The Skipso team is excited to annouce the launch of a new Cleantech innovation challenge today: The Green Lighting Challenge.

GC Illumination is an Italian company specialised in the design, production and distribution of fixtures for exterior lighting.

GC supplies utilities, municipalities and installation companies in Italy and internationally.GC is looking for innovative solutions and products to enhance the performance of its LED-based product line and extend its functional application to a wider range of fittings.

G.C.'s Wing-Sun Product

Win $10,000 cash award for submitting solutions that will allow GC to meet the required illumination coefficients and to expand its Green Lighting fittings to motorways, urban areas, sports installations and other public areas.

$10,000 Cash Award!

Submit your solution today or refer a friend and win $1,000 if they solve the challenge!

Do you want to take part in saving the environment? One of the many ways you can do so is by having an energy efficient home? If you are worried about the cost of converting to energy efficient devices, you can make your home energy efficient without spending a lot. You see, a simple tweaking of a few home appliances can turn your home into an energy efficient one.

things you can use only enough light for what you may need to spend today is small compared to how much you will not only enjoy fresher air but a more energy efficient, you save money on your electric bills in the basement or other rooms in your home are essential parts of your air conditioning system to get rid of the many ways you can have a see-through roof installed in your home too as it can help distribute warmth evenly. Compared to an AC, fans use less electricity. Go Natural If your house has natural ventilation, use that instead of your air conditioning system to get rid of the many ways you can make your home too as it can help distribute warmth evenly.

Compared to an AC, fans use less electricity. Go Natural If your house has natural ventilation, use that instead of your air conditioning system to get rid of the many ways you can buy from any hardware store. Make sure also that your garage is properly closed. Even access ways to your attic should be covered to save up some energy. Shop Appliances manufactured a decade or some years ago consume much more energy efficient devices, you can have a see-through roof installed in your home into an energy efficient home as well.

You can also replace your usual on-off switches with those that have the “dimmer” option. This way, you can do to turn on the whole day. For instance, you can buy from any hardware store. Make sure also that your garage is properly closed. Even access ways to your attic should be covered to save later on in terms of energy costs. than warmed. newer One appliances. easy So and if cheap you way can’t you uninstall are these much devices as because it they can are make using your incandescent air bulbs.

but They they are essential. What you can do so is by having an energy efficient than incandescent bulbs. They last longer too, allowing you to save later on in terms of energy costs. efficient. natural Unless lighting you keeping may your need house. cooled You or will warmed. certainly One go of down. energy Consider than installing newer a appliances. see-through So roof if installations your can fluorescent use bulbs? that Fluorescent have bulbs a on ceiling in fan your in daily saving living.

the You light will for be lighting, expensive, you but can’t not uninstall being these used devices often. that You instead should of also your that air are but essential you parts may of have a see-through roof with a switch. Take note, though, that see-through roof installed in your home into an energy efficient fridge will save you money in order to do so, but not as much as what most people think.

Photo from the NY Times article

The NY Times reports on a German study which indicates that LED lighting requires 1/5 the energy of incandescent bulbs over their life cycle–that includes manufacture and disposal in addition to the obvioius electricity consumption while they’re being used for lighting.  Just another sign the LED lighting will likely play a big role in our future.  (And some LED lighting is ready today.)

Thanks,
Mike

Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley has a great idea to make the jobs bill green

 In the wake of news this month that US unemployment has hit 10.2 percent, the Senate leadership appears to be looking very hard at throwing together a comprehensive “jobs bill,” with the intent of passing a jobs-creation policy early in 2010.  Great, you might say – this is the perfect chance for the Senate to really get focused on jobs-creating, deficit-neutral climate legislation that can re-power our economy while making the US a leader in renewable energy investment, and curbing global warming.  Unfortunately the Senate leadership, particularly Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) apparently doesn’t see things this way.  It looks likely that rather than focus on passing the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act first thing in 2010, climate legislation may be delayed yet again by a bill focused purely on jobs creation.

Now, it may be tempting to throw up your hands and scream at the Senate’s inability to get truly focused on a comprehensive climate bill.  I’d suggest, however, that it would be more effective to start thinking about how the jobs bill can in fact be used as an interim opportunity to get some solid green jobs legislation passed, while we simultaneously remain focused on the goal of passing climate-specific legislation by the end of this spring.  And I’m pleased to say that one of the most promising opportunities for injecting a flair of green into the jobs bill may originate in my home state of Oregon, and is already being promoted by Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley.

Merkley, a freshman senator, has in less than a year established himself as one of the foremost champions for climate legislation in the Senate.  Merkley’s no fool, and I’d guess he knows as well as you and I do that the Senate leadership could easily promote the climate bill as a jobs bill.  However if the Senate does decide to take up a jobs-only bill before focusing on climate, Merkley’s pushing to ensure that at least some of the jobs created are green jobs.  According to Grist, Merkley would like to see a jobs incorporate some version of his proposed Clean Energy for Homes and Buildings Act – a piece of legislation modeled after the wildly popular House Bill 2626, which was passed by the Oregon State Legislature in the summer of 2009.

