Green Investing News

February 2008 News Archives

Indonesia Blackouts May Be Sign Of Dark Years Ahead - 2008-02-29
Sudden blackouts on two key Indonesian islands last week may be just the start of a spiralling two-year power crisis that could stymie economic growth, curtail resource exports and trigger social unrest.

Big Oil May Strike Out With Next US President - 2008-02-29
Oil and gas companies for years have pushed for drilling access on more US government lands, but they could be left out in the cold under the next American president when it comes to getting new acres to explore for energy.

China Cracks Down On Water Polluters With New Law - 2008-02-29
China heightened pressure on polluters on Thursday, passing legislation that allows for stiff fines against heads of companies that foul its scarce water resources.

London Aims for a 25 Percent Energy Cut in Public Buildings - 2008-02-29
A new citywide program aims to cut energy use by London's public buildings by 25 percent.

Marks And Spencer To Charge 5p For Bags For Food - 2008-02-29
British retailer Marks & Spencer Group Plc will charge food customers 5 pence for a plastic carrier bag, with profit being used to improve parks and play areas across the country, the company said on Thursday.

California Grocers Recycled 2.3 Billion Pounds of Materials in 2006 - 2008-02-28
About 3,500 grocers in California recycled nearly 2.3 billion pounds of materials in 2006, an increase of 100 million pounds over 2005's figures.

EPA Could Exempt Farms From Reporting Certain Emissions - 2008-02-28
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to exempt farms from reporting emissions of certain toxic gases, such as ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, the Washington Post reported.

Raser and Tecstar Sign Agreement for Plug-In Series Hybrid Conversions - 2008-02-28
Raser Technologies, Inc. has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Tecstar, LP and Wheel to Wheel, LLC, outlining their intent to work together with Raser to manufacture plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) for utility, government, and other fleets.

White House Wants More Oil; Investment Not Seen - 2008-02-28
The White House called for more US and global oil output to fight rising energy costs, but a top intelligence official said Wednesday that prices at $100 per barrel had yet to spur production.

Norilsk Hit With $178 Mln Russia Pollution Suit - 2008-02-28
Mining firm Norilsk Nickel was named in a 4.35 billion rouble ($178 million) pollution suit filed by Russia's environment agency on Wednesday in its largest ever claim against a metals company.

Alaska Town Sues 24 Energy Companies On Climate Change - 2008-02-28
An Alaskan village north of the Arctic Circle has filed suit in a US District Court against 24 energy companies, in an attempt to link erosion damage from global warming to the defendants' actions.

US Western Governors Agree to Speed Adoption of Alt Fuels; Commit to Regional GHG-Based Standard for Fuels - 2008-02-27
Governors of 19 Western US states and three US-Flag islands agreed to take action within their states and as a region to speed the development and use of alternative fuels, improve vehicle fuel efficiency and reduce dependence on petroleum.

Taps Shut In Central China Due To Red, Bubbly River - 2008-02-27
A spill on the Hanjiang River, in central China's Hubei Province, has affected water supply for 200,000 people living along three tributaries since Sunday, the Xinhua news agency said on Tuesday, citing local media.

China Eyes Heftier Fines For Water Polluters - 2008-02-27
China stepped up pressure on polluters on Tuesday as it debated a draft law that would allow for fines against the heads of companies that foul the water and floated the idea of an end to tax breaks for polluting exporters.

Staff Warned US EPA Head On California CO2 Waiver Rule - 2008-02-27
Staff of the Environmental Protection Agency warned the agency's head that he might have to resign if he blocked attempts by California to set first-ever limits on greenhouse gas emissions from cars, according to internal agency documents released by Congress Tuesday.

US DOE to Invest Up to $33.8M to Improve Enzyme Systems for Production of Cellulosic Ethanol - 2008-02-27
The US Department of Energy (DOE) will invest up to $33.8 over four years (FY 2008-2011) for four projects that will focus on developing improved enzyme systems to convert cellulosic material into sugars suitable for production of biofuels. Combined with industry cost share, up to $70 million will be invested in these projects, with a minimum 50% cost share from industry.

