Green Investing News

May 2008 News Archives

US Issues Climate Assessment Forced By Court Order - 2008-05-30
The Bush administration released a climate change assessment on Thursday -- four years late and pushed forward by a court order -- that said human-induced global warming will likely lead to problems like droughts in the US West and stronger hurricanes.

Global Biofuel Output To Soar In Next Decade-Report - 2008-05-30
Global production of biofuels will rise rapidly over the next decade, helped by high government blending targets and subsidies, the OECD and the UN's FAO food agency said in a report published on Thursday.

Con Ed to Get the Lead Out - 2008-05-30
The Con Edison Co. of New York plans to replace thousands of miles of lead underground cables with newer versions made with less hazardous materials.

Diesel Crosses $5.00/Gallon Mark in California - 2008-05-29
The price of diesel jumped past the $5.00/gallon mark in California this week to $5.027—a 69% increase from one year ago, according to the latest data from the US Energy Information Administration.

Verenium Commissioning Cellulosic Ethanol Demo-Scale Plant; Targeting Cost of $1.34/Gallon - 2008-05-29
The plant is rated to produce 1.4 million gallons per year using specialty enzymes and the company’s proprietary technology to convert non-food biomass to ethanol.

GE Plans 20 Percent Cut in Water Use by 2012 - 2008-05-29
Riding a wave of successes from its multi-billion dollar ecomagination program, GE announced Wednesday a new goal of cutting its global water usage 20 percent by 2012.

80-Year Old Building Earns 'Double-Platinum' - 2008-05-29
To make the building operate in ways that were more environmentally friendly, the company included features that reduce waste, water and energy consumption, and increase daylighting and indoor air quality.

Heinz Looks to Reuse Potato Peels, Improve Resource Use to Cut Emissions - 2008-05-28
The H.J. Heinz Company has declared plans to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2015, and has identified a number of areas in its operations to improve to meet that goal.

US Vehicle Miles Travelled Dropping - 2008-05-28
Americans drove less in March 2008, continuing a trend that began in November 2007, according to estimates recently published by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

VW and Sanyo Form Li-ion Partnership; VW to Focus on Drivetrain Electrification - 2008-05-28
The Volkswagen Group said that it hopes to be able to apply Li-ion technology in its first vehicles by 2010.

Coca-Cola to Deploy 100K HFC-Free Coolers - 2008-05-28
The Coca-Cola Co. plans by 2010 to have 100,000 hydrofluorocarbon-free refrigerators and vending machines operating around the world.

Multistate pact would put water off-limits to parched South, West - 2008-05-27
Piece by piece, a 5,500-mile wall around the Great Lakes is going up. You can't see it, but construction is progressing nicely, along with an implied neon sign that flashes, "Hands off—it's our water."

Wind Parks Off Norway Seen New Energy Export - 2008-05-27
Sea-based wind parks off Norway could generate large amounts of energy for export to the European Union with investments totalling up to $44 billion by 2025, a report indicated on Monday.

Montenegro Introduces Eco-Tax For Tourist Cars - 2008-05-27
Montenegro will launch a new green tax this summer for all foreign cars, buses and trucks entering the Adriatic state to try to protect its environment, officials said on Monday.

G8 Environment Ministers: Halve Emissions By 2050 - 2008-05-27
Environment ministers from the G8 rich nations on Monday urged their leaders to set a global target to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, a small but vital step in the fight against climate change.

Dean Foods Explores Turning Cow Waste to Energy - 2008-05-27
Dairy giant Dean Foods Co. plans to turn animal waste from its thousands of cows into renewable energy for the local power grid. The move will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and generate carbon and renewable energy credits.

SEKAB and Brazilian Partners To Introduce “Verified Sustainable Ethanol” - 2008-05-27
This ethanol from Brazilian sugarcane is quality-assured from environmental, climate and social perspectives, according to the company.

Germany, France Near A Deal On Car Emissions - 2008-05-23
Germany and France are close to an accord on reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from cars that could pave the way for the introduction of European Union-wide limits, a government source said on Thursday.

Florida's Disney Hotels All Achieve State's Green Lodging Designation - 2008-05-23
Florida Governor Charlie Crist last week applauded Walt Disney Parks & Resorts for its achievement of 100 percent of its lodging properties earning the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) Green Lodging Program designation, covering all 24 of its resort hotels.

StatoilHydro to Build First Full-Scale Floating Wind Turbine - 2008-05-23
StatoilHydro will build the world’s first full-scale floating wind turbine, Hywind, and test it over a two-year period offshore Karmøy, Norway.

