Green Investing News

February 2006 News Archives

Nation's Landmarks Adopt 100% Renewable Energy - 2006-02-27
The Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and several other federal facilities in northern New Jersey owned by U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) will run on 100% renewable power.

NYC Hybrid Buses Improve Fuel Economy 45% Over Diesel, 100% over CNG - 2006-02-27
Orion VII series-hybrid buses operated by New York City Transit (NYCT) on the city’s most severe duty cycles achieved up to 45% better fuel economy than diesel buses and 100% improvement compared to comparable natural gas buses on an energy-equivalent bas

Government offer 'green grants' - 2006-02-27
Details of a multi-million pound scheme to promote renewable energy in Northern Ireland have been announced.

Solar-Diesel Hybrid Power Plant Commissioned in India - 2006-02-27
Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL) has successfully commissioned a solar-diesel hybrid power plant at Bangaram Island in Lakshadweep, in what the company claims will become the largest in India.

Global Wind Power Market Increased by 43 Percent in 2005 - 2006-02-27
to the figures released by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) for 2005, the installation of 11,769 megawatts (MW), which represents a 43.4% increase in annual additions to the global market, was up from 8,207 MW in the previous year.

Shell linked to £2bn takeover of wind turbine firm - 2006-02-27
The oil major Shell was linked yesterday to a possible $3.5bn (£2bn) takeover of a leading wind turbine manufacturer, adding to the excitement around the alternative energy sector.

Wind turbines gaining power - 2006-02-24
While commercial development of large wind farms continues to stall, Massachusetts municipalities and colleges are increasingly stepping into the void, planning to erect wind turbines one or two at a time to shave their energy costs and take advantage of

Tennessee Gov. Creates Renewable Fuels Working Group - 2006-02-24
Gov. Phil Bredesen signed an Executive Order this week establishing the Governor's Interagency Alternative Fuels Working Group to develop a comprehensive state alternative fuels strategy for Tennessee.

Bush Administration Pushes Energy Campaign - 2006-02-24
White House officials wrapped up their efforts this week to promote the President's Advanced Energy Initiative (AEI), a funding and research package the Administration says will help reduce the nation's reliance on foreign sources of energy.

U.N. Environment Program Launches Green Building Initiative - 2006-02-24
A new international effort to "green" the multi-billion dollar building and construction sector has been launched with some of the biggest names in the business.

Silicon Shortage Drives Global Solar Mergers & Acquisitions - 2006-02-23
Acquisitions in the global solar industry are off to a strong start in 2006 following a major realignment in the solar industry.

Wisconsin RPS Approved by State Senate - 2006-02-23
Wisconsin is on its way to joining the ever-growing list of states with a requirement for renewable energy use.

Algoma Steel Embarks on Wind Energy Joint Venture - 2006-02-23
Algoma Steel entered into a partnership with SIAG (Schaaf Industries Corporation) of Germany to establish a wind tower manufacturing facility in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

Beijing Hosts Great Wall Renewable Energy Conference - 2006-02-23
The Chinese government announced a new annual all-renewable energy conference to take place October 24-27, 2006, in Beijing.

Honda to Sell Low-Cost Hybrid Car in 2007/08 - 2006-02-23
Honda Motor Co. plans to sell a low-cost hybrid car, a version of its popular Fit subcompact, a Japanese daily reported, signalling the auto maker's long-term commitment to the fuel-sipping powertrain.

Carlyle Eyes Renewable Energy, Predicts IPO’s - 2006-02-23
The Carlyle Group is set to boost its investment in the renewable energy sector as demand from US state entities is rising, the firm's founder and managing director, David Rubenstein, said on Wednesday.

Bullish Palm Looks to Biofuel for Future - 2006-02-23
Dreams of powering automobiles and energy plants have propelled palm oil prices to a near one year-high before a key industry conference this week in top producing country Malaysia.

