ECO Stocks

ECO stocks Lauches New Green Stocks Portal

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 14:29:03 -0600

Green Stock Portal Test

How T. Boone Pickens and The "Pickens Plan" Could Make You Wealthy By Investing in Green Stocks, CLNE, WPRT, PICO

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:39:47 -0500

How T. Boone Pickens and The "Pickens Plan" Could Make You Wealthy By Investing in Green Stocks, CLNE, WPRT, PICO T. Boone Pickens owns 40% of a company called Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (NASDAQ:CLNE). This is a company that provides natural gas for vehicle fleets in the U.S. and Canada. CLNE designs, builds, finances, and operates the fueling stations. (EMAILWIRE.COM, September 11, 2008 ) Dallas, Texas - How T. Boone Pickens and The "Pickens Plan" Could Make You Wealthy By Investing in Green Stocks T. Boone Pickens owns 40% of a company called Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (NASDAQ:CLNE). This is a company that provides natural gas for vehicle fleets in the U.S. and Canada. CLNE designs, builds, finances, and operates the fueling stations. T. Boone Pickens owns 12% of Westport Innovations, Inc. (NASDAQ:WPRT) a leading developer of environmental technologies that enable vehicles to operate on clean-burning alternative fuels. WRPT works with global automotive leaders such as Cummins Inc., Ford, and BMW to incorporate their technologies into leading manufacturers engines and to explore future commercial opportunities for clean vehicles. Pickens new company, Mesa Water, has been buying up ground water rights in Roberts County, Texas - 200,000 acres in all. He says that over a 30-year period, he expects to make more than $1 billion on his investment of $75 million. Many others are coming to the realization that water is too cheap. Hence, water rights are a great buy today. As an individual investor, you can't trade water rights very easily. But you can invest in a company that owns almost as much water as Pickens does in actuality, the acre feet that this Company owns are more valuable than what Pickens purchased. PICO Holdings, Inc., (NASDAQ:PICO) together with its subsidiaries, engages in the ownership and development of real estate properties. It owns land and the related mineral rights and water rights in Nevada. The company is involved in water resource development business, such as developing new sources of water for water utilities, municipalities, developers, or industrial users. In addition, PICO Holdings engages in the acquisition and financing of businesses. It operates in the United States and Europe. The company was founded in 1981 and is based in La Jolla, California. T. Boone Pickens thinks he'll earn $1 billion on his $76 million investment - or basically 13 times his money. PICO - already in this business, with substantial expertise and a portfolio of more valuable water rights - could do even better. Tune-in to ECOstocks.com newsletter as we are researching the best wind energy investment opportunities. http://www.ecostocks.com Read the full disclaimer http://www.ecostocks.com/disclaimer/index.asp

Solar Power

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 13:15:37 -0500

Last Wednesday, Vermont's Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders was criticizing a "very unfortunate"--and somewhat obscure--month-old decision from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in a meeting on Capitol Hill.

GM Adding World's Largest Rooftop Solar Power Installation to Zaragoza Plant

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 13:12:36 -0500

General Motors announced today it is adding the world's largest rooftop solar photovoltaic power installation to its car assembly plant located in Figueruelas, Zaragoza, Spain. When the project is completed in the fall of 2008, the Zaragoza solar installation will cover about 2,000,000 sq. ft. of roof at the plant and comprises about 85,000 solar panels.

Hemlock Semiconductor Starts Production at New Polysilicon Facility

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 10:50:17 -0500

Hemlock Semiconductor Corporation has begun production at its new polysilicon facility that will nearly double its output of polycrystalline silicon to serve the needs of the semiconductor and fast-growing solar energy industries.

Nordex starting 2008 off with growth of 50 per cent

Tue, 27 May 2008 10:33:46 -0500

In the first quarter of 2008, the Nordex Group achieved a 50 per cent increase in total revenues to € 231 million (previous year: € 154 million).

NaREC set to develop world's largest wind energy R&D campus

Tue, 27 May 2008 10:31:48 -0500

NaREC is proposing to develop a dedicated range of independent, European based facilities for wind R&D, subject to securing the required financial support.

Suzlon lines up funds to hike stake in REpower

Tue, 27 May 2008 10:29:16 -0500

Suzlon Energy has lined up the funds required to increase its stake in the German wind power equipment manufacturer REpower Systems AG.

IPO planned for Noble Environmental Power

Tue, 27 May 2008 10:26:37 -0500

In a first-ever for the U.S., a company focused entirely on wind energy is planning to come public, with Noble Environmental Power Inc. registering an IPO to list on the Nasdaq later this year

Zapping Trash With Plasma Produces Clean Energy and Fuel

Mon, 19 May 2008 11:50:23 -0500

Zapping Trash With Plasma Produces Clean Energy and Fuel

Popular Science reports that companies like Startech are blasting trash with plasma and producing clean fuels like hydrogen as a byproduct. Basically, you put tons of trash in one end of a plasma converter, and a superheated plasma arc obliterates the trash into its molecular components. The process is called "plasma gasification". There are two byproducts: one is a "syngas" composed mostly of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, which can be converted into fuel. The other is molten glass that can be sold for use in household tiles or road asphalt. Amazingly, plasma converters produce enough energy to power themselves, and actually produce an excess of energy that can be sold to the grid. Still, some environmental scientists have warned that the residual substances may contain toxic heavy metals.

The solution is seductive to many cities though, since a $250 million converter can handle 2000 tons of trash per day. People are starting to take notice. The company U.S. Energy (a partnership between three ex-trash executives) is in the process of buying 6 of Startech's converters to create in a gasification plant in Long Island. Michael Nuzzi (one of the partners) explains how to turn trash into cash, "New York City is already paying an astronomical $90 a ton to get rid of its trash. According to Startech, a few 2,000-ton-per-day plasma-gasification plants could do it for $36. Sell the syngas and surplus electricity, and you’d actually net $15 a ton. “Gasification is not just environmentally friendly,” Nuzzi says. “It’s a good business decision.”

The Innovation & Investment (I&I) Unit invests in advanced energy and sustainability technologies that contribute to the future sustainability of Abu Dhabi and the region.

Fri, 09 May 2008 12:11:43 -0500

The Innovation & Investment (I&I) Unit invests in advanced energy and sustainability technologies that contribute to the future sustainability of Abu Dhabi and the region.

The main aim of I&I is to attract relevant technologies and assist companies to commercialize their applications. I&I offers an array of financial instruments that invest in a wide spectrum of earlystage to near-commercial stage technologies.

The Unit has identified three strategic thrusts. The first is the Masdar Clean Tech Fund, a $250 million private equity fund launched in partnership with Credit Suisse and Consensus Business Group in November 2006. The Fund acquires equity stakes in global companies, from start-ups through late-stage, with promising technologies in clean energy, water and environmental solutions. Particular emphasis is placed on technologies applicable to the climate and environmental conditions of Abu Dhabi.

The second is the Sustainable Technologies and Advanced Research (STAR) program, which invests in near-commercial technologies suitable for demonstration-level projects. Once proven successful, these technologies are scaled into commercially-viable businesses. STAR typically develops joint ventures with partners willing to share the risks and rewards in advancing each project. Representative projects currently in development are focused on solar power (CSP), photovoltaic, sea water desalination and biofuels.

The third is the Masdar Business Incubator which assists start-ups and entrepreneurs, nurturing them into commercially viable businesses. I&I provides seed capital, infrastructure support, market research, business mentoring and product development guidance to young startups. These services are expected to be launched once the Special Free Zone and campus are operational in 2009. The goal of the Incubator is to encourage greater entrepreneurship and small business development in Abu Dhabi, in order to drive economic diversity and growth.

Masdar Clean Tech Fund is a $250 million diversified venture capital investment vehicle that will build a portfolio of clean technology funds, direct/co-investments and joint venture investments.

Fri, 09 May 2008 12:09:00 -0500

Masdar Clean Tech Fund is a $250 million diversified venture capital investment vehicle that will build a portfolio of clean technology funds, direct/co-investments and joint venture investments.

The Fund is made-up of commitments from the following: (i) Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company ("ADFEC"), (ii) Consensus Business Group ("CBG"), (iii) Credit Suisse ("CS") and (iv) Siemens AG.

The Fund will develop a portfolio of fund investments, committing approximately $60 million to 3-5 fund managers. The remaining Fund capital will be invested in co-investments alongside fund managers and direct investments in companies sourced by the Fund. The Fund will seek to invest in companies with technologies that are suitable for commercialization in the United Arab Emirates.

Credit Suisse, the General Partner and one of the leading managers of private equity fund of funds and co-investments, will manage the Fund in collaboration with the partners. The Fund will leverage Credit Suisse's and the partners' investment expertise as well as Credit Suisse's broad private equity and investment banking platform for sourcing, selecting and adding value to investment opportunities for the Fund. In addition, the Fund will leverage Abu Dhabi's larger alternative energy initiative, known as the 'Masdar initiative' that was launched in March 2006. The Masdar initiative is Abu Dhabi's multi-faceted response to the need for a global focus on resource conservation and the alternative energy sector. It is designed to ensure in the long-term that Abu Dhabi retains, and even grows, its share of the global energy market. The Fund will focus on the development and commercialization of technologies in renewable energy, energy efficiency, carbon management and monetization, water usage and desalination. It is the expectation of the UAE government that the Masdar initiative, as well as other governmental entities, will be called on to support Fund portfolio managers, companies and joint venture participants that wish to commercialize products in the UAE.

Masdar's Special Free Zone (SFZ) is a unique, integrated ‘Green Community' in the heart of Abu Dhabi.

Fri, 09 May 2008 12:06:12 -0500

Masdar's Special Free Zone (SFZ) is a unique, integrated ‘Green Community' in the heart of Abu Dhabi.

This new energy and technology Community will open in 2009, covering six square kilometers and offering the finest practical facilities for the Masdar Institute, the Research Network, light industry, development units and laboratories, plus a carefully selected pool of international tenants.

The Zone is an inspirational expression of Masdar's vision, hosting an iconic campus leveraging the fullest use of innovation in energy-efficiency, sustainable practices, resource recycling, biodiversity, transportation and green building standards. Every building in the Zone will be designed and constructed to provide a model for sustainable living and working.

The Masdar SFZ will offer opportunities unique in the Middle East for synergy between academic resources, research facilities, industry, the financial community, entrepreneurs and family businesses. The Zone will provide up to 1,500 companies with an attractive package of incentives, including a one-stop-shop program of government services, transparent laws, 100% foreign ownership, tax-free environment and intellectual property protection. Proximity to nearby manufacturers, suppliers and markets rounds out the Zone's unique value proposition.

As the Zone is developed, Masdar intends to leverage elsewhere the knowledge gained in developing the SFZ with a minimum carbon footprint, by building other sustainable communities that can also serve as showcases of environmental urban achievement.

Sener and Masdar Announce Joint Venture to Develop Concentrating Solar Power Plants in the Sunbelt

Fri, 09 May 2008 12:03:51 -0500

Sener and Masdar Announce Joint Venture to Develop Concentrating Solar Power Plants in the “Sunbelt”

Endeavour promises major advancement in solar generation price competitiveness

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 22 March 2008 - Spanish engineering group SENER GRUPO DE INGENIERÍA S.A. and MASDAR, Abu Dhabi's alternative energy company, today announced a joint venture – Torresol Energy – to design, build and operate concentrating solar power (CSP) plants in the world's sunbelt regions. One of Torresol Energy's primary objectives is to widen the adoption of CSP and make it more compatible with grid parity.

This joint venture will commence work on three solar power plants in Spain with an approximate combined value of €800 million, one of which will be a CSP Central Tower Receiver System. This technology will feature the first-ever commercial deployment of the industry-changing technology, and will set the standards for an anticipated 500 MW of CSP projects across the Sunbelt countries by 2012. Independently of Torresol Energy, MASDAR is developing CSP plants in Abu Dhabi, and their flagship plant “Shams 1” is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2010.

In every new project Torresol Energy expects to introduce and test new technologies with the long term objectives of making CSP a very competitive and reliable technology, achieving a sustainable leading position in this sector and contributing to the protection of the environment for future generations. SENER has been working for almost a decade in the development of solar thermal power technology. The company is presently designing and building, in a joint venture, three 50 MW parabolic through plants with molten salt storage in Spain. SENER has also devised and tested innovative solutions for CSP tower plants and has started the detailed design of Central Receiver Plants. The company expects to apply all these solutions in the projects of Torresol Energy and also for other clients worldwide.

SENER President and CEO, Jorge Sendagorta, and MASDAR CEO, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, announced the launch of Torrresol Energy in joint remarks at the Diputación Foral de Bizkaia, where the press conference where held. H.E. Sultan M. Al-Qortasi, the UAE Ambassador to Spain, attended the event as guest of honor.

Torresol Energy comes from the common vision of SENER and MASDAR to build a leading global company for the generation of reliable power from solar energy and contribute to the protection of the environment for future generations. “We also have a shared mission: to invest globally in profitable and efficient concentrating solar power plants and to pioneer new techonologies and drive down the future costs of generation”, said Jorge Sendagorta. “MASDAR is committed to developing and delivering future energy solutions. And the Torresol CSP technology promises to be the technology that will revolutionize the way we draw energy from the sun” said Al Jaber. . “Partnering with SENER will accelerate our objective of creating the scale and technology improvements required for a wider adoption of CSP technology while fulfilling our mandate to the Abu Dhabi government’s alternative energy program”.

SENER will own a 60 percent share of Torresol Energy, with MASDAR owning the remaining 40 percent.

MASDAR NAMED CLEAN TECH LEADER OF THE YEAR

Fri, 09 May 2008 12:02:20 -0500

MASDAR NAMED “CLEAN TECH LEADER OF THE YEAR”
CEO Sultan Al Jaber accepts recognition for
Masdar’s Leadership in Clean Tech advancement

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 27 February 2008 - The Masdar Initiative, Abu Dhabi’s investment in developing future energy solutions, was named the “Cleantech Leader of the Year” last night at the Cleantech Forum’s Cleantech Awards in San Francisco, California, USA. The prestigious recognition was bestowed on the initiative for contributing credibility and resources to the cleantech industry.

Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, CEO of Masdar, received the award on behalf of Masdar at the Cleantech Forum Gala Dinner, which was attended by more than 900 global leaders in clean technology.

“Masdar is developing and investing in innovative solutions for the world’s increasing demand for future energies,” Dr. Al Jaber said. “We are greatly honored by this gesture of trust and confidence, as success in the development of technologies in renewable and sustainable energies – a mission of the Masdar Initiative – will only come from true cooperation and collaboration with our peers in the industry.”

Since 2003, the Cleantech Group has recognized select individuals, companies and other organizations that furthered the cleantech sector with the Cleantech Awards. Winners are chosen by the Cleantech Group’s senior staff and advisory boards. Past “Cleantech Leader of the Year” recipients include Sir Nicholas Stern of the World Bank; CalPERS, the largest public pension fund in the United States; and the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange.

Launched in September 2006, Masdar has created a $250 million Masdar Clean Tech Fund (CTF) in partnership with Credit Suisse, Siemens and Consensus Business Group of the UK. The fund is a diversified venture capital investment vehicle that will build a portfolio of clean technology companies.

The CTF has concluded its first year with one of the strongest and most successful deal flows in the investment community. It deployed most of its capital in 2007, one year ahead of schedule, taking strategic equity stakes in companies, such as Solargenics, Segway, Halosource, Europlasma, Sulfurcell, Heliovolt, SIC Processing and EnerTech Capital.

Earlier this month, Masdar broke ground on Masdar City, the world’s first zero-carbon, zero-waste, car-free city, where all of its programs will be centrally located. The 6.5-square kilometer district, growing eventually to 1,500 businesses and 50,000 residents, will be home to international business and top minds in the field of sustainable and alternative energy.

Masdar is also investing in human capital by cultivating the scientific and human talent required for the new clean technology sector. It has established the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (MIST), the Middle East’s first graduate-level, research-driven scientific institution focused on energy and sustainability, in cooperation with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. MIST also encompasses the Masdar Research Network (MRN), a network of universities across the world in conducting advanced research in energy and sustainability technologies.

As one of the top figures in cleantech, Dr. Al Jaber also gave the Forum’s key note address.

About Masdar
The Masdar Initiative is Abu Dhabi’s multi-faceted, multi-billion dollar investment in the development and commercialization of innovative technologies in renewable, alternative and sustainable energies as well as sustainable design. Masdar is driven by the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (ADFEC), a wholly owned company of the government of Abu Dhabi through the Mubadala Development Company. In January 2008, Abu Dhabi announced it will invest $15 billion in Masdar, the largest single government investment of its kind. For more information about the Masdar Initiative, please visit www.masdaruae.com.

About The Cleantech Forum
The Cleantech Forum is the flagship global forum for investors. This year it gathered more than 900 of the world’s leading investors at the forefront of the cleantech investment, representing over $10 trillion in capital, together with entrepreneurs, scientists and policy-makers. The three-day event created opportunities for Masdar and other global players in future and alternative energy to collaborate.

Masdar HQ to be Located in World’s First “Positive Energy” Mixed-Use Building

Fri, 09 May 2008 12:01:10 -0500

Masdar HQ to be Located in World’s First “Positive Energy” Mixed-Use Building

Chicago Architecture Firm Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture win global competition to design Masdar’s Headquarters in first zero-carbon, zero-waste city

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 20 February 2008 - Masdar announced today that it has chosen Chicago architecture firm Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (AS + GG) to design its headquarters in Abu Dhabi’s Masdar City, the world’s first zero-carbon, zero-waste city fully powered by renewable energy. The headquarters will be the world’s first large-scale, mixed-use “positive energy” building, producing more energy than it consumes. In addition to being the location of Masdar HQ, the building will accommodate private residences and ‘early bird’ businesses starting up in the city.

Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of Masdar, said AS+GG is internationally recognized for high-performance, energy-efficient and sustainable architecture. “We know Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture share our vision for Masdar’s headquarters. This building is at the heart of Masdar City, and its net positive energy design and new innovations will reflect our mission of developing sustainable future energy solutions.”

Design plans for the headquarters include numerous systems that will generate a surplus of the building’s energy, eliminate carbon emissions and reduce liquid and solid waste. The complex will utilize sustainable materials and feature integrated wind turbines, outdoor air quality monitors and one of the world’s largest building-integrated solar energy arrays. Compared with typical mixed-use buildings of the same size, the Masdar Headquarters will reduce its water consumption by 70 percent.

“In line with the Abu Dhabi 2030 Development Plan, Masdar is choosing to emphasize sustainability over height. We hope and expect this will set a new direction for worldwide competition in sustainable design,” Dr. Al Jaber continued.

In addition to being the first mixed-use net positive energy building in the world, AS+GG’s Masdar Headquarters will:
• Be the lowest energy consumer per square meter for a modern class A office building in an extremely hot and humid climate
• Feature one of the world’s largest building-integrated photovoltaic arrays
• Employ the largest solar thermal driven cooling and dehumidification system – the world’s lowest impact active building conditioning system
• Be the first building in history to generate power and protect workers during the construction process through a staged construction of the roof prior to the rest of the complex

“We’re thrilled to be working on a project of this importance and magnitude. The Masdar Headquarters is one of the most significant developments of our time,” said Adrian Smith, partner, AS+GG. “As a positive energy complex, the project will have a far-reaching influence on the buildings of tomorrow.”

“The Masdar Headquarters will set a new paradigm for the way buildings are designed, constructed and inhabited,” said Gordon Gill, partner, AS+GG. “The project represents the perfect integration of architecture and engineering, resulting in a dynamic, inviting building that outperforms any other structure of its type in the world.”

Construction of Masdar City has now officially commenced with a formal ground-breaking ceremony on February 9, 2008. The City will be constructed over seven phases and is due to be completed by 2016. Masdar’s headquarters is part of phase one and will be completed by the end of 2010.

The design competition for Masdar’s headquarters was managed by the Louis Berger Group and began with a field of 159 participants, which was narrowed down to 15 architecture and design firms. The criteria for selection of the 15 included building functionality, water and wastewater efficiency, indoor environmental quality, zero carbon emission, carbon footprint reduction and firm experience. Four global leaders in sustainable architecture and design were then chosen to submit final proposals.

A global jury of seven world renowned design and urban planning experts chose AS+GG’s design from the finalists. The jury consisted of:

• A. Hashim Sarkis – Aga Khan Professor of Landscape, Architecture and Urbanism in Muslim Societies in the Department of Urban Planning & Design at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design (Cambridge, MA)
• Dennis A. Andrejko – Associate Professor at the University of Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning (Buffalo, NY)
• Greg Mella, AIA, LEED AP – Principal at SmithGroup (Washington, D.C.)
• Jean-Marie Charpentier – Architect for Maison Mozart (Paris)
• Dr. Hans-Rudolf Schalcher – Professor at the Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction (Zurich), where he is also the Head of Technical Competence Center and Member of the Management Board; Chair of the Planning and Management in Construction for the Institute for Construction Engineering and Management at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (Zurich)
• John Quale – Assistant Professor at the University of Virginia’s School of Architecture (Charlottesville, VA)
• Volker Hartkopf – Professor of Architecture at Carnegie Mellon University’s Center for Building Performance and Diagnostics, The Robert L. Preger Intelligent Workplace; Director at CBPD (Pittsburgh, PA)

About Masdar
Masdar is Abu Dhabi’s multi-faceted, multi-billion dollar investment in the development and commercialization of advanced and innovative technologies in renewable, alternative and sustainable energies as well as green design. By applying scale and leveraging Abu Dhabi’s low-cost, tax-free manufacturing base, businesses will enjoy significant competitive advantages, allowing them to compete internationally and provide significant diversification to the Abu Dhabi economy. On February 9, 2008, Masdar broke ground for Masdar City, the world’s first zero-carbon, zero-waste, car-free city.

To learn more about Masdar, and Masdar City, please visit www.masdaruae.com.

About Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture
AS+GG is focused on the design of high-performance architecture on an international scale. AS+GG is dedicated to the creation of new paradigms for sustainable development. The office utilizes a holistic, integrated design approach that emphasizes a symbiotic relationship with the natural environment- a philosophy termed ‘global environmental contextualism.’ The approach results in buildings that not only greatly reduce their negative environmental impact, but in some cases, virtually eliminate it altogether. The firm’s current work includes projects in Chicago, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Mumbai, Vancouver, Belgrade, London and China.

