Photo by Mark Lovretin/PSEG

State Regulators in New Jersey on Wednesday approved over $515 million in solar related projects, twice the amount of solar energy currently being produced in the state.  As a result of these projects New Jersey will maintain their position as the number 2 state for solar power behind only California.  

The total energy produced from these solar projects will be 145 megawatts or enough energy to power approximately 130,000 New Jersey homes.  The total amount of solar power in the state of New Jersey will climb to 232 megawatts. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association there were 791 megawatts of solar energy in the United States last year 530 megawatts of which were from California.

Jon Corzine, Governor of New Jersey, has set a goal of providing 30% of the state's energy from renewable sources by 2020.

PSE&G, New Jersey's largest utility, gained approval for the largest project: $515 million in solar panels installed on more than 200,000 utility poles plus solar gardens and rooftop arrays.  The project is expected to be completed before the end of 2013. 

The project will be funded by rate hikes in the amount of $1.28 per year rising to approximately $4.08 per year by the year 2028.

The 2008 Wind Technologies Market Report, issued recently by the U.S. Department of Energy and Berkeley Lab, indicates that while 2008 was a banner year for the wind market 2009 may see a significant if not temporary step back.  For the fourth year in a row the United States was the fastest growing wind power market in the world with wind power capacity increased by 60% or approximately $16 billion in additional investment in wind power projects.  Wind power made up 42% of all new electric generating capacity added in the U.S. in 2008 and wind power now makes up 2% of the nation's energy supply. 

While the report indicates that 2008 saw unprecidented growth and investment in wind power it also indicates that 2009 has been and will continue to be a challenge.  The global financial recession has had a downward effect on industry growth to what extent we do not know yet.  While federal policy changes point to aggressive expansion of the industry, the current economic outlook is in opposition to that structure.

Other important highlights of the 2008 Wind Technologies Market Report:

• The U.S. is the fastest-growing wind market worldwide leading the world in new wind capacity for four straight years and taking the lead this year from Germany in cumulative wind capacity installations.

• Texas is the number one state in new wind capacity with 7,118 MW of new wind capacity.  Iowa and Minnesota now get over 10% of their electricity generation from wind power. 

• Market growth is spurring manufacturing investments in the U.S. Several major foreign wind turbine manufacturers either opened or announced new U.S. wind turbine manufacturing plants in 2008. Likewise, new and existing U.S.-based manufacturers either initiated or scaled-up production. The number of utility-scale wind turbine manufacturers assembling turbines in the U.S. increased from just one in 2004 (GE) to five in 2008 (GE, Gamesa, Clipper, Acciona, CTC/DeWind).

• Wind turbine prices and installed project costs continued to increase into 2008. Near the end of 2008 and into 2009, however, turbine prices have weakened in response to reduced demand for wind due to the financial crisis.

• Wind project performance has improved over time, but has leveled off in recent years. The longer-term improvement in project performance has been driven in part by taller towers and larger rotors, enhanced project siting, and technological advancements.

• Wind remained economically competitive in 2008. Despite rising project costs, in recent years wind has consistently been priced at or below the price of conventional electricity, as reflected in wholesale power prices. With wholesale prices plummeting in recent months, however, the economic position of wind in the near-term has become more challenging.

• Expectations are for a slower year in 2009, in large part due to the global recession. Projections among industry prognosticators range from 4,400 MW to 6,800 MW of wind likely to be installed in the U.S. in 2009. After a slower 2009, most predictions show market resurgence in 2010 and continuing for the immediate future.

Read the Full Report

The Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Partnership Chose 20 partners to recognize for generating the highest amount of green electricity on site.  According to EPA figures, these top 20 partners are generating and consuming more than 736 million kilowatt hours of on-site green power per year or the amount of electricity needed to power 61,000 American homes. 

According to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, “These companies are leading a nationwide move to the clean energy economy, one that can create million of jobs, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and protect against global climate change.  "Our Green Power Partnership leaders are setting the standard for our clean energy future.”

Green power is generated from renewable resources such as solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, biogas, and low-impact hydropower. On-site green power is deployed directly at energy users’ facilities rather than at central power plants. Green power electricity generates less pollution than conventional power and produces no net increase in greenhouse gas emissions.

