When finished, the Roscoe site will become one of the world’s largest wind farms, boasting a total of 627 wind turbines capable of powering more than 250,000 of the state’s homes.

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The report, Green Jobs: Towards Decent Work in a Sustainable, Low-Carbon World, says that shifting employment and investment patterns adopted in response to the challenges of global warming are already creating new jobs in many sectors and economies, and could create millions more across both the developed and developing world. In sum, UNEP predicts nothing short of a revoluton in the way the world economy will look over the next two decades.

In other highlights, the report has also found that:

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A slew of speakers and experts in everything from geology and energy to finance and business is meeting through tomorrow to address what could one day make the Lehman Brothers collapse look like a picnic in the park: declining oil production coupled with rising demand and prices on a global scale. The 2008 Sacramento Peak Oil Conference kicked off yesterday.

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“The energy bill puts us onto that path of independence by having a comprehensive legislation which is the result of a bipartisan compromise in favor of sweeping innovation solutions for America’s energy future,” said Pelosi in a press conference today. “It is imperative that we are energy independent, so we can enhance the prospect for a great future of renewables and creating good paying jobs.”

The bill passed in the House by a vote of 236-189, with ten Republican’s supporting the bill and thirteen Democrats opposing it. It includes measures to “extend the tax credits for renewables, curb energy speculation, establish a national renewable electricity standard, release 10 percent of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, repeal subsidies to oil companies, and force oil companies to explore on the land already under lease (”use it or lose it”).” It also comes with provisions on efficiency and public transit. And there are even incentives for “clean coal.”

The act allows drilling 100 miles off the Atlantic coast and Florida’s Gulf coast, but that buffer zone could be reduced if a state’s government allows. It will also let state’s decide on whether or not to permit oil-shale development on federal lands within their borders. Here are some videos from the floor debate:

This story contains additional media. Click here to view the media.

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However, now that the dust is (sort of) starting to settle, some more sober analysis of the Vice Presidential candidate’s record on renewable energy is starting to emerge.

For starters, as Alaskan Governor, there are signs that she may have paid more than lip service to her supposed support for alternatives to oil. She promised green campaigners that she would put together a comprehensive plan on renewables, and even appointed someone to head up the mission. Beyond this though, there has been little genuine conviction or leadership in support of the sector. In fact, as the summary below reveals, her record on the issue is decidedly shaky:

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Richmond, Va. based coal company Massey Energy has announced plans to commence blasting at the site tomorrow (10th September), in an operation that will reduce the height of the mountain by 500 feet and free up ten square miles for coal mining activities.

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When it really comes down to it, you have to wonder why someone hasn’t come out with this sort of declaration before now. I mean, there’s a giant flaming ball of gas in our skies 50% of the time, and we have the technology to turn it into energy.

So it really comes as no surprise that Daniel Lincot, the chairman of the five-day European Photovoltaic Solar Energy conference held in Valencia which wrapped up this past Friday, has made it known that he believes solar power has the potential to meet the planets entire energy demands.

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The proposed offshore grid would be more than 3850 miles long, and connect more than 100 wind farms, containing a total of 10,000 turbines to seven countries, including Britain, Denmark, France, Norway, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.

The plans, based on a report written by Greenpeace and environmental consultants 3E, assume that 68.4 gigawatts of capacity, across 118 identified wind farms, will be in place across the North Sea within 10-20 years, and could meet an impressive 13% of the annual energy needs of the countries involved.

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Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman has announced his support for a plan to increase oil drilling as a means of paying for increased investment in alternative energy. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Coleman announced his intention to join the “gang of 16,” a group of bipartisan senators seeking a compromise energy bill that would approve $20 billion over ten years towards the plan. The New Energy Reform Act of 2008 focuses on three overarching principles:

• Increased domestic production of energy resources, including oil and nuclear. This would include a go-ahead to open new areas for oil drilling on the Outer Continental Shelf off America’s Atlantic and Pacific Coasts;
• Transitioning vehicles to non-petroleum based fuels;
• A robust federal commitment to conservation and energy efficiency.

