Solutions for Alternative Energy

EPA Issues Renewable Fuel Standards

2010-02-05T23:05:08Z

Environmental Protection Agency finalized its revision to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program in February, 2010.

Under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), Congress created requirements for how much renewable fuel (corn ethanol, biomass-based diesel, cellulosic ethanol, and other "advanced "fuels) must be blended in the nation's petroleum supply.

Although the revision does not change the fact that 36 billion gallons of biofuels are required to be consumed in 2022, it does make two significant changes.

RFS is that lifecycle GHG emissions

First, one of the unique aspects of the RFS is that lifecycle GHG emissions of qualifying renewable fuel must be less than lifecycle GHG emissions of the 2005 baseline average gasoline or diesel fuel that it replaces.

According to Green Tech Media, "when the EPA originally calculated indirect land use, corn ethanol was found to have a higher carbon footprint than an equal gallon of gasoline - and thus would not qualify under the RFS. The corn ethanol lobby (i.e. Big Agriculture) cried foul and claimed that since there was no universally agreed upon methodology for evaluating indirect-land use effects, the EPA should shelve it. The corn ethanol lobby also mobilized their Republican and Democratic friends in Congress who subsequently threatened to pass laws taking away the EPA's power to regulate "indirect land use" effects in life-cycle greenhouse gas analysis."

Under the final determinations established Wednesday, the EPA ruled that corn ethanol produced from a "new or expanded capacity from an existing natural gas-fired facility using advanced efficient technologies" complies with the 20% GHG emission threshold.

Advanced Biofuels

While the EPA kept in place the target of 36 billion gallons of biofuel in 2022 (of which corn ethanol is not to exceed 15 billion gallons), it greatly reduced the amount of cellulosic ethanol required to be blended in 2010 (from 100 million gallons to 6.5 million gallons).

Cellulosic ethanol is a wonderful improvement over corn ethanol. There are a plethora of non-food based feedstocks that can be used (e.g. agricultural residues, woody biomass, municipal solid waste, etc) and lifecycle greenhouse gases are lower due to the ability to burn the lignin and co-generate electricity. Yet, the costs of producing a gallon of cellulosic ethanol still remains higher than corn ethanol, due to the expensive enzymes required for breaking down complex polysaccharides into simple sugars for fermentation. BUT...The industry is coming to market much slower than anticipated.

While GreenTechMedia expects the first commercial facility to go online in 2010 (Range Fuel's 20 MGY facility in Colorado), 2012 should be the year where a massive ramp up occurs (see GTM report Biofuels 2010: Spotting the Next Wave).

Solar Business Opportunities Growing in New Directions

2010-02-04T19:39:32Z

Which solar business models unlock value of solar PV energy as it grows?

With solar electricity generating more than one terawatt-hour (one billion kilowatt hours) of electricity in the United States in 2010 and continuing to expand rapidly, the key question is, "How can companies best capture value as the industry grows?", said Michael Rogol, global PV analyst and CEO of Boston-based PHOTON Consulting.

Solar business opportunities in installation, financing and related services

"The U.S. solar power sector is very profitable, but value is migrating from companies that manufacture toward companies that provide installation, financing and other services. As profit migrates, solar companies and utilities have at least seven models to capture value," said Rogol, during his presentation at the 2010 Solar Terawatt-hours Conference Series in San Francisco.

Models to capture value in Solar Business Opportunities

Solar equipment and software engineering and manufacturing
Related equipment manufacturing such as sensors, monitors and regulators
Installation and maintenance of installed systems
Regulatory auditing - zoning, codes, renewable credits, etc .
Renewable Energy Credits
Equity investment opportunities
Sales, marketing and outreach about solar energy
Research, management and strategic consulting services
Financing of solar systems (residential, commercial and generation)
Tax incentives and rebates can add to bottom line profitability

Value Creation with Solar Energy

Strong value creation, including being low cost suppliers, agile traders, value-added service providers, system developers and bundlers of solar power with other technologies. For traditional electricity companies, the biggest challenge, Rogol noted, is to adjust their traditional businesses to create value from solar electricity.

