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U.S. Energy Future without Fossil Fuels or Nuclear Power – Study

At the G-8 summit in Germany in June 2007, President Bush promised to “consider seriously” the European Union goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions sufficiently to limit global temperature rise to about 4 degrees Fahrenheit. A new study concludes that the United States could eliminate almost all of its carbon dioxide emissions by the year 2050. It also concludes that it is possible to do so without the use of nuclear power. The landmark study, Carbon-Free and Nuclear-Free: A Roadmap for U.S. Energy Policy, was produced as a joint project of the Nuclear Policy Research Institute and the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research. “A technological revolution has been brewing in the last few years, so it won’t cost an arm and a leg to eliminate both CO2 emissions and nuclear power,” said Dr. Arjun Makhijani, author of the study and president of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research. “We can solve the problems of oil imports, nuclear proliferation as it is linked to nuclear power, and carbon dioxide emissions simultaneously if we are bold enough.” The “Roadmap” concludes that the United States can achieve a zero-CO2 economy without increasing the fraction of Gross Domestic Product devoted to lighting, […]

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UPC Solar Announces $100M for Solar Projects

UPC Solar has closed on a $100 million equity commitment from a large institutional investor, to finance solar energy projects developed by UPC Solar Management, LLC. “This commitment enables UPC Solar to continue to develop and fund an increasing number of substantial solar power projects,” commented Morten Sissener, CEO, UPC Solar. “The financial support also speaks loudly about the financial community’s endorsement of solar power as an important component of the country’s escalating interest in green energy.” UPC Solar designs, builds, finances, owns and operates solar power systems and sells solar electricity to commercial, educational, utility and government entities under long-term power purchase agreements (“PPA”). UPC works with select suppliers, partners and capital providers to develop competitive solar projects including both distributed roof-top applications as well as large ground mount solar farms. UPC Solar’s PPA enables companies to buy solar electricity at competitive prices with little or no capital expense, improve the environment and become a green corporate citizen. In addition, UPC Solar’s PPA enables customers to purchase solar electricity, instead of buying a solar power system, at guaranteed prices for twenty years. Website: http://www.upcsolar.com     

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GT Solar Signs $171M Contract

GT Solar Incorporated has signed a $171 million dollar contract with Glory Silicon Energy Co., Ltd., of JiangSu, China for GT’s new and more efficient DSS450 furnaces for the production of multi-crystalline silicon ingots. The contract is the largest single DSS furnace contract in GT Solar’s history and will include deliveries over the next two years. The order will equip what is projected to be one of the largest wafer factories in the world – about 1500MW annually. The DSS450 (Directional Solidification System) furnace is new to GT Solar’s equipment line. It is similar to the DSS240, but can grow larger silicon ingots than GT’s DSS240 furnace, with an average ingot weight of 400kg (or customized up to 450kg), and can deliver 30% more output than GT’s DSS240 furnace. GT Solar Incorporated President and CEO, Thomas Zarrella, said: “Glory Silicon Energy Co. will be a major player in the growth of the global solar industry. Glory’s order for our DSS450 furnaces over the next two years is one more indication of the significant growth of the solar industry in China.” GT Solar Vice President for Asia, Jeff Ford, said: “This is the second major order for GT Solar’s new DSS450 […]

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Merrill Lynch Introduces New Energy Efficiency Index

Merrill Lynch (NYSE: MER) has introduced a new index, identifying industry sectors which should benefit from the global drive to improve energy efficiency. The index is currently comprised of 40 companies globally that Merrill Lynch believes should benefit from the growing momentum to reduce CO2 emissions and the cost of energy. “While there has been a clear shift of resources and investor attention into renewable energy, energy efficiency remains an area that is relatively under-explored,” said Asari Efiong, Merrill Lynch SRI/ Renewable Energy equity analyst. “We believe that energy efficiency represents a significant market opportunity for investors, as policy changes look set to force a structural shift in demand.” Merrill Lynch has identified the automotive industry, capital goods, semi-conductors and building materials as most exposed to this theme. The Merrill Lynch Energy Efficiency Index is divided into four components: integrated plays with a focus on the capital goods sector; fuel efficiency in the automotive industry; building insulation; and energy-efficient solutions, including products, applications and industrial processes. In the automotive industry, the confluence of energy security concerns and growing awareness of climate change are fuelling more stringent and widespread regulations on CO2 emissions and energy efficiency. In light of these trends, […]

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