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 ...

"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 ...

RENEWABLE ENERGY, IT’S TIME TO TAKE THE GLOVES OFF!

Okay, so all’s fair in love and war. The latest advertising incarnation for the oil companies is a pleasant, almost jolly and good looking (Ladies, correct me if I’m wrong.) mid-50s man talking about how science does some extraordinary research that leads to finding energy underground. With a smile he professes that this great work creates jobs and runs clean vehicles and babies are born and the sky parts and we all live happily ever after (of course i'm partly kidding). Hallelujah!

In my opinion this is a bunch of $#!+. The sad part about this form of advertising is that it is effective. Just the same way we continue to elect worthless individuals during elections, this message will be drilled into the mainstream mind and perfectly sane individuals will have arguments over what’s better, clean energy or filthy disgusting polluting energy. It’s crazy to think that this stuff will work, but it will.

Until the renewable energy industry gets its act together and spends money to counter the message being served by the non-renewable energy industry we will not see considerable gains on the renewable energy side. From the beginning of time communication has been twisted to serve one cause or another.

The renewable energy industry is not without resources or organizations to represent it. I don’t mean to pick on any one group, but it comes to mind that the American Council on Renewable Energy, United States Green Building Council, and Interstate Renewable Energy Council, to name a few, have a mission to grow renewable energy. But I see no national campaigns to counter the oil companies. Yes, the oil companies have huge amounts of cash and will counter any campaign with even more ads. But, man, this is competition and you have to make your case in the minds of the people.

My message is that we should stop making apologies, take the gloves off and start using television to get the renewable energy message out. That is, if you want to stand for what you believe in. As a matter of fact, let me take the first to place an ad on behalf of renewable energy. The following demonstrates the jobs that are being created by clean renewable energy and by dirty un-renewable oil and gas (Enjoy!):



Renewable Jobs



Non-renewable jobs



Renewable jobs



Non-Renewable clean up Jobs



Renewable Jobs

 

Non-Renwable Jobs

Renewable Jobs

No caption needed

These are just a few examples of what can be used to combat the PR campaign that big oil is bringing. When the renewable energy industry organizes and fights back, the sky will be the limit.

By George Lopez

Headlines

Department of Energy Pushes for Baseline Water Testing

StateImpact Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania may be the only state that has no regulations regarding private drinking water wells. That means well location, construction, testing and treatment are all up to the individual landowner. So the Department of Energy's Shale Gas Production ...

 

Pennsylvania Groups Respond to Department of Energy Fracking Report

StateImpact Pennsylvania

By Scott Detrow As expected, the Department of Energy's fracking report is dominating today's drilling news. Here's some Pennsylvania-based reaction to the document. PennFuture's John Quigley calls it a “must-read.” Air quality, methane emissions, ...

 

Pennsylvania Wants Beacon Power's Flywheel Energy Storage

CleanTechnica

In addition to the $5-million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program state grant, the $53-million Hazle Township plant was also awarded a $24-million Smart Grid stimulus grant from the US Department of Energy...

 

Japan parties reach agreement on renewable energy bill

Reuters

TOKYO Aug 11 (Reuters) - Japan's ruling Democratic Party reached an agreement with the main opposition parties on Thursday to pass a bill designed to promote renewable energy, an opposition lawmaker said, setting the stage for unpopular Prime Minister ...

 

Billionaire Donald Trump's anger at Scottish wind farm decision

Environmental Data Interactive

The host of the US original version of the Apprentice, who is almost as famous for his hair as he is for his business ventures, issued a statement criticising plans for 11 wind turbines. A consortium consisting of Vattenfall, Technip and the Aberdeen ...

 

Wind energy now generates 20 percent of Iowa's electricity

REVE

Terry Branstad (R-Iowa) and other state officials will join the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) in sharing wind's powerful message this week in Ames: wind farm works for Iowa, which has become a national leader since adopting the first ...

 

Ford Offers Solar Charging For its EVs and Hybrids

Hybrid Cars News

SunPower, which is based in San Jose, Calif., says the photovoltaic cells in its SunPower® E18 Series solar panels are highly efficient, and take up less space than some other systems. The Ford program calls for 11 panels totaling about 147 square feet ...

 

Inexpensive catalyst that makes hydrogen gas 10 times faster than natural enzyme

PhysOrg.com

"This nickel-based catalyst is really very fast," said coauthor Morris Bullock of the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. "It's about a hundred times faster than the previous catalyst record holder. And from nature, we knew it ...