Israeli Government Backs Village Solar Electrification - 2006-02-23
In a remote village in the Negev Desert of Israel, several companies have collaborated to install a multipurpose solar electricity system that will eventually provide the entire village, more than 100 separate structures, with solar power.

Satisfying China's Demand for Energy - 2006-02-16
The real reason why everybody is suddenly talking about China is that 15 years ago, it imported virtually no oil - it was self-sufficient.

Bredesen Sets Up Alternative Fuels Working Group - 2006-02-16
Gov. Phil Bredesen signed an Executive Order late Tuesday establishing the Governor’s Interagency Alternative Fuels Working Group "to develop a comprehensive state alternative fuels strategy for Tennessee."

Bernanke - High Energy Prices to Push Alternatives - 2006-02-16
High energy prices should spur investment in alternative energy sources and induce conservation over the long term, but they make the economy vulnerable in the near term, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Wednesday.

Mayor proposes city-owned solar plant - 2006-02-16
Mayor John Hickenlooper plans to put Denver's abundant sunshine to work by building one of the nation's first city-owned solar plants to provide clean, cheap power for the county jail.

A sweet solution to fuel troubles - 2006-02-16
The spread of bioethanol to supermarkets, chiefly across the south-east of England, precedes government moves to press companies into producing just such a fuel.

Selectpower Completes Geothermal System for New Facility - 2006-02-15
The initial cost of the new geothermal system is higher than a traditional heating and cooling system, but it is estimated that the energy savings cover the higher cost in just five years.

Mining companies could be earning carbon credits through energy savings - 2006-02-15
MINING companies hoping to earn carbon credits could look at possible projects involving methane capture, energy efficiency, fuel switching and transport projects.

Canada's Wind Power Industry Shatters Growth Records in 2005 - 2006-02-15
Reflecting the brisk wind power business of its neighbor to the south, Canada's wind energy industry installed 239 MW of new wind energy capacity in 2005, shattering the previous annual installation record of 122 MW established in 2004.

DOE Lab Could Advance Solar PV Production - 2006-02-15
At the center of the optimism is a 750 kW radiant plasma arc lamp that claims 3,000 times higher heating rates and three times higher processing temperatures than those possible with conventional technologies.

Grant to Fund Heat-based Photovoltaic Cells - 2006-02-15
Corporation announced it was awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant to develop a new type of thermophotovoltaic (TPV) power cell that produces electricity from heat.

Konarka Raises $20 Million in Venture Capital Financing - 2006-02-15
Konarka plans to use this round of funding to accelerate further growth, continue to execute on its global partnering strategy and to support ongoing research and development efforts.

A Buoyant Climate for Renewable Energy in Eastern Europe - 2006-02-15
In compliance with 2010 EU targets and in anticipation of the Russian gas crisis this winter, former communist block countries like Poland, Estonia, Bulgaria or the Czech Republic are already introducing legislation, including renewables feed-in tariffs,

Deffeyes Date: Peak Oil Was 16 December 2005 - 2006-02-14
Ken Deffeyes, Princeton geology professor emeritus, former Shell geologist and author of two books on peak oil, has calculated that the world passed the peak of oil production (production of half of available oil) on 16 December, 2005.

WA House Gives Boost to Biomass Anaerobic Digesters - 2006-02-14
House bill 2349 passed the House with wide bipartisan support and now awaits action in the Washington State Senate.

Biomass Power Plant Upgrade in Maine - 2006-02-14
New Energy Capital announced the completion of a $6.9 million financing project to upgrade its 16 MW biomass-fired operating power generation facility.

Renewable Energy Adopted by Two Post Offices - 2006-02-14
Two large U.S. Postal Service (USPS) mail-processing centers in California are now home to major energy-efficiency improvements with the completion of a unique hybrid alternative power plant

Japanese cars top annual ‘greenest’ list - 2006-02-14
U.S. automakers ‘not closing the gap,’ energy conservation group says.

