Alternative Clean Energy Roundup: 24 May 2013

Gov. Dayton signs solar energy standard

May 24, 2013 - Minnesota’s investor-owned utilities will be required to get 1.5 percent of their power from solar energy by 2020 under legislation signed by Gov. Mark Dayton.

The solar energy standard also sets a statewide goal of reaching 10 percent by 2030.

The proposal was championed by the Minnesota Clean Energy and Jobs campaign. read more>>>

Kazakhstan to spend 2% of its GDP annually on green technology

24.05.2013 - Kazakhstan will be investing 2% of its GDP into green technology, President Nursultan Nazarbayev said when speaking at the Astana Economic Forum.

“Although Kazakhstan possesses abundant natural riches, including hydrocarbons, we are determined to actively develop renewable sources of energy. It’s a priority in the country’s 2050 Strategy. We intend to invest 2% of the country’s GDP into green technology annually as part of the national plans to shift to the green economy”, President Nazarbayev said. read more>>>

Coghlan Emergency Preparedness Kit

$1B power line undergrounding program proposed in DC

May 22, 2013 - A multi-year, $1 billion program has been proposed by the Power Line Undergrounding Task Force and accepted by Washington, D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray to address the significant power outages District residents and businesses suffered as a result of the severe derecho thunderstorm system that left extensive wind damage in June.

The program would be the first phase to underground up to 60 high-voltage lines most affected by storms and overhead-related outages, and is expected to improve service for Pepco customers on those feeders by 95 percent. read more>>>

Penn State launches net zero demo facility

May 22, 2013 - Researchers, manufacturers and economic development officials are embarking on a groundbreaking smart grid net zero energy building demonstration project -- the GridSTAR Center -- a Smart Energy Campus initiative at the Navy Yard in Philadelphia.

Spearheaded by Penn State with support from the U.S. Department of Energy, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC), the GridSTAR Net Zero Energy Demonstration Structure is the first phase of the GridSTAR Center and will serve as a hub for workforce training, building performance testing, energy management research and smart microgrid modernization deployments. read more>>>

First Aid, Survival, and CPR:

Globeleq inaugurates 44 MW wind farm in Nicaragua

21 May 2013 - Globeleq has inaugurated its 44 MW Eolo de Nicaragua S.A. (Eolo) wind farm in Nicaragua, further strengthening its position in the Central American region.

The Eolo wind farm is located in the province of Rivas on the shores of Lake Nicaragua, about 123 kms south of the capital Managua. Using 22 x 2.0 MW Gamesa G90 wind turbine generators, electricity is sold through two 20-year PPAs to the national privately owned distribution companies. read more>>>

Strawscraper, a new concept in urban energy generation

21 May 2013 - Belatchew Arkitekter has a plan to develop a cladding system for tall buildings consisting of straws that generate energy through the piezoelectric effect

The Swedish company Belatchew Arkitekter has developed an idea for a new building cladding system covered in straws that generate energy through the piezoelectric effect, thereby creating an ‘energy-generating shell’. The ‘straws’ are made of a composite material with piezoelectric qualities that turn motion into energy, which could be generated at quite low velocity wind speeds as only a light breeze is enough to induce the straws to start swaying. read more>>>

Augason Farms Emergency Water Storage Kit - Emergency Supplies

Bioinnovation Center

Highest Common Denominator: A center for nurturing bio-entrepreneurship in New Orleans is a prototype for nimble sustainability.

