Tag Archives: car

The Worldwatch Institute suggests moving toward collective direct action to successfully tackle key environmental issues Many environmentalists today miss the broader political picture by advocating for small day-to-day “green living” acts that in reality are far more symbolic than they are effective. The truth is that most people are proponents of a cleaner environment, safer products and labor conditions, and …

USDA Grant Aims to Convert Beetle-Killed Trees into Biofuel The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today that it has awarded nearly $10 million to an academic, industry, and government consortium led by Colorado State University to study the major challenges limiting the use of insect-killed trees in the Rockies as a sustainable feedstock for bioenergy. The award was made …

Sometimes we’re spot-on when we predict the future. Other times we blow it horribly. Take smart homes, the forerunner of today’s smart grid. Back in the 1980s, prognosticators thought we’d have millions of smart homes by now and that they would achieve remarkable feats. For example, a United Press International article from 1986 said that a child would be able to stick …

Crafting a better enzyme cocktail to turn plants into fuel faster Tapping fungus to unlock energy Scientists looking to create a potent blend of enzymes to transform materials like corn stalks and wood chips into fuels have developed a test that should turbocharge their efforts. The new research, published in October in the journal Molecular BioSystems, is part of a worldwide …

  In Northeastern Brazil, energy companies are erecting wind farms to capitalize on the constant winds that have challenged farming families for generations.   CAETITE, BRAZIL — With its abundant dams and rivers that carry more fresh water than any other country, Brazil — big and bountiful — essentially runs on hydropower. But it turns out that the country can …

Zero-Down Solar Leasing for New Homes The solar PV market has been though a lot of changes in the last couple of years. Since Solarcity introduced the model of zero-down solar leasing back in 2006 many solar providers (including SunRun, Sungevity, SunPower and Real Goods Solar) have followed suit. Third-party-ownership has become the preferred way to go solar in many of …

UPS TO EXPAND NATURAL GAS FOOTPRINT Thirteen new LNG fueling stations to be operational by the end of 2014 UPS® (NYSE:UPS) announced today plans to invest approximately $50 million to build an additional nine liquefied natural gas (LNG) fueling stations, bringing the total number of stations to 13. Four were announced in April, and all should be operational by the …

Energy efficiency’s largest players grew, even as the economy lagged in recent years. And they show no signs of slowing down, says a new report distributed by the National Association of Energy Service Companies. Revenue growth averaged nine percent annually from 2009 to 2011 for large energy efficiency service companies, or ESCOs, according to the report, prepared by the Department …

Conversion of a ’71 Volkswagen Bug into an all-electric vehicle – the first known freeway worthy, 100+ mile range plug-in retrofitted by high school students Last week, a group of Santa Monica High School students of the environmental science and advocacy group, Team Marine, finished their gas-to-electric car conversion project. Working for four years on a 1971 red convertible Volkswagen …

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 …

The global energy industry must play a greater role in the transition to sustainable energy systems if United Nations development goals are to be met, warns a report launched today by the World Energy Council (WEC). The potential for billions of people benefiting from sustainable energy systems in future decades hangs in the balance without increased private sector support, it …

The Geothermal Energy Association today released a new report showing continued strong growth signals in the international market for geothermal power. The report, 2013 Geothermal Power: International Market Overview, identifies 70 countries moving forward with nearly 700 geothermal power projects. “The number of geothermal projects continues to grow as more and more countries recognize the potential economic and environmental benefits that geothermal …

Charge Across Town Invites Public to Get Behind the Wheel of an EV Charge Across Town is driving forward the adoption of electric vehicles in the Bay Area with “EV Week 2013: San Francisco to Silicon Valley” – a three-city, five-day series of events and activities designed to engage, educate and excite Bay Area drivers about the benefits, ease and …

Despite demonstrating a slowed growth rate, China will continue to be the largest wind power market in 2020, as it attempts to reduce its carbon footprint while increasing electricity production in rural areas, says research and consulting firm GlobalData. According to the company’s latest report*, China has doubled its cumulative wind capacity every year between 2006 and 2011, growing at …

In response to Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell’s keynote address at the National Clean Energy Summit, the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) has released the following statement from GEA Executive Director Karl Gawell: “We applaud Secretary Jewell for the announcement today reaffirming the Administration’s commitment to approve 20,000 megawatts of renewable energy production on public lands by 2020. With roughly …

The energy efficiency  industry is mad for data, especially anything that will give insight into what spurs consumers to save energy or buy green products. But unfortunately, not all data is good data and some leads the industry astray. Take for example the oft-cited surveys that consumers are willing to pay more for green energy. This led several utilities to …

Low-cost solar power could supply more than a third of all energy needs in the Western U.S., if the nation can hit its targets for reducing the cost of solar energy, according to a new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley.   The UC Berkeley scientists used a detailed computer model they developed of the West’s electric …

In a simultaneous launch on three continents – North America, Europe and Asia – BMW Monday revealed its first all-electric series production vehicle, the i3. The three cities selected for the launch – New York, London and Beijing – indicate where the German automaker believes the best markets for electric cars are in the near future. The three events were …

More Business Travelers Opting For Green-Certified Hotels According to a new report from Timetric, an increasing number of business travelers are opting for green-certified hotels in an effort to curb the impact of their frequent travelling. Business travellers are increasingly prioritising green-certified hotels, according to a new survey by market research firm Timetric. According to its Global Business Traveler Survey …

The European Union’s antidumping tariffs are spurring an increase in prices for Chinese solar modules, marking the end of a period when available inexpensive photovoltaic (PV) devices enabled fast growth of installations in the region. After declining for 48 months since the first quarter of 2009, with a seasonal uptick in February 2013) , average pricing for Chinese crystal polysilicon …