exciting possibility of getting energy from nature.

New York authorities offer $150m for renewable energy projects

BrighterEnergy.org

Authorities in New York are making $150 million available for renewable energy projects, funded by the state's Renewable Portfolio Standard program. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the state's Public Service ...


Constellation/Exelon deal: Reliability should be the main concern

Baltimore Sun

Now Constellation is trying to sell itself to Exelon of Chicago, and Mr. O'Malley's administration is again opposing the deal — but for different reasons than before. A consultant for the Maryland Energy Administration did mention that the $100 rate ...
 
Green jobs are real and growing, Says DOE

REVE

The US Department of Energy (DOE) appears to be trying to raise its voice over a chorus declaring green jobs as a bust and clean energy as a scam. According to the department, Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman on Thursday plans to publicly ...

Developing Renewable Energy in the Developing World



Obama's Granmother goes Solar



Renewable energy, particularly solar and wind but also geothermal and biomass among others, is growing in spite of the global economic downturn. In this rapidly evolving industry, key players have already emerged; China, the United States, Germany, Spain, Denmark and the United Kingdom. What is not often reported is that many countries in the developing world are also actively seeking to harness their renewable energy resources.

In India, the world’s largest democracy and the second most populous country, the government has created its own separate agency to spearhead the Indian renewable energy initiative. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has launched the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission with the purpose of bringing solar electricity to the countryside and to establish India as a leader in the solar industry. The Ministry also has launched a nationwide initiative to promote biomass as an alternative cooking fuel. The country also has a burgeoning homegrown solar manufacturing sector with companies such as India Solar Solutions and IndoSolar experiencing strong growth.



Kenya



Another country that is making a foray into renewable energy is Kenya. The east African country has been implementing a series of feed-in tariff policies to spur investment in renewable energy, particularly solar. Kenya is the world leader in number of solar systems installed per capita (not in terms of megawatts). The number of solar panels sold annually in Kenya is over 30,000. More Kenyans adopt solar power per year than connect to the country’s electric grid. Many Kenyans install solar panels themselves and use makeshift inverters to create power.

In Latin America, Costa Rica is a renewable energy leader. Approximately 99% of Costa Rica’s electricity comes from renewable energy, principally hydroelectricity and industrial wind power. While the country does have some oil reserves on its Atlantic Coast, the government has consciously decided not to exploit them due to the environmental impact. Even though the country is reliant on imports for fossil fuels, its temperate climate does not create the demand for oil or gas heating that countries at higher latitudes experience. This means that as far as electricity is concerned, Costa Rica is essentially self sufficient and energy independent. Other Latin American countries such as Chile, Peru and Brazil are following suit and investing more capital in renewable energy projects and mandates.

Costa Rica

What can be learned from these examples? I think it showcases the ability of renewable energy to be a bridge to growth for developing countries and possibly all nations everywhere. In countries such as India, where many in the countryside still lack electricity, solar has the ability to bring them light. Similarly in Kenya, where the energy infrastructure is marginal at best, solar power can provide a quick and cost-effective alternative to generate electricity for the average citizen. Costa Rica’s self sufficient and self contained electric grid should be an inspiration to the world. If a tiny and relatively poor country can generate all its own power from renewable resources, then almost certainly a large, powerful, industrialized and wealthy country like the United States can do the same.

by Richard Harrod

Bickering between Gas and Nuclear in PA shows renewable the way

George here: Proponents of renewable energy should look to the bickering between the Gas and Nuclear industries in Pennsylvania. This story by Nell McCormack Abom on Pennsylvania's WITF TV’s Smart Talk points out that a stable energy future will not be provided by either one of these fuels. Here is a comment by George Lewis, senior manager of corporate communications at PPL Inc. that operates the Susquehanna Nuclear Power Plant in Luzerne County (PPL) in the story:

"You also want to be careful not to put all your eggs in one basket because if everyone starts building natural gas plants, then the country becomes overly dependent on natural gas," Lewis adds. "And should there be disruption in natural-gas supply or not as much gas comes on the market as everyone expected, or maybe there are continuing environmental issues of extracting the gas from the Marcellus Shale region, well, if you put all your bet on natural gas then you are in another bind a few years down the road of not having the right type of fuels."

On the other side of the argument is former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge, who served as the first secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and is now is a strategic advisor to the Marcellus Shale Coalition. From the story:

As we debate the future of energy, fears of radiation-tainted food and water plague Japan. The government banned shipments of spinach and milk in several areas within 20 miles of the plant after tests found higher-than-normal radiation levels. They also found high levels of iodine in tap water in Tokyo and villages up to 30 miles from the crippled Fukushima plant. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration have banned imports of dairy products and produce from the region of Japan near the plant.