Top China Plastic Bag Maker Closes Amid Green Drive - 2008-02-27
China's largest plastic bag maker has closed following a state-led environmental campaign discouraging plastics use, Xinhua news agency said on Tuesday.

Wal-Mart First to Join Program Connecting Cleantech Companies With Projects - 2008-02-27
Wal-Mart is the first company to sign onto Cleantech Group's Accelerator project, a forum for connecting cleantech companies with businesses seeking their services.

Over 40 Facilities Join EPA's Performance Track, Add New Environmental Goals - 2008-02-27
Facilities that join the program make plans for improving their impact on the environment, above and beyond legal requirements. Commitments include reducing carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, hazardous waste, energy use and water use.

Alberta To Wait On Call For Oil Sands Moratorium - 2008-02-27
The Cumulative Environmental Management Association (CEMA), an umbrella group that includes industry, government, aboriginal and environmental groups -- and includes companies already operating in the region -- has asked the Alberta government in a letter for a moratorium on leases in three areas that are being considered for environmental protection.

CLP To Develop World's Largest Solar Power Station - 2008-02-26
An Australian subsidiary of CLP Holdings Ltd, the larger of Hong Kong's two power utilities, has agreed with Melbourne-based Solar Systems to develop the world's largest solar power station.

U.K. Could Have Zero-Carbon Future - 2008-02-26
The United Kingdom will reportedly announce this week a call for all future non-domestic buildings to be zero carbon.

Agriculture Can Speed or Slow Climate Change, Groups Say - 2008-02-26
Organic fertilizers can significantly reduce global greenhouse gas emissions if used properly, according to a new scientific report; but unless the organic farming community works to create goals for climate protection any gains could be overwhelmed by international shipments of food products.

China Orders Listed Firms To Be Greener - 2008-02-26
Beijing has launched a "green securities" scheme aimed at making it harder for polluters to raise capital and requiring listed firms to disclose more information about their environmental record.

Transit Agency Finds Total Operating Cost of Its Hydrogen Fuel Cell Buses 32X That of Diesel - 2008-02-26
A memo prepared by the Santa Clara Valley (California) Transportation Authority (VTA) for the Transportation and Planning Committee of its Board of Directors reports that the average total operating cost per mile of the agency’s three hydrogen fuel cell buses is $51.66—32 times the average total cost per mile for the conventional diesel fleet.

Africa Must Invest To Secure Clean Water - GE - 2008-02-25
Africa should tackle the prospect of increased water scarcity by investing now in technology and not simply hoping the threat will go away, officials of America's General Electric company said on Sunday.

Move Over, Oil, There’s Money in Texas Wind - 2008-02-25
Texas, once the oil capital of North America, is rapidly turning into the capital of wind power. After breakneck growth the last three years, Texas has reached the point that more than 3 percent of its electricity, enough to supply power to one million homes, comes from wind turbines.

Virgin Atlantic Uses Biojet Fuel Blend in 747 Test Flight; Babassu and Coconut Oil as Feedstocks - 2008-02-25
Virgin Atlantic, in partnership with Boeing, GE Aviation and Imperium Renewables, a leading biodiesel producer based in Seattle, Washington, successfully flight tested a Boeing 747 equipped with GE engines today using a 20% blend of a biojet fuel derived from babassu and coconut oil in one engine. No modifications were made to either the aircraft or its engines to enable the flight to take place.

Energy Storage Nears Its Day in the Sun - 2008-02-25
Energy storage is an unglamorous pillar of an expected revolution to clean up the world's energy supply but will soon vie for investors attention with more alluring sources of energy like solar panels, manufacturers say.

Seattle, Los Angeles Announce Green Building Plans - 2008-02-22
More than 100 towns and cities have adopted green building codes for public projects, but two of the country's biggest -- and most environmentally active -- cities are seeking to join a much smaller group mandating green for all buildings.

Japan Industry Opens Door To Carbon Cap-And-Trade - 2008-02-22
Japan, the world's fifth-biggest greenhouse gas emitter, moved closer on Thursday to adopting a cap-and-trade system with mandatory emissions limits after a powerful business lobby softened its staunch opposition.

