Green Investing News

September 2008 News Archives

Bulgaria Launches C02 Registry to Kick Off Trade - 2008-09-30
Bulgaria has opened a long-delayed national carbon dioxide registry which allows the Balkan country to launch trade in greenhouse gas emissions, an environment ministry official said on Monday.

Australia Seeks Public Discussion of Measures to Encourage the Adoption of More Fuel-Efficient Vehicles - 2008-09-30
The Australian Transport Council and the Environment Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC) Vehicle Fuel Efficiency Working Group, with support from the Australian Government, have released a public discussion paper on potential measures to increase the adoption of more fuel-efficient, low-carbon emission vehicles.

EERC 100% Renewable Biojet Fuel Meets Key JP-8 Standards - 2008-09-30
A 100% renewable biojet fuel produced by the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) at the University of North Dakota (UND) has met seven key JP-8 specification parameters, including freeze point, density, flash point, and energy content. EERC created the fuel samples from multiple renewable feedstocks and submitted them to the US Air Force Research Labs (AFRL) for testing.

Carbon Trust Doubles Loans to Help SMEs Cut CO2 - 2008-09-30
The Carbon Trust will now double the size of interest-free loans it offers small United Kingdom businesses to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency projects.

First RGGI Auction Raises Nearly $38.6M - 2008-09-30
North America's first auction of greenhouse gas emissions permits last week raised nearly $38.6 million that will go toward energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in six Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states.

UN Report Predicts Renewable Energy Can Create 20M Jobs by 2030 - 2008-09-30
Efforts to curb climate change are expected to create millions of jobs worldwide in the coming decades, according to a report from the United Nations Environment Programme.

Japan to Subsidise Solar Equipment Home Use - Nikkei - 2008-09-29
Japan plans to provide a subsidy of about 200,000 yen (US$1,887) to households that buy a solar power system to promote its use and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the Nikkei business daily said on Sunday.

US Senate Approves $25B Loan Package for Auto Industry - 2008-09-29
In a special session on Saturday, the US Senate passed leglislation including authorization for $25 billion in low-interest loans to automobile manufacturers for retooling older factories.

U. Mich. Battery Spin-Off Lands $3.0M in State Funding - 2008-09-29
Sakti3 intends to develop and commercialize an advanced manufacturing method for high- power batteries primarily for placement in electric vehicles.

Wineries Embrace Green Business Practices but Hesitate Telling Customers - 2008-09-29
The wine industry is pursuing alternative fuels, sustainable packaging and green building at a time when high gas prices and other factors are having a negative impact on their costs and profits.

Clinton Global Initiative Brings Big Corporate, NGO Commitments - 2008-09-26
Last year's Clinton Global Initiative meeting brought big news to the world of green building, with a $5 billion dollar commitment to green existing buildings in the world's biggest cities. This year's meeting brings a similarly impressive investments to several segments of the green economy.

From Sports Drinks to Tractors, Reusable Packaging Nets Numerous Savings - 2008-09-26
By switching from wood to plastic pallets, Gatorade’s Oakland bottling plant has eliminated waste from damaged products, cut down on labor, made the facility safer and reduced trucking emissions with lighter loads. But it all originated from an economic decision.

Wal-Mart to Cut Global Plastic Shopping Bag Waste - 2008-09-26
Wal-Mart Stores Inc said on Thursday it will cut its worldwide plastic shopping bag waste by an average of 33 percent per store by 2013, an effort the world's biggest retailer said could eliminate more than 135 million pounds of plastic waste globally.

EU Lawmakers Snub Big Carmakers Over Carbon Curbs - 2008-09-26
EU lawmakers rejected a bid to delay planned limits on carbon dioxide emissions from cars in a surprise backlash on Thursday against the motor industry's efforts to ease its burden in the fight against climate change.

