Green Investing News

November 2008 News Archives

Project FROG Becomes a Cinderella Story for Modular Construction - 2008-11-26
Project FROG’s quick-build, energy-neutral classroom of the future came to Greenbuild for its debut and departed the international conference amid announcements this week that the prototype will be used for a state-of-the-art science complex at a Connecticut school.

UK Says Supports EU Climate Plan Despite Recession - 2008-11-26
Britain supports the European Union's tough climate change proposals even as Europe falls into recession, the UK minister of state for energy and climate change told a conference on Tuesday.

Japan Aims To Limit Speculation In Emissions Trade - 2008-11-26
Japan's prime minister wants to limit speculative trading in his country's carbon emissions trading scheme, a senior policy negotiator said on Tuesday.

More Americans Are Getting On The Bus - 2008-11-26
Many Americans have abandoned their love of getting behind the wheel during the last year, and opted to hop on buses instead, according to a study released this week.

U.K's. Packaging Policy Will Change Recycling Focus - 2008-11-26
The U.K.'s new packaging policy will focus on material optimization, increased recycling rates and better communication of recycling system funding.

London Olympics Goes for the Green with Sustainable Sourcing Code - 2008-11-26
The organizing committee behind the 2012 Olympic Games has unveiled a guide to procuring products, services and promotional items that meet strict social and environmental standards.

UL Enters the Battle Against Greenwashing - 2008-11-25
Underwriters Laboratories, the 114-year-old organization known for consumer product safety testing, is adding a new dimension to its business and will soon offer assessment and certification of environmental product claims among its array of services.

UK Announces Sharp Rise In Air Passenger Duty - 2008-11-25
The tax for flying out of British airports is to be raised by at least 10 percent and will double in some cases by 2010, the government said, giving its green credentials a boost and handing the Treasury much-needed income.

Foam Food Container Ban Proposed in California - 2008-11-25
A proposed strategy for reducing ocean litter calls for a statewide ban on foam food containers, fees for using plastic and paper bags, and making producers responsible for the collection and disposal of packaging.

Portugal and Renault-Nissan Alliance Implement EV Agreement for 2010 - 2008-11-25
The Government of Portugal and the Renault-Nissan Alliance announced a comprehensive partnership to deliver zero emission mobility to Portugal from 2010. The plan will utilize electric vehicles supplied by the Alliance, and will leverage an extensive charging network that will be built across Portugal over the next three years.

Electric Car Networks Heading For the West Coast - 2008-11-24
Electric cars and the infrastructure needed to power them got a big push on several fronts last week with the announcements of new networks in two states.

San Francisco Plans To Be Electric Car Capital - 2008-11-24
San Francisco Bay Area cities promised to build the electric car capital of the United States, announcing a plan Thursday to work with start-up Better Place to put battery-powered autos on the road in 2012.

Waxman Win Elevates Energy, Climate Change Issues - 2008-11-24
US Rep. Henry Waxman, a California liberal, won the chairmanship of a key congressional energy committee on Thursday and promised to work closely with President-elect Barack Obama to promote alternative energy, ease global warming and expand healthcare.

Court Voids Shell's Beaufort Sea Drilling Plan - 2008-11-24
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday blocked a major oil-drilling program in the Beaufort Sea, ruling that federal officials failed to address environmental impacts when they granted permission to Shell Oil to drill wells over a three-year period.

Portugal Sees Mass Use Of Electric Cars In 2011 - 2008-11-24
Portugal will build 1,300 charging stations for electric cars by the end of 2011 as part of a deal with Renault and Nissan to promote zero-emission vehicles, the government and the auto makers said on Saturday.

P&G On Track to Meet Five-Year Environmental Goals - 2008-11-24
Within the first year of a five-year effort to reduce resource use, sell better products and help children around the world, Procter & Gamble says it is on course to meet its goals, partially building on past efforts.

Electric Truck Exclusively Options Regenerative Magnetic Shock Absorber Technology from Tufts - 2008-11-24
Electric Truck, LLC (ET) has exclusively optioned commercial rights to a technology from Tufts University that can recharge the batteries of any hybrid electric and electric-powered vehicle while it is driven.

Wal-Mart in Wind Energy Deal with Duke Energy - 2008-11-21
Wal-Mart Stores Inc said on Thursday that it had entered into a partnership with Duke Energy to have wind power supply up to 15 percent of its energy load for roughly 360 of its stores and facilities in Texas.