Speaking about the plan on Monday, Coleman said, “Nothing is more urgent, or of greater significance to the American people, than solving our energy crisis. The good news is this bipartisan group truly understands that folks around this country are suffering under high gas prices and are bringing forth real, common-sense solutions.”

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It was only yesterday that the Congress led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) - the ruling party in India - was negotiating the Nuclear Deal with the United States, in an attempt to boost the country’s Nuclear Power sector. And now that the deal is set and ready to be signed, the Government is itself struggling to stay in power. Energy and ‘Power’ have indeed been closely associated in the recent past and politics is known to be governed by the energy sector. But when the world’s largest democracy faces a political crisis over an energy policy, we can safely conclude that in the climate constrained world of today, the only way to stay in power is to get the energy policy right!

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China is already outpacing its own wind energy goals.

Officially, China’s latest renewable energy plan sets a goal of 10 GW by 2010. That’s double the previous target. However, according to industry analysts at China Strategies LLC, China’s current pace of wind development will bring 10 GW by the end of this year, two years ahead of schedule. According to China Strategies, 20 GW is possible in China by 2010. What’s more, they foresee a total of 100 GW by 2020, an increase in wind energy of 1667%. And, they add, this may be a conservative estimate.

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In a joint effort, the country’s paper manufacturer, Middle East Paper Company (MEPCO) and Tetra Pak Arabia will, exchange expertise and experiences in the recycling field and MEPCO’s role will be to collect, sort and do the actual recycling work. Beverage carton recycling will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from landfill sites.

The partnership will address the issue of recycling thousands of cartons that get discarded by households and other establishments across Saudi Arabia on a daily basis, the first of its kind in the Middle East region.

The collaborators hope that apart from making a mark on the environment, they will be opening the recycled products, largely post consumer food and beverage cartons, to a wider international market, and follows successful trials conducted to demonstrate the recycling ability of Tetra Pak cartons by MEPCO.

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Clean Tech Call for Entries

“The California Clean Tech Open is unique among business plan competitions: it seeks entries from professionals, scientists and students alike; focuses solely on clean technology; and […] the prize package of cash, services and office space goes above and beyond other awards and is not typically available to early-stage start-ups.“

Eligible entries are accepted in categories as diverse as green building; smart power; air, water and waste management; energy efficiency; renewables; and transportation. Competition winners will be showered with an incredible array of resources designed to fast-track the startup phase. The generous prize packages include $50,000 in cash, one year of office space, legal and insurance services, marketing support, accounting services, and enrollment in the exclusive Summer Workshop Series for entrepreneurs.

Not ready to share your big idea with the world? CCTO offers a wealth of resources for non-entrants, including:

CCTO Sustainability Starter Kit

Formerly reserved for competition winners, CCTO’s extensive Sustainability Starter Kit is now available for download at no cost to curious clean tech ecopreneurs. Proposing concrete solutions to a broad range of challenges faced by sustainability change agents, the kit includes information on topics such as:

• Sustainable supply chain management
• Waste management strategies
• Company case studies
• The five rules of green marketing
• B2B resources for forward-thinking companies

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  ]]> http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/06/11/countdown-to-the-california-clean-tech-open/feed/ http://ecoworldly.com/2008/03/13/mod-indecision-and-renewable-energy-the-final-cost/ http://ecoworldly.com/2008/03/13/mod-indecision-and-renewable-energy-the-final-cost/#comments Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:55:04 +0000 Pem Charnley http://ecoworldly.com/2008/03/13/mod-indecision-and-renewable-energy-the-final-cost/ The military games must stop. The ambiguities come to an end. Explanations need to be provided.

  I reported in the Guardian last month that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) were objecting to wind farms in the UK because they felt the turbines interfered with military radar. The turbines were, in their words “in the line of sight.”

  (Of course, were we not a bellicose little island nation, always eager to attack and interfere with foreign disputes, we wouldn’t need to concern ourselves with defense quite so much.)

  I demanded answers. Demanded, if their objections were true, that there be immediate improvements in radar technology so that the UK could proceed with meeting renewable energy targets.

  75 miles was the round figure given. Were a turbine any closer than that, then interference would be unacceptable, the UK’s defense at risk.

