Green Education Prospectus
Green Job Growth
Source: Pew Charitable Trusts, 2009, based on the National Establishment Time Series Database; analysis by Pew Center on the States and Collaborative Economics.
Green Job Distribution
Source: Pew Charitable Trusts, 2009, based on the National Establishment Time Series Database; analysis by Pew Center on the States and Collaborative Economics.
Tag Archives: solar energy
The [Not So] Guilty Pleasure of Air Conditioning: Coming Soon With Solar AC
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of walking out of the oppressive heat of a midsummer day into the perfect chill of a well air-conditioned building. Air conditioning is one of those modern conveniences like the cellular telephone: it hasn’t really been around that long, but now that we are used to it we wonder how people ever survived without it. However, there’s a high price tag – in most modern buildings air conditioning accounts for the single largest energy expenditure for the summer months and in many places for much of the year.
With conventionally powered electrical compressor heat pumps, that means that some of the first suggestions that an Eco Consultant is going to give a homeowner or business to reduce utility costs are going to have to do with optimizing the use of climate control systems in order to curb the appetite of these energy-hungry machines. But what if this wasn’t necessary? What if the hotter it got, the cheaper it got to run your AC? What if you could crank your thermostat to “cold” and let it rip without feeling the least bit guilty or apprehensive about what the bill at the end of the month was going to look like? Continue reading
Explosive Growth on the Horizon for African Renewable Energy Market
Currently, California, USA is the hotspot for renewable energy development worldwide, with more open solar and wind projects in this small region than anywhere else in the world. However, experts expect this to change very soon and Africa is expected to be one of the most important new regions for renewable energy production.
Up until now, Africa has been by and large left out of the renewable energy race despite prevailing weather conditions and geography that would seem to lend it perfectly to different types of renewables, particularly solar. In addition, the lack of a centralized grid system over much of the continent also lends itself to stand-alone renewable power generation as an avenue for individuals and communities who are in need of energy solutions to produce electricity in the long term while avoiding the high fuel costs and upkeep of traditional fossil-fuel systems. Continue reading
Posted in Green, Green Government, Renewable Energy, Solar Energy, Wind Energy
Tagged clean energy, clean energy jobs, eco friendly, electricity, energy, environment, green energy, renewable energy, renewable energy companies, solar energy, solar panels, solar power, wind energy, wind turbines
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US Voters Warm Up to Renewable Energy
It’s election season once again. One of the most important times of the year, where we get to decide the direction that our country is moving in. It looks like elections this year will hold good news for renewable energy. In a recent poll of voters conducted by Public Policy Polling for the NRDC Action Fund it was found that the majority of voters were in support of an energy bill with strong ties to renewable sources. The poll was conducted in 23 congressional districts and concluded that at least 52% of voters in these districts would be more inclined to support a candidate whose platform included energy policy that would cut pollution and reduce the effects of climate change.
This is good news for the booming renewable energy sector. Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has already gotten the ball rolling by supporting renewable energy projects in the United States. Continued legislation in favor of renewables will only further cement the progress that has been made in the past 3 years. Continue reading
Posted in Green, Green Government, Renewable Energy, Solar Energy, Sustainable Living, Wind Energy
Tagged american recovery and reinvestment act, carbon dioxide emissions, carbon emissions, clean energy, clean energy jobs, eco friendly, energy, energy conservation, environment, green, green collar jobs, green government, recovery act, renewable energy, solar energy, solar panels, solar power, wind energy, wind turbines
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ON LINE – Nevada’s Southwest Intertie Project: How it Demonstrates Commitment to Renewable Green Energy
The town of Apex, Nevada is normally just the location of the Apex Regional Landfill (the largest landfill in the state of Nevada), a small relief power station that comes online when nearby Las Vegas is overloading the grid and not much else. However last week brought red-letter days for this dusty, nondescript stretch of Hwy 93 situated just northeast of the city of lights. The One Nevada Transmission Line or “ON Line” (so clever!) project commencement was hosted at NV Energy’s [NASDAQ: NVE] Harry Allen Generating Station campus on Tuesday. It was a fairly star-studded event with U.S. Energy Secretary Ken Salazar and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid both in attendance, alongside a veritable who’s who of Nevada’s energy-industry brass to witness the beginning of a project that is being billed as a significant breakthrough in the support of renewable power and a major source of green collar jobs, as well as being symbolic of the new direction the state of Nevada is taking towards energy policy through the strong support of renewables.