PricewaterhouseCoopers to Cut CO2 by a Fifth - 2008-09-26
PricewaterhouseCoopers intends to cut greenhouse gas emissions 20 percent below 2007 levels by 2012, the professional services firm said this week.

FACTBOX - Global carbon emissions soar - 2008-09-25
Global carbon emissions are rising rapidly, an international study says, with production of carbon dioxide in 2007 up sharply from the year before through the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation and cement making.

in Green energy should create 20 million jobs by 2030: U.N. - 2008-09-25
Development of alternative energy should create more than 20 million jobs around the world in coming decades as governments adopt policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to a U.N. report released on Wednesday.

Green Energy Heads Offshore - 2008-09-25
Congress quietly lifted the ban on offshore oil drilling yesterday, opening the vast waters of the outer continental shelf to oil and gas companies eager to exploit the area's substantial energy resources. But oil rigs aren't the only thing you can expect to see being built offshore.

Portugal Opens Pioneer Commercial Wave Power Plant - 2008-09-24
The world's first commercial power plant converting the energy of sea waves into electricity started working off Portugal's coast on Tuesday in a project that should be expanded nearly 10-fold over the next few years.

Trina Solar to supply modules for convention ctr. - 2008-09-24
China-based solar energy company Trina Solar Ltd. said Wednesday it began shipments of 13,400 solar photovoltaic modules that will be used to create an assembly on the roof of the Atlantic City Convention Center.

Spain Eases Plan to Slash Subsidy for Solar Power - 2008-09-24
Spain has decided to ease proposed sharp cuts in a generous subsidy scheme to solar power producers in one of the world's hottest markets, Energy Secretary Pedro Marin said on Tuesday.

Solar stocks enjoy rally as US tax breaks renewed - 2008-09-24
Solar stocks rallied on Wednesday after the U.S. Senate voted to continue tax breaks worth $18 billion for renewable energy sources, including a generous eight-year extension for solar.

Australia's Wong Warns of Ongoing Water Shortage - 2008-09-24
Farmers in Australia's food bowl Murray-Darling river basin need to adapt to ongoing water shortages as climate change prolongs the worst drought in a century, Climate Change Minister Penny Wong said on Tuesday.

DOE Announces First Marine Energy Grants - 2008-09-23
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced the companies and groups that have been awarded grants through its Water Power Competitive Grant Solicitation.

Senate to vote on extending energy tax credits - 2008-09-23
The Senate will vote on Tuesday on legislation to extend tax breaks for using renewable energy sources and taking steps to save energy.

Slicing Solar Power Costs - 2008-09-23
University of Utah engineers devised a new way to slice thin wafers of the chemical element germanium for use in the most efficient type of solar cells.

Ocean Power deploys wave-energy buoy in Spain - 2008-09-23
Wave-power technology firm Ocean Power Technologies (OPTT.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) said on Tuesday it had deployed its first commercial wave-power generator in Spain, providing a launch pad for possible future deals in the UK and France.

Live Earth Show to Help Light Homes With Solar Energy - 2008-09-22
India will host the next Live Earth concert to raise funds for lighting homes with solar energy in places where people do not have access to electricity, organisers said.

Digg Del.icio.us Email Funding Roundup: Solar and Wind Startups, Along With Tesla Motors, Seek Capital - 2008-09-22
Public and private companies announced plans to raise money in the past week despite turmoil in the financial markets.

Australia to Set Up Carbon Capture Institute - 2008-09-22
Australia will set up a A$100 million (US$80 mln) carbon capture research institute aimed at fighting climate shift and with ambitions of becoming the world hub for the technology, the government said on Friday.

State-Level Policies Work; Utilities and States Issue RFPs for Renewable Energy - 2008-09-22
In an effort to diversify their generation portfolios, electric utilities across the U.S. have issued requests for proposals (RFPs) for renewable energy projects.

Economic Slowdown Won't Ease Carbon Emissions - 2008-09-22
Tumbling factory output following an economic slowdown will not be enough to curb rising industrial carbon emissions in Europe, analysts said on Friday.