  Yet, last week there was a U-turn by the MoD. A complete turnaround that must have caused wind farm planners along the east coast of England millions of pounds: financial waste caused by military indecision.

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  ]]> http://ecoworldly.com/2008/03/13/mod-indecision-and-renewable-energy-the-final-cost/feed/ http://ecoworldly.com/2008/03/08/the-state-of-africas-renewable-energy/ http://ecoworldly.com/2008/03/08/the-state-of-africas-renewable-energy/#comments Sat, 08 Mar 2008 15:40:53 +0000 Sam Aola Ooko http://ecoworldly.com/2008/03/08/the-state-of-africas-renewable-energy/ I have written elsewhere about Africa being the future of solar technologies because of the abundant sun that is there an average of 325 days a year, but it seems this dream is still way off. The State of Africa’s Renewable Energy, in a nutshell, is in its infancy and benign in comparison with the rest of the world.

  So reading Gavin Hudson’s entry about the world’s 13 largest solar PV plants was, to me, like chickens coming home to roost. No solar plant in Africa was featured on that list, a Forbes List of sorts, for solar energy plants of the world. But I still believe Africa will arrive at the global stage at the appropriate time - with a bang.

  Africa’s largest solar power plant is in Rwanda and has a capacity of only 250KW, small indeed in comparison with other conventional plants elsewhere, current or proposed. In Gavin’s list, two plants in Spain compete for current honors of 20MW capacity apiece, and two other proposed plants, both in the US, will have capacity of 280MW and 300 MW respectively, by 2011!

  But there is hope. The developing nations of Africa are ideal locations for the application of renewable energy technology. Currently, many nations already have small-scale solar, wind, and geothermal devices in operation providing energy to urban and rural populations, according to Wikimedia.

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  ]]> http://ecoworldly.com/2008/03/08/the-state-of-africas-renewable-energy/feed/ http://sustainablog.org/2008/01/24/wal-marts-company-of-the-future-energy/ http://sustainablog.org/2008/01/24/wal-marts-company-of-the-future-energy/#comments Thu, 24 Jan 2008 14:16:04 +0000 Jeff McIntire-Strasburg http://sustainablog.org/2008/01/24/wal-marts-company-of-the-future-energy/ In October 2005, Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott gave a speech entitled “Twenty-First Century Leadership.” Part idealistic vision, part concrete blueprint, the speech made all of us in the green community stand up and take another look at the company. Regardless of one’s thoughts about Wal-Mart as a corporate citizen, all had to admit that Scott set bold long-term goals for the company: powering itself on 100% renewable energy, creating zero waste, and selling “products that sustain our resources and our environment.”

  Last night, at the company’s Year-Beginning Meeting in Kansas City, Scott gave another speech, titled “The Company of the Future,” that returned to the themes of corporate leadership, social responsibility, and sustainability. Like its predecessor, this speech combined vision with practical goals. I’d originally planned to write one post giving a broad overview of the speech, but given Wal-Mart’s position as the world’s largest retailer, and the breadth of the ideas presented, a series seemed more appropriate.

  Energy savings have already played into the company’s attempts to transform itself (and, admittedly, its image). From a business perspective, this makes sense: energy’s an expense. Scott’s focus in this speech, though, wasn’t so much on the company using energy more efficiently itself, but on helping customers save energy:

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  ]]> http://sustainablog.org/2008/01/24/wal-marts-company-of-the-future-energy/feed/ http://planetsave.com/blog/2008/01/09/is-nuclear-power-the-answer-to-climate-change/ http://planetsave.com/blog/2008/01/09/is-nuclear-power-the-answer-to-climate-change/#comments Wed, 09 Jan 2008 17:13:46 +0000 Shirley Siluk Gregory http://planetsave.com/blog/2008/01/09/is-nuclear-power-the-answer-to-climate-change/ A growing chorus of voices is touting nuclear power as the energy solution that can help curb global warming. I’ve never been one to sing that tune, but I’m no longer as certain as I once was.

  My doubts arose after reading James Lovelock’s “The Revenge of Gaia: Earth’s Climate Crisis & the Fate of Humanity” (2006, Basic Books). In it, Lovelock warns that, within this century, climate change could very well end civilization. He also argues — more persuasively than I expected — that nuclear power is the only energy source today that will let us both stop pumpking lethal amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and preserve modern life as we know it.

