Community HousingWorks (CHW) and HelioPower hosted a celebration today for the completion of the first multifamily affordable Solar Housing MASH) project to be completed at Las Serenas, an affordable housing community located in San Diego. The 108-unit neighborhood will receive free solar energy from the solar power system and it is estimated that the energy will offset nearly 20 percent …
Ethanol Industry Criticizes Coburn
The ethanol industry is criticizing Sen. Tom Coburn’s (R-OK) amendment to eliminate the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) immediately. During the past few months, the ethanol industry has acknowledged that the time is near for the tax credit to be phased out and has offered bipartisan plans to phase out VEETC over the next five years. Growth Energy has …
Ford to Triple EV Production by 2013
Ford Motor Company has announced that it will triple its production of electric vehicles (EVs) by 2013. The company plans to invest more in its C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid vehicles. In addition, Ford already has on the market the Transit Connect Electric and the Focus Electric will debut later this year. Production of these vehicles is scheduled …
SEPA Releases Utility Solar Rankings Report
The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) released its 2010 SEPA Utility Solar Rankings report today that details the top utility companies to add solar energy to their portfolios in 2010. More specifically, the report identifies the Top 10 U.S. utilities that added the most new solar power to their systems last year and the Top 10 utilities that added the …
Ethanol Safety Seminar Coming to Portland
The latest Ethanol Safety Seminar is coming to Portland and will be held on June 15, 2011 at the Portland Community College, Science and Technology Building. The seminar is hosted by the Renewable Fuels Association and the Columbia-Willamette Clean Cities Coalition. There will be two FREE sessions – the first will be from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm and the …
Ethanol Faces Double Attack in Senate
The ethanol industry is facing a double pronged attack in the U.S. Senate. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) went to the floor last night with an amendment to eliminate the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) immediately, while at the same time Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) is proposing to eliminate funding of ethanol infrastructure. “It is a two-pronged attack, it is …
Corn Acreage Lowered But Record Crop Still Expected
Farmland flooding is taking its toll on the outlook for corn acreage, but record production is still anticipated. The latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates from USDA out today lowered corn planted area for 2011/12 by 1.5 million acres from March intentions to 90.7 million acres. “Planting delays through early June in the eastern Corn Belt and northern Plains …
Human Waste for Biofuels?
Can fecal sludge be used for biofuels? Maybe believes Kartik Chandran an associated professor of Earth and Environmental Engineering at Columbia Engineering. He has recently been awarded a $1.5 million grant from the Gates Foundation to continue his research into a new model for water, sanitation and energy. And this is where fecal sludge, aka poop comes in. This is …
Removing Barriers for Clean Technologies
A new “joint principles” document has been created by the Electricity Storage Association (ESA) and the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) to help level the playing field for clean energy technologies. Both organizations advocate for public policies that will remove barriers and increase market access for emerging clean energy technologies such as wind. In the current climate, it has been …
Third Annual SolarDay June 18
For those living in Canada, United States and England, SolarDay is June 18, 2011. However, if you live in Australia, you’ll have to wait until November 19, 2011 – but no worries, I’m sure you’ll get some great ideas from the events that will take place on or around June 18th. The event has grown from one event in 2009, …