For the Electric Grid, Renewable Goals Pose Daunting Task Grid monitors with the North American Electric Reliability Corp are saying that the Obama administration, along with his congressional leaders, planned a vast expansion of wind and solar which is now being challenged by the nation's aged electricity network. However, a report released today by NERC does not call for a decreased or lowered renewable energy deployment. Officials are confident that technology solutions will come.
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U.S. Smart Grid Effort Requires New Technologies, Partnerships Key standards and grid architecture are starting to be determined by work. In the foreseeable smart-grid future, there will be an intelligent system to work alongside consumers to accomplish a series of tasks beyond merely saving energy, including the production of electricity from various renewable sources, anticipation of its own failures, the ability to foresee to its own repairs, the ability to store energy out on the grid and potentially providing a fueling system for an entirely new generation of electric vehicles. Because the present is significantly less efficient, the first steps are being taken by creating new partnerships and collaborations which make sure advanced technologies, architectures and standards necessary for the aforementioned grid transformation to take place on schedule.
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Vice President Biden Outlines Funding for Smart Grid Initiatives On a visit to Jefferson City, Missouri, Vice President Joe Biden and Commerce Secretary Gary Locke finalized plans for the Department of Energy to develop an electrical grid that is smart, strong and secure. Such a grid will create new jobs and assist in more effective delivery of reliable power with less impact on the environment to nation-wide customers. As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Biden outlined plans for the distribution of over $3.3 billion in smart grid technology development grants, plus an additional $615 million for smart grid storage, technology viability and monitoring.

"We need an upgraded electrical grid to take full advantage of the vast renewable resources in this country – to take the wind from the Midwest and the sun from the Southwest and power areas across the country," says Vice President Biden. "By investing in updating the grid now, we will lower utility bills for American families and businesses, lessen our dependence on foreign oil and create good jobs that will drive our economic recovery – a strong return on our investment."
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The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 Comprehensive energy legislation has triggered a national discussion that is heating up alongside the release of the Waxman-Markey draft of “The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009.” This is a timely issue, as this piece of legislation is slated to move to the floor for consideration by Memorial Day. If the US hopes to preserve both our national security and our natural resources, we are in dire need of energy reform.
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How the Stimulus Will Help Green Jobs and Green Businesses Every type of company is concerned these days with the federal stimulus package, as economical worries grow exponentially. But beyond merely keeping businesses afloat, stimulus dollars aim to move the US to a more low-carbon and green-collar economy. Joel Makower, Executive Editor of GreenBiz.com, spoke with Nancy Sutley, the head of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, about where stimulus dollars actually go and how we can better put them to use in large and small green businesses.
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Obama, Who Vowed Rapid Action on Climate Change, Turns More Cautious When President Obama came to office, he was quick and consistent to promise swift, comprehensive action to combat global climate change. His passion on this topic still invites applause in speeches both nationally and internationally. Interestingly, his administration has taken a somewhat cautious and passive role on the issue, making claims that suggest broad goals while all the while not disclosing details of current Congress climate legislation.
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EPA Finds Greenhouse Gases Pose Threat to Public Health, Welfare Based on the findings of a very thorough scientific review ordered by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2007, the Environmental Protection Agency recently issued a proposed finding that the way in which greenhouse gases contribute to air pollution may endanger public health or welfare. This proposed finding, currently open for public comment, has identified six greenhouse gases that may pose a threat.
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EPA Says Emissions Are Threat to Public The Environmental Protection Agency has officially taken the position that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions are dangerous to the health and welfare of the public. This stance could trigger various federal regulations affecting those emitting the pollutants, from vehicles to coal-fired power plants.
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Full Reports for PlaNYC: Plans for 2030 Download the Full Reports: A Greener, Greater New York; Progress Report 2008; Inventory of New York Greenhouse Emissions 2007; PlaNYC Inventory of New York City Greenhouse Emissions 2008; Energy Conservation Steering Committee; Sustainable Stormwater Management PlaNYC.
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The Blue Ribbon Commission on Sustainability and the MTA The MTA can be partially to thank for the CO2 output and energy consumption of New Yorkers being roughly one quarter of the national average. This is a significantly low enough carbon footprint that If the rest of the country matched New York City, the United States could effectively cut carbon 80 percent by 2050, which would be over 40 years ahead of schedule.
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The Federal Stimulus and New York: Backgrounder The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), otherwise known as the $787 billion Federal Stimulus bill passed in February 2009, is an important first step toward a clean energy economy where Americans can work green collar jobs. Green collar jobs work toward improving community health and environmental sustainability while offering benefits, sufficient wages to support a family, opportunities for career advancement and occupational safety & health. Over the next two years, the State of New York State is slotted to receive approximately $24.6 billion in stimulus aid.
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Press Release: Team of Experts Announces Groundbreaking Energy Efficiency Retrofit Project at Empire State Building The world's most famous office building's has received over $500 million to upgrade their program, incorporating a comprehensive project with the goal of reducing energy use by approximately 40 percent. Several world-class environmental non-profit, design, consulting and construction partners—from the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) and Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) to Johnson Controls Inc. (NYSE: JCI) (JCI) and Jones Lang LaSalle (NYSE: JLL) (JLL)—have the opportunity to use the Empire State Building as a test case and model for their innovative process of analysis. This will be invaluable in learning how to retrofit existing structures for environmental sustainability.
