The plant will produce the Windspire vertical axis wind turbine, bringing more than 120 jobs to Manistee over the next three years.

Manufacturing will take place in a retrofitted auto parts plant and will employ former auto industry workers who have prior experience working with steel, building auto assembly lines and auto robotics.

World's first tandem junction SunFab Thin Film Line begins volume production

"We are pleased to have demonstrated that tandem junction technology is scalable to large-size panels and that these higher efficiency panels can be produced at volumes that make them ideal for utility scale solar installations," said Mike Splinter, chairman and CEO of Applied Materials. ...

Thin film tandem junction panels use about 1/50th of the amount of silicon per watt of electricity produced compared with traditional solar modules fabricated using crystalline silicon wafers.

April 21, 2009

2009 Goldman Environmental Prize Winners Beat 'Insurmountable' Odds

The 2009 Goldman Environmental Prize winners are grassroots environmental leaders from around the world who have fought mining companies, logging development, mounting piles of solid waste, toxic dumping and government indifference to tribal rights.

Aborigine, Inuit Tradition Can Fight Climate Change

Alaskan Inuits, Australian aborigines and Pygmies from Cameroon have a message for a warming world: native traditions can be a potent weapon against climate change.

Across America, Waters In Crisis

For decades, the Clean Water Act has broadly protected America's lakes, rivers, streams, and drinking water sources from unregulated pollution and destruction, rescuing them from the dire straits they were in during the late 1960s and early 1970s. But because of a concerted effort by polluters and developers, and muddied rulings from the U.S. Supreme Court, up to 60 percent (at least 15,000 important waters) have lost these vital protections and countless other waters (including more than 50 percent of our streams and 20 million acres of wetlands) are at risk of losing protections.

Africa Says Poor Need Billions To Fight Climate Fight

Developing nations will need at least $267 billion a year by 2020 to fight climate change and adapt to droughts, heat waves and rising seas, according to African nations.

The figure, part of a new African text for negotiations on a U.N. climate treaty, is more than double current development aid from recession-hit rich nations which totaled a record $120 billion in 2008.

Anti-corruption is Vital for Prosperity in the Americas

As the world faces a prolonged economic crisis the 34 heads of state meeting last week at the Summit of the Americas must ensure that transparency and accountability are an integral part of future actions to ensure prosperity in the hemisphere, according to Transparency International (TI).

Asia Governments Dangle Carrots To Attract Green Money

Asian governments are warming to the idea of offering incentives for green investment and could help attract billions of dollars in funding for solar and wind power industries struggling under tight credit conditions.

Major Asia-Pacific markets from Australia to China and Japan to South Korea are at various stages of refining sweeteners to encourage renewable energy projects. Some are raising renewable energy targets to boost large-scale green projects.

Asia May See More Conflicts Over Water - Report

Asia may see more conflicts over scarce water resources in the coming years as climate change and population growth threaten access to the most basic natural resource, a report warned on Friday.

Water problems in Asia are already severe, with one in five people, or 700 million, not having access to safe drinking water and half the region's population lacking access to basic sanitation...

Britain To Boost 'Green' Spending

British finance minister Alistair Darling is expected to boost spending on green measures by some 500 million pounds in Wednesday's budget, a government source told Reuters on Sunday.

CA to Secretary Salazar; No Offshore Drilling, More Renewable Energy

Last week, Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, hosted the last of 4 public forums around the country to gather input on offshore drilling and offshore renewable energy development. Choosing to end in San Francisco means he is going back to Washington with a resounding "No" in his ears. "No" to offshore drilling and "Yes" to investing in renewable energy, and any other new green technology San Francisco start-ups can figure out.

Change is a cold certainty

RUSSIAN sea captain Dimitri Zinchenko has been steering ships through the pack ice of Antarctica for three decades and is waiting to see evidence of the global warming about which he has heard so much....The experience was consistent with his impression that pack ice is expanding, not contracting, as would be expected in a rapidly warming world. "I see just more and more ice, not less ice."

Changing Climate Will Lead To Devastating Loss Of Phosphorus From Soil

Crop growth, drinking water and recreational water sports could all be adversely affected if predicted changes in rainfall patterns over the coming years prove true, according to research published this month in Biology and Fertility of Soils.

China Nuclear Safety Chief Warns Of Over-Rapid Growth

China will face safety issues and environmental hazards involving nuclear waste disposal if the nuclear power sector is expanded too fast, the country's nuclear safety chief said on Monday.

Concerns for Conservative Homeowners in Britain and the Implications for the Property Market

In recent weeks a number of reports have suggested that may be the worst might be over for the U.K. property market and that there are signs of a potential recovery.

Congress To Pass Energy Bill This Year - White House

US lawmakers will pass major energy legislation, possibly including measures to address climate change, by the end of this year, a top White House official said on Sunday.

Council OKs global warming resolution

Indiana consumers should not suffer because their electric power comes from coal...."Some kind of legislation is going to happen," Mayo said. The electric industry faces two options: Invent a way to successfully capture CO2 emissions from generating plants fueled by coal, oil and natural gas, or switch to alternative sources of electricity.

Duke Energy harnesses winds of the West

As Duke Energy works to meet North Carolina's recent mandate to produce renewable energy, an unregulated division is whipping up wind power in Wyoming and Texas.

Duke Energy Generation Services develops, owns and operates power plants for large users such as utilities, municipalities and industries in 18 states. More recently, it has focused on harnessing the winds of the West.

EPA Administrator Reinstates Full TRI Reporting Requirements

EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson signed a final rule to reinstate stricter reporting requirements for industrial and federal facilities that release toxic substances that threaten human health and the environment.

EPA Announces More Than $760 Million In Funds For Water And Wastewater Infrastructure Projects

In a move that stands to create thousands of jobs, boost local economies, improve aging water infrastructure and protect human health and the environment for people nationwide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $761.7 million to the states of Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and West Virginia. This new infusion of money will help state and local governments finance many of the overdue improvements to water and wastewater projects that are essential to protecting public health and the environment.

EPA Finds Greenhouse Gases Pose Threat to Public Health, Welfare

After a thorough scientific review ordered in 2007 by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a proposed finding Friday that greenhouse gases contribute to air pollution that may endanger public health or welfare.

Foreclosure Zombies of Mass Destruction

The foreclosure zombies are coming – coming to a neighborhood near … yours.

At first, they were an insignificant speck. You could be forgiven if you stepped over (or on) them when they crossed your path.  But the undead gradually infected more and more of the living.  Now, they are ready for their furious mass attack.  The proof is in the charts.

GE Joins Australian Government-Backed Initiative to Develop Carbon Capture and Storage Power Plants Worldwide

GE Energy, a world leader in the development of advanced coal technology, today announced that it is joining an Australian government-supported initiative to facilitate the development and deployment of carbon capture and storage projects worldwide.

Governor's Renewable Energy Program Makes Strides

Governor Ritter's Renewable Energy Technology Program is starting to produce results, creating clean-tech companies here in Colorado that are already making a global impact on alternative energy development and controlling climate change.

Honeybees in Danger

Industrial, pesticide-dependent agricultural practices in the United States are creating a death trap for the honeybee and threatening the human-bee symbiotic relationship forged over millenia.

House to hear from administration, industry on draft climate bill

Officials with the Obama administration and industry will share their views with Congress this week on draft legislation that would cap US greenhouse gas emissions by 83% by 2050 and create a federally-regulated emissions market that would require companies to pay for the right to emit GHGs.

Just 15 of the world's biggest ships may now emit as much pollution as all the world's 760m cars

Holy Cr...
The Guardian has a pretty shocking piece about giant cargo ships and the pollution they emit. The title of this post is a line from "confidential data from maritime industry insiders", and according to them, the low-grade ship bunker fuel that powers cargo ships has up to 2,000 times the sulphur content of diesel fuel used in US, and European automobiles and emission control is practically non-existent.

Lack Of Permanent Arctic Ice Surprises Explorers

The head of a British team walking to the North Pole on a mission to gauge how fast Arctic ice sheets are melting said on Friday he was surprised by how little permanent ice he had found so far.

Pen Hadow and two other adventurers set off in early March on a 1,000-km (620-mile) trek from Canada's Arctic to the North Pole. The team was set down in an area where scientists had been sure there would be permanent multiyear ice.

Lager's energy bill advances

Senators gave a green thumbs-up to legislation aimed at promoting private and public investment in energy efficiency Wednesday.

SB 376 would allow electric companies to recoup costs from energy conservation programs by permitting them to change their rates accordingly -- but only if the Public Service Commission deems that the new rates are equal to or less than what the electric companies would've charged if they'd opted to build a new power plant.

Moody's says US coal industry outlook stable, despite downturn

Moody's Investor Service on Monday gave the US coal industry a stable outlook, saying producers' "strong contracted thermal coal positions" offset challenges posed by the US economic downturn.

New official task force aims to color the city green

The Hermosa Beach City Council interviewed applicants to serve on the city's new Green Task Force this week, bringing the committee one step to closer to fruition....

The new task force will continue the GBC's work and cover much more by addressing other environmental issues such as water conservation and quality, lighting, air quality and recycling.

New Solar Farm Adds Hot Water To Cheap Electricity

An energy company in Israel plans to launch a solar farm this month using new technology it says can produce cheap and efficient electricity while supplying hot water to homes.

Obama's Role in the Smart Grid

The federal government is now in the midst of pouring nearly one trillion dollars into the American economy in the form of spending and tax cuts to serve as the central catalyst in the nation's economic recovery. The New Energy economy will lead the charge and attempt to double the production of alternative energy over the next three years as well as build a smart grid so as to help guarantee economic stability and the facilitation of more green fuel sources.

Oil inventories decline possible in H2 2009; BP chief economist

Oil inventories are expected to start declining in the second half of 2009 if policies adopted by the world's major powers stop the global economy from shrinking and if OPEC maintains a high level of compliance with its production cuts, BP Chief Economist Christof Ruhl said Monday.

Pakistan Offers Farmland To Foreign Investors

Pakistan is offering one million acres of farmland, protected by a special security force, for lease or sale to countries seeking to secure their food supplies, an official from the ministry of finance said on Monday.

Q+A - How Great Is The Threat From Melting Ice Sheets?

The UN Climate Panel says seas could rise by 18-59 cms (7-24 inches) by 2100, without taking account the possible acceleration of a melt of ice sheets in Antarctica or Greenland.

Even a small thaw of Antarctica and Greenland would affect sea levels since together they lock up enough ice to raise sea levels by about 65 metres (215 feet) if they all melted.

