Alternative Clean Energy Roundup: 5 September 2014

NY energy-efficiency efforts cut demand by 244 MW

August 28, 2014 - As a result of energy-efficiency projects completed by the New York Power Authority (NYPA) at 100 state and municipal facilities in the first half of 2014, New York State taxpayers will save $4 million annually and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 14,650 tons a year -- the equivalent of removing more than 3,000 vehicles from the road.

"As the lead organization in carrying out the Governor's Build Smart NY program for improving the state's energy efficiency, the New York Power Authority is maximizing its efforts to cut electricity bills and fossil-fuel emissions through its partnerships with state and local governments," Gil C. Quiniones, NYPA president and chief executive officer, said. "By cutting back on electricity use, the improvements are also contributing to the reliability of the overall electric power system." read more>>>

Generating energy from coffee waste

August 28, 2014 - Four years in, the Energy from Coffee Wastewater project led by UTZ Certified, the Netherlands-based sustainability program, has proven that it is possible to generate energy, tackle climate change and protect water resources by treating discharges from coffee mills. The project started in 2010 with the goal of addressing environmental and health problems caused by the wastewater produced in the coffee industry, receiving funding from the Global Sustainable Biomass Fund, which is commissioned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and implemented by Agency NL, a department of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation.

Latin America produces approximately 70 percent of the world's coffee and claims home to 31 percent of the world's freshwater resources. read more>>>

Car dealer cuts energy costs with solar plant

29.08.2014 - The Italian car dealer Autostar Spa has installed a 100 kW photovoltaic plant on its roof. The PV system uses solar modules of Hanwha Q Cells and will cover approximately 70 % of the company’s electricity requirements.

The solar system was installed on 700 m² of the company’s roof in Pordenone. Autostar Spa connected the system to the grid, but the company will use the biggest share of the 100 MWh produced per year – namely 85 % – for self-consumption. “We keep tabs on energy saving in times of climbing energy prices. We expect an energy cost reduction of about 54 %,” said Giorgio Bonutto, Director at Autostar Spa. read more>>>

One Planet Communities: The Earth's Greenest Neighborhoods

08/28/14 - Green living is the hottest thing on the real estate market these days, and BioRegional, an entrepreneurial charity based in London, is making sure it stays that way. The organization stewards the One Planet Communities; a growing worldwide network of deep green neighborhoods that are the cutting edge of sustainable development. So far only seven communities worldwide have met the rigorous standards of an OPC, though eight others have integrated the 10 guiding principles to a lesser degree, but still enough to receive honorable mention from the organization. These range from the 20-unit Westwyck EcoVillage in Melbourne to the 2.3-square mile Masdar City, a sustainable oasis under construction on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi.

10 principles guide One Planet Communities (OPCs) in the quest for improved stewardship of the Earth’s resources. read more>>>

Wind energy cuts the electricity bill

Aug. 27, 2014 - The promoting of renewable energy is at the heart of the current debate on energy policy. From an economic perspective, the question focusses on determining the cost of the feed-in tariff systems. Firstly, whether the incentives are as expensive as has been maintained in the most recent regulatory modifications, and secondly, whether the effect is similar with respect to all renewable technologies. The study by the UPV/EHU’s Bilbao Energy Research Team (BERT) tackles these questions empirically, and concludes that wind energy continues to produce greater savings than what its incentives amount to, while photovoltaic solar technologies are still in the development phase. The study has been published in the journal Energy Policy.

The UPV/EHU study analyses the electricity market in Spain during the 2008-2012 period —a time of maximum renewable penetration in Spain when energy production within the Special Scheme saw a 57% increase¬— and quantifies its cost. read more>>>

EPA Report Shows Progress in Reducing Urban Air Toxics Across the United States

Aug. 21, 2014 - Today (Aug 21, 2014), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the Second Integrated Urban Air Toxics Report to Congress - the final of two reports required under the Clean Air Act (CAA) to inform Congress of progress in reducing public health risks from urban air toxics.

“This report gives everyone fighting for clean air a lot to be proud of because for more than 40 years we have been protecting Americans – preventing illness and improving our quality of life by cutting air pollution - all while the economy has more than tripled,” said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. “But we know our work is not done yet. At the core of EPA’s mission is the pursuit of environmental justice - striving for clean air, water and healthy land for every American; and we are committed to reducing remaining pollution, especially in low-income neighborhoods.” read more>>>

LCCC's green commitments pave way for partnerships

August 27, 2014 - Lewis and Clark Community College is dedicated to reaching the goal of campus carbon neutrality by 2058. The college has recently forged some new green partnerships as a way to advance its commitment to sustainability.

