By Zachary Shahan •
December 26, 2009
Major power companies in Florida and New Mexico announced this week that they would start buying large amounts of energy from certain solar power producers soon.
In New Mexico, Southwestern Public Service Company (SPSC), a subsidiary of Xcel Energy, said that it would buy 50 MW of solar power from SunEdison. From the solar panels being installed on five 10-MW sites, the electricity generated will be able to power 10,000 homes.
In Florida, at practically the same time, Tampa Electric Company received approval from the Florida Public Service Commission to purchase solar power from Energy 5.0’s planned 25-MW plant in Polk County.
These solar power plants will be two of the biggest in the nation when completed. They are expected to offset carbon emissions by millions of tons.
By Zachary Shahan •
December 21, 2009
One of the solar industry’s corporate giants, First Solar, announced recently that it expects sales for fiscal year 2010 to reach between $2.7 billion and $2.9 billion. This is about $300 to $500 million more than Wall Street expectations.
Despite the current economic situation, and a major recent let-down in L.A., this company is growing steadily and reflects the increasing strength of solar technology in the market today.
By Rhishja Larson •
October 14, 2009
A comprehensive survey to gather genetic data about the last Javan rhino population in Vietnam kicks off in November 2009.
WWF announced today that a comprehensive survey of Cat Tien’s Javan rhino population will begin next month and continue until April 2010. The purpose of the study is to gather urgently needed genetic data in order to develop a local conservation management strategy for these critically endangered mammals.
It is estimated that there no more than five individuals of this rare Javan rhino subspecies (Rhinoceros sondaicus annamiticus) still surviving in Vietnam’s Cat Tien National Park.
By Tina Casey •
August 27, 2009
More sulfur dioxide and other acid gasses could be scrubbed from power plant emissions with a new technology developed by the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The new method, Reversible Acid Gas Capture, is a sustainable twofer: it doubles the amount of pollutants currently captured by the leading water-based scrubber, and it is far more energy-efficient. David Heldebrant, the scientist who headed the PNNL research team, points out that the technology easily lends itself to a retrofit for existing power plants. That’s good news for reducing pollution from coal-fired power plants, but it would be a mistake to call it a win for “clean coal.”
By Rhishja Larson •
July 15, 2009
Inside Cat Tien National Park, Vietnam, a rare subspecies of the critically endangered Javan Rhino still survives. Once thought to be extinct, it is estimated that there are only 3 - 5 of these delicate creatures left in the world. The Cat Tien rhinos have endured ruthless slaughter for their horns and annihilation of their habitat. Now there is yet another threat to their tenuous chances of continued survival.
Plans to build a power plant at the edge of the rhinos’ habitat have been approved by the Lam Dong administration. The plant’s dam will be slightly less than two miles from the Javan Rhino reserve. An estimated 1,000 tons of explosives will be used for clearing forested areas near the reserve. Construction is expected to take three years. And even clean energy - such as wind turbines - can have adverse affects on surrounding wildlife (and humans), if not properly sited.
Power plants play a huge role in emitting pollutants that make up the ozone. This pollution browns and blackens our horizons. We call it smog. Smog has been linked to premature deaths, thousands of emergency room visits, and tens of thousands of asthma attacks each year. Pollution in the ozone is particularly dangerous to small children and the elderly, who are often warned to stay indoors on days with poor air quality due to pollutants.
A “green economy” can be built in China in less than 20 years, argues a new McKinsey report. The new study, “China’s Green Revolution“, offers the most comprehensive quantitative analysis to date of China’s abatement cost curve.
Previous studies of a similar ilk, like the Stern Review, have incorporated social benefits to partially offset the cost of scaling up energy efficient and clean technologies. In contrast, the latest McKinsey report considers only technology-related costs and attaches a figure to the cost of green initiatives in China.
So what is the final damage? While costs are negative for upgrades in some industries, like buildings, due to the savings generated from energy efficiency improvements, a total 1.5-2 trillion yuan (USD 220-295 billion) would have to be spent every year until 2030 in order to reach McKinsey’s alternative scenario.
By Sarah Lozanova •
January 30, 2009
The solar industry has taken a beating lately. At their low in November, solar stocks were down 70%. Natural gas and oil prices have plunged, reducing the value of renewable energy. Financing is scarce, making the upfront cost of solar energy a challenge.
Perhaps these conditions will encourage innovation. Here are some tactics for solar companies to weather the storm in the short-term:
By Ariel Schwartz •
January 16, 2009
Earlier this week, CleanBoard started talking publicly about what it calls “the most environmentally friendly drywall on earth.” That’s quite a claim, but there might be something to it: the drywall will be produced in a solar-powered factory and made from coal-fired power plant residue.
By Amiel Blajchman •
December 12, 2008
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sheikholeslam wants Iran to build more nuclear power plants to provide electricity needs, rather than using oil and natural gas.
