Stanberry » renewable energy

Army Launches Renewable Energy Initiative

stanberry — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 10:20:21 +0000

Go Army! The US Army yesterday announced a special task force called the Energy Initiatives Office (EIO) designed to speed up deployment of solar and wind power at its bases. The task force is being created to help meet the Army’s ambitious goal of getting 25 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2025.

“We view ourselves as a target-rich environment for doing a better job with taxpayer dollars and being good stewards of the environment,” said John McHugh, secretary of the Army during a call with the media today. “To meet our longer-term objectives…we have to do better.”

Courtesy Green Tech CNET News

Austin Energy– We Love ‘em!

stanberry — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 16:29:08 +0000

Are you familiar with the Austin Energy program called the Green City Challenge? It’s a fun program that challenges us to take action to preserve or improve Austin’s environment by educating us how to reduce water use, carbon footprint, and waste– and they have prizes! How ’bout Green Choice? You can subscribe and control how much of your energy comes from renewable sources… At a recent presentation at a Stanberry education luncheon, we heard from Carol Harwell, the director of the Green Choice program on ways they are working to make this innovative program even better. We have knew contracts to purchase wind energy from South Texas, which brings that power more efficiently because the wind blows during our peak use times.

Did you know that you can call 877-549-2774 and get a free programmable thermostat? (Remember, the cleanest energy is the energy that is not used!) We are so fortunate to have a forward thinking, innovative utility like Austin Energy. Austin Energy is a progressive model for utilities all across the nation. That’s so like Austin!

Visit www.CoolAustin.org to learn more about reducing your carbon footprint.

At www.AustinEnergy.com to learn about the Green Choice program and the many rebates available.

Next, check out www.WaterWiseAustin.org for tips on water conservation.

Largest Ever Solar Farm In Vermont

stanberry — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 09:23:17 +0000

The largest solar installation to date in Vermont was commissioned this week as 382 solar trackers came online and into position perpendicular to the sun– using an iPhone!

Produced by AllEarth Renewables, the 382 AllSun Trackers were manufactured just four miles from the site of the solar farm, and make up the 2.2 MW farm in South Burlington.

The pole-mounted trackers use innovative GPS and wireless technology to actively follow the sun throughout the day, producing more than 40 percent more energy than fixed solar.

Using inverters on each tracker to boost energy performance, this project is the largest solar installation in North America to use such a configuration .

This info courtesy of Solar Energy News. Read more here:

http://www.brighterenergy.org/25251/news/solar/iphone-puts-finishing-touch-to-vermonts-largest-solar-farm/

Renewables Surpass Nuclear in US

stanberry — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 23:37:53 +0000

Renewable Energy Production Surpasses Nuclear in U.S.

Courtesy Forbes, Green Like Money, Erika Gies

In the first quarter of 2011, renewable energy production in the United States surpassed nuclear production in overall quantity and percentage. Also, the percentage of natural gas is growing slowly, while coal is declining.

Entrenched energy industries like to say that renewable energy can never provide a significant amount of U.S. energy needs. And while it’s true that some technologies still face barriers to widespread implementation and others, while technically renewable, might not be very green, renewables as a percentage of U.S. energy generation are creeping up steadily — and not just in California, with its target of 33 percent renewables by 2020.

In the first three months of 2011, renewable energy — hydroelectric, geothermal, solar/PV, wind, and biomass — made up 11.7 percent of the U.S. energy production mix, surpassing nuclear at 11.1 percent. The same period last year, nuclear was 11.6 percent, and renewables 10.6, according to a June report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (Table 1.2).

“The rise in conventional hydroelectric generation was by far the largest absolute “fuel-specific” increase as it was up 10,759 thousand megawatthours, or 52.2 percent,” according to Electric Power Monthly. This was largely due to heavy spring rains in Washington, Oregon, and California, which accounted for 71.5 percent of the national rise.

However, environmentalists find objectionable the two biggest technologies that make up the renewables sector: hydroelectric power at 35 percent and biomass at 48 percent.

While large hydroelectric power doesn’t emit emissions (at least not after accounting for the materials and energy expended in building it), it has harmful impacts on river ecosystems and has therefore fallen out of favor as a power source in the developed world.

As for biomass, there are many types of feedstocks, and each much be evaluated individually for its emissions profile, it’s water footprint, and other considerations, such as whether farm fields or forests need that material to decompose in place to retain soil or ecosystem function.

Wind was next highest at 13 percent of renewables, or 1.5 percent of total U.S. energy production, up from 1.1 percent the same time last year.

This represents a 20.4 percent increase from March 2010, and the third-largest fuel-specific increase, according to the report. “Wyoming, California, and Illinois had the largest gains, but the increase was widespread,” it said.

Texas & Austin Metro:Leaders in Sustainability

stanberry — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 00:19:09 +0000

Site Selection Magazine is an award winning, nationally circulated publication used as a decision making tool for business leaders in determining trends and indicators for real estate investment and business expansions and moves– and they just ranked Texas as eighth in the top ten states in terms of sustainability. The Austin/Round Rock Metro area was named seventh for cities with high sustainability rankings. The ranking was based on a number of criteria that included the number of LEED certified projects, renewable energy generation per capita, incentives available for green projects, alternative vehicles in use, and renewable energy manufacturing and associated businesses.

