As leaders in Congress and President-elect Barack Obama look at another possible economic stimulus package, renewable energy sources, such as biodiesel, ethanol, solar and wind, look to get $25 billion in tax credits from the plan. This story from the Washington Post says the credits could come in either a single bill or a series of legislative moves: The main …
Solar Leads Record Year of Green Investment
While it might have been a tough year for most investments on Wall Street, venture capital funding into alternative energies really took off in 2008, setting records. This story posted on CNET News quotes a Cleantech Group report that says those investments jumped to $8.4 billion, a 38 percent increase from the previous year: Solar investments helped drive the growth, …
Iowa Agency Offers Energy Independence Plan
An Iowa agency designed to find the best ideas for energy efficiency and production in the state has released its 2008 Plan for Energy Independence. This story from the Environment News Service says the Office of Energy Independence has also issued about $6 million for half a dozen renewable energy projects across the state: Under the plan, Iowa’s Office of …
Obama Seen as Good for Solar Power
President-elect Barack Obama’s promise to make alternative energy a priority could end up being a big boost for the solar power industry. This story from Mlive.com says Michigan could become the hub for that solar power growth: Thomas Township-headquartered Hemlock Semiconductor’s Corp. announced Monday it will add up to a $1 billion expansion to manufacture polycrystalline silicon, or polysilicon, at …
Green Jobs Fuel US Employment Future
Nothing like high fuels prices this past summer to really jumpstart the domestic job market in the U.S… at least in the alternative energy sector. This article from the Examiner.com offers a pretty interesting look at how biofuels, wind and solar are growing jobs in this country that seem to be safe from being outsourced somewhere overseas: Maritza Schäfer is …
LA Looks to Become Solar City
Los Angeles wants to become a hub of the solar energy industry. This article from the LA Times says Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has unveiled a long-range to have solar power meet one-tenth of the city’s energy needs by 2020, an initiative that is expected to help the city’s Department of Water and Power kick the fossil fuel habit: The plan …
Solar, Biodiesel RV a Teaching Tool
You might remember my story from October 8th, 2007 about Ty Adams and his biodiesel-powered RV, the bioTrekker, Adams is a man who likes to travel the country, preaching the gospel of alternative fuels. Now, he’s rolling on the roads in the SolTrekker, which also runs on biodiesel but, in addition, is outfitted with solar panels and made even more …
California Ups Renewable Energy Ante
The Governator wants his state to get more of its energy from renewable sources. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has issued an executive order that ups his state’s renewable energy goal from 20 percent by 2010 to a full one-third by 2020. His press release has details: “I am proposing we set the most aggressive target in the nation for renewable …
Alternatives Helping Drop Oil Prices
This past summer, when oil prices were skyrocketing past $145 a barrel, one man was saying that the price would fall back to $60. People laughed and said we had seen the end of less-than-$100-a-barrel oil. Well, that price has dropped below $60, and 82-year-old oil analyst Henry Groppe has proved his critics wrong… again. So, when Groppe says in …
Renewables Have Mixed Results at Polls
Renewable energy proposals had mixed results in yesterday’s elections, with Missouri easily passing one measure but California rejecting two others. This entry from the InformationWeek blog has details: In Missouri, Proposition C was passed, requiring investor-owned electric utilities “to generate or purchase electricity from renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, biomass, and hydropower with the renewable energy sources equaling …