New post on: Mercury News
SACRAMENTO, Calif.—Increasing California’s use of renewable energy would seem like a relatively simple goal, but it has become one of the hottest legislative debates as lawmakers rush to finish their business for the year.
Democrats are pushing two bills that would require utilities to get a third of their power from renewable energy sources by 2020. It would be the most aggressive such standard in the nation.
New post on: Mercury News
BILLINGS, Mont.—The U.S. Navy plans to fly fighter jets and run ship engines powered by “biofuels” made from algae and oilseeds—part of a fledgling effort to reduce the military’s dependence on imported fossil fuels.
For the last several years, the military has conducted test flights using synthetic jet fuels derived from coal and natural gas.
Now the effort is being expanded to include fuels from algae and the oilseed crop camelina, which is grown primarily in arid parts of Montana.
Military biofuels contracts worth more than $11 million were awarded recently to Solazyme of San Francisco and Sustainable Oils of Bozeman, Mont.
New post on: REUTERS
New Central Washington Resource Energy Collaborative Includes County Economic Development Group, Puget Sound Energy, enXco ELLENSBURG, Wash.–(Business Wire)– Building on its expanding wind and solar power industry, Kittitas County is joining with Central Washington University, the Economic Development Group of Kittitas County, Puget Sound Energy and enXco to create a broad public-private partnership focused on renewable power research and job growth.
Called the Central Washington Resource Energy Collaborative, the new organization has applied for state designation as an Innovation Partnership Zone. The designation would open the way for future state support of the Collaborative.
New post on: BOSTON
The number of jobs in the state’s solar energy industry nearly doubled from 2007 to 2008 – and the numbers are on pace to grow sharply again this year, according to Massachusetts officials.
Ian A. Bowles, secretary of the state’s Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, said he would disclose the numbers today at the trade show Cleantech Forum XXIII. The two-day show opened today at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center.
New post on: Solar Energy Secret
China plans to put even greater effort into developing its renewable energy industry and cut greenhouse gas emissions to maintain sustainable economic growth in the coming years. Investmens worth more than two trillion Yuan, or 10 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2006, are needed to meet the renewable energy target by 2020, according to the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). The exploration of renewable energy is greatly needed in China.
Addressing a press conference in Beijing early this week, Chen Deming, vice minister of NDRC, reiterated that China’s medium and long-term target is to boost its fledging renewable energy industry, which is expected to play an important role in sustaining the country’s future economic development. Renewable energy is hoped to resolve the serious China’s problem of energy shortage. NDRC plans to raise the ratio of renewable energy in total energy consumption to 10 percent by 2010 and 15 percent by 2020, compared to eight percent at present, Chen said.
New post on: The Salt Lake Tribune
To Global Warming Holdouts and Oil Drilling Enthusiasts:
OK, maybe you don’t care or believe that within a couple of generations global warming’s effects on sea levels will swamp the world’s coastlines, displacing hundreds of millions of people. And maybe you don’t care or believe that already-dry regions will experience extended droughts, leaving millions more people without adequate food and water. Or that thousands of species will be wiped out. Or that the coral reefs are toast.
New post on: Block Island Times
09/05/09 – Fred S. Hashway, Jr., director of the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, met with town officials Tuesday to bestow a $70,000 check to cover the lion’s share of a new solar energy system that will be installed to power Town Hall.
The total cost of the project is $98,435, and money originally set aside for the Town Hall construction project will cover the remaining $28,435. A solar system was “always intended” for the building, says town Finance Director Amy Land.
New post on: Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa drew cheers from environmentalists just over two months ago when he issued a new political promise: eliminating coal from the Department of Water and Power’s fuel mix by 2020.
Instead of waiting a decade to see if that promise comes true, a Sacramento-based advocacy group decided to stage a publicity campaign thanking the mayor. It bought advertising space on city bus kiosks showing a smiling picture of Villaraigosa and the word “Successful.”
New post on: The Salt Lake Tribune
Electrician Jeff Cutrer had some clients not long ago who asked about installing solar equipment.
“I told them I was looking into it,” said Cutrer, a father of four from Draper and a student in the Salt Lake Community College Green Academy.
New post on: Reuters
MIAMI, Sept. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Karl W. Miller, a senior energy executive and institutional investor, today issued the following statement through his advisors that the true state of the U.S. economy is much worse than the current administration and leading economist have portrayed.
Mr. Miller acknowledges that while it is not popular to state that energy markets are overvalued, there are no fundamental or sustainable drivers to move the oil and natural gas commodity complex or renewable energy company’s prices forward. The simple fact is that there are no bona fide drivers to deploy capital behind the energy complex at the current time other than pure speculation.
Grants.gov NEW Opportunites SolarFeeds
