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Renewables & Efficiency
by Kirsten Elder Companies in the news BP Solar Carmanah Technologies Inc Duke Solar EcoEnergies Inc Kyocera Pfleiderer PowerLight Corp S.A.G. Solarstrom Schlumberger Schott Applied Power Shell Solar Solar Dynamics Solar Energy Systems ThinkEnergy New Products Carmanah Technologies Inc. of Canada has launched a solar-powered bus stop with a night visibility range of 1.6 km. The i-Stop bus stop uses high-intensity, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for its lighting features, including a flashing beacon to notify bus drivers a passenger is waiting, an illuminated bus schedule and a security light that keeps passengers from waiting in the dark. According to the company, transit agencies across North America and London, England, have placed orders to test the product. (Canada.com via Solarbuzz, 17/09/02) Solar Dynamics, Inc., a manufacturer of portable solar power systems, has announced the availability of The Cub, a lightweight, portable power source that provides DC and AC electricity for small electronic devices and recharges itself through a 5 watt thin film solar module. (Solarbuzz, 18/09/02)Applications In Scotland, Edinburgh City Council plans to spend 1.3 million on solar-powered parking ticket machines which alert operators when they are being vandalised. Council chiefs claim the huge outlay will save money by cutting electricity bills […]
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Solar Decathlon, WA. mandates sustainability, large wind plants planned...
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Hydrogen is quickly becoming the funding vehicle for a new round of nuclear plants and carbon sequestration, warns Mike Nicklas, Chair of the American Solar Energy Society.
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Welcome ACRE!It’s time for Renewable Energy to go mainstream and that’s the charge of the brand new trade association, the American Council for Renewable Energy (ACRE). The trade association covers all renewable energy technologies: solar, wind, hydro, biomass, geothermal and waste energy, and biofuels and hydrogen systems; and secondarily, related technologies such as energy efficiency, energy storage, and hybrid energy systems that enhance the value of renewable energy. Most importantly, ACRE plans to “open up a gateway” to the media and to the financial community long needed in the renewable energy community. An organizing conference convened on July 10-11 in Washington DC. to develop a common vision for the Renewable Energy industry. Much of the discussion at the conference focused on creating incentives for using renewable energy through the best methods to date – Federal Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) and extending Production Tax Credits (PTC) beyond wind energy. Representatives from the investment community believe these incentives coupled with strong, continued government research and development funding for promising new renewable technologies will facilitate financing and investment in new firms and large scale projects. The bottom line, though, for strong growth in this sector is the price of the technologies. American Council […]
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Last year, the feds spent $250 million on biomass R&D. Here's how David Morris, who coined the term "carbohydrate economy," thinks the money should be spent.
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After Steve Strong, president of Solar Design Associates, showed IBEW Local 332’s building committee and the membership how quickly solar is expanding in Europe and Japan, and in the U.S., the membership voted overwhelmingly to install PV on their building. The IBEW sees the importance of distributed on-site electricity generation using renewable energy sources, and the jobs associated with them as an important part of their future. Their new headquarters building in San Jose, California now features the largest commercial solar power installation west of the Mississippi. Designated as a Green Building model by the City of San Jose, the PV system generates 55 kilowatts of power, enough to provide for 70-80 percent of the building’s total electrical needs. The use of PV cuts the facility’s utility bill in half and sends power back to the utility grid. The building is located in the heart of Silicon Valley, home to high tech businesses, R & D labs, microchip manufacturers and biotech facilities. IBEW conducts tours of the building to architects, engineers, contractors, students and others interested in learning how to use solar energy in new or renovated commercial buildings. Most importantly, IBEW members installed the solar arrays themselves as part […]
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Many states are filling in the gap left from weak federal incentives for energy efficiency investment. States offer sales tax waivers or income tax credits for purchases of energy-efficient equipment, for example. The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy’s new report, Opportunities for State Action: Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency in the Private Sector, is a state-by-state analysis of tax incentives.Stressing the diversity of state approaches, co-author Harvey Sachs commented, “States have shown remarkable savvy in tailoring programs to meet the needs of their citizens and businesses. These programs address everything from green buildings and alternative fuel vehicles to better appliances.” The report analyzes vehicle efficiency programs in Arizona, Maryland, and Oregon, and building-related programs in Hawaii, Idaho, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Oregon. The report also notes common features of effective state tax incentive programs. They stimulate market acceptance of advanced technologies by establishing appropriate criteria and allow enough time for credits to affect the market. The programs are flexible with respect to who receives the credits and complement other policy initiatives (state public benefit charges, federal, and municipal programs).Opportunities for State Action: Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency in the Private Sector is available online: www.aceee.org/pubs/e021full.pdf
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DCAT reports on barriers to green building, Greenpeace on U.S. growth of renewables, US PIRG on State efforts on green power, and more...
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Starbucks faces mounting pressure, Timberland buys green tags, first fuel cell plant in Europe ...
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Nine universities across Europe with a reputation for teaching renewable energy are joining together to offer a Masters degree in Renewable Energy. The one-year course is devised for engineers or equivalent technical background. Predicting the number of people that will be employed as renewable energy expands is difficult, but one thing is certain: there are too few training and education programs around the world for the number of people that will be needed. EWEA (European Wind Energy Association) predicts the current 30,000 wind energy jobs in Europe will increase to 190,000-320,000 new jobs to reach 40 MW of wind power. For PV, about 100,000 employees will be required to reach a production capacity of 3 GWp. The European Biomass Association projects that employment will increase to 100,000 to realize current expansion plans.Currently, most training in the field takes place as part of other coursework. A 1995-6 study of 624 companies, organizations, research centers and universities concluded there are few postgraduate level teaching materials specifically on renewable energy. The Masters course is divided into 3 parts: a Core Module providing a technical foundation in key technologies; Specialization in one technology or implementation aspect; and a Project, during which the student gains […]
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