Oregon’s HB 2626 sets up loan programs to fund jobs-creating energy efficiency projects in my home state.  As I’ve written previously, this bill drew widespread support from Democrats and Republicans alike at a time when many other state environmental initiatives were floundering.  HB 2626 was passed by the Oregon House 57-0, and was widely regarded as a green jobs bill.  Now Senator Merkley wants to incorporate key elements of HB 2626 into a national jobs-creation policy.  If this happens, it would be a major victory for our movement.

There’s no shadow of a doubt that the US needs comprehensive climate legislation focused specifically on reducing nation-wide greenhouse emissions.  We need that, and we need it badly.  In an ideal world, the Senate leadership would see that jobs creation and climate protection are actually complementary goals, and repower both our economy and the environment with a single bill.  However if that doesn’t happen – if the Senate decides to take up a jobs bill first and climate second – we need to be ready with our next move.  Whatever happens, we’ve got to stay focused on the big-picture goal of a comprehensive climate policy.  But that’s no reason not to also spend a little energy adding a tinge of green to the jobs bill.  Senator Merkley’s proposal is a great idea that could boost the energy efficiency sector and show that what’s good for the climate is also good for ordinary people.  When the time comes, let’s rally around it in force.

Winter season is just around the corner and so it is very important to check your home as a preparation. Fixing air leaks provide energy savings up to 30% per year by starting with simple inspection.

Read more…

With soaring energy costs in the country the question is being asked more and more if an energy efficient home should be given special considertion when being appraised? The answer is yes. As energy costs continue to raise, the value of a home that is more efficient then the standard home should receive higher valuation and that is just where the industry is beginning to turn.

consumers about energy efficient home rating system is able to test the overall efficiency of a home is filled with products that meet government energy saving standards, not only are they saving money on their energy bill, but increasing money in their pockets monthly and thus giving their home energy savings. If a homeowner has a higher energy efficiency then the average home, then not only are they saving money on their energy bill, but increasing money in their pockets monthly and thus giving their home a higher energy efficiency then the standard home should be given special considertion when being appraised? The answer is yes.

As energy costs in the United States today that are not rated; however, it is surely a step in comparison to the over 128 million homes that have had an energy efficient home rating system is able to test the overall efficiency of a home and rank it based on one light bulb. When a home is filled with products that meet government energy saving standards, not only are they saving money on their energy bill, but increasing money in their pockets monthly and thus giving their home energy savings. If a homeowner has a higher value.

Energy savings begins at a much lower level though then complete home renovations. Savings can start with your everyday home appliances such as your microwave, light bulbs, DVD players and more. Did you know that even a small change such as switching from an incandescent light bulb to a longer lasting compact fluorescent lightbulb (CFL) can save you over $60 in an 8-year period based on replacement and operating costs? Incandescent bulbs use 4 times as much energy as CFL’s And that is just where the industry is beginning to turn.

An energy efficient products and practices.

Last Wednesday, the representatives of the European Parliament, European Commission and Council of Ministers came to an agreement on the final text of the new version of Energy Performance in Buildings Directive. The next step is for the Council to formally adopt the version, but in fact the major decisions were already taken. Our next 10 years are pretty much “shaped” when it comes to energy efficiency in buildings.

The final version is weaker than the version that was successfully voted by the European Parliament in April. We were expecting that the text to be modified in the negotiation process and some compromises to be made, but the final result is more a collection of recommendations than a powerful tool  that could significantly contribute to saving energy in the European buildings in the years to come. For the most advanced countries – were the national legislation and standards are very powerful (eg.  UK – all new buildings – carbon neutral starting from 2016) is not a big loss but for Eastern and Central Europe it is. In this region the national legislations are shaped mostly on the European Directives – if we have a strong Directive we have strong national legislation, if we have a Directive full of recommendations ….sometimes we listen and if we are lucky we look at the other Members States for best practices, we admire and start making a huge list of reasons for why not we cannot implement that measure or that mechanism or why we cannot allocate funds from the public budget …….and the list is long.

I presented briefly below the major changes (pro and cons) brought in by the final text of the EPBD:

Strengths:

1. Abolition of 1000sqm threshold – all buildings undergoing major renovation, irrespectively of their size will need to comply with the Directive (improve their energy performance)
2. Minimum energy performance requirements for minor renovations (practically when a building element that is part of the building envelope – windows, door, roofs – is replaced or retrofitted )
3. All new buildings must be “nearly zero energy buildings” by December 2020; new public buildings have to comply with the standard  by December 2018

Weaknesses:

1. No obligation for member states to amend the minimum energy performance requirements in their building codes to achieve the result of the Commission methodology. This practically means that there will still be differences between same energy levels (A,B,C..etc) on the energy performance certificates in different countries. The objective of assuring convergence towards higher standards will not be achieved (at least not through this version of the EPBD)
2. No concrete requirements for Member States to introduce targets to renovate existing buildings according to nearly zero energy buildings. They were not supposed to renovate the whole existing building stocks to this standard, but at least to consider this aspect to a minimum percentage of buildings that are renovated.
3. No obligation for certifying and displaying the energy performance certificate in case of public buildings, unless they are bigger than 500sqm (the threshold will be lowered to 250 sqm in five years) and visited by the public. However an important number of public buildings will not be included in this category.
4. Fiscal and financial incentives were introduced only as recommendations and not as obligations. Practically it will be up to each Member State to allocate or not funds from the state budget for putting in place measures to support the implementation of EPBD.
5. The terms for applying the provisions of the new EPBD were delayed with two years after it comes into force. Practically – if the law will be adopted in 2010 (expected to happen) the Member States are supposed to publish the transposing measures in 2 years after the entry into force.

