How do Brits like to be green, and what green behaviors do they still avoid?

That’s what a new survey by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER), and the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) is showing us by examining the environmental actions and preferences of 100,000 British people from 40,000 households.

The findings presented below are the first from a new annual household survey in Britain named Understanding Society. The environmental topics are one subset of the whole survey, which also examines the “working lives, relationships, health, finances, neighbourhoods, education, transport and more” of Brits.

What are the main findings thus far?

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In total, the report showed that China, Japan, and South Korea will invest about $509 billion in clean tech over the next 5 years, whereas the US (with our greenest President in decades, maybe ever) is only expected to invest $172 billion (about 3 times less) — this is assuming the climate and energy legislation in Congress passes.

If the US were to invest the same percentage of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as South Korea, it would invest almost $140 billion per year ($700 billion over this five year period)! Compared to China, the anticipated per-GDP investment ratio is 1:4 (US to China).

In 2008, Japan almost matched US R&D spending on energy and achieved almost the same number of international clean energy patents despite having dramatically lower GDP.

The financial investment is not the only thing giving these countries a major advantage in this field, though.

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The 97th spent months prepping for its evaluation and earned a “you knocked our socks off” comment from the ESOHCAMP program manager, but that’s not the only sustainability feather in Altus’s cap.  The base is also home to one of the Air Force’s premier green remediation sites.

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]]> http://cleantechnica.com/2009/11/19/altus-air-force-base-is-flying-high-on-new-green-award/feed/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/11/19/new-report-forecasts-solar-boom-in-nc-growing-solar-in-north-carolina/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/11/19/new-report-forecasts-solar-boom-in-nc-growing-solar-in-north-carolina/#comments Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:26:23 +0000 Zachary Shahan http://cleantechnica.com/2009/11/19/new-report-forecasts-solar-boom-in-nc-growing-solar-in-north-carolina/
A new report by Environment North Carolina’s Research and Policy Center, “Growing Solar in North Carolina,” found that North Carolina (home of my UNC Tar Heels) could be a solar power giant soon.

The new report found that North Carolina has a lot of solar energy potential due to its “vast” solar energy intensity (which is nearly as much as Florida’s) combined with other economic, policy and technological factors.

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]]> http://cleantechnica.com/2009/11/19/new-report-forecasts-solar-boom-in-nc-growing-solar-in-north-carolina/feed/ http://travel.greenoptions.com/2009/11/13/just-start-save-the-planet-a-little-bit-solar-charger-your-psp/ http://travel.greenoptions.com/2009/11/13/just-start-save-the-planet-a-little-bit-solar-charger-your-psp/#comments Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:50:25 +0000 Jahon http://travel.greenoptions.com/2009/11/13/just-start-save-the-planet-a-little-bit-solar-charger-your-psp/ Playing Call of Duty on your PSP is so much fun – but now when you are racking up energy expenses in order to keep things running. The best thing to do to keep enjoying your game play without increasing your electric bill due to numerous charge times is to buy a solar charger for your PSP.

There are many solar chargers out there, and it is recommended that you look up the different features of each one in order to find out which charger is best for you. Admittedly, solar chargers can get a bit expensive – but some people see it as an initial investment which will put them in the way of many great savings in their electrical bill because they will be able to charge their PSP for free thanks to solar power.

The best place to learn more about this and to purchase one is to go online, where you can also browse their different features.

A solar charger for your PSP should ideally be a portable one, with cables in place and can be stowed away in an easy manner. If you are planning to buy one, you might probably think of getting one which will get the most sunlight even when it is a cloudy day. To spot a quality solar charger, check if it has extra ports that you can use to charge other things. There are many reviews out there that can help you pick out the best one for your own personal use.

Charging your PSP using the solar charger will probably require around thirteen hours of straight and direct sunlight in order to make a full charge. This is taking into consideration a 2.2 ampere hour battery, and a charger that has a 2 watt type of solar panel. When your solar charger is powerful, the less time you need to charge your PSP.

One good thing to try out is the Logic 3 solar charger for PSP. It comes with specially designed cables which will let you connect it to third party sources of power and it easy to tote around with you. On a full charge using this, you can power up your PSP for over four hours. You can even use this for cloudy days and can be powered up using artificial light.