 

Geothermal system may provide heating, cooling for 750 condos

Niagara Advance

That was the beginning of a seed that was planted that he hopes will come to fruition—the use of relatively inexpensive geothermal energy to heat and cool the entire project. Racioppo explains that in discussion with Suzanne Wiltshire, an ...

 

Metro Vancouver is in hot water - and happy about it

Vancouver Sun

The regional district installed glass tubes on the roof of the 20-storey building in Burnaby in December 2009 to collect solar heat to augment the building's hot water system and gauge the effectiveness of reducing GHGs in commercial highrises. ...

 

To make green a reality http://www.thesolarandwindexpo.com/

 

Renewable is the term used to describe what we do, everything else is dirty

After a long vacation following the Solar and Wind Expo Maryland and Pennsylvania, I would like to say that we are all glad to be back to work and we truly apologize for the lack of postings during this time… but the entire staff needed a break. Now we are all back at our desks and have once again plugged into the rhetoric that continues to spew out of state and national arenas.
  

If we already know the correct path to a healthier and more economical way of life, such as wind, solar, geothermal, hydro, biomass and so on, then why must we endure the constant barrage of confusing comments and terms by no lesser than even our own President. Mr. Obama, in his quest to please everyone, has continuously touted clean energy to include “clean” coal and nuclear. REALLY? REALLY?

We might as well include oil and shale gas in there. Oh wait, he has.

He mentioned natural gas when he called for the United States to get 80% of its electricity from a “wide range of energy sources.”

Similar to the way “Green” has been whitewashed or watered down, so have the words “Clean” and “Alternative.” It is interesting how language is constantly used to persuade the general public to abandon its quest for genuinely clean energies and instead settle for what is touted as clean, such as “clean” coal and nuclear. But the sad part is, this is only done to profit a certain group.

In a capitalist society, blaming the profiteer is a futile exercise. As a matter of fact, our system is structured to reward the risk takers, even when those rewards are not for the benefit of the whole. Just look at the banking industry. Our government is supposed to keep this in check, but as we know, it has not done a good job of it.

So again, why must we hear these terms being used by officialdom? This is not leadership. Surely it would be utopian to never have to worry about our government and to always feel protected. But the truth is that government has few checks and balances. We as a society have got to make them accountable for their lack of strength and rectitude. Another election approaches and we again will have a chance to do our duty - or sit and grumble.

Great to be back!

"make green a reality"

Visit http://www.thesolarandwindexpo.com/

NABCEP-Certified PV Technical Sales Professionals Set a New Standard of Quality Assurance

Bryan Hacker, solar analyst of local business Solar Energy World, is one of the first solar professionals in the country to pass the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) Photovoltaic (PV) Technical Sales Exam. This achievement sets Mr. Hacker at the top of his profession. NABCEP's new certification has been developed to ensure quality assurance throughout the entire sales process and, as such, offer consumers a new level of confidence when they seek quotations, proposals, and energy and financial production estimates for potential solar electric projects.

NABCEP is the most respected and well-established national certification organization for renewable energy professionals. Designation as a NABCEP-Certified PV Technical Sales Professional is an important and meaningful certification in the renewable energy industry.

"Passing NABCEP's PV Technical Sales Exam and achieving certification is personally very satisfying," said Hacker. "More important, it means we can offer our customers the added confidence of knowing he or she is being handled by someone who is fully qualified to a full representation of the potential of the proposed PV system."

To earn his NABCEP certification, Hacker was required to demonstrate his knowledge on subjects as diverse as qualifying the customer; site analysis; conceptual design; financial costs, incentives, and savings; financial benefit analysis and financing; non-financial benefit analysis; performance analysis; and proposal preparation.

"One thing you can be assured of with NABCEP-Certified PV Technical Sales Professionals is that your sale won't be their first," said Ezra Auerbach, executive director of NABCEP. "Anyone who makes the considerable effort required to earn NABCEP PV Technical Sales Certification has been required to document his experience and education as part of the eligibility process."

"Make Green a Reality" visit http://www.thesolarandwindexpo.com/

Wind Power Enjoying Strong Recovery in 2011 and Geothermal Power Market Propelling The US Market

According to RW Towt & Associates, a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, The U.S. Wind Power industry appears to be entering a phase of sustained recovery after a subdued 2010. Today, in only the second month of the new year, more wind parks are under construction than in all of 2010 – 5.6 GW of additional capacity – equivalent to about 3000 new wind turbines.