ABU DHABI’S MASDAR INITIATIVE BREAKS GROUND ON CARBON-NEUTRAL CITY OF THE FUTURE

Fri, 09 May 2008 11:59:48 -0500

ABU DHABI’S MASDAR INITIATIVE BREAKS GROUND ON CARBON-NEUTRAL CITY OF THE FUTURE
Total project development budget is $22 billion for the world’s first zero-carbon, zero-waste city

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 9 February 2008 - Abu Dhabi today broke ground on Masdar City, the world’s first zero-carbon, zero-waste, car-free city. The global milestone event was marked by the laying of a virtual cornerstone by His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and a visually stunning production depicting life in the city.

In conjunction with the groundbreaking, Masdar CEO Dr. Sultan Al Jaber announced a total development budget for the city of $22 billion. Of that investment total, Masdar (“the source” in Arabic) will contribute $4 billion to develop the city’s infrastructure. The remaining $18 billion will come through direct investments and the creation of various financial instruments to raise needed capital. An essential driver for the development of the city is carbon finance. Carbon emissions reduced by Masdar City will be monetized under the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism.

In addition to full-time residents, Masdar City will seek to attract and encourage collaboration between experts in sustainable transportation; waste management; water and wastewater conservation; green construction, buildings and industrial materials; recycling; biodiversity; climate change, renewable energy and green financial institutions. Masdar will maximize the benefits of sustainable technologies, such as photovoltaic cells and concentrated solar power, through an integrated planning and design approach.

By implementing these technologies, Masdar City will save the equivalent of more than US $2 billion in oil over the next 25 years, based on today’s energy prices. The city will also create more than 70,000 jobs and will add more than two percent to Abu Dhabi’s annual GDP.

“We are creating a city where residents and commuters will live the highest quality of life with the lowest environmental footprint,” said Dr. Al Jaber. “Masdar City will become the world’s hub for future energy. By taking sustainable development and living to a new level, it will lead the world in understanding how all future cities should be built.”

In addition, the city will achieve unprecedented levels of demand reduction. Highlights include:

• Seventy-five percent reduction in installed power capacity; Masdar City will require approximately 200 MW of installed clean power versus more than 800 MW of installed capacity to power a similar city based on conventional design

• Water needs cut by more than half; Masdar City will require around 8,000 m3 per day of desalinated water versus more than 20,000 m3 per day for traditional cities

• Landfill area severely diminished; a city of this size would have required millions of square meters of landfill area; Masdar City will need virtually no landfill area.

The first step in the city’s seven-phase plan is the development of the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (MIST), the world’s first graduate university dedicated to renewable energy. Developed in collaboration with MIT and scheduled to open in 2009, MIST will maintain a body of students and professors focused on developing the next generation of solutions to the world’s growing dependence on fossil fuels.

The six-square kilometre district is designed by renowned architecture firm Foster + Partners and set to be completed in 2016 in conjunction with Abu Dhabi’s 2030 Development Plan. It will eventually grow to 1,500 businesses and 50,000 residents and will be home to international business and top minds in the field of sustainable and alternative energy. Of this, 30 percent will be zoned for housing; 24 percent for the business and research district; 13 percent for commercial purposes, including light manufacturing; 6 percent for the MIST; 19 percent for service and transportation; and 8 percent for civic and cultural pursuits.

Masdar City is one of the flagship projects of the One Planet Living™ programme – a global initiative launched by WWF (also known as the World Wide Fund for Nature and the World Wildlife Fund). One Planet Living™ aims to prove that it is possible to live within ecological limits and still improve the quality of people’s lives. One Planet Living™ communities, such as Masdar, aim to put the principles of sustainability into practice, and Masdar City exceeds these principles.

Masdar City will be the home of the Masdar Initiative, (www.masdaruae.com) Abu Dhabi’s multi-faceted, multi-billion dollar investment in the development and commercialization of innovative technologies in renewable, alternative and sustainable energies as well as sustainable design. In January 2008, Abu Dhabi announced it will invest $15 billion in Masdar, the largest single government investment of its kind.

The groundbreaking ceremony’s electricity needs and carbon emissions were entirely offset by solar power reserves produced by Masdar’s photovoltaic testing facilities. Since it began producing power for the national grid in December 2007, the facility has generated more than 5,500 kilowatt hours of electricity and saved more than four tons of CO2.

Abu Dhabi Commits US$15 Billion to Alternative Energy, Clean Technology

Fri, 09 May 2008 11:16:55 -0500

Abu Dhabi Commits US$15 Billion to Alternative Energy, Clean Technology
World’s Largest Single Government Commitment to “Future Energy” Will Leverage Additional Partner Commitments for a ‘Grand Portfolio’ Many Times Larger

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, - In an address before delegates of the World Future Energy Summit here today, His Highness, General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the U.A.E. Armed Forces, announced the most ambitious sustainability program ever launched by a government – an initial investment of US$15 billion in projects targeting solar, wind and hydrogen power; carbon reduction and management; sustainable development; education; manufacturing; and research and development.

The investment will be channelled through the Masdar Initiative, a company that aims to explore, develop and commercialize future energy sources. Masdar will leverage the Abu Dhabi government’s initial US$15 billion investment with joint ventures and other investment partners for a grand portfolio many times larger, comprised of projects in Abu Dhabi, the MENA region and globally.

The emirate of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, has been a leader in the field of hydrocarbons for nearly half a century. One of Masdar’s primary objectives is to build upon Abu Dhabi’s energy leadership and develop an entirely new domestic economic sector built on energy innovation and intellectual property, thereby establishing the emirate as the regional and global center of future energy solutions.

“For nearly half a century, the emirate of Abu Dhabi has used its natural resources to contribute to growth, development and security – our own as well as that of other countries,” said Masdar CEO Dr. Sultan Al Jaber.

“Today, as global demand for energy continues to expand and as climate change becomes a real and growing concern, the time has come to look to the future,” he continued. “Our ability to adapt and respond to these realities will ensure that Abu Dhabi’s global energy leadership as well as our own growth and development continues.”

The $15 billion Masdar commitment announced today will be directed to the following areas:

• Investments
• Manufacturing Future Energy Solutions
• Education and R&D
• Carbon Management
• Sustainable Development & Planning
• Renewable Energy Infrastructure Projects

Noting that Masdar means “the source” in Arabic, Al Jaber said, “Under the vision of His Highness, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the U.A.E. and Ruler of Abu Dhabi and the leadership and direction of His Highness, General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the U.A.E. Armed Forces, Masdar signals Abu Dhabi’s intention to build upon its energy expertise and become the leading source of the world’s future energy solutions. It is also an important example of Abu Dhabi’s long-term strategy to secure its future by investing resources domestically. As we do this, we honor the vision of His Highness the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan, our country’s founder, who articulated for Abu Dhabi a vision of unity, stewardship and leadership.”

Startup Makes Cheap Solar Film Cells ... With an Inkjet Printer

Thu, 08 May 2008 12:43:40 -0500

Startup Makes Cheap Solar Film Cells ... With an Inkjet Printer

Konarka has developed its affordable Power Plastic film with several manufacturing techniques, from an early proprietary printing process (pictured above in image rotated for space) to a new breakthrough with inkjet printers that should dramatically reduce costs, with applications including sensors and RFID. (Photograph by David A. White/Konarka)

By Emily Masamitsu

Published on: March 6, 2008

This year could bring the Silicon Valley-funded renaissance in solar power we've all been waiting for. First, San Jose-based Nanosolar began delivering its affordable thin-film solar coating, followed by a construction boom in American solar thermal power plants—essentially the reflective equivalent of geothermal power. Now, for the first time, the solar cell revolution is arriving by droplet.

Konarka Technologies, the Massachusetts-based company we first recognized with a 2005 Breakthrough Award for its affordable Power Plastic solar film, said this week that it has successfully manufactured those thin solar cells using an inkjet printer. In addition to decreasing production costs because it relies on existing inkjet technology, the printable Power Plastic cells can be applied to a range of small-scale, highly variable power opportunities, from indoor sensors to small RFID installations.

With printers now capable of producing solar cells, other companies might be able to use plastics and other colors in developing new kinds of power-packing film. But the inkjet process is just one of several different manufacturing techniques Konarka has been busy demonstrating for its solar collectors over the last three years. "Compared to current PV technologies, the Power Plastic has an advantage in flexibility, greater sensitivity to low light and versatility," Konarka president and CEO Rick Hess says of the film cells, which are fused from liquid containing semiconducting polymers.

By 2009 at the latest, Konarka plans to bring multiple forms of its product to market—everything from tiny cells for sensors to fabric-based and larger building panels. Hess says the company is currently working with U.S. Green Building Council LEED designers on custom installations.

Perhaps more promising are all the as-yet-unknown applications for the flexible, plastic solar panels. "We constantly receive calls from innovators who have read about the cells and propose unique—sometimes wild and crazy—concepts for the technology," Hess tells PM.

The burning question for DIYers and eco-conscious geeks alike remains whether we can expect to see rolls of Power Plastic on the shelves of home improvement stores anytime soon. Not exactly, Hess says. "Check back in two years and we'll have an update."

Spongelike Air-Capture Gadget Scrubs Away Carbon Emissions

Thu, 08 May 2008 12:39:55 -0500

Spongelike Air-Capture Gadget Scrubs Away Carbon Emissions

By Joanna Borns

Published on: March 28, 2008

With the specter of global warming seared into our national consciousness, reducing carbon dioxide emissions has become a priority. Now, researchers have invented a phone-booth-size device that can take back those emissions we can’t prevent—the ones that have already reached the atmosphere.

The Atmospheric Carbon CapturE SystemS (ACCESS) Air-Capture System, developed by Global Research Technologies in Tucson, Ariz., holds sheets of material capable of capturing CO₂ molecules directly from open air. (The chemical makeup of the fabriclike sorbent is being kept under wraps.) While that may sound tricky enough, "the hard part," says Klaus Lackner, a geophysicist at Columbia University, "is prying the carbon dioxide loose once you absorb it." Lackner worked with Global Research to create the technology.

To remove the molecules, the sheets are sprayed with a chemical solution that bonds to the carbon dioxide. The solution is then drained off to a separation unit, where the CO₂ is isolated as pure gas through electrodialysis. A design goal was to avoid using toxic or corrosive chemicals that would require special handling, so ordinary PVC pipe is used to transfer the solution back to a collection unit so that it can be recycled.

Ideally, the ACCESS machines would be placed in clusters, similar to windmill groupings, near facilities capable of storing the carbon permanently. Unlike turbines, however, these devices can be placed anywhere. Locating them in windy areas would increase their efficiency by moving air across the surfaces more quickly, but they are not dependent on a strong breeze. "A windmill is not producing energy when the wind isn’t blowing, but the carbon-capture device can capture carbon, no matter what," Lackner says.

The current prototype captures less than 100 kilograms of CO₂ per day, but Lackner predicts future models will capture 1 ton per day—several hundred times the amount saved by an equal-size windmill. New versions of ACCESS could capture carbon at a rate of about 3 kg per second, the same amount an average tree absorbs in a year. Still, millions of these devices would be needed to significantly cut global emissions. The Department of Energy estimates that the United States alone released 7075.6 million tons of CO₂ in 2006.

Skeptics of the technology point to carbon emissions coming from ACCESS and similar devices themselves. Because it uses electricity from the grid to separate gas from the solution, the prototype barely breaks even in CO₂ savings. Global Research hopes to run future models on solar power, which would take fossil fuels out of the equation. The price of capturing the CO2 is also high, predicted to cost several hundred dollars per ton once commercially developed. "In the long term, the price will come down to $30 per ton," Lackner says, "but this will not happen overnight."

The usefulness of carbon-capture technology hinges on the development of practical methods for storing carbon, which the industry does not predict to be commercially viable before 2020 or later. Lackner says the ACCESS system could be paired with any form of carbon sequestration being developed, including underground or underwater storage. His preferred method is to pack carbon away Han Solo-style with mineral carbonation, a process that turns CO₂ into a solid by mixing it with other compounds. In addition to storage, the captured CO₂ could be used commercially for oil recovery, preserving food and increasing plant growth in greenhouses.

The next step in developing the carbon-hungry machine is to design a model that can be easily mass produced. The technology won’t be ready tomorrow, but it’s not far off. "If it’s five years," Lackner says, "we run an awfully slow outfit."

Micro Fueler Is First Ethanol Kit for Brewing Backyard Biofuels on the Cheap

Thu, 08 May 2008 12:35:44 -0500

Micro Fueler Is First Ethanol Kit for Brewing Backyard Biofuels on the Cheap

NEW YORK — This morning, the E-Fuel Corporation, a Silicon Valley startup, introduced the first ethanol refinery system designed for home use. The Micro Fueler, a backyard fueling station, can create pure E100 ethanol from sugar feed stock. “It’s third-grade science,” says Thomas Quinn, founder and CEO of E-Fuel. “You just mix together water, sugar and yeast, and in a few hours, you start getting ethanol.” The $9995 Micro Fueler has a can fill its own 35-gallon tank in about a week by fermenting the sugar, water and yeast internally, then separating out the water through a membrane filter.

E-Fuel representatives claim that the initial cost of the machine can be offset by up to 50 percent by federal, state and local credits, and the cost of raw sugar can be brought down to $1 or below through a system of carbon trading coupons. The Micro Fueler can produce a gallon of ethanol from about 10 gallons of sugar.

Quinn dismisses many of the preconceptions about ethanol—lower gas mileage, long-term damage to automotive fuel systems and the need for a “flex-fuel” car—as just myths. Quinn claims that the E100 from the Micro Fueler can be mixed with ordinary gasoline, or even water to a 70/30 ratio—and still maintain a high-enough octane level to provide plenty of power for ordinary vehicles.

The Micro Fueler is for sale now, with deliveries expected by the fourth quarter. Obviously, there are a lot of unknown variables—fuel prices, sugar supply and distribution, and, of course, the machine’s basic reliability—that will determine the potential success or failure of the Micro Fueler. But Quinn, who has a background in the PC business, sees the personal nature of the Micro Fueler as its main selling point. “Ethanol is really the people’s fuel,” he says. “Anybody can make it.” —Glenn Derene

Gore-Headed VC Firms Rake in Millions for New Climate Funds

Thu, 08 May 2008 12:15:31 -0500

Gore-Headed VC Firms Rake in Millions for New Climate Funds

By Sarah Griffiths, BusinessGreen
Published: May 5, 2008

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- An investment company headed by Nobel Prize winner Al Gore has reportedly closed a new $683m fund for investing in green start up businesses.

According to Financial Times reports, the new Climate Solutions Fund represents one of the largest green investment funds in a rapidly expanding market and will focus on equity investments in small companies.

It is set to invest in businesses from the renewable energy and energy efficient technology sectors as well as firms in the carbon trading, biofuel and biomass industries.

The fund is the second offering from the firm, Generation Investment Management, which is chaired by climate change champion and former vice-president Al Gore and managed by David Blood, former head of Goldman Sachs.

Blood said that the funds ability to raise $683m at a time of considerable financial; turmoil and tightening credit conditions highlighted the resilience of the burgeoning green investment market.

Speaking to the FT, Blood insisted green investments were no longer just a "nice to have" for investors, but a "fundamental" part of the market, " because the transition from a high-carbon to a low-carbon economy is a very large step that is going to happen quickly.”

Both Gore and Blood have reportedly invested personally in the fund to a "pretty sizable" extent.

The average size of investment by the new fund is expected to be approximately $30m in small private or public companies. All new investors have been drawn from the company’s existing pool, which invested in Generation’s first offering, The Global Equity Strategy Fund. That fund currently has $2.2bn invested in larger sustainable businesses, chosen for their environmental, social and economic credentials. Blood said he expects the fund to be worth $5bn within two years because of investor interest.

In related news, Silicon Valley venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, which also employs Gore as a partner, yesterday announced the launch of a $500m Green Growth Fund designed to focus on established green firms seeking to scale up their operations.

The new fund, reports of which emerged earlier this week, will be launched alongside a second $700m fund, KPCB XIII, which will focus on greentech, information technology and life sciences ventures. The company said that the KPCB XIII will mainly back early-stage cleantech entrepreneurs, while the Green Growth Fund will support companies that have already entered their growth phase.

"We urgently need to advance our greentech industry at a speed and scale commensurate with the challenges we face," said KPCB Partner John Doerr. "We believe green technologies are both the key to solving our energy crisis and a tremendous business opportunity."

Ben Kortlang, formally co-director of alternative energy at Goldman Sachs will co-manage the fund.

New PepsiCo Bottle Uses 20 Percent Less Plastic

Thu, 08 May 2008 12:12:25 -0500

New PepsiCo Bottle Uses 20 Percent Less Plastic

By GreenBiz Staff
Published May 7, 2008

In a drive to reduce the packaging of its products, PepsiCo. will unveil a new bottle this month that will be made with 20 percent less plastic and sport a trimmed label size.

The announcement comes as the beverage sector battles a backlash over the waste and greenhouse gas emissions associated with its products. For example, some cities, such as San Francisco, have banned the purchase of bottled water with municipal funds.

In Pepsi’s case, the new 500 ml bottles will be used in 12-packs and 24-packs of non-carbonated products, such as Lipton Iced Tea, Tropicana juice drinks, Aquafina Alive and Aquafina FlavorSplash. The multi-packs also will require 5 percent less shrink wrap film.

"The challenge was to deliver significantly lighter packaging that would provide the same shelf life as the heavier bottle, withstand the manufacturing and distribution process yet not compromise aesthetics," said Robert Lewis, vice president of PepsiCo’s worldwide beverage packaging and equipment development. "After a full year of hard work from multiple corners of the company, we hit the trifecta -- a bottle that satisfied the needs of our system, our consumers and the environment.”

The packaging effort is part of the company’s “Performance with Purpose” mission to fuel sustainable growth through supporting its employees and communities and reducing environmental impacts related to water, energy and packaging.

How green turned into gold

Thu, 08 May 2008 12:09:31 -0500

How green turned into gold

Patrick Collinson

Shares in companies fighting climate change are soaring on the London Stock Exchange. Critics call it 'green fever', but it's hardnosed investors who are driving this particular bandwagon

Are you a green investor? You've never had it so good. Shares in windpower companies, carbon trading exchanges and clean energy providers are soaring as green fever grips the City of London.

Take the example of Clipper Windpower, a California-based turbine maker whose shares are listed in London. They have tripled from 300p a year ago, to around 925p this week, giving the company a market value close to £1bn. And it is confident it can continue to grow in a global market for windpower that is already worth £4.5bn a year and is expanding at 15-25% per annum.

Or look at Climate Exchange. Shares in this carbon trading platform could be bought for around £3 each in September last year. This week they were changing hands for £16.30 - valuing the company, which has only just turned a profit, at nearly £680m.

Virtually every week a new clean energy company is listed on the London Stock Exchange's Aim market, which has elbowed aside New York's Nasdaq to become the predominant global trading place for green-themed, often high-tech, company launches.

Critics warn of a green bubble akin to the dot.com blow-out seven years ago. Only this week, one alternative energy company, Biofuels, saw its shares crash amid a battle to stave off bankruptcy. But speak to some of the most hard-nosed investors in the country, and you hear a different story.

Neil Woodford runs Invesco Perpetual's £14bn worth of income funds. He's probably the most revered fund manager in Britain today - and he's far from your typical green investor. In the past he has taken big stakes in tobacco companies, investments that have earned him the wrath of ethical campaigners.

Yet three years ago, he started buying shares in climate-change related stocks - and thinks we are still at just the start of a long green business cycle.

He owns a 21% stake in Climate Exchange, and is not planning to sell out despite the stunning rise in its share price. "I believe the volume of carbon traded [on exchanges such as Climate Exchange] will, in the future, dwarf bond and equity markets. It will be the single biggest commodity market in the world," he predicts.

He accepts that lots of clean energy concepts "will burn bright then disintegrate very quickly" but pick the right one, and you could make a fortune.

He has bought a stake in Clean Energy Brazil, a producer of bioethanol from sugar cane. "There are all sorts of distortions in the ethanol market, such as government subsidies. But one thing for sure is that ethanol from sugar cane is climatically more sensible, and economically more viable, than making it from corn in the northern hemisphere," says Mr Woodford, who himself owns a farm in Devon.

But if investors want to profit from climate change, they have to think laterally, he says. "It's wrong just to look at explicit green vehicles. Climate change is now impacting our investment view even of companies such as Tesco. It's likely that climate change will raise the price of goods and services, so, for example, out-of-season strawberries in Tesco will have to reflect the carbon cost of bringing them in from abroad."

Jamie Allsopp, who runs New Star's Hidden Value fund, is another manager from outside the traditional ethical investing community who has been filling his boots with climate-change related shares. A tenth of his fund is now in green stocks such as Trading Emissions (up 28% since March), Camco (up 50%) and Ecosecurities (up 47%).

He also likes Renewable Power & Light, a New York utility which is currently converting two gas-fired stations into biodiesel.

Like many clean energy companies, they operate outside the UK but are beating a path to the door of the London stock exchange to be listed in Britain, which has a lighter regulatory regime and an investment community which is more open to climate change ideas.

But he warns investors to be highly selective: "Some of the wind turbine companies are looking pretty pricey," he says.

So how can the average small investor access the green boom? You can buy Aim-listed shares cheaply through virtually any online dealing service - but be warned. Aim stocks are notoriously volatile and it's easy for greenfingers to turn into burnt fingers.

A lower-risk option is to buy funds such as Neil Woodford's Invesco Perpetual Income, or specialist funds such as Jupiter Ecology, Merrill Lynch New Energy Technology and CIS Sustainable Leaders.

Windpower is a big theme in the Merrill Lynch fund: both Clipper Windpower and Vestas of Denmark are key holdings (it has more than doubled in price since last year), as is Florida Power & Light, the largest windpower developer in the US. Its shares have jumped from $54 at the start of the year to $64 today.

Solar power is the poor relation to wind. Merrill Lynch likes Solar World AG of Germany, but New Star's Allsopp warns that, on the whole, solar has been a graveyard for investors.

"Between January 2001 and 2006 share prices of solar companies went up just 26% - and if you strip out one Chinese company, ReneSola, they've actually fallen. Dozens of Chinese solar firms have raised hundreds of millions of pounds from Western investors over the past year, which they are ploughing back into the labour-intensive - but low profit margin - business of cranking out solar panels.

At Jupiter, Charlie Thomas runs Ecology, currently sixth out of the 205 funds in the "global growth" unit trust sector. The fund is 18 years old, but more money has poured in from investors in the last three months than at any time in its history.

"Everyone assumes green funds are now about energy, but we're also invested in energy efficiency plays, which are equally important." He's been buying stocks such as SIG (Sheffield Insulation Group), which is expected to benefit as the construction industy is forced into building low- carbon homes. Mike Fox, fund Manager of CIS Sustainable Leaders Trust, is ranked 19th out of the 254 funds in the UK unit trust sector. And he's convinced the good times will continue to roll.

