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Editor’s Note: On June 18, the Senate passed the Bill. It’s now goes to President Obama, who is expected to sign it into law. The Bill provides $1 billion from July through November. The bill could continue beyond that, but requirements may be raised as requested by Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA) who sponsored a more effective Clunkers bill. The House of Representatives passed H.R. 2751, the "Cash for Clunkers" bill by a vote of 298 – 119. Although the Bill started out as a way to get gas guzzlers off the road, it ended up as a method of boosting car sales for desperate auto makers … at taxpayer expense. The House Bill, which provides $4 billion for one year, goes like this: Turn in a passenger car that gets 18 mpg or less and buy a new one that gets at least 22 mpg and you can get a voucher worth $3,500; if the new car gets 10 mpg more, you get a $4,500 voucher. If you turn in a SUV or light truck that gets 18 mpg or less and buy a new one that gets just 2 mpg more, you get a $3,500 voucher. If it gets […]
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Clean Energy Emphasized at the Americas Energy & Climate Symposium DOE: $8B for Advanced Vehicle Technologies DOE: $453M for Weatherization DOE: $49M for Clean Energy in Michigan, Iowa Offshore Wind Power Leases Issued for Delaware, NJ Coasts Demand Response Could Cut U.S. Peak Power Demand 20% Copenhagen Report: "Climate Inaction is Inexcusable" Clean Energy Emphasized at the Americas Energy and Climate Symposium Energy efficiency and renewable energy were the major focus of energy ministers and other government leaders from throughout the Americas last week, as they converged in Lima, Peru, for the Americas Energy and Climate Symposium. U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced a Low Carbon Communities Program, which will assist countries in developing energy efficiency and renewable energy programs that will reduce the carbon footprint of their urban communities. DOE will partner with participating countries to develop building energy standards and to adopt modern urban planning strategies, including transit-oriented development. DOE will provide technical assistance and limited funding to help achieve those goals. Energy leaders also announced the development of a Regional Energy Efficiency Center, supported by Peru, and a Regional Wind Center, supported by Mexico. The symposium was the first major energy event after the Summit of the […]
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Climate Change is Impacting the US and World Now Federal Agencies Assist with Clean Energy Development in the West DOE: $240M for Fuel-Efficient Cars, Trucks Ohio State University Wins EcoCAR Challenge U.S. Government Orders 14,105 More Fuel-Efficient Vehicles DOE: $49M for 24 Solar Projects and Solar Training USDA: $49M for Biomass Energy Projects in 14 States Editor’s Note: As a follow-up to the recent announcement of Recovery Act funding for energy efficiency improvements in manufacturing and in the information and communication technology industries, DOE issued two Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs). The first, titled "Recovery Act: Deployment of Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Systems, District Energy Systems, Waste Energy Recovery Systems, and Efficient Industrial Equipment," is available on the DOE Industrial Technologies Program (ITP) Web site (PDF 368 KB) or by searching the public opportunities on FedConnect for reference number DE-FOA-0000044. The second, titled "Energy Efficient Information and Communication Technology," is also available on the ITP Web site (PDF 192 KB) or by searching the public opportunities on FedConnect for reference number DE-FOA-0000107. Applications for the two FOAs are due by July 14 and July 21, respectively. Reports: Climate Change is Already Impacting the US and World Climate change is already […]
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The Green Week in Review is a podcast, hosted by SustainableBusiness.com News Editor Bart King. It’s posted every Friday morning and is 15-20 minutes long. You can listen to it through your browser or download it to a portable MP3 player. Sign up for our General News RSS Feed and it will be automatically downloaded to your computer’s media player each week. In this week’s show… The latest round of negotiations for a new international climate change treaty conclude in Bonn, Germany. U.S. Congressional Republicans unveil an outrageous energy plan, while Democrats undermine the effectiveness of theirs. Bart talks about green leasing with Claire Woolley, Vice President of Howard Ecker + Company and head of their Ecker Green business unit. Plus, as always, a quick review of top cleantech stories from the week. ++++ Email comments or questions to bart@sustainablebusiness.com.
