Honey Do’s May Include Solar House Painting

Posted on November 28, 2011 by quest

I can see it now…”Honey don’t you think it’s time to paint the house? Why don’t we try some of that spray on solar or solar paint? The Jones’ have those solar panels on their roof and Pat tells me their electric bill have gone from $175 a month to $20 and they didn’t even have to pay for it upfront. Some kind of lease or PPA purchase or something like that? Sweetie come on the house is starting to look at little tired and these electric bills are out of control.With more money each month we could that take that vacation you promised me we would take to Tahiti someday. You know I mean?”

Look up for Solar Power

We’ll we see how it plays out. But in the world of solar solutions, innovation won’t only include just improvements in silicon and thin film efficiency. As reported here a Florida company; New Energy Technologies, Inc. is working on spray on solar and solar windows. If the idea of spray on solar seemed like a novel little cute idea, check it out and think again. And low and behold Mitsubishi Chemical also researching this alternative to silicon panels. And then there’s Pythagoras Solar Window which won the GE ecomagination challenge earlier this year for their work as a provider of Photovoltaic Glass. Their solar window technology is an industry first that simultaneously delivers energy efficiency, high power density and transparency. The GE ecomagination Challenge, recognized the most promising building energy innovations.

To the north Canadian researcher Ted Sargent, has been talking up, paint-on solar cells for years. Seems in solar energy innovation, the imagination is the workshop of the mind.

Thankful For A Renewable Vision

US And China Solar Companies Continue Chess Game

Posted on November 28, 2011 by quest

December 2 marks the next step in the preliminary determination by the U.S. International Trade Commission on whether subsidized Chinese exports have injured the US solar domestic industry. If it finds in favor of CASM, the first possible determination on “critical circumstances” could come as soon as Jan. 12, meaning importers of record could later be required to deposit estimated duties on imports back to this past Oct. 14. CASM (Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing) is a coalition includes dozens of solar suppliers and installers from across the country, many of whom have issued impassioned pleas to preserve fair trade and U.S. jobs. The Commerce Department initiated antidumping and countervailing duty investigations of the Chinese industry on Nov. 9. The global solar industry is growing at an alarming rate with China producing 55 percent of the world’s PVs in 2010, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

As the green economy continues to spread, federal, state and city agencies are helping to drive demand for solar products. Recently Charlotte, North Carolina Mayor Anthony Foxx completed a trade mission to China with the goal of spurring more trade with Chinese solar manufacturers. Jetion Solar USA held its grand opening in Charlotte in July of this year, amid great expectations and the tantalizing prospect and promise of jobs. But even as this is unfolding now China is planning it’s own probe. Now comes an announcement by the Commerce Ministry that China‘s solar industry association and Chinese solar companies may ask Beijing to launch an anti-dumping and subsidy probe into imports of U.S. polysilicon, the raw material used to make solar cells. Now China to probe U.S. renewable energy support… I know it gets confusing.

Ben Santarris, U.S. head of corporate communications for CASM “We are gratified, but not surprised, to see this showing of support from such a broad cross-section of the American solar industry.” “We know that support for domestic manufacturing is deep and pervasive. It’s great to see that it’s also resolute enough to stand up and be counted and heard.”The numbers include seven U.S. solar manufacturers that have joined to stop what CASM calls China’s state-sponsored solar industry from allegedly using export-oriented subsidies to dump exports into the U.S. market and harm American manufacturers and workers. Without a production cost advantage, China is deploying a staggering volume and array of subsidies to underwrite its production largely for export at dumped prices, according to CASM. The campaign has triggered trade petition drives to hold China accountable not just in the United States but also in Australia and Europe.

COP 17 climate change opens, Africa “victim and actor

Hollywood Spotlights Green Sustainability

UN Climate Conference Opening In Durban South Africa

Posted on November 27, 2011 by quest

The streets of Duran are buzzing as delegates from nearly 200 countries gather to cop17 icc banner 533 20111 300x112 UN Climate Conference Opening In Durban South Africa meet in Durban, South Africa from 28 November 2011 to 9 December 2011 at COP 17, for major talks on climate change and other related issues. Advocate Leslie Sedibe, CEO of Proudly South African said.”Many countries, rich and poor, are also taking steps to curb gas emissions as part of a global fight against climate change. These range from carbon trading schemes, policies that support renewable energy investment, to tougher energy efficiency and car fuel standards and carbon intensity targets. COP 17 holds the future of our nations on their shoulders and would lay the foundation for Proudly South African businesses to tackle the issue of Environmental Responsibility within South Africa going forward.”

Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres-Press Briefing

“Environmental Responsibility is one of Proudly South African’s guiding member principles for promoting “adherence to environmental standards through energy efficiency, management of carbon emissions, waste management, effluent management, water safety, recycling, reduce and re-use in South Africa, along with the principles of job creation, fair labour practises and a support for local procurement,”says Sedibe. “We all need to change the way we live and how we conduct business on a daily basis. We need to ensure that jobs that are created are sustainable and not detrimental to the environment around the globe and in South Africa. If not displayed the seriousness of the climate change and global warming problem in its entirety, we know that scientists have warned that it is impossible to find the solution that requires a 360degree turnaround. COP 17 is fundamental to every person, business and country.”

But all who attend the COP 17 event do not support it. Senator James Inhofe recently met with Representatives of CFACT and invited CFACT to co-sponsor a press conference at COP17, tentatively scheduled for Monday, December 5th. Senator Inhofe has for years questioned the direction of U.S. and world global warming policy in the Senate. CFACT’s delegation to Durban will also feature Lord Christopher Monckton, Dr. Kelvin Kemm, Dr. Leon Louwe, CFACT Executive Director Craig Rucker and staff.