Rogol showed how Solar Business Opportunities focusing on lower module prices are enabling swift growth in the North American solar market and how, as this occurs, profit within the sector is shifting downstream. The key to success, according to Rogol, is a strong, profitable business model capable of "unlocking value." He provided several key examples of strategies for strong value creation, including being

low-cost suppliers,
agile traders,
value-added service providers,
system developers and
bundlers of solar power with other technologies.

For traditional electricity companies, the biggest challenge, he noted, is to adjust their traditional businesses to create value from solar electricity.

Solar consultants model company, geographic and industry projections from the outside-in, cross checking company announcements with providers and buyers. Photon PV data consists of historical and five-year forward projections for price, volume, revenue, cost, operating profit, operating margin and demand for c-Si and thin film technologies.

"This is not the dot-com boom with easy access to capital. Alternative energy companies need to build profitable businesses largely on their own. To do this requires detailed understanding of changing solar power market dynamics and how the electricity sector is evolving across North America," said Rogol.

Electricity is becoming the energy source of choice for a greener economy because it is possible to generate and transport electricity without the greenhouse gas residuals of petroleum and coal based generation feedstocks.

To support companies as they assess strategic moves in solar power, PHOTON Consulting publishes three in-depth business research reports each year focused on

company risks,
market risks and
sector risks.

PHOTON Consulting's research reports provide solar companies at every step of the supply chain with the tools to make fact-based decisions in terms of price, volume and strategy.

PHOTON Consulting is the largest dedicated solar energy research consultancy and is a leading supplier of in-depth research, management and strategic consulting services specific to the PV sector. With the deepest, broadest integrated coverage, PHOTON Consulting tracks the solar energy sector from feedstock to factory gate to end customer in every active and emerging market.

PHOTON Consulting is a robust source for research and analysis in solar power based on extensive research and data in the sector. For more information on PHOTON Consulting, visit the Company's website: http://www.photonconsulting.com.

Engineered Geothermal Systems, or EGS

2010-01-28T17:20:15Z

Everywhere on Earth, a few miles below the surface, the bedrock is hot, and the deeper you go the hotter it gets. In some places, water heated by this hot rock comes naturally to the surface or close to it, where it can be easily tapped to drive a turbine and generate electricity.

We're familiar with geothermal to heat homes and buildings, but industrial scale geothermal carries with it concerns about earthquakes being caused by disrupting large systems that we aren't totally familiar with.

Research is underway in the alternative energy pursuit for cleaner, less climate changing methods of powering our insatiable hunger for air conditioning and electrical gadgets.

But where naturally heated water is not available at or near the surface, this process can be recreated by drilling one very deep well to inject water into the ground, and another well nearby to pump that water back to the surface after it has been heated by passing through cracks in the hot rock.

Such systems are known as Engineered Geothermal Systems, or EGS.

Grants recently awarded to MIT researchers by the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) could help to pave the way for a method of generating electricity that produces no greenhouse gas emissions, and that could become a major contributor to meeting the world's energy needs.

Most energy analysts agree that geothermal energy -- tapping the heat of bedrock deep underground to generate electricity -- has enormous potential because it is available all the time, almost anywhere on Earth, and there is enough of it available, in theory, to supply all of the world's energy needs for many centuries.

But there are still some unanswered questions about it that require further research. DoE last year awarded $336 million in grants to help resolve the remaining uncertainties, and three of those grants, totaling more than $2 million, went to MIT researchers.

A 2006 report by an 18-member team led by MIT Professor Jefferson Tester (now emeritus, and working at Cornell University) found that more than 2,000 times the total annual energy use of the United States could be supplied, using existing technology, from EGS systems, and perhaps 10 times as much with improved technology.

