Green Investing News

June 2008 News Archives

FACTBOX-Key Facts About the Disappearing Aral Sea - 2008-06-30
The Aral Sea, once the world's fourth largest lake, has shrunk by 70 percent in recent decades in what environmentalists describe as one of the worst man-made ecological disasters.

Green energy blooms in the desert - 2008-06-30
The tradition of nicknaming US states has made Florida the Sunshine State and Alaska the Last Frontier. But only one has given itself a second moniker, a move that matches its bold environmental vision.

Hawaii requires solar water heaters for new homes - 2008-06-30
With a heavy reliance on imported fossil fuels, Hawaii has become the first state to require solar water heaters in new homes, pleasing environmentalists but leading opponents to note the island chain's already high home prices.

Emission targets will add 20pc to household energy bills - 2008-06-30
Households already under pressure from soaring energy bills will see gas and electricity costs rise by an extra 20pc so that the UK can fund ambitious emission targets, according to a new report.

CBS Joins Mayors to Green U.S. Cities - 2008-06-23
CBS Corp. will work with mayors around the U.S. to bring green projects, such as renewable energy and green building, to cities across the country.

Daimler Takes Aim at Fuel Efficiency Across Entire Fleet - 2008-06-23
The company’s BlueEFFICIENCY program will begin with 20 models this year to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and improve fuel economy by 12 percent, Reuters reported.

Japan to Promote Solar Power for Households - Nikkei - 2008-06-23
The Japanese government will come up with measures on Tuesday to promote the household use of solar power systems by introducing subsidies and tax breaks from next year, the Nikkei financial daily reported on Sunday.

Britain Promises "Green Revolution" With Energy Plan - 2008-06-23
As many as a quarter of British homes could be fitted with solar heating systems and thousands of wind turbines erected across the country under government plans for a "green revolution" to be set out next week.

Beijing to Launch Olympic Odd-Even Car Ban in July - 2008-06-23
Authorities hope the regulations will take 45 percent of the city's 3.29 million cars off the road and reduce emissions from vehicles by 63 percent, officials told a news conference.

Mazda Targeting Average 30% Cut in Fuel Consumption of All its Cars by 2015 - 2008-06-23
Mazda Motor Corporation is targeting an average 30% reduction in the fuel consumption of its new vehicles worldwide by 2015. To achieve the reduction, Mazda will apply lightweight technologies, upgrade almost all of its gasoline engines, introduce the Smart Idle Stop System worldwide, and introduce a new gasoline rotary engine and new diesel engines worldwide.

Getting Power From Salty Water - 2008-06-19
Scientists at Norwegian renewable-energy company Statkraft aim to use osmosis to generate electric power. It's a tantalizing prospect: Based on an estimate of the number of rivers around the world with suitable conditions, it's a potential source of 1,700 terawatt hours a year of energy globally, according to estimates by Statkraft's scientists.

DOE to Invest up to $90 Million in Advanced Geothermal Energy Technology and Research - 2008-06-19
The US Department of Energy (DOE) issued a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for up to $90 million over four years to advance the research, development and demonstration of next-generation geothermal energy technology to harness the earth’s interior heat extracted from hot water or rocks.

Honeywell Launches Green Power Evaluation Tool - 2008-06-19
The Renewable Energy Scorecard evaluates solar, wind, biomass and geothermal for a given location and offers information for each on the payback, tax implications, rebates, subsidies and other incentives.

One Third of Mauritius Electricity to Come From Sugar - 2008-06-19
Hit by rising global energy prices, the Indian Ocean nation aims to produce 40 percent of electricity from renewable sources within a decade, the government announced this month.

Australia Food Bowl Areas "Beyond Repair in Months" - 2008-06-19
Parts of Australia's key Murray-Darling river food bowl may be beyond recovery unless a prolonged dry spell and political wrangling over water use ends by October, a leaked scientific report warned on Wednesday.

Japan Firms Use Master Contract to Trade Emissions - 2008-06-18
Marubeni Corp and Nikko Citigroup Ltd said on Tuesday they have agreed a master contract to trade UN approved carbon emissions between them, becoming the first Japanese companies to do so.

Race for Hybrid Heavy Machines Heats Up as Oil Rises - 2008-06-18
Bulldozers, front-end loaders and excavators used in building and mining projects are going hybrid amid surging fuel costs, and Japan again seems to be in the lead.

