The Carbon Footprint Of Your Life On Google Is Zero

Google has been making milestones, trying to help the planet go green. I always imagined those big server farms must be sucking energy like black hole. But my thoughts was proved wrong and even though these servers do draw energy, per user per month, it is much less than, in Google's words, a light bulb left on for three hours. I am not sure if it an incandescent, CFL or the ridiculously expensive bu efficient LED bulb that we just started using. In either case it is a lot less energy usage than running your own servers, specially for small business'.
Either was Google as one of the largest cloud service providers in the world, saving energy wastage and we reported yesterday how much energy GMail and YouTube Saving. But the story does not stop there and even the little energy per user mentioned above, is offset by Google's Carbon offset program, Google has been carbon neutral since 2007.
Google also has set the path for other big boys to go green sooner than later, Microsoft, Yahoo followed the Google footsteps and even got competitive in setting up green initiatives.
Google also invests heavily on green energy, like the investment on Geothermal energy, renewable energy projects, and so on.
I am glad, that I am / we are using Google services to the fullest, ok not the fullest but as much as we could.

Official Google Blog: How our cloud does more with less

Google Takes Frog Out Of The Pot With Clean Energy.

If you ever hear the phrase ""A frog in water doesn't feel it boil in time. Dude, we are that frog."" regarding climate change, good you are on our side. Otherwise you can visit grist.org and educate yourself a little more.
But Google and its green initiative has taken another step to take us, frogs out of the pot that might boil in time. Google has already done some work regarding going green and staying green.
But the new initiative is to generate one Gigawatt of electricity, renewable energy, cheaper than burning coal. The project is known as RE>C.
Even though engineers are the core of this research an development, Google also sees the need to promote the technology through government initiatives and by advancing a policy agenda to stimulate clean energy projects.
Google is also putting money where the mouth is and have already spent closer to $45 Million towards solar thermal, advanced wind, and enhanced geothermal technologies through google.org.
So even if Google does not pull us all out of the pot, it might teach us how to jump out it.
You will find more information at;
Official Google Blog: Building a future that's clean and green

Tags: Google, renewable energy, solar thermal, advanced wind, geothermal energy

PG&E Signs Agreements With OPTISOLAR And SUNPOWER To Provide 800 MW Utility Scale Photovotaic Solar Power Farms.

Photo Copyright 2008 David Lena

SAN FRANCISCO – Pacific Gas and Electric Company today announced it has entered into two utility-scale, photovoltaic (PV) solar power contracts for a total of 800 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy. This significant commitment to photovoltaic technology will deliver cumulatively 1.65 billion kilowatt-hours of renewable energy annually. This would be equivalent to the amount of energy needed to serve approximately 239,000 residential homes each year.
PG&E entered into an agreement with Topaz Solar Farms LLC, a subsidiary of OptiSolar Inc., for 550 MW of thin-film PV solar power. The utility also signed a contract with High Plains Ranch II, LLC, a subsidiary of SunPower Corporation (Nasdaq: SPWR), for 250 MW of high-efficiency PV solar power.
The new Solar Projects from these agreements would provide enough Solar Energy Equivalent to the energy needs of 239,000 Californian homes. It will also fulfill state mandated need of 20% renewable energy requirement for PG&E. “These landmark agreements signal the arrival of utility-scale PV solar power that may be cost-competitive with solar thermal and wind energy,” said Jack Keenan, chief operating officer and senior vice president for PG&E. “We will continue to explore such innovative technologies as we aggressively work to increase the amount of renewable energy we provide our customers.”
Over the past six years, PG&E has entered into contracts for more than 3,600 MW of renewable power, including solar contracts that total more than 2,500 MW. PG&E now has contractual commitments for more than 24 percent of its future power deliveries from renewables, including wind, biomass and geothermal.
Utility-scale PV solar projects feature photovoltaic solar modules, which convert sunlight directly into electricity and produce the greatest amounts of power during the afternoons, when electricity demand is high. Both projects are contingent upon the extension of the federal investment tax credit for renewable energy and processes to expedite transmission needs.

OptiSolar’s Topaz Solar Farm

The 550 MW Topaz Solar Farm project» would utilize relatively low-cost, thin-film PV panels designed and manufactured by OptiSolar in Hayward and Sacramento. Located in San Luis Obispo County, California, the project would deliver an average of 1,100,000 megawatt-hours annually of renewable electricity. The project is expected to begin power delivery in 2011 and be fully operational by 2013.

“We are very happy to be working with PG&E to help meet California’s requirements for clean, renewable energy and are committed to working closely with the local community as this project moves forward,” said Randy Goldstein, chief executive officer of OptiSolar. “Our solar farms are quiet and emission-free, with solar panels mounted near ground level to minimize visual impact. Implementing cost-competitive solar power on this scale establishes thin-film photovoltaic generation as an important contributor to global sustainability.”

SunPower’s California Valley Solar Ranch

SunPower’s planned 250 MW solar ranch, would be located in San Luis Obispo County’s California Valley and will deliver an average of 550,000 megawatt-hours of clean electricity annually. The project is expected to begin power delivery in 2010 and be fully operational in 2012. The ranch would employ SunPower’s proprietary crystalline PV solar cells, which generate up to 50 percent more power than conventional crystalline cells. The company would install its patented SunPower® Tracker solar tracking systems at the site, which tilt toward the sun as it moves across the sky, increasing energy capture by up to 30 percent over fixed systems, while reducing land-use requirements.