The One Nevada transmission line consists of a 500 kilovolt power conduit that will cover the entire length of the state of Nevada running north-south. It will eventually be extended as far north as Idaho. The portion of the line that will be completed in this first phase consists of a 235-mile line extending from the Harry Allen site to a new electrical substation that will be constructed northwest of the town of Ely, Nevada. The projected price tag for the project will top $510 million. Continue reading
Posted in Green, Green Collar, Green Government, Renewable Energy, Solar Energy, Wind Energy
Tagged american recovery and reinvestment act, clean energy, clean energy jobs, department of energy, eco friendly, electricity, employment, energy, environment, green collar jobs, green economy, green energy, green environment, green jobs, nevada, nv energy, recovery act, renewable energy, renewable energy companies, solar energy, solar panels, solar power, wind energy, wind turbines
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The Future of Solar Renewables: New Quantum – Dot Photovoltaics
Solar power has always been the renewable energy source that captures the imagination. Free, instant electricity with no moving parts and nothing to wear out –you just point your panel at the sun and plug in. It’s such a wonderful concept that it’s always been in the back of every renewable energy ecogeek’s mind. On top of that, it’s a commonly quoted figure that the sun blasts the earth with enough energy in an hour to produce a year’s worth of electricity. It all sounds very promising and seductive; the problem is that solar panels just aren’t very efficient. In fact most modern solar panels are only able to convert around 25% of the energy that hits them into electricity. That’s not very much and because of that solar panels just haven’t been very successful when it comes to development as a means of mass power generation.
But wait – there’s more! That’s not the only thing that is having a negative effect on the popularity of solar power. The other issue (and probably the killing stroke) is expense. Solar panels use components and materials (gold, to name one) that are extremely expensive. Because of that, the panels are very costly. The truth of the matter is that not everyone is committed enough to alternative energy that they have desire to shell out thousands of dollars to purchase a machine that only does its job at ¼ to 1/3 efficiency. Continue reading
Important Trends in Alternative Energy
Breakdown Of Alternative Energy Use in the US
Recently, the U.S. Energy Information Administration released their most recent report regarding the consumption of alternative energy in the United States. While the nation’s complete dependence on fossil fuels is readily apparent in the report, there are signs of progress as well. Nationwide, renewable energy sources accounted for over 7% of the total energy consumption. Within that 7% the main type of renewable energy that was consumed was biomass, meaning the burning of fuels produced from renewable sources such as ethanol production and biodiesel accounting for 52% of the total renewable energy consumed. The biomass sector has seen substantial growth, more than doubling its market share in the period between 2004-2008. The second leading source of renewable energy consumed was hydroelectric power which accounted for 34%. Hydroelectric energy production has remained steady (with minor fluctuations due to water levels) at between 2.2 and 3.6 quadrillion Btu/yr for about 20 years. The leading states as far as hydroelectric power generation were Washington, Oregon, New York, California, Montana and Idaho, although there was some growth in Alabama, Arkansas and New York. Since plans for the construction of new dams is limited, it can be expected that these figures will continue basically unchanged.
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Posted in Green, Green Government, Renewable Energy, Solar Energy, Sustainable Living, Wind Energy
Tagged alta wind energy center, american recovery and reinvestment act, california, clean energy, clean energy jobs, eco friendly, electricity, future of energy investment, renewable energy, solar, solar energy, solar panels, solar power, sustainability, types of renewable energy, wind energy, wind turbines
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Time for Australia to Go Green
[/caption]As the rest of the world is taking on clean energy sources, Australia joins in as well. Australia is planning to build the biggest wind farm in the southern hemisphere by 2013. These plans are Australia’s quick responses towards fighting off climate change as well as in controlling its abundant clean energy sources, such as wind, solar, waves, geothermal energy and bioenergy.
