Alternative Clean Energy Roundup: 11 June 2013

The business case for wind power: Opinion

June 10, 2013 - People sometimes ask why an Internet company like Google has chosen to invest in the Atlantic Wind Connection — a multi-billion-dollar electric transmission “backbone” designed to carry power from offshore wind farms. The answer is simple: At Google, we believe investing in renewable energy makes business sense.

Energy is a critical driver of our business. read more>>>

U.S.-China climate deal faces broader challenge

6/11/13 - Green groups hailed the new agreement between China and the U.S. to slash emissions of some potent greenhouse gases, but tough international negotiations lie ahead if the deal is to take effect.

The White House and the green community — which has been seeking action by President Barack Obama to fulfill his promises to more aggressively combat climate change — heralded a deal he cut over the weekend with Chinese President Xi Jinping to cut hydrofluorocarbon pollution. read more>>>

Innovation in Wind Turbine

New Climate Data Depict a City More at Risk

June 10, 2013 - The Bloomberg administration on Monday issued new warnings about New York City’s vulnerability to climate change, offering updated data to encourage businesses, residents and perhaps even future mayors to better prepare against hotter weather, fiercer storms and increased rainfall.

Administration officials estimated that more than 800,000 city residents will live in the 100-year flood plain by the 2050s. read more>>>

Water Levels Fall in Great Lakes, Taking a Toll on Shipping

June 10, 2013 - Aboard the Dorothy Ann, in Lake Erie near Fairport Harbor, Ohio — As Capt. Jeremy R. Mock steered this 711-foot combination of tug and barge toward a harbor berth, a screen of red numbers indicated the decreasing depth of water under the vessel: 6 feet, 3.6 feet, 2 feet.

Suddenly the numbers gave way to a line of red dashes: — — — — . read more>>>

Wind Energy in the 21st Century

Solar power generation hits record levels

10 June 2013 - With Southern California’s largest electric generating station broken and scheduled for removal, solar generation levels have reached a record level in California, state officials said Sunday.

Solar power generation on California’s grid set a new all-time high output of 2,071 megawatts at 12:59 p.m. Friday, said officials at the California ISO, the state agency that balances customer demand on regulated power utilities with power generation from commercial vendors. read more>>>

115 U.S. Ski Areas Seek Climate Change Action From Congress

June 6, 2013 (ENS) – Ski areas from 24 states have signed the Climate Declaration, which calls on U.S. federal policymakers and legislators to seize the economic opportunity of addressing climate change.

These 115 ski areas join Climate Declaration founding signatory Aspen Snowmass and 40 other American businesses, including General Motors, Nike and Levi Strauss & Co., as well as Ceres, a coalition of large investors, companies and public interest groups, in declaring that a bold response to the climate challenge is “one of America’s greatest economic opportunities of the 21st century.” read more>>>

Introduction to Wind Energy

Going green kept small businesses out of red during recession

June 07, 2013 - Green practices and products have translated to higher sales for many U.S. companies, even during the economic downturn from 2008 to 2010, according a recent survey conducted by three sustainability groups.

In the survey of more than 1,300 small businesses conducted last summer, three of four companies reported that their sales of green products and services increased during the recession. Additionally, among those businesses, the greener the company's practices, the higher its sales, according to the survey conducted by Green America, EcoVentures International and the Association for Enterprise Opportunity. read more>>>

Wind Turbine Opens Opportunities for Off-Grid Farmers

7 Jun 2013 - Several farmers in North Kohala, Hawaii, are now benefitting from an innovative off-grid water-pumping system powered by a Northern Power NPS 100 wind turbine. Like many others in remote locations and island communities, North Kohala farmers have been searching for an alternative to using polluting, expensive diesel fuel to generate electricity. This microgrid project, known as SkyGrid Energy, marks the growing trend of turning to affordable, clean, renewable wind energy as the solution. The NPS 100 wind turbine is specifically designed to support microgrids with its sophisticated voltage controls and no inrush current, thereby relieving stress to the system. In addition, the NPS 100's ability to control reactive power independently of wind speed more reliably meets energy demands, a crucial component of microgrids. read more>>>

A Guide to Small Wind Energy

Boost to green economy and youth employment

10 June 2013 - A NEW project launched by the Department of Water and Environmental Affairs aims to boost job creation in the green economy and give young people the opportunity to hone their skills in the biodiversity field.

“I feel like I have been given a second chance to prove myself and follow a career in nature conservation,” Sanelisiwe Mkhize, one of the incumbents of the Groen Sebenza (Green Work) project, said. read more>>>

Time for unified green building standard in UAE, says expert

June 10, 2013 - Dubai: It is high time there was a unified standard for green buildings — structures designed, constructed, and operated to minimise environmental impacts — in the UAE, an expert said during the Performance of Green Buildings Focus Day at the Sheraton Hotel on Monday.

Organised by the Emirates Green Building Council (Emirates GBC), the conference discussed the gaps between design, construction, operations, and maintenance of green buildings in the country and how to address them. Among the gaps identified was the existence of various standards in sustainable buildings. read more>>>