Worldwide 90% of Consumers Want More Renewable Energy

Joanna Schroeder

According to a new study released today by Vestas Wind Systems, 90 percent of consumers worldwide want more renewable energy, 65 percent prefer to purchase brands produced using wind energy and 53 percent in China and 7 percent of respondents in the U.S. view climate change as the greatest challenge. The Global Consumer Wind Study 2011 as well as the …

Electricity, Energy, Research, Video, Wind

Growth Energy FEW Press Conference

Chuck Zimmerman

Following this morning’s opening plenary session at the Fuel Ethanol Workshop, Tom Buis, CEO, Growth Energy, met with members of the press. He gave us an overview of where things stand on a number of issues facing the ethanol industry before taking questions. I’ve posted the overview for you to listen to. Tom’s farm is right down the road from …

Audio, biofuels, Energy, Ethanol, FEW, Growth Energy

US Military Solar Project Completed

Joanna Schroeder

A solar project has been completed at Marine Corps Base in Camp Pendleton (San Diego) that consists of a 936 kW solar electric car port. The system was designed by Independent Energy Solutions (IES) and the system is located at Pendleton’s new Bachelor Enlisted Quarters. The solar project is estimated to produce nearly 1.3 million kilowatt hours per year and …

Electricity, Energy, Solar

Synder’s-Lance Snack Food Production Gets Sunny

Joanna Schroeder

Synder’s-Lance, a snack food company, has completed its 3.5 MW Solar Farm located at its headquarters in Hanover, Pennsylvania. The project covers 26 acres and is comprised of 15,092 solar panels. The solar farm has the ability to generate up to 4,453,136-kilowatt hours (kWH) and save close to 30 percent of the facility’s energy costs. The project took nine months …

Electricity, Energy, Solar

Popemobile Reportedly Going Green

Cindy Zimmerman

A greener Popemobile is reportedly in the works and could be on the road by next year. A German newspaper reported over the weekend that Mercedes-Benz is designing a new hybrid four-wheel drive for Pope Benedict XVI. The Vatican has confirmed that such a vehicle is under development but will not be ready in time for the pope’s visit to …

Electric Vehicles, Energy

Hall Wines Installs EV Charger

Joanna Schroeder

Napa, California-based Hall Wines has paid for and installed an ECOTality electric vehicle charging station. “We are pleased to be working with an organization that is as passionate and supportive of the environment, as ECOTality,” said Jonathan Read, CEO of ECOTality, Inc. “In addition to enriching the successful execution and continued maintenance of rich electric vehicle charging infrastructures in California, …

Electric Vehicles, Electricity, Energy

Ecotech Institute Holds Open House for Solar Day

Joanna Schroeder

It’s global renewable energy week. Today is Global Wind Day and Saturday is world SolarDay, at least for those in North America. To celebrate, the Ecotech Institute, the first and only college whose sole focus in preparing Americans to work in green jobs, is hosting an open house on June 18. Since the school installed a solar energy system in …

Education, Electricity, Energy, Solar, Wind

Alcatel-Lucent Flips the Switch On Solar System

Joanna Schroeder

Solar energy has come full circle for Bell Labs. Recently, Bell Labs Global Headquarters in Murray Hill, NJ “flipped the switch” on its 1.2 megawatt solar power system. This is the same site where in 1954, Bell Labs researchers invented the first device to convert sunlight into electricity in meaningful amounts. A formal ceremony was held at the site on …

Electricity, Energy, Solar

Affordable Housing Community Dedicates Solar System

Joanna Schroeder

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 …

Electricity, Energy, energy efficiency, Solar

SEPA Releases Utility Solar Rankings Report

Joanna Schroeder

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 …

Electricity, Energy, Solar