Arizona to become 'Persian Gulf' of solar energy - 2008-02-22
A Spanish company is planning to take 3 square miles of desert southwest of Phoenix and turn them into one of the largest solar power plants in the world.

Maryland's climate plan would be nation's boldest - 2008-02-22
The bill before lawmakers would require Maryland to slash emissions of carbon-based greenhouse gases 25% by 2020 and 90% by 2050. If adopted, the carbon reductions would be the nation's steepest.

Wal-Mart Joins Group Working to Reduce Pollution Around Ports - 2008-02-22
Wal-Mart yesterday announced that it was the newest company to join the Coalition for Responsible Transportation (CRT), an innovative private-sector initiative aimed at addressing environmental issues caused by the shipping and trucking industries.

INTERVIEW - German Biodiesel Plants Find US, Canada Buyers - 2008-02-21
hree German biodiesel production plants were recently sold to the United States and Canada and more are up for sale after biodiesel sales collapsed.

Spend Money To Aid Economy On Climate - UN Official - 2008-02-21
Governments should use public money aimed at deflecting the threat of recession to spur savings by backing energy efficiency too, the head of the United Nations Environment Programme

Wal-Mart Joins Group Working to Reduce Pollution Around Ports - 2008-02-21
Wal-Mart yesterday announced that it was the newest company to join the Coalition for Responsible Transportation (CRT), an innovative private-sector initiative aimed at addressing environmental issues caused by the shipping and trucking industries.

Canadian Province Plans Comprehensive Carbon Tax - 2008-02-21
Canada's westernmost province said on Tuesday it plans to impose a comprehensive carbon tax, dismissing fears voiced by the federal government as well as some business and labour leaders that the fees to fight climate change will hurt the economy.

Philips' Green Product Sales Jump by a Third - 2008-02-19
Royal Philips Electronics boosted the sales of its green products by 33 percent in 2007, the company announced Monday.

Q-Cells Top Cell Producer Worldwide - 2008-02-19
Q-Cells AG was the single largest producer of solar cells in 2007 according to industry data.

Britain Invests In Waste Digesting Energy Plants - 2008-02-19
Britain is to invest in several anaerobic digestion plants as it seeks to cut emissions of greenhouse gas methane and boost renewable energy production.

The Big Impact from Greening Small Businesses - 2008-02-19
When it comes to the environment, small business is big business.

Norway Mall Offers Shoppers Greenhouse Gas Credits - 2008-02-19
Half a kg of salmon; two kg of potatoes; a tonne of greenhouse gas reductions -- shoppers at one Norwegian mall can now buy cuts in their carbon footprint as they pick up their weekly groceries.

Finavera Gets Permit for Wave Project - 2008-02-19
Finavera Renewables Inc. has announced it has been issued a Preliminary Permit for its proposed 100 megawatts (MW) Humboldt County, California wave energy project.

US Investors Pledge $10 Bln For Renewable Energy - 2008-02-18
US institutional investors pledged at a UN summit on Thursday to invest $10 billion over two years in technologies that aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to pressure companies to disclose their risks associated with climate change.

Green Paper Mills See Sales Boost - 2008-02-18
A new report released by Markets Initiative, an environmental publishing organization, shows a dramatic increase in recycled paper sales in 2007, despite difficult economic conditions for Canada's paper mills.

Canada's Oil Sands A Massive Disaster - 2008-02-18
Environmental Defence said excavation of the oil sands in the western province of Alberta -- home to the richest petroleum deposits outside the Middle East -- is producing vast amounts of greenhouse gases and poisoning local water supplies.

China Warns Of New Wave Of Coal Mine Disasters - 2008-02-18
China, home to the world's deadliest mining industry, could be faced with a new wave of accidents as collieries start operations again following severe winter weather which forced many to close.

Efficiency Now Ahead Of US Carbon Rules: Utilities - 2008-02-18
US utilities are focusing on energy efficiency to lessen the need to build new power plants while they await what they see as inevitable carbon regulation, executives said at the four-day CERA conference in Houston that ended Friday.