He says: "The recent good performance of environmental-focused companies is the beginning of a trend and not the end of one."

Jay Leno's E85 Corvette Shows Powerhouses Can Go Green

Mon, 05 May 2008 11:03:27 -0500

Jay Leno's E85 Corvette Shows Powerhouses Can Go Green

Click here for more updates and exclusive video from Jay Leno's Green Garage!

Jay’s goal: Transfer the soul of a race car into a powerful sports car that runs on a fuel other than gasoline. The result: a 600-hp flex-fuel C6RS Vette.

By Jay Leno

Published in the May 2008 issue.

Whether it's a high-tech wind turbine, a vintage generator that runs on coal gas or a restored steam engine, I'm fascinated by alternative power sources and fuels. I'm also interested in powerful cars that are fun to drive. Hey, I'm a car guy first, environmentalist second—what can I say? There's grease in my veins.

Take my 2006 Corvette Z06. Thanks to Pratt & Miller Engineering, a New Hudson, Mich.-based performance shop that specializes in designing and building fast-moving rides for the road and racetrack, the Vette now develops 600 hp, has a top speed of 208 mph and runs on a homegrown alternative to gasoline—cleaner-burning E85 ethanol. Now that's a fun-to-drive car.

But why a Corvette? Why turn a perfectly good high-performance vehicle that's already thrilling to drive into a muscle-bound, flex-fuel speed demon? The answer is simple: It's exciting and sends the message that an alt-fuel vehicle doesn't have to be a slow, boring econobox whose only claim to fame is that it emits fewer greenhouse gases than a car that burns gasoline alone. Reducing harmful emissions is a wonderful thing, but it's not very interesting on its own. A car like this, on the other hand, makes people stop and say, “Wow!” It demonstrates that going green doesn't have to be dull.

Even if it's just an engineering exercise, I hope building a high-performance flex-fuel vehicle like this will open more people's eyes, especially enthusiasts', to the idea of using alternative fuels. If it inspires just one engineer to think up environmentally friendly solutions to the future-fuel issue that preserve the excitement and driveability of cars, this project will have been well worth the effort.

The transformation from mild-mannered Z06 into a C6.R Le Mans race car for the street—P&M calls it a C6RS—began with dropping in a new powerplant from Katech Performance, the folks from Clinton Township, Mich., who build engines for the Corvette C6.R racing program. Milled from a solid block of billet aluminum, the new 8.2-liter small-block V8 has 1.2 liters more displacement than the stock engine. The one-off reciprocating assembly includes a forged-steel crankshaft and connecting rods, and forged aluminum pistons. It churns out a tire-melting 600 lb.-ft. of torque (130 lb.-ft. more than a stock Z06).

Power from the mighty V8 was originally routed through a strengthened T-56 six-speed transmission and a high-performance Centerforce dual-friction clutch. But P&M reworked the electronics, turning my Vette's T-56 into a sequential shifter. For me, this setup is the best compromise between electronically controlled paddle shifters (which I don't like) and a full manual (which I do like). My left foot is happy to do the work instead of delegating it to a bunch of circuits. Now, shifts are lightning quick—bam, bam, bam!

Jay’s Z06 Vette (left), transformed into a flex-fuel powerhouse, is almost identical to a C6.R race car. However, the Z06’s exterior body molding is more street-friendly; its interior, much more luxurious.

Another highlight is the height-adjustable suspension. I've always liked systems that lift a car's front end so you don't trash the front spoiler when going up a steep incline or trying to navigate rough roadway. I love driving my 2004 Porsche Carrera GT, but I can't change its ride height on the fly. The car is so low-slung and my driveway is sloped at such a steep angle that I can't take the GT home without doing some serious damage. I want to drive the Vette and take it home at night. So P&M installed an ArvinMeritor Dynamic Height Control suspension. It has three ride settings, so I can raise the front end for more clearance on steep inclines and lower it on flat surfaces for better aerodynamics.

I know ethanol isn't the only answer to our fuel needs. But it's a start. The more alternatives to gasoline we have–you know, cars that run on E85, natural gas or hydrogen fuel cells—the less foreign oil we will consume in the long run.

Ethanol-enriched fuel, however, does have some obvious advantages in the high-performance arena. Not only does it address all of the important environmental issues (it produces less carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon tailpipe emissions than gasoline), E85 has a very high octane rating (100 to 105), allowing engine builders to run higher compression ratios—producing more horsepower. Ethanol also combusts at a lower temperature than gasoline, which means the engine runs cooler. Thus, a smaller radiator and fan can be used, which will significantly reduce a vehicle's weight. And although decreasing harmful emissions usually doesn't directly affect performance, engine parts like pistons and valves tend to stay cleaner. Unlike gasoline, ethanol burns 100 percent, so it leaves behind no nasty residue. Without any leftover gunk to clog these key components, E85-powered engines tend to operate smoother and require less maintenance. Now you can see why Indy Cars run on E100 and the American Le Mans Series runs on E85. Ethanol helps clean up racing without sacrificing any performance. So ends the sermon for this issue.

Wave-Powered Boat Goes Beyond Record With Green Design

Mon, 05 May 2008 10:36:55 -0500

Wave-Powered Boat Goes Beyond Record With Green Design

By Brian Lisi

Published on: March 14, 2008

It won't take long out of the gates of Honolulu on Sunday for the Suntory Mermaid II to prove its maiden voyage a success, since the goal of the journey is to prove that a boat relying solely on eco-friendly wave power can operate outside the confines of a lab. It's also going for a wave-powered distance record, green or no green.

Though noteworthy, the Mermaid II's design is elegantly simple. Boat designer Ichiro Yokoyama eschewed the age-old, stick-the-propeller-in-the-rear approach and, instead, placed fins on the front of the craft. Power from the engine causes the fins to kick up and down through the water as they absorb the impact from the ocean waves. (Solar cells generate the power for the Mermaid II's remaining devices, such as a navigation light and satellite phone.)

With a top speed of 5 knots—just barely 6 mph—the engine isn't built for thrills. Unlike wave-piercing boats, which have a narrow bow that counters against wave resistance, wave-powered boats need to stay as wet as possible, which could be a barrier to increasing top speed.

And while the boat features a sail along with an emergency outboard motor, the Hiroshima-based boat builders of the craft, Tsuneishi Shipbuilding Company, insist that neither will be needed while cruising.

A boat that moves at the speed of a brisk walk may not generate enthusiasm among recreational boaters or time-constrained cargo operators in the near future. On the other hand, the first airplane did travel at a hair-rustling 6.8 mph

Bush Says US Must 'Get Off Oil,' Calls for More Nuclear Power

Thu, 01 May 2008 08:10:57 -0500

Bush Says US Must 'Get Off Oil,' Calls for More Nuclear Power
Source: voanews.com 03/05/2008

President Bush says America's search for alternative sources of fuel is a national security priority as well as an economic necessity. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports, Mr. Bush wants to expand the use of nuclear power in developing nations.

President Bush told a renewable energy conference in Washington that America's dependence on foreign oil is a challenge to U.S. national security.

"Some countries we get oil from don't particularly like us," Mr. Bush said. "They don't like the form of government that we embrace. They don't believe in the same freedoms we believe in. And that is a problem from a national security perspective for the United States and any other nation that values its economic sovereignty and national sovereignty."...

With much of the higher prices of fossil fuels attributed to growing demand from China and India, President Bush says the world's largest economies must help developing countries plan for future growth with cleaner, less expensive technologies, including nuclear.

Uranium Finally Wins with Greenies

Thu, 01 May 2008 08:08:01 -0500

Uranium Finally Wins with Greenies
Source: Seeking Alpha 04/01/2008

Talk about a makeover. Nuclear power, once an environmentalist's worst nightmare, has transformed into the darling of greenies everywhere, with Greenpeace co-founder Patrick Moore even publicly proclaiming his faith in fission.

Why the change of heart? We've covered it here before, but essentially, in the quest for alternative energy sources, nuclear power is the obvious choice, a giant among wimps. Its technology is well-understood, with controllable production that doesn't depend on cooperating weather patterns or agricultural crops. Add that to the fact that reactors don't produce any greenhouse gas emissions, and suddenly, nuclear looks pretty sweet.

But you can't have nuclear power without fuel - a fact that has sent uranium prices skyward in recent years.

Uranium's had an exciting millennium so far. In 2003, it began a parabolic rise, with its spot price more than quadrupling from 2004 to 2007. Eventually prices hit $138/lb last June, before pulling back; today, it bounces from $75 to $95, about its price in the 1970s when adjusted for inflation.

Part of that's due to a massive shortage of ready-to-use uranium; global demand for the mineral already outstrips supply by 139%. And there's no end in sight. The world's 439 operating reactors aren't nearly enough to satisfy global power needs, so 35 more are under construction - with another 319 either in planning or proposal stages...

What makes uranium especially interesting is that demand for the mineral is far more predictable than other metals, since uranium's price is really only a small factor in calculating total nuclear power costs. Once operational, reactors are very cost-effective to keep fueled at high capacity - just 26% of what it costs to maintain an oil or coal-fueled plant; meaning if electricity demand ever did decline - highly unlikely - utilities would be more likely to cut back production at plants with higher fuel costs, like those fossil fuel generators, than nuclear plants. So uranium demand depends mostly on operational reactors, and less on economic fluctuations.

Uranium Investing: The Chinese Are Coming

Thu, 01 May 2008 08:05:49 -0500

Uranium Investing: The Chinese Are Coming

...The low prices set by the uranium equities lately have attracted the attention of a few prospective buyers. It seems that the Chinese have finally arrived to the market- as some have expected for years now - much as the French did during the American Revolution. That was a pivotal moment during that war, and if the Chinese are serious about locking up supplies through agreements and acquisitions, then this will be a watershed moment for the uranium mining industry as a whole. This market has been waiting for a catalyst to reverse the current trend, and that moment has potentially arrived as Bloomberg has reported that Chinese officials with China National Nuclear "met with their counterparts" at Cameco Corporation (CCJ). These same officials were quoted as saying that they were looking for deals in the range from, "several hundred million dollars to more than a billion."

This is very positive news regarding the industry as a whole, as the Chinese have finally "tipped" their hand, and should they go through with a deal, will have shown the world that they really are serious about building all of those nuclear power plants they have plans for. Most likely the Chinese would look at a company like Uranium One (SXRZF.PK) as a takeover target and to Cameco to fill supply needs...

Should China deliver on their talk, we will see much higher volatility in all things uranium. The Canadians will perform much better than the Australian miners as the Australian government and regulators are peeved at the way China has shown disregard for proper procedure as required by their laws. They have already shot down one iron ore merger and the Prime Minister himself supposedly told the Chinese to forget about getting involved with BHP-Billiton. Source: Matthew Smith, Seeking Alpha 04/13/2008

Syntroleum, Tyson lose investor

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:25:32 -0500

Syntroleum, Tyson lose investor

Tulsa-based Syntroleum Corp. announced Tuesday that an investment firm has not provided an initial $3 million to support a joint venture with Tyson Foods Inc.

Fletcher International Ltd. had agreed to invest a total of $12 million to help fund the venture Dynamic Fuels LLC, which was formed to build and operate multiple synthetic fuel facilities. That agreement, however, was contingent on Syntroleum's continued listing on the Nasdaq Global Market. The company moved its shares to the Nasdaq Capital Market last month.

Syntroleum moved the listing after Nasdaq notified the company that it was failing to comply with minimum market requirements. Shares of Syntroleum had dropped below $1.

Jake Dollarhide, CEO of Longbow Asset Management Co. in Tulsa, noted that Syntroleum moved the stock voluntarily.

"They knew this was a provision," he said. "They did this on their own."

Syntroleum says it now intends to meet much of its funding obligations through cash reserves. The company has benefited from a settlement with Marathon Oil Co., the sale of oil and gas assets, and the sale of its company headquarters.

Syntroleum projects that it can also raise money through revenue efforts and by reducing operating overhead.

The company began restructuring itself late last year to move from a research and development focus to a profit-driven enterprise.

"We have more cash than we had when we started this process," said Ron Stinebaugh, senior vice president of finance and acquisitions.

Based on its current budget, Syntroleum will need to raise an additional $5 million to meet its funding requirements. The projection assumes that Dynamic Fuels' application for $135 million in state bonds is approved.

Dynamic Fuels will use a process developed by Syntroleum to turn animal fats and greases into renewable synthetic fuel. The first plant is planned for a site in Geismar, La., and is scheduled to begin production by 2010.

Jason Womack 581-8380
jason.womack@tulsaworld.com

Green Stocks: Bubble Trouble Time?

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:18:18 -0500

Green Stocks: Bubble Trouble Time?

Green energy stocks have slumped since their peak in November and still look overvalued, since the price of oil, although painfully high, still hasn't risen enough to justify investors' hopes that renewable energy sources will steal the limelight.

“No energy is cheaper than fossil fuels and won’t be for years to come,” says Kevin Book, analyst at FBR Capital Markets.

The Wilder-Hill New Energy Global Innovation Index, which is an average of 89 clean energy stocks worldwide, rose 58 percent in 2007, but has lost 18 percent since November, as investors retreated from riskier, less established stocks during the market jitters.

This means valuations are down to much more attractive levels, says Alice Evans, fund manager of global SRI funds at Henderson Global Investors.

And if climate-change regulations tighten further and the prices of fossil fuels continue to rise, clean energy stocks represent a fair value for investors willing to wait two to four years, Book says, adding that the true test of a new energy source is its adoption rate by private generators.

Wind and Sun

Wind energy is one of the most attractive renewable energy sources to invest in, according to Book, because the energy produced is not much more expensive than what is generated by "classical" fossil-fuels.

Another advantage of wind energy is that it creates offset credits – reductions in harmful emissions – for which no verification costs are needed.

Denmark’s Vestas Wind Systems [VWSYF 111.55 --- UNCH (0%) ] , Spain’s Gamesa [GCTAF 48.85 --- UNCH (0%) ] and FPL Energy [FPL 67.0 0.56 (+0.84%) ] in the U.S. all give investors exposure to the wind energy market and have all offered healthy gains.

Vestas shares have come through the recent market turmoil relatively unscathed and have doubled in price since the start of 2007. Gamesa’s shares have been volatile, but have gained roughly a third in the same time. FPL is up about 18 percent since the start of 2007.

The weight of investment has certainly been flowing into wind energy, as about half of investment into new clean energy projects was spent on wind farms in 2007, according to New Energy Finance.

In contrast to the soaring wind sector, solar energy faces tough challenges as it struggles to overcome a bottleneck in silicon supply - a key ingredient for solar panels - as well as increasing regulatory pressure.

The sector is also becoming more mature, says Stephan Wulf, analyst from Sal. Oppenheim, meaning investors have to carefully select where to put their money.

But for the bigger and more efficient companies, like Germany’s SolarWorld [SRWRF 58.0 --- UNCH (0%) ] and Q-Cells [QCLSF 119.0 --- UNCH (0%) ] , the outlook beyond 2010 is very good, Wulf says.

Shares of both SolarWorld and Q-Cells suffered a sharp correction at the start of the year, losing over a third of their value within a month. The stocks then recovered slightly, but remain well below previous highs.

Hidden Treasures and Bad Ideas

Another, less well known area of green investment is the industry focused on energy efficiency.

The retro-fitting of non-green nergy producers, in other words retro-fitting old-style power plants with new equipment to help them produce energy more efficiently and cut down on emissions, is the “greenest thing you can do,” according to Book, and represents one of the largest and most attractive areas of environmentally-friendly investment.

Two stocks operating in this area include Calgon Carbon, [CCC 13.94 0.20 (+1.46%) ] which specializes in air, water, and chemical processing technologies and FuelTech, [FTEK 26.3 1.07 (+4.24%) ] which reduces air pollution from combustion units.

Shares of the Pittsburgh-based Calgon have been highly volatile over the last year, but are currently little changed from their level at the start of 2007.

Companies operating in the carbon capture sphere and the transfer and storage of carbon dioxide could also be a good bet, Book said.

The sun could be setting on the heavily-subsidized biofuels industry, as fears of deforestation and food shortages filter through to government policy makers, with many critics already labeling them a bad idea.

However, opportunities could remain with companies pushing the biofuel technologies forward, says Emma Howard Boyd, head of Jupiter Environmental Research at Jupiter Asset Management.

Companies such as Novozymes [NVZMF 90.3 --- UNCH (0%) ] , which develop enzymes for industrial use could benefit from more stringent chemicals legislation currently being implemented in EU countries, and could provide strong returns, Boyd says.

She says the near-term outlook for clean energy stocks looks set to remain volatile, so it's important to spread out risk as green stocks are essentially a long-term investment.

To diversify, investors can also get exposure to waste management, energy efficiency, recycling, green transport and environmental consultancies such as RPS Group [RPSGF 5.55 --- UNCH (0%) ] and Ricardo [RCDDF Unavailable (%) ] , adds Boyd.

First Solar Hires Larry Polizzotto as Vice President, Investor Relations

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 12:52:55 -0500

First Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq:FSLR) announces the appointment of Larry Polizzotto as Vice President, Investor Relations, based at the Company's headquarters in Tempe, AZ. In this new position, Mr. Polizzotto will act as a liaison between First Solar and its stockholders and will report to Jens Meyerhoff, Chief Financial Officer. "The scope of our investor relations requirements has grown significantly since our IPO in November of 2006. Larry brings 23 years of experience developing Investor Relations capabilities, providing a high level of service and responsiveness to investors," said Jens Meyerhoff, Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining First Solar, Mr. Polizzotto gained financial, technology and business experience at IBM and Dell where he held director and senior management roles in investor relations, corporate and strategic planning, finance, and business and technology development. Mr. Polizzotto earned his MBA in Finance and Marketing from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business and his Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from Purdue University.

First Solar, Inc. to Announce 2008 First Quarter Financial Results On Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 11:39:13 -0500

First Solar, Inc. to Announce 2008 First Quarter Financial Results On Wednesday, April 30, 2008

First Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq:FSLR) will report financial results for the first quarter ended March 29, 2008, on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 at 8:00 a.m. EDT (5:00 a.m. PDT). Investors may also access a live web cast of this conference call on the Investors section of the Company's website at www.firstsolar.com.

An audio replay of the conference call will also be available approximately two hours after the conclusion of the call. The audio replay will remain available until Monday, May 5, 2008 at 11:59 p.m. EDT (8:59 p.m. PDT) and can be accessed by dialing 888-266-2081 if you are calling from within the United States or 703-925-2533 if you are calling from outside the United States and entering access ID number 1227426. A replay of the web cast will be available approximately two hours after the conclusion of the call and remain available for 90 calendar days.

About First Solar, Inc.

First Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq:FSLR) manufactures solar modules with an advanced thin film semiconductor process that significantly lowers solar electricity costs. By enabling clean renewable electricity at affordable prices, First Solar provides an economic alternative to peak conventional electricity and the related fossil fuel dependence, greenhouse gas emissions and peak time grid constraints.

The First Solar, Inc. logo is available at http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=3052

Green Stocks

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 14:03:06 -0500

ECO Stocks is an online financial destination where money managers, analysts, and individual investors can converge to discover new and exciting Green Stocks. ECO Stocks is focused on finding emerging growth Green Stocks that do not necessarily have widespread analyst coverage on Wall Street. ECO Stocks is constantly looking for unique Green Stocks that can help serious investors increase their returns on a well balanced GREEN portfolio. The idea of investing in young, rapidly growing Green Stocks has great appeal because it can be so rewarding.

ECO Stocks works diligently to find the right Green Stocks at the right time. Quite often this means we look out side of the box for interesting Green Stock opportunities. We very simply look for finding pure growth Green Stocks and what we hope to be solid Green Stocks.

Because emerging growth Green Stocks do not live in a vacuum and are often more affected by everyday events such as interest rates, the economy, and general business conditions, ECO Stocks attempts to keep you apprised of all news relevant to your Green Stock investment making process.

We at ECO Stocks believe that every investor is different and each has his or her own risk profile. No single portfolio should consist of strictly Green Stocks. However, an allotment for these Green Stocks could help to increase overall investment results. It is our goal to assist our members in finding emerging growth Green Stocks whose stocks are poised for superior capital appreciation

Powering the Cars of the Future

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:24:07 -0500

Powering the Cars of the Future
Clean hydrogen fuel cells are moving closer to reality with help from emissions-free nuclear power

When you pull up to a filling station in the future, just what will you be “filling up” with? Will you recharge your batteries from an electrical outlet, pump in fuel made from scrap wood or grass, or perhaps feed your fuel cell with hydrogen? Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy are working on all of these options to power our cars in cleaner, practical, and cost competitive ways. For those that envision a future full of hydrogen fuel cell-powered cars, the trick is how to pull hydrogen out of water using as little energy and producing as few emissions as possible in the process. This is one of the challenges being addressed at the Department of Energy’s Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL).

“You’ve probably heard of the very appealing attributes of hydrogen as the fuel of the future, including the fact that it is the most abundant element on the planet,” says Dr. Bill Summers, manager for SRNL’s Hydrogen Production Program. “The catch is, almost all of that hydrogen is locked up in water or other compounds, and it takes energy to get it out. Nuclear reactors are an excellent means to provide this energy because they avoid using fossil fuels and emit no greenhouse gases during operation.”

Summers and team are working to advance the Hybrid Sulfur Process, one of the leading candidates for using high-temperature heat from advanced nuclear reactors to generate hydrogen from water. “What is appealing about the Hybrid Sulfur Process,” Dr. Summers says, “is that it is brilliantly simple, yet highly efficient. Simplicity makes it reliable and cost effective; high efficiency minimizes the number of reactors and other resources needed to meet the huge energy needs of our transportation system. The process is also environmentally friendly: You put in water, electricity and heat; there’s some sulfur dioxide that recycles and stays within the process; and all that comes out is hydrogen and oxygen.” The two-step process uses two types of chemical reactions. One is driven by electricity; the other is driven by heat. Both could be powered by a nuclear reactor.

The first step uses a unique electrolyzer (a device that uses electric current to split water into hydrogen and oxygen), built and tested by SRNL. This sulfur dioxide depolarized electrolyzer, or SDE, uses significantly less electricity than conventional electrolyzers. It produces hydrogen at one pole of the device. High-temperature heat drives the thermochemical reaction to regenerate the sulfur dioxide and releases the oxygen. About one-fourth of the energy used would be electrical energy, and three-fourths would be high-temperature thermal energy.