“Today, high-efficiency photovoltaic technology is a competitively-priced component of utility-scale peak power generation,” said Tom Werner, chief executive officer of SunPower. “Our experience constructing more than 350 megawatts of solar systems on three continents allows us to deliver utility-scale systems quickly and at a scale of hundreds of kilowatts to hundreds of megawatts. We design our solar systems to maximize energy harvest while adapting to the natural topography of the site and serving the needs of the community.”

Tags: Pacific Gas and Electric Company, renewable energy, Topaz Solar Farms, OptiSolar, SunPower Corporation, High Plains Ranch, Utility-scale PV solar projects

Sharp Solar Goes On HSBC's Tallest Corporate Headquarter Building In Europe

HSBC's Canary Wharf office tower is the tallest corporate headquarter building in Europe to feature solar panels. Covering 617 square metres of the roof of the building, it is also the largest installation of photovoltaic panels on a corporate office in London.

HSBC's energy saving measure illustrates the bank's latest commitment to reducing its impact on the environment since it became carbon neutral in 2005.

At 213 metres (700 feet) high, building engineers developed fixing techniques for the 422 solar panels to withstand wind speeds of up to 140 mph.

The panels - manufactured by Sharp Solar in the UK - will generate approximately 1,550,000 kilowatt hours of green electricity over the building's lease - enough energy to power 20 average UK homes per year. Since 2004, HSBC has decreased its energy consumption at the headquarter office building by seven per cent, or 20 per cent per full time employee - a significant reduction for a corporate building of its size.

"This installation showcases innovation and demonstrates that renewable technologies of this scale can be delivered successfully. If every headquarter building around the world invested in solar panels, it would significantly accelerate the transition towards a low carbon economy and we hope to become a catalyst for this," says Simon Martin, Head of Group Corporate Sustainability, HSBC Holdings Plc.

HSBC expects to save a further 3 per cent (1,750,000 kilowatt hours) of its total energy consumption in its global headquarter building over the next two years through energy efficient measures. This includes improving the efficiency of the buildings air conditioning system.

These energy efficient initiatives are part of the bank's US$90 million Global Environmental Efficiency Programme, launched last year, to introduce renewable energy technology, water and waste reduction programmes and employee participation across its 10,000 offices around the world.

For further press information or photography, please contact: Jennifer Storemski 020 7992 5786 or Jennifer.r.storemski@hsbc.com

Tags: HSBC, solar panels, Sharp Solar, energy efficient initiatives, renewable energy technology

Sandia Labs, Kirtland Air Force Base Plans To Build 30MW Wind Farm.

A Wind farm on the Aragonne Mesa southwest of Santa Rosa, N.M.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Sandia National Laboratories and Kirtland Air Force Base may soon share a wind farm that will provide as much as one-third of the electricity used by the two entities.

The Labs’ Wind Energy Technology Department and the U.S. Department of Energy Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program have embarked on a project to determine if such a plant is viable and to build a roughly 30-megawatt (MW) farm on the air base. A private company would design, build, and operate the farm, and DOE/National Nuclear Security Administration, Sandia and Kirtland would buy the electricity.

Wind Energy Department Manager Jose Zayas says the project — called Sandia Wind Farm Feasibility Project — is part of the DOE Transformational Energy Action Management (TEAM) initiative. According to Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman, the TEAM initiative goal is to “maximize installation of secure, on-site renewable energy projects at all DOE sites.” In addition to installing renewable energy, other DOE goals are to reduce energy use by 30 percent and use third parties to finance the projects. The project would also be a way to reduce energy intensity and greenhouse gas emissions, increase use and efficiency of renewable energy technologies, and adopt sustainable design practices as called for in President Bush’s January 2007 Executive Order 13423.

Sandia is a National Nuclear Security Administration laboratory.

A Request For Information (RFI) was recently placed on a Sandia procurement website in an effort to make commercial, utility-scale wind farm developers, owners, operators, energy service companies, and financiers aware of the potential opportunity to build a wind farm on the base. Deadline to respond to the RFI and be eligible to compete for the partnership is July 3.

In addition, Sandia is holding an “Industry Day” on June 10 in Albuquerque where interested developers can obtain information and ask questions. At the meeting Brian Connor of DOE’s Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program will address the federal goals and objectives of the TEAM initiative and how they will apply to other DOE sites, including Sandia. The location and time of the meeting will be announced on the Wind Energy Technology Department website at www.sandia.gov/wind.

Project engineer Roger Hill says this project is highly unusual for a variety of reasons.

“Usually, private companies build wind farms to sell power to utilities or utilities install wind turbines for their own system use,” Hill says. “Here we are looking for a private company to build a wind plant on federal land for federal [Sandia and Kirtland] consumption.”

The initial stage of the project will involve investigating the feasibility of building the farm on federal lands and/or the adjacent Isleta Pueblo. In the next couple of months Sandia will install a meteorological station on a ridgeline in the Manzano mountains near Albuquerque to measure wind speed and direction. A second will follow.

Hill says that the Manzano mountain site is believed to be one of the best locations of all DOE facilities for a wind farm. Its wind yield is in an indicated class 5 or 6 on a scale of 1 to 7, falling just short of superb.