California Air Board Says There's Dollars in Green - 2008-09-19
California's landmark legislation to cut carbon dioxide emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 will help the state's economy in the long run, according to a report issued Wednesday by the state agency charged with implementing the cuts.

Study Suggests Consumer Demand for Plug-in Hybrid Technology May Be Higher Relatively in Europe than in US - 2008-09-19
Figures from the annual AutoTECHCAST Europe study conducted by Harris Interactive show that 20% of Europeans are very (13%) or extremely likely (7%) to purchase a vehicle that has plug-in hybrid technology, not taking into account estimated market prices. A further 25% are likely to make that purchase.

University of the Pacific Seeks Silver LEED Rating for its New $38M Campus Center - 2008-09-19
The University of the Pacific is seeking a LEED silver designation for its new two-story 55,000-square-foot, $38 million University Center

Chinese Consumers Rate the Environment a Higher Priority Than Americans, British - 2008-09-19
Thirty-one percent of Chinese consumers rated the environment a higher priority than the economy compared with 17 percent of consumers in the U.S. and 28 percent in the U.K., according to recent surveys.

China Taps Emergency Water for "Grim" Beijing - 2008-09-19
China's capital started pumping "emergency" water from its long-parched neighbouring province on Thursday, with officials speaking of a "grim" shortfall weeks after the Olympics when they said the city had enough water.

India's Iconic Electric Car Gets Energised - 2008-09-19
Long before "green" cars became trendy in other parts of the world, a boxy electric two-seater began rolling out of a small factory in the Indian city of Bangalore, which was then emerging as a software services hub.

DOE to Provide Up to $7.3M for Advanced Water Power Projects - 2008-09-19
The US Department of Energy (DOE) has selected 14 projects for negotiation of awards of up to a total of $7.3 million, with a cost-shared value of more than $18 million, for Advanced Water Power Projects R&D. The projects will advance commercial viability, cost-competitiveness, and market acceptance of new technologies that can harness renewable energy from oceans and rivers.

Sapphire Raises Over US$100 Mln for Algae Crude - 2008-09-18
Private company Sapphire Energy, which aims to squeeze "green" crude oil from blooms of one of the planet's oldest life forms, said on Wednesday it has raised over US$100 million from investors.

Tesla Plans Silicon Valley Electric Car Factory - 2008-09-18
California electric sports car-maker Tesla Motors is building a US$250 million Silicon Valley plant to produce sedans that will roll onto US highways in late 2010, the company said ahead of a Wednesday announcement.

South Korea Launches First Carbon Trading Company - 2008-09-18
South Korea said on Wednesday it would launch its first carbon trading firm to fund clean energy projects and encourage investment in emission trading, joining the global push to tap the US$64 billion carbon market to fight climate change.

Kraft Turns Cheese Waste into Energy - 2008-09-18
Kraft is the latest company to turn part of its waste stream into a bigger bottom line.

Using Recycled Shipping Containers as Building Blocks for Green Construction - 2008-09-18
Amid neck-craning stacks of shipping containers at an Alameda depot, a building crew has worked for the past two weeks to fashion an eco-friendly, two-story structure from five recycled and refurbished steel cubes that had been used to haul cargo.

China’s R&D Efforts on Li-Ion Batteries for Transportation - 2008-09-18
China, already a global center for lithium-ion battery component production and battery manufacturing, is ramping up its research and development efforts in the field, both within the private sector and with government support.

Carbon Trust Urges Firms to Learn 'Carbon Literacy' - 2008-09-17
According to the Carbon Trust's annual report, businesses working with the organization cut their carbon footprint by almost two million tonnes last year – an increase of half a million tonnes on the previous year.