Biosphere 2 Learnings -- Earth Matters

2010-01-27T17:14:07Z

The Environmental Protection Agency of the US federal government is in the center of many controversial actions because, well, they are at the center of many controversial, unknown, unclear problems. No group of people gets "it" right all the time, and the EPA certainly has had its share of political and economic woes. I've met a number of employees of the EPA and have found them to be concerned, competent, and committed to their purpose of protecting people and the environment. And they face a lot of pressure. Like we all face.

The following blog entry from Dr. Barbara Karn about how important and "big" the environment plays in our survival is worth noting.

Sustainability is often described as a three-legged stool, with one leg each for the environment, the economy, and society.

The Biosphere experiment taught us that the legs are not even, and our major support comes from the environment. Without the natural capital provided by our environment, we'd have no society or economy.

Convincing evidence for the importance of the natural environment came from the Biosphere 2 project.

In the early 1990's, a huge structure called Biosphere 2 was built in the Arizona desert. Over 3 enclosed acres housed a variety of ecosystems with manmade recycling systems designed to imitate earth's natural systems.

The project, however, could not independently sustain humans or the other organisms inside. There were problems with oxygen and food, and outside electricity had to be used. Biosphere 2 taught us that people don't have the ability to design a self-sustaining ecosystem for human life.

The Reality is... Reality

If we lose our natural ecosystem by failing in environmental protection, in the words of Dr. Gro Brundlant, chair of the first World Commission on Environment and Development, there will be no sanctuary.

EPA's mission, protecting the environment and human health, is key to our sustainability and survivability.

California Solar Thermal for Water Heaters Launches 2010

2010-01-26T23:43:59Z

The California Solar Initiative Solar Thermal Program launched January 20th, 2010,

The climate-change fighting, energy efficiency California Statewide solar water heating rebate program, called "CSI-Thermal" seeks to place @200,000 solar water heaters in California in its single family and multi-family program that runs through 2017.

Applications will be accepted April 1, 2010.

The CSI - Thermal program is being developed and is expected to run from April 2010 through 2017. A 30 percent federal tax credit is also available on the installed cost of the system less the rebate.

The goals of the CSI Thermal Program are to:

· Significantly increase the size of the solar water heating market in California by increasing the adoption rate of solar water heating technologies, including achieving:

o Installation of natural gas-displacing systems that displace 585 million therms, equivalent to placing a solar water heater on 200,000 single-family homes;

o Installation of electric-displacing solar water heating systems that displace 275.7 million kilowatt-hours per year of electricity by the end of 2017; and

o Expansion of the market for other solar thermal technologies that displace natural gas and electricity use, in addition to solar water heating.

· Support reductions in the cost of solar water heating systems of at least 16 percent through a program that increases market size and encourages cost reductions through market efficiency and innovation.

· Engage in market facilitation activities to reduce market barriers to solar water heating adoption, such as high permitting costs, lack of access to information, and lack of trained installers.

Eligible Customers for the CSI-Thermal Incentive Program

Eligible customers are gas or electric water heating customers of SDG&E, PG&E and SoCalGas & SoCal Edison. The program will run for 8 years, until December 31, 2017, or until the program funds are exhausted, whichever occurs first.

This rebate program is a four-step declining incentive structure over the life of the program and the rebate is calculated based on the expected energy savings of your solar water heating system. Incentive amounts depend upon your current water heating fuel source (natural gas or electricity).

Residents who heat their water with natural gas may receive a maximum incentive of $1,875.

Residents who heat their water with electricity may receive a maximum incentive of $1,250.

Commercial or multifamily buildings who heat their water with natural gas may receive a maximum incentive of $200,000, while commercial or multifamily buildings who heat their water with electricity may receive a maximum incentive of $100,000.

Eligible SWH Equipment for the CSI-Thermal Program

Solar water heating ( SWH) equipment must be certified by the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation ( SRCC). SRCC OG-300 certified equipment must be installed on single-family homes and SRCC OG-100 certified collectors must be installed on multifamily and commercial buildings. At the start of the program, only solar water heating technology will be eligible for the rebate. Other Solar Thermal technologies such as space heating, radiant floor heating, space cooling, etc will not be eligible. We expect that those technologies may be introduced into the rebate program at a later date.