Opponents of renewable energy, for their obvious reasons, have made the lack of job creation the reason we should stand against wind and solar. But jobs are not the main reason to go for these clean and renewable technologies. For example, if we save more money by using cheaper energy and stop importing we will see job growth and folks will have money to spend. Retirement may not be as worrisome because we will be able to save more and live for less. These two ideas alone make me salivate for renewable energy.

Governments also will save money. No more watch dogs will need to be on the payroll, keeping an eye on polluters because they will be no pollution. They talk about fewer regulations. Well guess what? Renewable energy creates very little pollution, so we can okay to fewer regulations. You get the picture. The end of the road is paved with green jobs.

See the rest of the story here:
How Japan Changes the Game for PA Energy - Smart Talk TV

witf.org

by George Lopez

GOP senator sought money from renewable energy program he now calls 'reckless'

Washington Post

David Vitter says the Obama administration has been “reckless” as it awards billions of dollar taxpayer subsidies for renewable energy projects, including a $528 million loan to a now-bankrupt California solar panel maker. ...
 
DOE Continues Loan Guarantees Despite Mounting Pressure from Republicans

Reuters

By SustainableBusiness.com at SustainableBusiness.com The US Department of Energy (DOE) finalized a $1.2 billion loan guarantee for a huge concentrating solar (CSP) plant in California this week, even as the agency came under fire for failing to ...

“The Time is Now” More Than Ever

This was an interesting weekend because instead of focusing on energy I spent the weekend learning about food. Sharron New, a good friend of mine who runs the website Local Food Beat and is extremely knowledgeable about food, was kind enough to give me an enlightening lesson regarding healthy foods which was then followed by a hands-on tour of Whole Foods in Annapolis. The experience was an eye opener.

Part of the lesson included excerpts from Kevin Brown’s book The Liberation Diet. It was interesting to learn that Crisco was once a waste product of the cotton industry originally meant for use in the fabrication of candles by Procter & Gamble, but was then repackaged for the food industry when electricity and the light bulb became the norm. In his book Brown writes "You have to take an industrial waste product, or by-product or trash, something very worthless or inexpensive, call it a health food, put it in a nice package, and then attack the competition relentlessly. That’s the formula."

I also had a chance to view these two documentaries, “King Corn” and “The Future of Food.” These fine productions demonstrate the stuff that is going on in the food industry. See these films and you will think twice about the foods that you put in your mouth. I encourage everyone to Google “Confined Feeding Operations.”

This got me thinking about the energy industry. The packaging of by-products such as Crisco and Hydrogenated vegetable oil, or should we say corn oil, are very similar to what has been happening in the energy industry. How many by-products come from the oil and coal industry? Styrofoam comes to mind and plastics are a menace to our world; we all know that, but it is continuously packaged as a life enhancing product. Fleece for example is what happens to recycled water bottles after you discard them and I say discard instead of recycle because when we are done wearing fleece we throw it away and the cycle ends. Remember glass bottles, they were recycled forever. The list of oil by-products is long.

Coal by-products are also easily found as it is shown in the following graphic by the National Energy Foundation:

This graphic easily demonstrates how waste is often turned into a product, by distorting the truth with some fancy ad campaign anyone with lots of money can turn trash into gold. This would be okay or at least legal if it did not come with such important health risks.

We as a society must take the necessary steps to reverse the course we have allowed our industries and government to take. Their strategy has been not to worry about the human cost and to maximize profits. This has put all of us in a bad place, we have become obese and unhealthy and if things get worse as they’ve been trending, where will we be in twenty years?

Every day we get closer to the point where we will have to grow our own food again and fortunately thanks to some forward looking job creators we can now make our own energy. If we act together now we can make a better healthier future.

by George Lopez

Growing and Mowing – A Ridiculous, Wasteful Practice

When discussing the use of fossil fuels to run machinery, there are more than cars, buses, motorcycles, trucks, airplanes and boats to consider. What about the lowly lawnmower?

According to the Ecology Action Center, over 580 million gallons of gasoline are used in the United States just for mowing lawns.

Now think about this – those who want a green lawn, fertilize and water the heck out of it (damaging our waterways in the process) to make it grow then pollute the air by cutting it down with a gas-guzzling, loud machine. So we encourage the grass to grow and then we cut it down. (I’m seeing Jon Stewart’s look of incredulity here.) This ridiculous process also upends the natural habitat nature intended in favor of a monoculture that is further assaulted with pesticides (thereby polluting our waterways again and poisoning ourselves).

There are alternatives for residential lawn-lovers. There are electric mowers and even some that are solar-powered. An internet search will yield a couple of kits that are available for conversion of a gas mower to one that is solar-powered. And then there is the good-old reel mower that won’t pollute and will give you a good workout.