Electricity generated by wind is cost-competitive with natural gas now, according to Elizabeth Salerno, the director of industry data and analysis for the American Wind Energy Association.

"We expect that utilities will move to lock in more wind contracts, given the cost-competitive nature of wind in today's market," Ms. Salerno stated.

Wind energy stocks took an average 37% haircut in 2010, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance. But, with a recovery well underway, bargain hunting investors have shown renewed interest in the sector – and the improved performance has exceeded expectations.

Exchange traded funds trading on the NYSE, such as PowerShares WilderHill Clean Energy Portfolio and PowerShares Global Wind Energy Portfolio are performing well. Even micro-cap wind companies such as Nacel Energy and Crownbutte Wind Power are showing new signs of life.  Traditional turbine suppliers like GE and carbon fibre maker  Zoltek continue to thrive.

Another recently release report gives an in-depth analysis of the geothermal industry in the Americas, covering all the countries currently engaged in geothermal power production in the region, namely the US, Mexico, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Guatemala. The research analyzes the upcoming trends and major challenges faced by utilities in current market scenario and key drivers of various IT applications in the utility industry. The report covers cumulative installed capacity and generation forecasts from the geothermal resources for all the above mentioned countries - up to 2020. It also provides a detailed analysis of existing and future geothermal potential, major projects and the regulatory framework of the mentioned countries. The report also includes an overview of the geothermal industry in the Americas, major deals and the competitive landscape. This research study provides information on technological analysis, key research and development trends, key industry metrics such as growth drivers and restraints, cost analysis and profiles of major international geothermal organizations. This report is built using data and information sourced from proprietary databases, primary and secondary research, interviews with industry participants and in-house analysis by a team of industry experts.

The Central America Geothermal Industry is Going to Tap into its Huge Geothermal Potential

Central America has huge potential for geothermal power generation. But only a few Central American countries, such as Mexico, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Guatemala, are currently harnessing geothermal power. With increasing emphasis on renewable sources for power generation around the world, and focus on gaining energy independence, many of these countries have started projects to develop geothermal resources. In addition, many other countries not producing geothermal power are investing in the development of geothermal resources.

The US Will Maintain its Leadership Position in the Global Market for Geothermal Power Generation

The US dominates the global geothermal market as well as the Americas market. The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is very actively promoting renewable and geothermal energy production in the country. Many policies and tax incentives are being devised to support geothermal developmental projects. The US government has also provided a stimulus funding of $338m for the development of geothermal projects under its Geothermal Development Program (GTP).

The US currently has many geothermal projects either under construction or in the planning phase. The capacity that is under development is more than the current total capacity of the entire Americas. It has more than 100 projects in the pipeline, which would add more than 7,000 MW of capacity.

"make green a reality" visit http://www.thesolarandwindexpo.com/

New Rebates Available to Homeowners Who Upgrade Geothermal Heating and Cooling Systems

Homeowners who currently use a geothermal heat pump to heat and cool their home are now eligible for a rebate up to $2,000 when they choose to replace their existing equipment with a new unit from WaterFurnace International, Inc. (TSX: WFI), a leading manufacturer of residential, commercial, industrial and institutional geothermal heat pumps. The rebate is valid on select systems purchased between January 3 and March 31, 2011.


The Geothermal Upgrade Event from WaterFurnace offers:

$2,000 to homeowners who upgrade WaterFurnace equipment that is between 1 and 10 years old.
$1,000 to homeowners who upgrade WaterFurnace equipment that is more than 10 years old.
$1,000 to homeowners who upgrade a brand of geothermal equipment other than WaterFurnace.

These rebates are in addition to the federal tax credits available for the installation of geothermal systems. "Under the provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, homeowners who install a geothermal system before Dec. 31, 2016, can take advantage of a tax credit equal to 30 percent of the installation costs," said WaterFurnace Director of Marketing Tim Litton. "The tax credit, coupled with this new rebate program, makes now the perfect time to upgrade to a new geothermal heating and cooling system from WaterFurnace."

A geothermal heat pump taps into the abundant free solar heat energy stored in the earth through a series of underground pipes (an earth loop) to heat your home during the winter and cool it during the summer. The energy source is free and renewable, and in many cases the monthly savings an energy-efficient geothermal system offers will surpass any payments associated with the installation of the new system. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) considers them to be one of the most efficient heating and cooling systems available.

