LA Boost Power From Clean Renewable Energy

Posted on January 16, 2011 by quest

LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, joined by environmental leaders and representatives from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), to announce the achievement of a major milestone — providing 20% of the City’s power from renewable energy sources in 2010. Mayor Villaraigosa said, “When I became Mayor, I set a goal to generate 20% of the City’s power from renewable energy sources by 2010 and I am proud to say that we have achieved that goal. We went from worst to first and quadrupled our renewable energy portfolio in a few short years while also keeping our rates lower than other major utilities. Today’s announcement illustrates that the DWP is a national leader in cost-effective, environmentally responsible and reliable energy.” “This is a historic and substantial accomplishment for the Department of Water and Power and the City of Los Angeles,” said Austin Beutner, LADWP General Manager. “We need to continue to reduce the impact of DWP operations on the environment and do it in an economically sustainable manner.”

The 20% by 2010 goal has been achieved through a combination of major projects and power agreements made during the Mayor’s administration. In June 2009, LADWP began full operation of the Pine Tree Wind Power Plant — the nation’s largest wind farm owned by a municipal utility, in the Tehachapi Mountains. Wind power comprised nearly 50% of all LADWP’s renewable energy in 2010 with small hydro-electric contributing 30%, geothermal/biofuels, 22%, and solar, 1%.

Reaching this milestone is the latest in a series of significant achievements by LADWP to meet the goals of Mayor Villaraigosa’s GREEN LA Action Plan to lead the national fight against global warming. In conjunction with increasing renewables and energy efficiency, a key factor in reducing greenhouse gases and promoting a cleaner environment is ending reliance on coal-generated power. LADWP is currently making this transition away from coal and in 2010, only 39% of its power portfolio came from coal. LADWP is in the process of divesting of the Navajo Generating Station in Arizona by 2014, which will reduce carbon emissions by an additional 26%.

UNDERSTANDING SUSTAINABILITY

Solar Energy Thrives At Kaiser Permanente

Posted on January 7, 2011 by quest

Kaiser Permanente’s Santa Clara Medical Center has gone live with solar power, becoming one of the country’s first major medical centers to receive a significant amount of its energy from the sun. Kaiser Permanente agreed in March to install solar power systems at 15 of its California facilities — deploying a total 15 megawatts of solar energy — by the end of 2011. The agreement with Recurrent Energy, a solar project developer and generating company providing clean electricity to utilities and large energy users, launched one of the largest sustainable energy programs in U.S. health care. Solar panels at Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara will produce 8.5 percent of the power used at the medical center — or enough to provide electricity for 136 homes for one year.

Installing solar panels on Kaiser Permanente hospitals, medical offices and other buildings is the first step in a comprehensive plan to use onsite renewable energy sources to power Kaiser Permanente’s buildings nationwide. A focus on renewable energy sources is just one aspect of the organization’s industry-leading work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce the use of harmful chemicals, and promote sustainable food choices. Kaiser Permanente’s investment in solar power will reduce the organization’s reliance on the public power grid and help it diversify its energy sources. The 15 megawatts of solar power will produce an average of 10 percent of the electricity at each of the facilities, which also include the Vallejo Medical Center in Northern California, and medical offices in Lancaster and La Mesa in Southern California. This is enough to provide electricity for about 1,900 homes a year.

“Kaiser Permanente has a long history of energy conservation and environmental stewardship, and our use of solar and other forms of renewable energy further demonstrates our ongoing commitment to improving the overall health and well-being of our members and the communities we serve,” said Gregory A. Adams, group president, regional president of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan/Hospitals, Inc. in Northern California. Kaiser Permanente agreed to purchase the solar power through power purchase agreements with San Francisco-based Recurrent Energy, which will own and operate all of the solar power systems. Kaiser Permanente also will retain all the Renewable Energy Credits awarded for these solar projects.

This move is the latest in Kaiser Permanente’s long history of energy conservation and environmental stewardship. Sustainable design and construction practices, including the use of energy-saving infrastructure and non-toxic materials, help Kaiser Permanente to build green and stay on budget.

UNDERSTANDING CLIMATE CHANGE

Beyond Solar Plans New South Africa Project

Posted on December 24, 2010 by quest

Beyond Solar the US based international non profit that provides educational, medical, and economic well being for communities in the developing world by providing solar powered electricity is initiating a new project in South Africa. Beyond Solar’s approach to community development is a hybrid systems that blends traditional donation models with basic microfinance concepts. They provide capital to finance the purchase of solar powered lighting products and villagers make weekly payments for the products they receive. By providing inexpensive and sustainable energy Beyond Solar seeks to increase exposure and facilitate solar power adoption rate.

“Throughout the year we have received a lot of inquiries and interest about our two previous distributions in Orissa, India. We are pleased to report that our process of using your donated funds to provide lights to the villages in Orissa has made a tremendous impact. Even more exciting is that our use of micro-financing principals has been a success. Beneficiaries have made “payments” to cover the cost of their lights, which were funded by their increased productivity as well as the money saved on kerosene they didn’t have to buy. These payments were deposited into a fund that was administered by village leaders, and upon complete repayment of the loans, the money was returned to the villagers for future development projects; the funds you give continue to give!” said Jeff Olshesky Beyond Solar Co Founder.