Report of Solar-Geophysical Activity 042009

Solar activity was very low. No flares were observed. The visible disk remains spotless.The geomagnetic field was quiet. Observations from the ACE spacecraft indicated steady solar wind speeds throughout the period averaging about 450 km/s.

Russia to present new energy security document; Medvedev

Russia will present Monday a proposal for a new international agreement on energy security to replace the Energy Charter Treaty, Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev said Monday during a visit to Finland.

Russia, China ink oil cooperation agreement

Russia and China have signed an intergovernmental agreement underpinning a $25 billion deal on oil export-backed loans from Beijing that was signed by Russian and Chinese companies in February.

SCENARIOS - US Greenhouse Decision And Congress Climate Push

The Obama administration's declaration that greenhouse gas emissions endanger human health comes as Congress prepares legislation to significantly reduce those emissions and spur the use of cleaner alternative fuels.

Friday's announcement by the Environmental Protection Agency was widely expected among lawmakers. Nonetheless, it could influence the debate that is unfolding in a few ways:

Stay Slim To Save The Planet, UK Scientists Say

Overweight people eat more than thin people and are more likely to travel by car, making excess body weight doubly bad for the environment, according to a study from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

Summit of Americas Leaders Pledge Environmental Cooperation

Symbolized by the friendly handshake between U.S. President Barack Obama and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez that smoothed a prickly relationship between the two countries, the leaders signed a declaration that includes many environmentally-friendly provisions.

Summit pushes clean-energy jobs

Sen. Sherrod Brown talks about Ohio becoming a "Silicon Valley" for alternative-energy manufacturing, and money from the federal government -- if spent properly -- can help the state get there.

The New Green Financial Ecosystem

Change is accelerating in the green space. The United States, and, later, the global economy are being restructured into greener and more efficient economic structures. While these changes are driven by higher energy prices and better technologies, the primary driver is government. Since government has intervened into the economy and become more activist, we are seeing an accelerating trend line for the regulatory policy framework that will drive green faster and farther than many observers and industry analysts realize.

Tulsa put on alert about ozone levels

This year is the critical year that will determine whether Tulsa County will violate the national standard for ozone and wind up on the "dirty air list," a DEQ official said Wednesday.

UK to miss renewable electricity targets; Camecon forecast

And an EU target for the UK to source 15% of all its energy (electricity, heat and transport) from renewables by 2020 looks impossible, with Camecon suggesting the percentage will be only 1.5% in that year.

Uncertainty keeps global crude prices stuck at $50/b

Though a deluge of downward demand revisions was unleashed on global oil markets over the past week, prices were remarkably stable, with both the NYMEX light sweet crude and ICE Brent contracts clinging to the $50/barrel level.

US Clears Way To Regulate Greenhouse Gases

The Obama administration opened the way to regulating US greenhouse gas emissions on Friday by declaring climate-warming pollution a danger to human health and welfare, in a sharp policy shift from the Bush administration.

US Court Strikes Down Bush Oil Leasing Plan

An appeals court on Friday struck down the Bush administration's five-year plan for offshore oil and gas leasing, saying it was put into effect without proper environmental review.

US EPA finding will help push for GHG legislation

US lawmakers will choose to curb greenhouse gases through legislation rather than allow the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate the emissions under the Clean Air Act, a key Democratic lawmaker said Friday.

US Interior awards $500 mil to six coastal states for restoration

Six US coastal states will receive nearly $500 million from the Department of the Interior to help them alleviate the impact of oil and gas development on marine and coastal areas, the agency said Monday.

April 17, 2009

44 % plunge in investment as crisis catches up with clean energy

The latest figures from research firm New Energy Finance show that new investment in clean energy has collapsed to just US$13.3bn in the first quarter of 2009, down by no less than 44% on the fourth quarter of last year and 53% below the level achieved in the first quarter of 2008.

A Thought for Tax Day, the Real Fiscal Crisis is Yet to Come

For taxpayers in America, today (04-15-09) is the deadline to pay their federal income taxes for 2008. With that chore behind them, they might now like to think about their future taxes -- the ones that will pay for the $787 billion stimulus package, the $2 trillion commitment to prop up collapsing financial firms, and other programs that promise to deepen our $11 trillion national debt.

ACE USA Launches Green-Specific Contractors Insurance Program

...a Contractors Pollution Liability program, which addresses the growing risks and potential exposures faced by contractors as they begin to access federal stimulus dollars and experience increased construction activity.

aerosmart x ²; World novelty the first time also allows passive cooling

With the world first aerosmart x ² is the Vorarlberger Passivhaus pioneer Drexel Weiss and a highly efficient building managed solution that not only heats, lifts and hot water is, but in summer also cools the living room - without air conditioning. A highly intelligent centralized control...

Asia May See More Conflicts Over Water - Report

Asia may see more conflicts over scarce water resources in the coming years as climate change and population growth threaten access to the most basic natural resource, a report warned on Friday.

Automotive Engineers Take On Green Challenges

After decades of focusing on automotive style and performance using fossil fuels, the Society of Automotive Engineers has placed environmental concerns front and center at their World Congress at Cobo Hall in Detroit next week.

AWEA calls report on variable generation an 'excellent roadmap'

A new report on integrating high levels of variable generation into the North American power system provides an "excellent roadmap for the grid planning and operations changes needed for America's future electric generation portfolio," the American Wind Energy Association said Thursday.

Brazil Requires Fossil Fuel Power Companies to Plant Trees

The Brazilian Environment Ministry announced Monday that power plants using coal and oil for energy generation will have to plant trees to earn their operating licenses from the government.

California To Get $260 Mln In US Funds For Water

California will receive $260 million of $1 billion in US economic stimulus funds slated for water infrastructure, US Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Wednesday.

The announcement comes amid California's third consecutive year of drought, a weakening state economy and a lack of consensus in the state Legislature over which types of water projects the state should finance on its own.

California Turns to Sun for Energy

The fuel is free, but most people are reluctant to pay the cost of the equipment needed to use it. That is the problem facing a growing number of local governments across America that are trying to persuade homeowners and businesses to install solar panels on their roofs to turn sunlight into electricity.

Cattle, Not Soy, Drives Amazon Deforestation - Report

The study, produced jointly by environmental groups and the soy industry, showed that only 12 of 630 sample areas deforested since July 2006 -- or 0.88 percent of 157,896 hectares (390,000 acres) -- were planted with soy.

By comparison, nearly 200 were converted into pasture land for cattle. The rest of the deforested areas had not yet been put to use.

China Takes Steps To Rebalance Its Solar Industry

Because the use of solar power in China has been insignificant, the potential for growth is outstanding.

Climate bill could trigger lawsuit landslide

Self-proclaimed victims of global warming or those who "expect to suffer" from it -- from beachfront property owners to asthmatics -- for the first time would be able to sue the federal government or private businesses over greenhouse gas emissions under a little-noticed provision slipped into the House climate bill.

Climate Change Could Worsen African 'Megadroughts'

Droughts, some lasting for centuries, are part of the normal pattern in sub-Saharan Africa. But the added stress of a warming world will make these dry periods more severe and more difficult for the people who live there, the scientists said.

Colombian Indians Plead For Water Preservation

Facing a lake covered by low-lying clouds, spiritual leader Arwa Viku burns leaves hoping that the smoke will carry his message, his voice mixing with the sound of waves lapping the grass-lined shore.

Democrats Letting Net Neutrality Die

Here was what was supposed to happen: With telco-friendly Republican Congress members swept out of the way, Democrats would usher in legislation enshrining Network Neutrality principles and give the FCC the power to enforce them.

Economic Survivalists Take Root

Now Patrick Wojtowicz, 36, his wife Melissa, 37, and daughter Gabrielle, 15, raise pigs and chickens for food on 40 acres near Alma, Mich. They're planning a garden and installing a wood furnace. They disconnected the satellite TV and radio, ditched their dishwasher and a big truck and started buying clothes at resale shops.

Efficient biomass use; USA learns from Austria

In the USA, interest in renewable energy sources is growing. The US government is betting on the use of biomass, and Austria has been a model leader in this area. According to calculations, the USA could renewably produce about 370 million tons of wood for energy a year. That would be the equivalent of 130 million tons of oil, and exceed the entire strategic oil reserves of the USA.

EPA Launches Interactive Web Tools in Celebration of Earth Month

With Earth Day only a few days away, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is kicking off the 2009 "Change the World, Start with Energy Star" campaign to educate kids and their families about how to save money and fight climate change through energy efficiency.

EPA presents 2008 Energy Star awards to 89 businesses

The U.S. EPA has presented 2008 Energy Star awards to 89 businesses and organizations across the country for their accomplishments in reducing greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency.

EPA unveils $600 million in new funding to clean up sites

The funding will accelerate cleanup already under way at most sites and fund some new cleanup projects. It also will jumpstart local economies by creating jobs, according to the EPA.

Feds pays farmers to till the desert

As drought forces families in the West to shorten their showers and let their lawns turn brown, two Depression-era government programs have been paying some of the nation's biggest farms hundreds of millions of dollars to grow water-thirsty crops in what was once desert.

FERC Ruling Advances Green Power Express

In a decision that supports renewable wind resources becoming an important part of supplying the nation's electric energy needs, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved Green Power Express LP's request for favorable transmission investment incentives. It also authorized the establishment of a regulatory asset for development and pre-construction costs.

Foreign Invasions

Foreign intruders have entered the country. But they did so from the comfort of their living rooms or offices. The news that the Russians and the Chinese are alleged to have hacked their way into the nation's electrical grid and left behind secret codes that could later wreak havoc is distressing -- but not unpredictable.

Forests Could Become Source of Warming; Report

The world's forests are at risk of becoming a source of planet-warming emissions instead of soaking them up like a sponge unless greenhouse gases are controlled, scientists said.

Deforestation emits 20 percent of the world's carbon dioxide when people cut and burn trees, but standing forests soak up 25 percent of the emissions.

If the Earth heats up 2.5 degrees Celsius (4.5 degrees F) or more, evaporation from the additional heat would lead to severe droughts and heat waves that could kill wide swaths of trees in the tropics of Africa, southern Asia and South America. And emissions from the rotting trees would make forests a source of global warming.

GHG Management Institute Issues First Code Of Conduct For GHG Professionals

Like any industry where there are large financial transactions entailing complex accounting and pollution reporting procedures, there is a high risk for discrepancies and misconduct.

