Friday, May 28, 2010

Zero energy homes add up to big plus


A leading expert says more homes are being designed to use less energy, which will help reduce dependence on oil and gas.

The expert, David Johnston, says buildings consume 48% of all carbon emissions, so building zero-energy houses can go a long way toward a clean environment. There's more in this USA Today story.

That's important in the San Joaquin Valley, which is plagued with some of the worst air pollution in the nation. Please continue reading the blog of the San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization as we continue to report on energy issues in the Valley.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative energy. The SJVCEO works with cities and counties and public and private organizations to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the eight-county region of the San Joaquin Valley.
(Photo by Altensis)

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Fouled beaches may boost alternative energy


President Obama's announcement today ordering a halt to all offshore exploratory drilling in the Gulf of Mexico was bad news for the oil industry but may offer big dividends to clean energy.

BP's spill also was dubbed the nation's worst by a team of scientists today, outpacing the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska.

"We’re going to be ordering the following actions: First, we will suspend the planned exploration of two locations off the coast of Alaska," Obama said during a press briefing. "Second, we will cancel the pending lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico and the proposed lease sale off the coast of Virginia. Third, we will continue the existing moratorium and suspend the issuance of new permits to drill new deepwater wells for six months. And four, we will suspend action on 33 deepwater exploratory wells currently being drilled in the Gulf of Mexico."

Obama said the oil industry in past years has "effectively been allowed to regulate themselves." He said Congress needs to address these issues as soon as possible, "and my administration will work with them to do so."

He used the opportunity to expand on his pledge the day before in Fremont when he spoke about how stimulus money has fueled green jobs. He was at the factory under construction by Solyndra, which makes tube-shaped solar gear. The company "snagged the first loan guarantee ($535 million), from the Department of Energy," said Katie Fehrenbacher at Earth2Tech. The Fremont installation "will be able to produce 500 MW of solar per year and employ about 1,000 people."

Obama said BP's went on to say, "More than anything else, this economic and environmental tragedy –- and it’s a tragedy -– underscores the urgent need for this nation to develop clean, renewable sources of energy. Doing so will not only reduce threats to our environment, it will create a new, homegrown, American industry that can lead to countless new businesses and new jobs."

Mark Stout, San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization board member and vice president of renewable energy for Meridian Energy USA, said the spill also has hurt the fossil fuel industry's fight over carbon regulation. "The oil industry is in trouble," he said.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Going for a deeper shade of green


Simple weatherization programs are nice, but the biggest bang for the buck comes from a more comprehensive approach, according to a study by the UCLA Labor Center.


The group calls for a "deep green" approach to energy efficiency, which includes a whole-house approach. It includes an energy audit that could lead to a full scope of improvements and upgrades in older and poor neighborhoods where cutting power bills would generate meaningful money savings and create a wider variety of jobs.


A broader approach would create work for electricians, plumbers, architects, and contractors - way beyond the $15 or so average wage of a weatherization worker, the report says. With some construction trades devastated and unable to find work in this economy, the "deep green" approach could be a lifesaver, the report states.


There also is a huge pool of opportunity. In Los Angeles, for example, 90% of all residential and 77% of all commercial properties were built before 1978, and would likely benefit from upgrades, according to the study.


Here at the San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization, we are all over energy retrofits. We are working with 36 cities and three counties to upgrade lighting, air conditioning systems, and expect to expand into residential and commercial properties as well.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Study: A little government help builds solar jobs


Extend a grant program, season with tax credits and 200,000 jobs will be created in solar and supporting industries.

At least that's the conclusion of a new study produced by the Solar Energy Industries Association, or SEIA, and by Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash. The 48-page report, "U.S. Solar Policy Impact Analysis," says getting those jobs -- the biggest recipient would be California with 60,000 -- depends upon the extention of the stimulus-funded U.S. Department of Treasury Grant Program by two years and including solar manufacturing in the industry's existing tax credit. Another benefit, the study says, is "10 gigawatts of new solar installations by 2016 -- enough to power 2 million homes."

Other big job getters would be Michigan at 24,000; Ohio, Oregon and Texas with 13,000 or more each; Arizona, Colorado, and Florida with 10,000 each; Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Washington with about 5,000 each; Nevada, New Jersey, and Tennessee with about 3,000 or more each); and Connecticut and Hawaii with about 1,500 each.