Ford Cuts North American Production of Large Trucks and SUVs, Increases Production of Cars and Crossovers - 2008-05-23
Ford Motor Company announced that it is cutting planned North American production and revising downward its near-term North American Automotive profit outlook, while planning further manufacturing capacity realignments, additional cost reductions and changes to its product mix to respond to the rapidly changing business environment in the US.

EIA: ANWR Oil Production Would Peak at 780K Barrels per Day - 2008-05-23
That would result in trimming $0.75 (in 2006 dollars) off the projected cost of a barrel of oil, according to the EIA.

Nanowires May Boost Solar Cell Efficiency - 2008-05-23
University of California, San Diego electrical engineers have created experimental solar cells spiked with nanowires that could lead to highly efficient thin-film solar cells of the future.

Queen Goes Green With World's Largest Wind Turbine - 2008-05-22
Britain's Queen Elizabeth is going green by investing in the largest wind turbine in the world, her property company the Crown Estate said on Wednesday.

Queen Goes Green With World's Largest Wind Turbine - 2008-05-22
Britain's Queen Elizabeth is going green by investing in the largest wind turbine in the world, her property company the Crown Estate said on Wednesday.

Honda To Roll Out Cheap New Hybrid Model In Early '09 - 2008-05-22
Honda Motor Co said on Wednesday it would launch a new, low-cost hybrid car in Japan, North America and Europe in early 2009 as it seeks to cut the lead of Toyota Motor Corp in the green car race.

Cameco Pollutants May Be Seeping Into Lake Ontario - 2008-05-22
Contaminants such as arsenic and uranium that shut down Cameco Corp's Port Hope, Ontario, nuclear conversion facility last year may be seeping into nearby Lake Ontario, the company said Wednesday.

AT&T to Introduce 105 Alternative Fuel Vehicles in its Fleet - 2008-05-22
The 105 alternative fuel vehicles include 25 compressed natural gas vans, 65 hybrid electric Ford Escapes and Toyota Priuses, and 15 hybrid electric conversion work trucks.

Mississippi State University Students Win GM and DOE Challenge X 2008 Competition; New ZEV-Based Competition To Begin - 2008-05-22
The vehicle achieved a 38% increase in fuel economy over the production vehicle on a modified urban test cycle.

White House 'Pivotal' In Calif. Climate Case- Memo - 2008-05-21
Congressional Democrats on Monday said White House pressure may have influenced the Environmental Protection Agency to reject a bid by California to impose strict limits on emissions from new cars and trucks.

Office Depot's Building Prototype Earns LEED Pre-certification - 2008-05-21
The LEED Portfolio Program is designed to create a volume certification path to allow companies to incorporate LEED attributes into a prototype design before implementing across several buildings. Office Depot’s first structure built using this prototype is scheduled to open in late June.

Electric Car Hits The Road In Fuel-Starved Gaza - 2008-05-21
A Palestinian-designed electric car drew admiring stares on Tuesday from Gazans forced to use cooking oil to power their cars because of a fuel shortage.

UK Organics Outlook Rosy Despite Food Inflation - 2008-05-21
British enthusiasm for organic food shows no sign of waning thanks to a loyal consumer base and a green image, despite rising food and fuel prices, the head of Britain's top organic association said in a recent interview.

Green Tech Innovations Save Cash and Planet - Group - 2008-05-21
US businesses from Wal-Mart Stores Inc to Nike Inc are finding that green investments in their operations are more than just Earth-friendly -- they're boosting the bottom line, an environmental group said Tuesday.

GE and C-MAR to Develop Hybrid Tugboat Technology - 2008-05-20
GE and the C-MAR Group are partnering to develop and to demonstrate new hybrid technology for tugboats. The two announced their alliance during the International Tug & Salvage Convention in Singapore.

Glass Industry Seeks Tighter FTC Guidelines - 2008-05-20
The glass industry wants the Federal Trade Commission to clarify the definitions of “recyclable” and “recycled content” because the descriptors are being used in ways that confuse or deceive consumers.

Restaurants Serve New Sustainability Initiatives - 2008-05-20
The National Restaurant Association (NRA) wants to lighten its industry's environmental impacts with a new initiative aimed at helping restaurateurs implement eco-friendly business practices.

EPA Recognizes Energy Efficient Building Designs - 2008-05-20
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recognized 46 building projects throughout 19 states for their plans to conserve energy.