The top ten are California, Washington, Oregon, Minnesota, Colorado, New York, Vermont, Texas, Massachusetts and New Mexico.

Site Selection Managing Editor Adam Bruns says “Top-ranking areas for sustainability don’t just pass restrictive laws or put token solar panels on every edifice. They nurture an ecosystem of business, institutions, government and individual citizens all striving to place a proper value on their locality’s limited resources, and sometimes to make or save money in the process.”

So, Go Texas and Go Austin Metro! Bring on the leadership to move us to number one!

State Department Reduces Footprint

stanberry — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 15:26:29 +0000

“The Department of State is pleased to announce that it has taken an important step in reducing its environmental footprint by making renewable energy a significant portion of its electric portfolio. The Department has entered into a competitive based energy savings agreement to procure clean energy that is expected to be cost-neutral over the term of the agreement. This action supports the Department’s commitment to be a responsible environmental steward under Executive Order 13514 and enables the Department to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 30~35% compared to FY2008 by December 2012, far surpassing our previous stated goal of 20% by 2020. Under this agreement the Department is tapping into the nation’s growing renewable energy market through Constellation Energy, which is investing in wind and solar photovoltaic energy. This innovative solution is a joint effort with Unicor/Federal Prison Industries utilizing their unique contracting and renewable energy expertise — providing reliable clean energy to the State Department at set prices for the next 20 years. The joint effort exemplifies how effective and innovative federal agencies can be when they work together and leverage public-private partnerships. The President announced during the State of the Union the goal of promoting new sources of renewable energy and utilizing the purchasing power of the government to advance this objective — including a goal of 80% clean energy for the nation by 2035. This energy savings agreement demonstrates a concrete example of our nation’s commitment to clean energy technologies and leading by example.”

Business Briefing: The Green Advantage

stanberry — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 14:25:35 +0000

Here’s a great and short read from Cushman Wakefield: The Green Advantage: An Analysis of National Landlords’ Committment to Sustinability

The recent global economic downturn did not have the expected negative impact on consumer appetite for green products and services, and this continuing consumer demand is a driving force behind the growing number of CEOs in all sectors who feel that sustainability issues will increasingly become integral to all aspects of their business. This thinking is in turn becoming the market force, driving commercial landlords to increasingly view green features as a necessity when it comes to attracting and retaining these sustainably minded businesses as tenants, although the reality is that many landlords do not yet have much to offer in the way of sustainable product and are only just beginning to take their portfolios in this direction. Read it here: http://tinyurl.com/4depvrq

Round Rock Couple Creates Five Star Energy Efficient Home

stanberry — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 00:52:42 +0000

Cripes! Round Rock residents Karen and Dan Cripe have received mixed reactions since moving into their new home in July—from curiosity to awe to confusion. Twenty-four solar panels line the metal roof of their 1,440-square-foot house, the most noticeable feature in their efforts to conserve energy. Almost every aspect of the couple’s home—down to their choice of paint, appliances, faucets and light bulbs—was created with the goal of reducing their carbon footprint.

Our well respected builder friend, Wayne Jeansonne of Solluna Builders, who helped build the house, said it is the first house in Round Rock to qualify for any kind of AEGB rating, let alone receive five stars.

Jeansonne said homes must meet 18 indicators in order to even receive a rating and must rack up 125 points to earn five stars—the highest possible rating. The Cripes’ home received 180 points.

Read the full article, with details about their energy saving, sustainable building choices at :

http://tinyurl.com/4neewje

Net Zero Home! San Antonio’s first!

stanberry — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 02:26:37 +0000

https://www.builtsmartresources.com/grand-opening.html

Check this out: Built Smart Resources in San Antonio has a resource center where you can see green building in action. What a great way to see renewable energy choices, responsibly sourced building materials, energy saving systems…

The Resource Center has scored the highest Emerald level with the national NAHB Green Building program and achieved the Level 3 Solar Home designation with the Build San Antonio Green Program, and it is open seven days a week for your viewing pleasure! Take an educational drive to our Sister City and come back inspired!

Clean Energy Firm: The Way of the Future

stanberry — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 19:57:04 +0000

President Barack Obama touted gains made by a Wisconsin renewable energy firm as the kind of innovation that will bolster the United States.

Obama, in his weekly address on the White House website, appeared in a video from the Orion Energy Systems factory in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, a site he visited earlier this week.

He returned to the theme of driving American innovation through a mix of government action and private initiative that he outlined in his State of the Union speech on Tuesday.

“I’m here because this business and others like it are showing us the way forward,” Obama said in the weekly address.

Obama said in the coming days he will highlight “innovators across America” who are relying on new technology to create jobs, and allow U.S. firms to beat competitors.

“We’ll win the future by being the best place on Earth to do business. That is what we are called to do at this moment. And in my State of the Union, I talked about how we get there,” he said.

To spark innovation, the United States will need to invest in education, infrastructure and online networks, Obama said. He also advocated for tax breaks for company research and the need to set a goal for the United States to obtain 80 percent of its electricity from clean energy sources by 2035.

Orion relied on a small business loan and clean energy incentives to open its factory in a Manitowoc facility vacated by another local employer years ago, Obama said.

The factory now employs 250 workers who build clean energy systems with solar power and other sustainable technology.

Read the full text from Reuters Green Business section here: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/01/29/us-obama-address-idUSTRE70S3H120110129