So far, SRNL has demonstrated the technology with a single-cell version of the electrolyzer, including a successful 100-hour test showing that it can operate continuously. The laboratory is now testing a multi-cell version, designed and constructed in a partnership with Giner Electrochemical Systems LLC, capable of producing 100 liters per hour of hydrogen. The information gained from this work will be used to design and construct an integrated system that combines the SDE and thermochemical portions of the process. The long-term goal is to build an engineering demonstration of the Hybrid Sulfur Process that can be operated in conjunction with planned Next Generation Nuclear Plant, scheduled for operation after 2017 at the Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory. When ultimately put into use for full-scale production, an advanced reactor plant combined with the Hybrid Sulfur Process will produce enough hydrogen to power more than one million fuel cell cars.

“We’re actually building on work from the 1970s, when the nation first became interested in reducing our reliance on foreign oil,” Dr. Summers says. “That’s when Westinghouse Electric Corporation initially invented the process, known at the time as the Westinghouse Sulfur Cycle. Technology advances, as well as the huge increase in fuel costs, now make this process more attractive than ever.”

“Achieving the goal of clean, domestically-fueled hydrogen cars for the American family is going to require large, large quantities of hydrogen. I am very excited to be part of a program that could be a major contributor to making that goal a reality.”

Media Contact: Department of Energy Public Affairs (202) 586-4940

House Committee on Energy and Commerce

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:12:41 -0500

House Committee on Energy and Commerce
Testimony of Secretary Samuel Bodman

Mr. Chairman and members of the Committee, I am pleased to be before you today to present the President’s fiscal year (FY) 2009 budget proposal for the Department of Energy. The strength and prosperity of America’s economy is built on the security of our nation and the reliability of energy sources. Since 2001, the Administration has committed $183 billion through the Department of Energy (DOE) to help drive America’s economic growth, provide for our national security, and address the energy challenges that face our nation. The Department of Energy’s FY 2009 budget request of $25 billion stays on course to address the growing demand for affordable, clean and reliable energy; preserve our national security; and enable scientific breakthroughs that could have significant impacts on our quality of life and the health of the American people. The FY 2009 budget was developed to continue to meet these goals.

In FY 2009, the Department will advance the President’s American Competitiveness Initiative aimed at ensuring U.S. technological competitiveness and economic security, and implement the Advanced Energy Initiative, to accelerate the research and development of clean energy technologies to diversify our nation’s energy supply. These efforts, combined with investments to meet our commitment to protect the United States as stewards of our nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile and to environmental cleanup, will foster continued economic growth and promote a sustainable energy future.

This budget, while focused on delivering results to meet the nation’s priorities, also serves as the roadmap for the future of America’s energy security. The FY 2009 budget request translates into investments that will:

Expand research, development, and demonstration of cost-effective carbon capture and storage,
Accelerate technological breakthroughs outlined in the Advanced Energy Initiative,
Provide enhanced energy security through the expansion of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve,
Continues to foster scientific leadership with the American Competitiveness Initiative,
Advance environmental cleanup and nuclear waste management,
Maintain the safety and reliability of the nuclear weapons stockpile and continue transforming the weapons complex, and
Work with other countries to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction.

To highlight, in FY 2009 the Department of Energy continues to meet this vision and strengthen the framework built over the last eight years to ensure our national energy security and reliability. The FY 2009 budget request:

Invests in Climate Change Technologies
In support of the Administration's initiatives that support climate change technology and to implement the U.S. Climate Change Technology Program’s Strategic Plan, the FY 2009 budget emphasizes a two-pronged strategy for its climate change technology programs: invest in carbon dioxide (CO2) mitigation technologies for coal with carbon capture and storage (CCS) and in nuclear power, and invest in near-term, CO2 mitigation technologies focused on improving energy efficiency. The budget provides $407 million to research and $241 million to demonstrate advanced coal technologies which includes cost-effective CCS for coal-fired power plants. The Department also continues to help work with the Department of the Treasury to administer $1.65 billion in investment tax credits from the Energy Policy Act of 2005 that will accelerate commercial deployment of technologies that are central to carbon capture and storage.

Through international collaboration, the United States strives to maintain a leadership role in promoting and deploying clean energy technology domestically and around the world. President Bush believes that the greatest progress will be assured by working together with other nations to advance the related objectives of improving economic and energy security, alleviating poverty, improving human health, reducing harmful air pollution, and reducing the growth of greenhouse gases. The United States, Australia, China, India, Japan, Canada, and South Korea work to implement the objectives of the Asia-Pacific Partnership (APP) on Clean Development and Climate. This Partnership is helping to advance the President's goal of developing and accelerating the deployment of cleaner and more efficient technologies and practices. It builds on existing multilateral climate initiatives including the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum, the International Partnership for a Hydrogen Economy, and Methane to Markets. In FY 2009, the Department is requesting $15.0 million, evenly divided between the Fossil Energy Program and the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Program, to continue to support this important initiative.
Advances the American Competitiveness Initiative
In 2007, President Bush launched the American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI) to encourage innovation throughout the economy and to give America’s children a firm foundation in math and science. A request of $4.7 billion in FY 2009, $748.8 million above the FY 2008 enacted level, will increase basic research in the physical sciences that will have broad impacts on future energy technologies and environmental solutions. ACI funding will support the construction and operation of world-class scientific facilities and will support literally thousands of scientists and students -- our current and future scientific and technical workforce. Scientific and technological discovery and innovation are the major engines of increasing productivity -- indispensable to ensuring growth, job creation, and rising incomes for American families in the technologically driven twenty-first century. This investment is essential if the United States is to maintain its world-class, scientific leadership and global competitiveness.
Accelerates the Advanced Energy Initiative
At a request of $3.2 billion, $623 million above the FY 2008 enacted appropriations of $2.5 billion, the President’s Advanced Energy Initiative (AEI) will continue to support clean energy technology breakthroughs that will help improve our energy security through diversification and help to reduce our dependence on oil. The FY 2009 budget for AEI includes funding to promote the licensing of new nuclear power plants and research on an advanced nuclear fuel cycle. Also, AEI’s diverse energy portfolio includes investment in making solar power cost-competitive with conventional sources of electricity by 2015 and supports a robust vehicle technology program that includes developing lithium-ion batteries, plug-in hybrids, and drive-train electrification.
Expands the Resurgence of Nuclear Energy
Nuclear energy is an important source of energy in the United States and is a key component of the AEI portfolio. Nuclear energy is free of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, safe, and reliable, and currently supplies about 20 percent of the nation’s electricity. The Department is leading the Administration’s efforts to spur a nuclear renaissance in the United States to meet energy and climate goals. We continue to work with industry partners to promote the near term licensing and deployment of the first new nuclear plants in over 30 years, as well as to extend the life of current plants. Furthermore, the Department is developing advanced, more proliferation-resistant nuclear fuel technologies that will maximize energy from nuclear fuel. These technologies will further support the expansion of nuclear power as a safe, efficient, and cost-effective source of energy capable of supporting continued economic growth in the 21st century. In FY 2009, a total of $1.4 billion is requested for nuclear energy activities including $487 million for the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility.

It is critical to note that the growth of nuclear power is only possible if we continue to develop a responsible path for disposing of spent nuclear fuel. Therefore, $494.7 million is requested in FY 2009 for the continued development of the geologic waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, and to support the defense of the License Application that we will submit in 2008 to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for authorization to construct the repository.
Transforms Our Nuclear Weapons Complex
The FY 2009 budget reconfirms the Department of Energy’s steadfast commitment to the national security interests of the United States through stewardship of a reliable and responsive nuclear weapons stockpile and by advancing the goals of global non-proliferation. Through the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), the Department directs $6.6 billion in this request for Weapons Activities, a $320.6 million increase from the FY 2008 enacted appropriation, to meet the existing requirements for stewardship of the nation’s nuclear weapon stockpile, technologies and facilities, as well as to continue to transform the nuclear weapons complex with the goal of a much smaller size by 2030. This transformation effort is structured to achieve President Bush’s vision to create a more efficient and less expensive nuclear weapons complex of the future that is able to respond to changing national and global security challenges.
Reduces the Risk of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Worldwide
The Department has provided $1.8 billion in this request for detecting, securing, eliminating and disposing of dangerous nuclear materials around the world. The amount includes $1.2 billion within Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation, $487 million within the Office of Nuclear Energy, and $117 million funded in Weapons Activities. The Mixed Oxide (MOX) Fuel Fabrication Facility project remains a key activity of the nation’s nuclear nonproliferation efforts. The FY 2009 request for MOX is $ 208.2 million more than the FY 2008 enacted appropriation reflecting continued support for this project. Further, the request provides significant out-year growth to fulfill our international agreements and accelerate our work to reduce the risk of (WMD) threats. Among many advances, the FY 2009 budget provides for the installation of radiation detection equipment at an additional 49 foreign sites in 14 countries and at 9 additional Megaports; continues to implement an aggressive, prioritized work schedule to complete all shipments of Russian origin spent highly-enriched uranium (HEU) fuel stored outside reactor cores by the end of 2010; and maintains a schedule allowing completion of the construction of the second of two fossil-fueled power plants located in Zheleznogorsk, Russia, in 2010. The Seversk project is scheduled for completion by the end of December 2008.
Meets Our Commitments to Public Health and Safety and the Environment
During my first days at the Department of Energy, I announced safety as my top priority and the number one operating principle of the Department. To implement my vision, I created a new Office of Health, Safety and Security. Ensuring the safety of workers across the DOE complex is my top priority and this new office will go a long way in strengthening our safety and security organization. We must be world class not only in how we carry out our mission, but in the safe, secure, and environmentally responsible way in which we manage operations at our facilities across the country. The organization’s FY 2009 budget request of $446.9 million, builds on a number of actions the Department has taken over the past two years to increase safety of DOE workers.

The FY 2009 budget includes $5.5 billion for the Environmental Management program to protect public health and safety by cleaning up hazardous, radioactive legacy waste left over from the Manhattan Project and the Cold War. This budget allows the program to continue to make progress towards cleaning up and closing sites and focuses on activities with the greatest risk reduction. By the end of 2009, cleanup projects at Sandia National Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory will be finished.

As the Department continues to make progress in completing clean-up, the FY 2009 budget request of $186 million for Legacy Management supports the Department’s long-term stewardship responsibilities and payment of pensions and benefits for our former contractor workers after site closure.

In light of the increased number of sophisticated cyber attacks directed at all facets of our communities, from military to civilian to private users, the Department is taking significant steps to secure the virtual pathways and mitigate the threat from cyber intrusions. Implementing these steps will be seamless and will not interrupt the availability of information systems resources while preserving the confidentiality and integrity of the information and their contents. A budget request of $157 million in FY 2009 supports the Department’s efforts to defend against emerging, complex cyber attacks. Through these efforts, the Department will be in a better position to effectively manage and monitor cyber risk across the complex. In FY 2009, DOE will increase support on a Department-wide basis to deploy new cyber security tools and cyber security management activities to detect, analyze, and reduce the threat across the complex.

PROMOTING AMERICA’S ENERGY SECURITY THROUGH RELIABLE, CLEAN, AND AFFORDABLE ENERGY

The FY 2009 request will deliver a balanced and diverse portfolio of solutions to strategically address the urgent energy and environmental challenges facing our country today. Our goal can be met by: 1) accelerating the development of clean and renewable energy technologies to dramatically increase the amount of clean energy produced in the United States; 2) advancing energy efficient technologies and practices that use less energy; and 3) providing information from research, development, and demonstration activities, which could help stimulate private sector choices that will drive change in our energy systems. DOE’s applied energy programs are taking pro-active steps to catalyze the advancement of these important technologies through research and development, innovative partnerships, international cooperation through the Asia Pacific Partnership, and collaboration with states, industry leaders, and other stakeholders.

The budget lays the groundwork for implementing key elements of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA). It contains elements that are unprecedented in size, scope and timeframe for increasing our energy security, diversifying our energy system and making America’s energy systems stronger, safer and cleaner for future generations. We can further advance the U.S. commitments made at the U.N. Climate Change Meeting in Bali and the Major Economies Meetings to employ clean energy technologies in the global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Consistent with the President’s initiatives and the EISA, the FY 2009 budget contributes to key elements of the American Competitiveness and Advanced Energy Initiative that will help reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy, and change the way we power our homes, businesses, and automobiles.

The proposed Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) budget of $1.255 billion provides a diverse portfolio of solutions to our challenges, including:

Fuels and Vehicle Solutions (Biomass, Vehicles, and Hydrogen programs: $592.3 million)

Advancing essential R&D projects to achieve cost competitive, commercial scale cellulosic ethanol production by 2012;
Conducting R&D on lithium-ion batteries, plug-in hybrids, and drive-train electrification to diversify and make our nation’s vehicles more efficient to reduce petroleum dependency;
Continuing to research and develop critical hydrogen technologies that enable a commercialization decision in 2015; and
Supports fuel testing and validating codes and standards that will help accelerate new fuel and vehicle solutions to the market.

Renewable Power Solutions (Wind, Solar, Geothermal, and Water Power programs: $241.6 million)

Integrating renewable energy technologies with energy storage technologies to resolve the intermittency challenge;
Supporting wind power R&D to enable wind turbines to produce an increasing amount of the nation’s electricity;
Investing in solar power to make photovoltaics widely available nationwide and commercially cost-competitive with conventional electricity by 2015;
Accelerating a refocused geothermal program that conducts enhanced geothermal systems R&D; and
Pursuing water power technologies as part of EERE’s R&D portfolio.

Efficiency Solutions (Buildings and Industrial Technologies programs: $185.9 million)

Reducing energy consumption and transforming the carbon footprint of the built environment through the development of zero energy buildings; and
Supporting the advancement of clean and efficient industrial technologies and processes that will drive a 25 percent increase in U.S. industrial energy productivity by 2017.

Our energy portfolio also recognizes the abundance of coal as a domestic energy resource and remains committed to research and development to promote its clean and efficient use. Because coal in the U.S. accounts for 25 percent of the world’s coal reserves, the FY 2009 request focuses on carbon capture and storage.

Integration of advanced Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) coal technology with Carbon Capture and Storage remains the foundation of the Department’s clean coal research program to establish the capability of producing electricity from coal with near-zero atmospheric emissions. The Administration remains strongly committed to FutureGen and is requesting $156 million in FY 2009. An additional $407 million is requested within the Coal program to support research and development on technologies that support the concept.
The Coal program continues to fund large-scale demonstrations through the Clean Coal Power Initiative (CCPI) with $85 million requested in FY 2009 to support a Round 3 solicitation which will focus on demonstrating carbon capture and storage technologies.
As part of the greenhouse gas mitigation strategy, the Department continues the Carbon Sequestration program through its large-scale field testing, and will inject carbon dioxide into several types of geological formations. Within the $407 million requested for coal research and development activities, the Department is requesting $149 million for continued work in this area.

Consistent with the FY 2006, 2007, and 2008 budget requests, the FY 2009 budget request continues to shift resources away from oil and gas research and development programs, which have sufficient market incentives for private industry support, to other energy priorities. Federal staff, paid from the program direction account, will work toward an orderly termination of the program in FY 2009.

To further assure against significant oil supply disruptions that could harm our economy, this budget also proposes $171.4 million for expanding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to an ultimate capacity of 1.5 billion barrels by 2029. In FY 2008, DOE will use available balances for the purchase of additional SPR oil and will continue to fill using federal royalty oil until 727 million barrels is achieved in FY 2009. Capacity expansion from 727 million barrels to 1.0 billion barrels will begin in FY 2008 with land acquisition activities. The request also funds National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) activities associated with the further expansion of SPR capacity to 1.5 billion barrels.

The EPACT 2005 included authorization for a new Loan Guarantee Program. The Department requests $19.9 million in funding in FY 2009 for administrative expenses to operate the Office and support personnel and associated costs. This request will be offset by collections in the same amount, as authorized under EPACT 2005. In addition, during fiscal years 2008 through 2011, commitments to guarantee loans under Title XVII of the EPACT 2005 will total $38.5 billion. In the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2008, Congress authorized the Department to issue loan guarantees under the Title XVII program until September 30, 2009. The FY 2009 budget now seeks to extend that authorization through FY 2010 and 2011 and specifies amounts and uses of loan guarantee authority for those periods consistent with Congressional guidance accompanying the FY 2008 Appropriations Act. Of the total provided, $20.0 billion will be available through fiscal year 2010 to support projects such as Uranium Enrichment, Coal Based Power, Advanced Coal Gasification, Renewables, and Electricity Delivery. The remaining $18.5 billion will be available through FY 2011 to support nuclear power facilities. The $38.5 billion provided in FY 2008 through 2011 will be in addition to the $4.0 billion in authority provided in FY 2007 under P.L. 110-05 Section 20320(a) for a total loan volume limitation of $42.5 billion.

Reliable energy information plays a critical role in promoting efficient energy markets and informing the public and policy makers. This budget requests a total of $110.6 million for the Energy Information Administration to improve energy data and analysis programs, reflecting a 16 percent increase over the FY 2008 enacted level.

The FY 2009 budget requests $301.5 million for the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative, the technology development element of the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP). The request supports research and development activities focused on methods to reduce the volume and long-term toxicity of high-level waste from spent nuclear fuel, reduce the long-term proliferation threat posed by civilian inventories of plutonium in spent fuel, and provide for proliferation-resistant technologies to recover the energy content in spent nuclear fuel.

Recognizing the potential of nuclear energy, the President announced GNEP in February 2006. GNEP seeks to bring about significant, wide-scale use of nuclear energy through the development of better, more efficient and proliferation-resistant nuclear fuel cycles while reducing the volume of nuclear waste requiring ultimate disposal.

GNEP will build upon the Administration’s commitment to develop nuclear energy technology and systems and enhance the work of the United States and our international partners to strengthen nonproliferation efforts. The GNEP strategy will accelerate efforts to:

Provide abundant energy without generating carbon emissions or greenhouse gases (GHG);
Recycle spent nuclear fuel to minimize waste and reduce proliferation concerns;
Enable developing nations to safely and securely deploy nuclear power to meet their energy needs;
Increase energy recovery from spent nuclear fuel; and
Reduce the number of required U.S. geologic waste repositories to one for the remainder of this century.

Through GNEP, the United States will work with key international partners to develop new recycling technologies. Improving the way spent nuclear fuel is managed will facilitate the expansion of civilian nuclear power in the United States and encourage civilian nuclear power internationally to evolve in a more proliferation-resistant manner. The United States and other countries having the established infrastructure could arrange to supply nuclear fuel to countries seeking the energy benefits of civilian nuclear power, and the spent nuclear fuel could be returned to supplier countries for eventual disposal in international repositories. In this way, foreign countries could obtain the benefits of nuclear energy without needing to design, build, and operate uranium enrichment or recycling technologies to process and store the waste.

GNEP would also help resolve America’s nuclear waste disposal challenges. By recycling spent nuclear fuel, the heat load and volume of waste requiring permanent geologic disposal would be significantly reduced, delaying the need for another repository in addition to the one at Yucca Mountain for the remainder of this century.

Beginning in FY 2008 in accordance with the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008, the Office of Nuclear Energy is funding the MOX Fuel Fabrication Facility, which was previously funded by the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) Nuclear Nonproliferation program. In FY 2009, the Department funds the MOX Fuel Fabrication Facility program within the Office Nuclear Energy under the Other Defense activities account at a request of $487 million.

To support the near-term domestic expansion of nuclear energy, the FY 2009 budget seeks $241.6 million for the Nuclear Power 2010 program to support cost-shared, near term technology development and licensing demonstration activities with industry that focus on enabling an industry decision by 2010 to build a new nuclear plant. To this end, the program will continue to support industry interactions with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on new plant license applications, as well as first-of-a-kind design finalization for standardized reactor designs.

The technology focus of the Nuclear Power 2010 program is on Generation III+ advanced light water reactor designs, which offer advancements in safety and economics over older designs. If successful, this 7-year, 50-50 industry cost-shared program could result in a new nuclear power plant order by 2010 and a new nuclear power plant constructed by the private sector and in operation by 2015.

EPACT 2005 authorizes DOE to enter into contracts with the first six sponsors that are issued a license and begin construction of new nuclear facilities and meet all contractual conditions to provide risk insurance for certain regulatory and litigation delays in the full power operation of their facility. Up to $500 million in coverage is available for the initial two licensed plants for which construction is started and up to $250 million is available for the next four plants. The program will allow DOE to offer standby support/risk insurance to protect sponsors of the first new nuclear power plants against the financial impact of certain delays that are beyond the sponsors' control. In FY 2009, the Department may issue conditional agreements for standby support to sponsors of new nuclear power plants.

The FY 2000 budget request includes $70 million to continue the development of next-generation nuclear energy systems known as “Generation IV (GenIV).” These next-generation technologies will enhance the safety, cost-effectiveness, and proliferation-resistance of nuclear power, while harnessing its potential to generate hydrogen for use as a fuel. Gen IV’s FY 2009 resources will be primarily focused on long-term research and development of a gas-cooled very-high temperature reactor, the reactor technology of choice for the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) project.

STRENGTHENING U.S. SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY, ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS, AND IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH INNOVATIONS IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Today our nation’s ability to sustain a growing economy and a rising standard of living for all Americans depends on continued advances in science and technology. Scientific and technological discovery and innovation are the major engines of increasing productivity and are indispensable to ensuring economic growth, job creation, and rising incomes for American families in the technologically driven 21st Century. Today it is especially vital that nations around the globe -- not only the developed nations but also the largest developing ones -- increase their strategic national investments in scientific research with an eye to global economic competition.

The Science program at the Department of Energy delivers discoveries and scientific tools that transform our understanding of energy and matter and advance the national, economic, and energy security of the United States. Science is a primary sponsor of basic research in the United States, leading the nation to support the physical sciences in a broad array of research subjects in order to improve our energy security and address issues ancillary to energy, such as climate change, genomics, and life sciences. In FY 2009, the Department requests $4.7 billion, an increase of 18.8 percent over the enacted FY 2008 appropriation, to continue to invest in science research that supports the American Competitiveness Initiative.

The High Energy Physics ($805.0 million) program conducts basic research on the nature of matter and energy at its most fundamental level, seeking to understand the universe by investigating the most basic constituents of matter and energy and exploring the nature of space and time, and probing the forces that bind them together. Support is provided for operation of the Tevatron and Neutrinos at the Main Injector (NuMI) beam line which are both located at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab). In addition, the request supports the research of U.S. scientists at the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland ($72.5 million) and the U.S. involvement in the global research and development effort for a potential International Linear Collider ($35 million). The program also funds non-accelerator physics to investigate dark energy and dark matter, supernovae, solar neutrinos, black holes, and other topics, including support for the Joint Dark Energy Mission (JDEM) in partnership with NASA.