Another is the Freeloader solar charger, a portable unit that comes highly recommended. You can use your PSP for over two hours if you use this model, and it is made from a very sturdy aluminum body that is also on the stylish side. Its cables and adaptors are usually compatible with different models of PSPs, and it comes in a compact size that feels very light (you can even put it in your shirt pocket). Charging is also done via USB for convenience.

And finally you have the PSP 2000 charger – a fast solar charger that comes in a unique folded design that also protects the solar panels and keeps it from being damaged. It is very durable and uses a DC charge port for its spare battery. It also comes in a very appealing lithium pack, too.

]]> http://travel.greenoptions.com/2009/11/13/just-start-save-the-planet-a-little-bit-solar-charger-your-psp/feed/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/11/10/mms%c2%ae-and-mars-going-green-new-solar-garden-at-headquarters-in-new-jersey/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/11/10/mms%c2%ae-and-mars-going-green-new-solar-garden-at-headquarters-in-new-jersey/#comments Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:13:04 +0000 Zachary Shahan http://cleantechnica.com/2009/11/10/mms%c2%ae-and-mars-going-green-new-solar-garden-at-headquarters-in-new-jersey/
Candy giant MARS, parent company of M&M’S®, DOVE®, MILKY WAY®, SNICKERS®, 3 MUSKETEERS®, and TWIX®, turned on a huge new solar array (a “solar garden”) at its headquarters in New Jersey today. No matter what you think of candy food like this, it is good to see such a company going solar. Popular with millions, billions perhaps, and about as mainstream as you can imagine, this is a good step for solar’s more widespread use across the country.

This facility is PSEG Solar Source’s first large-scale solar project. It is one of the largest solar projects in the state of New Jersey, which is already 2nd only to California in its amount of installed solar capacity. The MARS headquarters adjacent to the solar garden is the workplace of about 1,200 employees and is where M&M’S® Brand Chocolate Candies are manufactured.

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]]> http://cleantechnica.com/2009/11/10/mms%c2%ae-and-mars-going-green-new-solar-garden-at-headquarters-in-new-jersey/feed/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/11/07/4-million-goes-to-mit-from-french-oil-company-for-solar-energy-battery-project/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/11/07/4-million-goes-to-mit-from-french-oil-company-for-solar-energy-battery-project/#comments Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:02:21 +0000 Zachary Shahan http://cleantechnica.com/2009/11/07/4-million-goes-to-mit-from-french-oil-company-for-solar-energy-battery-project/
Total, a French oil company, recently agreed to give the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) $4 million for a 5-year research project to develop stationary batteries that can more efficiently store solar energy.

More efficient energy storage has been a difficult issue for scientists to crack. It is a major issue preventing more widespread use of renewable energy, and solar energy in particular.

Is this project, one funded by a true oil giant, the one that will make it happen?

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]]> http://cleantechnica.com/2009/11/07/4-million-goes-to-mit-from-french-oil-company-for-solar-energy-battery-project/feed/ http://greenbuildingelements.com/2009/11/04/architecture-firm-in-italy-drafts-solar-media-screen-for-taipeis-new-music-center/ http://greenbuildingelements.com/2009/11/04/architecture-firm-in-italy-drafts-solar-media-screen-for-taipeis-new-music-center/#comments Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:29:39 +0000 Lucille Chi http://greenbuildingelements.com/2009/11/04/architecture-firm-in-italy-drafts-solar-media-screen-for-taipeis-new-music-center/

Taipei Pop Music Center has opened up an amazing architecture design competition for it’s new building. Nabito Architects has drafted and shared their vision of the new Taipei Pop Music Center composed of a “photovoltaic screen and a wall of LED panels”

The screen of the Pop Music Center may:

• have a LED media wall reporting news, weather, event info and ads.
• be powered entirely by the sun and set an example for green energy in the city of Taipei
• include photovoltaic cell technology, with an LED wall
• have controls set by a central computer, to show all events scheduled and more

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]]> http://greenbuildingelements.com/2009/11/04/architecture-firm-in-italy-drafts-solar-media-screen-for-taipeis-new-music-center/feed/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/11/02/desertec-560-billion-renewable-energy-project-moving-forward/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/11/02/desertec-560-billion-renewable-energy-project-moving-forward/#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:53:31 +0000 Zachary Shahan http://cleantechnica.com/2009/11/02/desertec-560-billion-renewable-energy-project-moving-forward/
The huge project to build a $555 billion renewable energy “belt” in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, funded largely by German companies, moved another step forward a few days ago.

