From Eco Geek

When we talk about a new economy, changing jobs and technology, here's a very good example of what we are seeing and what we are getting very excited about.  Our thanks to Eco Geek for their continued excellent coverage:Synthetic Fuel Made From Air and WaterWritten by Philip Proefrock on 24/10/12An English company called Air Fuel Synthesis has begun producing gasoline (petrol) directly from air and water. Using carbon capture technology to sequester CO2 out of the atmosphere, and electrolysis to crack water into its constuituent hydrogen and oxygen, the company's process then combines the hydrogen and carbon dioxide to create synthetic gasoline or other fuels.To be carbon emissions neutral, any carbon that is going...

Read more »

Come one, Come all!

RENEW Wisconsin is excited to present the 2013 renewable energy policy summit, "Powering Positive Action!". Every business, organization, and individual interested in promoting clean renewable energy in Wisconsin should attend.At this year's Summit we will lay the policy foundation for Powering Positive Action in 2013 through investments in new renewable infrastructure serving Wisconsin businesses and citizens.Bill Ritter, Summit Keynote SpeakerWe are thrilled to host former Colorado Governor, Bill Ritter, as the keynote speaker for the summit. During his time as governor, his administration made Colorado one of the leading states in the US in renewable energy.Registration and sponsorship opportunities are now open. Don't wait until...

Read more »

Today's radio show on WARL 1320 and Blog Talk Radio

My co-host today is Jim Murphy from RI College and we are joined by Dr. Suchandra Basu, Professor of Economics at RI College and we are talking about environmental economics today.  This is a fascinating subject, wide-ranging, touching on every aspect of sustainable economies and growing green jobs and commerce.Please tune in.  Here's a link to last week's show on Blog Talk Radio, in case you missed it, and you'll be able to use this link for today's show which will broadcast live, 12-1p, EST:  http://www.blogtalkradio.com/renewable-now/2012/11/21/re-awakeningFor WARL 1320, a great radio station with a a very positive format, you can tune in at:  http://1320warlradio.com/gs/Of course, you can tune in 24/7 on Blog Talk Radio, the Renewable Now channel, and listen to any...

Read more »

Hydrogen production – nanotechnology boost

Hydrogen is often being mentioned as one of the top energy sources in years to come, and now in the first-ever experiment of its kind scientists have proved that clean energy hydrogen can be generated from water splitting by using very small metal particles that are exposed to sunlight.Alexander Orlov, an Assistant Professor of Materials Science & Engineering at Stony Brook University, and ...

Read more »

Part 2: Hawaii's future with solar

Continued from yesterday as we explore one state's struggles to move into renewable energy:..."So rapid is the growth that Hawaiian Electric at one point proposed a moratorium on solar installations, a plan that met with immediate outrage and was quickly withdrawn. But utilities are requiring expensive "interconnection" studies, such as the one the Lees had to do, in solar-saturated areas to analyze what impact a new unit is going to have on the utility system before it can connect to the grid."The last three months are turning into a madhouse of solar here on Oahu," Hawaiian Electric spokesman Peter Rosegg said. "We're doing everything we can to get in as much solar as possible, but there's a strong sense that we're kind of at a crossroads here in trying to deal with these issues."Hawaii...

Read more »

Hawaii's solar power flare-up: Too much of a good thing?

This is a very interesting article from The LA Times and points to the complicated financial picture of moving energy into renewables.What appears to be a very good model, Hawaii's aggressive renewable-energy program and the effective use of tax credits, has pushed maybe too hard in growing their solar industry.  Clearly the utility is wrestling with how to best integrate that power into their grid given its unpredictable nature.  And, the State is feeling the financial effects of loss revenue as people and companies take full advantage of the credits.What we don't want to see is a success turn into a failure.  We do not want to see State's, and even the federal govt, shelve credits and incentives that are helping to move...

Read more »

Solar and wind – Current status facts

Solar energy is almost limitless source of renewable energy in our planet. The scientists have calculated that the total amount of solar energy absorbed by our planet is approximately 3,850,000 exajoules (EJ) per year. What this means is that solar energy really has enormous potential, and that covering only 4% of the world's deserts with solar panels would be enough to satisfy all of the...

