To learn more about the effects of energy facilities on wildlife, the Biodiversity Research Institute (BRI) has created a wildlife and renewable energy program. The study aims to understand the movements of birds and bats and how they interact with various forms of energy such as wind turbines. BRI is currently involved in several areas of wind power research and …
Oil Independence for a Stronger America Act Introduced
Today U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tom Carper (D-DE), Tom Udall (D-NM) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) introduced the Oil Independence for a Stronger America Act today in an effort to eliminate dependence on foreign oil by 2030 and create a National Council on Energy Security that would be charged with providing recommendations to the President and Congress to ensure America’s …
Worldwide 90% of Consumers Want More Renewable Energy
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 …
Growth Energy FEW Press Conference
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 …
US Military Solar Project Completed
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 …
Synder’s-Lance Snack Food Production Gets Sunny
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 …
Popemobile Reportedly Going Green
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 …
Hall Wines Installs EV Charger
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, …
Ecotech Institute Holds Open House for Solar Day
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 …
Alcatel-Lucent Flips the Switch On Solar System
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 …