1. Home
  2. Articles posted by: Rona Fried (Page 2160)

UN: Ending Poverty, Environmental Restoration Within Reach

NEW YORK, New York, January 19, 2005 (ENS) – The rich nations of the world have the means and the money – but not the will – to dramatically improve the lives of the world’s poor and heal the environment, according to a major new report from the United Nations. The report from the UN Millennium Project urges the developed nations to double their aid to impoverished countries if they intend to fulfill a pledge to cut global poverty in half by 2015. “The system is not working now,” said economist Jeffrey Sachs, director of the UN Millennium Project. “The overwhelming reality on our planet is that impoverished people get sick and die for lack of access to basic practical means that could help keep them alive and do more than that – help them achieve livelihoods and escape poverty.” One of the eight UN Millennium Goals is specifically related to the environment, maintaining that without a healthy and secure environment many of the other goals will be tough to achieve. The divide between rich and poor is deep and wide. More than half of the world’s six billion people live on less than $2 a day. More than one […]

Read More

FERC Proposes Rule For Wind Power Interconnection

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has proposed regulations that would remove barriers to wind-generated electricity while helping to ensure continued reliability of the national power grid. Wind-generated power is a growing source of electric generation in the United States, but unique technical characteristics may impede the interconnection of wind facilities with the nation’s grid system. In 2003, the Commission adopted standard procedures for the interconnection of generation facilities larger than 20 megawatts (Order No. 2003). The rule sets uniform procedures that a transmission provider and an interconnection requester must follow throughout the interconnection process, including legal rights and obligations of the parties, cost responsibility, milestones for the project’s completion and a process for resolving disputes. Employing standard procedures and interconnection agreements reduces interconnection time and costs, helps preserve reliability and lowers wholesale prices for the nations’ customers, the Commission said. Today’s action will further these goals and help expand the diversity of energy supplies. The interconnection procedures adopted in Order No. 2003 are tailored to more traditional power generation sources. Today’s proposal would include certain technical requirements that transmission providers must apply to interconnection service for wind generation plants. These requirements would be applied in addition to the standard interconnection […]

Read More

Confessions of a Bat Lover – Wind Farms Can Help Save America's Bat Populations

by Mike Tidwell First the good news: A year ago, a very small but very vocal group of wind power critics were repeatedly asserting that proposed wind farms in western Maryland and across Appalachia would put ‘millions’ of migratory birds at risk for collision deaths. Thankfully, a growing body of scientific data continues to show that these projections have been fantastically untrue. It now appears that properly sited wind farms will have zero – ” that’s right, zero – ” impact on resident and migratory bird populations across Appalachia. (Visit www.nationalwind.org/publications/avian.htm for national and regional statistics). But now legitimate concerns have been raised about a new and unexpected development at some Appalachian wind farms: bat fatalities. But before critics of wind power plunge forward with new assertions about a coming holocaust for these friendly flying mammals, it’s important to get the story straight from the start this time. There is growing optimism among environmentalists and wind industry officials that the phenomenon of bat fatalities at wind farms may soon be fully understood and can be quickly and successfully addressed using readily feasible technological responses. The point I want to make is this: The lives of all of us – bats, […]

Read More

Cargill Becomes Sole Owner of Corn-Based Plastics Business

Cargill has agreed to acquire The Dow Chemical Company’s interest in Cargill Dow LLC, the 50:50 joint venture formed in 1997 to commercialize polylactic acid biopolymers (corn-based plastic). Terms were not disclosed. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval in Europe. Cargill is the original inventor of polylactic acid (PLA), a polymer derived from natural plant sugars and marketed by the joint venture as NatureWorks PLA and Ingeo(TM) fibers. NatureWorks PLA is used in a range of packaging applications for companies seeking plastics made from an annually renewable resource. Ingeo fibers are used in fiberfill applications including pillows, comforters, mattress pads, blankets and apparel. The business employs 230 people in Minnetonka, Minn. and Blair, Neb. Website: http://www.cargill.com     

Read More

Dawn of a Solar Era on the Horizon

Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics USA Inc. has announced its entry into the growing U.S. solar/photovoltaic (PV) or module market, with two high-efficiency modules that contain no lead solder. The company will initially focus on the southwestern United States through its network of dealers and distributors, and expand to other regions in the months ahead. Mitsubishi Electric’s entry into the U.S. market comes at a time of increasing awareness and acceptance of alternative energy sources. Designed for both commercial and residential applications, Mitsubishi Electric’s PV modules contain lead-free solder. Instead of lead solder coating for the cells, Mitsubishi Electric developed silver electrodes that offer weatherproofing and higher PV module conversion efficiency. Currently, Mitsubishi Electric offers dealers and distributors two module options: 120 watts and 165 watts. While a new entrant to the U.S. market, Mitsubishi Electric has been active in the solar arena globally. The company began building solar-powered satellites in the 1970s, and recently expanded its Japanese factories’ module production capabilities in response to growing worldwide demand. Reasons for Optimism There are several factors that are contributing to the increased interest in solar power. Breakthroughs in solar technology, concerns about dependence on foreign sources of oil, and increasing demand for […]

Read More