Administration: PG&E, SoCalGas, Edison and California Center for Sustainable Energy

The CSI Thermal Program will be administered by PG&E, Edison, SoCalGas, and by the California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE) in the SDG&E territory.

PG&E and SDG&E, in coordination CCSE, will disburse incentives to both electric and natural gas ratepayers who install eligible solar water heating systems in their territories.

Edison will disburse incentives through the CSI Thermal Program to customers who install electric displacing solar water heating systems. SoCalGas will disburse incentives to customers in its territory who install natural gas displacing solar water heating systems.

Incentives are as follows:

Natural Gas Displacing Incentives:

Step	Incentive for Average Residential Solar Water Heating System	Incentive per Therm Displaced
1	$1,500	$12.82
2	$1,200	$10.26
3	$900	$7.69
4	$550	$4.70

· Incentives are paid up-front based on estimated first year therms displaced.

· Incentives decline in four steps based on program participation.

· Forty percent of the incentive budget is reserved for single-family residential systems; 60 percent for commercial and multifamily systems.

Electric Displacing Incentives:

Step Level	Electric Displacing Incentive ($/kWh)	Incentive for Average Residential System
1	0.37	$1,010
2	0.30	$820
3	0.22	$600
4	0.14	$380

· Incentives paid up-front based on estimated first year kWh displacement.

Contactor Participation Requirements

The requirements for contractor participation are currently being developed. We expect that contractors will need to attend a training workshop to learn about the application process, program guidelines and SWH installation techniques. We may also ask for verification of liability insurance, workman's compensation and auto insurance coverage. This requirement will be determined by March 1, 2010.

Contractors Submit Paperwork

Contractors will be responsible for submitting the rebate applications. The Program Administrators (PG&E, SoCal Edison, SoCalGas and the California Center for Sustainable Energy) are currently developing the application process and creating an appropriate online application database.

Installation Team Training

Some great technical resources posted in our "Contractors Corner." We recommend you become very familiar with the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation installation guidelines (www.solar-rating.org). It is also strongly encouraged for you to seek training from SWH equipment manufacturers.

The California Public Utilities Commission

CPUC will be holding public workshops in the first quarter of 2010 to discuss the following: system sizing requirements, development of an online incentive calculation tool that estimates energy savings, development of energy-efficiency requirements and metering requirements. Your input is welcome and encouraged! Refer to the CPUC website for postings on workshop details.

CSI Program Calendar

Do I have to wait until April 1, 2010, to sell and install SWH systems in order to receive the incentive? No. The CSI-Thermal Program will provide a rebate to projects that meet the program requirements and were installed after July 15, 2009. You will have to wait until April 1, 2010, to apply for the rebate for single-family projects and May 1, 2010, for multifamily and commercial projects.

San Diego Solar Water Heating Pilot Program

As part of the California Solar Initiative, the Solar Water Heating Pilot Program (SWHPP) provides incentives to business and customers who install qualifying solar water heating systems. The California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE) is administering the program. CCSE is authorized to provide $1.5 million in rate payer funds as incentives for the Solar Water Heating Pilot Program. These incentives will go to qualified, licensed contractors to promote the installation of clean, renewable solar water heating systems.

How can I learn more about the CSI Program?

If you are a SDG&E electric customer seeking to retrofit your current water heating system, contact the California Center for Sustainable Energy for an informational packet and list of registered installers. You may contact them directly for additional details: swh@energycenter.org

Solar Water Heating Offsets 75% of Conventional Energy Use

2010-01-26T23:38:57Z

As of January 20th, 2010, the California Solar Initiative Solar Thermal Program is underway.

A new California Statewide solar water heating rebate program, called CSI-Thermal applications will be accepted April 1, 2010.

