The future of homes is green. From smart appliances to energy monitoring systems and automation, green technology is changing the way we will live in our homes and communities. And if you look at amazing advancements in green home technology, you’ll soon realize the future is now. Here’s a list of current (and future) high-tech applications for environmentally responsible living …

  For numerous good reasons, home solar power is becoming more popular all the time, but is it right for your home? With the expense of solar panels dropping, and the cost of other energy rising, solar power can be a wise investment for your home.  It can raise the appraised value of your property, as well as hold down …

The practice of harnessing clean, renewable energy from the sun to power homes and businesses is gaining popularity as improved technology and business models are reaching consumers. Solar energy is harnessed using photovoltaic (PV) panel systems that convert sunlight directly into electrical energy that can be used to power your home’s heating, cooling, lighting and appliances. PV panels are easily …

CON EDISON DEVELOPMENT JOINS CPS ENERGY TO DEDICATE ALAMO 5, A 990-ACRE SOLAR INSTALLATION IN UVALDE AND KNIPPA, TEXAS 118-MW DC/95-MW AC, 378,000-PANEL SOLAR FARM, LARGEST OPERATING DUAL-AXIS SOLAR PLANT IN NORTH AMERICA, SERVES GREATER SAN ANTONIO ConEdison Development (CED), one of America’s largest owners and operators of renewable energy infrastructure projects, today dedicated Alamo 5, a 118-MW DC/95-MW AC, dual-axis solar installation in …

Today, the Sierra Club, along with Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), and a diverse coalition of public interest groups, automakers, labor unions, and representatives of community choice aggregators and electric vehicle (EV) charging, submitted a proposed settlement to the California Public Utilities Commission to accelerate the deployment of EV charging stations across Northern California. The new “Charge Smart and Save” …

Photovoltaic System Provides 75 Percent of the Winery and Restaurant’s Total Energy Consumption Nestled in the verdant Valle de Guadalupe winemaking region and with an eye on sustainability, El Cielo Winery in Baja California now offsets approximately 75 percent of its energy needs with a new Kyocera solar installation. El Cielo, which translates as “The Sky,” has installed 220 high-reliability …

Station on O’Hare property will offer compressed natural gas (CNG), biodiesel and fast-charge charging stations for electric vehicles. CHICAGO – As part of the ongoing sustainability efforts at Chicago’s airports, the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) announced it has contracted with a private company to develop a 4,000-square-foot fueling station and travel center featuring a range of alternative fuels and …

-On Geothermal Day, GEA calls for GEA Honors 2014 entries- Washington, D.C. (May 2, 2014) – On Monday, May 5, the geothermal industry will recognize Geothermal Awareness Day in California (#GeothermalDay2014) with a slate of activities in Sacramento and beyond, including a call for entries for GEA Honors, the Geothermal Energy Association’s annual awards program. “There is a growing need …

Report commissioned by LABC Institute encourages incentives to share benefits of emerging commercial solar market with low-income areas throughout Los Angeles; many local programs already benefiting from the LADWP feed-in tariff   A significantly expanded commercial rooftop solar program in Los Angeles would create thousands of new jobs and spur hundreds of millions of dollars in new investment, with particular …

Microgrids, Money and the Utility ‘Death Plunge’   This is the second part of our coverage on microgrids from last week’s Northeast Sustainable Energy Association BuildingEnergy 14 conference in Boston. Read Part I here. If distributed generation is accelerating the utility death spiral – as some say – will microgrids cause a total utility plunge? That’s the question Galen Nelson, director …

Efficient fossil fuel technologies will drive the ongoing growth of the global thermal power market, with generation expected to hit 19,869.1 TWh by 2020, as countries across the world work towards green, low-carbon and sustainable development, according to a new report from research and consulting firm GlobalData. The company’s latest report* states that recent years have seen heavier investment into …

As a commercial contractor, I have had experiences with working with green building materials. I have noticed that today, now more than ever, it’s important to take steps to conserve our natural resources. One way to do that is through the use of green building materials, such as seen at the Ritz-Carlton in North Carolina and the Las Vegas Palazzo …

Breakthrough For Hawaiian Solar Power Announced By Clean Energy Groups Barriers should come down for homeowners, businesses wanting to add rooftop solar Honolulu, HI — Today, national organizations Earthjustice and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, Inc. (IREC) commended the Hawaiian Electric (HECO) utilities’ path-breaking plans to enable more rooftop solar systems to connect to the grid. The utilities and clean …

SUPERMARKET DISTRIBUTION CENTER POWERS UP IN QUEENS, NEW YORK WITH NEW ROOFTOP SOLAR ARRAY ~ Matspeth Community Welcomes a Completed Renewable Energy Power Plant Project for the Kam Man Food Corporation, Featuring Latest German-Engineered Panels and Cutting Edge Mounting System ~ The Matspeth Community announces the completion of a solar energy system on top of the distribution center for Kam …

In May 2012, XP Power opened an electronic power converting manufacturing plant in the province of Binh Duong, Vietnam. Normally, this wouldn’t exactly be a thrilling headline, but what makes this plant so unusual is that it is considered to be the world’s most environmentally friendly manufacturing facility. Its sustainable features are so extensive that the plant will be the …

There’s a lot of moaning and hand-wringing whenever gasoline prices approach $4 a gallon. But all it would take for them to hit $10 a gallon overnight would be hurricanes wiping out a couple of refineries or saboteurs disabling a couple of pipelines, says Dr. R. Paul Williamson, founder and CEO of the non-profit Sustainable Systems of Colorado. “The United …

Formerly HCL CleanTech, Company Unveils New Brand and CEO; Officially Announces the Closing of $30 Million in Private Financing and $75 Million Loan Package from the State of Mississippi REDWOOD CITY, Calif.— March 6, 2012—Virdia, formerly HCL CleanTech, a leading developer of cellulosic sugars, today announced major company milestones, including a new brand and CEO, its latest funding round, and …

With More than 15 Times the Solyndra Loan Guarantee on the Line, U.S. Taxpayers Being Kept in the Dark About Huge Vogtle Risks; Nine Groups Cite NRC Law Violation in Going to Court to Block Vogtle Licensing. WASHINGTON, D.C. – February 16, 2012 – If you are a taxpayer who liked the less than half a billion dollar Solyndra federal …

Pepco Buys UMD’s Solar Decathlon-Winner for Public Education COLLEGE PARK, Md. – WaterShed, the international-prize-winning solar house built by University of Maryland students, faculty and professional partners, has found a buyer and a permanent site: Electric service provider Pepco is purchasing the high-tech building, and plans to locate it at one of its facilities in Montgomery County, Maryland. The purchase …

Department of Energy Awards More Than $145 Million for Advanced Solar Technologies DOE SunShot Initiative Accelerates Development of Cost-Competitive Solar Technologies WASHINGTON, D.C. – Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced more than $145 million for projects to help shape the next generation of solar energy technologies and ensure that the United States remains a leader in this global market. Sixty-nine …