"Tens of thousands of jobs hinge on continuing this successful program," Cantwell said in a statement.

Rhone Resch, president and CEO of SEIA, said the jobs could help reduce high unemployment in general and especially in the construction industry, which he said remains near 22 percent nationally. "Last year, the solar industry was one of the bright spots in our economy with the creation of 17,000 new jobs," he said in a statement.

The study says new solar installations include more than 4,400 megawatts for California through 2016 and more than 1,400 megawatts for Arizona.

"Hopefully, legislators will stick to their goal of encouraging solar power, stimilating the economy and creating jobs," wrote Zachary Shahan, reporter for CleanTechnica.com. "For your part, give your representatives in Congress a call and encourage them to keep supporting solar jobs and the economy."

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative energy. The SJVCEO works with cities and counties and public and private organizations to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the eight-county region of the San Joaquin Valley.

Monday, May 24, 2010

New twist on an old concept


Ice was first proposed for cooling back in 1864 - and things apparently haven't changed much since then.

Consider this project in Southern California, where 24 municipal buildings in Glendale are using ice. If it works, it could lead to substantial savings in energy costs, according to this item written by Susan Kraemer.

Here's how it works, according to her piece in CleanTechnica.com:
"The units make cheap ice overnight, when demand for electricity is low, using a high-efficiency compressor to freeze 450 gallons of water. In the middle of the day, the device shuts off the regular air conditioner for the peak afternoon hours and instead pipes a stream of coolant from the slowly melting block of ice to an evaporator coil installed within the building’s heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning blower system until the entire ice block has melted – which should be sized to take about 6 hours – to cover for the peak afternoon load on the grid. "

A Colorado company, Ice Energy, is making the units.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative energy. The SJVCEO works with cities and counties and public and private organizations to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the eight-county region of the San Joaquin Valley.



Valley schools waking up to solar power


Pioneer Union Elementary School District in Hanford is the latest San Joaquin Valley school to dedicate a solar project. And this one was free.

The solar system was donated by Enfinity. The 10,898-panel, $4 million solar farm will supply 77% of the district's capacity, saving an estimated $30,000 per year in electricity bills, according to this story by The Fresno Bee's Lewis Griswold.

The district, which consists of two elementary schools and a middle school, will get credit for any excess production.

The Hanford district is the latests in a strong of project that include Buchanan High School in Clovis, which opens an Energy Center teaching lab in August,
and Riverdale High School and Fipps Primary School in Riverdale, which are benefiting from Honewell-installed arrays expected to generate about 1.2 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually - enough to cover more than 60 percent of the district’s total electricity load.

“The fact that going green also provided a financial advantage was very attractive to us,”
said Elaine Cash, superintendent of Riverdale Joint Unified School District in a press release. “This solar project with Honeywell will maximize our budget resources while maintaining clean, sustainable schools.”

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative energy. The SJVCEO works with cities and counties and public and private organizations to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the eight-county region of the San Joaquin Valley.







Friday, May 21, 2010

Celebrities and solar savings




Companies love to use celebrities to market their products and solar businesses, apparently, are no different.

Sungevity is pitching its solar-leasing program by calculating how much certain celebrities could cut their energy bills if they added solar, Greentech Media says in this story.

Sungevity, fresh with millions of new capital, said pop icon Madonna would save $260 a month on a lease payment of $164. The estimates are just that - estimates - but it is an interesting marketing ploy.

More solar companies are offering leasing programs as an alternative to buying systems. The leasing plans have expanded the pool of potential customers.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative energy. The SJVCEO works with cities and counties and public and private organizations to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the eight-county region of the San Joaquin Valley.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Expect continued heated debate over California's climate change policy


Discussion over California's Global Warming Solutions Act, better known in this realm as AB 32, isn't slowing down. The race for the governor's office has a lot to do with that.

Proponents say it will save money, clean the air and create jobs. Opponents argue the opposite is true and push for delaying its implementation until unemployment drops into the low single digits.

Eric Wesoff at Greentechmedia.com did an exhaustive background piece on the issue worth looking over.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative energy. The SJVCEO works with cities and counties and public and private organizations to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the eight-county region of the San Joaquin Valley.