GeoSun Helps Buildings Reduce Emissions - 2008-02-15
GeoSun Energy will try to combine aspects of building design, energy efficiency and renewable energy generation in one functional system for office buildings between 5,000 square feet and 20,000 square feet.

Shoppers Fret More Over Food Packaging Waste - Poll - 2008-02-15
Wasteful food packaging is among the fastest-growing environmental concerns for shoppers worldwide with New Zealanders most willing to cut back, a poll showed on Thursday.

EU Wants Partial Ban of Toxic Paint Removers - 2008-02-15
The sale and use of paint removers containing dichloromethane, a chemical with toxic vapour, would be restricted under a proposal made by European Union regulators on Thursday.

Gov. Easley Creates New Hybrid Center - 2008-02-15
At the Emerging Issues forum at NC State University this week, Governor Mike Easley announced the creation of a new Advanced Transportation Energy Center to help develop "plug-in" hybrid vehicles.

Coal's Time Is Up In US, Environmentalist Warns - 2008-02-15
Wall Street, politicians and public opinion have all turned so dramatically against coal in the last year over climate concerns that it is probably "the beginning of the end of the coal industry," said Lester Brown.

US Power Plant Costs Up 130 Pct Since 2000 - CERA - 2008-02-15
The cost of building a US power plant has risen 130 percent since 2000, and 27 percent in the 12 months to October 2007 alone, according to a new index developed by Cambridge Energy Research Associates and released Thursday.

NZ Plant Sets Nov Shutdown Ahead of Clean Fuel Rule - 2008-02-15
New Zealand Refining Co plans to take a 66,000 barrels per day (bpd) crude unit offline for maintenance in November, ahead of the nationwide move to cleaner diesel in January next year, a company official said on Thursday.

Carmanah Provides Solar LED Aviation Lights for Airfield Upgrades in United Arab Emirates - 2008-02-14
Carmanah Technologies Corporation (Toronto:CMH.TO) has received an order through Dubai-based GESOLAR -- the company's authorized aviation distributor in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) -- to supply solar-powered portable airfield lights for privately-owned airfield applications within the region.

INTERVIEW - Mankind Can't Afford More Oil Drilling - Ex-BP Exec - 2008-02-14
Known oil, gas and coal reserves may already contain a quarter more carbon than mankind can emit and still avoid dangerous climate change, putting the value of new oil exploration in doubt, said a former oil major executive.

Raleigh starts new water rules Friday - 2008-02-14
People served by Raleigh's water system are about to come under strict new conservation rules, including bans on using drinking water to irrigate yards, fill empty swimming pools and water golf courses.

Jewelers Join to Oppose New Alaskan Gold Mine - 2008-02-14
A group of jewelers, including Tiffany & Co. and Helzberg Diamonds, signed a pledge opposing a planned Alaskan gold and copper mine near the site of the globe's most prolific sockeye salmon run.

CEOs Increasingly Seeing Real Estate as Key to Sustainability Practices - 2008-02-14
Energy efficiency has become one of company leaders' three most important priorities when it comes to greening operations, and bringing down energy use in offices and facilities is a significant way of achieving that goal, according to a new study.

CSR Practices Can Lead to Increased Profits, Two New Reports Find - 2008-02-13
Not only are more companies taking CSR practices seriously and implementing them across operations, those companies are more likely to see their value grow, according to two reports released yesterday from IBM and and the Economist Intelligence Unit.

Westport Awarded US$2.25 Million to Support Development of Next Generation Heavy-Duty LNG Fuel System - 2008-02-13
Westport Innovations Inc. has been awarded US$2.25 million in funding from the California South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), the California Energy Commission (CEC) and the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

London Increasing Daily Congestion Zone Fee to £25 (US$49) for High GHG-Emitting Vehicles - 2008-02-13
Completing a process he initiated in 2006 (earlier post), Mayor of London Ken Livingstone has confirmed that the city will levy a substantially larger daily charge for high greenhouse gas-emitting vehicles entering the city’s Congestion Zone: £25 (US$49).