Supermarkets Failing to Adopt Sustainable Seafood Buying Practices: Report - 2008-06-18
Grocery stores across the U.S. are contributing to the demise of global fisheries by stocking shelves with fragile fish varieties and failing to develop sustainable purchasing strategies, according to a new report.

Innergy Power to Develop and Manufacture Fast-Charge Optimized Battery Systems for a Range of Applications, Including PHEVs and EVs - 2008-06-17
ECOtality, Inc.’s subsidiary Innergy Power Corporation will develop and manufacture fast-charge optimized battery systems for a variety of different electric transportation applications, ranging from electric bikes to full-sized passenger electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs).

M'bishi, Peugeot Strike Electric Car Alliance - Report - 2008-06-17
Mitsubishi Motors Corp will tie up with France's PSA Peugeot Citroen in the production of electric vehicles, supplying technology and next-generation batteries, a newspaper reported on Monday.

Africa Could Triple Food Output Quickly - UN - 2008-06-17
To counter the global food crisis, Africa could triple or quadruple domestic production over two seasons through simple changes to agricultural practices, a United Nations food expert said on Monday.

US Coal Production Unlikely to Sate World Demand - 2008-06-17
US coal production has room to grow, but expansion is unlikely to meet surging world demand because miners fear a boom-bust cycle, key reserves are declining, and regulation has tightened.

IBM Links With Japan's TOK to Develop Solar Technology - 2008-06-17
IBM has joined forces with semiconductor process company Tokyo Ohka Kogyo (TOK) to develop more efficient solar power technologies to cut the cost of the clean energy source, the companies said on Monday.

Food Supply Fears Mirror Oil Worries at Saudi Summit - 2008-06-17
Record oil prices and their impact on the industrialised world will no doubt dominate the agenda, but food security could also feature as arid Middle East states worry about affordably feeding their rapidly growing populations.

Bay Area Getting $140 Million for Cleaner Freight Transport - 2008-06-17
The Bay Area Goods Movement Program will provide more than $35 million this year for public and private entities to make their trucks, trains and harbor vehicles cleaner.

GM, GE and Ford Join DOE to Advance PHEVs - 2008-06-16
The Department of Energy will dedicate $30 million toward advancing plug-in electric vehicles (PHEV) through a partnership with General Motors, Ford and General Electric.

US Eyes Deal on Slashing Clean Technology Tariffs - 2008-06-16
The United States hopes the world's major economies will agree to remove trade barriers on clean energy technologies when they meet alongside the Group of Eight rich nations next month, a senior official said on Friday.

Bosch and Samsung SDI Co. Ltd. Establish JV for Automotive Li-Ion Batteries - 2008-06-16
Robert Bosch GmbH and Samsung SDI Co. Ltd. are establishing a joint venture to develop, manufacture, and sell lithium-ion batteries for automotive applications. The joint venture—SB LiMotive Co. Ltd.—will be headquartered in Korea, and will start operations in September 2008, with production beginning in 2010.

Europe Urged to Shrink Paper Use - 2008-06-16
The paper industry's total carbon footprint is estimated to be three times higher than the aviation industry and Europeans use four times as much paper as the global average.

New Finding Links Pollution to Childhood Allergies - 2008-06-16
German researchers say they have found some of the strongest evidence yet linking traffic pollution to childhood allergies.

Horizon Lines Targets Environment, Emissions With New Programs - 2008-06-16
Horizon Lines, a domestic ocean shipping and transportation company, has announced a number of environmental programs targeting all major sectors of its operations.

Ford Delivers FlexFuel PHEV to DOE - 2008-06-12
Ford Motor Company delivered its first flexible-fuel capable plug-in hybrid (PHEV) SUV to the US Department of Energy (DOE).

Four Homebuilders Settle US Pollution Case - 2008-06-12
The US Justice Department said Wednesday four of the biggest US homebuilders agreed to settle water pollution allegations with penalties totaling US$4.3 million.

Toyota to Start Lithium-Ion Battery Output in 2009 - 2008-06-12
Toyota Motor Corp said on Wednesday its battery joint venture with Matsushita Electric Industrial Co will start full-scale production of lithium-ion batteries in 2010 as it aims to roll out more electricity-driven cars over the next few years.

Israel Site for California Solar Power Test - 2008-06-12
Energy company BrightSource Energy Inc said it will open a solar "power tower" in Israel this week to test new technology it will use when building power plants next year in California.