Study underlines effectiveness of clean energy policy


A clean energy bill proposed in the U.S. Senate would cut demand for fossil fuel, reduce domestic spending on imported oil and cause greenhouse gas emissions to fall 22 percent below 2005 levels by 2020, according to a study released today.

And it'll create 200,000 jobs a year through contruction of new power plants, according to a policy brief from the Peterson Institute for International Economics. The 18-page report analyzes the American Power Act, unveiled by Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., and Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., last week. The jobs would come from $41.1 billion in annual electricity sector investment between 2011 and 2030, the study says.

"The American Power Act will transform our economy, set us on the path toward energy independence and improve the quality of the air we breathe. It will create millions of good jobs that cannot be shipped abroad and it will launch America into a position of leadership in the global clean energy economy," Kerry said on his Web site.

The anti-tax, smaller government group Freedomworks.org, chaired by former U.S. House Majority Leader Dick Armey believes otherwise, calling the measure "little more than cap and trade in disguise, the bill would be a massive job-killing energy tax. In fact, it would be the largest tax hike in history, and would hit the poor and middleclass."

Like it or not, however, clean energy increasingly is being looked to as an alternative by a large swath of the country. The concept saves energy and money, offering a by-product of cleaner air. Other studies, which we've noted in past blog items, contend policy shift and investment create jobs and economic development.

Even director and actor Robert Redford got into the act, urging President Obama to support clean energy policy in an item on The Huffington Post today. He said BP's growing Gulf Coast oil slick "the clearest picture we could have of our failed national energy policy -- which extends over many decades and administrations. Yet, shockingly, our elected officials in the Senate continue to drag their feet on enacting the policies that would bring the real change we need to shift our country from dirty to clean energy sources, while creating jobs and cutting our dependence on oil."

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative energy. The SJVCEO works with cities and counties and public and private organizations to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the eight-county region of the San Joaquin Valley.



Contractors urged to use caution

Small contractors in the San Joaquin Valley are getting requests from marketing companies asking them to become representatives of independent energy providers doing business under California’s partial revival of direct access, which allows some commercial and industrial customers to buy energy from non-utility suppliers.

The pitch is enticing: For a fee (some have reported it as $350), the contractor becomes a sales representative of the energy provider. In some cases, the representative, after paying the enrollment fee, has the opportunity to buy a personal Web site, make personal membership sales and build their own team.

The Better Business Bureau considers this to be a multi-level marketing company. “Consumers should proceed with caution when dealing with this type of company,” the BBB says.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization advises anybody considering aligning themselves with this type of company to check out the businesses with agencies such as the Better Business Bureau and consumer Web sites, such as Ripoff Report or Complaints Board.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Dairy farms could run data centers, HP says


Well, maybe not dairy farms exactly. But HP is studying whether the waste from the bovine inhabitants of said farms could become a power source for data centers, Greentech Media says in this fascinating article.

Researchers say some systems could be profitable in only three years. One plan calls for an anaerobic digester to turn manure into methane and recycle waste heat from a turbine. It would cool equipment and warm the bacteria inside the digester.

This is what the story says:

"An average cow is good for around 100 watts of power a day, according to biogas experts, and it takes only a few weeks to turn manure into a syngas, which can be processed into methane. The methane can then be injected into turbines.

"Companies such as Microgy and BioEnergy Solutions have touted manure and digesters as sources for methane. BioEnergy has over 70,000 cows under contract for its digesters in California. Adobe has also studied the prospect of integrating biogas into the energy menu for its headquarters. "

What could that mean for the San Joaquin Valley? We are the top dairy region in the nation with some 1.5 million dairy cows. At 150 pounds per day, those cows produce tons of manure.

There air-quality issues to deal with, as this Los Angeles Times story notes, but HP researchers are encouraged. Company technologist Cullen Bash says a farm with 10,000 cows and an investment of $5 million could recoup costs in two years, and generate positive cash flow in the third.


Granted, most dairy farms in the Valley aren't as big as that, but who is to say well-heeled farmers wouldn't beef up.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean energy. The SJVCEO works with cities and counties and public and private organizations to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the eight-county region of the San Joaquin Valley.












Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Earth Day in Porterville attracts hundreds


More than 500 students from some 30 schools in the Porterville area flocked to Prospect Education Center - learning about everything from recycling to organic farming and climate change.

The event honored Earth Day, and the students loved it.

A host of businesses and organizations was represented, including Home Depot, which handed out flowers and aprons to students, and Homegrown Organic Farms, a group based in Porterville that represents organic farmers in California and Oregon. It ships ships fruit and vegetables from a storage facility in Arvine.

The U.S. Forest Service was there with Smokey The Bear. And our very own VIEW partnership, which is a collaboration between the cities of Hanford, Lindsay, Porterville, Tulare, Visalia, Woodlake and the counties of Kings and Tulare with Southern California Edison (SCE) and Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas®), was in attendance.

Energy efficiency is their game, and VIEW (Valley Innovative Energy Watch) helps people find ways to be cut energy use in homes, schools and businesses.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean energy. The SJVCEO works with cities and counties and public and private organizations to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the eight-county region of the San Joaquin Valley.
(Photo of Porterville Earth Day event by Maureen Hoff of SJVCEO)

Monday, May 17, 2010

Rooftops become solar test ground


We noted in a blog last week that warehouse giant ProLogis is turning many of its rooftops into solar generators. Well, now the company has turned one site in Colorado into a laboratory to test solar technology.

The test site in Denver has 99 modules from eight manufacturers. Officials at ProLogis say the initial configuration is providing power while conducting side-by-side comparisons of several technologies, including monocrystalline, glass-on-glass thin film and membrane-applied thin film modules.

ProLogis has solar projects installed or under construction on 32 buildings throughout France, Germany, Japan, Spain and the United States. The installations cover more than 10.6 million square feet of roof space and total 24.6 megawatts.

Here is the press release from ProLogis.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean energy. The SJVCEO works with cities and counties and public and private organizations to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the eight-county region of the San Joaquin Valley.



Friday, May 14, 2010

Could Calif. become a center for green jobs?


Officials at UC Davis hosted a panel to address that question, and California's governor responded with an enthusiastic "yes."

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger touted AB 32, which requires the state to cut carbon emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, or about 15 percent. Opponents are trying to kill it with a ballot measure.

Here's what The Sacramento Bee wrote on the Davis event. We at the San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization have been following the AB 32 issue closely.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean energy. The SJVCEO works with cities and counties and public and private organizations to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the eight-county region of the San Joaquin Valley.


Thursday, May 13, 2010

UC Merced professor named to advisory board


We here at the San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization love UC Merced. The newest campus in the prestigious University of California system is fast emerging as a leader in alternative energy R&D.


So, it is with great excitement that we send along this post from UC Merced. One of its professors has been appointed to a solar industry advisory board.


Here is the university's announcement on Roland Winston's appointment.
The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean energy. The SJVCEO works with cities and counties and public and private organizations to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the eight-county region of the San Joaquin Valley.

Solar project lights up in San Joaquin Valley town


The first solar farm to fire up on the struggling west side of the central San Joaquin Valley is near Mendota, a community with a high unemployment rate and a desire to diversify its economy, The Fresno Bee's Tim Sheehan reports.

The CalRENEW-1 plant will produce 5 megawatts of power - enough for at least 2,500 homes - that is sold to Pacific Gas & Electric Co. The facility, erected on 50 acres, took nine months to build. Cleantech America was the developer.

At least 12 solar projects are proposed for the west side of the Valley - where high jobless rates, lots of flat vacant land and agreeable civic leaders - but The Bee says the Cleantech farm is the first to become operational.

An important component is the collaboration with West Hills College and school districts in Mendota, Firebaugh and San Joaquin. Together, they developed a training program for 65 people to work in the solar industry.

Here's The Fresno Bee's story on the project.

Experts say ample sun resources, high energy bills and low incomes make the inland portion of California an ideal spot to locate solar projects, in addition to other forms of alternative and clean energy.


The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a non-profit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean energy. The SJVCEO works with cities and counties and public and private organizations to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the eight-county region of the San Joaquin Valley.


Wednesday, May 12, 2010

SolarCity acquisition may boost energy audit awareness


The news this morning that SolarCity purchased a startup that created home energy audit software may have ramifications for those in the San Joaquin Valley looking to lower their energy costs by tightening up their houses and buildings.