As part of the feasibility effort, the study team will spend a year assessing the wind characteristics, as well as looking at accessibility to transmission lines, base substations, and PNM’s Sandia switching station. Hill anticipates that as the feasibility study moves along, issues will be identified that will need to be addressed. For instance, the wind turbine installation or operation might conflict with current or planned base operations. Also, an environmental assessment must be performed to ascertain and perhaps mitigate impacts on wildlife.

Together Sandia and KAFB use 72 MW during peak loads and about 40-50 MW at any given time. Sandia’s share of the electricity usage is about 60 percent and Kirtland’s is 40 percent. If a wind farm is built, the two may split the electricity produced in the same 60-40 equation. Construction time from inception to finish could be as little as two years.

Wind farms in New Mexico are located in Guadalupe County (Aragonne Mesa), Quay County (Caprock Wind Ranch, Phases I and II), Roosevelt County (San Juan Mesa), and Quay and DeBaca counties (New Mexico Wind Energy Center).

Zayas says the idea of a Sandia/Kirtland wind farm “is as exciting as it gets” because it provides the opportunity to showcase Sandia and be one of the first DOE sites to have a utility-scale wind farm where power is being consumed.

“This is a pioneering effort that meets the national initiative for renewable energy deployment,” he says. “Plus it contributes to our self-sufficiency and sustainability. We are using a natural indigenous resource to meet our own needs. And it can be replicated elsewhere. It’s a big deal.”

---

Sandia is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin company, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. With main facilities in Albuquerque, N.M., and Livermore, Calif., Sandia has major R&D responsibilities in national security, energy and environmental technologies, and economic competitiveness.

Sandia news media contact: Christine Burroughs, coburro@sandia.gov, (505) 844-0948

Tags: Sandia Corporation, U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration, Wind Farm, renewable energy

Hydrogen From Photosynthesis As A Renewable Fuel

Algae could one day be major hydrogen fuel source

(Download printer-friendly, PDF version.)

ARGONNE, Ill. (April 1, 2008) — As gas prices continue to soar to record highs, motorists are crying out for an alternative that won't cramp their pocketbooks.

Scientists at U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory are answering that call by working to chemically manipulate algae for production of the next generation of renewable fuels – hydrogen gas.

"We believe there is a fundamental advantage in looking at the production of hydrogen by photosynthesis as a renewable fuel," senior chemist David Tiede said. "Right now, ethanol is being produced from corn, but generating ethanol from corn is a thermodynamically much more inefficient process."

Some varieties of algae, a kind of unicellular plant, contain an enzyme called hydrogenase that can create small amounts of hydrogen gas. Tiede said many believe this is used by nature as a way to get rid of excess reducing equivalents that are produced under high light conditions, but there is little benefit to the plant.

Tiede and his group are trying to find a way to take the part of the enzyme that creates the gas and introduce it into the photosynthesis process.

The result would be a large amount of hydrogen gas, possibly on par with the amount of oxygen created.

"Biology can do it, but it's making it do it at 5-10 percent yield that's the problem," Tiede said. "What we would like to do is take that catalyst out of hydrogenase and put it into the photosynthetic protein framework. We are fortunate to have Professor Thomas Rauchfuss as a collaborator from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana who is an expert on the synthesis of hydrogenase active site mimics."

Algae has several benefits over corn in fuel production. It can be grown in a closed system almost anywhere, including deserts or even rooftops, and there is no competition for food or fertile soil. Algae is also easier to harvest because it has no roots or fruit and grows dispersed in water.

"If you have terrestrial plants like corn, you are restricted to where you could grow them," Tiede said. "There is a problem now with biofuel crops competing with food crops because they are both using the same space. Algae provide an alternative, which can be grown in a closed photobioreactor analogous to a microbial fermentor that you could move any place."

Tiede admitted the research is its beginning phases, but he is confident in his team and their research goals. The next step is to create a way to attach the catalytic enzyme to the molecule.

Funding for the research was provided by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences.

Argonne National Laboratory brings the world's brightest scientists and engineers together to find exciting and creative new solutions to pressing national problems in science and technology. The nation's first national laboratory, Argonne conducts leading-edge basic and applied scientific research in virtually every scientific discipline. Argonne researchers work closely with researchers from hundreds of companies, universities, and federal, state and municipal agencies to help them solve their specific problems, advance America 's scientific leadership and prepare the nation for a better future. With employees from more than 60 nations, Argonne is managed by UChicago Argonne, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science.

For more information, please contact Brock Cooper (630/252-5565 or bcooper@anl.gov) at Argonne.

tag: renewable energy, Renewable Fuel, DOE, hydrogen gas, hydrogen by photosynthesis, hydrogenase enzyme, Algae, biofuel crops, photobioreactor, microbial fermentor, Argonne National Laboratory,

Southern California Edison Requests to enhance renewable energy operations.

ROSEMEAD, Calif., March 19, 2008 Southern California Edison (SCE) has filed an application with the California Public Utilities Commission to enhance renewable energy operations.

If approved, the Renewable Integration and Advancement (RIA) Program would fund and develop innovative systems and technologies to enhance safe and reliable energy deliveries as more intermittent renewable resources come on line to meet the states renewable energy goals. The program would focus on better integrating existing renewable resource technologies, such as wind and solar, with a view toward optimizing the operations of existing transmission and distribution capacity. SCE is seeking authorization of funding over two years for this program.