Tiger Woods Dedicates Solar-powered Learning Center - 2006-02-14
The facility features two solar electric systems -- a rooftop array and a custom, curved BIPV curtainwall -- both designed by Solar Design Associates (SDA) of Harvard, Massachusetts.

China to Create Strategy for Oil Alternatives - 2006-02-14
is devising a long-term plan to increase the use of alternative fuels such as coal gas and renewables in order to reduce dependence on oil, according to comments by an official published on Monday.

Researchers Seeking Cheap Way to Produce Ethanol - 2006-02-13
Thanks to biotechnology breakthroughs, supporters of alternative energy sources say that after decades of unfulfilled promise and billions in government corn subsidies, energy companies may be able to produce ethanol easily and inexpensively.

Washington State House Passes Renewable Fuel Standard - 2006-02-13
The Washington State House of Representatives has passed a renewable fuel standard (HB 2738) that mandates 2% minimum annual sales of biodiesel within that state, and a minimum 2% ethanol content for all gasoline sold in the state.

A New Chapter Begins for Concentrated Solar Power - 2006-02-13
This weekend, in the Desert outside Las Vegas, a major milestone was reached for renewable energy that could represent a shift in how the fastest growing region in the U.S. get its energy.

China to Invest US$15 Billion in Coal-to-Liquids Plants - 2006-02-13


Agribusiness to Build Three Ethanol Plants in Midwest - 2006-02-13
Each of the facilities is expected to produce 100 million gallons of fuel-grade ethanol a year, in addition to 321,000 tons of dry distiller grains (DDG) and 223,000 tons of CO2 annually.

Joint Venture for Renewable Energy in New England - 2006-02-13
Laidlaw Energy Group and EcoPower LLC entered into joint venture that will involve the development of two biomass energy projects to be located in the New England power market. The projects will have a combined gross capacity of approximately 40 megawatt

A New Chapter Begins for Concentrated Solar Power - 2006-02-13
This weekend, in the Desert outside Las Vegas, a major milestone was reached for renewable energy that could represent a shift in how the fastest growing region in the U.S. get its energy.

India: Financing Solar Water Heaters - 2006-02-10
Solar water heaters in India are now being installed in thousands of homes, thanks to the low-cost financing provided by many of the commercial banks in the urban and rural parts of the country.

Pollution Prevention an Economic Boon, Says U.N. Report - 2006-02-10
Countries and cities that adopt air pollution busting measures can make significant economic savings, says the latest GEO Year Book from the United Nations Environment Program.

German Firm Stakes Renewable Interest in Italy - 2006-02-10
As part of its plans to raise the share of sales from international business to 50% by the year 2010, Phoenix SonnenStrom AG has acquired a 49% participation in Renewable Energies Development 2002 S.r.l. (RED 2002), an Italian system integrator headquarte

5 MW Wind Turbines Headed Onshore and Off - 2006-02-10
One year ago this week, the world's only 5 MW wind turbine began spinning. So far, the data look good, according to REpower, and plans are underway for more deployments.

New York Announces New Funding for Renewables - 2006-02-10
The New York State Energy Research and Development Agency (NYSERDA) announced $8.5 million in funding opportunities for renewable energy projects in the state.

Funding Increase for Connecticut PV Rebate Program - 2006-02-10
The Connecticut Clean Energy Investment Committee approved additional funding of $3 million for the Residential/Small Solar PV Rebate Program to support residential installations under 5 kW and small commercial, industrial and institutional installations

Winter Olympics Get Green Seal of Approval - 2006-02-10
Ensuring climate-friendly Games is one of the cornerstones of the preparations put in place by the Turin Organizing Committee for the 2006 Olympic Winter Games (TOROC).

Ford Joins European Alternative Fuel Initiatives - 2006-02-10
Ford’s participation is focused on ethanol and flexible fuel vehicles capable of burning E85 or gasoline.

