Energy Archives - Page 6 of 9

Renewables Continue to Outpace Conservative Global Projections

by Stephen Lacey, Greentechmedia The International Energy Agency is out with its latest medium-term outlook for global renewables. And once again, projections for installation and energy production have been revised upward. According to the IEA's analysis, renewable electricity will surpass output from natural gas and double generation from nuclear by 2016, becoming the second-most important source of electricity behind coal. Those projections for generation are 90 terawatt-hours higher than last year's medium-term renewable energy market report. The IEA now says that renewable electricity will make up one quarter of gross power generation in 2018, with non-hydro renewables accounting for 8 percent by that date. Although the IEA has always been outspoken about the need to deploy more low-carbon technologies and address climate change, the organization has been known for its conservative analysis about the future growth of renewables. For example, in 2003, it …

State Tells University: No More Solar For You!

by Pete Danko Earthtechling Amazingly, in 2013 in some parts of the United States, the challenge isn’t about getting governments to do more to help renewable energy flourish – it’s about getting them to stop putting roadblocks in the way. Check this out: According to a story in The State newspaper in Columbia, S.C., Furman University has been installing solar energy on its Greenville campus, hoping to trim the pollution it causes and maybe save some money. “But Furman’s solar energy push has hit a wall,” the newspaper reports. “The university has reached a state limit that prevents it from installing more solar to heat and light campus buildings.” South Carolina, in its wisdom, limits nonresidential solar to 100 kilowatts. This is a net metering regulation that goes beyond protecting utilities’ ability to maintain a secure power supply; it’s about protecting a tired old business model. The good news here is that this story about Furman’s predicament seems to have wo…

Your Green Office: Energy-Saving Tips for Small Businesses

By Megan Totka (Read the full article at SmallBizTrends.com) Unless you enjoy working by candlelight on a manual typewriter, the power bill is a necessary evil for your small business. It’s also one of the last areas business owners consider when it comes to reducing expenses—but it should be at the top of the list. There are plenty of ways you can save big on your energy costs, while helping the environment at the same time. From small changes in your habits to investments that pay for themselves, here are some great energy-saving tips for your business. Your Green Office Let There Be Light (Sometimes) It’s easy to overlook the lights in your business. You turn them on when it’s dark, or simply out of habit at the beginning of the day and (hopefully) turn them off when you leave. But if you make a conscious effort to control excessive light use, you can save quite a bit on your energy bill. Here’s how. Inexpensive and Free: Turn off lights in any room that isn…

San Onofre Nuclear Plant to Shut Permanently, Edison Says

By PAT BRENNAN / ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER The two reactors at the San Onofre nuclear plant will be shut down permanently, Southern California Edison announced early Friday. The power giant cited regulatory uncertainty surrounding the proposed restart of one of the reactors, as well as costs, in its decision to retire the units at what is formally known as the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. “SONGS has served this region for over 40 years,” Ted Craver, chairman and CEO of Edison International, said in the statement released by Edison. “But we have concluded that the continuing uncertainty about when or if SONGS might return to service was not good for our customers, our investors, or the need to plan for our region’s long-term electricity needs.” Both reactor units have been offline since January 2012, after a small leak of radioactive gas prompted shutdown of one unit; the other was already offline for routine maintenance. Unexpected wear was found in the me…

One Stop Solar Shop – Grocery Market Chain Goes Solar

Stop & Shop announced yesterday that it has completed the installation of solar panels on eight of its stores in Mass., Conn. and N.J. The solar panels will reduce the amount of energy consumed by these stores by more than seven percent. The completion of this project marks an extension of the company's commitment to reduce its carbon footprint by 20 percent by 2015 using 2008 as a baseline. The photovoltaic (PV) solar power generating systems were developed by Alteris Renewables, Inc., the largest design-build renewable energy company in the Northeast. The amount of electricity that will be generated by all eight stores annually is estimated to be 1,759,572 kWh, offsetting 1,264 metric tons of CO2. This is equivalent to the CO2 emissions from the total electricity use of 153 homes over the course of a year. The solar project is among a series of green solutions Stop & Shop is rolling out across its 375 stores in the Northeast. (more…)

Chevy Volt Team Announces: Order Yours Today

By Tony DiSalle Chevrolet Volt Marketing Director Starting today, you can take part in history by placing your order for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt. This moment is the culmination of several years of around-the-clock, steadfast work and I know I speak for the entire Volt team when I say we couldn’t be more excited! For those of you looking to be among the first to own a Volt, simply locate and contact a participating Chevrolet dealer in Volt launch markets at GetMyVolt.com. Once your order is placed, a Volt customer advisor will contact you to answer questions and keep you updated on the progress of your order. We’ve also pulled together a team of Volt advisors who, beginning today, will be available at 1-888-VOLT4YOU (1-888-865-8496) to answer general questions. The Volt will initially be available to customers in California, New York, Washington, D.C., Texas, Michigan Connecticut and New Jersey, but will be available nationwide in about 12-18 months from start of produ…