China Sets Pollution Reduction Targets For 2008 - 2008-02-13
China will aim this year to reduce its emissions of sulphur dioxide by 6 percent from their 2005 levels as it steps up efforts to fight pollution, its top environmental official said in remarks published on Tuesday.

GE Sees 2008 Wind Revenue Approaching $6 Billion - 2008-02-13
US conglomerate General Electric Co expects revenue from its wind turbine business to approach $6 billion, a top executive said on Tuesday.

BofA Forming Environmental Group - 2008-02-13
Bank of America Corp. will form an environmental banking group to explore financing opportunities for renewable energy and resource conservation.

Over 4,200 Buildings Have Been Energy Star Certified - 2008-02-13
With the addition of more than 1,400 buildings last year, the number of facilities that has earned the EPA's Energy Star certification has topped 4,200.

Climate Change May Kill Thousands In UK By 2017 - 2008-02-13
There is a 25 percent chance that a severe heat wave will strike England and kill more than 6,000 people before 2017 if no action is taken to deal with the health effects of climate change, a report said on Tuesday.

Target Set to Introduce Natural Care Product Lines - 2008-02-12
Target will introduce nine organic and natural care product lines in a bid to tap an emerging market with loads of potential.

Mayor of London Unveils Major Walking and Cycling Programs; City to Spend Almost US$1B on Cycling Over Next Decade - 2008-02-12
The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, announced a major package of five programs to create a new network of quick, simple, and safe routes for cyclists and pedestrians that represents the largest investment in walking and cycling in the city’s history. The plan also makes cycling a fully-funded part of the public transport network for the first time.

Staples Fires Paper Supplier with Questionable Green Track Record - 2008-02-11
Staples Inc. reportedly canceled all contracts with a Singapore-based paper company because of concerns over its deforestation practices.

Japan Aims For Emissions Trade With Russia - 2008-02-11
Japan and Russia have agreed to start talks on fighting global warming, including possible greenhouse gas emissions trading that would help Tokyo to meet its goals under the Kyoto Protocol, media said on Sunday.

United Arab Emirates 'Green City' to Cost $22 Billion - 2008-02-11
State-controlled Abu Dhabi Future Energy Co (Masdar) said it would cost $22 billion to develop a "no-carbon" urban district it is planning in the United Arab Emirates.

Solazyme Ups Soladiesel Testing to B100 - 2008-02-11
Solazyme, which recently announced the road-testing of blends of Soladiesel, its first algal biodiesel (earlier post), has successfully taken the test blends up to B100, according to Jonathan Wolfson, Solazyme’s CEO.

Study supports renewable energy - 2008-02-11
A study released Feb. 7 by the Western Resource Advocates, an energy lobbying group, shows Arizona can meet most of its rising electricity demand through investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency.

State regulators want project and its profits kept in Arizona - 2008-02-11
According to the task force report, plants generating 1 giga­watt of solar power could lead to 10,000 manufacturing jobs, 5,000 construction jobs, 250 permanent solar plant positions and up to $4 billion in private investment in the next 30 years.

Utilities add contracts to meet renewable-power goals - 2008-02-11
By 2010, 20 percent of the energy sold by Pacific Gas & Electric Co., Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric Co. must come from renewable sources.

Ireland Gives Support Package For Wind Farm Growth - 2008-02-11
Ireland on Friday announced a government-backed guaranteed price for offshore wind power in a bid to boost the development of renewable energy.

US EPA Must Rewrite Utility Mercury Rule - US Court - 2008-02-11
In a victory for environmentalists and a setback for big US coal-burning utilities, a federal court ruled Friday that the Environmental Protection Agency must fundamentally rework its mercury rules for utilities.

Poland to Hamper GMO Planting Despite Lifting Ban - 2008-02-11
Poland will seek to make planting of genetically modified seeds nearly impossible for local farmers even though it plans to lift an official ban to comply with EU law, the agriculture minister told Reuters on Friday.

World Bank Plans Clean Technology Fund For Poor - 2008-02-11
Poor countries will soon receive billions of dollars from a new World Bank fund to help them cut pollution, save energy and fight global warming, the international organisation said.