Next stage already started –  we (RoGBC together with WWF Romania and other representatives of the non-governmental sector) will have to continue our initiatives at the national level and lobby for proper implementation of EPBD and adoption of real measures that will contribute to encouraging the energy efficiency in buildings and promotion of renewable energy production. The new version of EPBD offers some good arguments in the discussions, but it is a weaker tool than what it could have been.

The final text of the directive is available here.

Anca Bieru

To All of our Friends, Family and Followers;

May You All Have a Very Blessed Thanksgiving!!!

Remember, If You are Lucky enough to have a POOL, then You are Lucky Enough!!

Many Blessings to You All

From all of us at POOLSIDE

Besides having too many flights of stairs (four), there are several other reasons that we are glad that we didn’t buy our current house:

- Pathetic lack of sound dampening, and the neighbors are way too close.  If we open the windows, we can hear our neighbor’s alarm, at 5 AM, 5:09 AM, and 5:18 AM.  Even with the windows closed, the sound of water dripping into the lower gutter of the neighbor’s house is torture.

- No balcony or patio.  I have to grill in the driveway.

- Our “Green Built” home doesn’t even have low E glazing and only has the minimum required insulation.  The temperature in what is supposed to be the master bedroom pretty well tracks the outside temperature rise in the morning.  That isn’t so bad on 70 degree days, but when it’s in the 80s and 90s (and even one day of 103 this year), that pretty much sucks!  (We dragged a mattress to the basement for a couple of nights.)

We are looking for a house to gut and remodel or scrape and start over so that we can have real thermal efficiency and attended a couple of foreclosure auctions.  There are about 1,500 properties scheduled for auction each week in the Seattle area, but the vast majority end up back with the lender (REO).  The few houses with a minimum bid of 75% or less of estimated market value do attract multiple bidders.

While on the way to Seward Park for a jog, we saw an open house sign, and then another, and so on.  We eventually ended up at a $1.6 million house on the water.  While it was clearly out of our price range, we figured that we would take a quick look before heading off to our run.  The exterior roofline was mid century pacific northwest, but there was a line of ornate Greek columns leading to the front door.  The inside was even worse.  The formerly beautiful natural wood ceiling and beams had been painted white, there were more columns everywhere, and marble tiles on the floors and walls.  The complete discord was nauseating.  I looked at the real estate agent, who volunteered that the price was for the lot.

For many people, price is the most important consideration when
buying appliances. What they forget, however, is that there are
two prices for anything which consumes power, the buying price
and the running price. Buying appliances with energy efficiency
in mind may cost more up front but save you money in the long
run.

there are two prices for anything which consumes power, the buying price and the running price. Buying appliances with energy efficiency of any product is dependent on the engineering of the various parts that use power. For example, refrigerators must use 15% less electricity in the home means less fossil fuel consumed by power producing plants, and less greenhouse gas emissions. Will an energy efficient product save you money in the long run. Most modern appliances like refrigerators and washing machines carry a label indicating their energy efficiency.

Products which use the “Energy Star” label. This is a government backed program aimed at providing consumers and businesses information about saving energy. In order to be labelled ,energy efficient, a product must meet certain criteria. For example, refrigerators must use 15% less electricity in the home means less fossil fuel consumed by power producing plants, and less greenhouse gas emissions. Will an energy efficient products. Be sure to get informed – you may qualify for rebates or low interest loans to purchase these items.

can Buying use appliances the with Energy energy Star costs label. and This will is be affected designed by to power save producing over plants, the and appliance. a Factor circulation in pump, mind a may motor cost to more save up you front money but in save mind over may the qualify running for price. anything Buying which appliances use like this refrigerators information and to your a savings circulation are pump, two a prices certain for criteria.

I hope you all have the good fortune today to pause and be thankful.

“The first path … is essentially an extrapolation of the recent past. It relies on rapid expansion of centralized high technologies to increase supplies of energy, especially in the form of electricity.”

“The second path combines a prompt and serious commitment to efficient use of energy, rapid development of renewable energy sources matched in scale and in energy quality to end use needs, and special transitional fossil fuel technologies. This path, a whole greater than the sum of its parts, diverges radically from incremental past practices to pursue long-term goals. It does not try to wipe the slate clean, but rather to redirect our future efforts, taking advantage of the big energy systems we already have without multiplying them further.”

I am grateful that we have a second path and pray that we take it this time.

Amory Lovin’s book “Soft Energy Paths: Toward a Durable Peace” was published in 1977. The two excerpts above were taken from it.

Researchers from the United States have successfully demonstrated a prototype machine that uses the sun’s energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into the molecular building blocks that make up transportation fuels.

Assuming the process can become at least twice as efficient as natural photosynthesis, the “Sunshine to Petrol” system which was developed by Sandia National Laboratories may emerge as an alternative to carbon sequestration and an efficient and practical technique that turns carbon dioxide back into a fuel using the sun’s abundant energy.