I can see how it’s nice to have a small backyard lawn for children to enjoy, but what about when the practice is paid for with our taxes? Specifically, why do our local, state and federal highway authorities insist on growing turf in the medians and highway cloverleaf areas?

The EPA says that pre-1997 lawn and garden equipment accounts for as much as 5 percent of the total man-made hydrocarbons that contribute to ozone formation. Further, the agency says the exchange of 1,000 gasoline-powered lawn mowers for electric mowers has the potential of reducing volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions by 9.8 tons per year, which is equivalent to removing 230 cars from the highways. It stands to reason that the behemoth riding mowers used on highways are even worse. Residential lawn mowing contributes as much as five percent of the nation’s air pollution, according to the EPA. New emission standards may be published soon but it begs the question. Why mow?

The right thing for highway officials to is to design medians and cloverleafs for native plantings. Native plants are more disease-resistant and drought-resistant than laws and they require much less maintenance. Plantings would save fuel, water, and manpower requirements. And they are beautiful too. Remember Lady Bird Johnson’s wildflower initiative? She had the right idea.

Getting away from the insidious “grow and mow” cycle would reduce pollution, and be better for the environment in so many ways. In the midst of this recession and shrinking government budgets, why waste tax money on installing and mowing lawns? It makes no sense. But this paradigm change won’t happen unless we demand it from our elected officials. If this bothers you, let ‘em know.

Why are we so addicted to lawns in this country anyway? Supposedly the custom of having a lush, green lawn goes back to England when a front lawn meant that the landowner was wealthy enough to not have to use the land in front of the house for growing food. Today you could say that a front lawn shows that the property owner is wealthy enough to pollute.

by Elvia Thompson
Comunications and Public Relations

HEADLINES

The Solar and Wind Expo: Americans are Using Less Energy But ...


Lately the whispering has been about solar panel manufacturers filing bankruptcy. This is not an affliction exclusive to the solar or wind industry. Bank of America ...
 
Japan must revise renewables law to get results: experts

Reuters

By Shinichi Saoshiro TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's new feed-in-tariff energy law, aimed at promoting renewable energy, will need attractive pricing and revisions to flesh out of vague provisions if it is to help wean the country from nuclear power, ...
 
University of Maryland, Eastern Shore Announces Formation of a Renewable ...

MarketWatch (press release)

The new company will focus on creating renewable energy projects at multiple sites on the lower Eastern Shore of Maryland. The company's goal is to develop systems capable of generating 100 to 150 megawatts from wind, solar and biomass projects. ...
 

Electric vehicle charging stations are installed at three more ...
Examiner.com

... as part of Maryland's Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program (EVIP). ... according to Malcolm Woolf, the Maryland Energy Administration Director. ...
 
Green jobs economy has hits and misses in Maryland

Baltimore Sun

At the national level, President Barack Obama's administration has pushed for development of renewable energy, more efficient cars and other elements of a ...
 
Oil Declines After U.S. Fuel Supplies Increase as Demand Falls

San Francisco Chronicle

Futures decreased as much as 2.2 percent after the Energy Department said gasoline supplies rose 1.94 million barrels last week, the biggest gain since June. Fuel use fell 3.8 percent to 18.7 million barrels a day. Refineries operated at 87 percent of ...
 
Ethanol Production in U.S. Falls 1.9%, Energy Department Says

San Francisco Chronicle

14 (Bloomberg) -- Ethanol production in the US fell 1.9 percent to 879000 barrels a day last week, according to an Energy Department report. Output slid to the lowest level since the week ended July 29. Stockpiles climbed 0.4 percent to 17.2 million ...
 
Nissan halves price, size of electric vehicle quick charger

ZDNet (blog)

By Heather Clancy
September 14, 2011, 3:54am PDT Increasingly, it is obvious that one of the most lucrative businesses associated with the electric vehicle movement is the one that will keep them on the road: the charging infrastructure. ...

"The Myth of Green Jobs" is a Myth in Itself

A solar panel Installation

Green jobs and renewable energy have been the target of some economists and commentators since the mid nineteen nineties, but within the last several years their attacks have intensified. As states throughout the country begin to implement Renewable Portfolio Standards and participate in programs such as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative in the northeast, some think tanks have assailed the idea of the green economy as being waste of money or, worse yet, being destructive to “real” jobs. It takes little more than a quick internet search to find organizations like the Institute for Energy Research (IER) and the American Petroleum Institute who routinely seek to smear renewable energy and green jobs as a boondoggle.

Reading through their reports, it begs the question: “What is a green job?”