NCSU to Produce and Test Renewable Diesel, Biojet and Biogasoline Fuels from Centia Process - 2008-05-20
The Biofuels Center of North Carolina has awarded North Carolina State University (NCSU) a $200,000 grant to further the development of Centia—a three-step thermal, catalytic, and reforming process that has the potential to turn virtually any lipidic compound into drop-in replacements for petroleum jet fuel, diesel, and gasoline.

Southern California Edison Proposes Early Action Climate Projects - 2008-05-19
Southern California Edison has proposed a collection of voluntary greenhouse gas reduction projects ahead of the state’s final climate change rules that are due in 2012.

TNT to Swap 100 Diesel Trucks for Electric Models - 2008-05-19
TNT, a transportation and delivery company, will replace more than 100 diesel truck with all-electric trucks over the next year and a half.

Study Finds Use of Wingsails on Seismic Exploration Vessel Reduces Fuel Consumption 5-10% - 2008-05-19
A study evaluating the use of wingsails on a seismic exploration vessel found that they could reduce fuel consumption by 5% when the vessel was towing its hydrophonic cable assemblies.

Sustainable Coffee Program Booming - Green Group - 2008-05-19
The Rainforest Alliance has nearly doubled the amount of coffee sold every year from its program that certifies coffee as good for the environment and beneficial for farmers, a representative of the conservation group said.

ANALYSIS - Polar Bear Listing Could Slow Arctic Oil Drilling - 2008-05-16
Oil drilling in the Arctic may need to slow down, now that polar bears, iconic symbols of global warming, are headed for protection under the US Endangered Species Act, experts said.

http://planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/48378/story.htm - 2008-05-16
Legislation that would renew billions of dollars in tax breaks for solar, wind, biomass and and other renewable energy sources and extend a proposed new tax credit for ethanol fuels not produced from corn advanced in the US House of Representatives on Thursday.

Energy Efficiency: Overlooked and Misunderstood - 2008-05-16
U.S. energy consumption at the end of 2008 is expected to total half of the energy consumed in 1970, according to a new report.

EPS Corp Unveils Tracking System for Facility Energy, Carbon Emissions - 2008-05-16
EPS Corp has created a new system for monitoring energy use and emissions throughout a facility that can also break down how much energy is being used for manufacturing a specific product.

Coal Plant Pollution Threatens US Parks - Report - 2008-05-16
US regulators are proposing to weaken air quality laws, which would allow new coal-fired power plants to pollute US parks from Shenandoah in Virginia to the Great Basin in Nevada, a new report said on Thursday.

Investors take shine to BrightSource with $115m funding round - 2008-05-15
Californian solar thermal start up BrightSource Energy yesterday announced it has secured $115m in funding from a group of blue chip investors, including Google, BP Alternative Energy and StatoilHydro Venture.

South California Faces Summer Power Challenge - 2008-05-15
Southern California's electricity system will be challenged this summer, and power emergencies may result if an extended drought leads to massive wildfires

How Committed Is Canada? - 2008-05-15
Since the election of Canada's Conservative government in 2006, criticism of its approach to environmental protection has been fairly sustained.

Investors take shine to BrightSource with $115m funding round - 2008-05-15
http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2216725/investors-shine-brightsource

UPS places large order for alternative fuel vehicles - 2008-05-14
United Parcel Service Inc. has ordered 200 hybrid electric vehicles and 300 compressed natural gas vehicles for its U.S. delivery fleet.

Laptop-controlled irrigation revolutionizing farming - 2008-05-14
Efficient management of water in some of the driest, most drought affected farming areas in NSW has reached a new world standard thanks to automated ordering systems that allow irrigation farmers to control water delivery at the touch of a keypad.

Congress must side with renewable energy tax credits - 2008-05-14
Out on the sun-drenched plains east of San Luis Obispo, a Palo Alto-based startup, Ausra Inc., plans to build an enormous array of high-tech mirrors spread over 640 acres.

Renault seen investing up to $1 bln in electric car - 2008-05-12
The head of an Israeli-backed electric car project estimated on Sunday that its partner, the Renault-Nissan alliance, would likely invest $500 million to $1 billion in the swappable-battery electric cars.

Industry Growth and Policy Progress on the Agenda at Solar 2008 - 2008-05-12
Solar 2008, the 37th conference put on by the American Solar Energy Society (ASES), brought together engineering, business and policy experts in the solar industry in San Diego, California.

Goldman's green guru to head Nature Conservancy - 2008-05-12
US environment group The Nature Conservancy said on Friday it will appoint Goldman Sachs' green guru as its new president and chief executive.

