A Business Plan for America’s Energy Future

Bill, Gates, Chairman of Microsoft, announced his new report, “A Business Plan for America’s Energy Future”, with other top American business executives.

The report calls for a substantial increase in spending on energy innovation research and development by the government. It insists the status quo is unsustainable. “Most of the technologies that underlie the current energy system were invented decades ago,” the report said, “and are increasingly costly, brittle, and incompatible with a clean future.”

The report recommends:

• Create an independent national energy strategy board.
• Invest $16 billion per year in clean energy innovation.
• Create Centers of Excellence with strong domain expertise.
• Fund ARPA-E at $1 billion per year.
• Establish and fund a New Energy Challenge Program to build large-scale pilot projects.

BPA Comments on the American Power Act

Biomass Power Association President Bob Cleaves issued the following statement in response to the discussion draft of the American Power Act introduced today by Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., and Joe Lieberman, I-Conn.

“The Biomass Power Association appreciates the efforts of Sen. Kerry and Sen. Lieberman to move America towards energy independence by promoting the development of our renewable energy sector. Expanding the production of biomass power with strong incentives for renewable energy and a broad definition of biomass will improve forest health, reduce greenhouse gases, and create thousands of jobs.”

“BPA will continue to support a strong national renewable electricity standard (RES) of 25 percent by the year 2025. Without a strong RES, the American economy will continue to be at the mercy of a highly unstable oil market. It is essential that we diversify our energy supply and tap into renewable sources in order to stabilize the markets and prevent these wild spikes from having a devastating impact on working families struggling to pay the electricity bill. “

“BPA looks forward to working with Congress to pass a strong national renewable electricity standard that will reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and create thousands of new renewable energy jobs. Biomass power is ready to unlock the renewable energy potential of the southeast and help meet aggressive mandates for renewable electricity in all fifty states.”

“We urge Congress to support America’s renewable energy sector by acting quickly to advance meaningful reforms that end our dependence on foreign sources of oil and build the foundation for a clean energy economy.”

SOURCE: BIOMASS POWER ASSOCIATION

Google Go's Green with Wind Turbine Investment

by Jack Lundee, Guest Blogger

Emission reduction, green spaces, and renewable energy are some of the most talked about topics of the 21^st century. With the recent passing of Earth Day, and the undying rally for improved green efforts worldwide, some industry giants are making a large footprint.

Oddly enough, it isn't the work of highly regarded green organizations (i.e. – Greenpeace and Global Green USA) that's capturing everybody's attention, but surprisingly enough extremely large technology companies, like Google for instance. Recently, Google stated that it had invested $38.8 million in two North Dakota wind farms – "On Friday we made our first direct investment in a utility-scale renewable energy project — two wind farms that generate 169.5 megawatts of power, enough to power more than 55,000 homes." Rick Needeham, (Google's Green Business Operations Manager), wrote within that Google is greatly interested in discovering new opportunities to invest in renewable energy projects that really ”push the envelope."

It wasn't enough for Google to be the world's biggest search and advertising company; it's evident that they truly do want to power the globe. Although, this isn't the first time that Google has made a large investment in green energy. Back in 2007, Google dove into clean-tech fray, clearly stating that it would spend hundreds of millions of dollars to create alternative energy sources that are cheaper than coal, which as we know it is the world's dominant fuel source and pollutant. They included that their effort RECTC (Renewable Energy Cheaper Than Coal), would consist of wind power technologies, solar power, and more.

It's sometimes tough to make the connection between search and alternative energy, but with Google at the forefront of campaigns like this, it certainly makes me feel a bit more comfortable. With enough energy to power nearly 55,000 homes, Google is making a tremendous impact on sustainability for our planet. Non-profits and other similar collaborative units have been doing their part in supporting green initiatives since the beginning of the movement. For instance, Niranjan Shah and Globetrotters Engineering Corporation work closely with the USGBC (US Green Building Council) to improve building standards and provide LEED based architecture. Although, it's the unpredictable, long tail efforts of cash cows like Google that are helping substantially. Much like the individual, businesses must play their roles in promoting sustainability.

Google entered into green technology development in startup companies and its own consumer energy tracking tools, although, they hadn't quite moved into actual working energy fabrication. This could infer future investments by Google, perhaps leading to the acquisition of their own wind powered turbine that would facilitate their own business needs.

Smart Grid’s Unclear Payoff

 

Comverge published results of a survey of 100 attendees of the DistribuTech utility conference last week which little consensus on when the benefits of the smart grid will take hold.

According to the press release:

“In fact, almost an equal amount believed that measureable benefits from the smart grid are 1-3 years out (27 percent) as those that stated it will take at least 10 years (29 percent) to become a reality.”

Oracle last week released results of a survey showing that the electric power executives are committed to the smart grid, but are concerned about potential rate increases that could have consumers balking.  Read more here.