Although no specific projects yet have been identified, examples of the type of projects the RIA program may consider and enable include:

* Testing and installing energy storage devices to capture surplus energy at night and releasing to the grid during the peak-demand hours of the day when the value of the energy is greater.
* Studying the joint production of solar and wind resources to make the most of renewable transmission lines, such as those in the Tehachapi region of Kern County.
* Testing hardware (such as capacitors, batteries, forecasting and monitoring devices) to improve system communications as new renewables are connected to the system.
* Researching best practices and system designs to improve the growth of California's renewable resource portfolio.

This project is an important part of our commitment to reduce carbon emissions and fight climate change. It presents an opportunity to leverage existing infrastructure and proven generating technologies to increase the contribution of renewable resources while enhancing safety and system reliability, said SCE Vice President Stuart Hemphill, who is in charge of renewable and alternative power.

SCE, the nations leader in renewable energy with about 16 percent of its total energy portfolio from renewable sources, would serve as the programs administrator. The RIA program would enable studies or other research efforts, environmental assessments or other technology analysis, field-test technologies and equipment, and provide technical expertise and engineering review. The program will also seek co-funding from federal, state and local agencies.

Media Contact: Vanessa McGrady, (626) 302-2255
www.edisonnews.com
tag: renewable energy, Southern California Edison, Renewable Integration and Advancement,

Responses To RFP For For Renewable Energy Projects Elates Dominion Officials

RICHMOND, Va. – Dominion (NYSE: D) officials are pleased by the results of a request for proposals for renewable energy projects to help the company meet renewable electricity sales goals established by Virginia and North Carolina.

"We received numerous requests for information," said Mark F. McGettrick, president and chief executive officer-Dominion Generation. "Those requests led to dozens of proposals, including ones involving wind, biomass, hydro and solar. We are now evaluating them to see if they merit being added to our existing portfolio of cost-effective, renewable generation."

The company issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) last November for projects in development or early construction that will generate electricity using wind, sunlight, falling water, sustainable biomass, waste, wave motion, tides or geothermal energy. The projects would be located in Virginia, North Carolina or elsewhere in the PJM Interconnection area, which would allow the electricity to be transported to Virginia and North Carolina. The RFP period concluded earlier this month.

Dominion plans to achieve Virginia’s voluntary goal of 12 percent of base year electricity energy sales coming from renewable energy sources by 2022 and North Carolina’s mandatory goal of 12.5 percent from renewable energy sources and energy efficiency by 2021.

The company operates approximately 416 megawatts of renewable generation, which provides enough electricity to power more than 100,000 homes during times of peak demand. This includes the 83-megawatt Pittsylvania Power Station in Hurt, Va., which is one of the largest biomass-fueled generators on the East Coast. The company also has a 50 percent interest in a 264-megawatt wind generation facility in Grant County, W.Va., that will soon begin commercial operation and a 50 percent interest in 650 megawatts of wind-powered generation under development in Benton County, Ind. In addition to its renewable portfolio, Dominion operates the nation’s largest hydroelectric pumped storage facility, the 2,500-megawatt Bath County Power Station in western Virginia.

Along with renewable energy, Dominion’s strategy for meeting the growing energy needs of its customers in an environmentally responsible manner includes cost-effective energy conservation and peak-load management efforts, as well as construction of new generating facilities fueled by a balanced portfolio of energy sources.

Dominion has about 2.3 million electric distribution customers in Virginia and 120,000 electric distribution customers in North Carolina.

More information about Dominion’s renewable energy portfolio and its strategy to meet the growing demands of its customers can be found on the Web at www.poweringvirginia.com.

tag: Renewable Energy, wind energy, biomass energy, hydro energy, solar energy, sustainable biomass, poweringvirginia

Solar Powered Capitalist, Interview with T.J. Rodgers

Today I read an interesting interview and an insight look into T.J. Rodgers, of San Jose's Cypress Semiconductor. and of SunPower by Declan McCullagh of CNET News. SunPower has been a regular news in this blog and I am sure there will be more. Follow the link at the end of the post to read the first part of the interview.

Cypress's product catalog includes things like programmable logic devices, USB controllers, and SRAM chips--the basic building blocks of modern gadgets and computers.

Today in Silicon Valley, though, Rodgers is just as well known for his role in buying and building up SunPower, which sells rooftop solar systems that provide power at prices competitive with utility rates. SunPower's market capitalization is more than $5 billion, which isn't bad for a company that Rodgers kept alive with his own money until his board came around.

In the political world, Rodgers is famous for his plain-spoken approach and verbal skewering of his opponents, who have included everyone from Jesse Jackson (complaining about the so-called digital divide) to a nun from the Sisters of St. Francis on Philadelphia. Sister Doris Gormley wanted racial and gender quotas for Cypress' board; Rodgers responded in detail, saying her advice was "immoral" and "we pursue talent--and we don't care in what package that talent comes."

Rodgers recently married Valeta Massey in a ceremony at the Fairmont hotel in San Jose. In a choreographed ceremony, he had a faux IRS agent stand up and object to the nuptials on grounds that the U.S. treasury would lose money. Silicon Valley uber-lawyer Larry Sonsini provided some on-the-spot legal advice, and bagpipers provided a counterpoint.

This buccaneering, free-market spirit makes Rodgers an interesting fellow to interview, so I did. Here's a lightly edited (I abbreviated some of my questions and some of his answers) transcript of our conversation from last month. Part two will follow Friday.