Solar Energy Turned To Ice

Environmentalist RFK Jr Calls Out Sock Puppets

Posted on November 26, 2011 by quest

Robert F Kennedy Jr has been on the vanguard of the environmental movement long before it began moving toward the mainstream. In his weekly radio show Ring of Fire he along with Mike Papantonio and Sam Seder have been chronicling the exploits of coal, oil and nuclear polluters for years. Robert has a reputation as a resolute defender of the environment which stems from a litany of successful legal actions. He was named one of Time magazine’s “Heroes for the Planet” for his success helping Riverkeeper lead the fight to restore the Hudson River. The group’s achievement helped spawn more than 130 Waterkeeper organizations across the globe.

In his just published article in the Huffington Post,”Big Carbon’s Sock Puppets Declare War on America and the Planet” Robert Kennedy lays out an incredibly accurate analysis of Americas environmental, energy and business based challenges. He begins the article, “It’s now become de rigueur among the radical right wing rhetoricians to characterize any government support of America’s green energy sector as wasteful, fruitless, and scandalous. They greeted with glee the collapse of the government supported solar company, Solyndra, America’s first major casualty in our race with China to dominate the “new energy” economy. With Solyndra dying on the battlefield — its marketplace choking on inexpensive Chinese solar panels — the right wing’s response was to hoist the white flag and declare defeat in the war for global cleantech leadership. That brand of “Can’t Do” cowardice is a boon to the carbon and nuclear power incumbents who fund so much of the right wing’s activities — but it’s bad for America.”

Speaking at Solar Power International in 2009 as keynote speaker his address was called, A vision for Energy Independence, Jobs and National Wealth. It’s interesting to look at his talk now through the lens of some history thats paseed and the what’s been going on most recently in the multi billion global solar industry. His article is quite timely as some 60,000 protesters from across Japan including a Nobel-prize-wnning author Kenzaburo Oe, gathered in central Tokyo for an anti-nuclear rally recently, urging the Japanese government to cut reliance on atomic power. So far Germany is one of the few countries that has agreed to stop building nuclear power plants.

News & Community: Green News Wall

Electric Vehicles Hitting The Road In South Africa

Posted on November 25, 2011 by quest

South Africa has been responding to the need for clean energy. Recently a mobile solar school was introduced. Now for the first time ever, a fleet of mass-produced, zero-emission vehicles will take to the streets of Africa. A dozen electric cars from the Renault-Nissan Alliance will highlight the benefits of green transportation and will provide zero-emission* shuttle services for delegates at the 2011 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa, Nov. 28-Dec. 9. The 17th annual Conference of Parties (better known as COP17) aims to “stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations at a level that will prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system.”

Nissan has already sold more than 20,000 LEAFs on three continents, making it the most popular EV in the world. Renault just began selling Kangoo Z.E., a light commercial vehicle. The Fluence Z.E. family sedan will go on sale shortly followed by Twizy, an urban 2-seater, and ZOE, a compact hatchback, next year. Electric vehicles, which can be charged from purely renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power, will play a critical role in achieving COP17‘s goals and reducing the impact of climate change.

Solar technology is particularly useful throughout the African continent both in urban and rural areas. In September The SunPower Foundation, announced the donation of high efficiency SunPower photovoltaic (PV) solar panels to Greenpeace Africa. The panels were installed by 30 local youth during a two week solar training course in Durban, South Africa, led by Greenpeace. Students learned more about solar PV and other renewable energy technologies as well as completed course modules covering social entrepreneurship and Greenpeace’s Energy (R)evolution report. The Greenpeace Africa solar powered headquarters will be showcased at the upcoming UN climate talks in Durban.

New York Times: The Solyndra Mess

Hollywood Spotlights Green Sustainability

Posted on November 23, 2011 by quest

Kermit the Frog is slowly having to take his words back,”It ain’t easy to be green” More and more Hollywood production companies are taking front in measures to reduce costs and toxic wastes on big productions. The film and television industry traditionally consumes vast amounts of energy and unsustainable resources with productions around the world. With seed funding and support provided by Disney, Fox, NBC Universal, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Warner Bros., the Green Production Guide was created by the Producers Guild of America Foundation and PGAGreen.org with the aim of breaking that tradition by helping film and television professionals find the resources and partners necessary to make use of sustainable practices their productions.

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Peabody Award Winner and Co Founder of Green for All, Majora Carterreported on Mike Fantasia a Hollywood production and location manager in her series The Promised Land. Mike has been on the forefront of “greening up” big movie productions. In fact Hollywood now has the equivalent of a sustainability manager to cut wastes on the set. Solvie Karlstrom who writes for NRDC’s Smarter Living recently published,”The Planet Was Not Harmed During the Making of This Film“, covered the activities of Yazmin Watkins. Yazmin is the environmental steward at the shoot, she’s the person responsible for reducing the amount of waste produced on set and cutting down on the energy, water, and other natural resources that go into production — not an easy task on a project with a reported $40 million budget that involves months of shooting and thousands of cast and crew members.

On the renewable energy front; This year’s 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards used a 50-kilowatt solar panel system from Solarworld to power the official live pre-show “Countdown To the Emmys,” We know some big stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Natalie Portman, Robert Redford, Don Cheatle and Daryl Hannah have been advocates for green living for some time, but now Hollywood movie producers are making movies that are even greener…and being green is getting easier than it used to be.