Read more »

This week's radio show

Is now available 24/7 on Blog Talk Radio, Renewable Now channel.  Here's a description of the show:Re awakeningby Renewable Nowin BusinessThis week on ReNewable Now, it was a great, informative show . Peter Arpin had chatted  with Maureen Cary from RI Natural Awakenings about various topics that the magazine covered regarding sustainable living and personal growth. Jack Gregg, president and founder of the Electric Vehicle Urban Infrastructure Study,  also stopped by to give us an update about what’s pertinent in the news this month. Don’t forget to tune in at 12 p.m. this Wednesday onwww.1320WARLradio.comorwww.blogtalkradio.com. ReNewable Now, educating you on the business side of green!Here's the direct link to the show.  While there, listen to prior...

Read more »

Enjoy the day/weekend and this video

We are very grateful to all of you for the support of the show and related sites.  We think it has been a good year on our path to a cleaner future...do you?Our thanks to Nature Conservancy for this timely video.  We enjoy supporting them and many other non-profits that bring value to our economy and environment.  We need to think long-term in our planning and investments, and they do.You can copy and paste the below address into your browser.  Let us know what you think.We encourage you to support their efforts as well.http://www.nature.org/photosmultimedia/our-scientists-thank-you-2012.xml?src=e.nat...

Read more »

Solar power plant with mirrors – Florida example

The largest solar power plant in the United States is located in California's Mojave Desert and is owned by Florida Power & Light Co (FPL). Florida Power & Light Co has not stopped on just one project and has also constructed large solar power plant at the Martin Next Generation Solar Energy Center in Indiantown, the one that is now the second largest solar power plant in the world, with the...

Read more »

Dunkin Donuts' 4-Step Solution to Brewing Energy Efficiency

Coffee lovers rejoice:  One of the big players, very popular in Eastern US, is taking a step towards a sustainable future by reducing its use of energy to brew its coffee.  Interesting, as you read their story, they became very motivated "After observing the success of EDF Climate Corps fellows at other companies, executives at Dunkin' Donuts believed energy efficiency could mean potential savings for their own company as well."We love this statement as it is our goal to motivate you through sharing other success stories.  Whether you are an individual, non-profit or business, there is, in our view, plenty of room to make a good economic decision that will benefit the environment as well, and you can see and hear that through...

Read more »

Good webinar to look at

Nature’s Returns: Investing in Ecosystem ServicesA Special Edition Webinar SeriesCenter for Business and the Environment at YaleThe Yale Center for Business and the Environment (CBEY) is pleased to announce the second year of Nature’s Returns: Investing in Ecosystem Services, a webinar series that addresses the growing importance of ecosystem service valuation and investment. The benefits that human populations gain from healthy and functioning ecosystems are vast. Clean drinking water filtered by forests, carbon stored in plants or soil, crop pollination by wild insects, and pharmaceutical uses of plants are just a few examples of services humans usually receive for free. A recent wave of efforts to monetize the value of Ecosystem Services presents an opportunity to both protect these assets...

Read more »

Thanks to Terra Pass

A very good carbon-offset company for sending us th...

Read more »

Thanks to Mrs. Green's World

And specially to Mrs. Green for being on the radio with us this week.  If you don't know Mrs. Green or the green world she artfully cultivates, listen here to a great interview and then go to her web site for more information:  http://www.blogtalkradio.com/renewable-now/2012/11/14/greensworldAlso, we continue to garner a very large audience on the Arpin Broadcast Network as they watch our fascinating TV series with Betaspring and learn more about them and accelerators driving new business around the globe.  Here's the most recent episode we posted.  Come back next week for show 3:  http://www.arpinbroadcastnetwork.com/http___handylawllc.com_.htmlTell us what shows and topics you'd like to see next on Renewable Now, the show and tour that bring you the business...

Read more »

Renewable Energy To Rival Coal As World's Primary Energy Source By 2035

Here is some great news to share with you and pump you up for the weekend.  We know, based on this projection, the world will be a cleaner place by 2035.  Good work everyone.  Let's keep pushing.Keep in mind this shift to locally produced energy brings amazing financial gains to our country, including returning the flow of dollars and jobs back into a domestic economy.Our thanks to Seth, Handy, one of my co-host on radio and an excellent environmental attorney who works tirelessly to make this a better world, and Wind Power Magazine for their inspiring story.Of course, some pretty complicated economics dictate our use of energy, and we need to keep pushing subsidies towards clean energy and away from fossil fuel. We hope, in...