Aussie Miners Turn To Solar Tower Power - 2008-11-21
Australian mining firms, hit by high fuel costs and falling commodity prices, could soon swap their diesel generators for 24-hour, solar-power systems, the head of a private renewable power firm said on Thursday.

Calif. Businesses Join Chorus of Support for Climate Laws - 2008-11-21
A group of California businesses and trade associations on Thursday threw their support behind the state's climate change regulations, arguing the efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions amount to an enormous economic opportunity.

SF Bay Area Mayors Announce Coordinated Policies to Accelerate Establishment of EV Infrastructure; Better Place to Enter US Market in California - 2008-11-21
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed and Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums announced a nine-point policy plan to establish a pervasive infrastructure to transform the SF Bay Area into the “Electric Vehicle (EV) Capital of the US”. In conjunction with the news, Better Place announced that it would enter the US market with California as its first state, beginning in the Bay Area.

Renault-Nissan Alliance Adds Oregon and Monaco to Growing Roster of EV Partners - 2008-11-21
The Renault-Nissan Alliance has added two more partners for the development and promotion of a charging infrastructure to support electric vehicles: the US state of Oregon, and the Principality of Monaco. Since July this year, the Alliance has announced partnerships with Portugal, the City of Yokohama in Japan, the US state of Tennessee, and French utility giant EDF. In addition, the Alliance is also partnering with Better Place.

Green Building Could Triple in Five Years: Report - 2008-11-20
A new study from McGraw-Hill Construction says the potential for continued growth in the green building market is huge and projects a possible tripling in the value of eco-friendly construction starts to reach as much as $140 billion.

INTERVIEW -Obama Climate Pledge "Very Positive" - UN Official - 2008-11-20
Barack Obama's pledge to work to reduce emissions sharply by 2020 is a "huge signal" of encouragement to countries negotiating a new climate pact, the head of the UN Climate Change Secretariat said on Wednesday.

Canada Wants North American Cap-And-Trade System - 2008-11-20
Canada's Conservative government said on Wednesday that it would work to develop a North America-wide cap-and-trade system to limit emissions of greenhouse gases.

Xerox Gearing Up to Produce Energy-Efficient Toner - 2008-11-20
The Xerox Corporation is installing six 25,000-gallon tanks at its Webster, N.Y., toner production plant, leading up to when it begins making a toner next year that requires less energy to use.

Nike, Sun, Starbucks, Timberland and Levi Strauss Team For Strong Climate Laws - 2008-11-20
Nike, Starbucks, Sun Microsystems, Levi Strauss & Co. and The Timberland Co. have partnered with Ceres to create a business coalition that will lobby Washington for swift and stringent climate change legislation.

New Report Measures the Actual Impacts of Green Buildings for the First Time - 2008-11-20
Green buildings have saved the U.S. billions of gallons of water and enough energy to avoid the burning of 1.3 million tons of coal for electricity since the development of the LEED standards.

Indesit Taps Waste Materials to Make Greener Washing Machines - 2008-11-18
Indesit, perhaps better known in the United Kingdom for its Hotpoint product line, has been working with the government-funded Waste & Recycling Action Plan (WRAP) and Axion Recycling to find ways where waste material can be recycled and used on a large scale in its products.

Demand for Organic Products on the Rise: Experts - 2008-11-18
The uptake for organic products is on a major rise in the region, particularly in the GCC nations, with the market growing at over 50 per cent annually, according to organic and natural food experts from the region.

US Sugar to Explore Building 100M Gallon Coskata Cellulosic Ethanol Facility Using Sugar Cane Waste - 2008-11-18
US Sugar Corp. has entered into an agreement with Coskata, Inc to explore building a 100-million gallon per year cellulosic ethanol facility in Clewiston, Florida. The facility, which would be the world’s largest second-generation ethanol facility, would convert left-over sugar cane material into ethanol.

Verizon, UPS, Cox Expand Their Green Fleets - 2008-11-17
Verizon is doubling its fleet of hybrid sedans, UPS will add zero-emissions vans to routes in the United Kingdom and Germany, and Cox Communications is getting hybrid bucket trucks for operations in six states.

California Governor Issues Executive Order to Begin Planning for Adapting to Sea Level Rise - 2008-11-17
Stating that the longer California delays planning and adapting to coming sea level rise the more expensive and difficult adaptation will be, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued an Executive Order (S-13-08) directing a set of state agencies to begin those tasks.