EPA’s Green Power Partnership works with more than 1,100 partner organizations to voluntarily purchase green power to reduce the environmental impacts of conventional electricity use.
Overall, the partners are buying more than 16 billion kWh of green power annually, equivalent to the carbon dioxide emissions from electricity use of more than 1.6 million American homes.

Top 20 organizations running on their own green power:

China announced a new program last week, The "Golden Sun" project to install at least 500 megawatts of solar farms across the nation over the next two or three years.

Posted on the Chinese Ministry of Finance website Tuesday, the government said it would subsidize 50 percent of the costs of building solar power projects and transmitting and distributing the solar power from those projects. In remote areas that are missing the infrastructure to connect to the grid the incentive will go up to 70 percent for photovoltaic projects. Financial budgeting terms having to do with this project were not disclosed. 

The program was created in part to subsidize Chinese solar manufacturers who have been hit hard by the world export market for solar products. Chinese solar companies are also hoping that the government will create a feed-in tariff program such as the one in Germany where solar power plant operators can sell electricity at higher prices.  This program is in addition to the announcement in March that the Chinese government will subsidize rooftop and building-integrated solar with a minimum of 50 kilowatts of energy generation. 

While these moves send a strong signal that China will be a major player in the renewable energy industry some analysts are still skeptical. 

According to Paula Mints, analyst at Navigant Consulting, "Historically, China has made a lot of announcements that have not come to pass. They have affordability issues, and they have cheap coal and other problems to solve.  They aren't going to go from 25 to 50 megawatts, mostly off the grid, into a multi-gigawatt market in a few years."

In a joint effort between the two agencies the U.S. Departments of Energy and Agriculture announced on Wednesday $6.3 million in funding for fundamental genomics-enabled research for the improved use of plant feedstocks for biofuel production.  The goals of the program are to diversify the country's energy portfolio and decreasing U.S. dependence on foreign oil. 

According to Steven Chu, U.S. Department of Energy Secretary, "Part of the solution to the energy problem will be home-grown energy crops.  These projects will help us unlock the true potential of advanced biofuels, decrease our dependence on foreign oil, and create new jobs and a thriving biofuels industry in America.”

The funding will come from a joint Department of Energy and USDA program that began in 2006.  This program is focused on research in biomass genomics to facilitate use of lignocellulosic materials for bioenergy and biofuels.  The benefit of lignocellulosic plants is that they are easier to produce and can grow on poor quality land which eliminates competition with food crops. Projects will initially be funded for up to three years. 

A breakdown of the research awards:

• USDA-ARS Northern Plains Area (Lincoln, NE), $1,182,000
• USDA-ARS Western Regional Research Center (Albany, CA), $1,300,000
• University of Georgia (Athens, GA), $1,200,000
• University of Georgia (Athens, GA), $705,000
• Michigan Technological University (Houghton, MI), $900,000
• University of Florida (Gainesville, FL), $643,000
• University of Nebraska (Lincoln, NE), $390,000

More information about biofuels from Energy Secretary Steven Chu:

Lakeland Electric, a public utility headquartered in Lakeland, Fla., is starting a renewable energy program that will install up to 20,000 solar water heating systems in 20,000 homes during the next 20 years.  Under this program, open only to residential customers, participants will invest nothing up front but will be obligated for 20 years.

The monthly cost for the program will amount to $34.95, a rate guaranteed by Lakeland Electric for 20 years.  This rate is based on the typical monthly cost for water heating.  If customers opt out of the program before the end of the 20 year period they will have to pay a one time fee of $250.

The plan is for 750 to 1500 solar water heating systems to be installed in the next year starting in approximately three months.  One of the big selling points of the program is that customers will have 80 gallon tanks installed rather than the standard 40 gallon tanks.

Lakeland Electric created a unique pilot program for solar water heaters starting in 1997 and the early 2000s in which 60 customers began using solar water heaters.

As part of this commitment Regenesis, the company that will install the solar panels, will employ 30 to 50 local residents in what can be considered green jobs. 

More information about solar water heaters:

Photo by Street Attack

The Toyota Prius  “Harmony Between Man, Nature And Machine” marketing tour has taken to the road this summer to spread good vibes about Toyota's market leader.  The purpose of the overall advertising campaign is to highlight the environmental benefits of the prius emissions reductions.  The tour recently stopped in Boston and will continue on to other urban areas throughout the summer and fall setting up interactive "Harmony Installations" to get their message out.   