California Bay Area Air Quality Management District Proposing Annual Greenhouse Gas Fees on Stationary Sources - 2008-02-11
The California (San Francisco) Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) is proposing the assessment of annual fees on businesses based on the amount of greenhouse gases that they emit.

France to Formally Request GMO Ban at EU Level - 2008-02-08
France will file a request with the European Union to formally ban the commercial use of the only genetically modified (GMO) crop grown in the country this Friday, Environment Minister Jean-Louis Borloo said.

BP's ARCO to Pay US$187 Million for Cleanup - 2008-02-08
BP Plc's s Atlantic Richfield (ARCO) unit has agreed to pay US$187 million to finance a cleanup of the Clark Fork River, a well-known Montana trout stream, under a settlement announced by the Justice Department and Environmental Protection agency Thursday.

USGBC Boosts Research Funds, LEED for Homes Network - 2008-02-08
The U.S. Green Building Council has doubled the amount of money it will dedicate toward research at a time when interest in green building is escalating and its network of LEED for Homes Providers has multiplied.

Finance Chiefs Urge Support for Clean Energy Fund - 2008-02-08
The finance chiefs of the United States, Britain and Japan on Thursday urged other governments to join their efforts to launch a multibillion-dollar fund to help developing countries switch to clean energy technologies.

London Gas Guzzler Tax Decision Expected Next Week - 2008-02-08
Owners of gas-guzzling cars could be paying 25 pounds a day for the privilege of driving them in central London from October if, as expected, mayor Ken Livingstone decides next week to go ahead with the plan.

Michelin Invests $6.8M In R&D To Further Reduce Tire-Related Energy Consumption - 2008-02-08
Michelin is investing $6.8 million in a research and development project focused on further improving vehicle fuel economy by reducing tire rolling resistance.

Google Says to Help Green Technologies Amass Scale - 2008-02-08
Google Inc is prepared to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in big commercial alternative-energy projects that traditionally have had trouble getting financing, the executive in charge of its green-energy push said on Wednesday.

Russia, Ukraine Next to Trade Kyoto Carbon Credits - 2008-02-08
Russia and Ukraine will be the next nations to join, within months, only a handful of countries physically connected to a UN emissions trading scheme, a senior United Nations official told Reuters on Thursday.

Government Unveils Targets for Water Usage - 2008-02-08
Among the array of water-saving measures the government is looking at are household water meters which have been shown to cut consumption by around 10 percent, stopping leaks, increasing appliance efficiency and encouraging more thoughtful use.

Clean Sky Initiative Plans to Green European Planes - 2008-02-07
The European Union and aircraft industry unveiled the Clean Sky program this week, committing $2.3 billion (£1.6 billion) to develop cleaner and quieter airplane technology.

New Green REIT Aims to Make Investing in Sustainable Retrofits Easier - 2008-02-07
Green Realty Trust, a new project from real estate investor Rob Hannah, is a new kind of Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), one that hopes to make it easier to bring big money to green building retrofit projects.

Reported US Sales of Hybrids Up 27.3% In January 2008 - 2008-02-07
US sales of hybrids in January 2008 climbed 27.3% to 22,392 units, according to monthly sales reports from automakers.

Climate Change Becomes a US Republican Issue Too - 2008-02-07
The US fight against climate change isn't just for Democrats any more.

Valence Technology to Provide Lithium Phosphate Battery Packs to The Tanfield Group - 2008-02-07
Valence Technology, Inc. has entered into a contract with The Tanfield Group Plc to manufacture and supply Lithium Phosphate energy storage systems to power Tanfield’s all-electric commercial delivery vehicles.

German Car Buyers Turning to Low Emission Cars - 2008-02-07
German car buyers have become sensitised to climate change and are increasingly turning to cars with reduced greenhouse gas emissions, the president of the German automotive industry association said on Wednesday.

Wal-Mart to Introduce Four Class 8 HPDI LNG Trucks Into Service in California - 2008-02-06
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. will introduce four liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuelled Peterbilt 386 trucks equipped with Westport Innovations’s HPDI LNG system and Cummins ISX engines into service at its distribution center in Apple Valley, California.