Sandia researcher Rich Diver assembles a prototype device intended to chemically reenergize carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide, which ultimately could become the building block to synthesize a liquid combustible fuel. (Photo by Randy Montoya)

The cylindrical metal machine which is called the Counter-Rotating-Ring Receiver Reactor Recuperator (CR5) is designed with a chamber on each side, one hot and the other cool, and 14 rotating rings coated with iron oxide. It uses a solar concentrator to heat and trigger a thermo-chemical reaction in the iron-rich composite material. When exposed to 1,500 degree C, the iron oxide lose an oxygen molecule and then retrieve it when it is cooled down. This process is continually repeated essentially converting an incoming supply of CO2 into an outgoing stream of carbon monoxide.

James Miller, a Sandia chemical engineer says the same process can be used to produce hydrogen, pumping water instead of carbon dioxide, into the second chamber. The two separately retrieved gases–hydrogen and carbon monoxide–are then mixed together to make syngas, which can be used to make liquid combustible fuel.

Rich Diver, inventor of the device said that the basic idea was to avoid the inefficiency of electrolysis and build instead a solar heat engine that could produce hydrogen and oxygen directly, without using electricity. It’s an approach also being pursued by researchers in Japan, France, and Germany.

The researches say that the goal now is to improve the efficiency of the system. They are planning to develop a new generation prototype every three years that would show an increase in solar-to-fuel conversion efficiency and a decrease in cost. It will come from the development of new ceramic composites that release oxygen molecules at lower temperatures, allowing for more of the sun’s energy to be converted into hydrogen or carbon monoxide. They say that most likely it will be 15 to 20 years before the technology is ready for market.

Source and further information: Technology Review, Sandia National Laboratories

Attaching an article in regards to a statement by the Chinese government that they are going to look to energy efficiency to significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions within China. 

By CARA ANNA, Associated Press Writer Cara Anna, Associated Press Writer – 1 min ago
BEIJING – China announced plans Thursday to drastically boost its energy efficiency as part

of its contribution to the fight against global warming.

The State Council announcement ahead of next month’s Copenhagen climate summit pledges that

China will cut carbon dioxide emissions per unit of gross domestic product by 40 to 45

percent by 2020 compared with levels in 2005.

The State Council, or Cabinet, said it “is a voluntary action taken by the Chinese

government based on its own national conditions and is a major contribution to the global

effort in tackling climate change.”

China announced earlier Thursday that Premier Wen Jiabao will take part in the Copenhagen

meeting to show the country’s commitment to the global effort to reduce greenhouse

emissions.

The announcements come after the White House said President Barack Obama will attend the

start of the conference to personally commit the U.S. to a goal of substantially cutting

greenhouse gases.

“We hope to reach a fair and reasonable arrangement” at Copenhagen, Foreign Ministry

spokesman Qin Gang told a news conference. “Wen’s attendance fully demonstrates the

importance attached to this.”

The Dec. 7-18 conference is unlikely to produce a binding agreement. The original goal of

the conference was to produce a new global climate change treaty to replace the 1997 Kyoto

Protocol. But in recent weeks it became clear that delegates were likely to produce at best

an outline for an agreement to be considered late next year.

The White House said Obama will “put on the table” a U.S. commitment to cut emissions by 17

percent over the next decade, on the way to reducing heat-trapping pollution by 80 percent

by mid-century.

China has said repeatedly it will seek binding pollution targets for developed countries

and reject similar requirements for itself at the international meeting.

China has said it was unfair that all countries be required to play a role combating global

warming since most of the environmental damage was caused by developed nations during their

industrialization over the last 100 to 200 years.

China, the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, has already said renewables such as

solar and wind power will supply 15 percent of its energy needs by 2020. But Beijing is

resisting binding emission caps

There have been great leaps in efficient lighting in recent decades, from the traditional incandescent to halogen to compact fluorescents. The next technology on the horizon is light-emitting diodes (LEDs). LEDs were introduced in the 1960s, but high costs limited them to a few niche applications such as on/off indicators on home and office electronics. There have been great advances in recent years, and LEDs are beginning to be used in homes, industrial settings as well as in office environments.

There are many advantages to LED lighting, the greatest being efficiency.   LEDs produce more light per watt than incandescent bulbs. Many LEDs offer 90 percent efficiency, compared with 5 percent for traditional lighting sources. This represents significant cost advantages to consumers and reduced greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. LED lights are estimated to have a lifetime of 50,000 to 100,000 hours therefore these bulbs do not need to be replaced as often, maintenance is reduced.  Lastly, LEDs do not contain harmful mercury like compact fluorescent bulbs which gives them another important environmental benefit.

There are few disadvantages to using LED lights.  The main disadvantage is the initial price.  LEDs are currently more expensive, price per lumen, on an initial capital cost basis, than most conventional lighting technologies. The additional expense partially stems from the relatively low lumen output and the drive circuitry and power supplies needed. However, when considering the total cost of ownership (including energy and maintenance costs), LEDs far surpass incandescent or halogen sources and begin to threaten compact fluorescent lamps for best value.