Today, the California Energy Commission is expected to approve more than $4 million in Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants to cities and counties in the San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Partnership. The money will pay for energy efficiency retrofits at city, county and school district buildings.

The work was identified through energy audits, and that's exactly what Building Solutions of Redwood City provides. Foster City-based SolarCity sees synergy in the joining of the two companies, writes Katie Fehrenbacher of Earth2Tech.com. "SolarCity will use the home energy software to offer its solar customers home energy audits and plans to marry its solar software with the Building Solutions application," she said.

SolarCity's move -- in addition to bolstering its bottom line -- also could increase awareness of the importance of energy audits.

Building Solutions says a homeowner can reduce energy bills by 20 percent to 50 percent by following the recommendations of an energy auditor. The auditor runs through a checklist, looking for air leaks and rating heating/cooling duct pressure. The auditor also inputs building data such as size, windows and other details and analyzes energy bills, rates insulation levels and notes lighting types and heating and cooling systems.

Basically it's the same thing auditors from PG&E, Southern California Edison and the CEC did for cities and counties applying for the EECBG stimulus grants from the U.S. Department of Energy. Those grants pay for energy efficient lighting, AC systems, water pumps and other retrofits.

The idea is that there's a future in energy efficiency. The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization hopes to continue to seek opportunities to provide homeowners, business owners and others with assistance in reducing their energy bills. A bright spot to that end is the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act, which would provide $5.7 billion in rebates for home energy efficiency improvements. It passed the U.S. House last week.

The SJVCEO is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative energy. The SJVCEO works with cities and counties and public and private organizations to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the eight-county region of the San Joaquin Valley.

Photo courtesy SolarCity. It shows a Clovis house with a solar array that produces about 5,000 kWh annually. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimated the national annual average consumption of a home at 11,040 kWh.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Roof top solar gaining popularity on warehouses


They're big and flat and perfect for solar panels.

Which is why an increasing number of distribution centers are finding second uses as energy providers. ProLogis, with 475 million square feet of industrial space worldwide, is into it big-time, having agreements to sell the power to utility companies.

"We continue to see demand for our rooftops because they are ideally suited for solar installations and are immediately available for that purpose...This demonstrates that large-scale distributed generation is a real solution to today's renewable energy needs," vice president of renewable energy Drew Torbin said recently when announcing a project that covers seven buildings in Portland and feeds Portland General Electric's system.

That is the second project in Portland with PGE. Together, they provide enough power for 388 households annually.

ProLogis now has solar projects installed or under construction on more than 30 buildings in the United States, France, Germany, Japan and Spain. It just announced a new rooftop deal with Southern California Edison for 11 buildings in Southern Califonia.

That project follows one a couple years ago in Fontana. Here's a Riverside Press-Enterprise story on that deal.

The central San Joaquin Valley is a major hub for distribution centers, and there are some pretty big warehouses here. That makes one wonder if something similar could occur here. Why not have these buildings do double duty?

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean energy. The SJVCEO works with cities and counties and public and private organizations to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the eight-county region of the San Joaquin Valley

Monday, May 10, 2010

High School in Clovis invests in clean energy


The Buchanan Energy Academy is expected to open in August, offering students a close-up taste of the green energy sector.

The $5.2 million building on the Buchanan High School Campus will feature wind turbines, solar panels, high-tech skylights, floor heating and rainwater storage to irrigate a rooftop garden, said reporter Marc Benjamin in a story in the Fresno Bee. It will be part hands-on laboratory and part classroom. Clovis Unified School District will pay for half the project, with the remainder coming from California's career technical education grants program.
Here's the center's web site, which is still under construction.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative energy. The SJVCEO works with cities and counties and public and private organizations to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the eight-county region of the San Joaquin Valley.

What's better: LED or low-wattage fluorescent?


Pretty soon, many of the 36 cities and counties in the San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Partnership will be installing new lighting using long-delayed stimulus funds.

The California Energy Commission is due to approve the Partnership's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant allocations of more than $4 million on Wednesday.

Most of the lighting retrofits will be using lower wattage bulbs, such as going from the old industry standard 1-inch diameter T12 bulb to a .8-inch diameter T8 for energy savings.