President Obama Explains The Science Behind Climate Change

In a town hall meeting in Nevada, President Obama took on the conservative deniers, explaining in straightforward language how record snowstorms are connected to manmade global warming:

First of all, we just got five feet of snow in Washington and so everybody’s like-a lot of the people who are opponents of climate change, they say, “See, look at that. There’s all this snow on the ground, you know, this doesn’t mean anything.” I want to just be clear that the science of climate change doesn’t mean that every place is getting warmer. It means the planet as a whole is getting warmer. But what it may mean is, for example, Vancouver which supposed to be getting snow during the Olympics, suddenly is at 55 degrees and Dallas suddenly is getting seven inches of snow. The idea is that as the planet as a whole gets warmer, you start seeing changing weather patterns and that creates more violent storm systems, more unpredictable weather. So any single place might end up being warmer. Another place might end up being a little bit cooler. There might end up being more precipitation in the air. More monsoons, more hurricanes, more tornadoes, more drought in some places, floods in other places.

Sen. Sanders Introduces 10 Million Solar Home Initiative

Washington, D.C., United States [RenewableEnergyWorld.com]

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), chairman of the Senate's green jobs subcommittee introduced legislation with nine cosponsors to encourage the installation of 10 million solar systems on the rooftops of homes and businesses over the next decade.

Sanders said a recent report shows that solar power could help make every state more energy independent if solar units were installed on available rooftop space, because every state can meet 10 percent or more of its electricity needs just through rooftop solar.

Sanders' bill, the 10 Million Solar Roofs and 10 Million Gallons of Solar Water Heating Act of 2010, would authorize rebates which, along with other incentives, would cover up to half the cost of the 10 million solar power systems and 200,000 water heating systems. Non-profit groups and state and local governments also would be eligible.

Continue reading at RenewableEnergyWorld.com

Smart Grids Can Cut US Carbon Emissions by 12%

According to a report released last week by the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), converting the U.S. electricity grid to a series of smart grids would have a significant impact on carbon emissions from utilities because the shift would change people's usage habits,

The reduction in electricity use, and the subsequent reduction in power plant generation, could cut the total carbon emissions from U.S. utilities 12 percent by 2030, according to the report, "The Smart Grid: An Estimation of the Energy and CO2 Benefits" (PDF).

VoteVets National Ad on Clean Energy

VoteVets have released a powerful set of new television commercials featuring young veterans talking about improving our national security and our need for clean energy.  They describe a government environment where oil money flooding our politics is keeping America from true energy independence and security.

Defense Dept.: Climate Change a Threat to National Security

The Pentagon in its Quadrennial Review  called climate change a threat to national security that “may spark or exacerbate future conflicts.” The assessment was part of the Pentagon’s official review of military risks, and labeled global warming “an accelerant of instability” and “weakening fragile governments”.

The Quadrennial Review is available at http://www.defense.gov/QDR/QDR%20as%20of%2026JAN10%200700.pdf. Section V contains the above quotes.

Coal Ash Industry Manipulated EPA Data, Ghost-Wrote Agency Reports for a Decade

The industry "watered down official reports, brochures and fact-sheets to remove references to potential dangers." So-called "environmental benefits" were aggrandized.

The coal ash industry manipulated reports and publications about the dangers of coal combustion waste, reports Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). The group stated that the Environmental Protection Agency allowed the multibillon-dollar coal ash industry to have virtually unfettered access to the EPA during the Bush administration and now under President Obama.

Read more here.

Ten Smart Reasons to Learn about IP Law

A great post by Jill Bowman: Ten Smart Reasons to Learn About IP Law.

Her blog, IP Law for Startups gives general, educational information about intellectual property law and explains the most common pitfalls and missteps that entrepreneurs make.  It gives clear, concrete ways to protect your IP and avoid legal ruin. It helps startups draw an IP landmine map and navigate the dangerous terrain.

Read more here.

Windation Promises Bird-Free Rooftop Wind Energy

Windation Energy Systems has developed an urban-wind rooftop turbine that is described as “permit-ready” and “bird safe,” Windation’s 5 kW turbine resembles a commercial AC unit and leverages a proprietary vacuum system to amplify wind speed and boost energy output. 

Windation’s turbine is a ducted wind system that resembles a  commercial air conditioning unit.  Each Windation unit measures 9×9x10 feet and weighs roughly 2,200 lbs. This conventional size, shape, and weight enable Windation’s wind systems to meet established permitting and siting codes for rooftop appliances and uses the same method of installation.

By internally housing the rotating blades and generator, the threat to birds and other wildlife is eliminated.  In fact a number of safety, maintenance and other advantages result form the enclosed design, including minimizing noise, vibration, and aesthetics concerns.

House Trio Moves to Block EPA From Regulating GHG

A bipartisan trio of House members announced yesterday that they are sponsoring a bill to block the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating greenhouse gases. Agriculture Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) and Missouri Reps. Ike Skelton (D) and Jo Ann Emerson (R) introduced the measure.

Read more at Mother Jones.