The articles of association for the DESERTEC Industrial Initiative (DII) were signed by the joint venture group of 12 companies and the DESERTEC Foundation in Munich on October 30.

Additionally, a CEO for DII was appointed — Paul van Son.

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]]> http://cleantechnica.com/2009/11/02/desertec-560-billion-renewable-energy-project-moving-forward/feed/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/31/spanish-solar-company-solarig-building-8-pv-parks-in-italy/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/31/spanish-solar-company-solarig-building-8-pv-parks-in-italy/#comments Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:15:24 +0000 Zachary Shahan http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/31/spanish-solar-company-solarig-building-8-pv-parks-in-italy/
SOLARIG, a company based in Spain that incorporated about four years ago, just began construction of eight photovoltaic parks in Italy this month. The parks will provide 8 MW of energy in total. Over the next few months, it plans to construct photovoltaic projects producing 30 MW throughout different regions of Italy.

But this is just the beginning. SOLARIG has a more global vision.

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]]> http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/31/spanish-solar-company-solarig-building-8-pv-parks-in-italy/feed/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/31/developing-residential-solar-installation-monitor/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/31/developing-residential-solar-installation-monitor/#comments Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:14:20 +0000 Mariella Moon http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/31/developing-residential-solar-installation-monitor/

A partnership between two companies will develop a home energy monitoring device for residential solar power installations.

Two startups – Tendril Networks, known for its home energy monitoring technology and Fat Spaniel technologies, a solar panel monitoring company – make up the partnership. The purpose of the partnership is to develop a monitoring device for homes that can gauge the sun’s intensity for any particular time and automatically adjust, or even shut down, home appliances as needed.

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]]> http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/31/developing-residential-solar-installation-monitor/feed/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/30/hawaii-follows-california-with-a-renewable-energy-feed-in-tariff/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/30/hawaii-follows-california-with-a-renewable-energy-feed-in-tariff/#comments Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:43:46 +0000 Zachary Shahan http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/30/hawaii-follows-california-with-a-renewable-energy-feed-in-tariff/
Earlier this month, Governor Schwarzenegger signed legislation to buy solar power from relatively small private generators for rates above market value. Hawaii is next in line with this European-style tariff — the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission and Governor Lingle just recently set a similar initiative for Hawaii.

Hawaii’s initiative will make it possible for homeowners and businesses to sell power they generate from small to medium-scale renewable energy projects (i.e. solar panels) to Hawaii’s main power producers at higher than market-value rates.

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]]> http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/30/hawaii-follows-california-with-a-renewable-energy-feed-in-tariff/feed/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/27/dell-solar-trees/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/27/dell-solar-trees/#comments Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:55:11 +0000 Beth Graddon-Hodgson http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/27/dell-solar-trees/

Dell has been a trend-setter when it comes to the incorporation of greener technologies to reduce their corporate carbon footprint and they’re doing it again! Although this time they are following the lead of Google, by installing solar trees in the parking lot of their head office in Round Rock, Texas.

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]]> http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/27/dell-solar-trees/feed/ http://gas2.org/2009/10/26/dell-builds-solar-trees-for-parking-lot/ http://gas2.org/2009/10/26/dell-builds-solar-trees-for-parking-lot/#comments Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:47:41 +0000 Christopher DeMorro http://gas2.org/2009/10/26/dell-builds-solar-trees-for-parking-lot/

Computer technology is always about being one step ahead of competitors. Information technology moves faster than light it seems, and by the time your new computer arrives at your doorstep, it is already out of date. Dell, whose computers can be found in most offices, homes, and campuses across the country, has been doing its best to stay ahead of the curve.

Proving it is both environmentally friendly and hip to the trends of popular culture, Dell has just finished installing a grove of solar trees at its Corporate headquarters in Round Rock, Texas.