The CSI-Thermal program is currently being developed and is expected to run from April 2010 through 2017. A 30 percent federal tax credit is also available on the installed cost of the system less the rebate.

Solar water heating ( SWH) systems reduce greenhouse gas emissions and conserve fossil fuel resources, while cutting energy use and saving money on utility bills. Systems can offset up to 75% of the natural gas, electricity or propane used by your current water heater. SWH systems work to supplement the existing water heater - you do not need to replace or remove it.

SWH systems preheat the water used in a home or business (such as showers, dishwashers or sinks) and can help protect consumers against future gas and electricity shortages, as well as price increases. They help preserve the environment by eliminating carbon dioxide emissions and reducing harmful pollutants. For more information visit the Solar Water Heating Resources.

NASA's One Person Puffin Looks Kinda Like a Jetpack

2010-01-24T23:36:13Z

Mailroom delivery will never be the same :-) Can't you just see the corporate mail being delivered in one of these... oh, I forgot, email is taking over that duty!

NASA engineers are developing a one person flying machine that combines a multitude of transportation dreams into a single little flying vehicle called the Puffin. It takes off like a helicopter and flies like a plane. The engineers anticipate that the Puffin will cruise at 140 mph and shift into a super mode to hit about twice that. And it's electric.

NASA unveiled the Puffin at the American Helicopter Society meeting in San Francisco. NASA plans to finish a one-third size demonstrator by March 2010 and see how well it transitions from cruising to hovering.

I can't imagine who would fly one of these high tech monstro...I mean helicopters, so it must be for the military.

Tesla Shows 1,000th Production Roadster

2010-01-24T07:40:06Z

Tesla booth at the North American International Auto Show, (Till Jan. 24, 2010) in Detroit. On display is Tesla's 1,000th production car - a special Roadster Sport custom-painted in "Millennial White" with other unique details. This $175,000 car will be sold and Tesla will donate the full value to three Detroit area charities, the Sierra Club and the National Wildlife Federation and several leading community organizations in Detroit.

Also on display is Roadster No. 750 - the only dirty car on the show floor, splattered in mud, salt and grime. Tesla employees drove this car straight into Cobo Hall after the 3,600-mile Roadster Road Trip from Los Angeles, demonstrating that the Roadster is a fun yet rugged all-season super car. This historic journey took the Tesla team through nine states, three times zones and two snowstorms - without a drop of gasoline. They gave rides to fans, taught people about Tesla technology and recruited students at college towns. The Tesla team charged the car at conventional electrical outlets in hotel parking lots, RV parks, and a few homes of friends and owners. The Tesla team chronicled the journey on their website , with photos and first-person blogs from their drivers.

750 met up with Very Orange Roadster Sport #684 for a tour around Detroit.

LLNL and Siemens research wind energy efficiency improvements

2010-01-14T16:35:54Z

LIVERMORE, Calif. - Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has signed an agreement with Siemens Energy Inc. to provide high-resolution atmospheric modeling capabilities to improve the efficiency of wind farm sites, turbine design and wind farm operations,

LLNL will provide numerical weather prediction models with resolution as fine as one-kilometer scale to predict power generated by the wind so that wind farms can operate more efficiently while providing more power to hungry grids. Predictive time frames range from an hour ahead to days ahead of time.

Julie Lundquist

Under a $2 million, two-year Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA), the Livermore team will provide modeling that combines Livermore's atmospheric turbulence modeling capabilities with complex databases of topography and sea surface temperature.

Many U.S. wind parks are yielding up to 20% less energy than predicted because of uncertain forecasts.

This loss of energy can have complicated financial consequences, such as significant penalties if operators under-produce their forecasts or no payment for extra power they generate that is more than what was estimated.

More accurate wind predictions will have a positive effect on wind farm operators and owners who can know hours or days ahead of time how wind conditions will affect power generation.

"Knowing the certainty of the forecast can be useful in a day-ahead or futures market where now there are penalties for under-performance," said Julie Lundquist, a Livermore atmospheric scientist who is heading the project. "At LLNL, we have developed improved methods for simulating the turbulent properties of the lower atmosphere, which we think will translate into a significant predictive advantage for wind energy applications."