Additionally, the average system lifespan exceeds 24 years -- compared to 15 years for an ordinary system. Learn more about how geothermal heating and cooling works by watching the video here: http://www.youtube.com/user/WaterFurnace.

Eligible WaterFurnace products under the Geothermal Upgrade Event include Envision™, Synergy3D or Envision Series Split (and Air Handler). WaterFurnace Envision products set the industry standard for efficiency, reliability and quiet operation, using an ozone-safe refrigerant to meet the most stringent requirements of the EPA. The Synergy3D is the geothermal equivalent of a boiler, furnace and air conditioner -- all in a single, environmentally friendly and quiet unit.

Round-up of largest renewables projects of 2010

A recently published round-up of the biggest renewable energy projects completed during the year shows that, despite the global recession, the renewable energy sector remained buoyant during 2010. The list of record-breaking projects was put together by the editors of Renewable Energy World.

Offshore wind

2010 was the year in which offshore wind came of age. The UK’s Crown Estate led the way, announcing the winners of its Round 3 tender process in January 2010, which will see an additional 32 GW of clean electricity feeding into the UK grid from offshore wind farms in the North Sea, on top of the 8 GW planned from previous rounds.

This initiative is by far and the way the largest of its kind currently under way in the world and has also meant that some of the largest offshore wind projects to be completed in 2010 were located around the UK; the biggest being the $1.2 billion Thanet offshore wind farm near the coast of Kent. This 300-MW array officially started sending power to the grid in the last quarter of the year and is currently the largest offshore wind farm in the world.

Despite its impressive size, Thanet will be dwarfed by subsequent wind farms that are in the pipeline as part of Round 3, including Dogger Bank at 9 GW, Norfolk Bank (7.2 GW), and Irish Sea (4.2 GW).

Returning to the largest projects of 2010, Thanet was followed by Rødsand II, a 207-MW extension of an existing wind farm in Denmark installed by E.ON in 2010, and the 180-MW Robin Rigg wind farm, again constructed by E.ON in April. This is Scotland's first offshore wind farm. Onshore wind Turning to wind farms on land, the US was the place to be in 2010, with the Roscoe wind farm – the largest onshore wind farm in the world – being commissioned in November. This 781.5-MW wind farm was closely followed by the Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center at 735.5 MW. The largest wind farm under construction is also in the US and consists of the 800-MW Alta Wind Energy Center, while the largest proposed project is the massive 10-GW Gansu wind farm in China; a country which will undoubtedly boast some of the largest wind projects in 2011.

Hydroelectric

Renewable Energy World turned to the editors of Hydroworld.com to look at the biggest projects in the hydroelectric sector, finding that the largest project that began operation in 2010 also holds the record as Southeast Asia's largest hydroelectric power station. The first of six turbines at Vietnam’s 2.4-GW Son La station was connected to the national power grid in late December, and it is forecast that the two-billion-dollar plant will be fully operational in 2012, three years ahead of a target set by the National Assembly.

South East Asia is also home to the second largest project that went online in 2010. The Nam Theun 2 hydroelectric power project in Laos was completed in December at a cost of $1.45 billion and has a capacity of 1,070-MW. The project is co-owned by Electricite de France, the Lao government, the Electricity Generating Public Co. of Thailand and Italian-Thai Development.

Major hydro power projects were also completed in Brazil (the 855-MW Foz do Chapeco hydropower plant) and Ethiopia (the 460-MW Beles plant), while the largest hydroelectric project in North America (the Toba Montrose project) went online in British Columbia (Canada) after three years of construction and at a cost of $663 million.

Solar photovoltaic

Europe was very much at the forefront of major solar photovoltaic (PV) projects throughout last year, with all but the largest of the top eight projects being constructed in Italy, Germany and Spain. Nonetheless, prompted by a succulent feed-in tariff, the largest solar PV array to be completed in 2010 was located in Ontario (Canada), after solar developers chose to expand the Sarnia PV plant to a 97-MW capacity.

Developed by SunRay Renewable and acquired by SunPower in February 2010, the Montalto di Castro in Italy followed closely behind the Sarnia plant, with a capacity of 84.2 MW. Third slot was held by Q-cells International’s 80.7-MW Solarpark Finsterwalde I,II,III in Germany.

Geothermal

Renewable Energy World found that while the US continues to lead in overall geothermal development, the top three biggest geothermal projects completed during 2010 were all located outside the country.