  I’ve heard that argument before, though never as eloquently as Lovelock puts it. But even if nuclear energy is as safe and reliable as Lovelock says, I still question whether it’s as low-carbon as its advocates make it out to be.

  For one, there’s the matter of mining uranium for fuel and transporting it to reactor sites — that requires fossil fuels, doesn’t it?

  Then there’s the construction of the nuclear plants themselves, with all their thick concrete shielding. The cement-making process creates a lot of carbon dioxide … possibly as much as a ton of carbon dioxide for every ton of cement produced, according to George Monbiot’s book “Heat.”

  Assuming we could muster the will and finances needed — and overcome the guaranteed public objections — to embark on a nuclear plant construction spree today, wouldn’t we just be sending our carbon emissions into overdrive, at least until the reactors are up and running? Is it worth the risk, or do we have no other choice?

  Photo courtesy of Tristan Nitot, posted on Wikimedia Commons

  ]]> http://planetsave.com/blog/2008/01/09/is-nuclear-power-the-answer-to-climate-change/feed/ http://shirleysilukgregory.greenoptions.com/2007/11/06/good-news-maybe-for-green-collar-workers/ http://shirleysilukgregory.greenoptions.com/2007/11/06/good-news-maybe-for-green-collar-workers/#comments Tue, 06 Nov 2007 20:50:06 +0000 Shirley Siluk Gregory http://shirleysilukgregory.greenoptions.com/2007/11/06/good-news-maybe-for-green-collar-workers/ There’s good news for the future of green-collar employment, but it comes with a caveat: maximizing job growth in green industries will require the right public policy support. That means law-makers need to approve measures such as a renewable portfolio standard, incentives for renewable energy, public education programs and adequate funding for research and development.

  If such measures are put in place, the U.S. could see as many as one out of every four workers employed by a renewable-energy or energy-efficiency industry by 2030, according to a new report from the American Solar Energy Society (ASES). That’s promising for both U.S. employees and for anyone concerned about reducing greenhouse gas emissions and our dependence on fossil fuels. But it will happen only, as the ASES report says, under “an aggressive deployment forecast scenario.”

  That means we, as citizens and consumers, are going to have to apply strong and steady pressure on legislators — local, state and national — to do the right thing. And that, we all know, isn’t easy.

  Still, if — as the saying goes — money walks, green-collar types might see Beltway support grow as green industries expand their economic muscle, which means more dollars for lobbying and campaign financing. And, in that regard, the future looks bright.

  In the U.S., renewable-energy and energy-efficiency industries are already generating 8.5 million jobs and nearly $970 billion in annual revenues, according to the ASES report. “To put this in perspective,” the report states, “(t)otal sales for Wal-Mart, Exxon-Mobil and General Motors in 2006 were $905 billion.”

  While companies on the energy-efficiency side — things like better windows, efficient appliances and insulation — are making more of the money right now, the renewables side is growing more rapidly.

  The ASES predicts the hottest, fastest-growing industries will involve solar power, wind energy, ethanol and fuel-cell technologies. With the right level of public support, it says, we could see up to 40 million people employed — as everything from accountants and biochemists to engineers, mechanics and truck drivers — in the renewable-energy and energy-efficiency sectors by 2030, with annual green-industry revenues of $4.5 trillion.

  Getting there, though, will require much more than a business-as-usual approach, the ASES report warns.

  “This scenario requires appropriate, aggressive, sustained public policies at the federal and state level during next two decades,” it states. Getting decision-makers to come on board might take oil shortages, fossil-fuel price increases, growing security concerns or a greater awareness of the impact of climate change. The fear of suffering economically at a global level might also be a motivator.

  “If we fail to invest in (renewable energy and energy efficiency), the United States runs the risk of losing ground to international … programs and industries,” the report concludes. “For the United States to be competitive in a carbon-constrained world, the (renewable energy and energy efficiency) industry will be a critical economic driver.”