APS Report Calls for Policy Focus on Efficiency to Reduce Oil Consumption and GHG Emissions - 2008-09-17
A new report from an American Physical Society (APS) study panel concludes that improving energy efficiency of vehicles and buildings through numerous existing technologies is a relatively easy and inexpensive way to significantly reduce the US’ demand for imported oil and its greenhouse gas emissions without loss of comfort or convenience.

Report Calls for US$100B Federal Investment in Clean Energy Over Two Years - 2008-09-17
A US$100-billion federal investment in clean energy technologies over the next two years would result in the creation of 2 million new jobs with a significant proportion of that in the struggling construction and manufacturing sectors, according to a report released by the Center for American Progress.

GM Formally Unveils the Production Version of the Volt - 2008-09-16
General Motors marked its centenary today by unveiling the much-anticipated production version of the Chevrolet Volt extended range electric vehicle. The design of the Chevrolet Volt production car has changed from the original concept that was unveiled at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

City OKs parking tax raise - 2008-09-16
The Baltimore City Council voted yesterday to increase the parking tax and use the expected $4.5 million in revenue to operate a fleet of shuttle buses to ferry people around downtown neighborhoods.

California Builds New Green Central Plant for its Capital - 2008-09-16
The state of California is building a new environmentally friendly central plant to heat and cool more than 5.5 million square feet of office space in the Capitol and 22 other state buildings in the downtown area.

HOK, Biomimicry Guild Partner to Bring Nature to Cities and Buildings - 2008-09-16
Citing a company-wide responsibility to take sustainable design seriously, HOK, one of the world's largest architecture firms, announced yesterday that it had formed a partnership with the Biomimicry Guild to incorporate cutting-edge ideas from nature into HOK's designs for buildings, towns and cities.

EIA: PHEV40s Could Come Close to Matching Energy and Emissions Benefits of Fuel Cell Vehicles - 2008-09-15
Competition from other promising new vehicle technologies, such as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) that could run on electricity from the grid for 50 to 80 percent of their travel, as well as continued improvement in more conventional technologies, make the prospect of widespread use of hydrogen FCVs an even greater challenge.

AIA Calls for Extension of Green Commercial Buildings Incentives - 2008-09-15
The American Institute of Architects is calling for Congress to support the Energy Efficient Commercial Buildings Tax Deduction and prevent the incentive from sunsetting at the end of the year.

JohnsonDiversey to Invest Millions to Cut Carbon Footprint - 2008-09-15
JohnsonDiversey plans to spend $19 million to reduce its carbon emissions 8 percent during the next five years.

EPA Awards Grocers Giant Eagle, Harris Teeter for Slashing Refrigerant Emissions - 2008-09-12
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency singled out Giant Eagle Inc. and Harris Teeter Inc. for emitting the least amount of ozone-depleting refrigerant among a group of food retailers and others that pledged to cut their emissions below the industry standard.

Congress Outlines Green Car Rescue Package - 2008-09-12
The ailing U.S. auto industry could soon receive a major shot in the arm in the form of $25 billion in low interest loans from the federal government, designed to help manufacturers meet new fuel efficiency standards and accelerate the development of low carbon vehicles.

New Zealand Passes Climate Change Emissions Trading Bill; Coverage of Liquid Fossil Fuels for Transportation Begins in 2011 - 2008-09-11
New Zealand’s Parliament passed the Climate Change (Emissions Trading and Renewable Preference) Bill, thereby establishing the framework for the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme (NZ ETS).

Assessing the Impact of Global Peak Oil on the Climate - 2008-09-11
A new paper by Pushker Kharecha and James Hansen at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and Columbia University Earth Institute shows that if proven conventional oil and gas reserves do not greatly exceed estimates of the Energy Information Administration—i.e., if conventional production peaks during the next few decades—it will be feasible to keep atmospheric CO2 from exceeding about 450 ppm by 2100, provided that emissions from coal, unconventional fossil fuels, and land use are constrained.