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]]> http://gas2.org/2009/10/26/dell-builds-solar-trees-for-parking-lot/feed/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/23/solarmer-breaks-plastic-solar-cell-efficiency-world-record-again/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/23/solarmer-breaks-plastic-solar-cell-efficiency-world-record-again/#comments Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:37:57 +0000 Zachary Shahan http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/23/solarmer-breaks-plastic-solar-cell-efficiency-world-record-again/
Solarmer Energy broke the world record for plastic cell efficiency last year. Now, they’ve just broken it again.

The new efficiency record is 7.6% and it breaks 7% for the first time.

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]]> http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/23/solarmer-breaks-plastic-solar-cell-efficiency-world-record-again/feed/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/22/solar-report-shows-30-decrease-in-cost-of-solar-over-10-years/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/22/solar-report-shows-30-decrease-in-cost-of-solar-over-10-years/#comments Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:10:25 +0000 Zachary Shahan http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/22/solar-report-shows-30-decrease-in-cost-of-solar-over-10-years/

Just the other day, I wrote that it was a great time to go solar, especially due to the great rebates and discounts on solar technology. Apparently, I jumped the gun and was a few days early. A new report by Lawrence Berkeley National Lab — “Tracking the Sun II: The Installed Cost of Photovoltaics in the US from 1998-2008” — shows a significant decrease in solar costs over the last ten years and shows that now is a great time to go solar.

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]]> http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/22/solar-report-shows-30-decrease-in-cost-of-solar-over-10-years/feed/ http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/10/22/neighborly-solar-from-1bog-could-raise-phoenix-property-values/ http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/10/22/neighborly-solar-from-1bog-could-raise-phoenix-property-values/#comments Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:07:46 +0000 Susan Kraemer http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/10/22/neighborly-solar-from-1bog-could-raise-phoenix-property-values/

This week The Bogman heads to Phoenix to offer 1 Block off the Grid solar discounts for neighbors who go solar together. And what better city to go to! Phoenix was super hard-hit by the housing crisis. It has had 54% drops in property values, some of the worst in the nation.

So this may not seem like just the perfect time for solar Phoenix (including including Glendale, Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa) to go solar. But, there’s one thing that Phoenix residents should know: Solar raises property values!

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]]> http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/10/22/neighborly-solar-from-1bog-could-raise-phoenix-property-values/feed/ http://gas2.org/2009/10/20/electric-city-car-doubles-as-a-solar-panel-to-power-the-energy-grid/ http://gas2.org/2009/10/20/electric-city-car-doubles-as-a-solar-panel-to-power-the-energy-grid/#comments Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:19:29 +0000 Christopher DeMorro http://gas2.org/2009/10/20/electric-city-car-doubles-as-a-solar-panel-to-power-the-energy-grid/

I am a firm believer that if electric cars are to gain widespread acceptance, they first need to be proven in America’s congested cities. Most city dwellers usually don’t drive that far, have access to alternate forms of transportation, and likely spend more time on their iPhones than in a car anyway. It is the perfect proving ground for electric cars.

The MINILUX Solar Car concept realizes this, and rather than serving as an expensive paperweight while sitting idle, it can actually return energy back to the grid. It’s pretty neat looking too, aside from those funky wheels.

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]]> http://gas2.org/2009/10/20/electric-city-car-doubles-as-a-solar-panel-to-power-the-energy-grid/feed/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/20/where-are-the-gaps-in-the-solar-marketplace/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/20/where-are-the-gaps-in-the-solar-marketplace/#comments Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:58:52 +0000 Zachary Shahan http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/20/where-are-the-gaps-in-the-solar-marketplace/
92% of people think we need to develop and use solar power, but less than 1% of US power is from solar. Where are the gaps?

I can identify three main ones, but they seem to be getting addressed more and more by a wide variety of parties — public, private and non-governmental. So, what is left?

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]]> http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/20/where-are-the-gaps-in-the-solar-marketplace/feed/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/17/7-african-countries-to-get-utility-scale-solar/ http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/17/7-african-countries-to-get-utility-scale-solar/#comments Sat, 17 Oct 2009 09:05:08 +0000 Zachary Shahan http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/17/7-african-countries-to-get-utility-scale-solar/

California-based eSolar has just announced that it is expanding into southern Africa now. It has partnered with Johannesburg-based Clean Energy Solutions (CES) to create “eSolarSA” which will sell its concentrating solar power technology throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.

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]]> http://cleantechnica.com/2009/10/17/7-african-countries-to-get-utility-scale-solar/feed/