The Nuclear Physics ($510.1 million) program conducts research to understand the structure and interactions of atomic nuclei and the fundamental forces and particles of nature in nuclear matter in terms of their fundamental constituents. Support is provided for operation of the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider ($161.00 million), which enables us to glimpse conditions of the very early universe, and the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF) ($106.4 million) which provides insight into the quark structure of matter.

The Biological and Environmental Research (BER) ($568.5 million) program provides the environmental and biological knowledge that promotes national security through improved energy production and use, supports the President’s National Energy Plan, and conducts research to protect our environment. This research is focused in two areas: Biological Research and Climate Change. BER supports the Genomics: GTL program supports the most advanced biotechnology tools and techniques to probe for biological and biologically inspired solutions to Department mission challenges in energy, carbon sequestration, and environmental remediation. The FY 2009 request includes $75 million for three innovative Bioenergy Research Centers that will bring together multi-disciplinary teams of some of the nation’s leading researchers in a mission-driven laboratory setting to probe plants and microbes at all levels (molecular, cellular, system) in an effort to crack nature’s code and achieve the breakthroughs that will make biofuels production truly cost-effective on a national scale. Climate change research includes the study of the scientifically-based predictions and assessments of the potential effects of greenhouse gas on climate and the environment, and funds DOE participation in the nation’s Climate Change Science Program ($145.9 million).

The Basic Energy Sciences ($1.568.2 billion) program supports research and operates facilities to provide the foundation for new and improved energy technologies and for understanding and mitigating the environmental impacts of energy use. The FY 2009 request enhances support in high priority research areas addressing both grand challenge science and basic research needs for energy-related science. One implementation strategy will be new Energy Frontier Research Centers, which will bring together the skills and talents of multiple investigators to enable research of a scope and complexity that would not be possible with the standard individual investigator or small group award. The Materials Sciences and Engineering subprogram supports basic research to explore the scientific foundations for the development of materials that improve their efficiency, economy, environmental acceptability, and safety for energy generation, conservation, transmission, and use. Applications include lighter, stronger materials to increase fuel economy in automobiles, alloys and ceramics that improve the efficiency of combustion engines, and more efficient photovoltaic materials for solar energy conversion. Chemical Sciences, Geosciences, and Energy Biosciences support research crucial for improving combustion systems, solar photoconversion processes, and for applications to renewable fuel resources, environmental remediation, and photosynthesis. BES supports the Advanced Energy Initiative with solar conversion and biomass production research. A major part of the BES mission is to build and operate world-class user facilities including the Spallation Neutron Source at ORNL, the world’s most powerful neutron scattering facility. All five of the Nanoscale Science Research Centers, part of the National Nanotechnology Initiative, will be fully operational in FY 2009 with a total request of $101.2 million.

The Advanced Scientific Computing Research ($368.8 million) program delivers forefront computational and networking capabilities to scientists nationwide that enable them to extend the frontiers of science. Leadership in scientific computation is a cornerstone of the Department’s strategy to ensure the security of the nation, and to succeed in its science, energy, environmental quality, and national security missions.

Fusion is the energy source of stars, including our own sun. The Fusion Energy Sciences ($493.1 million) program is the national research effort to advance plasma science, fusion science, and fusion technology -- the knowledge base required for an economically and environmentally friendly, carbon free energy. DOE is also one of seven international parties participating in the ITER project, an international burning plasma fusion experiment to be built in Cadarache, France. The FY 2009 request provides $214.5 million for the U.S. contribution to this international effort.

ENSURING AMERICA’S NUCLEAR SECURITY

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) continues significant efforts to meet Administration and secretarial priorities, leveraging science to promote national security. The FY 2009 President’s budget request is $9.1 billion, essentially level with the FY 2008 appropriation, to meet defense and homeland security-related objectives:

Transforming the nuclear weapons stockpile and infrastructure while meeting Department of Defense requirements;
Conducting innovative programs in the nations of the former Soviet Union and other countries to address nonproliferation priorities;
Supporting naval nuclear propulsion requirements of the U.S. Navy;
Maintaining comprehensive physical and cyber security for facilities, employees and information by implementing and sustaining upgrades throughout the complex;
Providing nuclear counter-terrorism and emergency response assets in support of homeland security;
Reducing the deferred maintenance backlog and achieving facility footprint reduction goals; and
Providing corporate management and oversight for NNSA program operations.

The United States continues a fundamental shift in national security strategy to address the realities of the 21st century. The FY 2004-directed reductions to the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile were completed in 2007, five years early. Today’s nuclear weapons stockpile is now the size envisioned for 2012, and by 2012 it will be almost 15 percent less than that -- a total that is just 25 percent of what it was at the end of the Cold War. Consistent with the Administration’s Nuclear Posture Review, the Department of Energy has created a vision for a revitalized nuclear weapons complex that is significantly more agile and responsive, and will allow further reductions in the nuclear stockpile by providing an industrial hedge against geopolitical or technical problems.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, NNSA is preparing a Complex Transformation supplement to the 1996 Stockpile Stewardship and Management Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement. In January 2008, NNSA announced a preferred alternative for the future nuclear weapons complex infrastructure that identifies the proposed major facilities, and consolidations of missions, capabilities, and special nuclear materials. The FY 2009 budget includes funding to pursue a program consistent with the preferred alternative, with NNSA planning to promulgate a Record of Decision in 2008.

The FY 2009 budget request of $6.6 billion for Weapons Activities includes programs to meet the immediate national security requirements of the stockpile, including stockpile surveillance, annual assessment, life extension programs, and warhead dismantlement. The campaigns are focused on long-term vitality in science and engineering, and on R&D supporting current and future stockpile stewardship and DoD requirements. Readiness in Technical Base and Facilities supports facilities and operations across the government-owned, contractor-operated nuclear weapons complex. A number of these NNSA programs and facilities also support scientific research users from other elements of the Department, federal government, and the academic and industrial communities.

Growth areas in the Weapons Activities appropriation include Cyber Security and Nuclear Weapons Incident Response. The Cyber Security activities increase to support a major five-year effort focused on revitalization, certification, accreditation and training across the NNSA complex. The Nuclear Weapons Incident Response program increases due to functional transfers of emergency management and counterterrorism-related activities. Defense Nuclear Security activities focus on maintaining and implementing security upgrades needed to address the DOE Design Basis Threat. A new Transformation Disposition program is proposed at $77.4 million to begin to eliminate excess NNSA facilities in concert with transformation activities.

The FY 2009 budget request for the Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation appropriation totals $1.2 billion. The appearance of a significant decrease is due to the final FY 2008 enacted appropriations that added about $480 million in funding above the President’s request to programs in this account. In addition, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008, (P.L. 110-161) shifted the funding for the Mixed Oxide (MOX) Fuel Fabrication Facility to DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy and funding for the related Pit Disassembly and Conversion Facility/Waste Solidification Building (PDCF/WSB) project to the Weapons Account. This shift represents over $600 million in funding that would have been requested within the Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation appropriation in FY 2009. These shifts do not change or diminish in any way the importance of these projects to the nation’s nuclear nonproliferation efforts, and in total, the funding commitment to DOE’s nonproliferation activities is $1.8 billion in FY 2009. The budget describes a shift in emphasis from work completed under the Bratislava agreement to additional Second Line of Defense sites, including Megaports, and continued expansion of nuclear and radiological material removal under the Global Threat Reduction Initiative.

In FY 2009, NNSA’s nonproliferation programs will complete major activities in the Elimination of Weapons Grade Plutonium Production program, as well as complete upgrades associated with the agreement from the Bratislava Summit. Our focus shifts to sustainability support to Russian warhead and material sites with completed upgrades, and acceleration of projects to assist the Russian Federation and other partner countries in establishing the necessary infrastructure to sustain effective material control operations. The budget request also provides for the installation of radiation detection equipment at an additional 49 foreign sites in 14 countries and at 9 additional Megaports, for a total of 32 ports completed.

The FY 2009 request also supports research and development on detection technology, and a new Next Generation Safeguards Initiative (NGSI), which aims to strengthen international safeguards and revitalize the U.S. technical base. The budget request supports continued significant expansion of nuclear and radiological material removal under the Global Threat Reduction Initiative; and initiates support of disablement, dismantlement, and verification of nuclear programs in North Korea.

NNSA continues to support the U.S. Navy’s nuclear propulsion systems. The FY 2009 request for Naval Reactors of $828 million is an increase of about 6.9 percent over the FY 2008 appropriation. These programs ensure the safe and reliable operation of reactor plants in nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers, and fulfill the Navy’s requirements for new nuclear propulsion plants that meet future requirements.

PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT BY PROVIDING RESPONSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL LEGACY OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS PRODUCTION

The federal government has the dual responsibilities of addressing the nuclear weapons production legacy of our past and providing the necessary environmental infrastructure for today that will ensure a clean, safe and healthy environment for future generations. As such, the Department is committed to strategic acquisitions for long-term waste treatment projects and the implementation of sound project management principles to meet our long-term cleanup commitments. In FY 2009, a total of $6.2 billion is dedicated to supporting three key pillars that set the framework for the Department to reach these goals. The first pillar is to continue the environmental cleanup ($5.5 billion) of contaminated Cold War sites across the country. The second pillar is to continue to provide long-term stewardship and to carry out our responsibilities ($186 million) to our former contractor workforce. The third pillar completes the framework by working to construct a permanent nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain ($494.7 million) to address long-term nuclear waste disposal and to defend the License Application that we will submit in 2008 to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for authorization to construct the repository. My core principle of safe operations throughout the Department will be dynamically applied within this framework.

To deliver on the Department’s obligations stemming from 50 years of nuclear research and weapons production during the Cold War, the Environmental Management program (EM) continues to focus its resources on those activities that will yield the greatest risk reductions, with safety as the utmost priority. To achieve a balance of risk reduction and environmental cleanup, the FY 2009 request of $5.5 billion supports the following activities, in priority order:

Stabilizing radioactive tank waste in preparation for treatment (about 34 percent of the FY 2009 request);
Storing and safeguarding nuclear materials and spent nuclear fuel (about 20 percent of the FY 2009 request);
Disposing of transuranic, low-level and other solid wastes ( about 14 percent of the FY 2009 request); and
Remediating major areas of our sites and decontaminating and decommissioning excess facilities (about 23 percent of the FY 2009 request).

The Administration recognizes that EM’s FY 2009 budget request of $5.528 billion is based on, and would implement, an environmental management approach under which the Department would not meet some of the milestones and obligations contained in all of the environmental agreements that have been negotiated over many years with regulators. It is also important to recognize that some upcoming milestones will be missed regardless of the approach that is chosen and its associated level of funding. Moreover, some of the relevant agreements were negotiated many years ago, with incomplete knowledge by any of the parties of the technical complexity and magnitude of costs that would be involved in attempting to meet the requirements. This incomplete knowledge, coupled with other issues including contractor performance, overly optimistic planning assumptions, and emerging technical barriers, also have impeded the Department in meeting all milestones and obligations contained in the environmental compliance agreements.

In planning its environmental cleanup efforts and developing the budget for those activities, the Department seeks to focus on work that will produce the greatest environmental benefit and the largest amount of risk reduction. The Department strongly believes that setting priorities and establishing work plans in this way is the most effective use of taxpayer funds and will have the greatest benefit, at the earliest possible time, to the largest number of people. In determining these priorities, the Department works closely with federal and state regulators, and will seek the cooperation of those entities in helping evaluate needs and focus work on the highest environmental priorities based on current knowledge, particularly where doing so necessitates modification of cleanup milestones embodied in prior agreements with DOE.

In FY 2009, EM is aggressively pursuing the consolidation and disposition of surplus plutonium and other special nuclear materials to enhance national security and to minimize the storage risks and costs associated with these materials. In addition, EM continues to make significant progress on the construction and operation of waste treatment and immobilization facilities across the complex. The budget continues shipments of remote-handled transuranic waste to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.

The EM program has made great strides in achieving cleanup results. Since 2001, EM has cleaned up and closed 14 sites, including three former weapons production sites --Rocky Flats and Fernald, with Mound to be completed in FY 2008, -- as part of its risk-reduction cleanup strategy. In the fall of 2007, DOE transferred nearly 4,000 acres of its former Rocky Flats nuclear weapons production site to the Department of Interior’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for use as a National Wildlife Refuge. Additionally, the Rocky Flats Cleanup Team received the 2007 Service to America Medal for Science and Environment for completing the first successful cleanup of a former nuclear weapons facility. In 2007, DOE’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico celebrated its 6000th safely received shipment, reached a milestone for disposal of over 50,000 cubic meters of waste and began disposing of remote-handled transuranic waste. DOE’s Closure Project at Fernald, a 900-acre former uranium processing facility located in southwest Ohio -- was named the 2007 Project of the Year by the Project Management Institute.

Recognizing that cleanup completion dates at the majority of EM sites extend beyond 2013, EM is working to improve project and program management in a number of areas. EM is strengthening its project baselines, verifying the reasonableness of scope, cost and schedule of all environmental projects. These baselines will provide the basis for conducting credible analyses to better assess existing priorities and identify opportunities to accelerate cleanup work. Working collaboratively with the sites, EM is also continuing to seek aggressive but achievable strategies for accelerating cleanup of discrete sites or segments of work. In addition, functional and cross-site activities such as elimination of specific groundwater contaminants, waste or material processing campaigns, or achievement of interim or final end-states are being evaluated. Developing robust life-cycle planning capabilities, realistic near-term baselines, as well as a focused technology program, a best-in-class project management system, an acquisition strategy that promotes performance and efficiency, and a proactive human capital plan allows EM to build a reliable, high-performing organization that will continue to advance risk reduction and cleanup across all EM sites.

After the Environmental Management program completes cleanup and closure of sites that no longer have an ongoing DOE mission, post closure stewardship activities are transferred to the Office of Legacy Management (LM). Post closure stewardship includes long-term surveillance and maintenance activities such as groundwater monitoring, disposal cell maintenance, records management, and management of natural resources at sites where active remediation has been completed. At some sites the program includes management and administration of pension and benefit continuity for contractor retirees.

Over the last 50 years, our country has benefited greatly from nuclear energy and the power of the atom. We need to ensure a strong and diversified energy mix to fuel our nation’s economy, and nuclear power is an important component of that mix. Currently more than 50,000 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel is located at over 100 above-ground sites in 39 states, and every year reactors in the United States produce approximately 2,000 additional metric tons of additional spent fuel. In order to ensure the future viability of our nuclear generating capacity, we need a safe, permanent, geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level nuclear waste (HLW) at Yucca Mountain. The FY 2009 budget of $494.7 million sets us on the path to meet that goal. The funding will support continued development of a repository including:

Robustly defending the License Application (LA) that we plan to submit to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 2008;
Progression of preliminary designs for facilities required for the receipt of SNF and HLW;
Continuing essential interactions with state, local, and tribal governments needed to support national transportation planning;
Completing the horizontal layout of the Right-of-Way application for the Nevada Rail Line;
Enhancing the design, staffing, and training of the OCRWM organization so that it has the skills and culture to design, license, and manage the construction and operation of the Yucca Mountain Project with safety, quality, and cost effectiveness;
Addressing the federal government’s mounting liability associated with unmet contractual obligations to move SNF from commercial nuclear plant sites; and
Planning a compliant and well-integrated safeguards and security, safety, and emergency management program for the disposal, transportation, and management of SNF and HLW.

Designing, licensing and constructing a permanent geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel and high level waste will help resolve the challenge of safe disposal of these materials and make construction of new nuclear power plants more feasible, helping to expand our energy options and secure our economic future. In addition, a repository is necessary to support nuclear nonproliferation goals, contributing to national security objectives.

In late 2006, the Department announced its “best-achievable schedule” to initiate repository operations was in 2017. The opening date of 2017 was predicated upon enactment of pending legislation and was developed without regard to budget constraints. Given the funding levels in FY 2007 and FY 2008, the “best-achievable schedule” of 2017 for the initial operating capability date is no longer possible. There is an immediate and strong need to address the funding of the repository construction program now for FY 2009 and beyond. To ensure program success it is critical that the Administration’s legislative proposal, the Nuclear Fuel Management and Disposal Act, be enacted to provide stability, clarity, and predictability to the Yucca Mountain repository project. Without funding reform, development of a credible schedule for the program is not possible.

ENABLING THE MISSION THROUGH SOUND MANAGEMENT

The Department of Energy is committed to continuing the transformation of its management culture and increasing its focus on results. The Department has continued its efforts to improve in key functional areas and is using its strategic plan as the roadmap to instill management excellence.

The Department’s human capital management efforts are focused on an integrated approach that ensures human capital programs and policies are linked to the Department’s missions, strategies, and strategic goals, while providing for continuous improvement in efficiency and effectiveness. The Department has revised its human capital management strategic plan to address future organizational needs, workforce size, skill gaps, performance management systems and diversity. In FY 2009, the Department will implement key components of this strategic plan, especially critical efforts to ensure the Department’s workforce has the necessary skills to carry out its critical mission. To accomplish this goal, the Department will continue to implement strategies to attract, motivate and retain a highly skilled and diverse workforce to meet the future needs of the nation in such vital areas as scientific discovery and innovation.

To continue to improve the Department’s stewardship of taxpayer dollars, the Department will continue to issue audited financial statements in an accelerated timeframe and provide assurance that the Department’s financial management meets the highest standards of integrity. The Department’s fiscal year 2007 financial statements were reviewed by independent auditors and received an unqualified “clean” opinion. This was made possible by implementing an aggressive plan to mitigate and remediate a number of financial management challenges that were identified by the Department and its independent auditors. The Department in FY 2009 will continue its effort to build and improve its integrated business management system, I-MANAGE, with the deployment of budget execution and formulation modules.

The Department continues to make strides in improving performance. The Department and OMB have worked collaboratively to complete a Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) review for 51 of the Department’s 56 programs (91 percent). Since 2002, the Department’s average PART score has steadily improved from Adequate to Moderately Effective. The Department is also leading the government in the number of Effective and Moderately Effective programs.

In FY 2007, the Department improved the quality of its performance measures. This was accomplished by evaluating 30 percent of the Department’s FY 2008 performance measures against a standard set of criteria. This analysis identified a need for the Department to improve some of its performance measures to make them more outcome focused and trendable.

In FY 2008, DOE will work with OMB to improve the quality of PART performance and efficiency goals. This initiative will support implementation of Executive Order 13450, Improving Government Program Performance. The quality review will result in improved goals, more consistency between performance information in the PART and the budget submission, and improved performance measures.

To improve financial performance in project management, the Department enhanced the use of Earned Value Management (EVM) techniques that objectively track physical accomplishment of work and provide early warning of performance problems. A certification process was instituted for contractors’ EVM systems to improve the definition of project scope, communicate objective progress to stakeholders and keep project teams focused on achieving progress. Currently, 70 percent of the Department’s capital asset projects have certified EVM systems. In FY 2009, the Department will continue toward our goal of ensuring all projects have certified systems which will make projects far more likely to stay within planned cost and schedule.

The Department continues to strengthen information technology management by consistent execution of robust IT Capital Planning and Investment Control oversight and reporting processes designed to ensure successful investment performance, including the use of EVM Systems as appropriate, and the remediation of poorly performing investments. Through the establishment and use of an Enterprise Architecture that aligns to the Federal Enterprise Architecture, DOE has ensured that all IT investments follow a comprehensive Modernization Roadmap.

The Department continues to take significant actions to improve its cyber security posture by implementing its Cyber Security Revitalization Plan to address long-standing, systemic weaknesses in DOE’s information and information systems. Specifically, the Department seeks to ensure that 100 percent of operational information technology systems are certified and accredited as secure and that the Department’s Inspector General has rated the certification and accreditation process as “satisfactory.” Additional steps will be taken to ensure that electronic classified and personally identifiable information are secure.

To manage the Department’s large real property portfolio requires reliable data. The Department has improved its Facility Information Management System and satisfied the Federal Real Property Council’s goal of 100 percent reporting of all data elements. Further, the Department implemented a statistical validation program to ensure the integrity of real property data and better support real property decision-making. To make continuous improvements, the Department will invest in its infrastructure to reduce overall facility square footage, improve energy efficiency and sustainability, and implement an active asset management plan to align resource needs with key Departmental goals.

CONCLUSION

I appreciate the opportunity to appear before you to present the FY 2009 budget proposal for the Department of Energy. I will be happy to take any questions that members of the Committee may have.

DOE Announces up to $4 Million for University Research into Advanced Biomass Conversion

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:11:23 -0500

DOE Announces up to $4 Million for University Research into Advanced Biomass Conversion

FONTANA, Calif. – U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Under Secretary Clarence “Bud” Albright today announced up to $4 million in funding available to U.S. universities for research and development of cost-effective, environmentally friendly biomass conversion technologies. Advancing biomass technology is critical to diversifying our nation’s energy sources in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on foreign oil. Combined with a university cost share of 20%, up to $4.8 million would be invested in these projects.

“As world demand for energy continues to grow, so too must our supply of clean, reliable and affordable sources of energy. Cellulosic biofuels provide a promising way to meet President Bush’s ambitious goals of reducing our nation’s dependence on foreign oil, improving our air quality and supporting rural communities,” Under Secretary of Energy Bud Albright said. “These projects will expand the field of biomass and bioenergy encouraging collaboration with universities to the innovation necessary to diversify our nation’s energy sources.”

Today’s Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) seeks projects that improve the conversion of biomass to advanced biofuels through biochemical, thermochemical, and chemical processes and is focused on lowering production costs and increasing yields and productivity. Applications for this FOA are due June 2, 2008. DOE anticipates selecting 12 awards under this announcement and requires project applicants to contribute a minimum of 20 percent cost share.

The Department’s advanced research and development funding contributes to President Bush’s goal of making cellulosic ethanol, which is produced from agricultural waste products through biomass conversion, cost-competitive by 2012. The FOA will expand the geographic diversity and breadth of partners working on advanced biofuels development across the country. This research also aims to increase the suite of biofuels necessary to supply at least 36 billion gallons of U.S. motor fuel by 2022 and meet interim supply targets for specific advanced fuels outlined in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.

DOE Under Secretary Albright made the announcement while delivering remarks at the Shell Eco-marathon Americas competition, an educational project that challenges college and high school teams to build prototype vehicles using conventional or alternative fuels, including biofuels such as ethanol, derived from biomass conversion processes.

For more information on today’s solicitation, visit Grants.gov and search for FOA DE-PS36-08GO98017.

