TechNet Applauds President Obama’s Call for Greater Innovation

Posted on January 28, 2011 by quest

TechNet, the bipartisan political network of CEOs that promotes the growth of the innovation economy has applauded President Barack Obama for emphasizing the vital role that competitiveness and innovation must play in tonight’s State of the Union speech. What follows is a statement from TechNet President and CEO Rey Ramsey about Obama’s speech:

“President Obama laid out a clear, rational narrative that for America to win the future we must build a foundation of investments and policies that ensure our country’s leadership in the global economy. We applaud the President’s call for smart policies such as improved investments in research and development, education, clean energy and sensible tax reform to make our businesses more competitive.

“Certainly, today’s budgetary environments are a challenge – and many worthy programs will have to tighten their belts. But we cannot abandon our responsibilities to the next generation. We must continue to carefully and intelligently invest in those areas that will help drive today’s economic recovery and tomorrow’s economic prowess. We stand ready to work with the Administration and Congress to ensure that America remains the leader in the world economy for generations to come and seizes on this “Sputnik moment.”

EXPLORE THE SOLAR WALL

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

Honda to Showcase Electric Vehicle Innovations at Sundance Film Festival

Posted on January 14, 2011 by quest

At this year’s 2011 (Jan 20 – 30) Sundance Film Festival Honda will showcase unique Honda products highlighting innovation, environmental leadership and advanced technology. Festival attendees and local residents will have the opportunity to visit the “Honda Power of Dreams Experience.” The venue is open to the public free of charge. Honda’s FCX Clarity a fuel cell electric vehicle and a cutaway of the Honda CR-Z Sport Hybrid, the first hybrid with a 6-speed manual transmission in addition to other Honda innovations will be display such as a 12-foot scale model of the HondaJet, Honda’s first advanced light business jet; and Honda motorcycle products, including a Honda Gold Wing with the industry’s first motorcycle airbag, a Honda CBR250R entry-level motorcycle, a Honda PCX mid-size scooter and an interactive motorcycle rider safety and training simulator.

The “Honda Power of Dreams Experience” will feature live 10-minute demonstrations of the world’s most advanced humanoid robot, ASIMO (Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility). Designed to someday assist people in their homes, ASIMO is the culmination of more than two decades of research and development by Honda engineers. ASIMO demonstrations will take place hourly starting at 10 a.m. and ending at 4 p.m. In the exhibit, Honda will also premiere “The Undying Dream,” the eighth and newest film in its popular “DREAM THE IMPOSSIBLE” Documentary Series. “The Undying Dream” features Big Wave professional surfer Laird Hamilton, along with motorcycle racers and Honda associates (employees) sharing stories about what happens when a dream takes hold of you and drives you to succeed. “The Undying Dream” was directed by Sundance Film Festival two-time Grand Jury Prize Winner, Ondi Timoner (Cool It, We Live in Public, Join Us, Dig!). The film will screen at the Honda Power of Dreams venue every hour on the half hour.

Honda has been a supporter of the Sundance Institute and an official sponsor of the Sundance Film Festival for three years. Honda is also the exclusive sponsor of Sundance Channel’s “Interview” program at the Honda Power of Dreams Studio at the Sundance Film Festival. This program will feature talent from the 2011 Sundance Film Festival selections and will run on Sundance Channel, online and via Video on Demand. In addition, Honda is sponsoring a Sundance Institute video vignette that highlights the work of the Sundance Institute Labs in supporting independent filmmaking. The vignette will premiere at an official Dramatic Competition film premiere during the opening weekend of Sundance and will rotate prior to every Dramatic Film screening at the Sundance Film Festival. The vignette also will run on Sundance Channel, online and via Video on Demand.

EXPLORE ECOTOURISM

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

Solar Powered Portable Generator Offers Green Energy

Posted on January 3, 2011 by quest

Universal Power Group today announced the launch of its the Ecotricity ECO1800 solar-powered portable generator. UPG’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Ian Edmonds said, “Our entire Ecotricity line will be focused on products that are as convenient and useful as they are green. The ECO1800 provides an ideal alternative to noisy, gas-powered emergency generators and is also perfect for recreational uses, from camping and outdoor events to tailgating at your favorite game.”The Ecotricity ECO1800 features an 1800W inverter with four 120V outlets and a 50-foot cord that is ideal for generating environmentally friendly home backup power, emergency power and remote power for both indoor and outdoor use. The ECO1800 features a high-efficiency solar panel designed to enable quick system recharge without the noise or harmful emissions typically associated with portable gas-powered generators. The unit includes a cart that allows the foldable solar panel to be easily transported and positioned for optimal exposure to solar rays. The Ecotricity ECO1800 is also flexible, allowing for solar charging, or charging through standard DC or AC outlets. Best of all, it is a true “plug-and-play” product – ready to use right out of the box with no installation required.

The new generator can be fully charged in 12 “sun hours” from its solar panel, so on a camping trip the generator can be charged during the day and used to power lanterns and radios in the evening through its 1800W of continuous AC power. When it comes to home backup and emergency power, the ECO1800 can supply power to refrigerators, TVs, radios and mobile phone chargers during a power outage, as well as emergency power for lights, garage doors and sump pumps to help mitigate the impact of storms. In an emergency, a fully charged unit can provide up to four hours of emergency power for a cordless phone, television, clock radio and lamp.

The ECO1800 is also ideal for small office use as it can power a cordless phone, printer, laptop computer and wireless router for up to 10 hours in the event of an outage.The Ecotricity ECO1800 will be available through automotive, mass merchandise and other retailers beginning next spring. Future Ecotricity products, including solar-powered plug-and-play power hub variations, are also scheduled to be introduced in 2011.

EXPLORE CAREERS

Arizona Deserts Key to Solar Power

Posted on December 22, 2010 by quest

Abengoa Solar announced today that it has finalized $1.45 billion financing to build Solana, the world’s largest parabolic trough concentrating solar plant which will generate 250 net megawatts (MW). A parabolic trough is a type of solar thermal energy collector. Santiago Seage, CEO of Abengoa Solar, stated, “Solana is the first large scale CSP plant for Abengoa Solar in the U.S. and will be a key milestone for our development in this country as it allows us to strengthen our relationships with the local community as well as with the state and federal public authorities that have contributed notably to this project.” Abengoa Solar signed a power purchase agreement with Arizona Public Service Co, Arizona’s largest electric utility, to buy the energy produced by Solana for a period of 30 years.

The plant will be located 70 miles southwest of Phoenix, near Gila Bend, Arizona. Solana will produce enough energy to serve 70,000 households and will prevent the emission of 475,000 tons of CO2 per year compared to a natural gas burning power plant. The construction and operation of Solana will bring many economic and environmental benefits to Arizona and will support the nation’s goals for energy independence through a “green” economy. Abengoa Solar estimates that the Solana project will create between 1,600 to 1,700 new construction jobs and over 85 permanent jobs. Approximately 98 percent of the jobs created by the project will be American jobs, primarily in Arizona, in addition to neighboring states. Furthermore, around 75% of the equipment and supplies required to build Solana will be manufactured in the U.S.

In late 2009 Abengoa Solar signed a power purchase agreement in California to supply electricity generated by a 250 MW net CSP trough plant located in the Mojave Desert, 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles. The company also has several projects under development in the Southwest.