Japan eyes new emissions cut goal for 2050 - 2008-05-12
Japan, the world's fifth biggest polluter, will announce a target next month for cutting domestic greenhouse gas emissions by 60-80 percent from current levels by 2050

Wal-Mart Set to Measure Energy Use of 20 U.S. Capitols - 2008-05-09
Through a partnership with the National Governors Association (NGA), Wal-Mart will perform energy audits in the capitols of 20 U.S. states and commonwealths to identify ways in which they can reduce energy consumption.

Renewable energy announcement due - 2008-05-09
Scotland's first biomass boiler for an NHS hospital will provide heat and power for both the Crichton Royal Hospital and Dumfries Infirmary.

Senate Democrats unveil new energy tax plan - 2008-05-08
Democrats in the Senate on Wednesday unveiled a new energy package that would revoke $17 billion in tax breaks extended to big oil companies like Exxon Mobil Corp and slap a 25 percent windfall profits tax on firms that don't invest in new energy sources.

Smart Water Management: A Low-Risk Green Initiative with a Fast Payback - 2008-05-08
By gaining control over water use, companies help protect a precious resource, reduce runoff pollution and comply with new conservation legislation. Saving water also has a powerful multiplier effect by reducing the vast amount of energy expended in transporting it.

U.S. Wind Industry Installs 1400 MW of Wind Power in First Quarter 2008 - 2008-05-08
With the fate of a key federal incentive in the balance, the U.S. wind energy industry continued new installations at a rapid pace in the first quarter of 2008, putting 1,400 megawatts (MW) or approximately US $3 billion worth of new generating capacity in place.

CVS Adopts Cosmetics Safety Policy, Reduces Waste and Energy Use - 2008-05-08
Pharmacy retailer CVS Caremark plans to phase out toxic chemicals from its house-branded products in favor of safer alternatives.

High oil prices spur alternative fuel shift - 2008-05-08
Record U.S. crude oil futures near $124 a barrel have reached a "break point" that will spur a shift away from an oil-centric transportation sector toward alternatives, energy analyst Daniel Yergin said on Wednesday.

Farmer pioneers green energy practices in Ohio - 2008-05-07
When he was laid up in the hospital recovering from knee surgery, farmer Ralph Dull picked up a thick notebook dropped off by a friend that detailed how wind generators produce electricity.

New Source for Biofuels Discovered - 2008-05-07
A newly created microbe produces cellulose that can be turned into ethanol and other biofuels, report scientists from The University of Texas at Austin. The scientists say the microbe could provide a significant portion of the nation's transportation fuel if production can be scaled up.

Culver signs energy bill promoting renewable energy - 2008-05-07
With Representative Dolores Mertz calling it a historical day in Algona and for the state of Iowa, Governor Chet Culver signed Senate File 2386 - Energy Efficiency Initiatives into law on Tuesday, May 6, on the factory floor at the Hydrogen Engine Center in Algona

MEPs to vote to open up EU energy market - 2008-05-07
MEPs are expected today to endorse controversial plans to force huge mainland European energy groups to sell off their power transmission networks and open up the EU market to greater competition.

116 MW Wind Power PPA Awarded in Quebec - 2008-05-07
Utility company, Hydro-Quebec Distribution (HQD) has awarded two 20-year electricity supply contracts (PPAs) to Venterre, a joint venture between Canadian Hydro Developers, Inc. and TCI Renewables for the supply of 116 megawatts (MW) of electricity from two planned wind power projects.

Hydro-Quebec Approves 2,004 MW Of Wind-Power Farms - 2008-05-06
Hydro-Quebec said Monday it accepted 15 bids from groups aiming to develop a total of 2,004 megawatts of wind-generated electricity that would come on stream from 2011 to 2015.

Israeli President Sees Eco-Fuel Fighting "Terror" - 2008-05-06
Israeli President Shimon Peres on Monday hailed his country's new weapon against the threat of "terrorism" from its Middle East neighbours -- the electric car.

Reported US Sales of Hybrids in April Pass 3% Market Share of New Vehicles Sold - 2008-05-06
Reported US sales of hybrids in April climbed 46% to 39,898 units from April 2007. While April is the second-highest reported monthly total of hybrid sales, the increase in hybrid volume combined with the general decrease in light-duty vehicle sales (earlier post) pushed the new vehicle market share for hybrids past the 3% mark for the first time, to 3.2%.