New Green Nanotechnology Initiative Sees Tough Road Ahead - 2006-02-09
A new series of academic conferences will focus on applying the principles of green chemistry and green engineering to nanotechnology.

Sasol and CEF Considering South African Biodiesel Plant - 2006-02-09
Sasol, the South African energy company and world’s largest Coal-to-Liquids (CTL) producer, and the Central Energy Fund (CEF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to conduct a feasibility study for a 100,000-tonne/year soy biodiesel plant in South A

Seeking a cure for US oil addiction - 2006-02-09
The image of the US as a gas-guzzling, energy consuming nation is at odds with a number of green initiatives in the country at large.

World's Largest Solar PV Project to Power Nevada Military Base - 2006-02-09
This would be, by far, the largest solar PV project in the world, nearly twice as large as PowerLight's 10 MW project in Germany, currently the largest.

First Phase Completed for Calgary Wind Farm - 2006-02-09
Canada's Gemini Corporation announced construction completion for the first major phase of construction of its first wind energy project.

Australian cities look for water down under - 2006-02-09
While much of the developed world is suffering from water shortages on an unprecedented scale, the situation in many of Australia's built up coastal regions is reaching crisis point.

Evangelical Leaders Join Global Warming Initiative - 2006-02-08
Despite opposition from some of their colleagues, 86 evangelical Christian leaders have decided to back a major initiative to fight global warming.

Aqua Dyne Tests Solar-powered Mine Water Desalination - 2006-02-08
This phase of the program is part of a world-first research initiative with the solar energy project having enormous potential for remote mining areas.

Britain accelerates toward cleaner future - with wheat - 2006-02-08
A pilot project is equipping a local police force with bioethanol cars. Area gas stations will begin providing the fuel.

Hotels to become environmentally friendly - 2006-02-08
China is set to have 10,000 environmentally friendly hotels by 2010 as part of effort to improve ecological awareness in the hospitality industry.

80 MW Wind Power for Calgary - 2006-02-08
Enmax has received regulatory and government approval to build and operate an 80 MW wind power-generating facility in the Municipal District of Taber in southern Alberta.

Neenah Paper Uses 'Green Steam' for Energy - 2006-02-07
The company estimates it will purchase 350million pounds of steam per year and projects that this will reduce its natural gas consumption by 80 percent annually.

City of Toronto Leads North America with New Green Roof Policy - 2006-02-07
Researchers found that 8% coverage of existing rooftops with extensive green roofs, would generate over $300 million in initial cost savings.

Solar Cell Factory Planned in Nagasaki - 2006-02-07
One of the Mitsubishi group's core companies, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., will be producing a new solar cell that can generate 1.5 times the amount of electricity than its previous model.

Affordable Housing Initiative Embraces Renewable Energy Proposals - 2006-02-07
The Green Affordable Housing Initiative is designed to increase the use of green design and clean energy technologies in new affordable housing construction in Massachusetts.

Grass Pellets Make Their Vermont Debut - 2006-02-07
The Grass Energy Collaborative (GEC), a new organization committed to developing grass energy as a renewable biofuel, tested grass pellets as fuel with a day-long burn in the furnace of the Farm Barn at Shelburne Farms in Vermont.

Westport and Ford to Develop Hydrogen Engine - 2006-02-07
An advanced direct injection fuel system for vehicles powered by high-efficiency, high-performance engines operating on pure hydrogen is being developed in two phases by Westport Innovations and Ford Motor Co.

Tax Credits Help in Ethanol Plant Construction in Ohio - 2006-02-06
The facility, at full production, will produce a total of 100 million gallons of ethanol per year and 300,000 tons of distillers grains to be sold to cattle and hog feed markets.

Wave Energy Companies Selected for UK Ocean Test Site - 2006-02-06
The South West of England Regional Development Agency (RDA) has just named three development partners for the first phase of the proposed GBP 15 million [USD $26 million] Wave Hub project, which will be the world's first wave energy farm.