Cadbury Cuts Water Use 10 Percent - 2008-11-17
Though its water conservation strategy is still in the early stages of development, Cadbury cut its water use 10 percent last year compared to 2006.

EPA Ruling Over Climate Jeopardizes US Coal Plants - 2008-11-17
US environment regulators late Thursday rejected a permit for a new coal-fired power plant in Utah over the issue of its greenhouse gas pollution, putting in question the future of new coal plants that do not to curb their emissions.

Study Finds PM and Ozone Levels Cost California Economy $28 Billion Annually - 2008-11-14
Air pollution costs the California economy more than $28 billion annually, according to a new study released today and co-authored by two California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) economics professors. Jane V. Hall and Victor Brajer of CSUF and Fred Lurmann, manager of exposure assessment studies at Sonoma Technology Inc., examined the health and economic consequences of two pollutants, ozone and particulate matter (PM2.5).

EU Seeks New Gas And Wind To Boost Energy Security - 2008-11-14
Europe must harness more energy from the wind, sun and sea and tap new gas sources in Africa and the Caspian, the European Commission said on Thursday, as the EU seeks to limit its growing dependence on Russian gas.

REI Forges Ahead with Solar Plan - 2008-11-14
Outdoor gear and apparel company REI has installed solar arrays on three stores in the San Francisco Bay Area — bringing the firm more than halfway to its goal of outfitting 10 percent of its retail sites with systems to harness power from the sun.

Giant Asian Smog Cloud Masks Global Warming Impact - UN - 2008-11-14
A three-kilometre thick cloud of brown soot and other pollutants hanging over Asia is darkening cities, killing thousands and damaging crops but may be holding off the worst effects of global warming, the UN said on Thursday.

German Renewables Mixed; Solar Strong, Wind Bumpy - 2008-11-14
Shares in several German solar sector companies were outperforming as Q-Cells and Phoenix Solar hiked their full-year outlooks, while wind-power company REpower felt the squeeze of the global economic crisis.

EnerDel Providing Two Li-Ion Packs to Large European OEM for PHEV Demonstrator Program, Pack to Tier 1 Supplier for EV - 2008-11-14
EnerDel has received a purchase order for two lithium-ion battery packs for plug-in hybrid electric development vehicles (PHEV) from “one of the largest car manufacturers in Europe” said Charles Gassenheimer, Chairman and CEO, on a conference call reporting third quarter results. The company will also provide a pack for a demonstration electric vehicle (EV) to one of the largest international tier one OEM supply companies.

Obama Will Act Quickly On Climate Change – Advisor - 2008-11-13
President-elect Barack Obama will act against climate change early in his presidency, an environment adviser said on Wednesday amid doubts that a US carbon-capping program will be in place before 2010.

Cost-Savvy Execs Expect Greener Buildings Without Big Price Tags: Survey - 2008-11-13
Commercial real estate executives are increasingly seeking greener office space -- and are less inclined to pay premiums for it, according to a recent survey by CoreNet Global and Jones Lang LaSalle.

Carbon Offsets Go Online as List of Top Providers Released - 2008-11-12
Potential carbon offset buyers got some help wading through their options over the last week with the launch of two online offset portfolios and the release of a report ranking North America's top providers.

Big Global Investors Urge Action On Climate Change - 2008-11-12
Global institutional investors holding more than $6 trillion in assets pushed policymakers on Tuesday to quickly hash out a binding agreement to cut greenhouse gas emissions and promote clean technology.

ANALYSIS - Cheaper Oil Won't Scuttle Obama's Efficiency Plan - 2008-11-12
Companies specialising in home energy efficiency should get a boost under US President-Elect Barack Obama's administration despite a slowing economy and a sharp drop in oil prices.

Cost-Savvy Execs Expect Greener Buildings Without Big Pricetags: Survey - 2008-11-12
Commercial real estate executives are increasingly seeking greener office space -- and are less inclined to pay premiums for it, according to a recent survey by Jones Lang LaSalle and CoreNet Global.

Early Stage Algae Biofuel Company Closes $10.5M Funding Round; Additional $5M for Pilot Plant - 2008-11-12
The pilot project is intended to showcase Solix’s ability to produce biofuel and feedstocks for the chemicals industry at commercially-feasible production levels and costs.

