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Fuel cell companies have recently experienced the kind of meteoric rise in share price previously reserved for biotech and Internet stocks. But most fuel cell companies do not yet have a commercial product to offer and have never turned a profit. One company’s stock increased by 648% this year but another company’s stock dropped 22% in one day. How do you make informed investment decisions? Tom Koppel, author of Ballard Power Systems, Powering the Future (which SB.com recently featured), and Jay Reynolds have produced an inexpensive report which briefly explains the fuel cell landscape. You’ll learn how they work, their various applications, and be introduced to the leading companies. You’ll learn about the uncertainties and issues facing this new industry. You can order and download the 30-page report at: Tom Koppel’s website. The $25 includes frequent future updates, by email, as the fuel cell industry evolves. You can preview the first few pages at the website.
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Do environmental management systems (EMS) improve environmental performance? Because widespread adoption of EMSs by industrial and governmental facilities has the potential to change the nature of environmental regulation, the Environmental Law Institute and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are examining this question. They are constructing a National Database on Environmental Management Systems which currently profiles 50 pilot facilities that are implementing EMSs. The project is supported by the U.S. EPA and a consortium of states known as the Multi-State Working Group. They have produced a companion report based on their initial analysis of baseline data from the 50 facilities, “The Effects of Environmental Management Systems on the Environmental and Economic Performance of Facilities.” [sorry this link is no longer available]
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According to the ECS Land Reuse Report, “brownfields redevelopment is now a mainstream real estate trend.” The report looks at national and regional trends in the reuse of contaminated land, which currently amounts to 47,600 acres across the U.S. Although Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Michigan and Massachusetts have the most progressive approaches to land reuse, brownfields are being re-developed across the midwest, northeast and mid-atlantic states. Over half the sites are being constructed for mixed uses – commercial, cultural and residential. The authors conclude that communities and developers now feel more comfortable with these development opportunities, and states are increasingly encouraging them. http://www.ecsinc.com/landreuse
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One of the worlds leading automotive interior suppliers, Lear Corporation, will use kenaf, hemp, and jute to manufacture acrylic and polypropylene for interior applications including door panel trim, pillars, and trunk trim. The natural fiber acrylic is 70 percent plant matter, is 40 percent lighter than conventional substrates, and is recyclable. It’s enhanced elasticity means greater impact resistance and passenger safety. The use of natural fibers in plastic composites is on the rise, mostly in the auto industry. Kline & Company, a market research firm, forecasts an annual 15 – 25 percent increase in demand for agricultural fibers and wood used in automotive applications, and an annual increase of 60 percent in selected building products through 2004. They note that the market expansion is mostly driven by the fact that natural fibers cost 25 – 50 percent less than fiberglass. FROM The Carbohydrate Economy
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Environmental organizations are looking at the landmark tobacco industry lawsuits as models to facilitate environmental change. International environmental organizations are building a case for the legal liabilities that may accrue to companies responsible for climate change such as oil, steel, cement, and coal-fired electric companies. Friends of the Earth (FOE) is studying whether to initiate legal action against industrialized countries and private industries that block the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol. When FOE discussed the possibility of a global warming damage lawsuit with British Petroleum (BP), BP attorneys responded similary to tobacco industry executives when they testified to the U.S. Congress that tobacco was not proven to be addictive. The BP attorneys said, “Climate change hasn’t been proven.”
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Since 1988, Canada’s “Environment Choice” ecolabeling program has certified environmentally sound consumer and commercial products. TerraChoice Environmental Services Inc., based in Ottawa, runs the program and has published “The EcoBuyer Catalogue: The Official Guide to Environmental Choice Products and Services”. It lists certified products from 180 suppliers in categories such as: green power, automotive, construction , office, cleaning, marine, and printing. http://www.environmentalchoice.com
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Following a summer of electricity reliability problems and blackouts in several states, a coalition of consumer and environmental groups, state government, and utilities praised the Clinton Administration for proposing new air conditioner and heat pump energy-efficiency standards. The Appliance Standards Awareness Project believes, however, that the proposed air conditioning standards fall short and would require Americans to finance dozens of expensive, polluting power plants to make up the difference. They are urging Bill Richardson, DOE Secretary, to increase new air conditioning standards, not by the 20 percent proposed, but by the same 30 percent proposed for heat pumps (to 13 SEER). Air conditioners are the single largest contributor to peak electricity demand. According to an American Council for Energy Efficiency analysis, this “efficiency deficiency,” translates into a cost of $730 million annually for consumers; 10,000 extra gigawatt hours in annual electricity use, (all the households in Connecticut); and the lifetime emissions of 2,600,000 cars. Appliance Standards Awareness Project: [sorry this link is no longer available]
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Dexia, a French-Belgian banking group, is launching a venture capital fund to invest in companies that mitigate global warming. The fund is raising 150 million euros to invest in projects in central and eastern Europe. Investors will earn carbon emission credits in addition to typical equity returns. Bank Sarasin, a leading bank in Switzerland, is setting up a $113 million fund to finance renewable energy businesses worldwide. It plans to list New Energies Invest on the Zurich stock exchange by 2003. They plan to fund 10-20 businesses with a special focus on Germany and the U.S. Merrill Lynch recently announced a $281 million fund to finance companies in this field, with a focus on publicly listed businesses. For Dexia, contact envirobank@aol.com
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E-commerce impacts the environment in positive and negative ways. One of the negative outcomes is increased energy use from shipping many more products around the globe. The U.S. Postal Service, a leader in green initiatives, is now joined by United Shipping & Technology, Inc. (US&T), (the largest same day delivery company in North America) which recently announced a comprehensive green shipping plan. Its Velocity Express subsidiary is: + developing more efficient routes to reduce to deliver ground and air packages. + providing reusable totes and recycled packaging material to reduce shipping materials + using alternative fuel vehicles and bicycle or foot messengers where practical “Incremental shipping volume is estimated to increase to six million more package deliveries per day over the next two to three years, up from the 650,000 incremental daily deliveries associated with 1999 Internet sales,” says Peter Lytle, CEO. “It is time to demonstrate to businesses and consumers how the use of new and existing technology can help reduce the impact of the delivery industry on the environment. I want us to be known as the cleanest and most environmentally friendly shipper in the world.”
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The Sydney Futures Exchange and its subsidiary, the New Zealand Futures and Options Exchange are launching a global exchange market for carbon credits. Initially, these credits will be sourced from certain forest sequestration activities. Credits are available for forests planted after January 1 1990 that result in a land use change (for example, from grazing to forestry). As of January 2001, residential and small business customers will be able to choose their electricity supplier in Australia. Large companies already have this choice. 15 Australian energy companies have joined to form the agreed to Green Electricity Market (GEM) Project on the Internet to facilitate member green power trades. a major boost to Australias renewable energy sector as it prepares to meet requirements arising from the federal Renewable Energy Target, as well as to meet retail customer demand for green power. It will be online by early 2001 and is expected to give a real boost to the renewable energy market in Australia. GEM will allow members to meet the mandatory target of providing 9,500 GWh of renewable energy. They will be able to track their generation and build an efficient market for renewable energy certificates. The company developing the exchange is […]
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