For several years, L&C’s Dining Services has been composting food waste on campus. In April 2014, the college took it a step further by adding “post-consumer” composting. In addition to “back of the house” composting, L&C students, staff and faculty can now compost food waste leftover from meals, helping the kitchen become a nearly zero-waste operation.

All food, and even the compostable dinnerware, is now being hauled off by Always Green Recycling, and taken to St. Louis Composting, where it becomes the black gold people put on their gardens every year. read more>>>

Grid Perfection, Not Defection: A New Microgrid Landscape in the Making

August 27, 2014 - Despite regulatory and legal barriers, the microgrid market in 2014 looks more dynamic than ever, as highlighted in a new GTM Research report. Several key trends provide strong prospects for the emerging U.S. microgrid landscape.

The profile of the typical microgrid customer is undergoing a substantial transformation. Remote communities and military bases have traditionally built fossil-fuel-fired microgrids when there was no viable alternative. Today, however, cities, communities and public institutions are emerging as new microgrid customers, often in densely populated areas where reliability matters most. read more>>>

Smart city data reflects San Diego EV market, attitudes

August 27, 2014 - Smart City San Diego, which launched its Solar-to-EV project -- one of the first of its kind in the world -- in September 2012, has now released usage data collected at the EV charging stations since November 2012. As part of the electric vehicle (EV) project, five solar-to-EV charging stations were located at the San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park where they used the sun's energy to directly charge plug-in EVs, store solar power for future use, and provide renewable energy to the surrounding area.

The usage data shows a steady increase in electricity consumed, number of cars using the stations, and how often the stations are in use. In fact, charging at the stations more than doubled from the first half of the pilot to the second half, with the amount of cars using the station over the same time periods increased 72 percent, indicating that driver awareness of the stations has increased. read more>>>

NY customers informing the energy vision

August 27, 2014 - In an effort to inform the New York State Public Service Commission's Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) proceeding, the New York State Smart Grid Consortium (NYSSGC), in partnership with member organizations, has conducted a comprehensive survey of New York residential utility customers' electricity awareness and engagement.

The survey set out to determine customer awareness of electricity billing and pricing issues; the value of specific attributes of energy service; customer perceptions of utility performance; interest in community discussions about electric power delivery; and interest in the use of new electricity-related products and services.

Respondents were pretty clear in terms of what they expect from their utility company. In order of priority, respondents said they most valued electric service reliability (94 percent), followed by rapid service restoration after an outage (88 percent) and relatively low cost (76 percent). read more>>>

Verizon Plans Major Expansion of Its On-Site Green Energy Program; Company on Track to Become Largest Solar-Power Producer Among U.S. Communications...

08/26/2014 - Verizon Plans Major Expansion of Its On-Site Green Energy Program; Company on Track to Become Largest Solar-Power Producer Among U.S. Communications Companies

This investment nearly doubles the amount of renewable power generated by solar energy systems installed at six Verizon facilities last year. To date, Verizon has invested nearly $140 million in on-site green energy. With the 2014 solar investment announced today, Verizon is on target to deploy upward of 25 megawatts of green energy upon completion of the new solar projects. The system will generate enough green energy to power more than 8,500 homes each year.Verizon's green-energy efforts are expected to offset 22,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide each year, which is equivalent to taking nearly 5,000 passenger vehicles off the road each year

"Our investment in on-site green energy is improving the quality of life in the communities we serve by reducing CO2 levels and reducing strain on commercial power grids, while increasing our energy efficiency," said James Gowen , Verizon's chief sustainability officer. read more>>>

Green Design is in the House

July 2014 - When the recession hit in 2007, projects across the country were put on hold or abandoned. Colossal cranes hanging over deserted construction sites became ubiquitous in cities from Boston to Las Vegas. While much of the industry came to a halt during the downturn, the green residential market experienced the most growth. And according to McGraw Hill Construction's most recent study, "Green Multifamily and Single-Family Homes: Growth in a Recovering Market," this trend will likely continue, with more builders, developers, and remodelers of both single and multifamily housing experiencing a substantial rise in green activity, from implementing strategies that enhance water and energy efficiency to improving indoor air quality. The greatest increase in green construction will be from those building single-family houses: of the firms surveyed for this study, 62 percent reported that more than 15 percent of their work is green to some degree, and by 2018, an impressive 84 percent expect to be involved with green building practices. read more>>>