Utilities To Test Solar Power At Traditional Plants - 2008-11-11
A US utility group announced on Monday a plan to test adding solar thermal energy to natural gas and coal-fired power plants in a move designed to cut fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

Wells Fargo Financing of Green Buildings Gallops Beyond $2 Billion - 2008-11-11
Wells Fargo & Company has doubled its commitment to high performance, LEED-certified buildings in the past 19 months, bringing its total financing of green structures to more than $2 billion, the firm said today.

DOE Hits 50 Percent Milestone on Road to Commercial Zero-Energy Buildings - 2008-11-11
The U.S. Department of Energy and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory have released the first technical support documents to show 50 percent energy savings in commercial retail buildings.

Green Power Needs Reliable US Grid Planning – NERC - 2008-11-11
As the United States attempts to lower carbon dioxide emissions from electricity generation, it needs a national policy on climate change to help ensure reliable power delivery, said the US watchdog for electric reliability.

Mitsubishi Ramps Up Cleantech Commitment, BP Bows Out of UK Wind Energy Efforts - 2008-11-10
The Mitsubishi Electric Corporation announced plans to expand its businesses that help battle climate change, while BP said it's focusing future wind power investments on the U.S.

UPS Adds 12 Modec Electric Vans to European Fleet - 2008-11-10
UPS has ordered twelve electric vehicles from UK-based Modec, the manufacturer of the world’ss first purpose-built zero-emission van. Six vehicles will be introduced into UPS’ UK fleet in February 2009, including the vehicle that was used for testing until now. The remaining six will operate in Germany.

Ohio State University Launches PHEV, EV and Smart Charging Program - 2008-11-10
The Center for Automotive Research (CAR) at Ohio State University has launched a new program focused on Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs), Electric Vehicles (EVs) and intelligent charging. The program is intended to develop not just an economically viable plug-in electric hybrid vehicle (PHEV), but also the support systems, life-cycle plans, infrastructure, and public policies that are necessary to successfully deploy, operate and maintain PHEVs.

Obama Must Tie Green Agenda to Economy: Panel - 2008-11-10
President-Elect Barack Obama stands a better chance of advancing a green agenda in his first 100 days in office if he can continue mobilizing the country on a grassroots level around environmental issues and tie green initiatives to the economic stimulus package and recovery.

Green Products Put Clorox in the Black - 2008-11-10
Clorox's Green Works cleaners, Burt's Bees products and Brita water filters were some of the major drivers pushing the company's first quarter profit and sales above expectations.

More Facility Professionals Taking Strategic Approach to Green Practices: Survey - 2008-11-10
Facility managers are increasingly following a master plan when implementing sustainable practices and are tying their efforts to measurable goals and business strategy, according to the results of a new International Facility Management Association (IFMA) survey.

UK Report on Potential Impact of EVs and PHEVs on GHG Reduction Concludes That EVs Could Cut Emissions by 40% Per Vehicle Even with Current Grid Mix - 2008-11-07
A new report, jointly produced by Arup and Cenex for the UK’s Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and the Department for Transport (DfT) concludes that electric vehicles have the potential to produce significant greenhouse gas emission reductions compared to conventional vehicles over the full life-cycle.

Al Gore Group Urges Obama To Create US Power Grid - 2008-11-07
Al Gore's Alliance for Climate Protection has some environmental advice for the incoming Obama administration: focus on energy efficiency and renewable resources, and create a unified US power grid.

ANALYSIS - Investors Want Proof Of Obama "Green" Change - 2008-11-07
President elect Barack Obama faces demands for proof of a change in US tack on the climate from "green" investors and businesses around the world.

Germany Urges Obama To Give World New "Green" Deal - 2008-11-07
The United States after Barack Obama becomes president must work closely with Europe to fight climate change, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Thursday.

Dallas Area Gets Economic, Environmental Benefits from Green Cement - 2008-11-07
Who would have guessed that a simple change of phrase could have such a big impact? By switching tactics from attacking "toxic cement" to promoting "green cement," the Dallas area has been an example of the benefits of new techniques for making cement.

How Will Renewables Fare in the New Political Environment? - 2008-11-06
Americans have heard the Presidential and Congressional candidates talk about renewable energy for the last 24 months. Now it's up to Democrats to live up to the talk.

Alternative energy groups fuel European advance - 2008-11-06
Alternative energy stocks were in the vanguard of a rally that saw European markets make gains for the sixth consecutive session on Tuesday.