The biggest plant in 2010 was built at Rotokawa in New Zealand. Coming in at 132-MW, Mighty River Power’s Nga Awa Purua plant is the largest single-turbine project ever developed.

Italy again figured as host of one of the flagship renewable projects of the year, when the second-largest geothermal plant to be constructed in 2010 was competed at the Larderello field, which has been under exploitation for 80 years. Enel Green Power’s Nuova Radicondoli 2 and Chiusdino 1 wells, both 20-MW, came online this year.

Finally, Africa was home to the third biggest project fully completed in 2010. Sited in Kenya, the 35-MW expansion of the Olkaria II power plant brought the entire project to a total capacity of 105 MW, making it the largest geothermal plant in Africa.

Biofuels

The US and Brazil were the most favorable locations for new ethanol plants last year, with most of the sector’s top eight projects being started up in these two countries. The developer ADM was responsible for the two largest plants, located in Iowa and Nebraska (US). Each has a maximum output of 300 million gallons per annum and uses corn as a feed stock.

Brazil is home to the sixth, seventh and eighth largest plants, the first two in Goiás and with capacities of 98 and 95 million gallons per annum each, and the latter sited in Mato Grosso, also with a capacity of 95 million gallons per year. All three plants operate using sugarcane.

In the renewable diesel segment, Dynmic Fuels in Geismar, Louisiana (US) headed the field, when its synthetic diesel plant was commissioned. The plant produces 75 million gallons of renewable fuels per year from non-food grade animal fats produced or procured by Tyson Foods.

Nestlé Oil opened the largest renewable diesel plant in the world in 2010. Located in Singapore, the plant produces 240 million gallons per annum of NExBTL renewable diesel from a mix of palm oil, rapeseed oil, and waste fat from the food industry.

While the list compiled by Renewable Energy World is certainly not definitive, leaving out for example the solar thermal electric sector that saw a number of major new plants go live during 2010 including Acciona’s Palma del Rio facility in Cordoba (Spain), it does go some way to reflecting how much progress the clean energy sector is making as we move forward into the next decade.

For additional information: Renewable Energy World

"make green a reality" visit http://www.thesolarandwindexpo.com/

The Solar and Wind Expo 2010: Large, interested crowds see cool exhibits, hear informative speakers – and ride Segways

It’s hard to believe it’s been a week since The Solar and Wind Expo 2010 wrapped up on a beautiful spring day at the Timonium Fairgrounds north of Baltimore. Throughout the three-day event, we saw large, steady crowds keeping the show’s vendors occupied, with attendees saying they were excited by what they saw and learned, and vendors commenting that visitors to their booths seemed well-informed and serious about renewable energy.

Among the highlights inside and outside Exhibition Hall:

• ATR’s innovative solar tracking device, where you could see, right before your eyes, several pole-mounted panels turning to face the sun from sunrise to sundown;

• The candy-red Tesla roadster that drew constant “oohs” and “ahhs” just sitting on the exhibition floor, and even more excitement when it left noiselessly for brief but thrilling rides, courtesy of owner Bill Harris;

• The numerous excited attendees zipping around on Segways, provided by SegZone;

• The many folks touring the Living Zero Home set up just outside the Exhibition Hall (by Daylight Solar) to get tons of energy-saving ideas, and checking out the solar-powered carport (Timber Rock) next to the home;

• The futuristic-looking Extreme Bug-E – a sleek, three wheeled electric motorcycle pulling a trailer covered with solar panels – that Charlie Garlow unveiled at the Expo and will drive across the U.S. in June;

• The visitors taking advantages of free rides to the Exhibition Hall in all-electric e-Cruisers;

• The steady flow of attendees checking out the powerful and sleek-looking Endurance wind turbine propeller prominently displayed by Atech Energy; Astrum Solar’s online calculator; Groundloop/A+ Solar’s combined wind, solar and geothermal exhibit; the Electric Vehicle Association of D.C.’s all-electric Toyota RAV-4; the U.S. Department of Energy’s informative exhibit; Green Rider’s snazzy collection of electric bikes and scooters; Viridian’s innovative model for buying renewable energy and getting off the grid; and the many other informative and interesting exhibits throughout the Expo.

The Expo was also fortunate to land three wonderful and gracious main speakers. Malcolm Woolf, director of the Maryland Energy Administration, in addition to giving a very informative presentation about Maryland’s extensive renewable energy activities (and participating in our press conference) stuck around for much of the afternoon, making himself available for the numerous folks who wanted to speak with him.