Interview with T.J. Rodgers, of San Jose's Cypress Semiconductor.

tag: renewable energy, SunPower, Cypress Semiconductor.

3TIER Remaps The World!

We all have been looking for benefits of alternative energy resources and Solar and Wind Energy has been close at hand for all of us. But do we know how much sun light or wind energy that we are able to capture from the places where we live? Thanks to an innovative company, 3TIER, now we can.

With wind energy or Solar Energy, knowing how hard the wind blows or how strong is that sun beam are like knowing how much money you have in the bank.

On March 3, 2008, a global 15km wind map was launched online at firstlook.3tiergroup.com Based on data from a single year, the intent of this background map was to provide a broad sense of the wind potential throughout the world by renewable-energy assessment company 3Tier.

Also according to the news on site, over the next 21 months, 3TIER will create a much more accurate map for the entire world for wind, country by country, based upon a priority order that takes into account such issues as renewable energy policies, availability of renewable energy resource and economic status. Solar and other renewable energies will be included in the future.

I am happy that I know exactly how much wind and Sun energy I am wasting (by not using properly) after little calculations with the 3Tier data.
tag: renewable energy, 3TIER, renewable-energy assessment, wind energy, Solar Energy, firstlook

Army Goes Green In Fort Carson, Colorado, With "The solar station"

DENVER (AP) -- Green has been the Army's color for years. Now the service is trying to go green, from a Colorado base to the battlefield.On Monday, the Army will dedicate a solar power station at sprawling Fort Carson, south of Colorado Springs. The solar station -- the largest of any Army base in the country -- will provide 2 megawatts of power, enough to supply 540 homes or more than 2 percent of the base's power consumption.Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, a strong supporter of renewable energy, awarded Fort Carson an "excellence in renewable energy award" Thursday in part for its solar efforts.
Similar projects are planned for other army bases, said Thomas Warren, who has held several titles at Fort Carson, including director of environmental compliance and management.Karen Linne, a Fort Carson spokeswoman, said the Army hopes to save about $300,000 in energy bills over a 17-year contract with providers involved in the project, including Xcel Energy, Colorado Springs Utilities and the Western Area Power Administration.Being environmentally sensitive is serious business, even in wartime, Warren said."Fort Carson kind of works from the perspective that by being a leader, you help others to be aware," he said.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press.
tag: US Army, solar power, The solar station, Fort Carson, "excellence in renewable energy award", renewable energy, Xcel Energy,

The Washington International Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC 2008)

Hosted by the United States Government, in cooperation with the American Council On Renewable Energy, WIREC 2008 is the third global ministerial-level conference on renewable energy, following events in Beijing in 2005 and Bonn in 2004.

In 2004, Germany hosted the first International Conference for Renewable Energies in Bonn. More than 3,600 participants focused on three central themes: the formation of political framework conditions to allow market development of renewable energies, increasing public and private financing in order to secure reliable demand for renewable energies, and human and institutional capacity building-including the coordination of research and development. Participants came away with 197 concrete actions and commitments by governments and other actors.

In 2005, a second conference held in Beijing capitalized on the success of the past year. This conference had a broad focus on policies, strategies, and financing mechanisms, as well as individual forums on investment and finance, industrialists and entrepreneurs, technology, and north-south cooperation. At the close of the conference, government representatives from 78 countries signed a declaration affirming their commitment to renewable energy and discussing the challenges the industry faces.

Since the close of the Beijing conference, worldwide enthusiasm for renewable energy has increased dramatically, and production has soared. The global community fully recognizes the imperative to promote widespread adoption of renewable energies such as biofuels, wind, solar, geothermal, and hydropower.

WIREC 2008 will build upon the outcomes of the conferences in Bonn and Beijing to foster increased political support and public awareness for renewable energy, new and innovative actions to promote widespread adoption of renewable energy, and advanced tools for collecting and disseminating best practices to end users.

WIREC 2008 focuses on four pillars necessary to support renewable energy industries: Agriculture and Rural Development; Technology/Research and Development; Finance; and Market Adoption/Deployment. Each track will examine how public policies and private efforts can most effectively advance renewable energy across the globe.

Visit previous conferences:

Beijing 2005

Bonn 2004

View Frequently Asked Questions for more information on WIREC 2008.

Tags: Solar, Renewable Energy, WIREC 2008,

Green Google Paves Way For Greener Earth!

Even though Google Logo has only "L" in green, Google is traveling in the Green Energy path in a massive way. Google announced today that it is Creating renewable energy R&D group and supports breakthrough technologies. I am very happy hear that a company like Google that has such a vast reach in interested in saving our earth and spreading the words around.

"We have gained expertise in designing and building large-scale, energy-intensive facilities by building efficient data centers," said Larry Page, Google Co-founder and President of Products. "We want to apply the same creativity and innovation to the challenge of generating renewable electricity at globally significant scale, and produce it cheaper than from coal."

Page added, "There has been tremendous work already on renewable energy. Technologies have been developed that can mature into industries capable of providing electricity cheaper than coal. Solar thermal technology, for example, provides a very plausible path to providing renewable energy cheaper than coal. We are also very interested in further developing other technologies that have potential to be cost-competitive and green. We are aware of several promising technologies, and believe there are many more out there."

