Marin Clean Energy Powering Change


MT Tam  290x290 Marin Clean Energy Powering ChangeIt wasn’t long ago that Marin Clean Energy began its operations after a David and Goliath battle with PG & E. Marin Clean Energy won with the support of the voters, and MCE became the first non profit community energy supplier in California. Now MCE has just recently signed an agreement with the city of Richmond California to provide that city with its electricity. The agreement will increase MCE’s capacity by one third. MCE also serves most of the towns in Marin county including Sausalito…not sure Novato will rejoin.

Richmond has also been on the forefront of the going green movement for some time. Richmond was one of the first cities to provide solar training through its Solar Richmond training program which has become a model for solar training for other US cities. You can listen here to what into the decision making process. Richmond recently adopted an innovative General Plan 2030 to promote community health and sustainable development. The General Plan contains innovative policies to improve community health and wellness by increasing access to recreational activities, healthy food, medical services, public transportation, affordable housing, economic opportunities, safe neighborhoods, and improve environmental quality.

Marin Clean Energy has signed a 20 year agreement with San Rafael Airport to complete an almost 1 mega watt rooftop solar project which is set for completion this fall.

High Speed Rail Boston To DC

Garden State Gets Greener With More Solar Energy


20120723Solar103 small Garden State Gets Greener With More Solar EnergyNew Jersey continues its environmental leadership along with other states like California and Arizona to create more green jobs and cut pollution. Yesterday Matt Elliott, Environment NewNew Jersey Scenic 290x275 Garden State Gets Greener With More Solar Energy Jersey’s Clean Energy Advocate, wrote “We applaud the Legislature and the governor for supporting a bill to help New Jersey continue to be the nation’s solar leader.  We are pleased that the measure passed both houses of the Legislature with overwhelming bi-partisan support, reflecting the people of New Jersey’s strong support for clean, renewable energy, regardless of party affiliation. And we applaud Governor Christie for signing the bill into law today.

“Because of forward-thinking policies passed by the Legislature and Republican and Democratic governors alike over the years, New Jersey is one of the nation’s leaders on solar power.  This bill continues that positive momentum.  Currently, we have more solar per square mile than any other state in the nation, with nearly 16,000 solar installations on homes and businesses across the state.  As a result, solar is cutting harmful air pollution, reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, keeping more of our energy dollars here at home, and creating thousands of local jobs.

“The recent boom in solar development demonstrates that our state’s potential is much greater than previously anticipated.  Moving forward, longer-term state policy must keep up with that potential.  We should be increasing the state’s overall clean energy requirements and ensuring more of our clean energy goals are carved out for solar specifically.  In the short term, however, this bill will ensure that New Jersey continues to be a solar leader.  Without a doubt, today is a good day for solar in New Jersey.”

Monsanto Sued

Trade And Rumours Of Solar War


clonewarsbdcap7 original 300x127 Trade And Rumours Of Solar WarThe Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing (CASM) today issued the following statement, attributable to Gordon Brinser, president of SolarWorld Industries America Inc., based in Oregon.

“Today’s announcement by the Chinese government proves once and for all that China is intent on unfairly and illegally allowing its manufacturers to dominate the global solar industry. While it was not unexpected, the announcement of retaliatory investigations into U.S. polysilicon production is harmful to the international trade system. The Chinese government has been telegraphing this move since last October. It is a common Chinese tactic and an abuse of international trade rules. It represents yet another cynical attempt by the Chinese government to bully the U.S. government by injecting politics into a judicial investigation that is sanctioned under international trade rules, as today’s announcement tacitly confirms. Fortunately, when the Chinese government has attempted such blatant retaliatory actions in the past, those actions have been declared illegal by the World Trade Organization.

“The American people understand that the Chinese do not play by the rules and are demanding action. In one recent poll, more than two-thirds of voters think China’s violations of international trade rules are costing the U.S. jobs. As a result, 62 percent of voters favor getting tough on China’s illegal trade practices.

Today’s announcement is also an attempt to decimate another competitive American industry: the polysilicon industry. It is an attempt to shut down the Chinese market all while the Chinese government injects billions of dollars of likely WTO-illegal subsidies to build up its own domestic polysilicon companies, as it outlined in its latest Five Year Plan. At the same time, the Chinese government and its agents are browbeating U.S. manufacturers into arguing for unilateral trade disarmament. This ploy affects not just the U.S. solar industry, but also the semiconductor industry, another industry in which Chinese companies lag American manufacturers.”

In March, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced preliminary countervailing duties ranging of up to 4.73 percent against Chinese solar manufacturers in response to WTO-illegal government subsidies. This was followed by preliminary antidumping subsidies of 31 percent to 249.96 percent in May. The Commerce Department will announce its final determination in both cases on October 9, 2012. The International Trade Commission will announce its final ruling on the cases in November 7, 2012.