  ]]> http://shirleysilukgregory.greenoptions.com/2007/11/06/good-news-maybe-for-green-collar-workers/feed/ http://shirleysilukgregory.greenoptions.com/2007/11/01/kerry-addresses-climate-change-politics-and-hope/ http://shirleysilukgregory.greenoptions.com/2007/11/01/kerry-addresses-climate-change-politics-and-hope/#comments Thu, 01 Nov 2007 21:37:00 +0000 Shirley Siluk Gregory http://shirleysilukgregory.greenoptions.com/2007/11/01/kerry-addresses-climate-change-politics-and-hope/ Talking with an elected official about how to get climate change legislation with teeth on the books conjures up the quote from Otto von Bismarck: "Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made."

  That’s how I felt, anyway, after getting off the phone following a conference call between Sen. John Kerry (D, MA) and environmental bloggers today. Kerry demonstrates a full and deep understanding of the challenges posed by global warming, but also makes it clear — without actually having to say it — how slowly and painstakingly the legislative process moves to address those challenges.

  Kerry expressed confidence in the prospects of the current Lieberman-Warner proposal for a cap-and-trade system on carbon emissions. He indicated cautious optimism that the next administration will enable law-makers to enact even stronger measures aimed at curbing climate change. He placed a lot of hope on the abilities of science, technology and business to develop solutions to challenges such as developing carbon capture and storage so we can burn coal cleanly.

  Kerry also noted he and Sen. Barbara Boxer (D, CA) will be taking a delegation to Bali next month — for talks to hammer out a successor to the Kyoto Protocol — "to make sure the U.S. is properly represented. We’re not going to let the stonewalling of this administration dominate." And he urged us to put steady, ongoing pressure on other legislators, especially moderates and those in states likely to feel the greatest impact of climate change, to make the right decisions.

  It’s encouraging we’re taking steps toward addressing climate change. It’s also good to see we’re taking more and more of those steps each day, and speeding up our stride little by little. But still I’m left with a lingering concern that, despite all the well-informed and properly motivated leaders like Kerry, the gears of government are grinding too slowly to make meaningful action possible in the immediate future.

  Kerry is more optimistic, and I hope he proves my fears unfounded.

  "I think basically we’re on the brink of a very exciting era," he said. "We’re going to get some of these projects (such as carbon capture and storage) rolling. There are some very exciting concepts out there."

  ]]> http://shirleysilukgregory.greenoptions.com/2007/11/01/kerry-addresses-climate-change-politics-and-hope/feed/ http://shirleysilukgregory.greenoptions.com/2007/10/23/red-green-blue-peak-oil-and-the-coal-conundrum/ http://shirleysilukgregory.greenoptions.com/2007/10/23/red-green-blue-peak-oil-and-the-coal-conundrum/#comments Tue, 23 Oct 2007 19:36:53 +0000 Shirley Siluk Gregory http://shirleysilukgregory.greenoptions.com/2007/10/23/red-green-blue-peak-oil-and-the-coal-conundrum/ If you haven’t heard yet, peak oil is here: the Energy Watch Group released an analysis this week indicating that global oil production peaked last year and is now likely to start dropping by several percent annually.

  Ironically, on the same day, the InterAcademy Council announced a new report titled, “Lighting the Way: Toward a Sustainable Energy Future.” While that report didn’t include the peak oil news, it did emphasize that the world needs to start moving now to ensure both a dependable energy future and a climate that doesn’t tip dangerously into overdrive.

  And here’s where the conundrum comes in: coal, the InterAcademy Council report acknowledged, is the most abundant fossil fuel we’ve got … but also the most potentially damaging. Coal-fired power plants, which are springing up in growing numbers around the globe, could help provide the energy safety net we need if the peak-oil analysis is true. But the emissions from coal-burning plants would only speed up today’s rising greenhouse gas levels.

  So what’s the solution? Do we throw everything we’ve got at developing safe and cost-effective ways to capture and store the carbon from coal plants? Or do we “Just say no” to coal and invest like mad in renewables research and development? We need an answer in the near future apparently, but which will it be?

  ]]> http://shirleysilukgregory.greenoptions.com/2007/10/23/red-green-blue-peak-oil-and-the-coal-conundrum/feed/