Highlights from the WSSD

SummitLogoThumb.gif

SustainableBusiness.com's wrap-up of the World Summit - Brazil & Canada score the most points. Russia comes in second. U.S? Last.

Read More

New Europe Cutting Edge Programs

EU Tax Reform Campaign Launches“Getting the Prices Right,” is a new 18-month campaign by the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) to build broad support for environmental fiscal reform at both the EU and country levels. Its ambitious goals are :* a minimum 10 percent revenue-neutral shift from taxing labor to taxing natural resource use by 2010; * removal of all environmentally harmful subsidies by 2005; * financial incentives for environmental protection; and * stronger energy-efficiency policies. The EEB is also pushing for approval of the long-controversial minimum EU energy tax rates proposal. If the EU fails to reach agreement on energy tax rates, EEB Secretary-General John Hontelez said that countries should go forward on their own to coordinate environmental taxation outside EU structures. http://www.eeb.orghttp://www.ecotax.info: goes live January 1, 2002— — — OECD Releases U.S. Economic Survey, Urges Environmental TaxesThe Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) last week released its annual U.S. Economic Survey which concluded that the U.S. should implement environmental taxes to encourage citizens to reduce gasoline use and other carbon-emitting fuels. The authors recommend using the revenues to offset social and environmental costs from vehicle-use, including road maintenance, noise and pollution abatement, and automobile accident response. The OECD […]

Read More

Renewable Energy Resources

Solar-ClassFinal.jpg

Want help in accessing the financial aspects of a renewable energy project? RET Finance (Renewable Energy Technology Financial Model) is an online calculator that simulates a 30-year nominal dollar cash flow for a variety of renewable energy projects. You can calculate project earnings, detailed cash flows and debt payments, based on your assumptions. It also computes the cost of electricity for a project, after-tax rate of return, and debt service coverage ratio. You an create several scenarios and save or send them. http://nrel.communityzero.com/retfinanceThe new version of RETScreen International – used to evaluate energy production, lifecycle costs and greenhouse gas emissions – is online. It can be used for off-grid, grid-connected and water pumping projects. [sorry this link is no longer available]Whether you’re a solar do-it-yourselfer or want to get into the profession, S??nergy provides an on-line course for you. Online offerings include PV, Passive Solar Design, Environmental Building Design, Wind & Water Power, Solar Hot Water, Solar Cooking and Drying & Water Purification. [sorry this link is no longer available]A new report, Solar Generation, concludes that solar power could provide energy for more than 1 billion people, creating over 2 million jobs by 2020, and 26% of global energy needs […]

Read More