If you read the assortment of editorials from IER or from such newspapers as the Wall Street Journal you will be led to believe that a green job is a manufacturing job. This is because these reports almost always stick with three examples: SpectraWatt, Evergreen Solar and Solyndra who are now bankrupt. These three companies, all of whom were manufacturers of solar photovoltaic technology, were also the recipients of various forms of government aid. This, they argue, is proof positive of the hollow promise of green jobs. Green jobs are nonexistent without government aid and even with that aid, they inevitably disappear due to their inherent infeasibility.

This approach is the equivalent of arguing that because an automobile company goes bankrupt, the idea of the automobile itself is unviable. If we take the panel manufactures out of the context of the solar industry and justly place them as part of the greater US manufacturing picture, their failure is sadly par for the course. The same external market forces that put them out of business are hurting many American manufacturers; a drop in the price of raw materials and cheap labor competition from China.

Green jobs are everywhere

Hardly mentioned in those same reports are the thousands of green jobs aside from manufacturing. Across the country solar installation companies are growing. They range from large corporations with offices in many states to small family operations composed of husband and wife teams. Every one of them is a green job. The same can be said of wind turbine installers, geothermal contractors, energy auditors, biomass refiners, hydroelectric engineers and the list goes on and on. These companies have an office staff, a supply chain and salespeople. Every one of them is a green job. Even I, sitting here doing what I can to promote renewable energy, am in a green job.

The notion that only government is willing to invest capital in renewable energy is also a fallacy. Google has invested in Solar City, Citigroup has partnered with Sungevity and Constellation Energy has invested in Astrum Solar to name a few. These are all American companies investing in American companies to help them grow. All of them produce green jobs.

We can argue about the wisdom (or lack thereof) in the government’s investments in Evergreen or Solyndra until we are blue in the face, but they are not the be-all-end-all. Companies looking to lose market shares to this new power have a vested interest in disparaging renewable energy. They are trying to convince people that the old ways are still the best ways. The truth is that the sun will still be shining and the wind will still be blowing long after the last drop of oil and last unit of gas has been wrung from the Earth. The green economy and its green jobs - its “real” jobs - are here to stay.

by Richard Harrod


HEADLINES

BMW's Rolls-Royce shows electric concept car

The Associated Press

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — In yet another sign that car manufacturers are really trying to go greener, Rolls-Royce is experimenting with an electric vehicle. The mega-luxurious brand has kicked off a presentation by parent company BMW AG at the ...
 
Quick-Charging Plus Better Batteries Equals Mainstream Electric Cars

PluginCars.com

It happened 100 years ago, when the advent of the self-starter ushered in the age of internal combustion—and killed electric cars. Now, a low-cost quick charger, capable of adding as much as 100 miles of range in the time it takes to have a cup of ...
 
Electric vehicles could help store NW wind power

KPLU News for Seattle and the Northwest

Researchers have found a way to use electric vehicles to help balance wind power's inconsistency. For the power grid to work, the same amount of power must be produced as the amount that people are using at any given moment. ...
 
Department of Energy Sanctions Grant to Identify and Develop Geothermal Energy ...

AZoCleantech

By Cameron Chai Steven Chu, US Energy Secretary has declared a grant of around $38 million for a period of three years to speed up the development of potential geothermal energy expertise and to assist the country to diversify its renewable energy ...
 
US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam Add Solar Panels
Solar Novus Today

Visitors landing on St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands will notice a 1600-foot-long array of ground-mounted SolarWorld solar panels paralleling a runway at Cyril E. King Airport. The 450 kilowatt (kW) system, to be unveiled tomorrow, 14 September, ...
 
Duke Energy to Build Second Pennsylvania Wind Farm

Sacramento Bee

Duke Energy Renewables, a commercial business unit of Duke Energy, will build, own and operate the 69-megawatt (MW) Laurel Hill Windpower Project in Lycoming County. The wind farm will consist of 30 Siemens wind turbines, each capable of generating 2.3 ...

HEADLINES

SolarCity to Launch Largest Residential Rooftop Project

CleanTechnica

Renewable Energy World reports that SolarCity owns, operates and maintains the systems, and sells the electricity to the end-user. In working with investment banks to pool together often-complicated state and federal incentives, the company streamlines ...
 
NJ Solar Giant Hopes to Make It Big Out West

New York Times

In an effort to combat climate change and encourage renewable energy use, New Jersey's public utility commission launched a landmark solar renewable energy certificate market in 2001. Ten years later, a state that could then only count six total ...
 
O'Malley to swear in new PSC members

abc27

Speakes-Backman has most recently worked as the clean energy director at the Maryland Energy Administration. She also has worked in the private sector for ...
 
