Carbon Dioxide emissions in the states are down. The government estimates that between 2007 and 2009, carbon emissions will be down by a whopping nine percent. This is the equivalent of shutting down 400 coal plants for a year. This is good news and it’s real. Now the bad news. The reason for the decline [...]
Archive for the ‘Energy Solutions’ Category
Greenhouse Gases Dive in US
Posted in Clean Vehicles, Energy Solutions, Sustainability, Wave Energy, biodiesel, biomass, ethanol, hydrogen, solar, wind on November 22, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
OUC Seeks Applicants for 10 MW PV Power Purchase Agreements
Posted in Energy Solutions, Sustainability, solar on July 29, 2009 | 1 Comment »
This is the first PPA request I have heard about in Florida. Applicants begin the process by submitting a Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) to OUC. You can get applications and details at the Orlando Utilities Website here. The deadline is September 3, 2009.
Applicant teams must have participated in an aggregate of at least one megawatt [...]
Public and Private investments Building Green Jobs
Posted in Energy Solutions, Sustainability, Wave Energy, biodiesel, wind on July 4, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
The July-August edition of Audubon Magazine has an article by Barry Yeoman called Work Plan. Mr Yeoman tells the story how Newton, Iowa is transitioning from high employment (Maytag Washing Machine factory) to recession (Maytag bought out and factory closed 2006) to new era green companies with jobs expanding. The Newton Transformation Council saw [...]
Solar Center Offers Zero Energy Home Webinar
Posted in Energy Solutions, Sustainability, solar on May 9, 2009 | 7 Comments »
This on-line twelve-session course appears to cover every aspect of pushing home energy consumption down to zero: efficient walls and windows, solar hot water, attics, appliances, solar PV, etc. If you have thought about building or retrofitting a home for net zero energy, this sounds like where you should be.
The sessions begin June 3rd and [...]
Sarasota County Solar Advisory Plan Rejected
Posted in Energy Solutions, solar on April 23, 2009 | 1 Comment »
Following up on my previous blog, I listened to the Solar Advisory Committee report and the commissioners’ response. The commissioners had evidently previously charged the Committee to develop a bold plan to implement solar hot water in Sarasota county. Larry Altman, the committee chairman, said “a public utility is the only way to make a [...]
Florida Legislators Confused about Nuclear Power and Renewable Energy
Posted in Energy Solutions, Sustainability, Wave Energy, biomass, hydrogen, solar, wind on March 22, 2009 | 1 Comment »
While state legislators wonder whether to call nuclear power clean or renewable the old issues that have kept the industry shut down for thirty years are still unresolved: nuclear proliferation, waste, sabotage and safety. Just last year, the safety issue was raised again at the FPL Turkey Point plant. The top nuclear operator there accused [...]
Stimulus Bill Improves Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency
Posted in Energy Solutions on February 19, 2009 | 1 Comment »
On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed a stimulus bill (The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) that made some significant changes to the energy efficiency tax credits. The highlights are:
The tax credits that were previously effective for 2009, have been extended to 2010 as well.
The tax credit has been raised from 10% to [...]
Florida PSC will study Navigant Assessment
Posted in Energy Solutions on November 30, 2008 | 1 Comment »
The State Public Service Commission (PSC) has been delegated the task of structuring a renewable energy standard for electric utilities. Governor Crist has asked for 20% renewable by 2020. Earlier in the year, the first draft from the PSC staff would only have achieved that goal by 2041. The Commissioners didn’t accept that draft and [...]
Energy fund for Alachua?
Posted in Energy Solutions on February 4, 2008 | 2 Comments »
Alachua County, Florida – Alachua County’s Energy Conservation Strategies Commission will soon recommend a loan program to help county residents make their homes more energy-efficient. Under the program the county would make low-interest loans to home-owners who make energy-related repairs and improvements. It’s modeled after a program in Berkeley, California. The committee is still a [...]
Sustainability Forum at Florida Tech
Posted in Clean Vehicles, Conferences, Energy Solutions, Sustainability, Wave Energy, biomass, ethanol, hydrogen, solar, wind on February 15, 2007 | 5 Comments »
This conference includes Frank Leslie’s session on March 7th on Renewable (Sustainable) Energy from 2:00 p.m. until 4:20 p.m.
News Release
MELBOURNE, FLA.—Florida Tech will address smart growth and environmental sustainability at its fourth international, interdisciplinary forum, “Sustainable Pathways: New Research and Practices,” on March 6-7 on campus. The forum is a collaborative effort of the Florida [...]