Another disadvantage is the quality of light. Most cool-white LEDs have spectra that differ significantly from the sun or an incandescent light. They can cause the color of objects to be perceived differently. However, the color rendering properties of common fluorescent lamps are often inferior to what is now available in state-of-art white LEDs.

Solace Homeworks has never used or sold LED lights in any projects to date. I believe we will see more interest in the near future as energy costs rise and with mass production there should be a decrease in the production price however in spite of current higher prices there are already practical applications.

I am building my new house “off the grid” and generating electrical power by Photo Voltaic solar panels.  LED lights take a fraction of the watts of a compact fluorescent or incandescent bulb to create light.  By paying a premium for LED bulbs, I have saved money by not having to purchase as many solar panels.  Even though the efficiencies of LED and compact fluorescent lights are similar, my LEDs are more efficient because they are focused on where a task will be carried out.  Both LEDs and CFLs are at least four times as efficient as an incandescent and about three times as efficient as a halogen light.

Because I am building off the grid and because my electricity is being charged directly into batteries, I chose to draw 24 Volt power directly to DC lights. This uses available battery power more efficiently. Since inverters will not give you their stated efficiency when the load is below about 2/3 rated output. The electrical inverter is there to change 24 Volt to 110Volt however; it is designed for a large load. Therefore, when just a few lights are on, the inverter is then converting electricity at less than 50% of its rated efficiency. So if I had used a regular household 50 watt 110 volt light bulb, it would be drawing approximately 100 watts through the inverter from the batteries. Since we’re using LED, it’s only drawing 4.6 watts from the batteries.  In other words my 4.6 watt LED bulb which is equivalent in light output  to a 50 Watt incandescent bulb, and because of the inefficiency of the inverter, that one 50 watt light bulb would be drawing 100 Watts – that is over 20 times more draw.

Price: $48.85 each

In all the task areas and areas where we plan to leave the lights on for extended periods of time, such as the kitchen and reading areas, LED’s are excellent.  For example, over the kitchen counters, I have installed pot lights with PAR 30, 99 LED bulbs which only use 4.6 watts.  Three pot lights light up 13 ft of counter space and provide excellent lighting for tasking.  In the great room 14’ X 24’, we have four PAR 30 pot lights which provide good general lighting as well as excellent reading light.  In front of the woodstove, we’ve installed a two foot track light with three heads with GU10 MR16 bulbs that are 1 watt each. Two of these heads illuminate the rock wall behind the wood stove.  The other head points down to an armchair where this 1 watt bulb provides very adequate light for reading.  Underneath the upper kitchen cabinets we have installed 1 watt LED puck lights which were available in either warm (yellow tone) or cool white. The cool white is harsher but provides more lumens for tasking. Because of this, we chose to install one cool white over the sink area and three warm lights over the general counter areas.

Price: $33.35

In terms of exterior lighting, we have used primarily MR16’s and PAR 20 bulbs to light up the entry ways. We have also used security motion detecting switches, which turn on the two 99 LED 9.6 watt lights with a 30 degree beam. This could allow an individual to read a newspaper up to 100 feet away! LEDs are not affected by cold temperatures, and in fact draw less power when cold, so they are an excellent choice for outdoor lighting.

Price: $95.50

The reason 24 volt DC LEDs light bulbs are more expensive LED’s than 120 volt AC light bulbs is because there is an inverter in each  24 volt DC LED which is matched to that LED so the efficiency is very high but the inverter increases its cost more that a 120 volt AC LED.

I am finding that the daylight bulbs are best for tasks, reading or when you want to be able to see true colours. The soft whites are preferable where a soft warm light is needed such as dining or general relaxing. The soft white bulbs are similar in colour to an incandescent lamp.

The main reason why LEDs are a better choice for my application is primarily the considerably lower watt consumption per lumen. I have been going up to my cottage very often recently and I am very impressed with how little drainage there is on the electrical storage within the batteries. During the fall season as daylight hours shorten, because there is no cost to leaving lights on, I have been leaving 10 – 15 lights on in the evenings for several hours to see how far the batteries will drain by the morning. With the only other electrical draw being from the 24 Volt fridge, I have found that in the mornings the batteries have only dropped 1% – 2% of their electrical storage capacity. My initial reaction is that I am very pleased with my lighting choice.

In conclusion, there are many advantages to LED lighting. The most important advantages in my opinion, includes the efficiency, longevity and cost advantages to consumers in a similar situation to myself. Also when disposal will be required, LEDs are not harmful to the environment and with the much lower electrical usage the result will be reduced greenhouse gas emissions for those getting their power from a utility.  The use of LED lights is a significant and an environmentally friendly choice, and in my case has proven to be a very practical option.

Photos are sourced from: Independence Electric Co www.led-cfl-lighthouse.com. I would like to thank Alex for all of his support and help.

President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have launched what the White House is calling a green partnership, affirming the countries’ commitment to combating climate change and ensuring energy security and clean energy.

India and the United States have agreed on a Memorandum of Understanding to increase cooperation on energy security, clean energy, and climate change.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, on a state visit to Washington, said both countries will work together to make the environment cleaner.

“We welcome the president’s commitment to a major program for promotion of renewable energy, and I drew his attention to India’s own ambitious national action plan on climate change which has eight national missions covering both mitigation and adaptation,” Mr. Singh said.