Department Of Energy Finalizes Loan Guarantee To Cogentrix

Alternative Energy Retailer magazine

by SI Staff on Monday 12 September 2011 US Department Energy (DOE) Secretary Steven Chu says that the DOE has finalized a $90.6 million loan guarantee to Cogentrix of Alamosa LLC. The loan guarantee will support the Alamosa solar project, ...
 
DOE to fund 32 US geothermal energy research projects

Recharge

The US Energy Department (DOE) is providing $38m in funding over three years for projects that aim to accelerate the development of promising geothermal energy technologies. The 32 innovative projects in 14 states will develop and test new ways to ...
 
Developing Offshore Wind Technology in NE Ohio

Today's Energy Solutions

Case Western Reserve University, Freshwater Wind, and Nautica Windpower have been awarded new federal resources to research advanced wind turbine systems to spur the development of clean energy technology. The US Department of Energy's (DOE) Energy ...
 
Electric car hype hiding a quiet revolution

Moneycontrol.com

Daimler and BMW have been field testing electric cars. But battery-powered vehicles will likely remain only a small niche as long as batteries make the car prices prohibitively expensive. Why would anyone in their right mind pay more for a car that ...
 
DOE invests in electric cars

CivSource

The US Department of Energy (DOE) is making a big investment in electric cars nationwide. The investment is part of DOE's Clean Cities initiative which is supporting the growth of energy efficient and renewable energy measures in America's cities. ...
 
Deutsche Post Contracts for Electric Delivery Vehicles

EV World

PAPILLION, NE -- Frankfurter Allgemeine is reporting that the German Postal Service has awarded a contract to Street Scooter GmbH to develop delivery vehicles for the service, with the possibility of ordering up to 20000 of the electric vehicles. ...
 
Construction begins on 63MW wind farm in Vermont

BrighterEnergy.org

Energy utility Green Mountain Power (GMP) has begun construction of its Kingdom Community Wind (KCW) project, a 63 MW renewable wind energy project in Lowell, Vermont. The 21 turbine wind project will provide power for more than 24000 homes with the ...

Americans are Using Less Energy But Imports of Solar Energy are Increasing

There is no doubt that Americans are united in the fight against imported and environment-damaging sources of energy. Energy efficiency has become a great weapon against foreign oil. The cars being manufactured today use less and less gasoline. American homes are being tested in increasing numbers for wasted energy and this is equating to a decrease in electricity use (and thus, coal use), and this is expected to level off and maybe even decline.


Light bulbs of today are much more efficient, as are all appliances. The home of the future will use less energy and manage resources better. From 1980-2000, residential power demand grew about 2.5 percent a year. From 2000-2010, the growth rate slowed to 2 percent. Over the next 10 years, demand is expected to decline by about 0.5 percent a year, according to the Electric Power Research Institute, a nonprofit group funded by the utility industry.

But homeowners are not the only ones in the game. IT companies such as Google are doing a lot to reduce their carbon foot prints and reduce energy cost. Last week Google released a white paper called Google’s Green Data Center that details the company’s efforts. Commercial lighting also is going through a radical change that will save manufacturers, warehouses and large commercial businesses lots of power and money.

This new energy revolution would be a great way to create jobs in a way that has never been done before -- something new. All of this could be financed with electrons in the form of the sun’s rays, the same way that solar companies are financing solar panel installations with a lease plan. This would create jobs that will eventually pay for themselves and then would even return a profit. Imagine that.

But progress always seems to come with question marks. Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, that is the promise of the new green economy. Lately the whispering has been about solar panel manufacturers filing bankruptcy. This is not an affliction exclusive to the solar or wind industry. Bank of America is about to lay off a large portion of its staff. We need to look at all the reasons that these solar giants are losing their battle and it may be more insidious than you think.

Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) has written a letter to President Obama in which he recommends actions to combat unfair Chinese practices crushing the U.S. solar industry. From his Press Release: The global market for renewable energy technologies is increasingly being dominated by Chinese manufacturers reaping the benefits of unscrupulous trade practices that give them an unfair competitive advantage against U.S. industries. This is a critical problem for the U.S. solar industry facing an expected 240 [percent] increase in the import of Chinese solar panels this year. U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), chair of the Senate Finance Committee’s Subcommittee on Trade, called on President Obama to take action to curb the flood of Chinese subsidized solar products, identifying existing trade tools that he can use to level the playing field for American manufacturers. Wyden indicated he would initiate legislative action if the president was unwilling to respond.