Global Crisis Sparks Gold Rush In Brazil's Amazon

Pedro Ferreira spends his days and nights in a cramped, steamy tunnel under the damp earth of the Amazon rain forest, chipping away at a wall of rock glittering with traces of gold.

Greed, Fear and Loathing, What’s Next for Home Prices

For US home prices, there was greed, then fear, and now … the loathing.

The ‘greed’ era ran from 2001 through 2006; followed by a brief bout of ‘fear’ in 2007 and 2008.  Now it is 2009, and time for the ‘loathing.’ 

For about 15 of the past 22 years (1987 – 2008), home prices followed income.  This relationship broke down in 2001, and we are now living through a correction of a surge that peaked in 2006. 

GreenWaste Recovery And SolarCity Complete 1.8 Acre Solar Panel Installation To Power San Jose Material Recovery Facility

GreenWaste Recovery, an industry leader in all aspects of recycling, composting and managing solid waste, and SolarCity®, a national leader in solar power system design, financing, installation, monitoring and related services, today announced the completion of a dual-array, 1,502-panel solar power system that will provide renewable power to GreenWaste's Material Recovery Facility (MRF) to process and recover residential and commercial recyclable materials, yard trimmings and solid waste.

Historic Database Shows High Concentrations Of Naturally Occurring Uranium In South Texas Water Wells

As early as the 1970s, levels of naturally occurring uranium in South Texas groundwater exceeded today's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards for public drinking water supplies.

Los Angeles seeking academic help to develop clean technology

Los Angeles, the second largest U.S. metropolis, is seeking academic help to develop clean technology in a bid to become the nation's "cleanest" and " greenest" city, it was reported on Thursday.

Minister frets at repeated fires at Japan's biggest nuke plant

Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Toshihiro Nikai expressed irritation Tuesday over repeated fire incidents at Japan's biggest nuclear power plant as it prepares to restart operations amid close attention from around the world.

Most Green Products Make Some False Claims; Report

Just 2 percent of the growing number of self-proclaimed green products on store shelves make completely legitimate claims on their labels, a report by consulting firm TerraChoice Environmental Marketing said Wednesday.

Most US Mortgage Rates Recede this Week

Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) yesterday released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.82 percent with an average 0.6 point for the week ending April 16, 2009, down from last week when it averaged 4.87 percent.  Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 5.88 percent. 

Nursing by Numbers; How Breastfeeding Boosts the National Economy

"Breastfeeding and the provision of breastmilk exclusively for the first 6 months? promises the United States improved health of both its citizens and its economy," the US Breastfeeding Committee said in response to the USDA report.

Obama highlights efforts to build national high speed rail system

US President Barack Obama on Thursday again called for a multi-year effort to build a high speed rail system between major American cities, saying that investing billions of dollars into the measure would help reduce congestion and cut down on gasoline use and greenhouse gas emissions.

Ocean Power receives funding for Hawaii wave power project

Ocean Power Technologies Inc has received additional funding of US$1.1 million for its on-going project with the US Navy to demonstrate the PowerBuoy® wave power system off the Hawaiian island of Oahu.

Oil Industry sounds the alarm over supply-side slowdown

One of the most obvious impacts of the financial crisis and ensuing global economic slowdown on the oil sector has been to dent consumption in many countries, but there have also been big changes to the supply outlook in recent months.

Some of these changes are due directly to the credit crunch and the difficulty companies face in securing money, but a bigger factor has been the spectacular collapse in oil prices since last July's record levels and what this means for anyone considering embarking on new upstream investment.

OPEC reasserts output discipline after 2008 windfall disappears

The turbulence of the past year has been particularly felt by the member states of OPEC, whose economies depend heavily on oil revenues and enjoyed an unprecedented windfall as oil prices soared in 2008.

At the same time, the upwards March of prices exposed the apparent inability of the cartel to control prices.

Oslo Sets Limit On Arctic Seabed, Short Of North Pole

Norway became on Wednesday the first Arctic state to agree limits to its northern seabed, stopping short of the North Pole in a regional territorial scramble driven partly by hopes of finding oil and gas.

Overconsumption Dwarfs Population As Main Environmental Threat

It's overconsumption, not population growth, that is the fundamental problem: By almost any measure, a small portion of the world's people — those in the affluent, developed world — use up most of the Earth's resources and produce most of its greenhouse gas emissions.

Over-the-counter coal in doldrums, with few trades, flat prices

Few trades were reported in Tuesday's over-the-counter coal market and the prices of trades that occurred were flat with Monday.

Protesters Try to Power Down Duke's Message

In what's become a traveling sideshow to upstage public appearances by Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers, more than a dozen protestors Tuesday mocked the Charlotte utility's ongoing construction of a coal-burning power plant in the state.

Recession sparks radical rethink of oil demand projections

Demand for oil in its many forms has been buffeted by the world's growing economic malaise in recent months, and is now widely expected to fall by more than 1 million b/d in 2009.

Regulators gear up for nuclear revival

For America's power industry and its regulators, the long nuclear winter appears to be over.

With proposals for 26 new reactors from TVA and 16 other utilities, the chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Monday the agency is gearing up for its biggest workload in a generation.

Reports say billions in transportation and green spending could add millions of jobs

The federal government could boost the economy and generate more than 1 million new jobs by spending $100 billion on transportation infrastructure and environmentally friendly projects.

Russia CO2 Emissions Up In 2007, But Lag GDP Growth

Russia's greenhouse gas emissions rose by a tiny 0.3 percent in 2007 to the highest in more than a decade, sharply lagging an oil-backed surge in economic growth, official data showed.

Russia energy ministry expects crude output to hold steady in '09

Russia's energy ministry does not expect the country's crude oil output to fall in 2009 from 9.735 million b/d seen in 2008, given the current trend in the industry, it said late Thursday.

Santana; Obama Should Legalize Pot

"Legalize marijuana and take all that money and invest it in teachers and in education," Santana said in an interview this week. "You will see a transformation in America."

Shippers and traders seek solace in the tune of contango

The large drop-off in global oil demand - both predicted and actual - has forced a major change on the way oil is traded, as companies grapple with a financial structure not seen in decades.

Singapore Scientists Say Can Turn CO2 Into Biofuel

The scientists at the state-backed Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology said on Thursday they used non-toxic organocatalysts to make ethanol, a biofuel that is also used as an industrial feedstock.

Study Shows Longer Summers Are Killing Coral

To the list of climate change's victims, you can now add the suffering Gorgonia. Scientists at Spain's Higher Council of Scientific Investigation (CSIC) have discovered that lengthening summers in the Mediterranean are having dire effects on the familiar fan-shaped coral, as well as on many other kinds of marine invertebrates.

Supply and demand cannot explain 2008 gas price rise; US FERC

Supply and demand fundamentals could not explain the steep natural gas price increases last summer, when Henry Hub spot prices peaked at more than $13/MMbtu in July, before they began a slide that continued through the first quarter of 2009..

Sustainable Cities

The dark clouds will subside and give way to blue skies. But the city of San Jose, Calif., isn't waiting. It's taking concrete steps now to prepare for a sustainable future -- a proposition that it says includes creating 25,000 new clean technology jobs and receiving all of its electrical power from renewable energy sources, all within 15 years.

Team forms to boost sustainable operations at hospitals

HealthTrust Purchasing Group and Ascent Healthcare Solutions will team with Practice Greenhealth to encourage sustainable operations at hospitals and other healthcare facilities.

It is a first-of-its-kind partnership,,,

Technology Spotlight; Wind Turbines

At the recently held EWEC 2009 wind energy conference and exhibition most exhibitors agreed that while there has been a substantial business slowdown due to problems linked to obtaining wind project financing, an upturn in demand during the second half of 2009 is beginning to play out, at least in the U.S.

Town Hall for Hope

Mark your calendar for April 23 at 8:00 p.m. EDT! We are holding an exciting one-time national event called Town Hall for Hope, and you're invited!

Transmission's Time in Congress

In spite of the associated complex issues that must be confronted, legislation is in the works.

Tritium found in water in underground vault at Oyster Creek

Water containing tritium was discovered at Oyster Creek in an underground concrete vault, Exelon Nuclear said in a statement Thursday. The vault houses electrical lines and equipment, and "plant engineers are working to determine how the tritium might have entered the space," the company said.

U.S. greenhouse gas emissions increase by 1.4% in 2007

U.S. greenhouse gas emissions increased by 1.4% in 2007 compared with the previous year, according to the U.S. EPA´s latest national greenhouse gas inventory.

U.S. Mutual Funds Carbon Footprint Study; Immense Variations Seen In Carbon Intensity

For the first time ever, investors and fund managers are now able to compare the carbon footprints of leading U.S. mutual funds, thanks to a report released recently by Trucost, the world's foremost environmental data & research company.

UK must act now on wind energy, says influential report

The Institute for Public Policy Research (Ippr) has said that without a rapid expansion of offshore wind capacity the UK will struggle to achieve its legally-binding target of 15% of renewable energy from renewable sources by 2020.

UK's biggest Energy from Waste project gets go ahead

Keppel Seghers has secured a US$518 million contract to build combined heat and power/energy from waste (CHP/EFW) facilities, as part of one of the largest waste and renewable energy projects in the UK.

US chamber says 'green tape' stops 'thousands' of energy projects

The US Chamber of Commerce on Thursday launched a campaign to promote "green projects" it said could proceed if only environmental groups, local governments and others would stop opposing sponsors' efforts to obtain sites and permits for the ventures.

US Weather Commentary 041709

US, Mexico Agree New Partnership On Climate Change

The United States and Mexico agreed on Thursday on a new partnership to fight climate change and promote environmentally-friendly forms of energy production, they said in a joint statement.

Waste_Inbox 041609

Lest We Forget: The comatose economy has generated such intense, widespread anxiety over the last six months that our former No. 1 dread generator, terrorism, has taken a big step down on the media´s and most Americans´ radar screens.

Where next for the crude market roller coaster?

If the events of 2008 can teach the soothsayers of the oil industry anything, it must surely be that theirs is a near-impossible task, as oil prices rose further than anyone would have thought possible, then promptly fell even further and even faster.

Why Legalizing Marijuana Makes Sense

...beneath the furious roil of the economic crisis, a national conversation has quietly begun about the irrationality of our drug laws. It is going on in state legislatures, like New York's, where the draconian Rockefeller drug laws are up for review; in other states, from California to Massachusetts, various forms of marijuana decriminalization are being enacted.

Wind Turbine Imports Increase; Can U.S. Factories Catch Up?