The wind forecasting project started under a Laboratory Directed Research Development program, a principal source of internal R&D funding at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Reduce Investment Risks

More accurate predictions also could reduce the investment risks in wind-powered projects, could improve the design of tall wind turbines to withstand the high turbulence environment higher in the atmosphere, and enable optimal bids on wind farm production.

The Department of Energy (DOE) and Siemens recently signed a memorandum of understanding to work together on wind technology.

"Through this agreement wind manufacturers, DOE and our laboratories will enhance wind technology capability to be a competitive energy supply for America," said Steve Lindenberg, senior adviser for DOE's Renewable Energy Office. "Siemens growing presence in this country and the partnership with a national laboratory like Lawrence Livermore helps provide a new opportunity to deploy a clean source of energy."

Benefits of Wind Power

Wind offers power with minimal carbon dioxide emission - energy production without exacerbating global climate change. Wind generation is not limited by water availability and serves a viable role in energy portfolios worldwide as economies expand beyond petroleum.

In addition to providing hourly and daily predictions, Livermore will explore impacts of global climate change on wind resources 20 years into the future.

"Estimates of climate change impact can reduce long-term investment risks," Lundquist said.

Wind Forecasts for Turbine Predictions

Lundquist said Siemens would translate LLNL forecasts of wind speed and wind direction at each turbine into power collected.

While the value of forecasting is hard to quantify, several studies have suggested that more accurate forecasting can render not only more clean energy but also enhanced profits for industry.

A study performed by a member of the industry of the effect of 3,300 megawatts (MW) of wind generation in New York state quantified improved forecasting to be worth $125 million a year to that region. Based on a conservative application of this figure, Stiesdal estimates that wind farm owners may be able to increase revenue by as much as 10 percent, making wind power more profitable and ultimately reducing the cost of energy.

Siemens Wind Power Investments

Since 2004, Siemens has installed nearly 1,800 megawatts of power in the United States. The company ranks third among the largest U.S. turbine manufacturers, according to the most recent American Wind Energy Association's annual rankings report.

Siemens Energy is the world's leading supplier of a complete spectrum of products, services and solutions for the generation, transmission and distribution of power and for the extraction, conversion and transport of oil and gas.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

With energy being seen as part of national security, national labs are focused on solving US and global energy shortages that can create international tension.

Founded in 1952, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is a national security laboratory, with a mission to ensure national security and apply science and technology to the important issues of our time. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is managed by Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.

Control4 Smart Meter: a networked home energy system

2010-01-08T22:33:46Z

Control4 is a maker of home automation software, and have been pulled into the smart grid space by utility companies seeking suppliers with experience in home networking.

The Control4 Energy Management System (EMS) 100, is a combination of a Zigbee-enabled thermostat and touch-screen energy controller for viewing home energy data and accessing other home management applications. The EMS 100 package is set for launch in April.

The EMS 100 combines the functionality of a home area network controller with demand response support, with a wireless thermostat and energy management software to provide utilities a cost effective, flexible, home area network solution for their smart grid deployments.

Leveraging Control4® Home Automation product technology, the EMS 100 is the only home energy management solution that delivers customer usage data via the smart meter and a standards-based, secure platform that can control many devices in the home.

Since research shows that information availability is essential to effective energy conservation, The EMS 100 serves as an effective communications tool, providing utilities an efficient means to alert customers of demand response events and send signals directly to devices in the home during peak times.

