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Report: US Renewables to Supply 635 GW by 2025

A new report details what’s achievable with renewable energy technologies, given the appropriate policy mix. It demonstrates that renewable energy could provide over 635 gigawatts (GW) of new electricity generating capacity by 2025 -­ roughly half of today’s total U.S. generating capacity, and potentially more than the nation’s need for new capacity. It could supplanting as much as 40% U.S. petroleum products by 2030. The “2007 Joint Outlook on Renewable Energy in America,” by the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) says the following mix is possible: Wind power: 248 GW Solar energy: 164 GW Water power: 23 GW Geothermal energy: 100 GW Biomass energy and fuels: 100 GW Renewable fuels can supply 30-40% of U.S. petroleum products by 2030. The report is not a forecast. It is a compilation of industry projections of what is achievable if the country wants it and is willing to embrace the public policies to make it happen. It is technically feasible to increase wind capacity to supply 20% of the U.S.’s electricity by 2030. Active “community wind” projects, as well as small distributed wind applications, will supplement large utility-scale projects. Offshore wind is expected to begin as early as 2010, and to increase […]

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WorldWater Signs MOU with Solargenix

WorldWater & Solar Technologies Corp. (OTC BB:WWAT.OB), developer and marketer of proprietary high-power solar systems, and Solargenix Energy, LLC headquartered in Sanford, North Carolina, have signed a Strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to expand and increase the efficiency their respective sales forces. WorldWater is an international solar engineering and water management company with unique, high-powered solar technology providing solutions to power and water supply problems; Solargenix is in the business of maximizing patented solar collection technology and other patents and know-how in solar thermal heat, with worldwide experience in energy and environmental engineering, solar design and building construction. The Companies expect to offer a full spectrum of solar capabilities for residential, industrial, and commercial buildings – from lighting to heating, from driving motors and pumps to hot water supply and HVAC. Solargenix holds a 45% stake in Acciona Solar Power, Inc. (formerly Solargenix Energy, Inc) the company currently developing a 70MW solar thermal power plant in Boulder City, Nevada. The MOU between Solargenix and WorldWater excludes Acciona, but contemplates exploring the viability of using WorldWater’s PV technologies in the large scale power plant business. Solargenix solar thermal patents are based on non-imaging optics science developed at the University of Chicago […]

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Survey Shows Disconnect Between Corporations & Investors

Thomson Financial, in partnership with IR magazine, conducted a survey to assess the importance of Corporate Responsibility to investors and Investor Relations Officers. They surveyed 54 corporate officers across all industries and market capitalizations and 33 buy-side professionals. – Over 82% of investors consider CR criteria in their investment decision. – Though over 78% of investors rate CR concerns as important to their investment decision, IROs believe investor concern over CR issues is sharply lower. – Nearly 73% of shareholders and 59% of IROs believe CR impacts share price. Corporations and investors focus on different areas of corporate responsibility. Only 40% of IROs answer shareholder questionnaires, and those that do spend less than five man-hours per month on the task. Very few companies currently communicate CR or governance information on their corporate website. Approximately 60% of respondents believe their firms spend less than $50,000 a year on CR communications, and many of these respondents are uncertain that this amount is being well-spent. However, those respondents spending over $100,000 were more convinced that the spend is justified by the benefits. 70% of corporate respondents feel that their company is sincerely committed to corporate responsibility

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Report: Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Twin Pillars

Aggressive investments in energy efficiency in the short run and growing purchases of renewable energy over the long run are a powerful one-two solution for businesses, local governments, and states aspiring to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions now, according to a new report by a pair of clean energy advocacy groups. The report, The Twin Pillars of Sustainable Energy: Synergies Between Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Technology and Policy, by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) and the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE), represents the latest research in steps that can be taken now to combat global warming while improving U.S. energy security. “Efficiency and renewable resources need each other to win the race for clean and secure energy,” said ACEEE Acting Executive Director Bill Prindle. “Efficiency keeps demand growth in check so that renewables can begin to cut emissions and oil imports.” “Policies and programs for energy efficiency and renewable energy generally have been sought on separate tracks. This report demonstrates that their agendas can and should be combined to complement the progress each can make toward a shared goal,” Prindle said. Funded by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the report examines key synergies between efficiency and […]

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US CO2 Emissions Down in 2006

U.S. CO2 emissions dropped 1.3% in 2006, from 5,955 million metric tons (MMTCO2) in 2005 to 5,877 MMTCO2 in 2006, according to estimates released by the Energy Information Administration (EIA). The economy, as measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), grew by 3.3 percent and energy demand fell by 0.9 percent indicating that energy intensity (energy use per unit of GDP) fell by 4.2 percent. Carbon dioxide intensity (CO2 emission per unit of GDP) fell by 4.5 percent. Factors that drove emissions lower include weather conditions that reduced the demand for heating and cooling services; higher energy prices for natural gas, motor gasoline, and electricity, that reduced energy demand; and the use of a less carbon-intensive fuel mix (more natural gas and non-carbon fuels) in the generation of electricity. Through 2006, total U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide emissions grew 17.9 percent since 1990. Energy-related carbon dioxide emissions account for over 80 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. At the energy-sector level, preliminary data indicate that: Carbon dioxide emissions from the residential and commercial sectors decreased by 3.7 percent and 1.0 percent respectively in 2006, as heating degree-days declined by 7.4 percent, while at the same time cooling degree-days decreased by almost 1 […]

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