Read more »

Renewable Energy Was Critical In Swing-State Voters' Choice For President, Poll Finds

This is an interesting look at the recent election.  We had been encouraging everyone to consider each candidate's energy and environmental policies in evaluating a vote/no-vote.  We felt, and continue to feel, that these two issues are paramount and deserve much scrutiny in any election...local or national.You will see in this article that there was, in fact, a direct correlation to states that invest and support renewables helping to push the national election Obama's way.  We think these issues will continue to carry great weight, and we think they should be an important part of any politician's platform.New polls released by the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) and the Advanced Energy Economy Ohio Institute show that voters in Colorado,...

Read more »

Will Wisconsin election results tip scales against renewables?

RENEW Wisconsin's Michael Vickerman weight in on the recent changes in Wisconsin politics, and what they mean for the future of renewable energies. From this article in Midwest Energy News by Dan Haugen.Will changing political winds in Wisconsin mean another new direction for wind energy policy in the state?Wisconsin Republicans reclaimed control of the state’s senate last week, five months after recall elections tipped the balance to Democrats. Republicans will now hold power by a wider margin in 2013 than they held in 2011.A wind farm near Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Renewable energy advocates are expecting another challenge to the state’s wind siting rules. (Photo by Digidave via Creative Commons)Wind energy advocates are worried that might...

Read more »

Live radio show today at 12p, EST

On WARL 1320 AM and Blog Talk Radio, Renewable Now channel.You can email questions during the show or reach us on Twitter/Facebook.Here's some info on our guest:Who is Mrs. Green?Gina Murphy-Darling loves being Mrs. Green—a woman born to connect individuals and businesses with green-friendly solutions in a powerful movement toward global sustainability.People consider Mrs. Green a messenger for Mother Earth and all her inhabitants. Everyone from retired chemical engineers to design-school millennials appreciates her authentic, powerfully positive way of advocating for our planet.Mrs. Green’s interest in preserving our planet had a slow awakening. But after attending a conference for the Amazon Herb Company, her awareness turned into an unstoppable passion. That’s where she heard company founder...

Read more »

Award-Winning Children’s Author Launches MONKEY SAYS, an Online Learning Platform About Earth

Tomorrow night we are filming give great shows on positive changes in education and our desire to get kids ready for our growing green economy.In addition to looking at schools and national policies promoting environmental and economic studies, we have guests coming in from outside organizations who bring very creative tools to education.One of those guests, Susan Ring, has built a great new series to help educate children on protecting the Earth.  We are happy to share her information with you and we encourage you to contact her:Award-Winning Children’s Author Launches MONKEY SAYS, an Online Learning Platform About Animals & the Environment; Susan Ring, passionate about animals and the environment gives away free e-book to celebrate Earth DayPROVIDENCE, RI--Award-winning children’s...

Read more »

Growth in sustainable degrees

We first saw this article a couple of years ago in USA Today, and the trend continues to grow and grow rapidly.  A positive for the college students is that jobs in the green economy are expanding and keeping up with their influx to the work force.This Wed's night we are filming five shows on sustainable changes in education:  From facilities (schools) to curriculums to staffing to amazing innovations taking place in our school systems.  We will premier those shows in Dec.College students are flocking to sustainability degrees, careers"Students interested in pursuing a job in sustainability now can choose from a variety of "green" degree programs.With an increased interest in the environment and growth in the "green collar" job sector, colleges and universities are...

Read more »

State’s Renewable Standard Delivers Positive Results

More informationMichael Vickermanmvickerman@renewwisconsin.org608.255.4044,ext. 2State’s Renewable Standard Delivers Positive ResultsMost utilities already meeting 2015 targetsMost Wisconsin electricity providers have already acquired all the renewable energy supplies they need to meet the state’s 10% target in 2015, according to the Public Service Commission (PSCW).The agency’s annual compliance review showed that nearly 9% of electricity sold by in-state electricity providers in 2011 originated from such renewable energy resources as sunlight, biogas, hydro, landfill gas and wind, compared with 3% in 2006.“By any measure, the state’s Renewable Energy Standard (RES) has been an unqualified success,” said Michael Vickerman, program and policy director for RENEW Wisconsin. “From the standpoint...