May 2013 - The New Orleans Bioinnovation Center (NOBIC) was a long time coming. From the moment the project began the planning phase in 2002, it was plagued by rising construction costs and fund-raising complexities. The owners had reclaimed a brownfield site in the burgeoning biotechnology district across from Tulane University Medical School on historic Canal Street and razed the existing structure. Then Hurricane Katrina nearly washed away the entire city. When New Orleans began to rebuild, NOBIC was back on track, helped by the state, which—like other states—had discovered the economic potential of attracting biotechnology incubators. The goal was to create a collaborative environment in which fledgling start-ups could grow into successful enterprises and spread the wealth. read more>>>

Massachusetts Home Solar Electric Installations Quadruple in Two Years

May 22, 2013 - As the cost of fossil fuels rises, the cost of renewables declines, with solar leading the way for homeowners. With its eco-conscious population, a growing number of options for going solar, and enticing Federal and state-level incentives, Massachusetts now ranks 6th nationwide for overall solar production. In fact, residential solar installations more than quadrupled between 2010 and 2012. This Massachusetts CEC data, along with economic factors driving the trend in solar purchases, is outlined in a new solar infographic released today by RevoluSun.

RevoluSun has installed more than 3,500 residential photovoltaic (PV) systems and is helping Bay State homeowners seize this perfect storm of opportunities by making it easy to lease or purchase a custom solar system. read more>>>

Alternative Clean Energy Roundup: 23 May 2013

In a Plus for Electrics, Tesla Repays a Big Federal Loan Early

May 22, 2013 - The taxpayer no longer has to worry about Tesla Motors.

Tesla, the maker of electric cars, paid off a $465 million loan on Wednesday that the Energy Department made in 2010. The repayment is a lift to the Obama administration, whose clean-energy loan programs faced criticism after the collapse of Solyndra, the solar panel maker. The company, using money it raised last week in the markets, is repaying the government nine years before its loan was due. read more>>>

Electric vehicles get a charge in Chicago

May 20, 2013 - Last week, Nissan announced that its electric vehicle, the Leaf, surpassed 25,000 in sales in the U.S. The industry-leading Chevy Volt reached that milestone last year. Over the weekend, John Voelcker, writing for Green Car Reports, estimated that more than 100,000 modern plug-in electric cars have been "delivered to a buyer somewhere in the U.S."

Since the introduction of plug-in electrics in late 2010, first with Nissan's Leaf then days later with the Volt, the numbers have grown, tripling in 2012. Some analysts expect sales to double in 2013. Through April, Chevy has sold 5,550 units of the Volt, up 3.2 percent from the same period last year, according to Kevin M. Kelly, General Motors' manager of electric-vehicle communications.

We’re wondering if the outlook is as rosy for the plug-in electric vehicle market here. read more>>>

econscious organic apparel

Solar Impulse plane sets distance record for a solar-powered flight

23 May 2013 - The Swiss-made Solar Impulse plane landed in Dallas on Thursday, breaking the distance record for a solar-powered flight on the second leg of its coast-to-coast odyssey across America.

The super-light, super-wide plane rose from its runway at Phoenix's Sky Harbor International Airport at 4:47 a.m. MST (7:47 a.m. ET) Wednesday with Andre Borschberg, Solar Impulse's co-founder and CEO, at the controls. He guided the plane through Arizona, New Mexico and West Texas, conducting a string of interviews from the air.

"It's flying very well," Borschberg told NBC News a couple of hours after takeoff.

Although the cockpit had room for only one flier, many more people were looking over his shoulder, thanks to a live video link. "They're all with me virtually," Borschberg said. read more>>>

05/21/13 - Tûranor PlanetSolar: World's Largest Solar-Powered Boat Sets Transatlantic Speed Record

“If people aren’t pissed off, it ain’t working”: A chat with green billionaire Tom Steyer

20 May 2013 - Tom Steyer spent years as a wildly successful hedge fund manager, a vigorous philanthropist, and a sought-after funder of Democratic politicians, but most of that activity took place beneath the public radar.