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

WM breaks ground on single-stream recovery facility

Waste Management Inc. has broken ground on a single-stream materials recovery facility in Surprise, Ariz.

The 65,000-square-foot site will have the capacity to process 150,000 tons of recyclables annually.

April 14, 2009

Alaska oil, gas spending to jump in FY 2010 despite prices; state

Alaska's oil and gas producers and explorers are expected to boost capital and operating spending in the state's next fiscal year by about 25% despite low prices, Alaska's Department of Revenue said in a forecast.

Applications for Purchase and for Refinancing Up Nicely as Mortgage Rates Remain Under 5%

Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) last week released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.87 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending April 9, 2009, up from last week when it averaged 4.78 percent.  Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 5.88 percent. 

Arizona Prepares to Offer Over $200 Million to Fund Home Energy Audits

The Arizona Solar Power Society invites residential customers and commercial businesses to attend a special FREE Arizona Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Community Outreach conference in Phoenix on April 16th at 10:30 am. The purpose of the conference is to educate the general public on the societal benefits of reducing energy consumption and helping utility companies avoid the costs of building capital intensive, carbon-based power plants, and reducing harmful carbon emissions that contribute to global warming.

Biodiesel maker Natural Fuel put under administration

The renewable energy company had placed more than 53 million shares at A$1.50/share in its initial public offering in December 2006. But soon after listing, its shares plummeted from a high of more than A$1.20/share as a mix of high palm oil prices, low biodiesel selling prices
and production problems at its Darwin plant hampered its business. Eventually in September 2008, the 120,000 mt/year Darwin biodiesel plant was placed under administration

Calgary reworks supply deal to get 100% renewable power in 2012

The city of Calgary, Alberta, has reworked a power supply deal with Enmax Energy to increase the proportion of electricity it receives from renewable sources, it said.

Under the revamped deal, instead of obtaining 90% of its power from renewable sources in 2012, Calgary will now receive all of its power from renewable resources beginning in that year, it said.

Cleanup Resumes at California Nuclear Weapons Research Lab

The U.S. Department of Energy has agreed to cleanup of toxic waste at its Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California, 40 miles east of San Francisco. The agreement was reached after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency notified the department in early January that it must immediately restart the shuttered treatment facilities or face escalating fines.

Eco Everest Expedition 2009 Carries Climate Warning

The sherpa who holds the world's record for the most ascents to the summit of Mt. Everest has set off to climb the world's highest peak for a record 19th time, carrying a climate conservation message to the world.

As climbing leader of Eco Everest Expedition 2009 now making its way up the mountain, Apa Sherpa is carrying a WWF banner with the inscription "Stop Climate Change - Let the Himalayas Live!" and a metal vase containing Buddhist offerings up to the summit.

EIA estimates OPEC output at 28.5 mil b/d in Q109

OPEC crude production averaged 28.5 million b/d in the first quarter of 2009 and is expected to remain close to this level in the second quarter before rising to 28.82 million b/d in the third quarter and 29.2 million b/d in the fourth, the US Energy Information Administration said Tuesday.

For Alaska's Inupiat, Climate Change and Culture Shock

For the Inupiat people of northern Alaska, whales are a way of life. These people eat the animals. They worship them. They organize their calendars around them. And on and on. It's been that way for thousands of years.

Now, however, climate change is pushing the whales further north, making it harder for the Inupiat to catch them. That environmental shift is threatening the culture's fundamental roots.

Global crude futures firmer as equities rise

Global crude futures recovered some of the previous session's losses during European morning trade Tuesday, as equities rose in both Asia and Europe.

Industrial sector gas use could decline 7% in 2009; US EIA

Natural gas consumption by the industrial sector is expected to decline by more than 7% this year, the US Energy Information Administration said Tuesday, cutting its projected 2009 average Henry Hub spot price by 9.2% to $4.24/Mcf.

Iowa passes California in wind generating capacity, AWEA says

While Texas still leads the nation in wind generating capacity, Iowa has passed California for the number two post, with 2,791 MW of capacity installed, compared with 2,517 MW for California, the American Wind Energy Association said late Sunday.

Italy's nuclear sites not in area hit hardest by quake

None of Italy's nuclear sites are in the area of significant impact of the earthquake that devastated part of the Abruzzi region in central Italy on April 6, according to the French Institute of Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety.

It's Time We Took a New Look at the Sun

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the world will need almost 60 percent more energy by 2030 than what it had consumed three decades ago, and fossil fuels are expected to meet most of our energy needs. We depend on oil for 90 percent of our transport, food, pharmaceuticals, chemicals and the entire bedrock of modern life. But oil industry experts estimate that current reserves will only last for about 40 years and will become very expensive. No wonder, recently a barrel of crude oil had hit a price of around US$145.

Kansas Governor Again Vetoes Coal-Fired Power Plants

Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius today again vetoed a bill that would permit construction of two coal-fired power plants in southwest Kansas.

The measure was the fourth bill the governor has rejected in the past two years for the two power plants near Holcomb in Finney County.

Maryland lawmakers approve GHG reduction target of 25% by 2020

Maryland lawmakers late Monday approved a bill that will require the state to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 25% by 2020.

The Senate concurred with minor amendments made by the House of Delegates and the measure was sent to Governor Martin O'Malley.

NYMEX crude opens under $50b on EIA's downward demand revision

NYMEX May crude futures opened 6 cents lower at $49.99/barrel Tuesday with another downward revision to demand growth by the US Energy Information Administration and weak US retail sales.

Total global oil demand will drop by 1.35 million b/d to 84.09 million b/d this year, a downward revision of 180,000 b/d, the US Energy Information Administration said Tuesday in its April Short-Term Energy Outlook.

Obama says early initiatives are beginning to turn economy around

US President Barack Obama will credit his early economic initiatives with beginning to turn around a still-bleak US economy and with helping to pave the way for a future in which the country is less dependant of foreign oil, according to excerpts of an economic address released by the White House.

Oncor says its grid is well protected from hackers

Oncor, the electric transmission and distribution system that serves 7 million North Texans, offered assurances Thursday that it is well protected from cyberhackers.

Oncor was responding to news inquiries after reports by The Wall Street Journal and The Associated Press of spies hacking into the U.S. electric grid and leaving behind computer programs potentially capable of bringing about catastrophic disruptions of service.

PG&E Betting on Space-based Solar

PG&E has asked California state regulators for permission to sign a power purchase agreement with startup Solaren Corp. for up to 200 megawatts of solar power that would be beamed to earth from space, according the Wall Street Journal.

Plug-Ins to Arrive

The plug-in hybrid car will accelerate. But it must first cross over some critical bumps. While engineers are preparing such vehicles to meet strict standards, they remain prohibitively expensive and relatively untested.

The automotive business is evolving, but it still relies on the internal combustion engine that drinks gasoline.

Recycling gets trashed, stimulus has cash

The recession is hitting recycling hard.

Markets for metals and other recyclable goods are in the toilet. Some haulers are even stockpiling stuff in hopes of better days ahead.

Report of Solar-Geophysical Activity 041309

Solar activity was very low. No flares occurred during the past 24 hours.  The geomagnetic field was quiet to unsettled. Solar wind velocity at ACE showed a steady declining trend with day-end values around 380 km/s. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit reached high levels during the past 24 hours.

Study Finds Environmental Education Programs Lead to Cleaner Air

A first of its kind study funded by EPA shows that environmental education programs are an effective tool in helping to improve air quality in North America.

 

"This study shows a valuable connection between better environmental education and cleaner air in our communities," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "With the right information, people can make a real difference in the places where they live, work, play and learn."

UK 'jeopardising 70,000 jobs' in failure to support wind; report

The chance to create up to 70,000 UK jobs in the offshore wind industry could be lost due to a lack of government support, claimed the UK's Institute for Public Policy Research in a report published Tuesday.

US EIA expects Henry Hub spot gas to average $4.24/Mcf in 2009

Natural gas consumption by the industrial sector is expected to decline by more than 7% this year, the US Energy Information Administration said Tuesday, cutting its projected 2009 average Henry Hub spot price by 9.2% to $4.24/Mcf.

US FERC approves incentives for Green Power Express line; ITC

ITC on Monday said the ruling will enable it to pursue development of the Green Power Express project, a collection of high-voltage power lines designed to transport up to 12,000 MW of power from wind resources in the upper Midwest to populous areas in Eastern and Midwestern states.

Wal-Mart challenges schools to make Earth a greener place

In celebration of Earth Day, Show Low Wal-Mart is announcing its participation in the chain's "Earth Day, Every Day" School Challenge, a program to recognize schools and student bodies across the nation that are taking active strides to create a greener, healthier planet.

Water Worries Cloud Future For U.S. Biofuel

It's corn planting time in the U.S. Plains, and that means Kansas corn farmer Merl "Buck" Rexford is worrying about the weather -- and hoping there is enough water.

Rexford plans to start seeding his 7,000 acres near Meade, Kansas, this week and he is relishing a recent heavy snow storm that dropped several inches of much-needed moisture.

April 10, 2009

25 Things You Might Not Know about Water

1. The world is currently in a water crisis. One out of six people worldwide doesn’t have access to clean water. Every year, 2 million people die of diseases caused by a lack of clean water.

2. Regions throughout the world are experiencing water shortages, due to both droughts and overuse of water. Rivers all over the world, including the Columbia River, now dry up before reaching their ends.

A transition to ENSO-neutral conditions is expected during April 2009

Atmospheric and oceanic conditions during March 2009 continued to reflect weak La Niña conditions. The monthly sea surface temperatures (SST) remain below-average across parts of the east-central and eastern Pacific Ocean

Chile invests 21 billion USD in energy sector

Chile has invested 21 billion U.S. dollars in the energy sector, with some projects for more than 7 billion dollars currently under construction, Chilean Energy Minister Marcelo Tokman said Wednesday.

Climate Change Complicates Ozone Recovery

Increasing greenhouse gases would delay or even postpone the recovery of ozone levels in the lower stratosphere over some parts of the planet, according to new research by scientists from NASA and Johns Hopkins University.

Coastal governors push wind power; drilling opposed

A new federal report stresses the potential for offshore wind power to supply much of the East Coast, and the governors of New Jersey and Rhode Island joined wind energy entrepreneurs in urging faster action on regulations so wind projects can move forward.

When it comes to offshore gas and oil exploration, "pursuit of those resources is not something we have an appetite for," Gov. Jon S. Corzine...