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Leading Example for Energy Efficiency: Retrofitting the Empire State Building Manhattan is one of the greenest cities in the United States. The per capita emissions of New York City are one third of the national average, mostly due to public transit use, smaller residences and density. By 2030, New York has vowed to reduce current carbon emissions by 30 percent. The Empire State Building was built in just over a year during the Great Depression and was, at the time, the highest building in the world, embodying the towering ambition of New York. Now, it is setting a precedence yet again by undergoing its $500 million Empire State ReBuilding program, including going green. This takes planned capital improvement renovation to an entirely new level.
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Pope to Pursue Heavenly Power in Europe’s Biggest Solar Plant Vatican City is about to build Europe’s largest solar farm, estimated at $660 million. This solar paneling will be constructed on the Vatican’s 740 acres in where Vatican Radio was set up in 1931 by Guglielmo Marconi. The completed panels will provide 100 megawatts of electricity, which is enough to supply 40,000 homes with power.
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Energy Spending Could Be Engine for Job Growth Energy is one of the main focal points of the stimulus bill. Its allotment of $43 billion is merely 5 percent of the $787 billion pot, but the excitement is such that it has been cited as a major job engine for clean, green and high-paying jobs as the country moves forward. However, because energy emphasis is a relatively recent phenomenon, local cities and counties are scribbling up spending plans with all new alacrity and creating new fundable alternative energy, energy efficiency and green building activities.
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Los Angeles Building Retrofit Designed to Boost Green Jobs Los Angeles has just laid down the law. The City has offered hope for the green job and green building movements. The L.A. City Council has unanimously passed a "Green Building Retrofit Ordinance" with a target of hitting LEED Silver-level certification. This ordinance requires the retrofitting of every city-owned building larger than 7,500 square feet or built before 1978.
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Green Shoots for Future Green Jobs in US Fuelcells Industry In order to kick off industry activity and create more green jobs in installation, manufacturing, support and maintenance services, the United States Department of Energy will spend $41.9 million on fuel cell development. This article provides the list of American companies and cities (and their career databases) which will benefit from this investment.
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Commercial Real Estate and DOE Launch Partnership on Energy Efficiencye The U.S. Department of Energy, along with certain real estate enterprises, has announced a new partnership. A roundtable discussion will be hosted at 7 World Trade Center. Scott Hine, Acting Program Manager for the Building Technologies Program at the DEP, along with top executives from over one dozen commercial real estate companies, including Richard D. Purtell, Chair and Chief Elected Officer of BOMA International, will gather at this roundtable discussion in order to launch DOE's Commercial Real Estate Energy Alliance (CREEA). The agenda includes conversation regarding how to dramatically reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of the commercial real estate sector.
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DOE Forms Commercial Real Estate Energy Alliance The U.S. Department of Energy, along with 19 commercial real estate companies, has recently launched the Commercial Real Estate Energy Alliance. This alliance will link building owners to the latest efficiency research and technologies from the agency’s laboratories.
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As Green Construction Industry Expands, Litigation and Arbitration Might Follow Alternative Energy It is possible that the growing green building movement will be a source of new legal trouble. As the industry widens in scope, lawyers, architects and developers expect increased construction-related litigation and arbitration. Most problems will result from confusion over the meaning of ‘green’ they say, as well as poorly worded sustainable-construction government requirements and typical growing pains of a new sector.
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AIA Releases Its Top 10 List of Green Building Projects The American Institute of Architects and its Committee on the Environment have selected the organization's Top 10 List of outstanding examples of environmentally responsible architecture and design for 2009.
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Will Residential or Industrial Consumers Save More Energy? As businesses continue to battle for their portion of federal grants worth $4.5 billion, a debate has risen regarding what type of customer is able to share more energy. Industrial consumers use significantly more energy than the aggregate residential sector total, which may be a greater incentive for consumption reduction.
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Geothermal Energy Research Report Thanks to certain technological advances, geothermal energy has become a clean and economically viable alternative to providing electricity, all the while maintaining a benign relationship with the natural environment. Because of this, geothermal electric generation systems are increasingly used to substitute and supplement traditional fuel sources across the globe.
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Wind Power Continues to Dominate US Renewable Energy Market, According to Report Wind power remains a strong contender for renewable energy. According to a new report by the American Wind Energy Association, 24 US States witnessing the new wind turbines and component manufacturing facilities opening in 2008.
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Long Islanders Rush To Switch To Solar Power A record number of Long Islanders have installed solar energy systems this year, mostly stimulated by strong new federal tax credits and the ambition for cheaper, cleaner energy. This has raised concerns about the ability of the Long Island Power Authority to keep up. Applications for the LIPA's generous rebates in the first quarter were triple the levels of 2008, and LIPA has already reached almost 50% of its $12.5-million 2009 solar rebate budget.
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Plans For New Reactors Worldwide The International Atomic Energy Agency has significantly increased its projection of world nuclear generating capacity. At least 70 new plants are anticipated in the next 15 years making 470 to 750 GWe in place in 2030 - significantly more than projected in 2000 and 27% to 103% more than actually operating in 2008. OECD estimates the range will rise to 680 GWe in 2030. The change is based on specific plans and actions in a number of countries, including China, India, Russia, Finland and France, coupled with the changed outlook due to the Kyoto Protocol. As a result, nuclear power would receive a 17% share in in 2020’s electricity production.
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Study: Emissions Cuts Could Lessen Climate Change A new government funded study shows that quick, significant greenhouse gas emission cuts must be made to escape the most significant effects of global warming. Computer simulations run by researchers at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado show that cutting emissions by 70 percent by the end of the century would only result in the Earth warming an average of two degrees Celsius, as opposed to four degrees if emissions continue growing at their current rate.
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