Media contact(s):
Angela Hill, (202) 586-4940

"Twin Towers" Bahrain World Trade Center With Three Wind Turbines

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 09:43:19 -0500

"Twin Towers" Bahrain World Trade Center With Three Wind Turbines

by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 04.10.08

Science & Technology

Is it just a matter of better wind in Bahrain, or did the architects who proposed a replacement WTC for Manhattan overlook this possibility? Just wondering.

Justin brought these to our attention last year with his "World's First Building-Integrated Wind Turbines" post (more nice pics). Anyhow, they are tuning them now to optimize power output - typical shakedown period after commissioning. Will be interesting to see the final figures.

The building's sail-shaped towers channel the strong on-shore winds directly onto the three 29m-diameter turbine blades, which are expected to provide 11-15% of the building's power when fully operational.

Turbine specialist Norwin, which collaborated with Atkins, will carry out detailed analysis and optimisation over the next few months to determine and maximize the generating potential of the turbines, which should operate around 50% of the time.

There's a Bahrain World Trade Center webcam here, but she's a slow loader.

Via::Building, "Turbines turn at world's first wind-powered commercial building"

LITHIUM RESOURCES AMPLE FOR THE NEXT BIG THING

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 08:41:34 -0500

LITHIUM RESOURCES AMPLE FOR THE NEXT BIG THING.

The US economy goes from one big thing to the next, often punctuated by presidential elections. Terrorism, high energy prices, a war for oil and awareness of global warming have highlighted the current administration’s term. The next administration, regardless of party affiliation, will be focused on those issues while it deals with a slow economy.

Often, the direction the world’s largest economy goes is followed by much of the rest of the world: “Follow the money” as the quip says.

The rest of the world, as with the US, likes its gadgets. Gadgets provide instant gratification from the point of purchase onwards. If there was an iPod for energy - an iEnergy - a handheld device holding enough green power to energize a car or a house - it would fly off the shelves, well, like iPods.

There isn’t of course and won’t be any time soon.

But brewing out there are gadgets that could become the next big things that will help pull the US, and the world, out of its rut: pure electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

Purchased like electronic gadgets, cars and trucks provide the same kind of instant gratification. But unlike personal electronics clean and highly efficient cars and trucks can help tackle at least three of the above mentioned highlights of the past 7 1/2 years: high energy prices, a war for oil, awareness of global warming.

Like most portable electronic gadgets nowadays these vehicular gadgets will have a lithium battery under the hood. As the lightest solid element, and by the luck of nature able to be used for battery making, lithium is the only game in town in which to make light, powerful energy storage devices needed for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

While the cost of lithium batteries is still high, at least to one expert there are fewer supply constraints to lithium than once thought, including by the person typing in these words. There are abundant global supplies of lithium. Large lithium resources along with improvements in manufacturing processes and the availability of large format batteries, should help bring the cost of lithium batteries for vehicles down to affordable levels.

As lithium expert Keith Evans notes in his report – Lithium Abundance - World Lithium Reserve, “Concerns regarding lithium availability for hybrid or electric vehicle batteries or other foreseeable applications are unfounded.”

The report was prepared by Evans because of the potential and growing demand for lithium batteries for electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

Evans notes in the Reserve and Resource Summary that “The report lists a total of 28.5 million tons of lithium, equivalent to nearly 150.0 million tons of lithium carbonate – equal to 1775 years of supply at the current rate of demand (approximately 16,000 tpa (tons per annum) Li). Demand, of course, would be substantially higher with a large-scale adoption of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.

The report discusses lithium resources in the US, Canada, Zimbabwe, Zaire, Australia, Europe, Russia, Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, and China.

Geologist Keith Evans became involved in the lithium business in the early 1970’s at Selection Trust Ltd. where he evaluated the future potential of Bikita Minerals in what, at that time, was Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). He later joined the Lithium Corporation of America, then moved to Amax Exploration. Amax was acquired by Sociedad Quimica y Minera (SQM) of Chile, now the world’s largest lithium chemicals producer.

Throughout his career in the lithium industry Evan’s responsibility was to monitor industry developments particularly in respect of new resources and he has continued as a consultant in a number of industrial minerals.

Electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids may not be the only next big thing. But, because of the appreciation of energy storage devices that make these vehicles possible there could be a spill over effect into other technologies. Solar energy is dramatically improving and growing, as is wind energy. Both need energy storage devices to be fully utilized. A boom in lithium batteries could lead to a boom in other energy storage technologies and carriers of energy including hydrogen.

The current administration seems fully aware of the economic potential of this “next big thing.” Unfortunately they’ve caught on about 7 years too late.

Links:

Lithium Abundance - World Lithium Reserve
A report on the world's Lithium resources and reserves
by R. Keith Evans.

http://lithiumabundance.blogspot.com

Capstone Turbine Gets $5 Million Order

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 16:14:44 -0500

Capstone Turbine Gets $5 Million Order
Wednesday April 2, 8:50 am ET

Capstone Turbine Gets $5M Order From DesignLine for 150 Microturbines

CHATSWORTH, Calif. (AP) -- Microturbine maker Capstone Turbine Corp. said it received a $5 million order from DesignLine International for 150 microturbines for its hybrid electric buses.

Capstone said late Tuesday that it will ship the microturbines to DesignLine's North Carolina plant through June 2009.

Capstone's microturbines generate power using a number of different fuels, such as natural gas, flare gas, propane and kerosene.

Shares of Capstone Turbine added 18 cents, or 7.8 percent, to $2.48 in electronic premarket trading. The stock closed at $2.30 on Tuesday.

Hybrid Technologies, Inc. (OTCBB: HYBR) Featured on Cover of Charlotte Observer for Participation in Food Lion Auto Fair at Lowes Motor Speedway

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 10:12:14 -0500

Hybrid Technologies, Inc. (OTCBB: HYBR) Featured on Cover of Charlotte Observer for Participation in Food Lion Auto Fair at Lowes Motor Speedway

Thursday March 27, 7:30 am ET

Hybrid Technologies' Emission-Free Vehicles Positioned Beside High Horsepowered Racing at Lowes Motor Speedway April 3-6, 2008

MOORESVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA--(MARKET WIRE)--Mar 27, 2008 -- Hybrid Technologies, Inc. (OTC BB:HYBR.OB - News) (www.hybridtechnologies.com), emerging leaders in the development and marketing of lithium-powered products worldwide, are proud to display their LiV(TM) Series of all-electric vehicles in the 2008 Food Lion Auto Fair at Lowes Motor Speedway on April 3-6, 2008.

Click here for detailed press release: http://www.hybridtechnologies.com/20080327

Hybrid's lithium powered, all-electric vehicles will be on display at the event at Lowes Motor Speedway showing off their LiV(TM) Series including the RUSH sports car, WISE city car, SURGE 4-passenger sedan, BULLDOG all-terrain vehicle, REAPER military vehicle, RYDER Chopper, FREE wheelchair, CRUZ bicycle and others.

Plans are in development for a "Mean vs. Green" theme with a comparison of radical, high horsepower gas-fueled machines alongside several environmentally friendly vehicles, such as Hybrid's super sports car, the LiV(TM) RUSH.

America's 50 Greenest Cities

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 11:43:11 -0500

America's 50 Greenest Cities

Want to see a model for successful and rapid environmental action? Don't look to the federal government—check out your own town. Here, our list of the 50 communities that are leading the way. Does yours make the cut?

By Elizabeth Svoboda, with additional reporting by Eric Mika and Saba Berhie

How the Rankings Work:

We used raw data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Geographic Society’s Green Guide, which collected survey data and government statistics for American cities of over 100,000 people in more than 30 categories, including air quality, electricity use and transportation habits. We then compiled these statistics into four broad categories, each scored out of either 5 or 10 possible points. The sum of these four scores determines a city’s place in the rankings. Our categories are:

Electricity (E; 10 points): Cities score points for drawing their energy from renewable sources such as wind, solar, biomass and hydroelectric power, as well as for offering incentives for residents to invest in their own power sources, like roof-mounted solar panels.
Transportation (T; 10 points): High scores go to cities whose commuters take public transportation or carpool. Air quality also plays a role.
Green living (G; 5 points): Cities earn points for the number of buildings certified by the U.S. Green Building Council, as well as for devoting area to green space, such as public parks and nature preserves.
Recycling and green perspective (R; 5 points): This measures how comprehensive a city’s recycling program is (if the city collects old electronics, for example) and how important its citizens consider environmental issues.

See the the full list below. Click here to launch the gallery to see six case studies on how our greenest cities are cleaning up

1. Portland, Ore. 23.1

Electricity: 7.1 Transportation: 6.4 Green Living: 4.8 Recycling/Perspective: 4.8

America’s top green city has it all: Half its power comes from renewable sources, a quarter of the workforce commutes by bike, carpool or public transportation, and it has 35 buildings certified by the U.S. Green Building Council.

2. San Francisco, Calif. 23.0

Electricity: 6.8 Transportation: 8.8 Green Living: 3.5 Recycling/Perspective: 3.9
See how San Francisco turns wasted roof space into power, here.

3. Boston, Mass. 22.7

Electricity: 5.7 Transportation: 8.7 Green Living: 3.4 Recycling/Perspective: 4.9
CASE STUDY: Grass Power
Boston has preliminary plans for a plant that would turn 50,000 tons of fall color into power and fertilizer. The facility would first separate yard clippings into grass and leaves. Anaerobic bacteria feeding on the grass would make enough methane to power at least 1.5 megawatts’ worth of generators, while heat and agitation would hasten the breakdown of leaves and twigs into compost.

4. Oakland, Calif. 22.5

Electricity: 7.0 Transportation: 7.5 Green Living: 3.1 Recycling/Perspective: 4.9
See how Oakland's hydrogen-powered transit helps the city cut pollution, here.

5. Eugene, Ore. 22.4

Electricity: 10.0 Transportation: 4.7 Green Living: 2.9 Recycling/Perspective: 4.8
CATEGORY LEADER: Electricity
Much of the wet Pacific Northwest draws its energy from hydroelectric dams. But Eugene draws an additional 9 percent of its municipal electricity from wind farms. It also buys back excess power from residents who install solar panel

6. Cambridge, Mass. 22.2

Electricity: 6.1 Transportation: 7.5 Green Living: 3.9 Recycling/Perspective: 4.7

7. Berkeley, Calif. 22.2

Electricity: 6.2 Transportation: 8.4 Green Living: 2.9 Recycling/Perspective: 4.7

8. Seattle, Wash. 22.1

Electricity: 6.2 Transportation: 7.3 Green Living: 4.7 Recycling/Perspective: 3.9

9. Chicago, Ill. 21.3

Electricity: 5.4 Transportation: 7.3 Green Living: 5.0 Recycling/Perspective: 3.6
CATEGORY LEADER: Green Space
In addition to the 12,000 acres Chicago has devoted to public parks and waterfront space, the U.S. Green Building Council has awarded four city projects with a “Platinum” rating, its highest award.
See how Chicago's power plants produce twice the energy with a third the carbon, here.

10. Austin, Tex. 21.0

Electricity: 6.9 Transportation: 5.9 Green Living: 3.3 Recycling/Perspective: 4.9

11. Minneapolis, Minn. 20.3

Electricity: 7.8 Transportation: 7.4 Green Living: 2.8 Recycling/Perspective: 2.3
CASE STUDY: Citizen Enviro-Grants
If you’ve got a world-saving idea, the City of Lakes will give you, your church or your community group the money to get it done. Twenty $1,000 mini-grants and five $10,000 awards were distributed last year to programs ranging from household power-consumption monitors to “block club talks” about global warming. A similar initiative has sprung up in Seattle.

12. St. Paul, Minn. 20.2

Electricity: 8.0 Transportation: 4.0 Green Living: 3.5 Recycling/Perspective: 4.7

13. Sunnyvale, Calif. 19.9

Electricity: 7.3 Transportation: 6.8 Green Living: 2.2 Recycling/Perspective: 3.6

14. Honolulu, Hawaii 19.9

Electricity: 6.0 Transportation: 7.8 Green Living: 2.6 Recycling/Perspective: 3.5

15. Fort Worth, Tex. 19.7

Electricity: 8.3 Transportation: 4.6 Green Living: 2.4 Recycling/Perspective: 4.4

16. Albuquerque, N.M. 19.1

Electricity: 7.6 Transportation: 5.5 Green Living: 2.4 Recycling/Perspective: 3.6

17. Syracuse, N.Y. 18.9

Electricity: 7.0 Transportation: 4.9 Green Living: 2.6 Recycling/Perspective: 4.4

18. Huntsville, Ala. 18.4

Electricity: 6.2 Transportation: 4.1 Green Living: 3.6 Recycling/Perspective: 4.5

19. Denver, Colo. 18.2

Electricity: 5.9 Transportation: 5.2 Green Living: 3.0 Recycling/Perspective: 4.1
CASE STUDY: Green Concrete
Fly ash, a by-product of coal-burning power plants, usually ends up in landfills. Researchers at the University of Colorado Denver found a way to reuse this industrial by-product. They add it at concentrations of about 20 percent to a new green concrete mix. The addition of fly ash also reduces the amount of sulfur- and carbon-spewing concrete production needed to finish a job. The mayor has signed an executive order requiring the use of green concrete in new city projects, and a $550-million infrastructure bond makes demand for the mix likely to grow.

20. New York, N.Y. 18.2

Electricity: 2.8 Transportation: 10.0 Green Living: 3.4 Recycling/Perspective: 2.0
CATEGORY LEADER: Transportation
More than 54 percent of New Yorkers take public transportation to work, beating the next-best metropolis, Washington, D.C., by 17 percent.
See how New York City turns its tides into electricity, here.

21. Irvine, Calif. 18.1

Electricity: 4.2 Transportation: 6.8 Green Living: 2.9 Recycling/Perspective: 4.2

22. Milwaukee, Wis. 17.3

Electricity: 5.0 Transportation: 4.9 Green Living: 3.1 Recycling/Perspective: 4.3

23. Santa Rosa, Calif. 17.2

Electricity: 7.0 Transportation: 3.4 Green Living: 2.4 Recycling/Perspective: 4.4
See how Santa Rosa taps geysers for watts, here.

24. Ann Arbor, Mich. 17.2

Electricity: 4.6 Transportation: 4.8 Green Living: 2.9 Recycling/Perspective: 4.9

25. Lexington, Ky. 16.8

Electricity: 5.9 Transportation: 3.6 Green Living: 2.3 Recycling/Perspective: 5.0
CATEGORY LEADER: Recycling and green perspective
Lexingtonians recycle everything from surplus electronics to scrap metal, and they listed the environment as their third most important concern (behind only employment and public safety)—the highest ranking in our survey.

26. Tulsa, Okla. 16.7

Electricity: 5.0 Transportation: 3.9 Green Living: 3.4 Recycling/Perspective: 4.4

27. Rochester, N.Y. 16.1

Electricity: 4.5 Transportation: 4.4 Green Living: 3.1 Recycling/Perspective: 4.1

28. Riverside, Calif. 16.0

Electricity: 7.5 Transportation: 3.1 Green Living: 2.1 Recycling/Perspective: 3.3

29. Springfield, Ill. 15.7

Electricity: 5.3 Transportation: 3.0 Green Living: 3.2 Recycling/Perspective: 4.2

30. Alexandria, Va. 15.7

Electricity: 2.7 Transportation: 6.3 Green Living: 3.1 Recycling/Perspective: 3.6

31. St. Louis, Mo. 15.0

Electricity: 2.7 Transportation: 5.0 Green Living: 3.7 Recycling/Perspective: 3.6

32. Anchorage, Alaska 14.4

Electricity: 2.7 Transportation: 4.7 Green Living: 2.1 Recycling/Perspective: 4.9
CASE STUDY: Power-Saving Streetlights
Since Anchorage spends a good part of the year buried under highly reflective snow, it doesn’t make sense to keep the street lamps at full bore when moonlight can do the job. The fix? Install citywide dimmers. On top of that, the city is planning to upgrade its 16,000 streetlamps to either LED or induction bulbs, depending on the results of computer simulations designed to find the type of light that helps humans see best and disturbs wildlife the least. The swap should be complete by year’s end, and the initial $5-million investment is expected to save up to $3 million in energy costs annually.

33. Athens-Clarke, Ga. 14.1

Electricity: 2.4 Transportation: 4.7 Green Living: 3.2 Recycling/Perspective: 3.8

34. Amarillo, Tex. 14.0

Electricity: 5.2 Transportation: 2.9 Green Living: 2.3 Recycling/Perspective: 3.6

35. Kansas City, Mo. 13.8

Electricity: 2.7 Transportation: 3.7 Green Living: 2.7 Recycling/Perspective: 4.7

36. Salt Lake City, Utah 13.5

Electricity: 3.6 Transportation: 4.1 Green Living: 2.3 Recycling/Perspective: 3.5
See how Salt Lake City heats homes from waste, here.

37. Pasadena, Calif. 13.2

Electricity: 5.8 Transportation: 3.1 Green Living: 1.8 Recycling/Perspective: 2.5

38. Norwalk, Calif. 13.0

Electricity: 3.5 Transportation: 3.1 Green Living: 2.5 Recycling/Perspective: 3.9

39. Laredo, Tex. 12.9

Electricity: 4.4 Transportation: 2.5 Green Living: 1.7 Recycling/Perspective: 4.3

40. Joliet, Ill. 12.0

Electricity: 1.3 Transportation: 4.3 Green Living: 2.6 Recycling/Perspective: 3.8

41. Newport News, Va. 11.9

Electricity: 2.7 Transportation: 2.7 Green Living: 2.7 Recycling/Perspective: 3.8

42. Louisville, Ky. 11.9

Electricity: 1.3 Transportation: 4.0 Green Living: 2.5 Recycling/Perspective: 4.1

43. Concord, Calif. 11.9

Electricity: 3.0 Transportation: 3.2 Green Living: 2.2 Recycling/Perspective: 3.5

44. Fremont, Calif. 11.3

Electricity: 3.0 Transportation: 3.0 Green Living: 1.5 Recycling/Perspective: 3.8

45. Elizabeth, N.J. 10.5

Electricity: 2.6 Transportation: 2.8 Green Living: 1.8 Recycling/Perspective: 3.3

46. Livonia, Mich. 10.2

Electricity: 2.7 Transportation: 2.1 Green Living: 1.8 Recycling/Perspective: 3.6

47. San Bernardino, Calif. 10.2

Electricity: 2.8 Transportation: 2.3 Green Living: 1.6 Recycling/Perspective: 3.5

48. Thousand Oaks, Calif. 10.2

Electricity: 2.9 Transportation: 2.9 Green Living: 1.6 Recycling/Perspective: 2.8

49. Stockton, Calif. 10.1

Electricity: 2.8 Transportation: 2.5 Green Living: 1.0 Recycling/Perspective: 3.8

50. Greensboro, N.C. 10.0

Electricity: 2.0 Transportation: 2.0 Green Living: 2.1 Recycling/Perspective: 3.9

For more on six cities' green case studies, click here to launch the gallery

Axis Technologies Group, Inc. and SiteStuff, Inc. Sign Supplier Agreement

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 15:35:28 -0500

Axis Technologies Group, Inc. and SiteStuff, Inc. Sign Supplier Agreement
Thursday March 6, 7:45 am ET

Premier Procurement Company Adds Axis Daylight Harvesting Ballasts to "Green" Catalog

LINCOLN, NE--(MARKET WIRE)--Mar 6, 2008 -- Axis Technologies Group, Inc. (Other OTC:AXTG.PK - News), a designer, manufacturer and marketer of a proprietary line of energy saving and daylight harvesting electronic dimming ballasts for the commercial lighting industry, announced today that Axis has signed a Supplier Agreement with SiteStuff, Inc. SiteStuff is the nation's leading procurement company in the commercial real estate industry with a combined client portfolio of over one billion square feet. SiteStuff assists companies in reaching their procurement goals, streamlining the invoice and accounting process, and providing information that gives companies greater visibility into their operational spending. In addition, SiteStuff helps property owners and managers of commercial real estate effectively manage the procurement of Maintenance, Repair and Operating Supplies (MRO).

SiteStuff's clients include CB Richard Ellis, Cushman & Wakefield, Jones Lang LaSalle, PM Realty Group and many others. To learn more about SiteStuff, visit www.sitestuff.com.

Gary Boe, National Sales Manager for Axis, stated, "We are very excited to open a new channel of distribution for our daylight harvesting and dimming fluorescent ballasts with this signing of the SiteStuff Supplier Agreement. We have a significant opportunity to have our products presented directly to a large national customer base and the actual end user. It is through our deliberate and consistent efforts to build a distribution foundation with influential distributors that Axis Technologies will make more lighting and real estate industry leaders aware of the significant energy savings offered by our ballasts."

"SiteStuff is pleased to partner with Axis and add its energy-efficient ballasts to our online Green Catalog of eco-friendly products. Our clients are looking for additional ways to save energy in their buildings, and the addition of this offering further validates our commitment to delivering innovative solutions to our client base. We look forward to helping our clients adopt green technology as an integral part of their operations," stated Paul Cialdella, VP, Operations, SiteStuff.

A demonstration video of the Axis Daylight Harvesting Ballast is accessible at http://www.axistechnologyinc.com/video1.html. Investors interested in receiving industry and company updates are invited to be added to the company's e-mail database by e-mailing ir@axistechnologyinc.com.

About the Axis Technologies Ballast

Axis Technologies Group, Inc. has developed an innovative new ballast, an electronic component that regulates voltage in fluorescent lighting, that focuses on expanding daylight harvesting into mainstream fluorescent lighting applications. The patented Axis Dimming/Daylight Harvesting Ballast is a new technology that transforms the ballast, a once standard lighting industry staple, into a dynamic energy saving system that can reduce lighting energy costs by up to 70%. The Axis DDH Ballast utilizes an individual photo sensor to automatically adjust the amount of electrical current flowing to the light fixture, and then dims or increases lighting in conjunction with the amount of available sunlight that may be harvested from available windows and sunlight. The Axis DDH Ballast avoids "over-lit" conditions that increase energy costs by keeping lighting "tuned" to the desired level in a designated area.

About Axis Technologies Group, Inc.

Axis Technologies Group, Inc. (www.axistechnologyinc.com) conducts its business through a wholly owned subsidiary, Axis Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska. Axis Technologies, Inc. designs, manufactures and markets a proprietary line of energy-saving and daylight harvesting electronic dimming ballasts for the commercial lighting industry. The company's target market is small to large commercial users of fluorescent lighting including office buildings, wholesale and retail buildings, hospitals, schools, and government buildings. In 2002, Underwriters Laboratory (UL) approved Axis products for sale in both the United States and Canada. The Axis Dimming/Daylight Harvesting (DDH) ballast is priced competitively and is the only daylight harvesting ballast system that can be marketed as a replacement for a standard ballast.

