Weekly Clean Energy Roundup: September 18, 2008

Energy Efficiency Campaigns Launched GM Celebrates 100th Birthday by Unveiling the Chevrolet Volt Intercontinental Flight Demonstrates Fuel-Saving Technologies National Solar Tour Comes to All But Four States in October Report: $100 Billion Could Yield 2 Million Clean Energy Jobs Energy Efficiency Campaigns Launched DOE launched two new energy efficiency campaigns for kids last week: "What’s your Excuse?," which is focused on the 8-12 "tween" market, and a Tinker Bell-themed campaign for 8- to 9-year-olds. The two campaigns were developed in partnership with the Advertising Council and are designed to educate children about the importance of energy efficiency. "What’s your Excuse?" encourages tweens to save energy at home with a 10-step energy action plan, and includes tips, games, and downloads posted on a Web site called "Lose Your Excuse." The campaign is supported by the pro bono efforts of Goodby, Silverstein and Partners, which developed public service announcements (PSAs) for television, radio, outdoor, and Web media. The Tinker Bell campaign consists of television, online, and outdoor PSAs created by the Ad Council to educate children about positive energy saving habits. The campaign directs children to visit the kids section of the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Web […]

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Weekly Clean Energy Roundup: September 10, 2008

DOE Headquarters Inaugurates 205 kW Solar PV System DOE Awards $6.6 Million for State-Led Clean Energy Projects U.S. Wind Power Capacity Exceeds 20,000 MW NSF to Invest $18.5 Million in Green Grid Technologies Construction Underway on First Geothermal Power Plant in New Mexico Florida Green Power Dispute Puts Spotlight on Marketing Costs DOE Headquarters Inaugurates 205 kW Solar PV System A new 205-kilowatt solar power system was turned on for the first time at DOE’s Forrestal Building on Tuesday, in an inaugural ceremony led by Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman. The new rooftop solar electric system, designed and installed by SunPower Corp., consists of 891 solar PV modules and is 40-50 times larger than a typical residential system. Each module is able to convert 18.5% of the sunlight hitting it into electricity, which is one of the highest conversion efficiencies available for purchase today. The system will generate about 200 megawatt-hours of electricity per year, providing up to 8% of the Forrestal complex’s energy during peak hours and saving as much as $26,000 in utility costs in its first year of operation. Insulation incorporated into each module will provide additional energy savings by reducing the building’s heating and cooling load, […]

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