EPA to distribute $197 million to assess petroleum leaks

The greatest potential hazard from a leaking underground storage tank is that the petroleum or other hazardous substances seep into the soil and contaminate groundwater, which is the source of drinking water for nearly half of all Americans, according to the EPA.

Ethanol contributed 10-15 to higher food prices; US CBO

Increased use of ethanol in the US accounted for 10-15% of the rise in food prices between April 2007 and April 2008, according to a study by the Congressional Budget Office reviewed by Platts on Thursday.

EU; Earth Warming Faster

Global warming is likely to overshoot a 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 F) rise seen by the European Union and many developing nations as a trigger for "dangerous" change, a Reuters poll of scientists showed on Tuesday.

Nine of 11 experts, who were among authors of the final summary by the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 2007 (IPCC), also said the evidence that mankind was to blame for climate change had grown stronger in the past two years.

Exelon, citing 'business necessity,' cuts 2008 GHG emissions 35%

"For Exelon, reducing our [GHG] emissions is both an environmental and a business necessity," Exelon Chairman and CEO John Rowe said in a statement.

First Solar-Powered City to Fuel Clean Industry, Economic Recovery

Real estate developer Kitson & Partners today announced a landmark agreement with electric utility Florida Power & Light to build the world's largest solar photovoltaic power plant at Babcock Ranch, Florida - making it the world's first city powered by solar energy.

Food Crisis Not Over, U.S. Aid Is Key; WFP Official

Moves by the United States to provide more cash instead of commodities to fight a growing world food crisis are welcomed, but more is needed, a U.N. World Food Program (WFP) official said on Tuesday.

"Just because food prices have come down doesn't mean the crisis is over," said Allan Jury, WFP director of U.S. relations.

Germany; The World's First Major Renewable Energy Economy

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

Global crude futures firm on US stocks data, dollar

Global crude futures remained firm Thursday, buoyed by the effect of bullish US petroleum stocks data, the retreat of the US dollar and higher equities markets in Asia and Europe.

Global geothermal pipeline exceeds 9 GW

The global geothermal pipeline now exceeds 9 MW of projects under development, which if completed could almost double the installed global geothermal capacity of 10.5 GW built up over the past 30 years.

Has Power Grid Been Hacked? U.S. Won't Say

U.S. concerns about the potential for cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure extended to the American electrical power grid on Wednesday and experts pointed the finger anew at Chinese hackers, among others.

How Smart?

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

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

Ice Bridge Holding Antarctic Ice Shelf Cracks Up

An ice bridge which had apparently held a vast Antarctic ice shelf in place during recorded history shattered on Saturday and could herald a wider collapse linked to global warming, a leading scientist said.

Lower US product demand cuts need for refining capacity; EIA

Falling refined product demand, combined with boosted ethanol use in gasoline, has reduced the current US need for refining capacity, the Energy Information Administration said Wednesday.

More Bad News About Plastic Containers

New research analyzing mineral water held in bottles made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) raises questions about whether contaminants might leach from PET into the water where they mimic estrogen’s effects.

New efficiency rates for refrigerators to save millions; US EPA

Commercial refrigerators and freezers will now have to meet higher standards for the US Environmental Protection Agency to certify that they are helping to cool global warming.

New Study Supports Old Advice; Regular Testing Of Well Water Important

"Every drop of ground water is unique to where it has been borrowed from the Earth. As a result, NGWA's message is succinct: Sample appropriately, test locally, and test annually," he said.

New Tax Incentives for Greening Your Home

Still looking for ways to lower your taxes? Greening your home means you can get more greenbacks in return. The stimulus plan approved by Congress in February offers tax credits for making your home more energy efficient. For tax tips, the Green Home turned to Kateri Callahan, president of the Alliance to Save Energy, a nonprofit group that advocated some of these credits.

NOAA Report Calls Flame Retardants Concern To U.S. Coastal Ecosystems

NOAA scientists, in a first-of-its-kind report issued recently, state that Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs), chemicals commonly used in commercial goods as flame retardants since the 1970s, are found in all United States coastal waters and the Great Lakes, with elevated levels near urban and industrial centers.

Northeast Utilities Initiates Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure

Northeast Utilities announced today it is in the initial stages of developing an electric charging infrastructure for plug-in electric vehicles (EVs) in Connecticut and Massachusetts. The initiative supports regional and national policy goals which include reducing greenhouse gas emissions and reliance on petroleum-based resources.

Obama climate adviser open to geo-engineering to tackle global warming

The global warming situation has become so dire that Barack Obama's chief scientific adviser has raised with the president the possibility of massive-scale technological fixes to alter the climate known as 'geo-engineering'.

Our fancy Internet infrastructure operates on a wire and a prayer

The fiber-optic outage—actually sabotage—in the Bay Area on Thursday reveals a dirty little secret: Our infrastructure is ridiculously vulnerable and it only takes a few vandals (or terrorists) to bring communication to its knees. 

PacifiCorp plans to cut its coal reliance with wind, gas plants

PacifiCorp plans to significantly cut its reliance on coal-fired generation by adding about 2,180 MW of renewable and natural gas-fired generation over the next nine years, according to a draft plan it filed with the Utah Public Service Commission late Wednesday.

Plastic Found in One-Third of Leatherback Turtles

Leatherback turtles are ancient creatures with a modern problem: Plastic.

A new study looked at necropsy reports of more than 400 leatherbacks that have died since 1885 and found plastic in the digestive systems of more than a third of the animals. Besides plastic bags, the turtles had swallowed fishing lines, balloon fragments, spoons, candy wrappers and more.

Report lists America's 10 most endangered rivers

Rivers are the arteries of our infrastructure. Flowing from highlands to the sea, they breathe life into ecosystems and communities.

But many rivers in the United States are in trouble.

Rid your computer of the Conficker virus

Let's assume you're on the receiving end of the worst April Fool's Day joke of 2009: your computer's been infected with the Conficker virus. It's a frustrating but not insurmountable problem. This guide will walk you through how to cleanse your computer and inoculate against other Conficker variants.

Senate Moves To Restore Strong Protections For America's Waters

"America's waters are closer to getting back longstanding Clean Water Act protections as Congress intended," said Larry Schweiger, President & CEO, National Wildlife Federation. Every day that passes puts at risk America's streams, wetlands and our sources of clean water. We simply cannot let at least 20 million acres of wetlands go unprotected and stand by while 60 percent of our nation's streams are at-risk of losing protections -- Congress must act quickly to restore these protections."

Solar Power Is Here and There. But Can It Be Everywhere?

Ideas are taking shape in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (EUMENA) for a truly comprehensive, continent-wide energy landscape of the future. And some of the strategies coming out of planning bodies "over there" deserve serious attention on the North American continent

Solar-powered cooker wins climate prize

The Kyoto Box is made from cardboard and can be used for sterilising water or boiling or baking food.

The Kenyan-based inventor hopes it can make solar cooking widespread in the developing world, supplanting the use of wood which is driving deforestation.

Solomon Islands Solar; A New Microfinance Concept Takes Root

Under these circumstances, installing new solar power units – viewed as a luxury in even the richest countries – might seem a utopian and far-fetched venture. However...

Stage Set for Offshore Wind Energy in the U.S.

Proponents of U.S. offshore wind projects like Cape Wind in Massachusetts and Bluewater Wind's project for Delmarva Power in Delaware have had their hopes buoyed in recent months by new U.S. policy framework, including commitments from the Department of the Interior, the Minerals Management Service and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, that encourage the development of offshore wind energy generation capacity.

State's secret deal with coal plant sparks outcry

Gov. Chris Gregoire's administration and owners of the state's only coal-fired power plant have secretly agreed to new air-pollution limits for the facility, sparking objections from a federal official and environmentalists.

Stealing Power

It’s a crime. And it can lead to jail time and civil fines. But it can also cause death and destruction. It’s about stealing electricity -- an offense that recently triggered a blaze in a Philadelphia row home that killed a young mother and her small child, all by circumventing the meter and plugging right into the abuser’s circuit box.

Hard times and high prices tempt people. But power theft is unsafe and illegal.

Study examines savings for owners of energy-efficient homes

The study was conducted by Andy Shapiro, an energy consultant. It tested the "cost of owning and operating the new efficient affordable housing as compared to owning and operating a regular home."

The U.S. electrical grid; How big of a cyber target is it?

Spies have been reportedly been probing the U.S. electrical grid for months and planting software that could be activated at a future date, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

The report notes that the spies are from China, Russia and other countries.

Tribes in Peru-Colombia-Ecuador border fear death by oil

While the Secoya land in the Gueppi region of northern Peru may appear close in a map to all that drug and political violence, the area where the Secoya thrive is a “very clean,” rainforest right in the middle of the Amazon and hundreds of miles from the closest highways or Western-style town and all their trouble, he says. Life – despite rivalries with Huitoto Tribe neighbors – has been good for decades

U.N. Climate Talks Threaten Our Survival; Saudi Arabia

United Nations climate talks threaten Saudi Arabia's economic survival and the kingdom wants support for any shift from fossil fuels to other energy sources such as solar power, its lead climate negotiator said.

Underwater Cloud Break

Globally the internet is remarkably similar today: although we tend to think of it as a “network of networks” consisting of millions of private, public, business, government and academic networks, once you go global the fundamental plumbing pipes are surprisingly fat and few.

US Ready To Take Carbon Mantle

"The administration is signaling to the rest of the world that the United States is ready to assume leadership in helping to bring the world together and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and protect the planet," Nancy Sutley, chair of the White House's Council on Environmental Quality, told a carbon trade conference.

US Senate panel to unveil draft bill creating DOE 'energy bank'

The US Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee plans to unveil in the next two weeks a draft bill that would create a financial institution within the Department of Energy to help finance innovative energy projects in a flagging economy.

Waste_Inbox 040909

A recent survey on green products came with the wry comment that these days people are more interested in saving money than saving the Amazon. That might annoy green advocates, but our preoccupation with reducing costs could end up being the best thing that´s happened to the environment in a long time.

Waste-to-energy facility agrees to control emissions

In December, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency notified the Olmsted Waste-to-Energy Facility that it violated the Clean Air Act by not properly controlling mercury, dioxin and furan emissions.

Webcam witness to bald eagles hatching at New Jersey Duke estate

Duke Farms, now operated by the Duke Foundation as a wildlife refuge, collaborated with a non-profit conservation group to install the Webcam and has decided make it available to the public. The babies can be viewed :  also at:  Eagles Nest in B. C. live. you can see the mom & dad and one chick hatched today. Check it out and show the kids, Dave Bell

Why Are Renewable Energy Systems for Homeowners Still So Expensive?

