The oil giant Chevron has been getting into the renewable energy arena; funding, constructing, engineering, and installing an array of renewable energy projects around the country. The projects – like methane digesters, fuels cells, and solar energy – are a chance for the company to improve its public image, slow global warming, and make money at the same time.

Chevron Energy Solutions is the unit that oversees the renewable endeavors. In the San Francisco area alone, the subsidiary has poured $65 million into 22 projects. But the company expects a profit, and so far is getting one: between 2005 and 2006, Chevron Energy Solutions saw its profits jump 20 percent, a percentage increase that rivals its parent company’s growth.

Some notable projects include an energy system at the Santa Rita jail in Dublin, CA that converts natural gas to hydrogen, which then makes electricity. Waste heat is captured to make the process more efficient, and solar energy has been installed there too. In total, the $6.1 million project makes about half of the jail’s electricity.

Over at a wastewater facility, a microturbine generator uses bacteria and kitchen grease to make electricity. Each day, 3,000 gallons of grease are carted in to be eaten microbes that produce methane to make electricity. Chevron reports that the project may be the first of its kind, and has received inquiries from other wastewater treatment plants interested in the process.

Bernard Picchi, an oil analyst with Wall Street Access, told the Contra Costa Times that this is smart move by the oil giant,

It's important for energy companies such as Chevron to push the envelope and understand from a practical point of view what are the risks, opportunities, pitfalls, and rewards of being involved in alternative and renewable sources. And, hey, it's good P.R.

Skeptics rightfully point out that the corporation’s contribution to renewable energy is miniscule compared to the amount of global warming pollution it puts into the air. But Chevron may be smartly positioning itself for impending carbon regulations and a shift to a cleaner energy system. Jim Davis, President of Chevron Energy Solutions, explained,

We are well-positioned for any growth in alternative energy, whether it's solar, wind, hydrogen, and so forth. As these markets grow and take off, we can grow with them.