Apple Announces 'Cleanest' iPods - 2008-09-11
At the company's September event, CEO Steve Jobs touched on the environmental aspects of the new Nano, which has arsenic-free glass and doesn't contain any PVC, mercury or brominated flame retardants (BFRs).

A Plan for Creating Two Million Green Jobs in Two Years - 2008-09-10
The U.S. holds the potential to generate two million jobs in two years with a $100 billion investment in cleantech, according to new report.

EDF Energy and Toyota Launch UK Trials of PHEV - 2008-09-10
EDF Energy and Toyota are extending their European plug-in hybrid testing program to the UK. The beginning of the UK road trials marks the first introduction of a PHEV by a car manufacturer to the UK.

Mazda Develops Plastic Molding Technology Which Reduces Consumption of Plastic Resins by 30% - 2008-09-10
As part of its efforts to reduce vehicle weight, Mazda Motor Corporation has developed a new plastic molding technology that enables a substantial reduction in the weight of plastic parts used in vehicles. This plastic molding manufacturing technique cuts the consumption of plastic resins that are used as raw material by approximately 20 to 30%, with associated reductions in vehicle weight.

Tesla Completes Development of “Powertrain 1.5”; BorgWarner to Manufacture Gearbox - 2008-09-10
The new powertrain delivers about 30% higher motor torque on the single gear ratio, and it achieves a 10% higher EPA combined rating of 244 miles per charge. Torque increases 33% from 211 lb-ft (286 Nm) to 280 lb-ft (380 Nm).

Updated Green Seal Cleaning Products Standard Focuses on Kids, Vulnerable Populations - 2008-09-09
Protecting the health of school-age children and other sensitive and vulnerable populations is a key focus of latest version of the Green Seal Environmental Standard for Industrial and Institutional Cleaners, the organization said releasing its updated guidelines.

Green Sectors Key to New U.K. Manufacturing Strategy - 2008-09-09
The U.K. government plans to invest almost £150 million into programs to boost the manufacturing industry, including support of low emission vehicles and renewable and nuclear energy.

Transportation Scenarios for Meeting California’s 80% GHG Reduction Target by 2050 - 2008-09-09
A new study by researchers at the Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Davis analyzes mitigation options and presents future scenarios for meeting California’s ambitious greenhouse gas emission reductions goal (80% below 1990 levels by 2050, earlier post), focusing specifically on the transportation sector, including light-duty, heavy-duty, agricultural, off-road, rail, aircraft, and marine vehicles.

The First Green Globes Rating in Oregon Goes to Head Start Pre-School - 2008-09-08
A 5,000-square-foot Head Start pre-school in eastern Oregon has become the first building in the state to receive an eco-friendly rating from the Green Building Initiative under its Green Globes environmental assessment system.

Xerox, DuPont and Bosch Free More Than 50 Eco-Patents for Public Use - 2008-09-08
When the World Business Council on Sustainable Development in January 2008 launched the Eco-Patents Commons in partnership with IBM, Sony, Nokia and Pitney-Bowes, it was an unprecedented step in the development of clean technologies. Here were leading companies -- and, in IBM's case, the U.S. company with the most patents, year after year -- giving away ideas so that other companies could either apply to their own operations or work from to develop their own, new and patentable inventions.

Germany Engulfed in Row Over Nuclear Waste Sites - 2008-09-08
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday called for a decision on where to store radioactive nuclear material after a scandal over leaks at a depot this week sparked a row about what to do with atomic waste.

European Parliament Calls for 40% of EU Transport Appropriations for Railways and Freight - 2008-09-08
The European Parliament adopted a resolution calling on the European Commission to allocate at least 40% of EU transport infrastructure appropriations to the railways and prioritize freight to reduce the need for road transport.

Half of GM Plants to Be Landfill-Free By Late 2010 - 2008-09-08
General Motors plans to reduce, reuse, and recycle all waste from more than 80 manufacturing plants around the world by the end of 2010.