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Mitsubishi, Subaru Launch EVs in Japan Prices for Oil, Gas Escalating Worldwide Clean Energy Investments on the Upswing DOE Awards $80.56M in Weatherization Funds to 4 States U.S. Small Wind Market Grew 78% in 2008 Solar Decathlon: October 9-18 on the National Mall Federal Regulators, Washington State Collaborate on Water Power Mitsubishi and Subaru Launch Electric Cars in Japan Mitsubishi Motors Corp and Fuji Heavy Industries, Inc. (FHI), the maker of Subaru automobiles, both announced last week that they will soon begin selling electric vehicles (EVs) in Japan. Mitsubishi unveiled the production version of its i-MiEV, a mini-car with a lithium-ion battery pack tucked under the floor. The vehicle has a range of about 100 miles, and it can be quick-charged in about 30 minutes. A 47-kilowatt motor drives the wheels via a single-speed reduction gear transmission, an approach similar to that used in the high-end Tesla Roadster. Mitsubishi plans to lease about 1,400 of the vehicles to corporations and local authorities this year, with sales to individuals starting in April 2010. The company will start taking orders for the vehicle in late July. The vehicle will sell for 4.38 million yen, or about $44,860, including a tax exemption of […]
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With today’s economic realities, a "shift to thrift" is vital to help cash-strapped, debt-laden citizens save more and spend less, while conserving precious resources. Reuse is easier than ever, thanks to a growing universe of websites that help people re-purpose unwanted items and find what they need secondhand. Swapping and buying used locally is the best way to reuse, because you foster connections and economic development in your community. But when you can’t find what you need in your area, innovative websites can help you buy, sell, swap, give away and loan or borrow secondhand items. Tried-and-True Websites eBay is the queen of reuse. Although sellers hail from every corner of the US and even a few foreign locales, eBay provides sellers’ zipcodes and an in-person pick up option, so users can choose to buy local or close-to-local. Like eBay, Good Will allows users to buy and sell an array of secondhand items through online auctions. Purchases benefit Good Will’s job training and employment programs for disadvantaged and disabled people. On Craigslist and Half.com, users can buy and sell just about anything through direct sales, not auctions. While Half.com is a national network, Craigslist is divided into locally based mini-websites, […]
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A study conducted by AT Kearney found that companies who show a "true" commitment to sustainability outperformed their peers in the financial markets during this recession. In 16 of 18 industries examined, companies recognized as sustainability-focused outperformed their peers over three and six month periods, and were well protected from value erosion. Companies performed 10% higher over a 3-month period and 15% better over 6 months. The difference in performance translates into an average $650 million market cap per company. Kearney’s results suggest investors reward companies that have: * a long term focus, rather than just short term gains, attracting the "right" kinds of investors * strong corporate governance: have a system of checks and balances on business ethics * sound risk management policies: requires a long term view to consider how today’s trends might affect business down the road, allowing them to incorporate sustainable practices into strategy now. * a history of investing in green innovations: those that have been doing it the longest, reap the most benefits in efficiency, emissions and waste reduction. They can be opportunistic in creating leading edge technologies/ products. Another study, "The ROI of Sustainability: Making the Business Case," conducted by Aberdeen Group Technology […]
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The Green Week in Review is a podcast, hosted by SustainableBusiness.com News Editor Bart King. It’s posted every Friday morning and is 15-20 minutes long. You can listen to it through your browser or download it to a portable MP3 player. Sign up for our General News RSS Feed and it will be automatically downloaded to your computer’s media player each week. In this week’s show… United Nations-led negotiations for a climate change treaty resumed this week in Bonn, Germany. Vermont established the first statewide comprehensive system for feed-in tariffs for renewable energy production. A description of commercial-scale composting at Cornell University. Plus, as always, a quick review of top cleantech stories from the week. ++++ Email comments or questions to bart@sustainablebusiness.com.
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DOE: $467.6M for Geothermal, Solar Projects DOE: $50M in ARRA Funds for Geothermal Heat Pumps DOE: $256M for Energy Efficiency in Manufacturing and IT Restructured GM to Build a New Small Car in US Vermont Passes Feed-In Tariff & other Clean Energy Measures Utilities with the Most Solar Power are Still Adding the Most Global CO2 Emissions to Increase 39% by 2030 Editor’s Note: As part of the wind energy funding that was announced on April 29, DOE has issued a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) that offers $24 million in Recovery Act funds for the development of consortia between universities and industry. The consortia will focus on critical wind energy challenges. The FOA and can be found by searching the public opportunities at FedConnect for reference number DE-FOA-0000090. DOE Offers $467.6 Million for Geothermal & Solar Projects President Obama announced last week that DOE is offering $467.6 million from the ARRA to support geothermal and solar projects. The funds include $350 million for geothermal projects in four areas: geothermal resource assessments; innovative exploration techniques; demonstration projects; and research, development, and demonstrations of enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) technology. EGS technology involves using such techniques as pumping high-pressure water into areas of […]
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by Joel Simon Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev seems to have recast himself as Russia’s Al Gore. In October, at a conference in Venice organized by his World Political Forum, he implored the journalists present to do a better job of reporting on climate change. "We need people to know where we are, and where the world ends," he warned. Roughly translated: if the apocalypse is coming, give us the information we need to prevent it. The journalists pushed back. We pointed out that it’s tough to engage the public on climate change in the midst of the world financial crisis and that covering the story is complex and expensive. Flying a crew to Greenland to get pictures of melting glaciers costs more than $30,000, one Danish TV correspondent said. Meanwhile, drastic newsroom cuts have devastated science reporting and eliminated many foreign bureaus. But the problem goes much deeper. In the most egregious cases, governments have suppressed all information about climate change, the environment, and natural disasters out of fear that it would threaten their political control. Take Burma, aka Myanmar. When Cyclone Nargis plowed into the heavily populated Irrawaddy Delta last May, Burma’s military junta responded by banning all […]
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