Dial Debuts 'Green Assurance Program' for Cleaning Products - 2008-06-12
The Dial Corp. unveiled a program that will promote green cleaning products that are geared toward healthcare facility managers.

Energy Costs Go Up as Use Goes Down - 2008-06-12
Although energy costs related to operating buildings have gone up in recent years, buildings are using less energy, according to a survey of facility managers.

California ARB Proposes Low-Sulfur Fuel Rules for Ocean-Going Vessels - 2008-06-12
The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has released a proposed regulation that would require ocean-going vessels within 24 nautical miles off California’s coastline to use lower-sulfur marine distillates rather than heavily polluting heavy fuel oil (bunker fuel) in their main and auxiliary engines, and boilers.

Algenol Trains Algae to Turn Carbon Into Ethanol - 2008-06-12
Private US company Algenol plans to make ethanol from a primordial green soup that won't raise food costs compared to other biofuel feedstocks like corn and sugar cane.

Algenol Trains Algae to Turn Carbon Into Ethanol - 2008-06-11
Private US company Algenol plans to make ethanol from a primordial green soup that won't raise food costs compared to other biofuel feedstocks like corn and sugar cane.

Israel Site for California Solar Power Test - 2008-06-11
Energy company BrightSource Energy Inc said it will open a solar "power tower" in Israel this week to test new technology it will use when building power plants next year in California.

Toyota to Start Lithium-Ion Battery Output in 2009 - 2008-06-11
Toyota Motor Corp said on Wednesday its battery joint venture with Matsushita Electric Industrial Co will start full-scale production of lithium-ion batteries in 2010 as it aims to roll out more electricity-driven cars over the next few years.

Storage Boosts the Power of Renewable Energy - 2008-06-11
Pressing concerns about how to integrate large amounts of renewable energy into the grid was the topic at the recently held Electricity Storage Association's Annual Meeting in California.

Airlines Analyze Operations to Save Fuel - 2008-06-11
Airlines have recently announced fees for checked luggage, flight reductions and jobs cuts in their bid to offset rising fuel prices.

Port of San Diego Launching Clean Truck Program - 2008-06-10
The Port of San Diego is launching its own clean truck program, in line with programs at other major California ports.

Green Jobs Thrive in UK - 2008-06-10
While the UK has seen job losses throughout the finance and property sectors, there has been a rise in jobs related to climate change and corporate social responsibility.

Germany, France Agree Phased-In Car Emissions Limit - 2008-06-10
Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany and France have agreed to a European Commission goal of cutting average carbon dioxide emissions for new cars but with a "substantial" phasing-in period for broader fleets.

Duke Energy to Invest US$100 Million in Solar Power - 2008-06-10
Duke Energy Corp said Monday it plans to spend US$100 million to install solar panels at up to 850 homes, schools, stores and factories in North Carolina.

UK to Give Waterless Washing Machine a Spin - 2008-06-10
A washing machine using as little as a cup of water for each washing cycle could go on sale to environmentally conscious Britons next year.

Gas pushes above $4, oil falls on profit-taking - 2008-06-09
Retail gas prices rose further above a national average of $4 Monday, as distributors and retailers hiked prices in response to Friday's unprecedented rally in the oil futures market. Oil futures, meanwhile, retreated as investors sold to lock in profits from the run-up, though oil prices may be headed even higher.

U.S. House Pledges Billions for Green Schools - 2008-06-09
The 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act will retrofit and build green schools to be more energy efficient and provide a healthier environment for students. The legislation will now move to the Senate but the White House may veto the bill because of the price tag.

Marine Power Lags Wind by Only 5 Years - Triodos - 2008-06-09
Technology to make electricity from wave and tidal power lags maturer wind power schemes by just five years and will catch up rapidly, according to Triodos, one of the first banks to invest in wind in the 1980s.

Report Concludes that 10% Deployment of Existing Hybrid and Battery Electric Vehicles Could Deliver 3.5% Cut in Irish Road Transport CO2 Emissions - 2008-06-06
The report found that efficiency improvements for adopting currently available hybrid and battery electric vehicles to replace conventional vehicles are greatest for vans, cars and buses in urban service.

Mexico City Plants Lawns On Roofs To Fight Warming - 2008-06-06
Mexico City, one of the world's most polluted capitals, is planting rooftop gardens on public buildings as part of a program launched on Thursday to combat global warming.