Florida Governor Proposes Energy Initiatives - 2006-02-06
Called the 2006 Florida Energy Act, this $30 million four-year comprehensive plan provides rebates, grants and tax incentives to promote a more balanced energy portfolio by increasing Florida's investment in renewable energy sources such as solar, biofuel

Hydrogen Enables Storage of Excess Wind Power in Spain - 2006-02-06
The hydrogen will fuel an internal combustion engine generator at the Sotavento Galicia wind farm, which will supply electricity to the electrical grid.

GM Launches Ethanol Campaign - 2006-02-03
More than 1.5 million GM vehicles on the market today already have E85 capability -- and in 2006, GM will offer nine E85 FlexFuel models, bringing an additional 400,000 E85 FlexFuel vehicles into its fleet.

American Institute of Architects Calls for Use of Renewable Energy - 2006-02-03
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has adopted position statements to promote sustainable design and resource conservation to achieve a minimum reduction of 50 percent of the current consumption level of fossil fuels used to construct and operate

Powering Up the 2006 Civic Hybrid - 2006-02-03
The Honda Civic Hybrid is the second top-selling hybrid vehicle in the US, posting 3,165 units in January.

Mitsubishi Heavy to build new solar cell factory in Nagasaki - 2006-02-02
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. said Thursday it will build a new solar cell factory on the premises of the Isahaya branch of its Nagasaki shipyard at a cost of 10 billion yen.

Kaneka to Double Solar Battery Production in Japan in '07 - 2006-02-02
Japanese chemicals and resin maker Kaneka Corp. said Wednesday it plans to nearly double its annual solar battery production capacity in Japan to 55 megawatts from current 30 megawatts by around spring 2007.

'Green' high school sprouts energy-saving devices - 2006-02-02
Designed to conserve energy, the $32 million building, outfitted with the latest in technology, is one of a handful of ''green" schools in the state.

Geothermal Energy Venture in Canada Benefits All - 2006-02-02
Waterloo North Hydro and NextEnergy announced the launch of Lifetime Energy, a joint venture designed to make geothermal energy solutions accessible to anyone in the Waterloo North Hydro service area.

Biodiesel Consumption Enters Mainstream U.S. - 2006-02-02
American Biofuels (ABF) expects to increase its biodiesel production to 40 million gallons per year (mgy) in 2006 on the East and West Coasts, largely in response to major commitments by legislators including Governor Schwarzenegger (CA), Senator Ashburn

Proposed Solar Energy Agreement Could Save San Diego Millions - 2006-02-02
Council member Donna Frye announced a proposed solar energy agreement between the City of San Diego and Sun Edison SD LLC to provide approximately 5 MW of photovoltaic (PV) systems at city-owned facilities.

Three wind farms planned for Waikato - 2006-02-02
Three wind farms, including one of the biggest in the country, are being planned for Waikato.

High-Rises That Have Low Impact on Nature - 2006-02-02
Investing in sustainable structures will yield long-term benefits in efficiency and productivity, the thinking now goes, and will prove a boon in marketing terms as people become educated about such buildings.

Going green is growing popular - 2006-02-01
High energy costs have contributed to a growing interest in green building. So has a desire to build structures that are healthier and have less environmental impact.

GM to Provide Hybrid Transit for Super Bowl XL - 2006-02-01
GM hybrid-powered buses will be part of the NFL's transportation fleet, shuttling journalists and VIPs during the week of Super Bowl XL around the Motor City.

State of the Union: The Advanced Energy Initiative - 2006-02-01
In his annual State of the Union Address, President Bush outlined The Advanced Energy Initiative, a mixed package of energy initiatives that provide what the administration says will amount to a 22 percent increase in clean energy research.

Ocean Energy to be Deployed for Homeland Security - 2006-02-01
The wave energy device company Ocean Power Technologies (OPT), based in New Jersey, announced a contract this week for a project with the US Department of Homeland Security to provide remote, ocean-based power for vessel reconnaissance.