Bar Association, EPA's Law Office Climate Challenge Picks Up Steam - 2008-02-06
Since its launch late last year, the program has racked up nearly 100 law offices across the country committing to its three-pronged plan green up the law business by reducing paper waste, increasing energy efficiency and purchasing green power for law firms.

Study Suggests That, Unlike in the ’70s, Energy Lessons Will Last - 2008-02-05
What makes today different from the 1970s is growing apprehension about global warming as a threat to political security and the environment, according to the report. That is pushing governments to demand, and subsidize, greater use of alternative energy.

Alstom Unveils Prototype 224 MPH AGV Train and Its First Customer - 2008-02-05
The AGV consumes 15% less energy than its main competitors, according to Alstom. The AGV emits 2.2 grams of CO2 per passenger km, 13 times less than a bus (30 grams), 50 times less than a car (115 grams) and 70 times less than a plane (153 grams), based on the rate of CO2 emissions per kWh of electricity produced in France.

Banks Set Emissions Standard for US Power Sector - 2008-02-05
Three Wall Street banks said on Monday they will set environmental standards that factor in risks posed by carbon-emissions when lending to power companies that seek to build coal-fired power plants.

Hybrid-Only Car Service Co. Launches in NYC - 2008-02-05
A car service company with a hybrid-only fleet recently launched service in the Big Apple.

Dutch Gas Guzzler Tax Hammers Exclusive Cars - 2008-02-04
Buying a Hummer just became 19,000 euros (US$28,000) more expensive in the Netherlands

Southern Methodist to Launch Sustainable Design Degree Program - 2008-02-04
Bringing together leaders from industry, government and academia, SMU is working to develop an advanced degree program in sustainable design that combines ideas from engineering, architecture and technology into a forward-looking Master's degree program.

Groups Sue to Block Alaska Oil Drilling Plan - 2008-02-04
Environmental groups sued the Bush administration on Thursday to stop plans to allow oil and natural gas drilling in the icy Chukchi Sea off Alaska, which they claim will endanger polar bears.

French Pesticide Ban Hits Major Listed Firms - 2008-02-04
France's decision to ban the sale of more than 1,500 pesticides in the country from Feb. 1 applies to some of the world's biggest chemical producers, the farm ministry said on Friday.

Study: N.C. utilities should fund $400M in energy projects - 2008-02-04
N.C. utilities need to spend about $400 million over the next 10 years on major transmission projects to keep pace with the growing demand for power in the state, according to a new study released this week.

New Report Finds Growing Interest In Green Investing - 2008-02-04
Investing in the environment is rich soil to till, reports a survey released by Allianz Global Investors. Almost half of those surveyed said that in the next year they are likely to invest in a company or fund that is proactive on environmental issues.

Traction Technology Opts for Enova Hybrid Drive in Bus Project with Supercaps - 2008-02-04
UK-based Traction Technology Plc. is using the Enova 120kW hybrid drive system in combination with an supercapacitor energy storage system in four series hybrid Optare Solo Buses contracted by Merseytravel. The award follows competitive trial evaluation by Merseytravel.

Calif. Crafts Path to Greener Chemistry - 2008-02-01
Through more than 800 ideas, the California Environmental Protection Agency hopes to encourage the state to create the country's first comprehensive chemical policy.

Scientists See Looming Water Crisis in Western US - 2008-02-01
A water supply crisis is looming in the western United States thanks to human-caused climate change that already has altered the region's river flows, snow pack and air temperatures, scientists said.

Honeywell Helps Hotel and Motel Rooms Become Energy Efficient - 2008-02-01
Honeywell plans to retrofit some 12,000 hotel and motel rooms in California to make them more energy efficient.

Wal-Mart Packaging Scorecard Begins Today - 2008-02-01
Wal-Mart begins using a scorecard today that will rate its suppliers' progress on making product packaging more sustainable.

Gasoline Hybrid Drive Systems to Power New 35’ and 40’ Buses for San Diego MTS - 2008-02-01
ISE has received an initial order from New Flyer Industries for the supply of 12 gasoline hybrid drive systems to be delivered in the third quarter of 2008.