Renewable Energy Industry Says the Future Looks Bright - 2008-11-06
We solicited comments from environmental and renewable industry leaders in the wake of Sena

US Biofuels Sector Sees Ally In Obama - 2008-11-06
US biofuel makers, struggling to make a profit at a time of tumbling oil and gasoline prices, look upon President-elect Barack Obama as a staunch ally for growth.

Ocean Power Technologies Wins US $3M PowerBuoy Contract from US Navy - 2008-11-06
Ocean Power Technologies Inc. (OPT) has announced that it has been awarded a new US $3 million contract for participation in the second phase of the U.S. Navy's Deep Water Active Detection Systems (DWADS) program, which is designed to utilize sophisticated data gathering and communications systems.

EU Carbon Caps Not Forcing Emissions Relocation: Report - 2008-11-05
The European Union's Emission Trading Scheme has not caused heavy industries like aluminum and steel to move operations or shift investments to countries without carbon oversight, according to a report from the International Energy Agency.

ANALYSIS - US Vote Seen As One-Way Bet For Solar, Wind Power - 2008-11-05
An anticipated Democratic US election sweep is thrilling solar and wind power investors because that outcome is seen as a big step toward establishing federal requirements for alternative power generation.

Coating Helps Solar Panels Soak Up More Of The Sun - 2008-11-05
A new type of reflective coating can make solar panels far more efficient, soaking up nearly all available sunlight from nearly any angle, US researchers said on Monday.

China's Changan, Electrovaya To Launch Clean Car In Canada - 2008-11-05
Changan Automobile Group, Ford Motor's China partner, said on Tuesday it will roll out 30 electric cars developed jointly with Electrovaya in Canada before the end of this year, potentially becoming the first Chinese auto maker to tap the North American market.

Optare Shows Hybrid and Electric Buses - 2008-11-05
Optare plc, the UK’s second largest manufacturer of buses, is highlighting new hybrid and all-electric models at the Euro Bus Expo taking place in Birmingham, UK on November 4 through 6, 2008.

JCPenney Breaks Ground on First LEED Store - 2008-11-04
JCPenney has broken ground on a new 115,000 square-foot store in Texas that marks its latest foray into green building.

How Does Green Impact Mergers and Acquisitions? - 2008-11-04
Green continues to steadily seep into every nook and cranny of the business world, and a new white paper by Deloitte examines how a company's environmental and sustainability records and help or hurt mergers and acquisitions

California Town, Eastern Kentucky University Seek Energy Savings with Siemens - 2008-11-04
The city of San Leandro has signed up Siemens Building Technologies Inc. to build a 330-kilowatt cogeneration facility to recycle methane at the town's wastewater treatment plant.

As Business Data Needs Grow, So Do Emissions, Report Finds - 2008-11-04
Unless global computer manufacturers and computer-intensive industries start taking advantage of power-saving features and build with an eye toward energy efficiency, the global impact of IT is projected to surge by 2020, growing to eclipse the total emissions of the United Kingdom.

Study: Very Long Term Strategy Needed for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions - 2008-11-03
Their findings, published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, show that short-term cuts alone will not solve the problem and that policy makers need to plan for hundreds of years into the future.

Travelers Introduces Green Insurance for Small Businesses - 2008-11-03
Travelers Insurance is providing eco-friendly coverage to small businesses that enables them to repair, rebuild, replace or upgrade to green building elements and appliances in the event of a covered loss.

Two Southeast Utilities Partner on Plug-In Hybrid Smart Charging Trial - 2008-11-03
Advanced Energy, in partnership with utilities Duke Energy and Progress Energy, will initiate a smart charging trial of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). Twelve converted Toyota Priuses will be equipped with charging management technology from Seattle-based V2Green and deployed in North Carolina and Florida.

Honda: New US CAFE is a “Game Changer” - 2008-11-03
American Honda Motors (AHM) views the new CAFE regulations under development as a “game changer” both in terms of how fuel economy is determined and in likely responses by automakers.

Largest U.S. Pillow Maker Aims for Zero Waste - 2008-11-03
In a little over a year, Hollander Home Fashions plans to send zero waste to landfills. The largest pillow manufacturer in the U.S. has set 2010 as its zero waste deadline, and is well on its way to meeting that goal, having found recycling streams for much of its trash.