Oil jumps almost $7 a barrel to $134 on weak dollar, forecast - 2008-06-06
Oil prices shot up nearly $7 a barrel Friday, extending big gains from the previous day and racing toward an all-time high after a Morgan Stanley analyst predicted prices could hit $150 by the Fourth of July.

Banco Real Wins Top Sustainable Banking Award from Financial Times - 2008-06-05
At the third annual Financial Times Sustainable Banking Awards in London this week, Brazilian bank Banco Real took home two of the top prizes: the top Sustainable Emerging Markets Bank and the overall Sustainable Bank of the Year.

DOE Taps Manufacturers to Advance Wind Power - 2008-06-05
The Dept. of Energy joined forces with six major wind turbine makers this week in a bid to grow wind energy production high enough to account for a fifth of total generation by 2030.

Hilton, Cox Communications Announce Sustainability Plans, Programs - 2008-06-05
The Hilton Hotels Corporation has announced sustainability goals it hopes to meet by 2014, and Cox Communications has unveiled its latest efforts to conserve energy and resources.

US should weigh impact of Canada oil sands -report - 2008-06-05
US regulators should weigh the environmental impact of oil sands extraction in Canada before granting permits for pipelines that will carry the rising flood of Canadian crude to refineries in the United States, a green group said Wednesday.

US cities, firms to push consumer climate fight - 2008-06-05
A campaign founded in Europe to help consumers fight climate change will be launched in the United States on Thursday by US cities including New York, leading American companies and non-profit groups.

Solartaxi World Tour Coming to US and Canada - 2008-06-05
The Solartaxi is an electric trike (two wheels up front, one in the rear) with a five-meter solar trailer covered with 6 m2 of solar cells generating 850W.

Continental Takes 16% Stake in Li-Ion Company Enax; Partners to Develop Cells for Future HEVs and EVs - 2008-06-04
International automotive supplier Continental has taken a 16% share in the Japanese lithium-ion battery company Enax, a developer and manufacturer of high-power and high-energy lithium-ion cells.

HP Licenses High-Efficiency Solar Tech to Speed Innovation - 2008-06-04
Hewlett-Packard today announced that it has entered into a licensing agreement with Xtreme Energetics to incorporate HP's transparent transistor technology into highly efficient solar panels, allowing for both more productive and more widespread installations of solar power systems.

BT Makes a Big Climate Commitment - 2008-06-03
Telecom company BT announced a long-term goal of cutting its carbon emissions intensity 80 percent below 1996 levels by 2020.

Postal Services Around the Globe to Begin Tracking Emissions - 2008-06-03
Twenty-four postal services yesterday announced the creation of a carbon-measurement and -monitoring system that aims to standardize how the global mail industry reports its greenhouse gas emissions.

Hitachi Planning to Commercialize its Next-Generation of Automotive Li-ion Batteries in 3-4 Years - 2008-06-03
The Nikkei reported that Hitachi plans to commercialize automotive lithium-ion batteries featuring its next-generation materials for use in hybrid cars within the next three to four years.

Turkish Government Decides To Approve Kyoto Protocol - 2008-06-03
The Turkish government has decided to approve the Kyoto Protocol. the UN-led global climate pact, and will send a bill on the issue to parliament shortly, a government spokesman said on Monday.

US Wind Sector Urges Tax Credit, Power Line Work - 2008-06-03
The United States must keep offering tax credits for alternative energy projects and take steps to simplify building of large power lines if the country is to meet a goal of getting 20 percent of its electric supply from wind power by 2030, a panel of experts said on Monday.

GM Responds to Changing Market in US: New Fuel-Efficient Products, Production Funding for Volt, Shutting SUV Production, Re-assessing HUMMER - 2008-06-03
GM announced a range of strategic initiatives in response to growing demand for fuel-efficient vehicles and to economic and market challenges in North America.

Survey Finds High Energy Prices Beginning to Change US Driver Behavior - 2008-06-03
A national energy survey of 1,007 US respondents by RBC Capital Markets, released in conjunction with the investment bank’s annual North American Energy Conference being held in New York, found that in response to higher prices at the pump, 76% of those polled said they are driving less, 19% are using or plan to take public transportation more often and 11% have made or are considering carpool arrangements.

Two Biggest Canadian Provinces Sign Emissions Deal - 2008-06-03
In a rebuff to the Canadian government's plan to fight climate change, the country's two biggest provinces agreed in principle on Monday to set up a market-based system to curb greenhouse gas emissions.