Read more »

A quick look back

As we retrace prior steps, look at legislation and investments that have cleared the way for restoration of great natural resources, like Narraganset Bay, and hope that this administration, and Congress, take similar steps to preserve and enhance key resources that carry our environmental and economic futures.Send us what you consider key steps, and investments, made by past leaders."In the 1980s, Congress determined that key estuaries across the United States were threatened and so drafted legislation that was included in the 1987 amendments to the federal Clean Water Act. This legislation created the National Estuary Program, and Narragansett Bay was one of the first four estuaries to be included in the progra...

Read more »

Thank you

To those of you in the MA/RI area who brought supplies to Cardi's Furniture for us to bring down to the NY/NJ area, THANK YOU.  You have filled our trucks and hearts.We salute the Cardi's, media who covered the event, the wonderful, hard working staff of both companies, the volunteers who tirelessly helped and to every single person who donated, food, water and clothes.We had one older woman bring a single blanket as that was "all she had"...yet she gave it to others.We are inspired by our citizens, community and nation. &nb...

Read more »

Enjoy the show and tour 2012

...

Read more »

The Real Meaning of Kewaunee’s Demise

A commentary by Michael Vickerman, Director, Policy and Programs at RENEW Wisconsin:  Shock waves reverberated across the Upper Midwest when Dominion Resources announced in late October that it would permanently shut down its Kewaunee nuclear generating station in early 2013. Operational since 1974, the Kewaunee station, located along Lake Michigan 30 miles east of Green Bay, currently generates about 5% of the electricity that originates in Wisconsin.Virginia-based Dominion, which bought the 560-megawatt Kewaunee plant in 2005 from two Wisconsin utilities, attributed its decision to its inability to secure long-term power purchase agreements to keep the plant going. Without securing purchasing commitments from utilities, Dominion would have to sell Kewaunee’s output into...

Read more »

Listen to the radio show from yesterday

As we talked with The Solar Living Institute in CA and found out how they are training people, there and on-line, in techniques of installing renewables, and got a glimpse inside a major Institute pushing all of us into a cleaner future.Here's the link.   There's a slight buzz on his audio (he came in on a phone line), but we are trying to edit that out.  http://www.blogtalkradio.com/renewable-now/2012/11/07/solar-living-instit...

Read more »

Good post-election thoughts from Grow Smart

All states are a microcosm of investments and choices we make on a national level as well.  RI, as you'll see from the below statement from Grow Smart, voted to put new money into some critical areas:  clean water, preserving open space, maintaining or growing farming and affordable housing (they could also have added investments in education as they approved 50m into one of their oldest and most important colleges).We agree with Grow Smart that these represent good, targeted investments in key State assets, and enhance quality-of-life in RI that is critical to their economic success.  Did your state make similar investments?  If so, we'd love to hear from you.Grow Smart applauds voters for approving investments to strengthen Rhode Island Last night, Rhode Island...

Read more »

Good radio show today on WARL 1320 and Blog Talk Radio

As we talk with Ross Beck from the Solar Living Institute in CA.The Institute provides a very wide range of educational programs--many on line--internships (I wonder if they'd let me in???  I'll ask Ross later today), advise and help on solar living buildings that feature organic gardens, sustainability workshops on everything from beekeeping to bio diesel and grey water use...you get the idea, lots of great things to talk about.We will be on at 12-1 today, EST, on Blog Talk Radio, Renewable Now channel...http://www.blogtalkradio.com/renewable-now..and WARL 1320 AM...http://1320warlradio.com/gs/Feel free to contact us during the sh...

Read more »

Great report for today

As you cast a vote, here in the US, for different candidates and help guide our future.  This report looks at the tremendous progress in wind energy in Europe, and outlines similar opportunities here along the Atlantic coastline.Let's hope we are electing people who see promise in growing an economy, and jobs, around clean tech.Take the time to read the report; it is very well done:NWF Wind Energy Report ReleasedA Turning Point for Atlantic Offshore Wind EnergyThe Environment Council of RI recently endorsed the new September 2012 Atlantic Offshore Wind Energy report from National Wildlife Federation, which is described on the NWF website. An excerpt from NWF's website:America can create hundreds of thousands of jobs while powering our homes and businesses with local, clean...

Read more »