Renewables Made Up Half of New Power Installed in U.S. Last Year
A new study by the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21) , a UN-backed organization, found that in 2009, half of new power generation capacity built in the U.S. was in the form of renewable energy. And we’re not alone. In Europe, renewables accounted for 60 percent of new power generation capacity in 2009, and globally, renewables now comprise 25 percent of power capacity and delivered 18 percent of the world’s electricity in 2009
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Renewables Made Up Half of New Power Installed in U.S. Last Year
GM Offering 8-Year/100,000-Mile Warranty on Volt Battery
GM is hoping to erase all fears about the lifespan of electric car batteries by offering a standard eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty on the Chevy Volt’s battery pack . The warranty also allows the driver to transfer it to another vehicle owner at no cost within that timeframe. By having the Volt battery come with a long-term warranty, GM is aiming to assure consumers of the durability of the Volt and other electric cars. As GM said in the press release, “all battery components [are] validated to withstand extreme temperatures, terrain and driving patterns.” With a solid warranty to back that statement up, hopefully more consumers will be willing to buy the Volt or other PHEVs.
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GM Offering 8-Year/100,000-Mile Warranty on Volt Battery
Warm Air Stored in the Summer Will Heat a Swiss School in the Winter
In icy climates, it’s not unheard of to have buildings using stored ice and snow from the winter for cooling in the summer, but a new plan in Switzerland will turn that approach on its head. Hoggenberg Campus in Switzerland is building a new phase of the school called Science City where warm air will be stored in the summer to be used for heating in the winter. The plan involves capturing excess heat from appliances, computer servers, and even body heat during the summer and pumping it underground into two heat storage fields made up of 800, 200-meter-long, water-filled pipes. Those pipes will be five meters underground, beneath and alongside the buildings. The heat will be stored in the circulating water at about 46 – 64 degrees Fahrenheit. In colder months, the heat will be pumped through the system and electricity will bring the temperature up to 86 – 95 degrees Fahrenheit for warming the buildings.
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Warm Air Stored in the Summer Will Heat a Swiss School in the Winter
Better Place Battery Swap Will Be Cheaper Than Gasoline
Shai Agassi, the founder of Better Place, said in a speech Monday that his company’s battery-swapping service will launch at a price cheaper than gasoline in most places, costing the equivalent of $2 – $2.50 a gallon and falling to a $1-a-gallon equivalent by the end of the decade. The swapping service will allow electric vehicle drivers to pull up to a Better Place station and have their drained battery exchanged for a fully-charged one in just under a minute. Its official launch is in 79 days in Israel , where gas is close to $7 a gallon. The full pricing plans will be announced just before the launch. For the past 75 days, electric taxi drivers in Tokyo have been testing a pilot swapping station . The battery swaps have averaged 59.1 seconds and each taxi has averaged 10,000 miles, marks of success according to Better Place.
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Better Place Battery Swap Will Be Cheaper Than Gasoline
Using Rocket Science (Literally!) for Carbon Capture
Capturing carbon dioxide from exhaust in order to reduce emissions levels has seemed as difficult as rocket science. And now, some rocket science may provide a solution to the difficult problem of extracting CO2 from industrial exhausts. Rocket nozzles are being studied as part of a new approach to capturing carbon dioxide from the smokestacks of coal power plants and other heavy emissions sites.
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Using Rocket Science (Literally!) for Carbon Capture
Paris Putting Turbines in the Seine
The Seine, the scenic river running through Paris, has inspired artists, attracted tourists and served as the soul of the city, and now it will also be a source of renewable energy. Paris officials have announced a plan to place river turbines beneath four bridges on the Seine. The Pont du Garigliano, Pont de la Tournelle, Pont Marie and Pont au Change will each have two turbines installed underwater at their base. These bridges were chosen because the speed of the current accelerates in those locations. While river currents don’t produce the kind of electricity that wave power can, the current-harvesting technology has come a long way and more devices are being introduced that can generate energy from even the slowest moving waters . City officials have put a call out to power companies to come up with the best plan for installing the turbines, with a winner being chosen in January and installations starting next spring.
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Paris Putting Turbines in the Seine
10 Things I’ve Learned About Carbon Footprinting
We’ve made stunning progress in the realm of carbon footprinting and accounting over the last 10 years and learned much as a collective industry and community. Here is a list of top 10 lessons that are applicable to sustainability executives today.
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10 Things I’ve Learned About Carbon Footprinting
10 Rhymes to Remember for Sustainable Water Management
Water has a range of important roles in the production of just about everything, yet has often been overlooked as a free resource. When you factor in the variations in local availability and the potential impacts of wastewater discharges, the topic can be complex and overwhelming.
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10 Rhymes to Remember for Sustainable Water Management
10 Things I’ve Learned About Building a Revolutionary Responsible Company
Seventh Generation’s Chief Inspired Protagonist shares some of the lessons he’s learned after two decades of life in the trenches.
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10 Things I’ve Learned About Building a Revolutionary Responsible Company
GreenBiz.com: 10 Years After
GreenBiz.com, which launched 10 years ago today, has come a long way since June 21, 2000, both the website and the world of green business, though for all of our success, we’ve only just begun to fulfill our promise.
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GreenBiz.com: 10 Years After