Mobile Robots Turn Solar Panels to Follow the Sun IEEE Spectrum Startup QBotix says robots can boost efficiency of solar energy. China Price War Draining Jobs in Germany’s Solar Valley Renewable Energy World When Thomas Behling returned to his home state of Saxony-Anhalt in 2006, he was drawn by a job in the solar industry and the chance to participate …

It’s not a difficult formula: the lighter a car is, the less fuel it needs to consume. So why aren’t all of our cars lighter and more fuel-efficient? The answer is a little more complicated. These days, drivers want a host of safety, entertainment and comfort features that ultimately make cars heavier. Lighter weight cars are more fuel-efficient, but they …

By Elisa Wood John Lennon wrote that life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans. Apparently, the same is true of energy efficiency. Energy savings happen when we’re busy doing other things – Internet-based things specifically. We use email, bank online and download music not to save energy, but to make life easier and more interesting. …

TAKING BACK AMERICA’S ENERGY FUTURE FROM THE LOBBYISTS: 1 MILLION AMERICANS TO FIGHT INDUSTRY EFFORTS TO KILL CLEAN ENERGY AGENDA Three Dozen Citizen Organizations From Across Nation Take on Undue Influence of Energy Company “Goliath”; Push Reflects Views of 83 Percent of Americans That a “New-Grassroots Driven” Effort is Needed. Fed up with the undue influence of the energy companies, …

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, …

In celebration of the 75th birthday of the Golden Gate Bridge, space scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, are topping each tower with a glittering solar candle. Space scientist John Vallerga describes the Solar Beacon project and how the public can experience it. Video by Roxanne Makasdjian. The “candles” are mirrors that the public can control through the Internet …

With everyone trying to help the environment by reducing their carbon footprint and using renewable energy to reduce electricity bills, wind turbines are the future for the UK. You probably hear a lot about solar power, expensive panels that will help reduce your energy bill dramatically, but wind and water are other renewable sources that should be considered moving forward. …

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 …

U.S. ENERGY SECURITY EFFORTS UNDER ATTACK IN ANNUAL DEFENSE BUDGET BILLS House Defense Bill Undermines Public-Private Initiative to Develop Domestic Alternative Energy Sources to Reduce Reliance on Foreign Oil The House on Friday approved a $642 billion annual Defense authorization bill, 299-120. Included in the bill are harmful provisions that would undermine efforts to reduce the military’s dependence on the …

Pretty much everyone wants to save the environment. At least no one is out there advocating that we have a free-for-all with toxins and pollutants. The problem occurs from the choices we have to make: do it green or do it cheaply? Or more easily? I wrestle with that every time I grab a paper towel off the roll. But …

— FuelCell Energy Solutions, GmbH Acquires Select Assets from MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH — European Joint Venture With Fraunhofer IKTS to be Finalized by June 30,2012 FuelCell Energy, Inc. a leading manufacturer of ultra-clean, efficient and reliable fuel cell power plants, today announced that its German subsidiary, FuelCell Energy Solutions GmbH, is acquiring select assets from MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH, a subsidiary …

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, 47 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions are from existing buildings. From a global perspective, reducing energy consumption in buildings is imperative for a sustainable future. So when property owners and managers transform an existing facility into one that’s a high-performance building, what does that mean? Essentially, it means doing more with less. …

So much of what’s discussed in offices these days – and forever really – focuses on this: What’s best for the company? How do we increase profits? That’s totally understandable, given that a primary responsibility of any for-profit enterprise is to benefit its owners and investors. Still, as individuals, and I would argue, as part of the capitalist system, we …

We do many posts about the new emerging alternative energy technologies that are coming onto the market. However there are some other very important considerations when thinking about our future energy security. That includes building our homes and offices to be more energy efficient so that we save and use less energy. This article addresses that aspect. Check it out. …

PV America 2012 West Celebrates The inaugural PV America West conference and trade show concluded on March 21 with more than 160 exhibitors showcasing the products and technologies driving the PV solar energy industry in the western region in 2012. Presented by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)® and the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), the show offered an extensive …

Mix of GIS, technical and financing advice helps countries shift from high-carbon imports to low-carbon domestic energy By embracing an integrated mix of renewable energy, energy efficiency, and grid technologies, countries can put their energy systems on a more sustainable path while developing economically, according to a new report from the Worldwatch Institute. The report, Sustainable Energy Roadmaps: Guiding the …

Valley of the Sun YMCA to Activate 1.6 Megawatt (MW) Multi-Facility Solar Program Across 16 Arizona Y-Locations ~Local Officials Join Valley of the Sun YMCA, Scout Solar, and Centrosolar America for Ribbon Cutting Dedication in Scottsdale, Arizona~ Today, the Valley of the Sun YMCA, Scout Solar, LLC, Centrosolar America, and the City of Scottsdale celebrated the deployment of 66.55 kilowatts …

Contrary to Industry Predictions, Reactor Disaster Seen As Having a “Lasting Chill” on Perceptions; It’s Not All Fukushima: 3 in 5 Americans Less Supportive Due to Woes of U.S. Nuclear Industry in Last Year. WASHINGTON, D.C.///March 7, 2012///One year after the disaster at the Fukushima nuclear reactors in Japan, Americans continue to want to keep the brakes on more nuclear …

The premise behind the zero energy homes is that you have a house that not only generates its own energy through renewable energy sources but also has less of an initial carbon impact with the materials that are used to build the house. The theory is that you end up with a carbon neutral home. Zero energy homes and similar …

Despite difficult times economically over the last few years in the US, the solar market has been taking off, dramatically increasing the percentage of energy coming from clean, renewable sources. This growth has largely been thanks to a combination of factors. Consumer demand has dramatically increased due to mounting awareness of solar panels as an easy-to-install home improvement – they …