Page continued, "With talented technologists, great partners and significant investments, we hope to rapidly push forward. Our goal is to produce one gigawatt of renewable energy capacity that is cheaper than coal. We are optimistic this can be done in years, not decades." (One gigawatt can power a city the size of San Francisco.)

"If we meet this goal," said Page, "and large-scale renewable deployments are cheaper than coal, the world will have the option to meet a substantial portion of electricity needs from renewable sources and significantly reduce carbon emissions. We expect this would be a good business for us as well."

Coal is the primary power source for many around the world, supplying 40% of the world's electricity. The greenhouse gases it produces are one of our greatest environmental challenges. Making electricity produced from renewable energy cheaper than coal would be a key part of reducing global greenhouse-gas emissions.

"Cheap renewable energy is not only critical for the environment but also vital for economic development in many places where there is limited affordable energy of any kind," added Sergey Brin, Google Co-founder and President of Technology.

There is a blog post on Official Google Blog;

Official Google Blog: Towards more renewable energy
There is also a official press release that is accessible via this link.

Tags: renewable energy, Green Google, carbon emissions, Green Energy

HP Expands Renewable Energy Use Globally

HP today announced relationships with two renewable energy providers, SunPower Corp. in the United States and Airtricity in Ireland, as part of the company’s strategy to reduce its global carbon footprint.

Under a power purchase agreement with SunPower, HP will install its first-ever, large-scale solar power installation at its San Diego facility.

The contract with Airtricity will ensure that nearly 90 percent of HP’s energy use in Ireland is renewable, exceeding the company’s 2007 target for carbon emission reductions.

“Switching to renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power makes both environmental and business sense,” said Pat Tiernan, vice president, Social and Environmental Responsibility, HP. “These advances are just part of HP’s comprehensive energy-efficiency program, which we believe is the most aggressive in the technology industry.”

Wind technology in Ireland

HP’s contract with Airtricity, a renewable energy company developing and operating wind farms across Europe and North America, is for the supply of renewable wind energy to a number of its facilities in Ireland for fiscal year 2008. The electricity supplied by Airtricity is generated by both onshore and offshore wind farms.

Through the contract, HP will purchase more than 80 gigawatt-hours of renewable energy. It is estimated that the agreement will save HP approximately $40,000 over the year-long contract. There are also significant environmental benefits – HP will save the release of more than 40,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, which is equivalent to taking 9,600 cars off the road for one year.

Solar advances in the United States

HP’s agreement with SunPower covers installation of a 1-megawatt solar electric power system and required maintenance of the system for the next 15 years. HP will buy back solar power at a reduced, locked-in rate under the SunPower Access™ program. The HP solar electric system will be financed and owned by a third-party financier, which allows HP to take advantage of the environmental and financial benefits of solar with no upfront capital costs.

Initial estimates indicate that the project will save HP approximately $750,000 in energy costs during the next 15 years. HP also will earn renewable energy credits as the installation will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 1 million pounds per year, or nearly 16 million pounds during the next 15 years.

With this project, HP is taking advantage of incentives provided under the California Public Utilities Commission’s California Solar Initiative, which aims to increase solar energy use statewide.

HP will extend the benefits of solar power beyond its facilities to employees by creating a solar employee purchase program in the United States. Employees will receive a rebate of up to $2,000 from SunPower when using the SunPower Premier Dealer network for the installation of a solar power system for their homes. In addition, HP will match the SunPower rebate of up to $2,000 per installation.

At HP’s San Diego site, the SunPower installation will include 5,000 solar panels atop five of the seven buildings. The panels, which are made up of photovoltaic cells, will convert the sun’s light energy into approximately 1,676,000 kilowatt-hours of electrical energy per year – enough to provide more than 10 percent of HP’s energy use at the San Diego facility.

HP and the Environment

For decades HP has worked to manage its environmental impact by adopting environmentally responsible practices in its product development, operations and supply chain. The company strives to be a global leader in reducing its carbon footprint, limiting waste and recycling responsibly.

HP has implemented a series of environmental advancements in the areas of product development, internal operations and supply chain management aimed at instituting energy-efficient operating practices worldwide, including: In 2007, HP began encouraging all of its logistic and carrier partners to join SmartWay, a voluntary partnership between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the freight industry aimed at reducing fuel consumption, greenhouse gases and other air emissions through better transportation technology. HP’s goals include committing to use more SmartWay carriers, creating a two-tiered authorized vendor list and using HP’s position to educate more carrier partners about SmartWay. In 2006, HP purchased 11 million kilowatt-hours of renewable energy for use in its operations. HP also joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Purchase program – a challenge to Fortune 500 companies to double their renewable energy purchases by the end of 2007. HP plans to increase renewable energy purchases by more than 350 percent by procuring 50 million kilowatt-hours of renewable electricity during 2007. Also in 2006, HP embarked on a joint initiative with the World Wildlife Fund-US to establish an absolute reduction target for greenhouse gas emissions from HP’s operating facilities worldwide, explore efficiency goals for products, educate and inspire others to adopt best practices for climate change initiatives and use HP technology in conservation efforts around the world by 2010.

More information about the company’s environmental programs is available at www.hp.com/environment.

