Green Options

This column highlights the top economic stories of the week.

While Detroit has benefited from Cash for Clunkers, foreign automakers have gained even more. Some critics of the program warned that because it let consumers buy domestic or foreign cars, Clunkers could end up spending more American tax dollars to help foreign companies than American ones. More on this story here.

With irresponsible banking practices taking the blame for bringing about the global economic crisis, there has been a surge of interest in Islamic finance.Now, a slew of academic courses are springing up to meet the demand of those wanting to break into an expanding market. According to ratings agency Moody’s, the global Islamic finance sector is worth $700 billion and has the potential to be worth $4 trillion. More on this story here.

n an effort to curb solid waste pollution, China banned the import of scrap polysilicon at the beginning of August, an effort supported by its current environmental laws according to its Environmental Protection Ministry. Scrap polysilicon is a low-grade form of silicon not pure enough to use in microchips. However, it can be used as a component of solar wafers, which contain a variety of types of silicon, including up to 30% scrap polysilicon. More on this story here.

This column highlights the top economic stories of the week.

Reports of the demise of the U.S. dollar may be premature. But when some of the world’s most powerful investors are warning of the currency’s decline, investors take notice. More on this story here.

There are many cynics out there that critique and question the future of sustainable products and businesses. It’s easy to side with them, mostly because it’s difficult to understand what comprises a “sustainable” product which in turn creates a domino chain of skepticism about achievability. The industry is in self-defining mode and most of us lack the degrees in chemistry, biology, natural sciences or any other course of study that might support our inclination to trust what marketers tell us is “safe” and what is not. More on this story here.

Mumbai, India’s commercial capital, has grown quickly in recent decades - at the expense of its estuaries, environmentalist advocates say. More on this story here.

This column highlights the top economic stories of the week.

Having children is the surest way to send your carbon footprint soaring, according to a new study from statisticians at Oregon State University.

The study found that having a child has an impact that far outweighs that of other energy-saving behaviors. More on this story here.

A quarter-century ago, in the wake of America’s first energy crisis, a young scientist named Amory [...]

This column highlights the top economic stories of the week.

One way in which today’s corporation is becoming enlightened to the fact that green manufacturing CAN equal more profitable manufacturing is through a new concept called “lean manufacturing“.   In the 1980’s, JIT, or just-in-time techniques became all the rage in management circles as they shaved costs from production by eliminating the need for high levels of inventories by focusing [...]

This column highlights the top economic stories of the week.

Many Japanese, want what amounts to a revolution in a politically risk-averse nation: the ousting of the Liberal Democratic Party, which has governed Japan for more than a half-century. More on this story here.

The world’s largest retailer, Wal-Mart Stores is on a mission to determine the social and environmental impact of every item it puts [...]

Move over Sydney Opera House, the city’s major drama company is all set to go green.
Two months ago, the Sydney Theatre Company (STC) embarked on a major program to transform The Wharf, its much-loved home on Sydney Harbour, into a unique demonstration of how buildings, even heritage-listed ones, can be made more sustainable. A whopping $1.2m (Australian dollars) was committed through the Australian government’s Green Precincts Fund, to assist the Company’s Greening The Wharf project.

A few days ago, the company announced that it will install a large capacity photo voltaic array as a key initiative of the program. The installation of the 2,000 solar panels will be erected on the roof of The Wharf of the Sydney Harbour-based company, along with energy saving measures, and will reduce STC’s power drawn from the grid by up to 70 per cent. It is the first renewable energy project of its kind by any major theater company.

 
This column highlights the top economic stories of the week.
Hopes for an accelerated recovery during the second half of 2009 were diminished this week as most of the economic headlines turned negative after several months of encouraging signs. Job losses exceeded economists’ expectations, with the nation’s unemployment rate now standing at a new 26-year high. More on this story here.
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Women entrepreneurs, don’t miss the Keiretsu Forum’s 4th Annual Summer Solstice panel discussion tonight about “How Women Investors and Entrepreneurs Will Revive the California Economy.”

The event will bring together the Bay Area’s most talented minds to:

         Foster a collaborative atmosphere between women and the angel community
         Confront the critical issues facing women entrepreneurs and investors today
         Drive the recovery of the California economy
         Build businesses and invest in thought out ventures
         Explore compelling investment opportunities

In [...]

This column highlights the top economic stories of the week.

General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt is on a mission to improve U.S. exports. That’s because General Electric doesn’t just sell light bulbs and refrigerators to the American public. The company is a global giant in energy, transportation and financial services. More on this story here.

With a full House vote expected this week on the American Clean Energy [...]

Applied SunFab Solar Module Production Line
Well it certainly looks like the sun is paving the way for our new energy economy.
According to the Worldwatch institute, an environmental research organization based in Washington D.C., global solar photovoltaic (PV) power installations jumped from 9,000 megawatts in 2007 to nearly 15,000 MW in 2008, an increase of almost 66 percent. This is due primarily to government incentive programs in the world’s top PV markets, Spain and Germany.

Worldwatch provides a snapshot of solar power market trends globally:

Global PV cell production nearly doubled in 2008, reaching 6,940 MW. The Chinese PV industry led silicon-based cell production, primarily to meet soaring demand in Spain and Germany.
Europe remains the leading market for PVs, accounting for over 80 percent of world demand in 2008. Top markets Spain and Germany added 2,600 MW and 1,500 MW respectively. The United States came in a distant third, adding approximately 348 MW.
Spain’s market growth increased a whopping 364 percent in 2008, causing it to overtake industry leader Germany as the number one solar PV market.

So what are Spain and Germany doing that the U.S. is not?

According to Dr. Charles Gay, the President of Applied Solar, a leading supplier of solar manufacturing equipment, Germany and Spain have set more immediate goals than the U.S. for increased use of renewable energy. They have also provided greater government investments to jump start the market.