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Weekly Clean Energy Roundup:March 10, 2004

*News and Events Fifty-Seven Energy Efficiency Leaders Win Energy Star Awards New Mexico Passes Laws to Promote Clean Energy and Hybrid Cars Massachusetts to Build a 500-Kilowatt Solar Power Plant Large Wind Power Plants Planned for Maine and Pennsylvania Indian Tribes and Cities Teaming Up to Deploy Renewable Energy Texas and Iowa Utilities Top NREL’s List of Green Power Programs ———————————————————————- NEWS AND EVENTS ———————————————————————-Fifty-Seven Energy Efficiency Leaders Win Energy Star AwardsOn March 2nd, DOE and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized 57 businesses and organizations as winners of the Energy Star Partner of the Year Awards. DOE and EPA sponsor these awards each year to recognize energy efficiency investments made by Energy Star partners. These investments save energy while also saving consumers money and avoiding greenhouse gas emissions. The award winners are businesses and organizations that have achieved energy efficiency in new homes and consumer products, as well as firms that have achieved excellence in energy management and in energy efficiency and environmental education.Companies that earned special mention from DOE include General Electric Consumer Products, a leading manufacturer of Energy Star products; Whirlpool Corporation, which manufactured the largest number of Energy Star appliances; Osram Sylvania, for producing an […]

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Senate Committee Backs $60 Million

Author: Associated Press A $60 million program for researching sudden or unexpected changes in the climate would be created under legislation that won approval Tuesday by a Senate committee. By voice vote and with little discussion, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee sent the bill to the full Senate for consideration. Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, told fellow committee members the bill was important for Alaska. He had previously expressed concern with climate warming problems in his home state such as melting permafrost, possible village relocations, receding Alaskan forests, and submerged air strips. Under the bill, the research program for studying "abrupt climate change" rapid alterations that people, animals, and plants have difficulty adapting to would be established within the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It would be run by NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. In October, the Senate rejected a plan to address global warming. Senators voted 55-43 to defeat a bill co-sponsored by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., who heads the Commerce committee, and Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., that would have cut industrial emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. All the sponsors of the abrupt climate change bill Maine Republican Sens. Susan Collins […]

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World Solar PV Market Grew 34% in 2003

In 2003, world solar photovoltaic (PV) installations grew by 34% over 2002, according to solar consultancy firm Solarbuzz. Germany was the star performer at 76% growth. In combination, the Japanese, German and United States markets accounted for 75% of the world solar photovoltaic market. The major driver of demand was the strong grid-connect sector, up 57% globally to account for 77% of the total market. Japan's PV market reached 219 Megawatts, Germany 145 Megawatts and the United States market increased to 66 Megawatts, spurred on by grid-connect applications in California. Other countries in Europe, outside Germany, recorded a very healthy 109% growth rate in 2003. "The strong growth resulted in a worldwide solar photovoltaic market worth over $4 billion last year," said Craig Stevens, President of Solarbuzz Inc. He added, "this encouraging industry picture also led to significant investment in additional manufacturing capacity, particularly in Japan." World solar cell production rose 40% in 2003 to 742 Megawatts. Japanese manufacturers increased their share to 49% of world production, while the U.S. share fell to only 12%. Multicrystalline silicon cell technology continued to take market share, now almost two-thirds, from monocrystalline silicon. Analysis of the growing world demand for silicon to serve […]

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CA. Model Home Showcase Water-Saving Landscaping &Technologies

Model homes throughout Southern California will demonstrate water conservation techniques under a pilot project authorized today by the Metropolitan Water District's board of directors. From dual-flush toilets and high-efficiency clothes washers to lawns outfitted with weather-sensitive irrigation controllers, Metropolitan will partner with other water agencies and homebuilders to outfit at least 80 model homes with new-technology fixtures and California-Friendly landscaping that demonstrate residential water conservation exceeding current building standards. "It's one thing to read or hear about a new water-saving device or appliance, but it's another thing to actually see it in a home," said Metropolitan Chief Executive Officer Ronald R. Gastelum. "This pilot project gives us the opportunity to show the public how water conservation has evolved from the proverbial brick-in-the-toilet tank days. "Model homes, which attract large numbers of potential buyers and visitors interested in learning about the latest options to upgrade new and existing homes, provide us with a unique opportunity to educate and encourage the public on the latest methods in urban water conservation," Gastelum said. Representatives from the building industry and homebuilders view the pilot project as a way to gauge the public's acceptance and demand for these technologies. Under the $250,000 project, Metropolitan will […]

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Top 'Green Power' Utilities Named

Every year, the U.S. Department of Energy ranks the leading utility "green pricing" programs. 500 utilities in 33 states now offer programs that enable people to support creation of renewable energy sources by paying a small premium on their electric bill. DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory developed a Top-10 ranking of utility programs in categories such as total sales of renewable energy to program participants, total number of customer participants, customer participation rate, and the lowest price premium charged for a green pricing service using new renewable resources. Ranked by sales of green power, the Austin (Texas) Energy ranks first in the nation, followed by Portland (Ore.) General Electric, Sacramento (Calif.) Municipal Utility District, PacifiCorp, also of Portland, Ore., and Xcel Energy of St. Paul, Minn. Ranked by customer participation rates, the top five are Lenox (Iowa) Municipal Utilities, City of Palo Alto (Calif.) Utilities, Moorhead (Minn.) Public Service, Holy Cross Energy (Colo.), and Montezuma (Iowa) Municipal Light and Power and Orcas Power and Light Cooperative in (Wash.), in a tie.

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Home Depot Starts

Home Depot is helping to promote California-grown products in its 174 California stores. Information will posted alongside products grown in California. The campaign is a partnership with the Buy California Marketing Agreement (BCMA), 28 industry groups representing the products of California's farms, ranches, forests, and fisheries. It aims to increase the awareness and consumption of local California agricultural products. California is the third-largest producer of softwood lumber in the country behind Oregon and Washington, producing 3.1 billion board feet of lumber annually, or enough to build about 207,000 standard-sized homes. Said Ron Jarvis, vice president of merchandising, "This gives our California customers the chance to invest in their state's economy by purchasing wood products produced here." Website: http://www.californiagrown.org     

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