Can you explain to me and the readers why solar panels are so expensive? Why can we not get the cost of this energy down to US $0.15 per kWh while we're paying off the equipment? Why are we paying for future production capability today? It is like the current electricity providers are saying, "Well, your house will use 12,000 kWh this year so we want our $1,800 now" or worse "give us 20 years up front" as the solar industry does today!

April 7, 2009

AIG, Before Credit Default Swaps, There was Reinsurance

AIG: Before Credit Default Swaps, There Was Reinsurance

"What do many corporate buyers of insurance have in common with American International Group? Perhaps more than they would like to admit. Like AIG, many companies in the past few years have bought finite insurance, which transfers a prescribed amount of risk for a particular liability. What regulators now want to know is, how many companies, like AIG, have used finite insurance to artificially inflate their financial results?"

Arizona State University Dedicates Five Solar Installations Totaling 1.88 MW

Arizona State University today dedicates five new solar installations, which collectively add 1.88 MW of electricity, equivalent to the average power needs of nearly 500 Arizona homes. ASU is receiving financial incentives through APS' Renewable Energy Incentive Program.

Barroso Says EU, US Converging On Climate Change

Opinions in Europe and the United States on how to battle climate change are converging, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said on Sunday.

"We welcome the steps taken by the new American administration and the increasing convergence between the European and US position on that matter," he told reporters after an EU-US summit in Prague.

Budget Battle Moves to House, Senate Floors

Democrats in both the House and the Senate this week hope to win passage for budget resolutions that will serve as the first step in enacting the ambitious agenda of President Obama. The budget plans propose a reserve fund for the development of new energy sources and other programs to reduce the country's dependence on foreign oil and to stem global warming.

Carbon Cap Deal 'Very Difficult' - UN Climate Chief

It will be hard work getting rich nations to agree cuts in greenhouse gases that are deep enough to satisfy the demands of developing countries at climate talks, UN's climate chief told Reuters on Monday.

China will not follow if US commits to deep CO2 cuts; official

The Chinese government will not commit to deep cuts in its national emissions of CO2 even if the US government agrees to a legally binding target to reduce its output of the global warming gas, Chinese government official Yu Qingtai said Tuesday.

Churches Going Solar

The members of Unitarian Universalist Church West in the Wisconsin city of Brookfield wanted to do more than talk about treating the Earth well. They wanted to take action.

Closing the Door on Building New Coal-Fired Power Plants in America

Since the beginning of 2007, 95 proposed coal-fired power plants have been cancelled or postponed in the United States—59 in 22007, 24 in 2008, and at least 12 in the first three months of 2009. This covers nearly half of the 200 or so U.S. coal-fired power plants that have been proposed for construction since 2000. The vast majority of the remaining proposals are essentially on hold.

Conficker worm hype

Question: Which was worse - The Conficker worm, or all the hype that some security firms and the media whipped up around this worm and the April 1st trigger date?

Answer: The hype.

Construction of Texas 100 MW Biomass Facility Set for September

Approximately 70% of the biomass supply will be from logging debris, while the remaining 30% will come from residual chips and sawdust from existing sawmills or municipal woodwaste streams.

Cost Works Against Alternative and Renewable Energy Sources in Time of Recession

...analysts recently compared the costs per kilowatt-hour of different energy sources for the big energy competitors. A kilowatt-hour is the unit of energy that the utilities use to bill homeowners, with the current retail cost averaging around 11 cents. A modern coal plant of conventional design, without technology to capture carbon dioxide before it reaches the air, produces at about 7.8 cents a kilowatt-hour; a high-efficiency natural gas plant, 10.6 cents; and a new nuclear reactor, 10.8 cents.

Democratic Senators Press to Sidestep GOP on Climate Change

A group of junior Democratic senators are pressing their more senior colleagues to push through a controversial climate change bill by attaching it to a special budget legislative maneuver.

Depletion of Prey Fish may be Starving the Oceans

Scientists are finding evidence of widespread malnutrition in commercial and recreational fish, marine mammals, and seabirds because of the global depletion of the small fish they need to survive, according to Oceana's new report, "Hungry Oceans: What Happens When the Prey is Gone?" These "prey fish" underpin marine food webs and are being steadily exhausted by heavy fishing, increasing demand for aquaculture feed, and climate change.

Energy bill eyes moderate Senators, gives FERC power over grid

Legislation that turns over transmission planning and permitting to the federal government and promotes nuclear power is expected to woo a contingency of moderates in the US Senate that plans to set new energy policy.

EU's 2020 climate package gets final, formal sign-off

The EU's 2020 binding climate targets to cut emissions and increase renewable energy use had their final sign-off Monday as EU ministers adopted the climate change package agreed by EU leaders and the European Parliament last December.

Final Offshore Wind Rules In Months; U.S. Interior

U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said on Thursday he expects his department to finalize rules for offshore renewable energy in a few months.

Florida Senate Committee Approves 'Clean' Energy Bill That Includes Nuclear and Coal

A bill previously introduced in the Senate dealt solely with renewable power did not include coal or nuclear technology.

Global Warming 'Urgent Threat,' Clinton Warns Polar Nations

"Global warming has already had enormous effects on our planet, and we have no time to lose in tackling this crisis," U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told the first-ever joint session of the Arctic Council and the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting, which opened its two-week conference today.

Government Report Suggests New Wave of Coal Plants Not Needed

The government found no need for scores of new coal plants currently on the drawing board, according to the Annual Energy Outlook report issued by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) today. The outlook found need for just two new coal plants between 2013 and 2025—and that is without accounting for expected new investments in efficiency and renewables, which should eliminate the need for new coal plants.

House & Senate Leaders Support US $250M for Ocean Energy

Leadership in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate are calling on the Department of Energy (DOE) to allocate US $250 million of the $2.5 billion in stimulus funding for renewable energy research and development to the emerging marine renewable energy industry.

Hydrogen Fuel Station Formally Opens in South Carolina

South Carolina's first hydrogen refueling station was officially opened Monday in Aiken, along with the new South Carolina Hydrogen Highway.

Ice Bridge Holding Antarctic Ice Shelf Cracks Up

An ice bridge which had apparently held a vast Antarctic ice shelf in place during recorded history shattered on Saturday and could herald a wider collapse linked to global warming, a leading scientist said.

"It's amazing how the ice has ruptured. Two days ago it was intact," David Vaughan, a glaciologist with the British Antarctic Survey...

Iran sees oil price rising to $60b if OPEC maintains output

Iran's OPEC Governor Mohammad Ali Khatibi said Tuesday that oil prices could rise gradually to $60/barrel later this year if OPEC members adhere to their current production level, official news agency IRNA reported.

Italy Muzzled Scientist Who Predicted Quake

An Italian scientist predicted a major earthquake around L'Aquila weeks before disaster struck the city on Monday, killing more than 100 people, but was reported to authorities for spreading panic.

LOL-- It's Good For You

Now researchers are drilling deeper to understand the healing power of humor and laughter, both artificial and real.

Mining Practice Stirs Passions

The Obama administration may clip the wings of mountaintop mining. Long a highly contentious issue, the White House is parting ways with that of its predecessor by ordering its Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to review all of those pending permits -- a matter that clearly pits economic and environmental interests against one another.

Missouri River Ice Jam Breaks Up, Easing Flood Pressure

The worst is over for North Dakota, at least for now. This morning, the level of the Missouri River in Bismarck dropped below seven feet, and emergency officials and residents were able to catch their breath.

MIT Professor Power; Your House With 5 Liters of Water Per Day

At the Aspen Environment Forum today, MIT professor Dan Nocera gave a revolutionary picture of the new energy economy with an assertion that our homes will be our power plants and our fuel stations, powered by sunlight and water. And it’s not science fiction.

Natives play big role at International Ecotourism Conference

First Nations and its culture played a prominent role in the Ecotourism & Sustainable Tourism Conference, which was held for the first time in Canada in the west coast city of Vancouver in October. The event was organized by the International Ecotourism Society based in Washington D.C., and attracted more than 400 delegates, some from as far away as Japan, Germany, Africa and Australia.

Navajos lose US Supreme Court bid for higher coal royalties

The US Supreme Court in a unanimous opinion Monday ruled that the US government was not obligated to increase royalty payments for coal mined on Navajo Nation land.

In doing so, the Supreme Court reversed a lower court ruling that would have enabled the Navajos to seek higher royalty payments, thereby ending a long-running breach-of-trust argument with the US Department of the Interior.

New Mapping Project Shows Path to Green Energy

The National Audubon Society and the Natural Resources Defense Council have joined forces, with support from Google.org Geo Challenge Grants, to create Google Earth maps of 13 states in the western United States. This new tool will provide industry, conservationists, policy-makers, and concerned citizens instant access to interactive wildlife, habitat and land management maps to guide appropriate site selection for renewable power generation and transmission facilities.

Nigeria pumps $5.4 billion of oil savings into power projects

Nigeria is paying out Naira 777 billion ($5.4 billion) from its extra oil revenue savings to fund power sector projects in a bid to solve the country's electricity problem, the state news agency reported Monday.

Obama Sets Out Plan For Nuclear-Free World

President Barack Obama set out his vision for ridding the world of nuclear arms on Sunday, declaring the United States ready to lead steps by all states with atomic weapons to slash their arsenals.

Planning for a Sustainable Human Future; Conservation, Population and Economy

Conservation alone is not a solution: We need to visualize success.

On a motorcycle, if you enter a turn with a gentle arc and that arc gradually becomes smaller, then you are in a decreasing-circumference curve — which presents a serious problem when you enter the corner too fast and then discover it closing down on you. It’s your classic rookie-motorcyclist error, and I made it.

There’s only one way out, and slowing down is not an option. To brake a motorcycle in a high-speed corner is disastrous. You’ll lose traction and lay the machine down on its side. So the experienced rider leans deeper into the irrational angle and holds his intent. He visualizes a successful outcome.

Polish Coal Plant Tops EU's 'Dirty Thirty' List

Poland is home once again to Europe's dirtiest power plant, but German utilities still owned 11 of the 30 most polluting facilities in the European Union in 2008, preliminary EU data showed.