Smart Wind Turbine Sees the Wind and Adjusts

Denmark’s Risø National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy has announced a major breakthrough in wind turbines, by successfully testing the world’s first wind turbine that features a built-in anemometer.

The system allows the wind turbine to adjust itself to the oncoming wind for optimum power generation. It is based on the use of a laser dubbed the Wind LIDAR, which essentially sees the wind before it reaches the turbine blades. This new technique enhances electricity production by 5%, which translates to increased revenue of about $39,000 per year for a 4MW wind turbine.

Another Laser Wind Sensor company in this space is Catch the Wind, Inc.  CTW’s product, The Vindicator®, is a  fiber optic laser wind sensing system measures real-time horizontal and vertical wind speed and direction at varying ranges out to 300 meters ahead of the sensor. When mounted on a wind turbine nacelle, this forward-looking information facilitates smarter turbine control for increased power output and reduced turbine stress.

Tell Secretary Salazar that you support Cape Wind

After all these years, the Cape Wind offshore wind farm still faces an uncertain future. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has said he will make a final decision to green light the project very shortly, but first the Secretary wants you to weigh in! He has requested a final round of public comments, due by February 12th.

Cape Wind would not only be great for Massachusetts, but for the whole country. It would generate enough clean, green electricity to replace an old polluting oil-burning powerplant on the Cape and reduce the Cape Cod region’s greenhouse gas emissions by 770,000 tons per year – equivalent to taking 175,000 cars off the road.  And, as the only offshore wind farm likely to be built during President Obama’s first term, the project would start to show the world that we are serious about cleaning up our act and  moving to a clean energy economy.

Please write to Secretary Salazar and let him know that you support clean energy and Cape Wind.  You may use the form on this page.

It's Time to Stop Talking About Clean Energy and Start Acting

It's time people stop talking about clean energy and climate change and start acting. With that in mind, the NRDC Action Fund has launched a campaign to demand action on climate legislation. Its goal and mine: Spread the word and demand that our leaders in Washington take action to pass the critical climate change legislation currently before the Senate.

Please help spread that message. Here is what you can do:

• Tell your Senators This is Our Moment by clicking this link.
• Spread the word about this video by posting the link on your own Facebook wall.
• Update your Facebook status to "Thisisourmoment.org" so friends will see the video.
• Tweet #ThisIsOurMoment and tell your followers to take action today.
• Upload your own video calling for clean energy solutions.
• Post ThisIsOurMoment.org on your blog.

We need to take a stand and tell our Senators that we will not accept anything less than a strong, comprehensive clean energy bill that will cut carbon pollution and create clean energy jobs.

If we make ourselves heard, if we stand up and speak the truth, they cannot ignore us. They will have no choice but to pass this monumental legislation. Please visit www.thisisourmoment.org and tell your Senators that you want a strong clean energy and climate bill passed today.

This is our moment and we can't afford to miss it.

Unlimited Natural Gas, Infect Drinking Water & Kill Fish

For those that still believe that shale natural gas should have a big part in our clean energy future, read Appalachia Gas Drilling Infects Drinking Water, Kills Fish.

“The polluted water comes from a drilling technique known as hydraulic fracturing,  or "fracking," in which millions of gallons of water, sand and chemicals are blasted into each well to fracture tightly compacted shale and release trapped natural gas.”

“Fracking a horizontal well costs more money and uses more water, but it produces more natural gas from shale than a traditional vertical well.”

World's First Osmotic Power Plant

Norway opened on Tuesday the world's first osmotic power plant, which produces emissions-free electricity by mixing fresh water and sea water through a special membrane.

State-owned utility Statkraft's prototype plant, which for now will produce a tiny 2 kilowatts to 4 kilowatts of power or enough to run a coffee machine, will enable Statkraft to test and develop the technology needed to drive down production costs.

Read more here

Australia Likely to Have Emissions Trading Scheme

Australia likely to have an emissions trading scheme locked in by the end of next week, with the Government caving in to a key Coalition demand to permanently exclude the farming sector.

In a significant concession, and a huge win for the powerful farming lobby, a senior Government source revealed Labor will this week agree to exclude agriculture from the scheme ''indefinitely'' - knocking out a key sticking point in negotiations with the Opposition.

In a further concession, the Government will also examine giving farmers the opportunity to earn cash by selling carbon offsetting credits on the open market, including Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull's favored ''biochar'' method of storing carbon in soil.

Read more

Jet-engine inspired FloDesign boosts wind turbine output

BOSTON--Start-up FloDesign Wind, one of a number of companies looking to shake up the wind turbine business, said a prototype of its jet engine-inspired turbine was three times more efficient at converting wind to usable energy than traditional designs.

The Massachusetts-based company is seeking to raise a series B round of $25 million later this year to deploy and test the real-life performance of its 150-kilowatt turbines, said CEO Stanley Kowalski III at the Cleantech Forum conference here on Thursday.

Read More