A few years ago, however, Steyer stepped into the spotlight. In January 2009, he and his wife Kat Taylor donated $40 million to found the Tomkat Center for Sustainable Energy within the Precourt Institute for Energy at Stanford, and another $7 million to found the Steyer-Taylor Center for Energy Policy and Finance, run by ex-Google energy guy Dan Reicher. read more>>>

Toothbrush Sanitizer | Travel Toothbrush Sanitizer

Majority thinks global warming, clean energy should be priorities

May 21, 2013 - Global warming and clean energy should be priorities for Congress and the president, a majority of Americans said in a recent survey.

In the survey, released Tuesday by Yale and George Mason universities, 70% of American adults say global warming should be a priority for the nation’s leaders, while 87% say leaders should make it a priority to develop sources of clean energy. Those support levels have dropped by 7% and 5% respectively since fall.

Six in 10 Americans want the U.S. to reduce greenhouse gas emissions regardless of other countries’ emissions efforts, according to the survey. read more>>>

Are we on the cusp of a solar energy boom?

Solar power is getting much easier to store — and at a much cheaper price

May 21, 2013 - The total solar energy hitting Earth each year is equivalent to 12.2 trillion watt-hours. That's over 20,000 times more than the total energy all of humanity consumes each year.

And yet photovoltaic solar panels, the instruments that convert solar radiation into electricity, produce only 0.7 percent of the energy the world uses.

So what gives? read more>>>

The Official SolarGoose on-line Store

New report offers steps to revitalize water industry

May 21, 2013 - Ongoing water scarcity, paired with aging infrastructure and related funding gaps, are increasing already heightened concerns over the U.S. water sector. In response, Ernst & Young has proposed a 10-point action plan for addressing critical water infrastructure and sustainability issues in the United States.

The proposal emphasizes the need for both political and professional stakeholders to work together to promote adoption of innovative market mechanisms, cutting-edge engineering practices, and efficiency technologies, as well as standards and regulations that enhance accountability. read more>>>

The link between energy efficiency and $275B in advanced tech

May 22, 2013 - Energy efficiency is a good decision for businesses, homeowners and the government, John Mandyck, chief sustainability officer at UTC Climate, Controls & Security told attendees at the Energy Efficiency Global Forum in Washington, D.C. yesterday.

UTC had the Rhodium Group analyze the impact of a 30 percent improvement in U.S. building efficiency by 2030. According to the findings, improving energy efficiency in buildings by 30 percent would create a $275 billion market for advanced technology, engineering and design services, and construction activity in the U.S. alone. read more>>>

Alternative Clean Energy Roundup: 22 May 2013

More than 480 microgrid projects in some stage of development

05/21/2013 - Many new microgrid projects are still under the radar, and many local projects originate organically, without official designations or titles, making them very hard to track. As a sector, however, microgrids are beginning to move into the mainstream, with a greater focus being placed on viable business models.

The result is a much more robust microgrid market than just a few years ago. According to a new report from Navigant Research, more than 480 microgrid projects are proposed, planned, under construction, or operating worldwide, representing nearly 3,800 MW of capacity. read more>>>

Rooftop Revolution: How Solar Energy Is Putting Power Back in the Hands of the People

Sungevity founder Danny Kennedy talks about his book and how solar power is transforming communities and creating jobs.

May 20, 2013 - Rarely do we switch on an appliance or flick on the lights and consider the source of energy. Yet, in the past few years, we have become more conscious about the mountains being blown up in Appalachia to extract coal or the massive onslaught of gas drilling and fracking on new shale formations. Danny Kennedy’s new book, "Rooftop Revolution: How Solar Power Can Save Our Economy--And Our Planet--From Dirty Energy", turns our endless search to keep looking down for future energy sources and simply asks us to look up for it. The sun, he argues, is waiting to be tapped for clean, cheap energy if we can get our heads out of the sand. read more>>>

Show you care. Find eco-friendly gifts at Green Living Everyday

Green economy conference to kick off on June 10

May 22, 2013 - Ajman: To ensure that Ajman is a pollution-free city, Ajman Municipality and Planning Directorate will organise its first green economy conference titled “Less Carbon for Sustainable Development.”

