Tag:

energy independence

Uruguay Sees Value in Switching to Electric Vehicles

In many parts of the world, reliance on fossil-fueled buses and taxis for transportation is the norm. In Uruguay, this is no different. However, for the past several months, the city of Montevideo has been testing the electric powered BYD zero emissions, pure electric Rapid Transit eBus (K9) and BYD e6 5 passenger pure-electric taxi. Results of the testing were recently released and provide concrete evidence that electric vehicles provide long term economic and environmental value.

The bus was tested for 1,279 kilometers (800 miles) across four urban routes at different times and with different speeds. The average range of the bus was 252 kilometers (157 miles) per night time charge. The average energy consumption was 1.26 kWh/km for the 324 kWh battery pack.

According to Roberto Kreimerman, Minister of Transportation, “electric vehicles reduce environmental pollution, city noise pollution and national fossil-fuel dependence. Considering that the transportation sector represents over 30% of the total energy consumed in the country, it is very important to domesticate this fuel spend.”

The study also showed that the total cost of ownership of an electric bus was 60% less than a standard diesel bus. For the electric taxis, the lifetime total cost of ownership was estimated to be 50% less than traditional gasoline taxis.

Because Uruguay imports a vast majority of their fossil fuels, “the use of electric vehicles increases national energy independence and security considering that 90% of the electricity ….could be purchased from renewable sources”, according to Mr. Mendez, National Director of Energy.

03/18/2014 1 comment

Renewable Energy

Hawaii Solar Power Community Celebrates Favorable Ruling

written by Walter Wang

The Hawaii Solar Energy Association has issued a note welcoming the decision by state regulators to reject a proposal by Hawaiian Electric Co. to require solar companies to install expensive remote monitoring systems for small solar photovoltaic systems.

“The Public Utilities Commission’s ruling helps clear

12/28/2011 0 comment

Renewable Energy

“Troops to Energy Jobs” Opens New Doors for Veterans

written by Walter Wang

Having served in the military, I’m intimately aware of the role that energy plays in our ability to defend and uphold our national security. This became apparent to me in many ways during my time in the field, to the safety of my unit who ran fuel supply convoys in theater and the dangers we faced in carrying our

07/13/2011 3 comments

Renewable Energy

A New Pickens Plan: Good for The U.S. or Just for T. Boone?

written by Walter Wang

Three years after unveiling his plan for U.S. energy independence, which won praise from environmentalists for its reliance on wind power, Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens is back with a proposal to convert the U.S. trucking fleet to natural gas. But as his new plan gains traction, questions arise over how green it really is.

Remember the Pickens Plan?

04/12/2011 0 comment

Renewable Energy

New Energy for America – And New Jobs

written by Cassie Weiss

With plans like New Energy for America looming on the horizon, the Green-collar job market shows potential for exponential growth. According to the Green Jobs Report (pdf) released by the US Mayors office, researchers estimate that there is the potential for 4.2 million green jobs to be created over the next 30 years.

02/07/2011 0 comment

Renewable Energy

Dept. of Interior Signs First-Ever Offshore Wind Energy Lease in U.S.

written by ecopolitology

Cape Wind signs 28-year offshore wind energy lease.

It’s officially official. After eight years of scoping, studying, permitting, legislating and legal wrangling, the United States today cemented its first-ever lease for an offshore wind farm on the Outer Continental Shelf.

10/07/2010 0 comment

Renewable Energy

Keep Your Children Locked Up Safe–Climate Change Legislation Is Coming

written by Shari Shapiro

EENews (subscription required) reported yesterday that the organization “CO2 Is Green,” a front organization for energy companies, published a particularly rabble rousing ad in today’s Washington Post.

Because describing it is so much less satisfying, I reprint the ad in full here (you can see an image of the ad here):

The Kerry-Lieberman Cap and Trade Bill will drive the USA away from cheap efficient energy and permanently increase your cost of electricity, transportation fuel, and food.

The bill is based on the false premise
Continue Reading

07/15/2010 0 comment

Renewable Energy

Obama Pushes Biofuels to Boost Green Jobs

written by Walter Wang

U.S. President Barack Obama addresses the Senate Democratic Policy Committee Issues Conference at the Newseum in Washington, February 3, 2010. REUTERS/Jason Reed

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama outlined a strategy to boost biofuels production on Wednesday, seeking to nudge the country toward energy independence while balancing the environmental costs of grain-based motor fuels.

The move is part of the administration’s effort to gain more votes for a climate bill stalled in the Senate that will seek to boost production of clean, low-carbon energy and help the country reduce its dependence on imported fossil fuels.

The climate bill faces further hurdles after the election last month in Massachusetts that gave Republicans a Senate seat long held by Democrats, depriving the president’s party of 60 votes that could overcome procedural hurdles.

02/03/2010 2 comments

Clean Transportation Renewable Energy

Auto Industry May be Key to Renewables

written by

In October 2009, Skyline Solar announced that the company will employ an auto-manufacturing supplier, Cosma International, to manufacture and assemble large portions of its High Gain Solar (HGS) system. Over the past few years, we’ve seen other endeavors meant to stimulate the automobile manufacturing industry while accelerating energy independence. For example, the Cash for Clunkers program, encouraged new purchases of fuel-efficient cars, a way to reduce carbon emissions while stimulating the auto industry.

Another example, the V Vehicles plant in Louisiana, shows how existing factories can be used to generate renewable energy products: An out of operation auto plant in Monroe, Louisiana, will now be used to produce electric vehicles, providing about 1,400 local jobs.

12/31/2009 0 comment

Renewable Energy

Smart Grid Needs High-Level Policy Push

written by

Some projects are just too big to let the private sector handle them alone. Updating our aging one-way system of centralized power production to a smart grid is one of those projects. Left mostly to its own initiative, the energy industry has done very little in technology innovation during the past fifty years to make the grid more efficient and to accommodate distributed power production.

The need is so clear that even a group that supports limited government agrees that building a smart grid that conserves energy, integrates renewables, and diminishes peak power requires the guiding hand of the federal government.

The Lexington Institute has published a paper that neatly summarizes the smart grid challenges, and concludes that “Just as the grid of today required presidential initiative, the smart grid will take a high-level policy push, too.” The public policy research group, which says it “actively opposes the unnecessary intrusion of the federal government into the commerce and culture of the nation,” adds that “Smart grid will most likely require federal, state and local government incentives” and that “Policy action is worthwhile to move promising technologies closer to full adoption.”

08/24/2009 0 comment

Green Building

Vol. II: LEEDing the Way to a GreenTech Job?

written by George Karayannis

In my first post of this series I described the US Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System, and how individuals looking for a clean tech career should consider LEED AP certification to broaden and document their understanding of sustainability issues, and to stand out among otherwise equally-qualified candidates.

LEED provides sustainable design guidelines and a point-based rating system for various compliance levels including Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum. With demand soaring for LEED-based solutions, a growing market opportunity clearly exists for individuals who can help design, build, commission and operate resource-efficient facilities and communities. Only you can determine if LEED AP certification is in your best interest or relevant for a clean tech career. But I can attest to thinking more broadly about RE, EE, environmental and worker productivity issues having started this journey.

12/04/2008 1 comment