Intersolar Rises And Shines


christieMcCarthy  165x300 Intersolar Rises And ShinesInnovation and collaboration were familiar themes at this years Intersolar North America. Intersolar  Intersolar Rises And Shinesa premier solar industry exhibition and conference for solar professionals to exchange information and develop business opportunities in the U.S. returned to San Francisco to mark its fifth year in the heart of the largest solar market in the United States. San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee delivered remarks for the conference alongside directors of the worlds-leading research institutions during the conference’s official opening on July 10 in the Intercontinental Hotel. While welcoming the conference to San Francisco, Mayor Lee also reminded the conference about the California senate’s ground breaking decision to begin financing high speed rail between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

SunShot Director Ramamoorthy Ramesh welcomed participation in new national initiatives such as solar “Plug and Play.” Reflecting renewed  global collaboration and innovation, Dr. Dan Arvizu, director of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL); Dr. Michio Kondo, director of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) in Japan; and Prof. Dr. Eicke Weber, director of the Fraunhofer Institute of Solar Energy Systems (FhG ISE) in Germany signed of a Memorandum of Understanding to form a Global Alliance of Solar Energy Research Institutes (GA-SERI). Over 850 exhibitors  from over 25 countries are at the show.

Singer, songwriter and Sessions Solar marketing executive Christie McCarthy welcomed attendees of the Intersolar Awards Ceremony, a sort of Academy Awards for Solar Projects in the US with her very engaging song” Rise and Shine.” Wednesday evening will feature Solar Battle of the Bands Round 2 where industry musicians such as Sungevity’s Killa Watts and SolarCity’s Soulmetrics will compete for your vote.

Solar Power in Germany Increases 40 Percent


germany sun rays 1 300x225 Solar Power in Germany Increases 40 PercentSolar power accounted for 10 percent of Germany’s total electricity production in May, an increase of 40 percent from the previous year, as reported by the Federal Association of the Energy and Water Industry. The significant jump stemmed from heightened capacity complemented by sunny days. This surge in green power generation reveals that the nation is well on its way to expanding the proportion of renewables in the energy mix. The strong market is paving the way for new foreign investors such as bSolar, an Israel-based solar PV cell company. Solar industry experts from Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI) will be at booth #7635 at the Intersolar North America Exhibition in San Francisco from July 10-12 to discuss opportunities within the sector.

“Germany’s decision to replace nuclear energy with other sources is proving to not only be possible, but is creating many valuable prospects for the renewables sector. The continued strength of the solar market has sparked greater investment from abroad,” stated Tobias Homann, photovoltaic industry expert from Germany Trade & Invest in Berlin.With the support of GTAI, bSolar established a plant in Heilbronn that produces high-efficiency bifacial cells. Its decision to invest in Germany reflects the country’s longstanding status as the world’s key PV market. The rooftop cells have the ability to produce more electricity at lower costs.

“Germany is one of the largest producers of PV technology as well as the biggest consumer of per capita solar energy worldwide,” said Dr. Yossi Kofman, Co-founder and CEO of bSolar. “Strong demand partnered with a highly skilled workforce, intensive R&D and a political framework supportive of renewables make Germany an obvious point of investment,” Kofman continued. Germany Trade & Invest is the foreign trade and inward investment promotion agency of the Federal Republic of Germany. The organization advises foreign companies looking to expand their business activities in the German market. It provides information on foreign trade to German companies that seek to enter foreign markets.

Solar Power To The People

California Senate Approves High Speed Rail Funding


2012 07 06T163347Z 1459550741 TM3E8760Y6H01 RTRMADP 3 CALIFORNIA HIGHSPEEDRAIL 300x169 California Senate Approves High Speed Rail FundingLawmakers in California approved billions of dollars Friday AxKBDB8CEAEVFvA 225x300 California Senate Approves High Speed Rail Fundingin construction financing for the initial segment of the nation’s first dedicated high-speed rail line connecting Los Angeles and San Francisco. Governor Jerry Brown said, “In 2008, California voters decided to create jobs and modernize our state’s rail transportation system with a major investment in high-speed rail and key local projects in Northern and Southern California. The Legislature took bold action today that gets Californians back to work and puts California out in front once again.

The Obama administration has been advocating for renewable energy and clean transportation alternatives view the approval as a major political victory for Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown who has promoted bullet trains as job generators and clean transportation alternatives.The bill authorizes the state to begin selling $4.5 billion in voter-approved bonds that includes $2.6 billion to build an initial 130-mile stretch of the high-speed rail line in the Central Valley. That will allow the state to collect another $3.2 billion in federal funding that could have been rescinded if lawmakers failed to act Friday.

California High-Speed Rail Authority Board Chair Dan Richard issued the following statement regarding the Legislature’s passage of Senate Bill 1029 which appropriates federal grant funds and Prop 1A funds for California High-Speed Rail:“Today’s vote to commence high-speed rail construction, like all major public policy decisions, is the result of hard work and collaborative effort.  Credit must go to Governor Brown whose courage and steadfast leadership has improved the High-Speed Rail Authority’s plans and operations,” said California High-Speed Rail Authority Chair Dan Richard. “We also express deep gratitude to Assembly Speaker John Perez and Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg for passing this measure through their houses. The Legislature’s action sets in motion a Statewide Rail Modernization Plan for California. Not only will California be the first state in the nation to build a high-speed rail system to connect our urban centers, we will also modernize and improve rail systems at the local and regional level. This plan will improve mobility for commuters and travelers alike, reduce emissions, and put thousands of people to work while enhancing our economic competitiveness,” said Richard.

Invisible T-shirt Breakthrough for Eco-Fashion