Our great keynote speaker, Mayor Bob Dixson of Greensburg, Kansas, kept a large crowd enthralled with the story of how his town was utterly devastated by a tornado three years ago, and then decided to start rebuilding as the first all-green town in America, with environmental stewardship as its guiding principle. It was one of the most inspiring talks we’ve ever heard (and one of the most inspiring people this writer has ever met), and any community or city that wants to become truly sustainable can look to Greensburg as a wonderful living laboratory and example. (For more information, visit www.greensburggrows.com.)

Paul Scott, vice president of Plug In America, first related the gripping story of how electric vehicles (EVs) such as General Motors’ EV-1, started catching on like wildfire in California in the late ‘90s, only to be squashed – literally – by the car manufacturers (also told in the documentary, “Who Killed the Electric Car?”). He then spoke of how the new generation of EVs, such as the Nissan Leaf, Chevy Volt and Tesla that are coming out now, are picking up where the EV-1 left off and paving the way for a transportation future based on renewable energy. California is already developing a network of charging stations where EV owners can recharge their vehicles, and other states are going to have to do the same for EVs to truly take off and reach their potential.

And last but certainly not least, let’s not forget the many informative, well-attended seminars – all given by experts – held throughout the Expo, such as “Solar 101,” “Wind Energy 101,” “Geothermal 101,” “Intro to Going Green,” “Green Building Design,” “Why Now is the Time to Go Solar” and “Will a Wind Turbine Work for Me?”

make green a reality!

http://www.thesolarandwindexpo.com/

Sustainable structures of future will rely on renewable energy, grow own food, maximize use of resources, says green architect Stan Sersen

The sustainable workplace and residence of the future will not only use energy very efficiently and get all of its power from renewable sources, says visionary architect Stan Sersen. It will also grow much of its own food and use all resources as sustainably as possible, says Sersen, founder of the EnviroCenter, a highly sustainable center for green organizations located in Jessup, Maryland. And Sersen plans to make this vision a reality as soon as possible: a much-expanded EnviroCenter now in the works will encompass all of these concepts.


Sersen presented his vision for a more sustainable future – in which we not only employ renewable energy but also integrate where we live with the food we eat and the resources we need – at the February Earth Forum of Howard County, held Feb. 21 at the First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, Md.

The original EnviroCenter, housed in a converted 1905 farmhouse and now also known as “Phase I,” is very innovative and sustainable itself. It includes features such as rainbarrels, use of recycled and sustainable materials in construction, very efficient insulation, daylighting tubes to maximize natural light, and both passive and active solar design.

The expanded, LEED-platinum EnviroCenter will take Phase I as the departure point for a much bigger (20,000 square feet) and even more sustainable workplace and environmental center. Phase II also will feature:

• Highly efficient design and construction to minimize need for external energy sources.
• Geothermal power, in addition to solar, to produce the energy that is needed
• Natural daylighting and ventilation throughout.
• Comprehensive rain water harvesting and re-use, which, says Sersen, will mean zero water runoff from the busy road where the building sits (even in a 100-year flood), as well as reclamation and reuse of “grey water” (from sinks, etc.).
• Use of as many locally sourced, recycled and rapidly renewable materials as possible in construction.
• On-site biodiesel and electric vehicle recharging stations for employees.
• On-site, biointensive vegetable and cultivation both indoors and outdoors, with tenants able to buy produce through “tenant-supported agriculture” (a modification of the already popular community-supported agriculture).

During the forum, Sersen also cited several other innovative examples of how vegetation, especially in urban settings, can be part of our sustainable future (and in some cases present):

• “Greenhouse barges” already operating in New York Harbor where vegetables are grown organically for use by area restaurants.
•  The Baltimore City Schools’ effort, under director of food services Tony Geraci, to not only provide as much healthy food as possible from local sources but also involve students directly in growing and harvesting the food they eat in their schools.
• A new type of photovoltaic cell now being developed that is based on how sponges very efficiently absorb solar energy; Sersen called this “the next thing in solar.”
• Covering the south side of a building with vegetation (such as vines) to help keep the heat down as well as capture runoff water.
• More broadly, using “vegetables as landscaping” in your home or workplace.

To learn more about the EnviroCenter and Phase II, go to http://www.enviro-center.com/.

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