President Gorbachev Calls for Dramatic Boost to Solar Energy

Green Cross International Founder Mikhail Gorbachev urged world leaders and the private sector to make big investments in solar energy swiftly as a way out of the current economic crisis and as part of an emergency response to climate change. "For the 2 billion people currently living without electricity, the sun is the best hope

Producers fight Salazar decision on Utah lease sale parcels

A US Department of the Interior spokesman on Friday said a group of producers fighting Interior Secretary Ken Salazar's decision to withdraw 77 parcels from the Bureau of Land Management's December Utah state oil and gas lease sale press their case before a federal court.

Renault, Nissan To Supply Electric Cars In Ireland

France's Renault and Japan's Nissan will supply electric cars to the Irish market within two years as part of a government plan to have 10 percent of vehicles electric by 2020, Ireland's Energy Minister said on Friday.

Report of Solar-Geophysical Activity 040609

Satellite Data Shows Arctic On Thinner Ice

Arctic sea ice, a key component of Earth's natural thermostat, has thinned sharply in recent years with the northern polar ice cap shrinking steadily in surface area, government scientists said on Monday.

Thinner seasonal sea ice, which melts in summer and freezes again every year, now accounts for about 70 percent of the Arctic total, up from 40 to 50 percent in the 1980s and '90s, the researchers said, citing new satellite data.

Slum Cooker Protects Environment, Helps Poor

Kenya's huge and squalid slums don't have much of anything, except mountains of trash that fill rivers and muddy streets, breeding disease.

Now Kenyan designers have built a cooker that uses the trash as fuel to feed the poor, provide hot water and destroy toxic waste, as well as curbing the destruction of woodlands.

Solar-Friendly Skies

Solar panels on rooftops are one version. But commercial-scale solar facilities are another. To this point, most of the attention has been on progressive homeowners who make their homes solar friendly. Some key companies, though, are working hard to provide electricity to large blocks of people.

Starting Point for U.S. Senate Energy Bill '09

The U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has been working to produce a bipartisan, comprehensive energy bill since the beginning of this Congress. It has now produced an outline of key details of the text that will be marked-up on March 31.

Syria Goes Green

While environmental issues have traditionally received little attention in the Middle East compared with the coverage they get in the United States and western Europe, this could now be changing.

The Amazing Benefits of Grass-fed Meat

For thousands of years, the dominant big grazer of North America was the American bison. It is the rule of co-evolution that when species evolve together they come to thrive on each other’s presence, and this is true of bison and the grasses, forbs and shrubs of the American landscape. But great herds of migrating bison grazed very differently than the way cattle graze on pasture today.

Three Mile Island 30 Years Later - Nuclear Safety Problems Still Unresolved

Unfortunately, over the last three decades, neither plant owners nor the Nuclear Regulatory Commission have adequately addressed the basic flaws in U.S. nuclear safety that led to the Three Mile Island accident.

Tiny super-plant can clean up animal waste and be used for ethanol production

Researchers at North Carolina State University have found that a tiny aquatic plant can be used to clean up animal waste at industrial hog farms and potentially be part of the answer for the global energy crisis. Their research shows that growing duckweed on hog wastewater can produce five to six times more starch per acre than corn, according to researcher Dr. Jay Cheng. This means that ethanol production using duckweed could be "faster and cheaper than from corn," says fellow researcher Dr. Anne-Marie Stomp.

Tips for 'Other' Hurricane Outlooks

The bottom line is 12 of the past 14 Seasons have produced more Storms than the long-term average (with only 1997 being below), and this trend is likely to continue during this active cycle of which we are in the midst. 

U.S. Supremes rule against Native Hawaiians’ land claims

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that Congress’ apology for overthrowing the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893 bears no moral, political or legal weight in stopping the State of Hawaii from selling 1.2 million acres of land seized during the illegal regime change before resolving land claims by Native Hawaiians.

US energy secretary questions natural gas use for transportation

Energy Secretary Steven Chu on Tuesday said he was undecided on promoting the use of natural gas as a transportation fuel, saying that it could put a strain on supplies for industrial uses.

Waxman-Markey Draft Sets Stage for Climate Legislation

The "discussion draft" for climate and energy legislation released by Reps. Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Edward Markey (D-MA) sets the stage for the federal government to rapidly adopt a comprehensive approach to energy and climate policy.

April 3, 2009

$4.5 Billion Federal Stimulus Funding Will Speed Electrical 'Smart Grid' Upgrades

The $4.5 billion in matching funds allocated to "Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability" by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) includes a significant boost to “smart grid” and smart metering initiatives, aimed at updating the seriously ageing US electrical infrastructure.

A U.S. Federal Renewable Portfolio Standard; Potentials and Pitfalls

When Barack Obama was still on the campaign trail calling for 25 percent of the electricity used in the U.S. to come from renewable sources by 2025, many voters may not have realized he was talking about a renewable portfolio standard.

California lawmakers advance proposal of 33% renewables by 2020

The California Assembly's Utilities and Commerce Committee late Wednesday approved on an 8-5 vote a bill that would require power suppliers in the state to source 33% of their electricity from renewable generation by 2020.

Chu aware of risks of US nuclear waste dump reversal; congressman

US Energy Secretary Steven Chu acknowledged the "enormous legal, contractual and environmental challenges" resulting from the Obama administration's decision to reverse government plans to bury spent nuclear fuel in Nevada...

Climate Change Comes to Your Backyard

As winter retreats northward across the nation, gardeners are cleaning tools and turning attention to spring planting. But climate change is adding a new wrinkle, and now a standard reference - the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Plant Hardiness Zone Map - is about to make very clear how much rising temperatures have shifted planting zones northward.

Climate Change May Cost California Billions

Climate change may cost California tens of billions of dollars annually in coming years as sea levels rise and hot days cause people to turn up the air conditioning, a draft report from the state said on Wednesday.

Does the U.S. Have Enough Engineers To Reach its Renewable Energy Goals?

Overall throughout this country, there seems to be a shortfall of about 75,000 engineers, even in the current economic conditions, and even before all of the new activities in renewable energy that are supposed to start soon.

Energy Policies are Complex Energy Solutions Are Even More So -- The Pickens Plan --

Because the "Pickens Plan" put forth by T. Boone Pickens has been put forward as a solution to the energy problems in this country, this paper will address aspects of the Pickens Plan and complications with the implementation in this complex market.

Enerkem plans second-generation biofuels production in the USA

Enerkem Inc plans to build and operate a second-generation biofuels production facility located in Pontotoc, Mississippi, USA, recycling and converting 60% of the Three Rivers region’s waste material.

EPA Challenges Americans by Launching National Cell Phone Recycling Week

EPA is launching National Cell Phone Recycling Week as part of its efforts to celebrate Earth Day the entire month of April. The week, which runs from April 6 through April 12, is a joint effort between EPA’s Plug-In To eCycling program and leading cell phone manufacturers, retailers and service providers to increase national awareness about the importance of cell phone recycling.

EPA Launches Interactive Web Tools in Celebration of Earth Month

The first Earth Day started 39 years ago when 20 million Americans decided we needed to do something about our environment. To begin Earth Month, EPA is launching several on-line communication tools to help educate Americans about how to protect their health and their environment. 

Here is a list of several interactive tools

Eyeballing Conficker with eye-charts and maps

As expected, the April 1st activation date for the Conficker worm passed without much noise but, as Microsoft and others are explaining, the botnet associated with the worm is very much alive — and still potentially dangerous.

“[This threat] should remain a manageable cause for concern

Flame Retardant Chemicals Taint All U.S. Coastal Waters

Chemicals used as flame retardants in consumer products since the 1970s now are found in all U.S. coastal waters and the Great Lakes, with elevated levels near urban and industrial centers, according to a federal government report issued today.

G20 Leaders Agree to 'Sustainable and Green' Recovery

World leaders of the G20 industrialized and emerging economies today agreed to build "an inclusive, green, and sustainable recovery" to help the world through the current financial crisis and to restore credit, growth and jobs.

Green Power Purchases Targeted to Wind, Solar

The nation's largest developer of renewable energy today plans to unveil a green power purchase program that could shake up the market by channeling all of the money into new wind and solar projects.

How a Green Economy Is an Antidote to Casino Capitalism

The convergence of a profound economic crisis and the inauguration of Barack Obama as President has created both tremendous challenges and opportunities for progressives in the United States. Two of the overarching economic issues around which progressives will need to struggle are: first, how to build a clean energy economy, creating millions of good jobs in the process; and second, how to create a financial system focused on channeling money toward productive investment as opposed to destabilizing speculation.

Huge Marketplace Opens Up for Energy Efficiency

A federal agency Thursday ordered the operator of the nation's largest marketplace for electric power to allow energy efficiency projects to compete directly with electric power plants. The new head-to-head competition was ordered to begin with an auction this May to purchase the resources needed to meet peak power demands during the summer of 2012.

Ice-free Arctic Ocean Possible In 30 Years, Not 90 As Previously Estimated

The amount of the Arctic Ocean covered by ice at the end of summer by then could be only about 1 million square kilometers, or about 620,000 square miles. That's compared to today's ice extent of 4.6 million square kilometers, or 2.8 million square miles. So much more open water could be a boon for shipping and for extracting minerals and oil from the seabed, but it raises the question of ecosystem upheaval.

J.C. Penney Co. installs solar power systems at stores

The retailer has committed to host 3.7 megawatts of solar projects at the five locations, as well as four others in California. The solar power systems will generate 25% of each store´s energy demand. The systems on each of the nine stores will range from 259 to 602 kilowatts. Integrys Energy Services Inc. will own and operate the SunPower Corp. systems.

Mainstream Renewable Power builds 500 MW wind in South Africa

The JV company plans to have two wind energy projects with a combined capacity of 70 MW ready for construction early next year. The deal involves a €850 million capital expenditure over a five year period and could see projects developed at the Eastern, Northern and Western Capes.

Majority Of Europeans Believe Quality And Quantity Of Water Is A Serious Problem

Almost two out of three of Europeans consider that the quality of water in their country is a serious problem, according to a special Eurobarometer survey on Europeans' opinion on water issues published by the European Commission this week-end.

MIT harnesses viruses to print 'green' batteries

Viruses can be used to assemble tiny batteries that can then be printed on plastic films, Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers claim.

NIGA honors Fort McDowell Yavapai leader

Not many contemporary tribal leaders can say they stood their ground against the FBI and federal marshals and won.

Clinton Pattea can.

NREL Assigns Renewables Experts to Hawaii, Alaska

NREL has dispatched clean energy experts to Hawaii and Alaska to work as advisors to local policymakers and utilities....Hawaii and Alaska both have considerable renewable energy resources, including solar, wind, geothermal, biomass and wave energy.
 

