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Weekly Clean Energy Roundup: February 4, 2009

DOE, USDA Offer $25 Million for Biomass Research Three More Airlines Complete Biofuel Test Flights DOE, GM Unveil 17 EcoCAR Challenge Designs; They All Plug In GM Tells Cities How to Prepare for Plug-Ins Clean Diesels Still Fall Short of Top-12 List of Green Vehicles Educational Site Launched for Progressive Automotive X Prize U.S. Petroleum Demand Dropped 6% in 2008 DOE and USDA Offer $25 Million for Biomass Research DOE and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced last week that they will invest up to $25 million over the next four years, subject to annual appropriations, for the research and development of processes that produce biofuels, bioenergy, and high-value biobased products. This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) covers three technical areas: biomass feedstocks development; cellulosic biofuels and biobased products; and biofuels development analysis, including strategic guidance, analyses of the energy and environmental impact of biofuels production, and an assessment of the potential for biomass feedstock production on federal lands. The FOA is part of the Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI), a joint effort between DOE and the USDA to accelerate research and development in bioenergy research and biobased products. It is open to higher education institutions, national laboratories, federal […]

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The White House Green Agenda

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The Obama Administration has received policy recommendations from just about every trade association that represents green interests. Since they usually focus on energy efficiency, renewables and green buildings, here’s what Green America (formerly Coop America) suggests, which also includes support for green business in general. Read about what some of our thought leaders suggest for Obama’s first 100 days at Environment 360. Check out the Presidential Climate Action Project and the Apollo Economic Recovery Act. If you haven’t seen the details of The White House Green Energy Agenda, here it is. It’s posted on the White House Website. We’re also including details of Obama’s Green Stimulus Plan. Green America met with the Obama Transition Team, along with several of its members, including Priya Haji, World of Good CEO, Jeffery Hollander, Seventh Generation CEO, Seth Goldman, Honest Tea, Amy Domini, Domini Social Investments, Tim Freundlich, Calvert Foundation, and Don Shaffer, RSF Social Finance. They were impressed with the Transition Team members’ deep listening and smart questions about the priorities we see for a sustainable economy. All of the following priorities resonated with the members of the Transition Team, who asked for follow-up details. 1. Green energy and green jobs: Besides Obama’s […]

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Editorial: What Is Activism?

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By Bart King For the last six months I’ve been working as a guest curator at a local non-profit art gallery, preparing an exhibit called “Running on Empty: the fossil fuel addiction.” The exhibit opens to the public Saturday night, and earlier this week I was interviewed by a reporter who asked me, “What do you hope to gain from the exhibit?” I gave a truthful, if somewhat boring answer about wanting to raise awareness of decreasing oil supplies and the environmental consequences of falling back on coal and natural gas reserves instead of aggressively developing renewable energy and efficiency measures. I explained that I hoped the paintings, photographs, prints and other pieces of art would encourage community members to reduce their energy consumption and to insist that our political and business leaders take the difficult steps to secure a low-carbon future. I explained to her that I believe burning the lights in the gallery (newly installed CFLs), shipping of art work and drawing a parking lot full of cars is worth the carbon emissions, if the message hits home with a group of people and starts a ripple effect. Unless the vast majority of the public and politicians are […]

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Weekly Clean Energy Roundup: January 28, 2009

President Obama Issues Orders on Fuel Economy & GHG Regulations 75 Nations Join New International Renewable Energy Agency New American Home Demonstrates Energy-Saving Technologies Surging Utility Investment in Smart Grid Technologies Energy Star Labels for Energy-Wasting Set-Top Boxes Wind Power Provided the Majority of Added Capacity in 2007 President Obama Issues Orders on Fuel Economy & GHG Regulations President Barack Obama issued a pair of memoranda on Monday to address the fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions of our nation’s automobiles. The president directed the Secretary of Transportation to publish higher fuel economy standards for model year 2011 cars and light trucks by the end of March and to reevaluate the proposed standards for future model years. Automakers will generally begin selling model year 2011 vehicles in the fall of 2010. President Obama also directed the U.S. EPA to revisit the California waiver request that would allow that state to implement its own greenhouse gas (GHG) emission rules for vehicles. The federal Clean Air Act only allows California to set emission standards that deviate from federal rules, and any California standards require a waiver from the EPA. But once California enacts its own standards, the act allows other states to […]

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