Tags: Renewable Energy, SunPower Corp, Airtricity, carbon emission reductions, Wind technology, wind farms, California Solar Initiative, SmartWay

PSEG CEO Delivers Keynote Address at Clean Air-Cool Planet‘s Global Warming & Energy Solutions conference

PSEG CEO Calls for Aggressive Action To Promote Efficiency, Renewables and for National CO2 Cap and Trade Program

(October 12, 2007 - Manchester, N.H.) - Ralph Izzo, PSEG (Public Service Enterprise Group) chairman, president and CEO, today delivered the keynote address at Clean Air-Cool Planet‘s Global Warming & Energy Solutions conference in Manchester, New Hampshire. The two-day conference brought together business, labor and community leaders united in looking for real solutions to the problem of climate change. Both Republican and Democratic candidates for president of the United States have announced plans to stop by or address the conference.

“It makes sense to invite an energy leader such as Ralph Izzo to deliver the keynote address at the third Solutions conference,” said Adam Markham, executive director of Clean Air-Cool Planet. “The conference hosts the broad discussion about the range of options we need to employ to solve the greatest problem facing our society, global warming, in part by aligning the interests of energy companies with the environmental needs of our nation.”

In his keynote, Izzo stated, “If we do not redefine our future, climate change will redefine us.” He continued, “Climate change is not only a threat, it is an opportunity to apply the enormous capacity of this nation to innovate and chart a new path of sustainable growth.”

Izzo outlined the three-point strategy PSEG has proposed for New Jersey to meet its aggressive energy and emission reduction targets:

• First and foremost, conservation and energy-efficiency improvements;
• Second, renewable energy such as solar and wind, and
• Third central-station power plants, whether nuclear, clean coal or natural gas.

Izzo stressed that the top priority must be conservation and energy efficiency, adding, “The power plant that doesn’t need to be built is the cleanest of all.”

He observed that consumers and businesses are not making economically sensible conservation decisions and that, unless they are empowered to do so, significant opportunities to combat global warming will be lost.

Izzo said, “Utilities can be one of society’s most powerful allies in the quest for efficiency. Just as utilities made universal access to energy a reality in the 20th century, so too, we could make universal access to energy efficiency a reality in the 21st.” He pointed out that utilities have relationships with customers, an existing trained workforce, a strong understanding of energy use, patient capital and a long-term focus. “Utilities are in a unique position to promote energy efficiency, house by house, neighborhood by neighborhood. And to do so in ways that include urban residents, low-income customers and renters -- ensuring that the benefits of energy efficiency are available to all,” he added.

Izzo also discussed the key role that utilities can play a role in promoting renewables and developing new, clean central power. He noted that while states and companies need to be taking action now, “the time has come for Congress to act and establish a federal cap-and-trade legislation with meaningful and mandatory greenhouse gas reductions.”

PSEG

Tags: Clean Air-Cool Planet, Global Warming & Energy Solutions conference

China Calls for $265B Investment in Renewable Energy

Shares in renewable energy companies edged up on China’s stock exchanges Wednesday following the release of a national plan for reducing fossil fuel-based energy consumption, according to the country's official Xinhua News Agency.

China’s energy czar, Chen Deming, said on Tuesday that China needs $265 billion in investments to meet its renewable energy goals by 2020, according to the English-language China Daily.

The private sector, including state-owned companies, will likely foot most of the bill to reach China’s goal of generating 15 percent of its energy needs from renewable sources within 13 years, according to the National Development and Reform Commission’s (NRDC) plan. Beijing and local governments will contribute only about one-fifth of that total investment, Mr. Chen said.

Mr. Chen promised tax incentives and subsidies to help companies switch to more sustainable forms of energy, the China Daily said. But Mr. Chen also sketched out specific requirements, such as renewable energy investment quotas for large, state-owned enterprises and the installation of solar power equipment in real estate development projects, according to the China Daily.
source

Tags: enewable energy, alternative energy, solar, China

Boeing will build High efficiency solar cells for SolFOcus

A SolFocus solar concentrator is populated with Spectrolab cells in each dish. Spectrolab has leveraged its expertise in space photovoltaic products to create solar cells with record-breaking efficiencies for Earth-based applications. The cells provided will be capable of generating more than 10 megawatts of electricity +, enough to power about 4,000 U.S. homes.

ST. LOUIS, Aug. 28, 2006 - The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has signed a contract to provide 600,000 solar concentrator cells to SolFocus, Inc., a California-based renewable energy company that is developing renewable terrestrial energy alternatives.

"Companies on the cutting edge of the renewable energy revolution come to us because we are the world's leading manufacturer of solar cells," said Charles Toups, vice president of engineering for Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems. "Our Spectrolab subsidiary has leveraged its expertise in space photovoltaic products to create solar cells with record-breaking efficiencies for Earth-based applications."

Under the 12-month contract from SolFocus, Inc. of Palo Alto, Calif., Spectrolab will build and deliver 600,000 solar concentrator cells that will be used to convert the sun's rays into affordable electricity for homes and businesses. The cells produced for SolFocus will be capable of generating more than 10 megawatts of electricity, or enough to power about 4,000 U.S. homes. With the average solar cell efficiency above 35 percent at concentration, Spectrolab's concentrator photovoltaic cells generate electricity at a rate that can be more economical than electricity generated from conventional, flat panel photovoltaic systems.

"Our mission is to deliver reliable solar-generated electricity at wholesale energy prices, and Spectrolab's multi-junction concentrator solar cells are key to making that possible," said Gary D. Conley, CEO of SolFocus. "Spectrolab's cells will be integrated into our upcoming solar concentrator field test program and then into the first phase of active deployments."