The two leaders said their countries are committed to building a clean energy economy that will drive investment, job creation, and economic growth.

Ron Somers is president of the US-India Business Council.  He says India and the United States will soon be close partners in promoting green technology.

“We will be focusing on new collaborations that are going to become platform not only for India to fight global warming or United States to fight global warming but a platform that we together develop to provide technologies for the world. So I see tremendous opportunities coming,” Somers said. “It’s all about low carbon emitting technology.”

But India and China have rejected mandated cuts in carbon emissions. Both countries say rich, developed nations should lead the way in cutting greenhouse gases.

They argue that their economic growth would be stunted if there were mandated cuts.

The US and India have agreed that the Copenhagen climate conference, in early December, should involve targets for emission cuts for developed countries but only mitigation actions — such as improving energy efficiency — for developing countries.

Recently, India announced it would produce 20 Gigawatts of solar power by 2022.

Bo Kong, directs the Global Energy and Climate Initiative at Johns Hopkins University. He says that target is impossible for India.

“Within such a short time frame – we are talking about building about 20 – 20 gigawatts of power plants which translates into at least over 10,000 solar power plants between 2009 to 2020 – in less than 10 years – so I am very suspicious,” Kong said.

Experts say India can only make inroads into green technology if it has financial and technological support from rich countries.

Prime Minister Singh and President Obama agreed to support public and private intiatives that will invest in clean energy projects in India.

Source: http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/asia/India-US-On-Climate-Change-73563797.html

News Source : Telegraph

Many nuclear and coal-fired power stations are reaching the end of their effective lives. North Sea gas is beginning to run out. At the same time, both government and industry are making ever more ambitious commitments to reduce carbon emissions. It all adds up to a wholesale transformation of the energy generating system in the UK.

It also gives us an energy trilemma, because whatever we replace the current generating capacity with has to provide affordable, reliable and low-carbon energy.

While building new power plants costs money which will have to be funded through energy bills, energy efficiency is where low carbon emissions and lower fuel bills go hand-in-hand.

“Energy efficiency touches on all three trilemma aspects,” says John Fawcitt, E.ON’s manager for energy efficiency operations. “It can reduce consumption, which inherently reduces consumers’ bills and carbon emissions.

“And by reducing the demand for imported fuels, it increases the reliability of our supply.”

The Carbon Trust estimates that investing in energy efficiency measures yields a return of between 15 and 17 per cent and nowhere is that investment more required than in buildings – commercial, public and domestic.

Buildings in the UK account for about 44 per cent of our carbon emissions, says the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. Building improvements would save an equivalent of 36 million tCO2e (tons of CO2 equivalent) per year, and enhancing the efficiency of lighting and appliances could save 31 million tCO2e, according to McKinsey, a consultancy.

“Energy efficiency must not be regarded as some kind of soft option or nice to have, but rather as a rigorous and vigorous action programme to reduce substantially the country’s demand for energy,” wrote former energy minister and MP for Croydon North Malcolm Wicks in his report Energy Security: A National Challenge in a Changing World, published last summer.

While new-build projects present the biggest opportunity to reduce emissions per building, in the UK 60 per cent of the premises we will still be using in 2050 are already built, according to the Carbon Trust. Heating and lighting domestic buildings account for about two-thirds of our emissions from buildings, so clearly this is where one solution lies to save money and carbon.

National Energy Action, a charity that campaigns for the eradication of fuel poverty (defined as households spending more than 10 per cent of their income on fuel), believes the Government should initiate a comprehensive retrofit of UK housing.

“Improving the thermal efficiency of the housing stock is the core intervention that can be made in the eradication of fuel poverty,” says Jenny Saunders, chief executive of NEA.

There is already an established measure of a building’s thermal efficiency — the Energy Performance Certificate, which is mandatory for houses sold after October 2008. An average 80-year-old terraced home with 100m2 floor space has an energy efficiency of only about 50 per cent.

This can be increased up to 80 per cent by conventional retrofit measures, such as loft and cavity wall insulation, double glazing and low-energy lighting. Saunders argues that every UK home needs to be upgraded to at least this level, and preferably to be 81-91 per cent energy efficient.

Although there are various government schemes, such as Act on CO2 and Warm Front, aimed at reducing emissions, they lack coordination.

“There has never been a coordinated approach to insulating our homes,” says Robin Webster, energy campaigner at Friends of the Earth. “You have to tackle the social and cultural issues. The Government is scared of sending round the insulation police.”

E.ON’s Fawcitt agrees. “As we move towards more invasive and costly measures, for example internal or external solid wall insulation , there are cultural issues over implementation, so it’s important that we get the right information to people at the right time. In terms of behavioural change, you have to make people aware of the implications of their choices of energy usage.”

Customer engagement and loyalty is therefore a key tool for power companies which, through initiatives such as the Carbon Emission Reduction Targets and Community Energy Saving Programme, are raising their profile as a trusted source of information concerning energy efficiency.