But there is a better alternative -- in terms of energy savings -- to the T8. It's the LED, or light-emitting diode, version of the fluorescent tube.

In a story today, Houston Neal from Software Advice compared the LED version to the fluorescent standard. Positive: It lasts twice as long. Negative: It costs a lot -- 10 to 25 times as much. Neal estimated fluorescent tubes cost between $2 and $10 while comparable LEDs cost $50 to $100 each.

However, Neal said, "when you account for product longevity, LED tubes are the winner. LED tubes last an average of 50,000 hours (roughly 16 years) while fluorescent T8 tubes last an average of 25,000 (roughly 8 years)."
Here's a bunch of back and forth on ecogeek.org about the subject.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative energy. The SJVCEO works with cities and counties and public and private organizations to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the eight-county region of the San Joaquin Valley.

Friday, May 7, 2010

Poll: Latinos more green conscious


Hispanic voters may be going green.

A poll released today by the National Latino Coalition on Climate Change says a majority of Latinos in Colorado, Florida and Nevada "consider climate change a serious problem that demands immediate action by Congress." The poll also said they believe going green will bring jobs.

Here are the numbers: In Florida 80 percent said they are more likely to vote for a U.S. Senate candidate who supports proposals for fighting global warming. In Nevada, the number was 67 percent and in Colorado 58 percent

“The data is clear,” said Rafael Fantauzzi, coalition chairman, in a statement. “In these three states, Latinos care about global warming – and they vote.”

No reference was made regarding California.

"Clean energy jobs offer a path to renewed economic growth, especially for Latino communities," said Rep. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., in a piece on the Huffington Post. "An independent, nonpartisan study showed that the American Clean Energy and Security Act - the clean energy and climate plan that passed the House last summer with my support - would help create 11,000 jobs in New Mexico and more than 1.7 million nationwide."

The poll also said about three out of four Latino voters in Florida and Nevada and about two out of three voters in Colorado, consider global warming very or somewhat serious. Three out of four Latino voters in each state say Congress should take action now.

It also said that by about three to one, Latino voters in these states say switching to a clean energy economy will mean more U.S. jobs, while more than eight of 10 voters in each state reject the idea that fighting global warming will hurt the American economy.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Venture capital for energy increasing


Venture capitalists are focusing on clean technology for buildings, electric-powered cars and other innovations that make energy more efficient, AP reported in a story repeated by Bloomberg BusinessWeek.

As a result, investments in clean technologies increased 68% to $733.3 million in first-quarter 2010 compared with a year previously, the magazine said, citing a report from Ernst & Young. Some analysts believe the investments will grow as consumers and governments push for it.

That number was a decline from $844.7 million in first quarter 2008.

A report from Cleantech Group and Deloitte said that transportation received more venture capital than any other group. Two of the biggest deals were a $350-million investment in California-based electric Better Place, and $140 million for Fisker Automotive, a California-based developer of plug-in hybrid cars.

Energy efficiency also was a popular sector for investors.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean energy. The SJVCEO works with cities and counties and public and private organizations to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the eight-county region of the San Joaquin Valley.




Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Architects honor top green projects


The American Institute of Architects honors its Top 10 Green Buildings next month.

Included on the list is 355 11th St., also known as the Matarozzi/Pelsinger Building in San Francisco by Aidlin Darling Design. The former "derelict" is on the National Register of Historic Places, and because of that "the San Francisco Planning Department mandated that the project’s new siding be an 'in-kind' replacement of the original (unsalvageable) corrugated metal siding and that the overall window area be consistent between old and new," according to todaysfacilitymanager.com. (Excellent site by the way.)

The 14,000-square-foot building features solar energy, a green roof and natural ventilation. But the AIA appeared most impressed by the zinc siding "that provided the most fertile territory for merging sustainability with architectural design."

The metal skin is "perforated with fields of small holes that allow light and air to pass through new operable windows hidden beyond." It minimizes the sun's heat while allowing ventilation.

Other buildings on the green list included California entries Watsonville Water Resource Center and the Homer Science & Student Life Center in Atherton. There were also the KAUST building in Thuwal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Kroon Hall in New Haven, Conn.; Manassas Park Elementary School in Manassas Park, Va.; Manitoba Hydro Place in Winnipeg, Manitoba; the Omega Center for Sustainable Living in Rhinebeck, N.Y.; Special No. 9 House in New Orleans, La.; and Twelve West Portland, Ore.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative energy. The SJVCEO works with cities and counties and public and private organizations to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the eight-county region of the San Joaquin Valley.