Olshesky, also commented, “In the coming weeks, I will be sending more updates about our new project. In the meantime, I ask that you consider making a tax-deductable donation to Beyond Solar. Our goal is to distribute lights to 300 households and to do this, we need to raise approximately $10,000. Give the gift of light this holiday season.” To make a donation, simply go to Beyond Solar.

SUSTAINABILITY

Cities Confront Climate Change in Cancun

Posted on December 12, 2010 by quest

The United Nations Climate Change Conference, “COP 16 marked a defining moment for local governments’ critical role in addressing the devastating impact of climate change,” said Executive Director Martin Chavez.”The ICLEI USA Delegation combined forces with over 150 mayors worldwide to ensure that the next global climate deal empowers local governments and to show that local government voluntary actions can be measured and verified. Local governments are change agents for climate action, from planning to implementation, leading by example and stimulating demand for renewable energy and energy efficiency, as well as driving private sector investment that spurs clean technology and innovation. While modest agreements were achieved this year in Mexico, there is no doubt that local governments continue to lead the way on climate action.” ICLEI was founded in 1990 as the ‘International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives‘. The Council was established when more than 200 local governments from 43 countries convened at the World Congress of Local Governments for a Sustainable Future, at the United Nations in New York.

After two weeks of sometimes tense and difficult negotiations, nations set aside their differences and joined forces to develop a shared global approach to addressing the threat of climate change. This is a remarkable achievement and an encouraging turn of events that resulted in considerable progress to advance climate action. All of the delegation members, international NGOs, business NGOs and Local Government representatives that worked tirelessly and contributed to achieving a final positive outcome are worthy of tremendous admiration and praise.

“Although everyone would have hoped for a much stronger climate agreement that would be legally binding and sets clear targets and reductions; the world’s most powerful economies came together in a last-minute effort to honor the pledges set forth in Copenhagen, while agreeing to create an important funding mechanism to help developing nations address the climate change crisis,” said Mayor Patrick Hays of North Little Rock, AR. “ICLEI USA applauds the world community for recognizing, for the first time, the crucial roles of local governments in fighting climate change – as local governments are now recognized by delegate nations as “government stakeholders.” ICLEI welcomes this recognition, and simultaneously calls on the international community to follow the lead of local governments who have been on the front lines of climate change for the past 20 years,” added Mayor Hays.

GO ORGANIC

Oil Man Gets Smart Goes Solar

Posted on December 12, 2010 by quest

Steve Holdaway has been named president of Chapel Hill, NC, based Academy Solar. Academy Solar is a residential and commercial solar energy design and installation company. In this role, Holdaway will lead the company in overall strategy, financial management and oversee the commercial sales sector of the business.

We are confident that as president, Steve will continue to lead Academy Solar into a successful business,” said JW “Wild Bill” Stealey, partner and head of residential sales at Academy Solar. “Founding a new company in this economy will be difficult, but we feel that there is a strong market for solar energy in North Carolina, and with so many state and federal tax incentives, it is a great time for homeowners and business owners to consider alternative energy sources.”

Holdaway, a former oil executive along with three other partners, founded Academy Solar on the belief that it is important to secure a more sustainable energy mix for the future. Academy Solar is the only firm of its kind in the southeastern United States that allows customers an online calculator to estimate a firm, final price for their solar energy installation with complete cash flows, payback, expected real energy production and anticipated environmental benefits that their system will produce.

VISIT THE SOLAR WALL

Image Leader Creates Sustainable Innovation Group

Posted on December 6, 2010 by quest

Eastman Kodak Company has announced the formation of the Innovation and Materials Science Institute (IMSI). A consortium of cross-disciplinary thought leaders in science, business, government and education. The Institute will host its first initiative – a “State of Innovation Summit” entitled “Materials Science as a Key Enabler to Today’s Innovation Economy,” at the George Eastman House in Rochester, NY, December 7, 2010. Brad Kruchten, President, Film, Photofinishing & Entertainment Group, Senior Vice President, Eastman Kodak Company said, “Major breakthroughs and game-changing innovations are increasingly taking place at the intersections of materials science. Many of the business opportunities related to the green economy and renewable materials require the same strong technology foundation that companies like Kodak have developed over the last 100+ years. With the IMSI initiative, we hope to determine where new concepts intersect with established capabilities and infrastructure, and then find opportunities where innovation can flourish through collaboration.”

“The Institute is committed to providing the ideal learning environment for the future. We want to create a kind of giant water cooler to encourage discussion and collaboration at every level,” Kruchten said.“Once the discussion gets going, the multi-disciplinary expertise of the group will focus on developing pathways from innovative concepts to full commercialization,” said IMSI board member Ron Valente. Valente is Vice President of Research and Development at Novomer, an Ithaca, NY-based company that has successfully converted carbon dioxide into a variety of polymers.

Other members of the Institute come from major areas of the innovation economy – sustainability, clean technology and energy efficiency/independence – and represent a broad spectrum of business, science and academia within the materials science arena. The commercialization pathway can be very challenging for a technology start-up company, Valente said. “We have really benefited from the type of joint approach that IMSI represents,” he said. “After Novomer secured funding through the U.S. Department of Energy, we needed help scaling up our efforts to create a family of plastics, polymers and other chemicals using industrial waste. By partnering with established companies like Kodak, we were able to scale-up our new technology innovation with a much smaller degree of risk and investment,” Valente said. “IMSI will provide value to many entrepreneurial ventures by promoting and nurturing partnership opportunities.”