The Inaugural Meeting of the President's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness

Editor's Note: This event has concluded.

Today, Secretary Chu heads to the White House to participate in the first meeting of the President?s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness. The Council, whose members represent various sectors of the economy, will discuss how we can promote economic growth, spark innovation, create new jobs and invest in American industry so we can out-compete the rest of the world.

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Source: http://blog.energy.gov/blog/2011/02/24/inaugural-meeting-presidents-council-jobs-and-competitiveness

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Energy 101: Home Energy Assessment

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YolBP0-vkBU&feature=youtube_gdata

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Who Are The Greenest Film Stars?

It is Oscars week so we got inspired by that and decided to seek out the greenest film stars out there. 1 ? Mark Ruffalo ? Mark is competing in the best supporting actor category due to his role in The Kids Are All Right movie, a contender in the Best Picture category. But apart [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EnergyrefugecomBlog/~3/iyisOLN6H5A/

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Energy Today - February 18, 2011

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EnergyTomorrowBlog/~3/A64NYmshloU/energy-today---february-18-2011.html

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Sunning Seagulls at Solar One

Check out the seagulls sunning themselves just outside the Solar One doors. A sure sign that spring is not too far away!

Source: http://solar1.org/2011/02/24/sunning-seagulls-at-solar-one/

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Is Algae Biofuel Ready to Take Off?

The Mexican government is funding an initiative to demonstrate industrial algae production to find out how viable it is for use in large-scale jet fuels production. ?Manhattan Project?, as the initiative has been dubbed, has recruited OriginOil, a California-based company that works to make algae competitive with petroleum. “We are excited to support Mexico’s ‘Manhattan [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EnergyrefugecomBlog/~3/NqLjBpfo2R8/

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Hanwha SolarOne Announces Preliminary Fourth Quarter 2010 Highlights of Unaudited Financial Results

SHANGHAI, Feb. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Hanwha SolarOne Co., Ltd. ("Hanwha SolarOne" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: HSOL), a vertically integrated manufacturer of silicon ingots, wafers and photovoltaic ("PV") cells and modules in China, today announced certain preliminary highlights of the Company's fourth quarter ended December 31, 2010.

Fourth Quarter 2010 Highlights:

    * Total net revenues are expected to be between USD325 to 330 million
    * PV module shipments (including PV module processing) are expected to exceed 220 MW, surpassing the Company's previous guidance of 205 to 215 MW
    * Average selling price ("ASP") excluding PV module processing is expected to be USD 1.77 per watt, slightly higher than the Company's guidance of USD1.75 per watt
    * Gross margins are expected to be approximately 20%


First quarter 2011 Outlook:

    * Total shipments (including PV module processing) are expected to be in the range of 235 MW to 245 MW
    * ASP is expected to decline slightly from the fourth quarter 2010


Fiscal Year 2011 Outlook:

    * PV module shipments are expected to reach between 1.0 to 1.2 GW


Dr. Peter Xie, President and CEO of the Company, commented, "We are pleased with our operating performance during the 2010 fiscal year and expect continued growth throughout 2011.  We have good order visibility and expect to regain our momentum in shipment growth quarter-to-quarter.  We also expect to benefit from relatively stable pricing as well as improved availability of purchased wafers and cells, which we believe will help to meet incremental demand."

"In the second half of 2011, we plan to increase our production capacity with heightened vertical integration, allowing us to improve our cost structure.  We also plan to continue to make significant headway in our geographic diversification, growing beyond Germany to reach key overseas markets including China, Italy and the U.S."

Change in Management

On January 17, 2011, the Company appointed Mr. Sungsoo Lee to serve as Chief Strategy Officer and Board Secretary.  Prior to joining Hanwha SolarOne, Mr. Lee was senior vice president of strategic planning and new business development at Hanwha Group, one of Korea's largest industrial conglomerates.  At Hanwha Group, Mr. Lee led the development of new lines of business in the renewable energy field.  Prior to joining Hanwha Group, Mr. Lee played a pivotal role founding Nemo Partners, a Korea-based management consulting firm.  Prior to that, he was a consultant at Bain & Company, where he advised clients on corporate strategy, business portfolio management, M&A and marketing.  Mr. Lee began his career at Samsung Group, where he led various corporate development activities and Samsung's entry into the incubator and venture capital industry in Silicon Valley.

Mr. Lee earned a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Seoul National University, and an MBA degree from Harvard Business School.

"I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Sungsoo Lee as our Chief Strategy Officer and Board Secretary," said Dr. Xie.  "Mr. Lee brings years of experience in new business development and corporate strategy to this important role.  I believe his knowledge of trends in the global solar market and keen eye for growth opportunities will give us a unique advantage as we continue to grow our business." 