A significant advantage of concentrator systems is that fewer solar cells are required to achieve a specific power output, thus replacing large areas of semiconductor materials with relatively inexpensive optics that provide optical concentration. The slightly higher cost of multi-junction cells is offset by the use of fewer cells. Due to the higher efficiency of multi-junction cells used in the concentrator modules, only a small fraction of the cell area is required to generate the same power output compared to crystalline silicon or thin-film, flat-plate modules.

Tags: High efficiency solar cell, solar cell, Boeing, SolFocus, photovoltaic, Spectrolab

Buying A Solar Electric System

Austin, TX (PRWEB) August 13, 2007 -- Verde Energy, the only company to provide a trusted source for competitive quotes on solar power, solar thermal, and wind power projects, recently unveiled a video production designed to introduce solar electric systems to a mainstream audience.

One of the key challenges to widespread solar adoption lies in educating customers about their choices, and the viability of their particular site. Since its inception, Verde Energy has focused on providing educational tools, concise information, and personalized consultations to help customers address this challenge and make the right choice to meet their renewable energy needs.

The online video buyer's guide is the latest in Verde Energy's effort to introduce residential and commercial electricity customers to the economics, site requirements, design options, and financing sources for solar electric systems. The fourteen-minute video titled "Buying A Solar Electric System" was produced by The Sustainable Media Network and is available on Verde Energy's web site at the following link: http://www.VerdeEnergy.com/solar_video.html

"Solar electric systems are an economically viable energy source for millions of Americans. The objective of this video is to help our customers understand their options, and quickly evaluate the feasibility of solar energy for their particular situation," said Rob Powell, chief executive for Verde Energy. "Our friends at The Sustainable Media Network did an outstanding job producing this video and we are grateful for their efforts."

The video production addresses the economics of photovoltaic technology, available financing sources, major factors in sizing and designing a system, the impact of weather and location on performance, and the environmental benefits of going solar.

Rising electricity prices and the growing availability of state and federal rebates continue to drive the adoption of renewable energy. Several states currently offer financial incentives for renewable energy and energy conservation projects, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Mexico, and New York, among others.

Tags: photovoltaic, Verde Energy, solar power, solar thermal, wind power, renewable energy, "Buying A Solar Electric System", Sustainable Media Network

Murdoch: I'm proud to be green and I am (RavenII) suprised!

Well I do have my surprises, but how did this escape me? Does R.Murdoch sounds a Green name to you! And nor did I like his political affiliation's either. I never thought I will have something nice to say about Rupert Merdoch but now I have!, with a little help form;
The Conservation Report: ENERGY: Murdoch: I'm proud to be green

"In one of the most unexpected conversions since Saul of Tarsus hit the road to Damascus, Rupert Murdoch is turning into a green campaigner. He is making the whole of his worldwide operations carbon neutral and setting out to "educate and engage" his readers and viewers about global warming.

He believes his companies' "global reach" presents "an unprecedented opportunity to raise awareness and to stimulate action around the world". A former skeptic who confesses to having been "somewhat wary of the warming debate", he laid on his first global webcast for all his employees on Wednesday to tell them that he was "changing the DNA of our business". He added that he had started with himself, buying a hybrid car.

Mr Murdoch's conversion, which may surprise employees like Jeremy Clarkson, was heavily influenced by his son James - who took BSkyB carbon neutral a year ago this week - as well as by Tony Blair and former US vice-president Al Gore. All three attended his annual meeting for senior executives in Pebble Beach, California, last year where he was convinced to take the lead on the issue.

Mr Murdoch has bought a Toyota-made Lexus GS450H "green" car, and other practical measures include solar-powered golf carts to carry people round the Fox film lot in Hollywood, building environmentally friendly studios, replacing company fleets with hybrids, using renewable energy, and offsetting remaining emissions by financing windpower in India."

Thanks everyone!

Tags: Rupert Murdoch, green campaigner, carbon neutral, global warming, BSkyB, Al Gore, Lexus GS450H, solar-powered golf carts, renewable energy, wind power

A new renewable energy information resource.

Winning Team Launches The Renewable Energy Centre

A new renewable energy information resource.

Via PRWEB Newswire.

The website, The Renewable Energy Centre has been established by the winning team already responsible for one of the UK's busiest property portals, Email 4 Property.

The website is targeted at homeowners who want save money on energy bills and for commercial companies looking to improve cash flow and reduce their carbon footprint. It also provides an invaluable source of new business for companies supplying products and services in this emerging sector.

Entrepreneur Richard Simmons, who was behind the success of Email4Property which now sees over 1 million visitors a month, is convinced this new venture will also become one of the most accessed websites in the UK as he explained;

"I was investigating installing Solar Water Heating for my family home and realised that there was no comprehensive point of reference where I could find the information and contacts I needed. With so much focus on global warming it was obvious that there was a huge gap in the market for this kind of website. We are very excited about how the website will serve both people and businesses and help to accelerate the use of renewable technology within the UK."

A website launched this week is the first of its kind in the UK and is set to lead the way as a primary source of information and reference for renewable energy. The website is targeted at homeowners who want save money on energy bills and for commercial companies looking to improve cash flow and reduce their carbon footprint. It also provides an invaluable source of new business for companies supplying products and services in this emerging sector.

Tags: renewable energy, solar power, solar water heater