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Schwarzenegger Administration Unveils Green California Web Site

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s administration has unveiled a “Green California” Web site, based on his vision of an energy efficient and environmentally sustainable California. The new Web site has guidelines, reference materials, engineering data and environmental purchasing information to assist state and local government agencies and California businesses with the shift toward environmental sustainability, energy conservation and the reduction of landfill waste. “We believe this new Web site will become the primary “go to” site – the new, centralized, electronic reference library – for engineers, architects, building managers, contractors, purchasing agents and other business and government officials and environmentalists in their quest for a Green California,'” said State and Consumer Services Agency Secretary Rosario Marin. We believe it will demonstrate with facts and figures that environmentally smart business decisions can also save big bucks, while making life healthier for all of us.” The site is focused primarily on two broad areas. It provides, in a single location, vital reference materials for the design, construction, benchmarking and operation of green buildings. It also provides government and business purchasing officials with detailed information on environmentally friendly products and services, such as office supplies, paper products, office machines, vehicle supplies, building materials, medical supplies, […]

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Schwarzenegger Administration Unveils

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s administration has unveiled a “Green California” Web site, based on his vision of an energy efficient and environmentally sustainable California. The new Web site has guidelines, reference materials, engineering data and environmental purchasing information to assist state and local government agencies and California businesses with the shift toward environmental sustainability, energy conservation and the reduction of landfill waste. “We believe this new Web site will become the primary “go to” site – the new, centralized, electronic reference library – for engineers, architects, building managers, contractors, purchasing agents and other business and government officials and environmentalists in their quest for a Green California,'” said State and Consumer Services Agency Secretary Rosario Marin. We believe it will demonstrate with facts and figures that environmentally smart business decisions can also save big bucks, while making life healthier for all of us.” The site is focused primarily on two broad areas. It provides, in a single location, vital reference materials for the design, construction, benchmarking and operation of green buildings. It also provides government and business purchasing officials with detailed information on environmentally friendly products and services, such as office supplies, paper products, office machines, vehicle supplies, building materials, medical supplies, […]

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Schwarzenegger Administration Unveils '

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s administration has unveiled a “Green California” Web site, based on his vision of an energy efficient and environmentally sustainable California. The new Web site has guidelines, reference materials, engineering data and environmental purchasing information to assist state and local government agencies and California businesses with the shift toward environmental sustainability, energy conservation and the reduction of landfill waste. “We believe this new Web site will become the primary “go to” site – the new, centralized, electronic reference library – for engineers, architects, building managers, contractors, purchasing agents and other business and government officials and environmentalists in their quest for a Green California,'” said State and Consumer Services Agency Secretary Rosario Marin. We believe it will demonstrate with facts and figures that environmentally smart business decisions can also save big bucks, while making life healthier for all of us.” The site is focused primarily on two broad areas. It provides, in a single location, vital reference materials for the design, construction, benchmarking and operation of green buildings. It also provides government and business purchasing officials with detailed information on environmentally friendly products and services, such as office supplies, paper products, office machines, vehicle supplies, building materials, medical supplies, […]

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Ford Wants to Create Midwest Ethanol Corridor

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is working with energy partners, the public, city and state governments, and private companies to expand hybrids and vehicles capable of running on E85 ethanol. Ford says it is launching the beginnings of a “Midwest Ethanol Corridor” — expanding E85 ethanol fuel availability by about one-third throughout Illinois and Missouri this year through the company’s ongoing partnership with VeraSun Energy, a renewable energy company. Actions to increase the availability of ethanol in neighboring states are planned, as well. Ford also announced it is working with the city of Chicago to put hybrid vehicles into service as taxi cabs beginning in 2007. The first phase in the creation of the Midwest ethanol corridor is to convert approximately 40 existing gasoline fuel pumps in Illinois and Missouri to E85. Ford estimates there are 50,000 owners of Ford flexible fuel vehicles in Illinois and 28,000 in Missouri. Ford will work with fuel providers and officials in other states to further develop the Midwest ethanol corridor. With the introduction of four new 2006 models that have the E85 option – including the Ford F-150 pickup, Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis and Lincoln Town Car – the company will […]

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Renewable Execs Say Bush Budget Better, Now Stay The Course

Renewables industry officials said Tuesday that wind, solar and other green energy technologies are poised for astonishing growth rates over the next two decades if Congress and the White House can agree on policies that provide a stable environment for growth. At a press event sponsored by The Energy Daily and BP America, the officials said the Energy Department budget provides adequate funding in some cases but does not address key issues slowing the deployment of all renewables, such as the absence of a national standard for interconnecting solar and other distributed generation to the grid. President Bush’s fiscal year 2007 budget proposal included $148.4 million for solar research, a 78.5 percent increase over previous-year funding levels. If approved by Congress, the proposal could boost the solar industry to install roughly 5 to 10 gigawatts of installed capacity by 2016-a huge jump from the nearly 600 megawatts now installed, said Rhone Resch, executive director of the Solar Energy Industries Association. “So what we’re talking about is a 20-fold increase in the use of solar in the next decade,” Resch said. But federal support for renewables over the past decade has been consistent only in its inconsistency. Until last year’s congressional […]

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NREL to Lay Off 32 Staff, Budget Shortfall

The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) reduced its staff by 32 people today to help meet a $28 million budget shortfall. Twenty-seven are regular staff, and five are temporary employees. Of the 32, eight were research staff and 24 worked in support positions. Congressionally directed projects, or earmarks, reduced the budget available to the Department of Energy for funding renewable energy and energy efficiency research at the Laboratory, leaving $28 million less in operating funds for NREL for fiscal year 2006. The Laboratory made substantial cuts in other areas, including travel, outside contracts and other operating expenses, before reducing staff. Research programs affected by the layoffs include biomass, hydrogen and basic research. NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy’s primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated for DOE by Midwest Research Institute and Battelle.

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