Policy

Red tape, costs entangle fans of 'green' fuel

It's not uncommon on California roadways to spot diesel cars with bumper stickers that boast of biofuels in the engine, using slogans such as "Fuel for the revolution."

"This is the largest underground movement in the United States since the Civil War and the underground railroad," said Michael Wittman, an environmental activist and biodiesel user in Los Angeles.

But many drivers who began using biofuels to reduce their carbon emissions and save money fear that little-known government regulations are nipping the adoption of homegrown, "green" fuels in the bud.

In California, it's … Read more

Barriers to solar energy's blockbuster promise

MENLO PARK, Calif.--Solar power hasn't swept the nation but it must and will, said members of utilities, clean-tech start-ups, venture capital firms, and academia at the Big Solar conference here Wednesday.

California will literally live up to its "Golden State" nickname and shine as a model for the rest of the country thanks to progressive lawmakers, Silicon Valley dealmakers, and innovators at state and university labs, according to the event's many optimists.

"The time has come in the United States for large-scale solar," said Ed Smeloff, senior manager of utility project sales at … Read more

Green-tech news harvest: Rising oil prices, ethanol plant cancellations, grease bandits

Here is a sampling of green-tech and energy news over the past few days:

Goldman's Murti says oil 'likely' to reach $150 to $200 -- Bloomberg Oil is now at about $120. Will $200 drive more investment in clean tech?

Grease bandits strike as biofuel demand rises -- The Christian Science Monitor Grease thieves are driving up behind Burger Kings to steal material to make biodiesel. Says a cop: we see it all the time now.

Poet cancels ethanol plant -- Greentech Media The gold rush mentality in ethanol seems to be fading fast. Poet cancels a planned Minnesota … Read more

A crack at pricing carbon in the U.S.

The first regulated carbon market in the U.S. will take its cue from eBay.

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI, pronounced "Reggie") is scheduled to go online September 10. It's a cap-and-trade system for carbon that electric power generators in 10 Northeast states need to participate in.

An online auction company called World Energy won the bid to write the software that utilities will need to use.

I spoke with World Energy Solutions to get a feel for the mechanics behind carbon trading at RGGI. In a nutshell, it's a blind online auction where power … Read more

Is environmentalism dead? Not with a cool $1 trillion

PALO ALTO, Calif.--Al Gore is wrong about how to stave off ecological catastrophe. So is President George W. Bush. But don't look to Europe or clean-tech entrepreneurs to save the planet either; neither regulations nor free market capitalism alone will prevent the fast and furious acceleration of global warming.

That's according to Michael Shellenberger, who with Ted Nordhaus in 2004 proclaimed the "Death of Environmentalism" in a notorious essay that infuriated people of nearly every political stripe and argued that the tactics of mainstream "green" groups were off the mark.

Shellenberger and … Read more

Greening your life--the reality show

You could call it grass-roots green.

The second season of Energy Smackdown, a TV show that challenges homeowners in the Boston area to "green" their lives, kicked off Sunday.

Households, including my own, have signed up to take up several challenges to lower their carbon footprint and compete against families in other nearby cities--in this case between Medford, Cambridge, and Arlington, Mass.

There are a number of challenges, such as coming up with an energy-efficiency plan, reducing travel, and eating local food.

You'd be amazed at what people can do. One of the families that participated in … Read more

It's OK to carry fuel cells in carry-on bags, U.S. government says

The U.S. Department of Transportation issued a ruling today that will let passengers carry approved methanol fuel cells and up to two spare fuel cartridges in their carry-on bags.

Since fuel cells for phones and other devices won't likely hit the market until next year, the ruling technically doesn't affect anyone. That is, except for people like Peng Lim, CEO of MTI Micro Fuel Cells, who travels the country showing off prototypes of fuel cells for cameras and phones. (Peng's got a great collection of toys. See video here.)

Still, the ruling helps clear the way for the industry and consumer acceptance. … Read more

Politicos ponder new action against e-waste

WASHINGTON--As heaps of discarded televisions, computers, and other electronics grow ever more colossal, some members of the U.S. Congress on Wednesday said they're focusing new attention on how to manage the waste.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency's latest figures, less than 15 percent of unwanted electronics actually reached recycling or re-use programs in 2005, with nearly 2 million tons ending up in landfills or incinerators, many laced with toxins like mercury and cadmium. Some politicians suggested the need for a new governmental strategy to make recycling and reuse of electronics more efficient, pointing to regulations adopted … Read more

Will PG&E give rebates for old air conditioners?

That ancient, inefficient heating/air conditioning system in your building might be worth something someday.

Pacific Gas & Electric CEO Pete Darbee said in a briefing with reporters Tuesday that the utility is working with government officials to see if there is a way to create a fund that gives building owners financial incentives to replace old compressors, pumps, and other building equipment with new, energy-efficient versions.

Building owners want to get rid of this old equipment, he explained, but the capital requirements are a big hurdle. The program could be structured in a way so that it could be … Read more

To green the Capitol, lawmakers follow tech titans

SAN JOSE, Calif.--Washington lawmakers aiming to green both the Capitol dome and the laws made beneath it are turning to Silicon Valley for inspiration while pledging to help renewable energy start-ups get off the ground.

Some Democrats in the House of Representatives fear U.S. policies aren't combating global warming quickly enough. But they hope that they can at least "green" the Capitol complex enough to call it the world's first carbon-neutral legislative body within the year.

"We're making a difference and we're going to change the world," said Rep. Zoe … Read more