While I applaud all the efforts being taken to save money on energy and to reduce our carbon footprint, I also caution all Americans to be aware that billions of dollars NOT sent to the Middle East for oil should stay at home and not go to other countries. World trade hawks refuse to make other countries trade fairly and we seem to be in denial as there is little discussion, let alone outrage, about this. The world marketplace is not fair when even one country subsidizes its goods and services. There is nothing wrong with international trade but can we afford to help others at the expense of jobs right here at home?

By George Lopez
Executive Director


Decision on Walmart wind turbines postponed

Asbury Park Press

What's NextLacey's Board of Adjustment will further discuss an application to install wind turbines on lamp posts at the Walmart during its 7 pm Oct. 3 meeting. The meeting will take place at the municipal building at 818 Lacey Rd. The session also ...
 
Solar panels: latest hot spot in US-China trade tensions

Financial Times (blog)

But the latest broadside from Capitol Hill hits out at a new, and somewhat surprising, target: cheap Chinese solar panels being installed on American homes. The attack comes from Senator Ron Wyden (D., Oregon), who alleges that Chinese-made solar ...
 
Exxon's Russian Roulette

The New York Review of Books (blog)

The investments have been encouraged by bullish numbers from, among others, the US Energy Department's Energy Information Administration, which earlier this year estimated that the Marcellus contains an astounding 410 trillion cubic feet of natural gas ...
 
Ohio moves ahead with shale exploration while other states take a break

Plain Dealer

Ohio officials may be gearing up for a frackfest, but other states are backpedaling as they move to block the practice while they await a pair of federal studies by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy. New Jersey Gov. ...

WILL JAPAN'S NEW RENEWABLE OUTLOOK HELP THEM SURPASS THE UNITED STATES?

Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant

It’s going to be interesting to see what Japan’s renewable energy policy will be in the next few months, particularly as the citizens of that nation have become very uncomfortable with nuclear energy and a new prime minister takes charge.

In the wake of last March’s nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, then-Prime Minister Naoto Kan announced that Japan would be making a policy change away from energy produced by nuclear plants and fossil fuels to renewable energy and conservation. He made the announcement in May, at the end of the G8 summit.


Naoto Kan


As post-tsunami events continued to unfold, confidence in Kan’s performance fell. His government’s handling of the nuclear power plant issue played a big part even as he apologized for the nuclear crisis. "I believe the government bears a major responsibility for having promoted nuclear energy as national policy. I apologize to the people for failing to prevent the nuclear accident," Kan said.*



Yoshihiko Noda

Kan resigned his post on August 26 and Yoshihiko Noda was selected as his successor just four days later.

These events make me wonder what would U.S. government leaders do if a nuclear crisis of similar proportions happened here?

It is unclear if the new prime minister will keep to the path his predecessor promoted – the eventual closing of all nuclear plants in Japan. He has talked about a “balance” of energy sources. But at a news conference on September 2, he said he does envision a nuclear-free Japan.



Workers cleaning up after the Sunami

“I believe that the future will see a movement away from nuclear energy … once nuclear power stations have lived out their periods of usefulness, we will decommission them, and shall not build any new stations. That will be the basic flow of things. Alongside all of this, we will promote the development of new energy sources, the spread of alternative natural energy sources, and the adoption of energy conservation measures. We need to create a basic plan on energy following thorough and careful consideration. I also think that in order to do away with concerns among the public, I truly hope to realize a new best mix of energy sources. That is the mid- to long-term plan. The issue we currently face is exactly as I just stated. It will be impossible to reduce our reliance on nuclear energy to zero immediately, but I hope to discuss how to organize our society in such a way that we will be able to achieve this in time.”

The Japanese ARE moving ahead with renewable energy even as we speak. NPR reported on September 6 that Japan's newest big solar project opened last month in a suburb of Tokyo. It is made up of 38,000 solar panels set out on acreage the size of several football fields. On a sunny day it can provide sufficient power for over 2000 homes.



Japan sees a sunny future

Further, last month Japan's legislature expressed its dedication to renewable energy by agreeing to subsidize solar and wind power, requiring power companies to buy solar and wind energy at inflated prices. The plan is that this move will make it attractive for companies to invest renewable technology thereby speeding up the move away from nuclear. Japan could take advantage of offshore wind and tidal power too, by the way. (See the NPR story: http://www.npr.org/2011/09/06/140219721/after-nuclear-mishap-japan-debates-energy-future)

Will U.S. leaders take additional steps to speed up the mainstreaming of renewable energy or will it take a nuclear crisis in our own country to create a popular and political groundswell for its use?

The cards seem to be stacked against those of us in the United States who believe in clean energy. For example, the natural gas industry is running a mega-campaign to convince Americans that drilling for natural gas is “clean and green.” It isn’t. Further, the supply of natural gas underground in the United States will only meet demand for a few years while the damage done to the environment will be long-lasting. There is no corresponding advertising campaign about that.

