Tag Archives: California

Google.org to fund more than $10 million to accelerate plug-in hybrid and vehicle-to-grid technology MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (June 18, 2007) — Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG), today announced the RechargeIT initiative (http://www.rechargeit.org) that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and oil dependence by accelerating the adoption of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (“plug-ins”). As part of this …

[tag-tec]Solar energy[/tag-tec] takes center stage this week in Silicon Valley as a new effort is launched to bring high tech research, jobs , and consumer awareness of solar energy issues to the public. Hoping to cement the Bay Area’s lead as a solar energy center, an alliance of industrial, academic and policy leaders will unveil an organization today, SolarTech, aimed …

With the increasing concern about environmental issues such as pollution and global warming, as well as the unbelievable rise in the price of gasoline, it is no wonder that[tag]hybrid[/tag] vehicles are gaining popularity. Hybrid cars have been relatively common for years, with hybrid Sport Utility Vehicles in close competition, but what about hybrid trucks? We don't see those too often. Automotive manufacturing giant General Motors, however, believes that will change.

It is very cool that the world is starting to sit up and notice that we need [tag-tec]alternative energy[/tag-tec] sources if we are to survive in this world. It is just shocking at times to see how quickly it is catching on. No really. I mean it. Maybe it is a California thing but I doubt that is entirely it …

We reported a few weeks back about a bill being sponsored in CA that would among other things attempt to undue a three decade ban on the construction of new [tag-tec]nuclear power[/tag-tec] plants in the state of California. Well once it reached the legislative committee in Sacramento for discussion it was quickly shot down by the committee chairwoman Loni Hancock. …

California was one of the first states to enter the [tag-tec]nuclear power[/tag-tec] industry for energy production some 40 years ago. It was also one of the first to have huge debate over the [tag]nuclear[/tag] option which resulted in the shutdowns of several plants and a moratorium of nuclear power plant development in the state. Now there are signs that nuclear …

There are all kinds of sites on the internet that advertise the selling of biodiesel equipment but perhaps the safest place to shop is at the national biodiesel board which is quite fussy about who it lets advertise on its web site. On the national biodiesel board web site you can find biodesiel suppliers, biodiesel plants and suppliers of biodiesel …

The electric car was killed off a few years ago by the big car companies. You can read all about that here. Just leave it to good old ingenuity and stick to it ness for things to get done in this country. The electric car went away but now due to some hard work and dedication some folks have taken …

In March 2005, the University of Minnesota-Morris became the first public American university to install a large-scale wind turbine to help meet the schools electrical needs. Since it was installed, the generator has supplied some 60 percent of the universitys power. The rest of the schools power needs are purchased from Otter Tail Power Companys Tailwinds Program. Those figures mean …

There was a buzz in the air as the state and university folks were clearly slathering over the prospect of such a large grant to fund research and BP was clearly trying to buy some valuable exposure that would make big oil look like sound corporate citizens interested in looking into and developing alternative fuels.

BP today announced it has selected the University of California Berkeley and its partners the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to join in a $500 million research program that will explore how bioscience can be used to increase energy production and reduce the impact of energy consumption on the environment.

We try to present a balanced view of the emerging alternative energy technologies on our pages. That means taking a critical eye to the science and tech of what is behind those options. I found a good article today that talks about hydrogen fuel cell technology and why the writer does not think it has viability in the near term.

There are all kinds of sites on the internet that advertise the selling of biodiesel equipment but perhaps the safest place to shop is at the national biodiesel board which is quite fussy about who it lets advertise on its web site. On the national biodiesel board web site you can find biodesiel suppliers, biodiesel plants and suppliers of biodiesel …

With massive energy consumption rates, California is in a perpetual energy supply and demand struggle. The state is looking to solar as an alternative and Los Angeles just made it more attractive. Los Angeles Re-Starts Solar Incentives for Homeowners As the rolling blackouts each summer can attest, California is a state with major energy problems. The problem is so bad …

As a freshman in high school, I failed chemistry class due to an extreme disinterest in the entire subject. I do recall a demonstration in which the teacher hooked a large one and a half volt battery to a glass and wire electrolyzer that transformed water into separated hydrogen and oxygen. I would later learn that commercial hydrogen and oxygen producers also used this method in an inefficient manner that requires more energy than the fuel produced can generate through combustion.

One of the worlds fastest growing types of renewable energy sources is wind energy. While most of the Earth is still reliant on different types of fossil fuels (such as oil, natural gas and coal) for their energy supply, many countries are trying to come up with alternative methods of obtaining energy. Much of Europe has begun to build and use wind farms, which are groupings of wind turbines that harness the energy of the wind in order to create energy and electricity. Also involved in using wind energy, USA has started to build their own wind farms.

Can the election of recent past lead to a change in the way alternative energy is seen in our nation's captial? According to the NY Times it just might.

November 29, 2006 Livermore, California – Power Air Corporation , today announced unit cell performance and cost improvements due to advances in the materials and design of its patented fuel cell technology. “We are very pleased with the increase in both power and lifetime achieved to date by our Engineering team” states Mr. Remy Kozak, President and CEO of Power …

One of the new and emerging energy solutions is biodiesel fuel for cars and equipment. This fuel that is created from natural oils is gaining wide acceptance across the coutnry, first by rabid green advocates, but more and more these days by average consumers concerned about the rising problem of oil and its implications on our economy and ecology. Biodiesel …

Acquisition Accelerates Growth and Product Innovation SAN JOSE, Calif., Nov 15, 2006 — SunPower Corporation, a Silicon Valley-based manufacturer of the world’s highest-efficiency, commercially available solar cells and solar panels, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire PowerLight Corp., a privately owned solar systems provider based in Berkeley, Calif. PowerLight is a leading global provider of large-scale …