by Rona Fried How Obama’s Green Energy Agenda is Killing Jobs is the title of Darrell Issa’s (R-CA) Congressional oversight hearing, taking place today. Issa is Chief of Investigations for the House GOP and the lead investigator of what’s turning into the Solyndra scandal, named after the young solar company that had the nerve to go bankrupt after receiving a federal loan guarantee under the American Recovery Act (Stimulus Bill). Solyndra filed bankruptcy on Sept. 6 after receiving $535 million in US loan guarantees since 2009. Republicans pounced on the bankruptcy, says the Hill, arguing the Obama administration rushed to approve the loan guarantee without subjecting it to adequate oversight. The Dept of Energy (DOE) points out that although it’s inevitable that some companies that receive government support will fail, the reality is that out of the $2 billion the agency’s handed out, Solyndra is the only company to do so. What happened to Solyndra? Solyndra’s solar panels are installed at over 1000 facilities worldwide. It was widely lauded for its unique, cylindrically shaped CIGS solar modules designed for large commercial rooftop installations. Sales revenue rose 2000% in three years and venture capital firms invested $1 billion. Young solar companies […]
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The US won't back a post-Kyoto treaty unless major developing countries are included.
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Reducing black carbon soot and other climate forcers could reduce the pace of climate change 50%.
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CleanStar Mozambique will help small farmers implement sustainable farming practices, create a food and ethanol cooking fuel production facility, and lay the groundwork for economically and ecologically sustainable communities in Sub-Saharan Africa.
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DOE's 2011 Solar Decathlon opens to the public today on the National Mall in Washington D.C.
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Businesses that install solar systems find they can build customer loyalty and sales by publicly displaying its performance.
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Their "innovation team" will reduce water and energy use through energy management systems, combined heat and power (CHP).
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Solar Decathlon 2011 Set to Begin Installed Costs of US Solar PV Systems Drop Advanced Battery Plant Opens in Florida Green Racing Marks Its 25th Competition Solar Decathlon 2011 Set to Begin The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011 is taking shape as teams work around the clock to assemble 19 solar homes on the National Mall’s West Potomac Park in Washington, D.C., in time for the 10 a.m. September 23 opening. The Solar Decathlon is an international DOE competition that offers university teams a chance to design and build homes that run entirely on solar energy. Teams ship their structures to the site, assemble them, and then compete in 10 contests. The biennial event, launched in 2002 and organized by DOE’s National Renewable Energy Lab, is free to the public. The Decathlon runs through October 2. See the kick-off Energy Blog post and the Solar Decathlon website. This year, 19 teams come from universities in California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Vermont, and Virginia, as well as Belgium, Canada, China, and New Zealand. For this sixth Solar Decathlon, each home will once again be monitored for its performance in five […]
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The 350 MW offshore wind farm will cost $2-4 billion and create $2.7 billion in economic activity.
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China's shooting for renewables to provide 9.5% of its energy by 2015, with higher targets for wind, hydro and solar.
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