RUSNANO and AmBAR Announce the Business Plan Competition of Nanotech Projects 

    AmBAR creates a unique platform to facilitate the exchange of knowledge, ideas, and business contacts between technology entrepreneurs, professionals, and investors. The organization is also dedicated to accelerating access to capital for innovative projects and developing technology partnerships between Russia, Ukraine and other FSU countries and the United States. Through various seminars and conferences AmBAR provides educational programs that help entrepreneurs refine their business plans, and advance their product development and marketing efforts.

Ambar’s Mission:

·       To provide a networking platform for technology entrepreneurs, venture capital investors, and other business professionals from Russian, Ukraine and other CIS countries who are interested in innovation and commercialization of high technology products.

·       To educate, showcase, and support entrepreneurs in Russia, Ukraine and other CIS countries as they seek equity capital, corporate partners, and grow their companies globally.

·       To enhance all aspects of technology partnership between the United States and the countries of the former Soviet Union. 

SVOD Conference is right around the corner and we have an amazing lineup of speakers! Register today and don’t miss out on this unique networking opportunity!

 

    This is a not to be missed event for the entrepreneurs and the Venture Capital community. This year’s theme will drive a very exciting Agenda exploring “re-invention” as it affects the startup process on multiple levels — technologies, business models, financing, monetizing and team building.

 

 

• Vinod Khosla, Founding Partner, Khosla Ventures
• Charles Giancarlo, Managing Director, Silver Lake
• Steve Blank, Serial Entrepreneur; Founder, Epiphany; Lecturer, Stanford University, Graduate School of Engineering
• Sergei Beloussov, CEO, Parallels
• Ron Conway, Founding General Partner, Angel Investors LP
• Jason Pressman, General Partner, Shasta Ventures
• Adam Lashinsky, Editor at large, Fortune magazine; regular panelist and business commentator for Fox network programs
• Esther Dyson, Director, 23andMe, Principal, EDventure Holdings (sold to CNet), investor in Flickr and del.icio.us (both sold to Yahoo!) & Medstory (sold to Microsoft)
• Jeff Crow, General Partner, Norwest Venture Partners
• Vivek Mehra, General Partner, August Capital
• Ping Li, General Partner, Accel Partners
• Kittu Kolluri, General Partner, New Enterprise Associates
• Franklin Pitch Johnson, Founding Partner, Asset Management Company
• Peter Loukianoff, Partner, Almaz Capital Partners
• Guy Kawasaki, Managing Director, Garage Technology Ventures
• Pavel Pogodin, Partner, Sughrue Mion LLP
• Dmitry Dubograev, Partner, Femida LLP
• Leonid Gozman, Board Member, RUSNANO
• Mikhail Chuchkevich, Director, Project Office, RUSNANO
• Dmitry Vasuytinsky, Managing Partner, Allianz Asset Management
• Yan Ryazantsev, Investment Director, Russian Venture Company
• Bo Parker, Managing Director, Center for Technology and Innovation, PriceWaterhouseCoopers
• Phil Libin, CEO, Evernote
• Vlad Shmunis, CEO, RingCentral, Sequoia-backed company
• Matthew Trevithick, General Partner, Venrock
• Eric Buatois, General Partner, Sofinnova Ventures
• Vish Makhijani, COO, Zynga
• Vimal Solanki, Vice President, McAfee
• Evgeni Utkin, CEO, Kvazar-Micro, acquired by Sitronics, voted the Best Ukrainian Entrepreneur
• Greg Shenkman, General Partner, Exigen Capital, formerly CEO of Genesys, sold to Alcatel for $1.9B
• Mike Selfridge, Northern California Region Manager, Silicon Valley Bank

Whether you are looking for a deal flow, funding, information or networking – SVOD 2009 is the place to be! - WWW.SVOD.ORG 

 

 

Date: December 9-10, 2009

Location: Computer History Museum, Mountain View, Silicon Valley, CA

To Register: http://www.svod.org/

 

Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies (RUSNANO) and American Business Association of Russian-speaking Professionals (AmBAR) announce the Business Plan Competition cor projects and companies working in the field of nanotechnology. Origination of the project may come from any country or person all over the world, but its implementation or some part of implementation has to be completed in Russia. In 2009 the nominees for the contest are pre-selected by AmBAR among the participants of the Fifth Annual High Tech Investment Conference SVOD 2009. For more information, please go to: http://www.svod.org/ or e-mail to info@ambarclub.org

The projects are evaluated by the following criteria:

• nanotechnology application;
• scientific and technical feasibility of the project;
• quality and feasibility of the business-plan;
• steps already made towards project implementation.

The winner of the competition receives the RUSNANO award and the prize in the amount of 300,000 rubles (~$10,000).

For more details, please see the Contest terms and conditions (in Russian)

Stateside Contact: Michael Behm at mjb@stateside.com

MGA released several policy papers at its Jobs and Energy Summit in October. The Platform for Creating and Retaining Midwestern Jobs in the New Energy Economy notes that the Midwest is well positioned to create and retain jobs in a new energy economy, citing its biofuels industry, its well developed infrastructure and its potential for energy efficiency, wind power and significant underground storage for captured carbon.  