Safe Harbor

Statements about the Company's future expectations and all other statements in this press release other than historical facts, are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company intends that such forward-looking statements be subject to the safe harbors created thereby. The above information contains information relating to the Company that is based on the beliefs of the Company and/or its management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company or its management. When used in this document, the words "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "plans," "projects," and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company or its management, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the current view of the Company regarding future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including the risks and uncertainties noted. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated, expected, intended or projected. In each instance, forward-looking information should be considered in light of the accompanying meaningful cautionary statements herein. Factors that could cause results to differ include, but are not limited to, successful performance of internal plans, the impact of competitive services and pricing and general economic risks and uncertainties.

Investors File Record Number of Global Warming Resolutions with U.S. Companies

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 11:24:56 -0500

Investors File Record Number of Global Warming Resolutions with U.S. Companies

14 Resolutions Already Get Results From Companies

March 6, 2008

BOSTON – Leading U.S. investors today announced that they have filed a record 54 global warming shareholder resolutions with U.S. companies that face far-reaching business impacts from climate change. The resolutions are nearly double the number filed just two years ago.

Companies targeted in the 2008 proxy season include electric power companies, oil and coal producers, airlines, homebuilders and other businesses that investors believe are not adequately dealing with potential climate-related business impacts, whether from physical changes, emerging climate regulations or growing global demand for low-carbon technologies and services. Resolutions were filed with dozens of companies in eight industries, including Dynegy (NYSE:DYN) in the electric power sector, Massey Energy (NYSE:MEE) in the coal sector, ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) and ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) in oil and gas sectors, U.S. Airways (NYSE:LLC) in the airline sector and Standard Pacific (NYSE:SPF) in the building sector.

Resolutions seeking greater disclosure from companies on their responses to climate change, including greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction and renewable and energy efficiency strategies, were filed by some of the nation's largest public pension funds, as well as labor, foundation, religious and other institutional investors. Many of the investors are part of the Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR), an alliance of 60 institutional investors with collective assets totaling more than $5 trillion.

"Scientific consensus of the potentially destructive impacts of climate change on the global economy is clearer than ever. Companies in every industry, especially energy sectors, should be acting now to assess and mitigate climate change risks," said Jack Ehnes, chief executive officer at the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS), the nation's second largest public pension fund. CalSTRS filed climate-related resolutions for the first time this year.

"Many U.S. companies are confronting the risks and opportunities from climate change, but others are not responding adequately – and they may be compromising their long-term competitiveness as a result," said Mindy S. Lubber, president of Ceres, which helps coordinate the shareholder filings and directs INCR. "Investors want all companies to understand the business impacts of climate change – and plan for it accordingly."

“Finding solutions to the climate challenges ahead is an economic imperative for every company in every sector of the economy, whether it’s making cars and power plants that use less fossil fuel or designing buildings and appliances that are more energy efficient,” said Leslie Lowe, director of the Energy and Environment Program at the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, which also helps coordinate the filings. “It also means that companies must minimize environmental impacts – like deforestation – that lessen our ability to cope with global warming.”

Resolutions are already getting action from companies. Fourteen of the 54 resolutions were withdrawn by investors after the companies agreed to disclose potential impacts from emerging climate regulations and strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Four of the withdrawals involved electric power companies – Allegheny Energy (NYSE:AYE), Alliant Energy (NYSE:LNT), Dominion Resources (NYSE:D) and Southern (NYSE:SO) – which were all asked to report on their strategies to significantly boost energy efficiency as a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Each of the four utilities generates much of their electricity from coal-fired power plants that will be especially vulnerable to carbon-reducing regulations due to their high CO2 emissions. Alliant and Dominion have also proposed to build new coal-fired plants.

Resolutions have also been withdrawn from Continental (NYSE:CAL), El Paso (NYSE:EP), Harley Davidson (NYSE:HOG), KB Home (NYSE:LM), Lowes (NYSE:LTR), Ryder (NYSE:R), Big Lots (NYSE:BIG), Parkway Properties (NYSE:PKY) and Kirby Corp (NYSE:KEX).
Among the dozens of companies with resolutions that are still pending and could go to a vote at upcoming corporate annual meetings:

ConocoPhillips: The first of two resolutions filed with ConocoPhillips focuses on the company’s recently announced plans to become the largest producer of oil from Canada's tar sands. Citing the adverse environmental impacts of tar sands on water use, biodiversity and greenhouse gas emissions, Trillium Asset Management has asked the company to assess and disclose the environmental damage that would result from its expanding tar sands operation in Canada’s boreal forest. A second resolution filed by the Presbyterian Church (USA) requests that the business adopt specific greenhouse gas reduction goals in its operations and products. (Trillium Contact: Shelley Alpern, 617-423-6655 and Presbyterian Church Contact: Bill Somplatsky-Jarman, 502-569-5809)

Exxon Mobil: Unlike other major oil firms, which are making tangible investments in low-carbon technologies, Exxon Mobil has been unresponsive to investor requests for a decade regarding strategies to meet growing global demand for diversified energy sources. The three resolutions request that the board develop comprehensive GHG reduction targets, adopt a policy for renewable energy R&D and sourcing, and report on how it will become an industry leader in developing technologies to create energy independence in the U.S. The resolutions were filed by the Tri-State Coalition for Responsible Investment, the Midwest Capuchin Order and Steve Viederman. (Tri-State Coalition Contact: Sister Pat Daly, 973-670-9674, Steve Viederman, 212-639-9497)

Massey Energy: Given that coal combustion accounts for more than a third of all GHG emissions in the U.S. and given the growing regulatory momentum to reduce emissions from power plants, the New York City Pension Funds have filed a resolution with the VA-based coal company requesting a report on how the company is responding to growing regulatory and competitive pressure to significantly reduce GHG emissions. Massey is the nation's 4th largest coal producer. (NYC Comptroller Contact: Kristen McMahon, 212-669-2589)

Standard Pacific: Unlike other builders such as KB Homes and DR Horton, Standard Pacific has been unresponsive to shareholder requests that it disclose its strategies and performance on energy efficiency and other climate-related issues. The resolution filed by the Nathan Cummings Foundation requests that the CA-based company, one of the nation's largest homebuilders, adopt specific goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in its operations and products. Homes and other residential buildings account for more than 20 percent of the nation's CO2 emissions, virtually all from electricity use and heating needs. A recent McKinsey Global Institute report concluded that the residential sector represents "the single-largest opportunity" to boost energy efficiency. (Nathan Cummings Contact: Laura Shaffer, 212-787-7300)

U.S. Airways: Despite growing momentum to regulate greenhouse emissions from airlines, especially in Europe, US Airways has been unresponsive to investor requests to improve assessment and disclosure on sustainability challenges such as climate change. While American Airlines, British Airways and Air-France-KLM have produced such reports, US Airways has not. The resolution from the Calvert Group requests that the company prepare a report on its strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. (Calvert Contact: Stu Dalheim, 301-961-4762.)

One or more resolutions are still pending with each of the following US companies:

Airline sector:	Southwest (NYSE:LUV), US Airways (NYSE:LLC)
Auto sector:	Ford Motor (NYSE:F), General Motors (NYSE:GM)
Banking sector:	*Bank of America (NYSE:BAC), Citigroup (NYSE:C), Legg Mason (NYSE:LM)
Building sector:	Centex (NYSE:CTX), Pulte Homes (NYSE:PHM), Ryland (NYSE:RYL), Standard Pacific (NYSE:SPF)
Coal sector:	*Arch (NYSE:ACI), CONSOL Energy (NYSE:CNX), Foundation Coal (NYSE:FCL), Massey Energy (NYSE:MEE)
Electric power sector:	FirstEnergy (NYSE:FE), Southern Company (NYSE:SO), Dynegy (NYSE:DYN)
Forestry sector:	International Paper (NYSE:IP), MeadWestvaco (NYSE:MWV), RR Donnelly (NYSE:RRD)
Manufacturing sector:	Dover (NYSE:DOV)
Oil and gas sector:	Chevron (NYSE:CVX), ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP), ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM), OGE Energy (NYSE:OGE), Oneok (NYSE:OKS), Williams (NYSE:WMB), Ultra Petroleum (NYSE:UPL)
Retail sector:	Best Buy (NYSE:BBY), Kroger (NYSE:KR), Rite Aid (NYSE:RAD)

* Resolution disallowed by SEC at company request.
** One of two resolutions filed with the company was disallowed by SEC at the company’s request. A second resolution is still pending with each company.

This year’s filings come on the heels of a record high number of resolutions and record high voting support for global warming resolutions in the 2007 proxy season. Investors filed 43 resolutions with U.S. companies last year and average voting support was 21.6 percent.

About Ceres: Ceres is a leading coalition of investors, environmental groups and other public interest organizations working with companies to address sustainability challenges such as climate change. Ceres also directs the Investor Network on Climate Risk, which includes 60 institutional investors with collective assets totaling more than $5 trillion. For more information, visit http://www.ceres.org or http://www.incr.com

About ICCR: For 35 years, the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility has been a leader of the corporate social responsibility movement. ICCR’s membership is an association of 275 faith-based institutional investors, including national denominations, religious communities, pension funds, asset management companies, colleges and unions. Each year ICCR-member religious institutional investors sponsor over 200 shareholder resolutions on major social and environmental issues. For more information, visit http://www.iccr.org.

Investors Press Companies for More Global Warming Information

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 11:23:26 -0500

Investors Press Companies for More Global Warming Information

By Jim Efstathiou Jr.

March 6 (Bloomberg) -- ConocoPhillips, Exxon Mobil Corp. and Massey Energy Co., the fourth-biggest U.S. coal producer, are among 44 companies targeted by shareholder resolutions seeking more information on climate change, according to a coalition of investors with more than $1.75 trillion under management.

Investors have filed a record 54 global warming shareholder resolutions for the 2008 proxy season, said Peyton Fleming, a spokesman for Ceres, an alliance of investor and environmental groups including the Sierra Club and the United Nations Foundation. That is almost twice the number of resolutions filed two years ago.

U.S. investors are demanding more information on climate- change risk and have petitioned the Securities and Exchange Commission to force companies to disclose more about how global warming may hurt profits. ConocoPhillips will include the resolution on the proxy ballot for the company's annual meeting with a statement of opposition, said Shelly Alpern, vice president at Trillium Asset Management.

``We are asking them to report on the environmental impacts of their expanding oil sands operations in the Canadian tar sands regions,'' Alpern said in an interview. ``Virtually nothing has been put out by ConocoPhillips.''

Trillium, a founding member of Ceres, filed the resolution on behalf of its clients who hold shares in Houston-based ConocoPhillips. Alpern said she is optimistic that ``a significant number'' of shareholders will agree the company should disclose more on climate change.

Earlier Efforts

Earlier this month, three U.S. banks, Citigroup Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Morgan Stanley, issued guidelines to help lenders assess the risk of greenhouse-gas regulation. Last week, the Ontario Securities Commission recommended that companies do more to quantify the costs of meeting environmental regulations.

Carbon dioxide, the main pollutant blamed for global warming, is produced primarily from burning fossil fuels. Rising global temperatures driven by human emissions of heat-trapping gases is causing Arctic ice to melt, rain to decline in parts of Africa and the Mediterranean, and sea levels to rise, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said last year.

Jack Ehnes, chief executive officer at the California State Teachers' Retirement System or CalSTRS, the nation's second- largest public pension fund, said shareholder resolutions express a desire for quantitative information on climate change. CalSTRS, with about $161 billion under management, filed resolutions for the first time this year with Oneok Partners LP, a partnership created by the natural-gas distributor Oneok Inc. and Dynegy Inc., a Houston-based power producer.

Different Reactions

Dynegy said they would respond with a report prompting CalSTRS to withdraw its resolution, Ehnes said. Oneok asked the SEC to disallow the resolution altogether.

``We've had two very different reactions,'' Ehnes said in an interview. ``It underscores some of the schizophrenia of business leaders.''

Fourteen of the resolutions were withdrawn by investors after the companies agreed to disclose potential effects from emerging climate regulations, according to a statement from Ceres.

ConocoPhillips holds a 9 percent stake in Syncrude Canada Ltd., the world's biggest producer of crude from the tar sands. ConocoPhillips produces about 60,000 barrels a day through its oil-sands partnerships.

``We're in receipt of the proposal but as a matter of policy our responses are submitted in our proxy statement, which will be submitted March 31,'' said ConocoPhillips spokesman Bill Tanner.

Tar Sands Production

Producing crude oil from Alberta's tar sands results in more greenhouse gases than conventional oil production, is more water- intensive and deforests ``vast'' areas, Alpern said. Oil-sands production is forecast to more than double to 3.1 million barrels a day by 2016 from 1.25 million barrels in 2006, according to Alberta's energy regulator.

``Many U.S. companies are confronting the risks and opportunities from climate change, but others are not responding adequately,'' Mindy Lubber, president of Ceres, said in a statement. ``Investors want all companies to understand the business impacts of climate change, and plan for it accordingly.''

Other companies targeted by resolutions include US Airways Group Inc., Best Buy Co. Inc. and International Paper Co.

To contact the reporter on this story: Jim Efstathiou Jr. in Washington at jefstathiou@bloomberg.net;

Last Updated: March 6, 2008 08:00 EST

The greening of Wall Street

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 10:50:34 -0500

The greening of Wall Street

Mar 13th 2008 | NEW YORK
From The Economist print edition

Tackling the carbon crisis amid the credit crisis

WHEN better to further the cause of financial greenery than St Patrick's Day? On March 17th the first carbon-linked derivatives contracts will begin trading on the Green Exchange, a joint venture between the New York Mercantile Exchange, Evolution Markets, a broker, Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch and others. America already has a small emissions-trading market in the Chicago Climate Exchange, run by one of the founding fathers of financial derivatives, Richard Sandor. Nevertheless, the NYMEX venture is seen as America's boldest step yet towards the carbon-trading big league.

Thanks to its participation in the Kyoto protocol on climate change, Europe dwarfs America in carbon trading. The bulk of the €40 billion ($62 billion) of credits traded last year—up 80% on 2006—changed hands on European markets. But with the science of climate change no longer widely disputed and all three remaining presidential candidates in favour of bringing a similar cap-and-trade system to America, Wall Street is taking the environment a lot more seriously. The potential rewards are huge. New Energy Finance, a research firm, thinks the American market for carbon emissions could reach $1 trillion by 2020 if the front-runner among the several climate-change bills wins approval in Congress. Add in derivatives and it could be many times bigger, points out Blythe Masters of JPMorgan Chase.

Though America pioneered a cap-and-trade system in two acid-rain gasses in the 1990s, European financial institutions are still some way ahead on greenery. A recent report from Ceres, a coalition of investors and environmental groups, put HSBC and ABN AMRO at the top of the pile. But the Americans are catching up. Citigroup has pledged $50 billion to green initiatives over ten years, including $31 billion for clean technologies. Bank of America (BofA) has made a $20 billion commitment. Alone among big banks, it has also said it will put a price on carbon dioxide (of between $20 and $40 per ton) when scrutinising loan requests from industry. Citi, JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley recently unveiled a set of “carbon principles” that will tighten financing terms for smoke-belching power plants.

A number of Wall Street banks are also offering green-tinged merger advice. Goldman points to its role in last year's takeover of TXU by a private-equity consortium. The buyers won plaudits for crafting a deal that allowed the utility to scale back its building programme for coal plants. Mark Tercek, Goldman's green guru, argues that the key for advisers faced with heavy polluters is “not to disengage, but to make bad situations better.”

Banks also see plenty of consumer opportunities in global warming. BofA, for instance, offers green credit cards (where purchases earn carbon offsets) and mortgages ($1,000 cashback for energy-efficient homes). It even offers $3,000 to employees who buy a hybrid car. It sees great potential in solar-panel leasing. Green mutual and exchange-traded funds are booming, says Deutsche Bank's Mark Fulton. He has counted some 250.

Wealthy investors are piling in too. One bank says it has fielded a dozen enquiries recently from individuals each looking to invest between $50m and $100m. One attraction is that carbon is uncorrelated with other markets—though poor regulation can knock prices for six, as it did in Europe in 2006. Hedge funds like it because it is an immature market, and thus offers arbitrage opportunities. Peter Fusaro of Global Change Associates, a consultancy, knows of 75 environmental hedge funds, up from a couple three years ago.

Not everyone is convinced. Steve Milloy of the Free Enterprise Action Fund, a mutual fund run by climate-change sceptics, claims the banks' environmental initiatives are “at best greenwashing, and at worst value-destroying”. Its shareholder-resolution targets include Citi and Lehman Brothers (whose green initiatives are run by Theodore Roosevelt's great-grandson). Jim Rogers, the boss of Duke Energy, a big power company, says the banks are being disingenuous: they may cut funding for a power-plant project, but they will not tighten loan terms for its parents.

The question now is whether the management distractions and financial demands of the credit crunch dull Wall Street's enthusiasm for greenery. After all, something similar happened in the 1990-91 crash, after years of pre-Kyoto excitement. Michael Klein, co-head of Citi's markets and banking group, insists not: Citi continues to beef up in the area, despite its own troubles. Others also seem determined. Giddy oil prices, meanwhile, will only increase interest in alternative energy. There is strong social pressure not to sink back into old habits. This time the revolution looks to be for real.

Bringing Green Mainstream

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 10:46:34 -0500

Bringing Green Mainstream

Cherokee Investment is backing the Mainstream GreenHome, a residential laboratory for green building practices they believe will protect the environment and provide solid returns to investors

by Nanette Byrnes

Pull up to the house on Cypress Knee Court, a cul-de-sac in one of Raleigh (N.C.)'s dozens of subdivisions, and it's hard to see anything noteworthy about the red-brick farmhouse-style McMansion. Spacious—the house has five bedrooms—with a wide front porch and ample concrete driveway, it blends easily with its neighbors, just one more comfortable upper-middle-class home in a town full of the same.

Incognito is just how the house, and its financial backers, Raleigh investment firm Cherokee Investment Partners, like it. But the house, which Cherokee dubbed the "Mainstream GreenHome," requires 96% less energy to heat hot water than a comparable dwelling—and is predicted to save 80,000 gallons of water per year through smart conservation methods. It was built under the National Association of Home Builders' Model Green Home Building Guidelines and just last month won a Gold Award in the NAHB Research Center's 2008 EnergyValue Housing awards. It also got one of the best scores ever in the Environmental Protection Agency/Energy Dept.'s Energy Star home efficiency rating system. In short, Cherokee claims it's one of the most environmentally friendly homes in the country—and yet it's maybe the only one that looks 100% typical. Boring even. No grass grows on the roof. Good luck spotting a solar panel. All of this is intentional—the point of building the house was to show just how normal an environmentally sensitive home can look.

From Cleaning Up to Building Clean

The house isn't so typical for Cherokee and its CEO, Thomas Darden. In 1993, Darden and a partner launched a predecessor firm that invested in environmentally impaired assets remediating contaminated industrial sites—which then made money from developing that land into a mix of commercial and residential space. Cherokee raised its fourth private equity fund in 2006, pulling in $1.6 billion from investors such as public pension funds that like the firm's strong track record of returns. Typically, Cherokee invests on a much grander scale than a single family home in the North Carolina capitol. The firm has played a major role, for example, in rehabilitating a large swath of the New Jersey Meadowlands. It rarely looks at investments under $100 million.

But a couple of years ago, Darden says, he became convinced that cleaning up the land just wasn't enough. More of the environmental impact over the long term would come from what was built on that land than anything he could do to improve the quality of the soil itself. Back then, few builders wanted to touch the term "green."To them, it seemed like a fringe market.

Cherokee set out to show that green could mean profits as well as sound environmental practices. The house "is very different from what we've done historically," says Darden. "We focused on remediation and land planning. That may be responsible for 20% of Cherokee's carbon footprint. The rest is the buildings being built."

Every Green Amenity

Although the GreenHome isn't ostentatiously eco-friendly—and some might argue that its mere size precludes it from any claim to sustainability—a trained eye wouldn't have too much trouble finding many of the tricks that allow the house to rack up energy and water savings. Its newly planted garden is full of native and drought-resistant species, perfect for this recently rain-free region. Inside the house, the attic and crawl spaces are sealed rather than vented, a big help with the heating bill and air quality. A passive solar thermal hot water system sits beneath solar panels on the back side of the home's roof; the panels themselves are thin enough to be a dead ringer for standard roof tiles. Radiant flooring keeps the cork kitchen floor toasty, and a glass-doored, half-sized refrigerator in the median accommodates the kids' habit of standing with the door open to contemplate the best snack.

Using the grill atop the stove saves on washing pots and pans, and the IceStone countertops glint with recycled glass and other materials.

Sensing that few potential home buyers walk into a house to check out its attic insulation, the GreenHome's builders instead focused on the things they thought a buyer would care about. The floors throughout the main hall, living room, and dining room are made of richly colored reclaimed hardwood flooring. A North Carolina company called Cape Fear Riverwood makes the floors from logs pulled up from the bottom of the Cape Fear River, the watery graveyard of decades past when the river was lined with mill towns. In the living room, pocket doors, molding, and elaborate built-in shelving took great effort to develop to sustainable standards, but seemed mandatory to compete in a market where they are standard to new construction. GreenHome reused discarded glass and wood, and employed materials, including finishes, with low levels of "off gassing." That means the air quality is better from the moment of installation and over the life of the home because there are far fewer VOCs (volatile organic compounds). A closet on the first floor is made from "responsible" hardwood plywood, built especially for the house by a company called Closets by Design, which has since decided to launch it as a whole new business line.

Naturally, all of this costs money. Cherokee has a team of students at the University of North Carolina's business school study the payoff. So far, the residents of the house, one of Darden's staffers, his wife, and their four children, are using 71% less electricity than families in comparable homes, and spending far less on heating and cooling. Those 80,000 gallons of water per year will be saved through conservation methods including using recycled rainwater for flushing toilets and washing machines. When the family doesn't need all the electricity they're making in the house, they can sell the excess to the regional grid.

A Growing Sector

For now, the GreenHome remains at the cutting edge. But forecasts predict that green building in the residential sector will grow from a $7.4 billion business in 2005 to a $38 billion one by 2010. Green home projects in other states have sold for a nice premium—as much as 25% above the local market, while the average construction cost increase of using green materials was just 4%. But, Cherokee chief Darden isn't banking on builders replicating the GreenHome en masse. He thinks corporations and multifamily landlords are more likely to embrace green technologies first since they can more easily focus on the payback in energy savings over the long term. The typical homeowner is more caught up in the monthly mortgage payment than a return that might take 5 to 10 years to materialize.