Photo courtesy Matthew Millman.

Solar exec believes carports provide the next frontier


Are carports the next big thing for solar installations?

Robert Noble, a founder of San Diego-based Envision Solar, told greentechmedia.com today that he believes they are the single largest market. "It's better than drilling into a waterproofed roof," Noble told reporter Eric Wesoff.

Envision Solar began trading over the counter this week as the result of a reverse merger, the site said.

The San Joaquin Valley has its share of solar-covered parking installations, with the system at California State University, Fresno being among the most prominent. The 1.1 megawatt array was completed in partnership with Chevron Energy Solutions and covers 722 parking spaces. The university estimates the system provides 20% of core campus power.

Another installation is the 5-acre rental car return lot at Fresno Yosemite International Airport, which also has a set of solar panels that do double duty as sun shades. The entire system is 2 megawatts.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative energy. The SJVCEO works with cities and counties and public and private organizations to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the eight-county region of the San Joaquin Valley.
Photo courtesy CSUF.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Clean energy line serving So Cal under way


The first three segments of renewable energy lines that will stretch from wind farms, solar and other generation sources in the far reaches of Kern and Los Angeles to California's Inland Empire are finished - with the next portions ready to get under way.

Southern California Edison said the power lines will be capable of delivering 4,500 megawatts of electricity to Ontario in San Bernardino County. The $5.5 billion Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project, as it is called, will cross portions of the Antelope Valley, the Angeles National Forest, the San Gabriel Valley and the western Inland Empire.

Segments four through 11 should be complete in 2015. The project will, among other things, ease transmission constraints into the Los Angeles basin and help serve the growing population of the Antelope Valley.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization (SJVCEO) is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean energy. The SJVCEO works with cities and counties and public and private organizations to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the eight-county region of the San Joaquin Valley.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Earth Day in Tulare


Teachers, students and representatives of utilities, nonprofit organizations and clean energy-related businesses participated in an Earth Day showcase April 30 at Southern California Edison's AGTAC (Agriculture Technology Application Center) in Tulare.

Participants wandered from booth to booth, learning more about water-conserving landscaping techniques, energy-efficiency programs and other programs. Among those in attendance was the San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization, which is based in Fresno.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization (SJVCEO) is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean energy. The SJVCEO works with cities and counties and public and private organizations to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the eight-county region of the San Joaquin Valley.





SJVCEO wins Environmental Hero award


The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization has been named a 2010 Environmental Hero by Southern California Edison.

The honor was bestowed on the SJVCEO for its “actions demonstrating environmental leadership in compliance and stewardship,” said Jenna Burnett, Southern California Edison Eco IQ president.

“The entire SJVCEO is to be commended for the hard work and dedication demonstrated through the past two years. Personally, I am glad that this organization’s dedication to the Valley is being recognized,” Carol Goldsmith, SJVCEO Board chair and vice chancellor for Educational Services and Workforce Development at West Hills Community College District.

Southern California Edison formally presented the honor to Paul Johnson, SJVCEO Executive Director, at an awards ceremony at its headquarters in Rosemead on April 30. The honor also was announced at AgTAC in Tulare as part of the utility’s Earth Day Celebration.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean energy. The SJVCEO works with cities and counties and public and private organizations to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the eight-county region of the San Joaquin Valley.

Using the earth to reduce your electric bill


This St. Louis couple turned to geothermal when their air conditioning system started to fail. Their heating and cooling costs fell by more than half, they estimate.

The heat pumps extract energy from the ground, where temperatures stay fairly stable, generally from 45 degrees to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the California Energy Commission.

The systems aren't cheap - $7,500 for a system that can handle a typical home, plus drilling costs of $10,00 to $30,000, depending upon terrain - but the CEC says the investment can be recouped in five to 10 years.

In some cases, a tax credit might be available to cut the cost. Here's a detailed analysis from the CEC.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean energy. The SJVCEO works with cities and counties and public and private organizations to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the eight-county region of the San Joaquin Valley.