Daimler and RWE Launch EV Project in Berlin; 100+ EVs, 500 Charging Points - 2008-09-05
Daimler AG and RWE AG have jointly launched a large-scale electric vehicle (EV) trial in Berlin: e-mobility Berlin. Daimler will provide more than 100 electric cars from Mercedes-Benz and smart as well as the vehicle service.

Scientists Explore Floating 'Eco-Rigs' as Power Source for Japan - 2008-09-05
Scientists in Japan are exploring the use of huge cleantech generators that would float at sea as a power source for the country, Japan's leading daily newspaper reported.

UK Approves Building of Major Offshore Wind Farm - 2008-09-05
The British government has approved construction of a 500-megawatt offshore wind farm in Cumbria, northwest England, the government said on Thursday.

Manufacturers Poised for Energy Efficiency Opportunity - 2008-09-04
U.S. manufacturers on the cusp of investing to boost capacity face a great opportunity to incorporate energy efficiency in their decision-making.

Italy Next Solar Hot Spot, Spain Cools - 2008-09-03
Italy could be Europe's next big solar power market after Spain, which will slash generous subsidies later this month, a leading solar industy figure told Reuters on Tuesday.

HP Reduces Laptop Packaging 97 Percent for Wal-Mart - 2008-09-03
Accepting a challenge from Wal-Mart to reduce packaging, HP is selling its latest notebook PC in a recycled laptop bag with 97 percent less packaging that typical laptops.

Scotland Could Boost Hydropower by 50 Pct - Study - 2008-09-03
Scotland has potential to raise hydropower capacity by about a half, helping Britain cut greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate global warming, a new study showed on Tuesday.

China Passes New Green Laws Aimed at Businesses - 2008-09-03
Companies operating in China are to face tough new green legislation after the country's top legislature passed a package of laws designed to underpin the government's climate change strategy.

Arizona State Spins Out Technology for Algal Bio-Kerosene for Jet Fuel - 2008-09-03
Arizona State University (ASU) has entered into a research and commercialization collaboration with Heliae Development, LLC and Science Foundation Arizona (SFAz) to develop, produce and sell bio-kerosene-based aviation fuel derived from algae.

UN Chief Says Insufficient Progress Made on Water - 2008-09-02
One billion people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water and countries must try harder to reach their goals on sanitation, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said on Monday.

U.S., Australia and Iceland Team to Tap Geothermal Energy - 2008-09-02
The U.S. Dept. of Energy formed a partnership with Australia and Iceland to advance an untapped renewable energy source that can help address climate change: enhanced geothermal systems (EGS).

Green Roof Planned for PECO Headquarters - 2008-09-02
Joined by civic leaders, PECO is set to unveil its plans today for a 45,000-square-foot living roof atop a section of the headquarters for the Philadelphia-based electric and natural gas utility.

Toyota Releases “Sustainability Report 2008”, Looks to “Liquid Peak” - 2008-09-02
Concurrent with the release of its annual financial report, Toyota has published Sustainability Report 2008: Towards a New Future for People, Society, and the Planet.

Mayor of London Launches Climate Change Adaptation Strategy - 2008-09-01
Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, launched the London Climate Change Adaptation Strategy—one of the first comprehensive climate change adaptation strategies produced by any major city worldwide.

European Poll Finds 87% Support Urgent 25% Reduction in New Car Fuel Consumption - 2008-09-01
An opinion poll in five major European countries—France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK— found a strong majority (87%) of those surveyed support an urgent reduction in new car fuel consumption of 25%—equivalent to the 120 g CO2/km target being discussed by the European Parliament.

Bosch Samsung Li-Ion JV Begins Operations; $300-400M Investment Over 5 Years - 2008-09-01
SB LiMotive, the 50-50 joint venture of Bosch and Samsung SDI for the development, manufacture, and sale of lithium-ion batteries for automotive applications, has begun operations.