According to Toyota:

"This fully integrated marketing effort explains how consumers can get virtually everything they want for themselves in a car – advanced technology, extra power, space, safety and 50 miles per gallon – all while providing what nature craves most: fewer smog-forming emissions. The campaign emphasizes that, for the first time, a car company has struck a balance between the needs of man and nature – by building the third-generation Prius."

Highlights of the "Harmony Installations":

- Oversized solar flower sculptures will be placed in highly interactive areas such as public parks. These sculptures, which include free Wi-Fi access, will serve as seating environments and charging stations for people to recharge their spirits as well as their mobile phones and laptops.

- Solar ventilation bus shelters will demonstrate how solar panels on Prius' available Solar Roof are designed to help cool the parked vehicle by providing a comfortable space for bus riders.

Toyota is also creating living billboards made of flowers, called “Floralscapes,” to be displayed on select California highways.

The full schedule for Prius Solar Flowers and Bus Shelters:

1. Boston – Prudential Plaza – July 8 – July 19, 2009 2. New York – Broadway Blvd – July 23 – August 2, 2009 (Solar Flowers Only) 3. Chicago – Navy Pier – August 8 – August 22, 2009 4. Seattle – Westlake Park – August 29 – September 7, 2009 (Solar Flowers Only) 5. San Francisco – Yerba Buena Gardens – September 12 – September 27, 2009 6. Los Angeles – The Americana – October 3 – October 18, 2009

General Motors is going web 2.0 in their pursuit of new customers for their electric vehicle, the Volt.  Chevrolet VoltAge, as it is cleverly called is a "social network for Volt and electric vehicle enthusiasts to engage in conversations around the Volt and vehicle electrification more broadly".  

Site features at Voltage include videos, photo galleries, blogs, message boards, events and groups.  The Voltage website also feeds electric vehicle news to fuel the discussion and traffic to the site.  This venture is a very non-traditional way for GM to garner publicity, however, it has a definite upside.  As the focus of the world moves toward clean energy solutions such as electric vehicles, Voltage will be able to be at the forefront of those discussions.

The only drawback I can see from this venture is in the case where there are technical problems with the vehicle or customers are dissatisfied in some way.  In that circumstance I think you would see Chevrolet Voltage disappear pretty quickly.  Can you imagine an open forum with this many tools and dissatisfied customers run amok?  I'm thinking that would be a marketing nightmare for GM.  If you want to be part of the discussion you better come through with the product.  

Tongass Nacional de Bosques

Tongass National Forest

The Obama administration as well as most pundits agree that if the economic situation in this country does not improve or God forbid gets worse the chances of President Obama being re-elected are slim to severely weakened.  Some observers questioned the administration's generous bailout to the banks as appeasing the financial power brokers in this country in order to maintain the status quo and not upset the economy further.

Now we have another "red flag" in the question of whether the Obama administration will do what's best for the country versus what is best for their political fortunes and it involves a critical issue in environmental circles.  The Obama administration this week approved the sale of timber in a roadless national forest in Alaska, the Tongass National Forest. 

During Bill Clinton's administration the U.S. Department of Agriculture created the roadless rule to establish prohibitions on road construction, road reconstruction, and timber harvesting in inventoried roadless areas on National Forest System lands. The intent of the rule was to provide lasting protection for inventoried roadless areas within the National Forest System.

Meanwhile, during the Presidential campaign Barack Obama stated that he supported the roadless rule.  Not only did he go back on this "campaign promise".  What is equally troubling is that Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack went out of his way to say that this project is not being approved because it was already in the works before the new administration, say he "recognized how much people in the area needed the jobs and the economic boost."

Apparently the litmus test for environmental protection is economic prosperity.  According to Tom Waldo of Earthjustice, "just building the road will cost four times as much revenue as the Forest Service is going to get from the timber sale".  So basically we are subsidizing jobs at the expense of our national forests. 

Talk about talking out of both sides of your mouth.  We have touted many of the accomplishments of the Obama environmental policy thus far but this policy makes you think maybe those were just further attempts to boost the economy (and approval ratings).  Where the rubber meets the road here is the pecking order:

1.  Re-election
2.  Environment