What debuted as a concept vehicle just three years ago will soon be driving on American roads, running on hydrogen and producing nothing but water for exhaust. This story on CNN says Japanese carmaker Honda announced today the first five people who will receive the new hydrogen-powered vehicle: The FCX Clarity, which runs on hydrogen and electricity, emits only water …
Record-breaking Wind Power Deal Struck
A European power company has struck a record-breaking deal for wind power in Europe and North America. This story from the Wall Street Journal says Spanish-based Gamesa SA has agreed to provide wind turbines, construction and services valued for $9.7 billion to Iberdrola Renovables SA, the renewable-energy unit of Spanish power utility Iberdrola SA: The agreement is the largest-ever wind-power …
Mississippi State Turning Sludge Into Biodiesel
Researchers at Mississippi State University are working on a project that will turn wastewater sludge into biodiesel. And to help them out, the Environmental Protection Agency has given the school $200,000 toward the project. This story from the Starkville (MS) Daily News has more: “The research and development of sustainable energy technologies can translate into both economic and environmental success,” …
Midwest Flooding Causing Hit to Ethanol & Biodiesel
Flooding in the Midwest is dealing a hard blow to ethanol and biodiesel production on two fronts: 1. direct production of the green fuels, and 2. feedstock production. This story from the Truth About Trade & Technology web site says the high waters have shut down several plants in flood-ravaged Iowa: At least five small to midsize ethanol plants have …
Sun Powering Rice Milling Operation
A California rice miller will dedicate the largest rice plant solar installation in the U.S. on Wednesday, June 18th. Far West Rice will unveil its $6.5 million, one-million megawatt, Mitsubishi Solar System, that the company is using to power its milling operation at Nelson (south of Chico), California. The solar array will meet about 70-80 percent of the total energy …
US-EU Biodiesel War About to Heat Up
The fight between American and European biodiesel makers is heating up. European biodiesel producers are urging the European Union to hit U.S. biodiesel with punitive fines as the EU is set to open anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations into imports of the green fuel from the United States. This story from AFP says this comes after the European Commission started looking …
Nation’s First Intrastate Wind Project Public Offering
Minnesota-based High Country Energy, along with its managing company National Wind, has made the nation’s first intrastate public offering of a wind project’s securities… a move that is expected to help local, rural communities invest in the green energy source. This company press release says High Country Energy is using Delphi Financial Corp., an investment banking firm specializing in raising …
Investment Banks Bank on Alternative Energy
A growth sector focused investment bank is hosting its annual Alternative Energy Conference today at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York. The Thomas Weisel Partners one-day event will focus on the opportunities and challenges of the Alternative Energy industry for 2008 and the future. The conference will showcase presentations from over 30 established and emerging public and private companies, …
PG&E Mixes Solar with Biofuels
Pacific Gas and Electric Company says adding renewable solar hybrid power to its energy mix will mean “around-the-clock” clean energy production. PG&E has entered into two contracts with San Joaquin Solar Technology that are meant to combine solar power and biofuel. The contracts equate to 106.8 megawatts of solar thermal-biofuel hybrid power. Located near Coalinga, CA, the solar-biofuel projects will …
Suncor Expands Ethanol Production in Canada
The largest ethanol facility in Canada is becoming even larger. Suncor Energy has announced plans for a $120 million expansion of its St. Clair Ethanol Plant. The expansion is expected to double the plant’s ethanol production of 200 million litres per year to 400 million litres annually. Expanding ethanol production is part of Suncor’s plan to invest $750 million in …