Having recently unveiled its fully integrated, turnkey concentrated photovoltaic energy system, Fremont, California’s GreenVolts announced the commissioning of a fully warrantied 288-kW CPV system that should provide more than 80% of peak electricity needs at Beneficial Insectary’s production facility in the Shasta Valley.

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Gresham, Oregon has made great strides in its drive to craft a model for sustainable cities. One key aspect of its success has been a strategic, public-private partnership with Veolia Water NA, the centerpiece of which to date has been managing the city’s wastewater treatment plant.

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Fremont, CA-based GreenVolts has emerged publicly with a first of its kind turnkey concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) solar power system and a strategic partnership with ABB.

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Have an innovative business idea that you think could make a difference? Just need the cash to make it happen? Calling all university students interested in low-carbon technologies and entrepreneurship! The new economy is largely dependent on clean energy technology and the US Department of Energy is hosting a premier opportunity to pitch your ideas: [...]

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Times remain hard across the country, but solar power is a bright spot in Tennessee’s economy. The Volunteer State is Hemlock Semiconductor and Wacker Chemie polysilicon and Sharp Solar plants, and solar power projects are cropping up around the Tennessee Valley despite the state’s lack of a Renewable Power Standards (RPS).

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Putting a “green” twist on the concept of Free Trade Agreement, the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development is advocating the enactment of Sustainable Energy Trade Agreements to speed up the development and adoption of renewable energy and clean technology globally. By supplementing incentives such as feed-in tariffs and tax credits, SETAs could function as integral facets of pro-sustainable energy policy frameworks, the ICTSD says.

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Smart grids are billed as the hub of a smarter, more sustainable and democratized electricity distribution system, a core element of making a transition from fossil fuel to cleaner, renewable energy sources. Investing in smart grids is also touted as an engine for creating relatively well-paying, clean tech jobs. A study released yesterday by the Silicon Valley Smart Grid Task Force found that these claims aren’t unfounded.

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Ormat Nevada announced five awards to explore for geothermal resources in Chile while the 2011 GEA Expo taking place in San Diego this week highlights Southern California’s geothermal resources.

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Investors Urging Governments to Enact Comprehensive Climate Change, Clean Energy Policies Global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from energy production reached the highest level ever recorded in 2010, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), yet investment and spending in low-carbon and clean energy systems are falling far short of what’s required to address climate change. [...]

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Community members, local leaders, solar power industry participants, state government officials and members of Congress gathered in Mount Airy, North Carolina Oct. 10 to dedicate next week’s commissioning of the Mayberry Solar Farm, the first of its kind in Surry County. The solar power farm project offers a prime example of how, with effective support and incentives, public-private sector partnerships collaborating on renewable energy projects can succeed in generating jobs and helping local businesses, as well as building community and improving the health and quality of the local environment.

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Investment in combining clean energy and wastewater treatment is on the rise in the US, as public and private sector industry and businesses take on the increasingly pressing challenges of making clean, sustainable use of increasingly valuable water and energy resources. Such initiatives offer Triple Bottom Line benefits to private businesses and public utilities, both over the short- and long-term.

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Investors, entrepreneurs, policy and non-profit leaders convened on Wednesday to discuss the clean tech funding environment at the 4th Annual Cooley Clean Energy and Technologies Conference in Redwood City, California. Out of the ashes of Solyndra – the highly publicized, government supported solar technology company that closed its doors on September 1, 2011 – panelists [...]

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Multinational brewing giant AB InBev and GE are teaming up to find ways of increasing energy efficiency, conserving water and reducing CO2 emissions at the brewer’s facilities throughout China. The partnership with GE will help AB InBev realize its goal of reducing CO2 emissions by some 100,000 tons per year, along with making additional significant cuts in water and energy consumption.

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Using a “breakthrough, zero-waste” process that can be incorporated into geothermal power plants, the lithium carbonate, manganese and zinc produced from Simbol’s facility near the Salton Sea will be of of the highest purity available on the world market and help assure that US clean energy growth continues.

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National Solar Power will invest $1.5 billion to build the Southeast’s largest solar power farm, a 400MW solar power farm in Florida’s Gadsden County capable of supplying clean, renewable power to some 32,000 homes. Around 400 construction phase and 120 permanent jobs are expected to be created.