Australia lacks the political and commercial will to take on big renewable energy projects. Consequently, only a very small percentage, particularly 6% of power in Australia is supplied with renewable energy. Aside from the lack of political and commercial will, Australia’s remote areas and almost 60,000 kilometers or 37,000 miles of coast hinders the tie up of new, remote power sources into the grid.
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Posted in Green, Green Government, Renewable Energy, Solar Energy, Sustainable Living
Tagged australia, australians, cheap coal, clean energy, green, green energy, greenhouse gases, photovoltaics, renewable energy, renewable energy legislation, renewable resources, solar energy, solar panels, thermal energy, wind farms, wind turbines, zero carbon
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STRATEGIES FOR A GREENER ECONOMY
Today, environmental concerns have grown and the people, companies and industries have realized that these are actually beneficial to them. So, many are already banking on the green economy. In the same way, Maryland has recognized its benefits and is also doing what the others are embarking on.
Governor Martin O’Malley is hoping to create or maintain 100,000 green jobs by 2015. Additionally, he also hopes that the state will rely more on wind power and solar energy; improve its public transportation and prop up high-density development around transit hubs. So, he asked the Department of Business and Economic Development to form the Green Jobs and Industry Task Force. Upon Governor O’Malley’s mandate, Christian Johansson, Secretary of the Department of Business and Economic Development, convened 31 Marylanders who are at the same time realizing the benefits of a greener Maryland economy. Continue reading
Posted in Ecological Disaster, Green, Green Collar, Renewable Energy, Sustainable Living
Tagged baltimore, department of business and economic development, department of business and economic development to form the green jobs and industry task force, governor martin o’malley, green economy, green environment, maryland, maryland department of the environment, renewables, solar energy, wind energy
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Supporting Clean Energy Efforts Averts Ecological Disasters and Creates Green Jobs
The figures had it that the United States is second to China in terms of carbon dioxide emissions. With many ecological disasters the US has recently become involved to, many American citizens have actively supported efforts reduce the nation’s dependency on non-renewable power source and look for alternative energy sources that are way cheaper and safer. The Pew Research Center Poll has revealed that 87 percent of Americans favor energy sources coming from solar and wind power.
In one of Progressive States Network’s Stateside Dispatches, it is shown that adding more renewable energy systems will help in decreasing the amount of carbon dioxide emitted in the atmosphere, produce more employment in the green sector, free up more power to energy providers to sell to consumers.
Posted in Green, Green Collar, Renewable Energy, Solar Energy, Wind Energy
Tagged 2009 american recovery and reinvestment act, california, china, green jobs, iowa, minnesota, non-renewable power, power grid, recovery act, renewable energy, solar energy, texas, the stimulus, united states, washington, wind energy
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Australia trying to match Germany’s green energy efforts
Germany is one of Europe’s leaders in environmental awareness. But this did not happen overnight as the country was also hit by the disastrous pollution of the Rhine River in the 70s. These and the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in 1986 opened Germany’s eyes towards the development of clean energy to avoid the ugly environmental impact of unsafe power production. The country is eager to bring this kind of consciousness to the rest of Europe by bringing up issues that concern the impact of energy production on the environment as a whole.
Barbel Kofler, a member of German parliament, has compared its effort to Australia which is enjoying more renewable energy more than the Germany. She also stated that Australia’s current status is seen as one of the worst in terms of protecting the environment and reducing carbon dioxide emissions. The German politician also called on Prime Minister Julia Gillard to work the earliest on this issue to address the pressing need to reduce global CO2 emissions in the atmosphere and to reduce the impact of climate change.
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