The EMS 100 solution features the following:

•    The Control4® Energy Controller EC-100 5-inch color touch screen display - The EC-100 delivers usage data and energy costs for the home and the ability for the customer to take such actions as powering down lights or adjusting shades to reduce energy use.
•    The WT-100 Thermostat - A simple, elegant, ZigBee-based programmable wireless thermostat that connects directly to the EC-100 for total control of heating and cooling throughout the home. Programming the WT-100 thermostat is managed through the EC-100 display.
•    Control4® Network Management Software - Control4® Network Management Software enables the monitoring, optimization and reporting of all deployed energy controllers. The network management tools provide cost effective Tier 1 technical support and remote diagnostic capabilities.
•    Control4® ECO Software - Control4® Energy Consumption Optimizer (ECO) Software collects, analyzes and compresses energy use and behavior data on the EC-100, then communicates with the utility's load management software to treat demand response events as a dispatchable resource.
•    Control4® Platform - The standards-based, secure Control4® software platform is based on industry standards of embedded Linux and Adobe Flash Lite. The platform is secured through ZigBee SE, SSL, and OpenSSH technology. The platform is extensible, allowing third parties to develop new applications, providing enhanced functionality to the system over time. For example, utilities can develop their own applications such as the monitoring of gas and water or a home's carbon dioxide output.
•    Control4 Automation & Control -- Using ZigBee, Wi-Fi and Ethernet standards, Control4's solutions give homeowners the ability to control and automate their thermostats, lights, spa or pool, sprinklers and more, to manage power usage with one easy to use interface.

As the operating system for the connected home, Control4 brings home automation and control to the broad market. Control4 technology is at the heart of an expanding ecosystem of leading consumer electronics products designed to work together with ease.

Renewable Energy & Cogeneration Trends for 2010

2010-01-03T20:50:07Z

Renewable energy is undergoing a global transformation to cope with today's environmental, economic, health and resource scarcity challenges. The day of assuming endless supplies of petroleum resources is over, and countries and companies are looking for "renewable" sources that happen within the earth's systems: solar beams, winds, waves, biomass and even human energy! Innovation and commercialization of renewable energy is in full swing, offering jobs, investment opportunities, as well as business opportunities to help create the vision and implement the solutions.

Green buildings of all shapes and sizes will become integrated into these new energy systems for both consumption of energy and generation of energy for their own use and for uploading to the grid.

Here are some of the renewable energies and services surrounding this new shape of energies to come:

Wind
Solar photovoltaics - PV
Wave Power
Geothermal
Solar Concentrator
Solar Thermal
Passive Solar

Energy Services - O&M
Plant MRO
Contract Energy Management

Distributed Generation
Micro Turbines
Fuel Cells
Micro CHP
Gen-sets
Rental
Recip Engines
CHP - Cogeneration
Trigeneration
Waste to Energy

Add to these renewable energy sources high performance energy efficiency, and you have a pathway to net zero energy buildings. This extreme sport -- net zero energy buildings will leap forward in the 2010 decade as building and emissions regulations require greater focus on efficient operations and distributed power generation.

Transportation fuels Advanced Manufacturing Evolution

2009-12-14T00:46:36Z

GM announced that it's investing $336 million in its Detroit Hamtramck Assembly plant to begin producing the Chevrolet Volt, its new electric vehicle, late next year.

The Infancy of Advanced Manufacturing at GM

The Volt symbolizes the new GM and the new Michigan. It's designed to go up to 40 miles on electricity without using gasoline or producing tailpipe emissions. When the Volt's lithium-ion battery is depleted of energy, a small gasoline engine and generator operate to extend the total driving range to about 300 miles.

Eight GM facilities in Michigan are involved in Volt production. GM has invested $700 million in those facilities, including its new Brownstown Township battery pack plant.

Brownstown is one of several advanced battery manufacturing facilities that we worked hard to attract to Michigan, and it's estimated that battery production will create up to 40,000 jobs in the next 10 years.

Green jobs for Michigan

Five small Michigan manufacturing companies were awarded a total of $15.5 million in federal Recovery Act funds. These funds will help the companies diversify into advanced manufacturing of renewable energy products like wind turbines and solar panels.

More than 700 jobs will be created or retained.

These five Michigan companies are developing breakthrough technologies in wind and solar energy.