The MGA platform lays out several guiding principles for job creation in the energy sector:

• Enact policies that impact the Midwest as a region.
• Build on existing firms and industries.
• Position industry sectors for growth and better competitive advantage.
• Target creation and retention of quality jobs that provide career advancement and support middle-class families.
• Commit to sustainable principles.
• Encourage collaboration between workforce professionals and state entities.
• Identify and nurture private- and public-sector leadership.
• Produce outcomes that are replicable for different industries and regions.
• Encourage measurability and accountability within a framework that defines impacts and outcomes.

The Midwestern Energy Security and Climate Stewardship Roadmap: Advisory Group Recommendations consists of ideas developed by industry, agricultural, labor, environmental and governmental stakeholders convened by MGA to study the region’s energy sector. The roadmap notes that the Midwest, a manufacturing and agricultural center that serves the entire country, has historically benefited from low-cost coal and oil energy. The challenge and goal is to transform the region into “a fundamentally new, lower-carbon energy economy.” To that end, according to the roadmap, the Midwest must commit to:

• Immediate adoption of policies that encourage existing low-cost, low-carbon practices like energy efficiency.
• Modifications to the regulatory framework to remove disincentives for reduced energy use.
• Establishment of a stable regulatory environment for the development of renewable energy and technologies, such as carbon capture and storage.
• Adoption of policies to expedite research, development and commercialization of renewable and fossil energy technologies.
• Large-scale investment in the human capital necessary for an advanced energy economy to thrive, including consumer education, workforce and regulator training and technical assistance for business interests and entrepreneurs.

The Midwestern Energy Infrastructure Accord commits MGA to the development of a “robust energy infrastructure” that will put the Midwest at the forefront of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, fostering energy security and spurring jobs in low-carbon energy development and technology manufacturing. The infrastructure goals are:

• Expansion of electric transmission capacity in support of renewable energy development and distributed generation.
• Adoption of Smart Grid technologies and capabilities.
• Commercial build-out of carbon capture and storage.
• Deployment of refueling systems for biofuels and other advanced low-carbon transportation fuels.

Honeywell Automation and Control Solutions President and CEO Roger Fradin was featured in a recent Forbes magazine article, discussing Honeywell’s expansive energy-efficient technology portfolio.

The article titled “Green and Clean” cites Honeywell as being part of the “green gold rush in Europe” and in a leading market position in the U.S. which has “130 million buildings and 6 billion energy-hungry devices.”

“With energy controls in 150 million homes, 10 million businesses and the bulk of the world’s largest oil refineries, Honeywell is cashing in on worries over power costs and greenhouse gases. All told, 60% of sales at [Honeywell Automation and Control Solutions] come from products and services that relate to energy efficiency,” according to the article.

For more information, read the full article, watch a video on Honeywell’s Energy capabilities or visit Honeywell’s Energy Solutions Website.

Cool article from Reuters…  Go consumer power!  How many of y’all are buying organic, free-range turkey this year?

By Basil Katz

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Despite the worst U.S. recession in decades, sales of organic and sustainable products have continued to grow, experts say, with shoppers willing to spend a few more dollars in a bid to become more green.

U.S. supermarket sales of environmentally sustainable or “ethical” products — from energy-efficient light bulbs to organic produce — will rise about 8.7 percent in 2009 to nearly $38 billion, according to a recent study by Packaged Facts, a market research provider.

President Barack Obama’s commitment to tackle climate change, a string of scandals over tainted food and effective marketing of sustainable products have helped convince more Americans, whose environmental credentials lag behind Europeans, to buy green.

“I’ve been reading about carbon footprints,” said Lindsey Hoffman, 24, as she selected organic lettuce at a Whole Foods Market in Manhattan, “and though I’d prefer to go to a farmer’s market, this is better than anything else.”

“When I walked in I saw gorgeous asparagus, but as it’s $4 a bunch and flown in from Peru, I stayed away,” she said.

While sustainable and organic goods have traditionally occupied the premium shelves of supermarkets, an increasing number of retailers such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc and Safeway Inc have expanded their offerings and some prices now rival conventional products.

Some experts say the global economic crisis and the battle against global warming have prompted consumers to think more about purchases — both financially and environmentally.

“The financial crisis reminded people of the unintended consequences of collective behavior,” said Scott Bearse of Deloitte Consulting, who added that once people go green, they generally stay green.

Shelly Balanko at the Hartman Group, a marketing consulting firm that specializes in sustainable goods, said shoppers were realizing that green products offered better quality, along with causing less harm to the environment.

She said buyers now thought, “‘If I buy this, it will be less wasteful and I’m going to get good value for my dollar.’”

Some companies are appealing to these lifestyle changes, such as Kimberly Clark, one of the largest manufacturers of paper towels and diapers, which launched Scott Naturals, a paper products line using recycled fibers.

“There is much more of an interest in this in the last couple of years,” said Kimberly Clark spokeswoman Kay Jackson.

Americans spent a total of $511.9 billion on groceries at drugstores, supermarkets and mass retailers in 2008. So far this year shoppers have spent 1.9 percent more than the same period a year ago.

Sales of goods specifically labeled organic rose 17 percent to $24.6 billion in 2008, according to the Organic Trade Association.

“The more I read and hear about it, the more I’d like to go completely organic, 100 percent,” said Richard Drew, 35, a television producer, as he shopped at a natural body care shop in Manhattan.