One nation under a green groove

Posted on September 23, 2010 by quest

Around the country and around the globe going green is making a difference. Just within the last few days Melinda Gates of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation had a remarkable TED X conference, Bill Clinton’s Global Initiative began with climate change high on the list, solar giant Sharp acquired San Francisco based Recurrent Energy and citizens around the country are preparing for One Nation Working Together in Washington DC and concurrent nationwide events on 10.02.10.

Green for All’s Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins had this to say about the nationwide 10.02.10 event. “Right now, the conversation in Washington centers around one question: should the richest people in America get more tax breaks? That’s what’s being discussed. Not addressing climate change, not putting people back to work. The argument is about more tax breaks for the mega-rich.

What this tells me is that our voices aren’t being listened to. That’s why, tens of thousands of people from across America are bringing their families to Washington to help change the conversation – and to make sure that our voices are heard.

One Nation is a national, grassroots campaign supported by some of our country’s most respected organizations. And it kicks off on October 2, when we march in Washington, D.C. to show the country that we are louder and more powerful working together than we are tearing each other apart.”

Clinton Global Initiative talks energy and climate change

Posted on September 23, 2010 by quest

After three bumpy flights and one nauseating cab ride (solved with a doughnut) AND one inadvertently canceled hotel room (solved with begging), I set up camp in New York City to report out from the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting.
CGI was started by former President Clinton in 2005 to help “turn ideas into action” – too often, he saw commitments by governments and business to a particular cause or issue, but rarely did he see follow-through or hear reports on progress. So, CGI was founded to foster public and private sector collaboration on education, environment/energy, health and economic empowerment – with an emphasis on measurable progress.

BILL CLINTON ON DAVID LETTERMAN

With a bias for the energy and the environment topic, I was excited to hear what was being done and what new commitments would be made this year at CGI. I also had some skepticism that I was going to hear the same buzzphrases like: “public-private collaboration,” “building partnerships,” or “the time for action is now.” Read on

Sharp aqcuires solar developer Recurrent Energy

Posted on September 22, 2010 by quest

San Francisco based solar developer Recurrent Energy has just been acquired by Sharp Corporation, Japan’s largest solar manufacturer. The transaction was for $310 million in cash. Arno Harris CEO of Recurrent will remain as CEO of the new Sharp subsidiary and report to Toshishige Hamano. “We’re thrilled to reach this agreement with Sharp, a company known for its technology,” said Arno Harris. The agreement will allow the two companies the opportunity to become a total solutions provider in the photovoltaic field, extending from developing and producing solar cells and marketing power generation plants.

Recurrent Energy is the developer of San Francisco Sunset Reservoir’s five megawatts (MW) solar plant. With its 25,000 solar photovoltaic panel capability it is among the largest municipal solar projects in the United States. Recurrent Energy has driven rapid growth of its development pipeline, with over 330 MW of contracted distributed-scale solar power projects including 170 MW with the Ontario Power Authority, 60 MW with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), and 50 MW with Southern California Edison, and announced projects and joint development agreements in Europe and the Middle East.

“We’ve enjoyed a tremendous partnership with the Recurrent Energy team and believe Sharp is the right partner to accelerate the growth of the business,” said Neil Auerbach, a Recurrent Energy director and Managing Partner at Hudson Clean Energy Partners. In addition to its core LCD TV business, Sharp is also focusing on its solar cell business. It has been more than 50 years since Sharp first started researching solar cells.

An eco travel road through the Serengeti

Posted on September 22, 2010 by quest

It starts as just a road…then a store, restaurant, hotel and you see where this goes… it’s the next Las Vegas of the Serengeti.This could very well be the fate of the Serengeti. There are plans to construct a 31 mile road through the area. The Serengeti ecosystem is a geographical region located in north-western Tanzania and extends to south-western Kenya. It spans some 12,000 square miles.

The Serengeti hosts the largest and longest migrations in the world, which is one of the natural travel wonders of the world. A group of scientist are saying building the road which would improve trade would be an environmental tragedy that can be avoided.

SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK

As in the past outside forces and western civilization are trying to influence African countries who have been victimized by colonization and trade practices imposed upon them. The Tanzanian government and cradle of civilization countries want in on world trade and commerce thank you very much. Eco tourism has provided a toe hold. In 2005 tourism contributed over $800 million the the region. Progress yes but at what expense? Read Matthew Knight’s report here.

Installing solar panels in oil rich Alaska

Posted on September 21, 2010 by quest

As the American Solar Energy Society prepares to kick off it’s National Solar Tour; more states are offering incentives to help people go green with solar. But that’s not the case in Alaska, a state with massive oil resources. So in Alaska it takes guts to go solar. Take the case of Phil St. John, MD. Phil lives on an island in the Cook Inlet. He moved to Alaska nine years ago after falling in love with it while on a fishing trip with his son. He had been practicing medicine in California. “What my fellow Alaskans have proven here is that solar technology is viable. He lives off the grid as do many Alaskans. Alaskans are forging ahead despite the fact that they don’t have the net metering and state cash rebates available in many other states. He helped coordinate the Alaska Solar Tour.

Dr. Phil said he was delighted with the sheer number of site hosts — and the groundswell of Alaskans who participated in the tour. “We expected a handful of tour site hosts, and ended up with 30 who accommodated nearly 500 Alaskans across a 1,200 mile geographic area. Alaskans’ enthusiasm for the power of solar energy is strong. If sticking with traditional fossil fuel-fed energy sources is the norm, Alaskans are going rogue over the benefits of solar technology.

“One community outside of Wasilla was offered a $250,000 state grant to support interconnection,” he noted. “Considering all the public goods charges, taxes and related costs associated with being attached to a utility, they opted to stick with their independent resources. About 50% of the tour sites featured folks who deployed solar and wind turbines and were living comfortably off the grid. The bulk of them focused on solar thermal technologies, which is usually more cost-effective and tends to have a faster payback than solar electric technologies.”

Boeing developing the Solar Eagle

Posted on September 21, 2010 by quest

Now The Boeing Company has signed an agreement with the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop and fly the SolarEagle unmanned aircraft for the Vulture II demonstration program. Under the terms of the $89 million contract, SolarEagle will make its first demonstration flight in 2014. Boeing isn’t the only company interested solar powered aircraft. The Cri-Cri is the world’s smallest electric plane recently made its official maiden flight at Le Bourget airport near Paris. Earlier this summer in Payerne, Switzerland – An experimental solar-powered plane completed its first 24-hour test flight successfully, proving that the aircraft can collect enough energy from the sun during the day to stay aloft all night.The test brings the Swiss-led project one step closer to its goal of circling the globe using only energy from the sun. Pilot Andre Borschberg eased the Solar Impulse out of the clear blue morning sky onto the runway at Payerne airfield.

“SolarEagle is a uniquely configured, large unmanned aircraft designed to eventually remain on station at stratospheric altitudes for at least five years,” said Pat O’Neil, Boeing Phantom Works program manager for Vulture II. “That’s a daunting task, but Boeing has a highly reliable solar-electric design that will meet the challenge in order to perform persistent communications, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions from altitudes above 60,000 feet.”

During testing, the SolarEagle demonstrator will remain in the upper atmosphere for 30 days, harvesting solar energy during the day that will be stored in fuel cells and used to provide power through the night. The aircraft will have highly efficient electric motors and propellers and a high-aspect-ratio, 400-foot wing for increased solar power and aerodynamic performance.