The Phoenix International Auto Show promises to be electrifying in more ways than one, thanks to BMW’s continued commitment to hybrid vehicles. While the Motor Trend Auto Show’s website doesn’t reveal the exact BMW models that will be on hand Nov. 22- 25 at the Phoenix Convention Center, BMW may be considered remiss if it didn’t at least showcase a …

Push on for ‘green power’ auctions Straight Furrow AS DEBATE rages over the future of a renewable energy target that mainly promotes wind power, a Melbourne think tank is calling for it to be scrapped and replaced with a new scheme to help transform the electricity industry. China Wind Power Provides Default Status Update Marketwire China Wind Power International Corp. …

Wind energy industry calls for respectful dialogue after Ontario worker reportedly threatened with death The Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) is issuing a call for a respectful and fact-based dialogue on wind energy after a construction worker on a wind energy project was reportedly threatened with death in West Grey, Ontario, on July 26, by a man armed with a …

SolEnergy owner Ken Olson has seen remote villages in Central America with no light. He knows the impact a small, two-watt solar panel can make. “What does strike me is the great gap between these two worlds,” he said, of his recent travels to El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. “On one hand, we provide two-watt systems, basically the panel is …

Anti-Dumping Cases between U.S., China, and Europe Render August European solar companies jointly filed an anti-dumping complaint to the EU against Chinese solar firms. In the meantime, the Chinese government is debating launching an anti-dumping investigation on multi-Si product imports from foreign companies. To top it all off, the United States’ final ruling on the anti-dumping and anti-countervailing cases will …

Solar Module Price Erosion Slows in the Second Half of 2012 as Demand Rises In a modicum of good news for the battered solar industry, price declines for photovoltaic modules are expected to moderate slightly in the second half of 2012 on the strength of renewed demand, according to the latest IHS iSuppli Photovoltaics Cell & Module Production Market Tracker …

Rice researchers develop paintable battery Technique could turn any surface into a lithium-ion battery; may be combined with solar cells Researchers at Rice University have developed a lithium-ion battery that can be painted on virtually any surface. The rechargeable battery created in the lab of Rice materials scientist Pulickel Ajayan consists of spray-painted layers, each representing the components in a …

With more and more consumers wanting to reduce their carbon footprints, the use of home solar power has arisen as an extremely viable and eco-friendly option. The only reason it has not become more widespread is the cost, which for many people has simply been too high. However, the cost of manufacturing is slowly coming down, due to increased innovation, …

According to EnergyTrend, a research division of TrendForce, affected by economic instability in the eurozone, some European power plant investments have not progressed on schedule. Furthermore, Q3 order expectations were initially high, but prospects have changed after the conclusion of the Intersolar Europe exhibition. Although there have not been significant alterations to orders with Taiwanese manufacturers, and suppliers indicate all …

Green Public Administration Jobs: It’s Not Easy Being Green Green jobs. It’s one of those phrases you hear over and over. It’s not as easy to be green as you might think though, especially when it comes to public administration jobs. Earning the necessary certification to be eligible for public administration jobs usually includes a degree in economics, ac-counting, sociology, …

If you are like most people, the thoughts occupying your mind these days likely include the recession, losing weight, high unemployment rates and going green. While I can’t give you advice on how you can shed those unwanted pounds or finally land your dream job, I can help you do your part to save the planet. Without a doubt, going …

Drive Green: How Pay-As-You-Drive Insurance Helps the Planet When it comes to driving, going green usually means driving a fuel efficient car or – if you really want to save a few trees and don’t mind waiting for your car to charge – either buying one of those hybrid cars or a fully electric car. Pay-as-you-drive insurance is yet another …

U.S. government antidumping penalties on imports of photovoltaic (PV) cells from China could suspend nearly half of solar module shipments to North America this year, impacting pricing, inventories and project timelines, according to an IHS iSuppli PV Perspectives report from information and analytics provider IHS (NYSE: IHS). The U.S. Department of Commerce on May 17 announced a preliminary determination in …

When power plants begin capturing their carbon emissions to reduce greenhouse gases – and to most in the electric power industry, it’s a question of when, not if – it will be an expensive undertaking. Current technologies would use about one-third of the energy generated by the plants – what’s called “parasitic energy” – and, as a result, substantially drive …

As Ratepayer Rebellion Rages in Florida, Small Modular Reactor and “CWIP” Advance Financing Drive Stopped Dead in Iowa; Next Battleground States: Missouri and North Carolina. Though its trials and travails at the national level get all the attention, the nuclear power industry is finding fewer and fewer friends in statehouses across the nation. In the Southeast, traditionally the stronghold of …

The LA Times examines the effect of net metering in California on solar system installations. Net metering has been a big success in helping to give consumers a reason to install solar. IN fact until net metering came along (and leasing options) I was held up in limbo. I wanted to have solar on my house but could not find …

Anti-dumping and Anti-countervailing Decision Unexpected, Manufacturers Treading Carefully Last Friday’s (May 18) results for the preliminary ruling on the U.S. anti-dumping and anti-countervailing case against China were not what the PV industry expected, and Chinese manufacturers were caught off guard by the news, resulting in delayed price negotiations for June. According to EnergyTrend, a research division of TrendForce, related vendors …

Solar power growth has depended on a variety of incentives to get the ball rolling in the consumer and utility scale markets. Subsidies, rebates, leasing, and so on have been needed to get funding for projects and R&D in this growing energy field. This item shows how a consortium set up to promote solar power is further stimulating the market …

Industry Says Even Greater Assurance Possible Hardly a week has passed since Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association, TREIA,hosted the Electric Generation Adequacy & Reliability Forum at the Texas State Capitol on Tuesday, May 8 where Texas PUC Commissioner Pablos and industry leaders spoke to a standing room only audience about issues facing energy industries in Texas. TREIA President Steve Wiese …

By Elisa Wood Why do some states avoid creating policies that encourage consumers and businesses to save energy? What’s the psychology of the laggards? A new report by the American Council for an Energy Efficiency Economy sheds some insight as it examines the states that consistently fall behind in the organization’s annual energy efficiency ranking. The bottom states are: Alabama, …