With the GreenHome, then, Cherokee is "trying to advance the state of the art and stay closely connected to what technologies are available," says Darden. He also aims "to maintain our knowledge about green building issues so we can be articulate" when pushing builders at other sites to use green technologies.

Byrnes is a senior writer for BusinessWeek in New York .

Jay Leno Builds a Wind Turbine on His Green Garage

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 10:50:41 -0500

Jay Leno Builds a Wind Turbine on His Green Garage

As part of an ongoing project with Popular Mechanics to make his garage more sustainable, the Tonight Show host is getting set to install a state-of-the-art turbine on top of the shop.

UPDATE (6/26): Jay's wind turbine is ready to roll! Check out construction video below!

Jay Leno is making plans with the team from PacWind (left) to install the state-of-the-art Delta II turbine (right) on the roof of his Green Garage.

By Ben Stewart

Published on: May 17, 2007

Wind power usually brings to mind those giant, prop-style turbines in Denmark or their much smaller cousins, like the 900-watt Whisper 100 that our PM’s off-the-grid Energy Family uses in Vermont. As those innovative solutions have proved, wind can be a great compliment to solar power—and the rest of this country is just starting to catch up. So as we move forward with Jay Leno on transforming his Green Garage, you’ll probably see a rooftop solar panel array augmented by wind power to help the shop generate its own energy and become self-sufficient.

Recently, Jay had a chance to meet up with the folks from PacWind, a company that makes vertical-axis wind turbines like the 500-watt Seahawk they brought by the garage. Drag-type vertical turbines such as these move a lot like those three-cup anemometers commonly used for measuring wind speed. But the PacWind design is unique in that its foils utilize the forces of lift, too, making them more efficient.

The Seahawk was just one example of Pacwind’s turbines—and Jay was impressed. But for the 17,000-sq-ft. garage, which uses, um, quite a bit of energy each month, the PacWind team recommended their brand-new, top-of-the-line Delta II turbine. It can produce 10 kw at around 28 mph and has a cut-in wind speed of 6 mph. These turbines don’t need a braking mechanism and can self-start at very low wind speeds—something similar designs in the past could never do. Generating usable wind power can be quite tricky, since wind is fickle and performance can vary from place to place. But according to Pacwind, Jay’s garage looks like a very suitable spot.

A few more neat things about these vertical turbines: They take up very little space, they’re virtually silent, and multiple units can be placed within feet of one another. Delta II units can also be stacked vertically up to 50 kW. We wouldn’t be surprised to see quite a few of these 9-ft., 500-lb. turbines lining the upstairs of the Green Garage very soon. For a full breakdown on wind energy technology in America, click here.

America's Green Policy Vacuum

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 19:58:06 -0500

America's Green Policy Vacuum

Without a fully funded, federal alternative energy policy, the U.S. risks squandering the potential of a powerful economic engine and will continue to depend on foreign energy resources

In 2006, companies in renewable energy and energy efficiency industries accounted for 8.5 million jobs and generated $970 billion in revenues. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

by Jessie Scanlon

It's been a year since Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth packed theaters and won an Oscar. And a good year it has been for the green movement. Venture capital firms poured a record $2.6 billion into clean tech startups in the first three quarters of 2007. Meanwhile, the green buzz has only grown louder. This year, green building construction starts are projected to reach $12 billion. And both Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator Barack Obama have made a greener economy a key plank in their Presidential campaigns.

It's enough to make you believe an optimistic report that estimates the green economy could produce as many as 40 million jobs and $4.53 trillion in annual revenue by 2030. To put those numbers in perspective, consider this: In 2006, according to a November report commissioned by the American Solar Energy Society (hardly a disinterested body), companies in renewable energy and energy efficiency industries accounted for 8.5 million jobs and generated $970 billion in revenues. The report based that scenario on "aggressive, sustained public policies at the federal and state level during the next two decades." (It also included growth scenarios based on current government spending levels and on a moderate increase.)

Despite the undeniable green momentum, a $4 trillion-plus U.S. green economy is far from likely—even in 22 years—because there simply is no "aggressive, sustained" federal policy. The federal government has failed to create and adequately fund the programs that would make the U.S. a world leader. And that's what the government should be trying to do, for reasons that go far beyond rising carbon levels. The U.S. risks falling way behind other countries in the development of green technologies. On its current course, this country could trade oil dependence for reliance on alternative energy products built by other nations already far ahead of it.

State and Local Leadership

"The need to reinvent, retrofit, and reboot the entire nation is the biggest economic opportunity in a generation," says Van Jones, director of the Oakland (Calif.)-based nonprofit Green for All, an organization that aims simultaneously to fight poverty and help the environment by creating green jobs for people from disadvantaged communities. But it's an opportunity that's not being seized in Washington. "We have all this work that needs to be done, and we have all these people who need work," Jones says. Moreover, he points out, many of the jobs considered "green" can't easily be outsourced: "You can't put a house that needs to be weatherized on a boat to China."

To be sure, state and local governments have made some progress getting green projects rolling at a regional level. In 2005, Gamesa Corporación Tecnológica (GCTAF.PK), a Spanish wind turbine manufacturer, opened a manufacturing plant—the first of four—in Fairless Hill, Pa., on a 20-acre site that had once been home to U.S. Steel. In a region hard hit by the decline of the steel industry, Gamesa has created more than 1,000 new jobs. Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell had worked hard to woo Gamesa to his state, offering a $9.31 million in tax credits, grants, and loans.

"Gamesa was just the first. We've attracted 8 to 10 major alternative energy companies to the Commonwealth in the past three years," says Katie McGinty, secretary of the state's Environmental Protection Dept. "Clean energy has become a major growth sector for our economy."

At the local level, the Apollo Alliance, a nonprofit advocacy group, teamed up with leaders in Los Angeles to audit and retrofit hundreds of city buildings. Its backers say the Los Angeles initiative is saving the city up to $10 million in energy costs per year while at the same time establishing a Green Career Ladder Training Program to connect low-income residents to jobs created by the investment.

A similar training program in the city of Oakland, developed by Jones' Green for All, was approved in the summer of 2007 but has yet to get started. [See also Switching to Green-Collar Jobs (BusinessWeek.com, 1/10/08)]

Private Equity Isn't Enough

The efforts by state and local governments and a handful of advocacy groups to stimulate green-collar jobs is only part of the story. Venture capitalists are making significant investments in the companies that will develop the technologies behind the green economy. Take San Jose (Calif.)-based Nanosolar, which has raised $75 million in funding from four venture capital firms. Nanosolar shipped its first photovoltaic panels in December, 2007, and says that the first 18 months of its capacity has already been booked for sales to Germany.

While persuading foreign companies like Gamesa to set up manufacturing operations in the U.S. is great for the national economy, homegrown companies that can become world leaders can make an even bigger impact.

Silicon Valley didn't become a global tech leader thanks to private equity alone. From the funding of the Arpanet, the granddaddy of the Internet, to research and development tax credits, the federal government helped the technology industry grow. The green economy envisioned by the ASES report will never be realized unless the government takes a similar approach. Despite condemning "America's addiction to oil" and promoting the importance of alternative energies in his State of the Union addresses, President Bush has consistently failed to follow through on his promises to fund for alternative energy research. He's generous with the green rhetoric, just not with actual greenbacks.

"Every robust energy technology has existed because of government support and tax subsidies," says Joel Makower, editor of GreenBiz.com. "But there hasn't been the appetite [in Washington] to do that for clean energies."

It's not that Washington has done nothing to promote the green economy. In June, 2007, Representative Hilda Solis (D-Calif.) introduced a Green Jobs Act that provided $125 million in funding to establish national and state job training programs to address a shortage of workers in green industries, and the measure was included in the energy bill passed in December. And then there are green jobs initiatives proposed by the Democratic Presidential hopefuls.

"A Narrow Window of Opportunity"

These efforts aren't enough. Denmark is a leader in the wind power industry, producing nearly half of the wind turbines used around the world. Japan has long been a global leader in solar power. Abu Dhabi is building a special economic zone for the advanced energy industry. The U.S. alternative energy industry doesn't just have to grow, it has to grow fast if it wants to catch today's global leaders. "It's a narrow window of opportunity," says Jerome Ringo, executive director of the Apollo Alliance. "Because other countries have moved ahead, we cannot afford to not respond."

David Nissen, director of the Program in International Energy Management and Policy at Columbia University, is optimistic that the next administration will respond. "The states and the business community are way, way ahead of [the Bush] Administration on this. But in the next administration, whether it's [John] McCain or one of the Democrats, something serious is going to happen," he predicts.

Makower, too, is hopeful. "We lead in technology patents and the entrepreneurial knowhow, so I don't think that the game is over yet," he says.

It's not over, but the federal government needs to take meaningful action, matching the bottom-up efforts of state and local governments, activists, and venture capitalists. If it doesn't, it won't just mean jobs lost. Even worse, today's dependence on foreign oil will transform into tomorrow's dependence on foreign alternative energy technologies.

Jessie Scanlon is the senior writer for Innovation & Design on BusinessWeek.com.

Hybrid Technologies, Inc., (OTCBB: HYBR)

Sun, 09 Mar 2008 12:53:58 -0500

Hybrid Technologies, Inc., (OTCBB: HYBR)
Hybrid Technologies, Inc., (OTCBB: HYBR) was incorporated in 2000 and is a Hybrid technology company that is focusing its resources and efforts on the development and marketing of lithium-powered vehicles and products, as well as on commercial and residential properties. Everything from scooters, bicycles, mopeds, motorcycles, cars and homes are being converted successfully to zero-emission, lithium-powered vehicles and facilities.

Hybrid Technologies, Inc., (OTCBB: HYBR) is becoming known as a leader in Hybrid Technology vehicles. Coverage from Financial media moguls such as Forbes, Wall Street Journal, CNN, and New York Times has taken notice with HUGE positive feedback.

Growing environmental concerns and demand for “green” technologies have led major automotive industry players to invest heavily in the development of hybrid technologies. At this moment, hybrid vehicles offer several benefits over conventional vehicles such as low fuel consumption, fast acceleration and low emissions.

Currently, hybrid vehicles have a limited presence throughout the world, but over time this technology has the potential to become a mainstream one. For now the only limiting factor is the price the customer has to pay for a hybrid vehicle. High oil prices and environmental awareness will ultimately push the overall price down and create an environment for increased adoption rates. The U.S. sales of new hybrid vehicles increased by 49% in the first seven months of 2007 compared to the same period of 2006, according to R.L. Polk & Co. The same source acknowledges that Americans registered almost 216 thousand new hybrid vehicles during the first 7 months of 2007 compared to 145 thousand in the same period in 2006. R.L. Polk & Co predicts that by the end of 2007 the total U.S. hybrid sales will exceed 300,000 or more than 2% of all auto sales.

In Europe, over 23,000 hybrid vehicles were sold in the first half of 2007. This represented a 25% growth over the same period last year. Starting in 2008, major European gas stations will begin to sell at least one type of alternative fuel. Most market participants and analysts agree that the percentage of hybrid vehicles sold will definitely increase and hybrid cars will become commonplace on the road in the short-term.

Global warming is now a reality, and all governments of the world are looking for a solution and with oil prices at a record high, HYBT could be in the right place at the right time.

Please visit there media site and watch some of there amazing video interviews on CNN, CNBC and Discovery Channel.

http://www.hybridtechnologies.com

Waste Management Wins First-Ever Corporate President's Award

Sat, 08 Mar 2008 23:57:59 -0600

President's Award

The President’s Award was established to recognize individuals at member or partner organizations who have demonstrated leadership in community outreach, conservation education and environmental stewardship. Our recipients demonstrate leadership attributes and an innovative strategic vision to building conservation programs within economically viable, sustainable communities.

International Habitat Conservation
Award for Rehabilitation Work

Bamburi Cement Company has been awarded a coveted Wildlife Habitat Council International Habitat Conservation Award for rehabilitation works at its Mombasa Quarries in Kenya. Bamburi Cement’s Mombasa Quarries are the first WHC certified programme on the African continent. The employees and volunteers at Bamburi Cement's Mombasa Quarries further distinguished themselves by winning the President’s Award.

"We are extremely proud to be recognized by the Wildlife Habitat Council for this prestigious award," said Bamburi Cement Managing Director Michel Puchercos. "Restoration practices conducted at the Mombasa site promote the conservation of rare and endangered species and habitats, while enhancing the economic status of the community by providing employment opportunities," Michel added.

The site has planted over 350 species of coastal indigenous plants, approximately 30 of which are listed on the IUCN Red Data List as rare or endangered species. The Forest Trails were created by designing and re-contouring the landscape into shape, in an effort to conserve local habitat and provide a natural recreation area for employees and the community. Part of the Forest Trails is a butterfly conservation facility that breeds and raises butterflies and educates visitors about the values of invertebrates.

In addition to the many native plant species found in the Forest Trails, the site also provides space for orphaned large animals such as hippopotamus, giraffe and buffalo among others in a designated nature park called Haller Park. The primary goal of the site is to create an environment rich in the unique biodiversity of the Kenya coast, complete with self-sustaining ecological functions.

left to right: Michel Picard, V. P. Environment, Lafarge, Dr. Paula Kahumbu, General Manager, Bamburi Cement Ltd. and Bob Johnson, WHC President.

Waste Management Wins First-Ever Corporate President's Award

Waste Management, Inc. received the Wildlife Habitat Council’s President's Award based on the company's wildlife habitat management and environmental education programs at 16 landfill sites across North America. This year marks the first time that an organization has received the award; the previous four winners have been individuals.

"We are very honored to receive this award from the Wildlife Habitat Council," said Waste Management CEO David Steiner. "Waste Management is a leader in environmental stewardship, and our 50,000 employees prove that every day. I am proud of the work they do to protect the environment and to educate our communities about conservation programs and appreciate the Wildlife Habitat Council's recognition of those efforts."

Bob Johnson, WHC President, presents the President's Award to Debbie Figueras-Cano, WM Community Relations Specialist.

“We are extremely proud of the positive difference we are making in communities across North America,” said Vice president of Environment and WHC Board Member, Greg Cekander. “As the industry leader in waste and environmental services, we are strongly committed to being responsible stewards of the environment. Landfill management practices that work in harmony with nature are one of the hallmarks of Waste Management’s environmental leadership.”

WHC previously honored these outstanding individuals with the President's Award:

Robert H. Wayland III
Director
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds

Andrew G. Acho
Worldwide Director of Environmental Outreach & Strategy
Ford Motor Company

Linda M. Casey
Sr. Health Environment & Safety Professional
Marathon Ashland Petroleum LLC

Christiane Wilczura
Manager of Community Affairs
GATX Corporation

Directory of WHC Awards

The Great Global Warming Swindle

Sat, 08 Mar 2008 22:36:10 -0600

A Review Of
'The Great Global Warming Swindle'
By S. Fred Singer, (Atmospheric Physicist)
March 19, 2007

Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth has met its match: a devastating documentary recently shown on British television, which has now been viewed by millions of people on the Internet. Despite its flamboyant title, The Great Global Warming Swindle is based on sound science and interviews with real climate scientists, including me. An Inconvenient Truth, on the other hand, is mostly an emotional presentation from a single politician.

The scientific arguments presented in The Great Global Warming Swindle can be stated quite briefly:

1. There is no proof that the current warming is caused by the rise of greenhouse gases from human activity. Ice core records from the past 650,000 years show that temperature increases have preceded—not resulted from—increases in CO2 by hundreds of years, suggesting that the warming of the oceans is an important source of the rise in atmospheric CO2. As the dominant greenhouse gas, water vapour is far, far more important than CO2. Dire predictions of future warming are based almost entirely on computer climate models, yet these models do not accurately understand the role or water vapor—and, in any case, water vapor is not within our control. Plus, computer models cannot account for the observed cooling of much of the past century (1940–75), nor for the observed patterns of warming—what we call the “fingerprints.” For example, the Antarctic is cooling while models predict warming. And where the models call for the middle atmosphere to warm faster than the surface, the observations show the exact opposite.

The best evidence supporting natural causes of temperature fluctuations are the changes in cloudiness, which correspond strongly with regular variations in solar activity. The current warming is likely part of a natural cycle of climate warming and cooling that’s been traced back almost a million years. It accounts for the Medieval Warm Period around 1100 A.D., when the Vikings settled Greenland and grew crops, and the Little Ice Age, from about 1400 to 1850 A.D., which brought severe winters and cold summers to Europe, with failed harvests, starvation, disease, and general misery. Attempts have been made to claim that the current warming is “unusual” using spurious analysis of tree rings and other proxy data. Advocates have tried to deny the existence of these historic climate swings and claim that the current warming is "unusual" by using spurious analysis of tree rings and other proxy data, resulting in the famous “hockey–stick” temperature graph. The hockey-stick graph has now been thoroughly discredited.

2. If the cause of warming is mostly natural, then there is little we can do about it. We cannot control the inconstant sun, the likely origin of most climate variability. None of the schemes for greenhouse gas reduction currently bandied about will do any good; they are all irrelevant, useless, and wildly expensive:

• Control of CO2 emissions, whether by rationing or elaborate cap–and–trade schemes

• Uneconomic “alternative” energy, such as ethanol and the impractical “hydrogen economy”

• Massive installations of wind turbines and solar collectors

• Proposed projects for the sequestration of CO2 from smokestacks or even from the atmosphere Z

Ironically, even if CO2 were responsible for the observed warming trend, all these schemes would be ineffective—unless we could persuade every nation, including China, to cut fuel use by 80 percent!

3. Finally, no one can show that a warmer climate would produce negative impacts overall. The much–feared rise in sea levels does not seem to depend on short–term temperature changes, as the rate of sea–level increases has been steady since the last ice age, 10,000 years ago. In fact, many economists argue that the opposite is more likely—that warming produces a net benefit, that it increases incomes and standards of living. Why do we assume that the present climate is the optimum? Surely, the chance of this must be vanishingly small, and the economic history of past climate warmings bear this out.

But the main message of The Great Global Warming Swindle is much broader. Why should we devote our scarce resources to what is essentially a non–problem, and ignore the real problems the world faces: hunger, disease, denial of human rights—not to mention the threats of terrorism and nuclear wars? And are we really prepared to deal with natural disasters; pandemics that can wipe out most of the human race, or even the impact of an asteroid, such as the one that wiped out the dinosaurs? Yet politicians and the elites throughout much of the world prefer to squander our limited resources to fashionable issues, rather than concentrate on real problems. Just consider the scary predictions emanating from supposedly responsible world figures: the chief scientist of Great Britain tells us that unless we insulate our houses and use more efficient light bulbs, the Antarctic will be the only habitable continent by 2100, with a few surviving breeding couples propagating the human race. Seriously!

I imagine that in the not–too–distant future all the hype will have died down, particularly if the climate should decide to cool—as it did during much of the past century; we should take note here that it has not warmed since 1998. Future generations will look back on the current madness and wonder what it was all about. They will have movies like An Inconvenient Truth and documentaries like The Great Global Warming Swindle to remind them.

Hot OTC

Sat, 08 Mar 2008 22:34:34 -0600

HotOTC provides members with daily stock picks, while providing Investor Relations to emerging growth companies. Find out why thousands subscribe to the HotOTC newsletter.

Stock Promoters

Sat, 08 Mar 2008 22:30:49 -0600

StockPromoters.com was created by one of the worlds largest promoters who entered the business back in 1995. The business has evolved from DOS based bulk faxing programs and phone rooms, to a vast array of Hi-Tech information dissemination systems. Over the years, however, one thing has not changed... The business, not unlike many others, has and always will be a numbers game. A numbers game in the sense of adding volume to a particular stock and a numbers game in the sense of getting retained by a public company. If you tell one thousand people about a specific stock, you might expect a hundred of them to become interested in the story, fifty of them to want more information, and in the end, ten to go ahead and buy it. Supposing each of those ten people were to invest $1000.00, well, that’s an additional $10,000.00 invested in the stock that would not have been otherwise. Now imagine if you were to give ten thousand people the same information…one hundred thousand…one million! It is easy to do the math. And of course, as interest in the stock increases, and the volume starts to expand, and price rises, the ratio of people who hear the story, and end up buying the stock becomes greater also! And as far as getting the account to promote? Forget cold calling, forget about bulk emailing your promotional resume, just click on "Contact the Company" in our New Public Company Section. Our new Public Company Section allows public companies looking for Promotion and / or funding to post exactly what they're looking for. It's great for the Promoter or Investor and It's great for the Public Company because all of the research and information each of them would need to put together a proposal or make a decision is on one page.

Hot Stocks R US

Sat, 08 Mar 2008 22:28:34 -0600

HotStocksRus.com (HSRU) is an interactive web portal that serves the investor community. We provide essential investment and market information to a diversified audience ranging from market analysts to individual investors. Our content and data streams are focused on niche market trends and emerging growth companies. HSRU is service oriented and will keep you informed through continuously updated content and an array of interactive investor tools. Our Mission Our mission is to provide the most current and accurate information possible to an audience who expects a comprehensive and productive experience. We respect the financial marketplace and strive to feature market trends and news that are beneficial to the conscientious investment community. HSRU Services In a marketplace where seconds can make a difference, HSRU keeps you informed 24/7 by taking advantage of cutting-edge communication technologies. By utilizing the internet and personal communication devices, information will always be at your fingertips. Our services include HSRU eMail Newsletter, HotstocksRUs.com Internet Portal, PDA/Smartphone Access, HSRU Text Messaging, and WAP2 mobile phone access. Business Services HSRU provides business services and investor relations to goal oriented companies. We are very selective of company profiles we choose to feature on HSRU. Featured companies must exercise proficient business practices and emerging growth companies featured with us will always have excellent growth potential.

The Capital Report

Sat, 08 Mar 2008 21:57:40 -0600

The Capital Report is an online financial destination where money managers, analysts, and individual investors can converge to discover new and exciting investment news, opportunities, and ideas. TheCapitalReport is focused on finding emerging growth companies that do not necessarily have widespread analyst coverage on Wall Street.

Watch ZapRoots New Video Biofuels Suck!

Sat, 08 Mar 2008 21:49:57 -0600

ZapRoot 026 | Biofuels Suck! Biofuels took a beating when several new studies came out and we survey to stupidest resort ideas ever.

The Bull Report

Sat, 08 Mar 2008 21:37:40 -0600

The Bull Report is constantly looking for unique investment opportunities that can help serious investors increase returns in a well balanced portfolio. Some of the best performing stocks on the market are quality small cap and micro cap companies with groundbreaking products and a growing business model. Often times all that these emerging growth companies lack is the exposure to the investment community. The Bull Report focuses on bringing these companies the exposure they need. For more information please visit http://www.thebullreport.com