Affordable Solar Shingles

One of them produces an affordable solar panel that resembles a roof shingle and can be easily integrated with other shingles on your roof.

Advanced, Composite Materials

Other companies are working on designing and manufacturing advanced-composite, advanced-materials wind turbine blades and other components.

Green Manufacturing in Michigan

Developments show that an economic strategy that Michigan devised five years ago is continuing to produce results. In that time Michigan has invested more than $1 billion to help nurture the growth of green manufacturing in our state, from advanced batteries and electric vehicles to solar panels and wind turbines.

Advanced Battery and Electric Vehicle Manufacturing

Recovery Act funding has also helped tremendously. This past August, 12 Michigan projects were awarded more than $1.35 billion in federal grants to support advanced-battery and electric-vehicle manufacturing and development.

Clean Energy Economy

Other Recovery Act dollars are helping Michigan companies in areas such as alternative fuels and geothermal technologies. And Michigan's No Worker Left Behind program is training workers for jobs in these new green industries. Our country needs an advanced manufacturing sector that produces everything we need for a clean energy economy.

"We want Michigan to be a center for advanced manufacturing and the jobs that come with it," says the Governor of Michigan. "This week's news about the Chevrolet Volt and five Michigan renewable energy companies shows that we are on the right track."

Interest Grows for Alternative Energy Efficiency

2009-12-13T21:40:43Z

Interest in alternative energy shifts with prices, visibility in the media and other perceived value metrics. Google Insight provides a one-year chart that shows that interest in efficiency had a significant dip in mid-2009.

Energy Efficiency Comes from Greening Existing Buildings

2009-12-10T16:46:38Z

Greening Existing Buildings

Greening existing buildings is the next big green building trend.

If we are ever to meet our carbon reduction goals, we have to dramatically improve the existing building stock. Jerry's new book, "Greening Existing Buildings" (McGraw-Hill, 2009) recaps how to work a project through the LEED for Existing Buildings Operations & Maintenance (LEED-EBOM) rating system.

LEED-EBOM has been the fastest growing LEED rating system this year.

"Greening Existing Buildings" has already been named one of top 10 architecture books of 2009 in a national newsletter. You can find out why thousands of buildings are now pursuing this LEED rating by ordering this book now or by downloading free chapters.

In Greening Existing Buildings, Jerry tackles the question of the day: how to upgrade the performance of the large stock of existing buildings, to meet the latest green building standards. This authoritative book analyzes all of the LEED for Existing Buildings Platinum projects, features more than 25 interviews with leading practitioners, more than 20 specific building upgrade case studies and numerous tables, charts and illustrations. It's truly a "how to" book for greening anyone's building. The book will be available in October 2009.

Jerry Yudelson is a professional engineer with an MBA. He has trained 3,500 people in the LEED green building rating system, and has chaired Greenbuild, the world's largest green building conference, for the past five years. The founder of a green building consulting firm, he is the author of three books on green building marketing and an advisor to manufacturers, venture capital firms, design firms and developers.

Look Inside This Book:

Chapter 3: Markets for Greening Existing Buildings (PDF 300KB)

Chapter 10: LEED Certification Challenges and Approaches (PDF 27MB)

Lithium-ion Batteries that Use Paper

2009-12-08T22:54:45Z

Scientists at Stanford University in California reported on Monday they have successfully turned paper coated with ink made of silver and carbon nanomaterials into a "paper battery" that holds promise for new types of lightweight, high-performance energy storage.

The same feature that helps ink adhere to paper allows it to hold onto the single-walled carbon nanotubes and silver nanowire films. Earlier research found that silicon nanowires could be used to make batteries 10 times as powerful as lithium-ion batteries.

Yi Cui said that in addition to being useful for portable electronics and wearable electronics, "Our paper supercapacitors can be used for all kinds of applications that require instant high power. Since paper batteries and supercapacitors can be low cost, they are also good for grid-connected energy storage."

Peidong Yang, professor of chemistry at the University of California-Berkeley, said the technology could be commercialized within a short time.