Survey Finds Widespread Adoption of Sustainable Seafood - 2008-05-06
While worldwide consumption and demand of seafood is increasing, stakeholders in the U.S. seafood industry are making efforts to support and advance sustainable seafood.

Oil briefly passes $120 a barrel on supply threats - 2008-05-05
Light, sweet crude for June delivery rose to a trading record of $120.21 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, before falling back to $119.46, up $3.14.

GreenTV Program Aims to Clean Up the Tube's Life-Cycle - 2008-05-05
The first part of the program involves working with major TV vendors to install and promote ambient light sensors, which automatically lower the set's brightness in a dark room by decreasing power to the backlight, saving as much as 30 percent of energy used by the TV, as well as reducing potential eyestrain.

US Car Sales in April Outpace Trucks for Second Month in a Row - 2008-05-05
Sales of passenger cars in the US in April exceeded the number of light trucks sold for the second month in a row, with 655,432 units sold compared to 591,122, according to figures from Autodata.

Target Turns to Submetering to Track Energy Use - 2008-05-05
Retailer Target has installed submetering systems by ADMMicro in more than 200 of its stores this year, a move aimed at maximizing energy efficiency throughout stores.

Gore-Headed VC Firms Rake in Millions for New Climate Funds - 2008-05-05
An investment company headed by Nobel Prize winner Al Gore has reportedly closed a new $683m fund for investing in green start up businesses.

U.K. Dairy Industry Unveils Plan for Packaging, Energy, Emissions - 2008-05-05
The UK milk industry and government have unveiled plans to increase the use of recycled materials in packaging, develop cleaner ways to handle waste and reduce the milk industry’s overall impact on the environment.

OfficeMax Unveils Line of TerraCycle's Made-from-Waste Office Products - 2008-05-02
The pencil cases in OfficeMax's newest retail offerings may look surprisingly familiar, even nostalgic to some shoppers. The cases are made from discarded containers of Capri Sun, the juice pouch more frequently seen on playgrounds than on end-caps.

Exelon Joins Supply Chain Study Group to Analyze and Reduce Emissions - 2008-05-02
Exelon yesterday announced its plans to measure the greenhouse gas emissions across its entire supply chain through the Carbon Disclosure Project's Supply Chain Leadership Collaboration, the first U.S.-based utility company to join the group.

UK Greenwash Complaints Quadrupled in 2007 - 2008-05-02
The number of complaints about UK ads that made green claims in 2007 was more than four times higher than greenwashing complaints in 2006.

AFS Trinity, Ricardo Introduce Joint Program for Fleet PHEVs - 2008-05-02
The partners say that many fleet operators could save up to 75% of what they are now paying for gasoline and diesel, and reduce fleet maintenance costs.

Water rationing possible this summer - 2008-05-02
State official says shortage is worst he's seen in 30 years. Fast-shrinking snowpack and below-normal reservoir levels are blamed.

Canada Biofuel Mandate Wins House Support - 2008-05-02
Canada's plan to ensure that gasoline contains 5 percent ethanol by 2010 won support in the House of Commons on Thursday despite increasing concern about the impact of biofuels on world food supplies.

European Climate Envoys Expect Little From Bush - 2008-05-01
European climate change diplomats said on Wednesday they don't expect much from the Bush administration, and figure whoever becomes the next US president will do more to combat global warming.

Rockefellers Call For Change At Exxon Mobil - 2008-05-01
Members of the Rockefeller family are calling on Exxon Mobil Corp to make corporate governance changes and adopt a renewable fuels strategy to help address the soaring cost of energy.

LEED Certification Could Benefit from Booming Industry in Coming Years: Report - 2008-05-01
As existing buildings become more efficient and new buildings are designed to have a much smaller impact, the green building industry is growing rapidly, from $12 billion in revenues last year to more than $42 billion by 2015, according to a new report from Frost & Sullivan, and LEED is the certification of choice for that industry.

GM Enters Strategic Relationship with Mascoma for Cellulosic Ethanol - 2008-05-01
General Motors Corp. and Mascoma Corp. have entered a strategic relationship to develop cellulosic ethanol based on Mascoma’s Consolidated Bioprocessing single-step biochemical conversion of non-grain biomass into low-carbon alternative fuels.

TNT Launches Australia’s First Hybrid Truck Fleet - 2008-05-01
TNT Express Australia has put 10 Hino Hybrid trucks into service, becoming the first business in Australia to start operating a fleet of diesel-electric hybrid as replacements for conventionally powered vehicles.