Obama; U.S. To Lead On Climate So China, India Follow

U.S. President Barack Obama said on Thursday the United States would "lead by example" in combating climate change so that developing nations such as India and China would follow suit.

Oil Not To Blame For Climate Change; OPEC

OPEC said oil was not to blame for climate change and consuming countries should pay to fight the threat, while the CEO of Royal Dutch Shell said drivers could help by not buying Hummer sports utility vehicles.

Only four days remain for citizens to demand that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) allow states to legally regulate global warming pollution from cars

Only four days remain for citizens to demand that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) allow states to legally regulate global warming pollution from cars. 

PV Tracking Applications Gather Momentum

Think of solar panels and you're likely to envision them fixed in a single position. But the sun travels from east to west every day -- at least from the perspective of the Earth -- and also moves from north to south as the seasons change. And solar panels make the most electricity when they are positioned 90 degrees from incoming sunlight.

"Now things are changing because of CPV.

Rainforests may pump winds worldwide

THE acres upon acres of lush tropical forest in the Amazon and tropical Africa are often referred to as the planet's lungs. But what if they are also its heart? This is exactly what a couple of meteorologists claim in a controversial new theory that questions our fundamental understanding of what drives the weather. They believe vast forests generate winds that help pump water around the planet.

Recovery and Reinvestment Act Boosts Municipal Solar Finance

Much has been written about the stimulus package signed into law by President Obama last month. However, there was one small and barely noticed change to the tax code that may turn out to be one its most significant achievements. With that change, Congress removed a roadblock to an innovative new financing program that can pump billions of private dollars into solar and energy efficiency projects with no direct cost to government.

Rep. Waxman releases draft of clean energy legislation

Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., chairman of the energy committee, has released a draft version of clean energy legislation that would impose a cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gas emissions. It would also mandate energy conservation and green energy development.

Report of Solar-Geophysical Activity 040209

Solar activity was very low. No flares occurred during the past 24 hours and the solar disk was void of sunspots. The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet to unsettled for 3-4 April in anticipation of a small increase in solar wind velocity.

Rocket fuel chemical found in baby formula; CDC

Traces of a chemical used in rocket fuel were found in samples of powdered baby formula, and could exceed what's considered a safe dose for adults if mixed with water also contaminated with the ingredient, a government study has found.

Sen. wants to develop projects on American Indian land

U.S. Senator Tim Johnson, D-S.D., plans to introduce legislation that would encourage development of wind and solar energy projects on American Indian owned land.

Small Islands Urge Deep CO2 Cuts, Fear Rising Seas

Small island states have sharpened their calls for the rich to make deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, saying low-lying atolls risk being washed off the map by rising ocean levels.

'Smart-grid' system vulnerable to hackers;  Experts

Determined hackers with as little as $500 worth of equipment and some computer know-how could cripple the smart-grid technology being piloted in Boulder and rolled out nationwide, security experts say.

Stimulus Cash and Social Consciousness Drive Up Interest on University Campuses

In what could be an encouraging sign of change in America's long-standing shortage of graduates prepared for high-tech careers, the hottest subject on college campuses across the nation right now seems to be renewable energy -- a surge of interest driven largely by the specter of global warming.

Stimulus Dollars Begin to Flow; Here's How, Where and When

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) continues to announce more places where stimulus money is to be spent as more funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is allocated.

"There's a whole sequence of events that has to take place. You have to announce the funding opportunity so people can, based on those requirements, submit their proposals. Then there will be an application review process."

Stimulus Funds Flow

An economic recovery may be hinged to the transformation of the energy sector. And that's why the Obama administration is targeting billions toward revamping the nation's transmission grid, increasing energy efficiency and expanding renewable fuels.


Perhaps the single biggest investment that could most affect national markets is the endeavor to grow the green fuel portfolio.

Study Shows Drinking Water Contaminated With Potent Estrogen

Plastic packaging is not without its downsides, and if you thought mineral water was ‘clean', it may be time to think again. According to Martin Wagner and Jörg Oehlmann from the Department of Aquatic Ecotoxicology at the Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, plastic mineral water bottles contaminate drinking water with estrogenic chemicals.

Summary of FASB Decisions

Determining Whether a Market Is Not Active and a Transaction Is Not Distressed. In response to comment letters and additional feedback received, the Board decided to make significant revisions to the proposed FSP. The Board decided that the final FSP would:

The Green Jobs Movement is Growing at RenewableEnergyWorld

The Potential of Ocean Power

Ocean power is 832 times denser than the air flowing over wind turbines as tidal waves are predictable up to the minute at least 100 years in advance. Understandable and rapidly declining costs coupled with high performance and output are the primary factors that will drive down the levelized cost of energy for ocean power technologies in the long term.

Transitioning to Renewable Energy

Most people tend to think of renewable energy as a clear break with our energy history, jettisoning all of the trappings associated with a dirty industry. It thus may come as a surprise to discover that, in fact, certain conventional technologies and infrastructure, including those associated with fossil fuel production, increasingly are being adapted to facilitate renewable energy production.

U.S. Community Colleges Are Ready to Train Green Work Force

It looks like a smart business strategy too. The U.S. government's recently enacted economic stimulus bill includes more than $100 billion for renewable energy, home weatherization, energy efficiency and power-grid upgrades. Projects financed through the bill's grants and loan guarantees are expected to create hundreds of thousands of jobs.

U.S. Court Upholds Power Plant Cooling Water Rule

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency can compare costs with benefits to determine the technology that must be used at power plant water-cooling structures, the Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday in a setback for those seeking greater protection for aquatic life.

U.S. Groups Say Vast Areas Off Limits To Clean Energy

President Barack Obama's plan to ramp up the country's renewable energy infrastructure has sparked some concerns among environmentalists who fear that a boom in solar and wind energy could endanger wildlife.

The western United States is home to sunny deserts and windy plains but also many endangered or threatened species.

U.S. Senate Leader Tries To Quell Climate Bill Fears

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid reached out to industrial-state lawmakers on Tuesday to ease concerns about proposed measures to cut climate-warming carbon emissions.

Uncertainty in wave energy market

Insufficient knowledge, funding issues, political will and general uncertainty trouble the wave energy market according to a survey conducted by Seaview Sensing, a UK company specialising in software providing real-time, met-ocean information on wave, wind and currents. 

Underground Water Absorbs CO2 Emissions; Study

Water deep below ground has safely trapped carbon dioxide for millions of years and may one day help absorb emissions of the greenhouse gas to help slow climate change, researchers said Wednesday.

US agencies cooperate on offshore renewable energy

Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, says: “Our renewable energy is too important for bureaucratic turf battles to slow down our progress. … This agreement will help sweep aside red tape so that our country can capture the great power of wave, tidal, wind and solar power off our coasts,” Secretary Salazar said.

US auto industry combats rush to higher biofuels blends

The US auto industry Wednesday shot back at the ethanol industry for its request last month that the US Environmental Protection Agency allow motorists to use intermediate blends of ethanol without jeopardizing car warrantees.

US Mortgage Rates Fall Again This Week, Hitting Another Record-Breaking Low

Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) yesterday released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.78 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending April 2, 2009, down from last week when it averaged 4.85 percent.  Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 5.88 percent.  The 30-year FRM has not been lower in the life of Freddie Mac’s weekly survey, which dates back to 1971 for the 30-year FRM.

US Senate passes budget, but rejects climate fast-track option

The US Senate Thursday night approved its fiscal 2010 budget blueprint after considering dozens of amendments and adopting language that will make it harder to pass a climate change bill.

US West Coast producer Pacific Ethanol says may file bankruptcy

US West Coast ethanol producer Pacific Ethanol, which has shut three of its four plants to conserve cash, can only fund its operations through April 30, something that may force it to seek bankruptcy protection, according to a securities filing late Tuesday.

US, Alaska file civil suits against BP unit over 2006 oil spills

The US Justice Department and the state of Alaska filed civil actions against BP Exploration Alaska Inc. Monday over 200,000 gallons of crude oil spilled in 2006 from corroded Prudhoe Bay field crude oil transit pipelines.

Waste_Inbox 033109

The city this week began allowing people to toss all types of leftovers -- fish and meat scraps, bones, egg shells, dairy products, you name it -- into their green food-and-yard-waste carts.

Waste_Inbox 040209

Power-plant water intake systems kill a lot of fish -- 3.4 billion a year, the EPA estimates. The vast majority of these fish are killed by old power plants´ systems. Newer plants´ closed-cooling systems reduce the kill rate by 98%, according to the Washington Post.

Water Quality Of Potential Concern In US Private Wells

About 43 million people - or 15 percent of the Nation's population - use drinking water from private wells, which are not regulated by the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act.

Western U.S. Entities Move Quickly on Geothermal Mapping

Several large geothermal resource mapping projects are heading toward conclusion so that finally, the power source can be more accurately considered in siting new electricity transmission lines for renewable power development.

What's In Your Water? Disinfectants Create Toxic By-Products

Although perhaps the greatest public health achievement of the 20th century was the disinfection of water, a recent study now shows that the chemicals used to purify the water we drink and use in swimming pools react with organic material in the water yielding toxic consequences.

Who Owns the Wind? An Emerging Public Policy Issue

As wind energy continues its major expansion in the U.S., the allocation and definition of property rights related to wind could rival the historical "water wars" of the West. Defining the legal boundaries of wind rights and how they will be allocated is emerging as a major policy issue for state legislatures and regulators.

Wind energy industry sees growing investment interest

A growing number of power companies with strong balance sheets are investing in wind energy and there is increasing interest from institutional investors, despite the financial crisis.

Wind Industry Expects Its Slowdown to Be Only Temporary

The recession has slowed down the whole wind industry this year, from materials to final assembly of turbines. Experts say that getting it up to speed to produce the number of turbines needed to generate large amounts of renewable energy will require more government support and innovation to make the parts lighter, stronger and cheaper.

Winter '08-'09 Weather Verifications

Population-Weighted* U.S. Temperature Departure [NOV 08 - MAR 09]: 4.78% Cold

World solar PV market reached 5.95 GW in 2008

World solar photovoltaic (PV) market installations reached a record high of 5.95 GW in 2008, representing growth of 110% over the previous year, according to the annual PV market report from Solarbuzz LLC.

World's Second Largest Solar Plant to be Built in Florida

This landmark solar project will achieve several milestones for solar power, including: - The second largest solar thermal power plant in the World

- The largest solar thermal plant outside of California

- The first hybrid solar facility in the world to connect to an existing combined-cycle power plant