And if you’re worried about jobs, how about this? According to Beyond Nuclear, one nuclear plant equals 2400 jobs and costs $40 billion to build. The equivalent amount of energy could be saved by retrofitting 1.6 million homes to make them energy efficient. The cost for that is half, or $20 billion and the number of jobs created is 220,000 or almost 100 times more than a nuclear plant.

Damage to people and the environment from the continued use of fossil fuels and reliance on nuclear power is just too great to continue business as usual. Other nations realize this – why don’t we?

The President agrees: "As we recover from this recession, the transition to clean energy has the potential to grow our economy and create millions of jobs - but only if we accelerate that transition. Only if we seize the moment," he said.



German Solar Farm

In Germany, policy makers have been moving toward renewables for some time. This is a quote from Philipp Rösler, Federal Minister of Economics and Technology: "The energy issue is very high on our policy agenda. With the new Energy Research Programme, we are implementing one measure of the energy concept and make an important contribution towards speeding up the move to a new energy policy in Germany. We need innovative and efficient energy technologies to ensure that the shift to the age of renewables takes place in a secure and affordable manner. Our new programme is providing a reliable policy environment for research and development. At the same time, we are supporting the business and research communities as they adapt to meet the major challenges of the 21st century."

Political leaders in Japan and Germany have heeded the outcry from their citizens. Do political leaders in the United States have the courage to move the country in the direction of renewable energy in a big way? They will if the public demands it.

*Japan has launched a private effort to assist the victims of the nuclear disaster. Called the Tsunagari Nukumore Project (it translates to unity, warms and cares), it is a program to provide relief to those still living in shelters via renewable energy. That includes electricity from solar power, hot water from solar thermal energy and biomass. The project is accepting donations online.

By Elvia Thompson
Communications & Public Relations

HEADLINES

Ohio State Senator Introduces Bill To Repeal State's Renewable Portfolio Standard

North American Windpower

Jordan claims the AEPS, which requires Ohio to procure 12.5% of its energy from renewable sources by 2025, drives up the cost of energy for Ohio families and businesses. He also denies that the state's renewable energy industry will have a positive ...


USA Projected to Become Largest PV Market by 2013, Says ABI Research

MarketWatch (press release)

Renewable energy technologies are receiving a strong push in the US, with utility, industrial, and commercial PV installations expected to drive growth. Even the US Army and Navy are examining possible PV solutions to energy supplies for troops and ...

Charge it like a cellphone

Delmarva Now

The Maryland Energy Administration has a map of known charging stations on its website, and none are shown yet for the Shore, aside from two stations that ...
 
DOE Addresses Concerns About Northern Pass Contract

New Hampshire Public Radio

By Chris Jensen on Thursday, September 08, 2011 Last month the Department of Energy announced it had selected a new company to conduct the crucially important Environmental Impact Statement on the Northern Pass project. But some opponents of Northern ...
 
Electric cars charge into Roanoke Valley

Roanoke Times

Car dealers are excited to get fully electric cars in stock, but mileage and cost leave questions. By Katelyn Polantz Ford vehicles were on display at the Roanoke Civic Center on Wednesday in Ford's Power of Choice tour featuring efficient vehicles in ...
 
Cape Wind Opposition Groups To Argue Before Mass. Supreme Court

North American Windpower

by NAW Staff on Thursday 08 September 2011 Several groups will appear before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court to make arguments against the Cape Wind offshore wind project. The Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound (ATPNS) - along with the ...
 
 
 

Chesapeake College Turbine Installation, Going Well

The installation of the newest wind turbine on Maryland’s Eastern Shore is taking shape. These photos were taken Tuesday, Sept. 7, at Chesapeake College, where ATech Energy is installing a 30-50KW small wind turbine specially designed for regional wind speeds, mounted to a 140 foot monotower and integrated with the campus electrical supply. The wind turbine is part of the college’s Center for Leadership in Environmental Education (CLEEn). The photos show the installation of the tower. The turbine is being installed as you read this. 





Second section being bolted

It's lonely at the top




Crane makes quick work of the lift



Brave workers get ready to bolt top section



Worker explains the process to an interested college staff

Left to right: Mike Kilgus, Vice President of Chesapeake College;

Barbara Viniar, president of Chesapeake College;

Monte Garritson, facility director of Chesapeake College;

and Larry Shobert of Endurance Wind Power.



The Endurance E-3120 on it's perch

 HEADLINES

Greece Opens New Round of Bidding to Explore Geothermal Sites

Bloomberg

By Sally Bakewell - Wed Sep 07 17:22:56 GMT 2011 Greece opened bidding for companies to explore four areas for geothermal energy as it seeks to become an exporter of renewable power. Research and investigation will require about 100 million euros ($141 ...