The conference organised for the first time will kick off on June 10 under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Humaid Bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Ajman, and will feature the participation of various environment experts that will highlight various environmental projects while setting recommendations that aim at protecting the environment and ways of ensuring less harmful gases are emitted.

Details about the conference were unveiled on Tuesday at a press conference held at Kempinski Hotel. read more>>>

Public private dialogue on green growth in the Greater Mekong Subregion

A rapid economic transition is underway in the Greater Mekong subregion of Southeast Asia.With GDP growth rates among the six countries (Cambodia, the People's Republic of China, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam) averaging 6.6% in 2013, and with power demand expected to triple by 2025, governments and corporations will need to explore the full range of benefits that green economies can bring in order to ensure long lasting prosperity for all citizens.

To better understand how green economies make good policy and business sense, a regional consultation ‘New opportunities from natural wealth management’ will take place June 17th-20th in Bangkok. read more>>>

Free Shipping on the JOOS Orange Portable Solar Charger. Perfect camping and RV accessory. Use JOOSFRESHIP at checkout. Expires 5/31/2013.

Ascent Solar Launches Retail Presence in Colorado

May 21, 2013 - Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTI), a manufacturer of state-of-the-art, flexible thin-film photovoltaic modules, integrated into the company’s new EnerPlexTM series of consumer products, announced today the launch of the company’s retail presence in Colorado.

Ascent began operations at Denver International Airport (Concourse B) as well as multiple locations around the Denver metropolitan area; including Boulder, Aurora and the world famous Red Rocks amphitheatre. read more>>>

Tûranor PlanetSolar: World's Largest Solar-Powered Boat Sets Transatlantic Speed Record

05/21/13 - MS Tûranor PlanetSolar, the world’s largest solar boat, set a new record for the fastest transatlantic crossing by a vessel powered entirely by solar energy, smashing its own 2010 record by four days. The 115-foot Swiss catamaran traveled 2,867 miles (5,310 kilometers) across the Atlantic Ocean in 22 days, conducting experiments along the Gulf Stream as part of the PlanetSolar DeepWater expedition.

The catamaran left from Las Palmas, Spain, on April 25, 2013, and sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, traveling at the speed of 5.3 knots before it reached Marigot, St Martin, in the West Indies on May 18, 2013. read more>>>

Toothbrush Sanitizer | Travel Toothbrush Sanitizer

UNEP: Bright Moon partnership shows China's green aspirations

2013-05-21 - The UN Environment Program (UNEP) agency said Monday China is currently a strategic and significant player in the advancement of green transformation and sustainable development globally.

UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner said China is well placed to help the world tackle a host of ecological challenges including climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss and wildlife poaching.

"With often double digit growth, the future of the planet is in a significant way linked to the sustainable development ambitions of China now and in the future," said Steiner during the 2013 Bright Moon event held in the Kenyan capital Nairobi. read more>>>

New standard for "green“ certification has been adopted in Moscow

21. Mai 2013 - The process of „green“ construction and „green“ certification is becoming increasingly relevant. In addition to the already known BREEAM and LEED, Moscow has adopted a new system for „blue“ construction certification DGNB (German Sustainable Building Council)/ OEGNI (Austrian Sustainable Building Council), developed by the German Society for Sustainable Construction. “This new certification system aims to be more than green as is the only one that gives as much importance to the economic aspect of sustainable building as it does to the ecological criteria. The assessments are always based on the entire life cycle of a building. Of course the focus is always also on the wellbeing of the user,” - said Philipp Kaufmann, President of OEGNI Austria.

The Class A office building Leninskiy Prospekt 119 (LP119) has become the first building to be certified under OEGNI / DGNB standard. The office and hotel development is located in a growing business district in southwestern Moscow and is surrounded by numerous parks and gardens. The total construction area of the office is 22,650 sq m, 15,400 sq m of which are offered for lease. read more>>>