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Hawaiian Firm Shrinks Solar Thermal Power

Perhaps it’s not surprising that balmy Hawaii is home to a company that’s pushing the envelope of solar thermal technology. Start-up Sopogy, based in Honolulu, has taken the basic design of large solar thermal power plants and shrunk it down so it can fit on a building’s roof. Demo models of its electricity-generating solar collectors–essentially metal half-pipes with a reflective coating–are now being tested with a Fortune 500 company and a few utility customers, according to company president and CEO Darren Kimura. To expand, this fall the venture-funded company intends to raise an additional $9 million, which it hopes to secure by the end of the year, he said. Concentrating solar power, or CSP, uses reflective troughs or dishes to concentrate sunlight to heat a liquid that flows through a pipe above the troughs. That heated liquid, which can be oil or water, is converted into steam to turn an electric turbine. On Monday, start-up Ausra announced that it has received $40 million in venture funding to finance product development and construction of a large-scale 175-megawatt solar thermal power plant in California. That’s one of many projects, such as Nevada Solar One, now being pursued in desert areas around the […]

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Greenhouse Gas Protocol Publishes New Guidelines

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the World Resources Institute (WRI) have published new guidelines for calculating the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions benefits of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. Stakeholders from around the world extensively reviewed the Guidelines for Quantifying GHG Reductions from Grid-Connected Electricity Projects ( 3.8 MB). They are based on the GHG Protocol for Project Accounting ( 3,4 MB) previously developed by the two organizations. Both renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies are essential for solving the problem of climate change. As concern about climate change has grown, however, one of the challenges facing project developers and policy-makers alike has been to accurately quantify their GHG emissions benefits. In theory, coming up with the right answer involves complicated modeling of power grids, which is prohibitively costly and impractical, or alternative methods that are overly simplistic and inaccurate. The GHG Protocol Initiative addresses this challenge by providing simple methods for estimating GHG reductions that are also rigorous, credible and transparent. Developers of wind energy projects, for example, can use the guidelines to estimate emissions reductions using basic data on local power plants. The methods described in the guidelines can be used anywhere in the […]

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Vermont Ruling Paves Way for Higher Vehicle Fuel-Efficiency

A federal court in Vermont has upheld California’s landmark global warming tailpipe standards against a legal attack brought by the auto industry. A Vermont federal judge ruled that states can regulate vehicle emissions, giving California’s efforts to regulate emissions a boost. The judge rejected U.S. automakers claims that they don’t have the technology to meet the new standards and that the standards are pre-empted by federal law. California’s emissions standards, which are outlined in a 2002 California law aren’t “sufficiently draconian” to usurp the federal government’s right to set fuel economy standards said U.S. District Judge William K. Sessions, who expressed confidence in car manufacturers ability to build cleaner cars. During the three-week trial in Vermont, attorneys for the automotive industry argued that carmakers lack the technology needed to meet the tougher emissions standards. Sessions was unconvinced, writing in his 240-page decisions that the companies “have not carried their burden to show that compliance with the regulation is not feasible; nor have they demonstrated that it will limit consumer choice, create economic hardship for the automobile industry, cause significant job loss or undermine safety.” The ruling makes it much more likely that California will win against its automaker suit, now […]

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191 Countries Work Together to Heal the Ozone Layer

The Earth’s ozone layer is on track to heal, thanks to the work of dozens of countries that signed a landmark international environmental agreement initiated 20 years ago. Known as the “Montreal Protocol,” this ambitious treaty requires countries to phase out production and use of compounds that deplete ozone in the stratosphere. Initially signed by 24 countries Sept.16, 1987 in Montreal, this treaty today covers 191 countries and is widely hailed as the most successful international environmental agreement to date. “Twenty years ago, the community of nations came together to adopt a global strategy for the global challenge of ozone depletion. Today, we at EPA join our international partners in celebrating the anniversary of the Montreal Protocol – a shining example of how human ingenuity, leadership and determination can create a healthier, better world,” said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. Each of the countries that signed the Protocol has measurable goals and actions for achieving success. These include phasing out production and use of ozone-depleting substances such as chlorofluorocarbons, halons, carbon tetrachloride, and methyl chloroform. Scientific evidence demonstrates that these compounds significantly deplete the stratospheric ozone layer, which shields the planet from damaging ultraviolet radiation. The United States has implemented […]

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