State grants new hearing on NV Energy deal with solar, geothermal projects

Las Vegas Sun

By Cy Ryan (contact) NV Energy has won a preliminary round in its fight to convince the state Public Utilities Commission to approve contracts with prospective solar and a geothermal energy projects. In an about face, the commission agreed to rehear ...


UPS Adds 100 EV Delivery Vans to Fleet

Reuters

By Gas 2.0 at Gas 2.0 by Frankie Berti In a move benefiting both the environment and its bottom line, UPS purchased 100 fully-electric commercial vehicles for use in its California fleet last month from Electric Vehicles International (EVI). ...

US military to be largest rooftop solar customer

CNET


Rather than pay for rooftop solar panels, customers pay a monthly fee--either to purchase the energy produced by panels or a solar lease. The arrangement allows consumers to avoid the big upfront cost of panels and lower their monthly spending on ...
 
Govt audit: Stimulus funds for energy go unspent

The Associated Press




WASHINGTON (AP) — Two years after the economic stimulus law, about one-third of the money authorized for an energy efficiency program has not been spent, a government audit found. The Energy Department's inspector general said Wednesday that state and ...
 
Monopoly Energy or Energy Democracy?

RenewableEnergyWorld.com


Germany has maintained its global lead in solar energy while pushing to go beyond nuclear (despite being downplayed in the US). Japan has adopted a new feed-in tariff (FIT) designed to spur 30000 MW of renewable energy by 2020. ...

NORTH CAROLINA: THE NEXT RENEWABLE ENERGY POWERHOUSE?

It is common to think about Massachusetts or California when it comes to states committed to going green, but within the last few years an unexpected newcomer has been making advances in promoting renewable energy: North Carolina. The Tar Heel State has quietly but steadily been bolstering its commitment to renewable energy, beginning in 2007 when the state legislature passed the North Carolina Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard. This law requires investor owned utility companies to produce 12.5% of their electricity from renewable energy or energy efficiency measures by 2021. This law also helped to foster a renewable energy certificate (or “REC”) program similar to what can be found in other states with a renewable portfolio standard (or RPS).

While this may seem meager when compared with other states, it is noteworthy because North Carolina is so far the only state in the American southeast to have implemented such measures. They have also mandated a generous renewable energy installation tax credit, giving homeowners and businesses up to 35%. This credit can be combined with the current 30% federal tax credit for renewable energy installation. These incentives have helped to foster a steady increase in solar installers, wind turbine installers and especially geothermal and energy efficiency companies.

All of this is encouraging, but what could make the big difference for North Carolina’s renewable energy future is its ace in the hole: the largest offshore wind resource of any state on the Atlantic coast. This fact was first described in a study published by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. It found that the coast of North Carolina offered not only good wind conditions, but also sufficient depth to support large wind turbines. It was further supplemented by a study conducted by the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill which conservatively estimated the coast’s practical potential at 55,000 megawatts. That is enough energy to power the entire state – and then some.

The fact that North Carolina is consistently ranked as one of the best places for business in the United States and the fact that is a major center of research and corporate development make the state almost ideal for the increased commercialization of renewable energy. The state government has even begun to market itself to businesses as a great place to research, produce and install renewable technologies. Slowly, surely and inevitably renewable energy continues its march towards the mainstream. Hopefully North Carolina’s southern neighbors as well as states across the country will follow its example.

By Richard Harrod


HEADLINES

Germany proves the promise of renewable energy: hits 20 percent renewables

Mongabay.com

By Karimeh Moukaddem, mongabay.com As many people in the United States question whether renewable energy is a viable alternative to fossil fuels, Germany now derives 20.8 percent of its electricity from renewable sources—a 15 percent increase since ...
 
S. Korea's Renewables Fund to Spur Investments, Official Says

Bloomberg

Companies that invest in clean-energy will have a ready domestic market as the government plans to introduce in 2012 a compulsory 2 percent quota of renewable energy that the country's 14 power generators will be required to derive, Park said. ...
 
GM Investigating Pure Electric Cars

Design News

General Motors, the giant automaker notable for killing the EV1 a decade ago, is accelerating its move into the battery electric vehicle (BEV) arena. GM recently announced that it will team with LG Group, a South Korean electronics and battery ...
 
GE to Provide 300 Megawatts of Turbines for Illinois Wind Farms

Bloomberg

(GE), the world's biggest maker of electricity-generating equipment, will deliver 300 megawatts of wind turbines for two projects that E.ON AG (EOAN) is building in northeast Illinois. GE will provide 188 of its 1.6-megawatt turbines to the Settlers ...