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Innovations abound throughout the environmental movement, from highly engineered water-and waste management methodologies, to intelligent design and streamlined manufacturing techniques. In attempting to comply with regulatory or stakeholder requirements, companies have explored a variety of clean, green technologies. But sometimes, businesses can make a huge impact with even simple, low-tech ideas that fill a vital niche.

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Individuals and businesses across Germany are embracing the transition to renewable energy sources as the country moves ahead with its plan to shut down all 17 of its nuclear power plants by 2022. The impact of the shift is increasingly evident across the country and its economy, already a world leader across the spectrum of renewable energy technologies and markets.

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The St. Louis Housing Authority has installed solar power systems on its administrative headquarters and four affordable housing complexes. Real Goods Solar designed, installed and engineered the solar PV systems, which will produce 617 kilowatts of electrical power, reducing average common area electricity use at the residential complexes by 75% and the Authority’s by 15%.

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Japan’s Ministry of Trade and Industry announced it will invest as much as 20 billion yen ($260 million) to build a pilot offshore wind project comprised of six, 2-megawatt (MW) floating wind turbines off the coast of Fukushima to rebuild the region’s energy infrastructure.

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The world’s first community-owned tidal power plant is moving towards completion on the northernmost UK Shetland island of Yell. Locals are looking to the grid-connected, 30MW tidal power generator to provide an anchor to the economy, as well as a source of clean, renewable power.

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The once highly touted clean tech start up, Solyndra, has filed for bankruptcy. Solyndra was hoped to be a key mover and player in the clean tech and solar industry.  The United States Federal Government even backed a loan to Solyndra. Unfortunately, market forces and competition proved unfavorable to the start up and over 1,000 jobs [...]

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As foreshadowed by GE’s Ecomagination reach-out to start-ups, it is expected that start-ups and not large corporations will lead the clean tech revolution. As these small companies work to improve the future of humanity, they will need the support of clean tech incubators well versed in the intricacies of sustainable business development.

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A new geothermal project for the Portland International Jetport in Maine provides a hint of the potential for U.S. businesses to expand their operations without being hobbled by the high price of fossil fuels, or by local concerns over fossil fuel emissions. While some new forms of renewable energy are still years away from commercial [...]

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Let’s start off with a general scenario that happens almost every election cycle:  A corporate leader holds fundraisers for a politician.  That politician gets elected into office.  We’ve all heard examples of those very corporate leaders benefitting from government contracts and other kickbacks shortly after their chosen representative gets elected.  Is this behavior ethical? Specifically, [...]

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As the US government endlessly debates the validity of climate change, the EU’s energy advisors are demanding more tangible and long-term solutions to create a low carbon society. The EU Commission recently released its 2050 Low-Carbon Roadmap that outlines the target goals for emission reductions and development. Yet the Energy and Climate leaders of 7 [...]

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The element of risk is part of every investment.  Some investments are more risky than others. There is no guarantee that any given investment will be successful.  Let’s take a look at two ways government intervention attempts to mitigate investment risk, Government Clean Tech Venture Funding and the proposed Social Impact Bonds. How do these [...]

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During this years ECO:nomics Conference, The Wall Street Journal announced the Top 10 venture-backed clean-tech companies.  Eco:nomics is a conference that brings together the world’s top CEOs, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and industry experts to discuss the future of business and the environment. Clean-tech describes a vast space dealing with energy, technology, and even behavior change. Most of [...]

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The Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition got started in the 1980′s as a result of toxic chemicals being poured into the water supply by the “clean tech” industry. Of course, back then, “clean tech” included computer manufacturers, microchip processors, and the like. They were considered “clean” because they weren’t coal plants. They weren’t cement factories. They [...]

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Clean energy companies have unique real estate needs that the real estate sector is rising to meet.  In this interview, Ben Stapleton, VP of Clean Tech Practice Group at Jones Lang LaSalle, discusses his experience in meeting real estate needs of his clean energy clients.  Jones Lang LaSalle provides real estate services such as site [...]

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In his 2010 State of the Union Address, President Obama predicted: “The nation that leads the clean energy economy will be the nation that leads the global economy.” The good news is that the number of patent filings in the US Patent Office shows that America is pushing hard to lead the global race toward [...]

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