The Company's Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Zhoumiao Gao, will resign to pursue other interests, effective February 25, 2011.  Mr. Gao joined Hanwha SolarOne in 2007 and lead the Company's manufacturing operations.  Dr. Xie will assist in the oversight of manufacturing operations in the interim until a new COO is found.

On the departure of Zhoumiao Gao, Dr. Xie commented, "On behalf of the entire organization of Hanwha SolarOne, I would like to express our gratitude to Mr. Gao for his leadership and many accomplishments.  He has been a valued and respected colleague and we wish him the very best in his new endeavors.  We have excellent manufacturing systems and people in place and look forward to building upon this solid foundation."

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/NrBn/~3/pyKCox-91rM/hanwha-solarone-announces-preliminary.html

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How Energy Efficient is your state?

I first heard about the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy’s (ACEEE) list of energy efficient policies by state from Energy Circle.� When I click on the state I live in, Georgia, not too much comes up.� Mostly a bunch of info about what the state requires of utilities, but this isn’t ... continue reading

Source: http://blog.mapawatt.com/2011/02/24/how-energy-efficient-is-your-state/

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Consumer Reports' secrets to the perfect paint job

Ahead of the spring remodeling season, Consumer Reports has released its latest review of interior paints. We tested all the big names, including Behr, Benjamin Moore, and Valspar, as well as regional brands Pittsburgh Paints and California. And we welcomed back Martha Stewart, who returns to the paint aisle (at Home Depot) after a several-year hiatus. Choosing a top-quality paint is the first step to a perfect paint job. Our Ratings of nearly 70 models are broken down by finish: satin/eggshell (best for most applications), flat/matte (ideal for low-traffic areas), and semigloss (targeting trim, doors, and shelves). We recommend five or six models in each category at a range of price points. Note that even a top-rated paint may be lacking in one performance area, so it's important to weigh all of our test results. Once you figure out the best paint, execution is key. Painting is the closest thing in remodeling to instant gratification, but it does take a bit of time and attention. Just slapping the paint on the walls is sure to mar the finish (and possibly your floors and furniture as well). Here's what to do instead: Ready the room. Either remove furniture or pull it to the center of the space. Drape drop cloths over valuable items; canvas cloths can be reused but cost more than plastic ones. Protect floors with cardboard or brown paper, taping it in place to prevent slips and spills. Prep the surface. The goal is to establish a clean, stable, and smooth surface onto which the new paint can adhere. That will likely involve scraping away cracked or loose paint; dulling glossy areas with fine grit (#220) sandpaper; caulking cracks around doors and windows and where walls meet ceiling; removing dirt, grime, and hand prints with a household detergent solution; and wiping away any remaining dust or particles. Safety note: If your home was built before 1978, refer to the EPA's Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule. Choose the right tools. You might like the sound of natural-brisle brushes, but their hollow fibers tend to clump as they absorb latex-based interior paints. Synthetic-bristle brushes with a tapered end deliver cleaner, more consistent brush strokes. Dampen the bristles before use so they load the paint evenly. As for rollers, choose a synthetic-fiber, seamless roll with a short nap, no more than 1/4-inch. Apply it right. If you're painting over a properly-prepped surface you can probably skip the primer, especially if you choose a self-priming paint that scores well in our Ratings. Exposed wood or plaster, as well as heavily-soiled surfaces, should be treated with a stain-blocking primer. For the finish coat, start by cutting in a 2-inch strip around windows, doors, corners, and edges. Then fill in the fields with a roller. Follow a W-shaped pattern, which will distribute paint evenly and prevent drips and lap marks from marring the surface. ?Daniel DiClerico

Source: http://blogs.consumerreports.org/home/2011/02/consumer-reports-reviews-of-interior-paints-.html

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The Nutmobile: Mr. Peanut goes green with new set of wheels

Filed under: Biodiesel, Diesel, Etc., Solar, Vegetable Oil

Planters Nutmobile - Click above for high-res image gallery

Mr. Peanut can't be relegated to just any automobile. After all, as the face of Nabisco's Planters division and as one of the most beloved (though just a wee bit creepy, if we're being honest) mascots in American history, Sir Nut needs a ride suitable of his stature. And, since he's apparently over 12 feet tall and carries a six-foot-long cane, we're talking some significant stature.

Fittingly then, Planters has seen fit to replace Mr. Peanut's old set of wheels with a brand new Nutmobile. And this is no ordinary Nutmobile... if such a thing actually existed. Based on a 2011 Isuzu NPR truck with a diesel engine running a five-percent mixture of biodiesel (oddly, though, it's not actually nut-based), this latest Nutmobile will be making appearances all around the country to "promote the peanut lifestyle" and draw support for The Corps Network.

According to The New York Times, this latest Nutmobile is quite the green machine. In addition to the biodiesel blend, it features "a wind turbine, solar panels, LED interior lighting, recycled parts and wood floors reclaimed from a 19th century Pennsylvania barn." Guess it's not very nutty after all, is it?

[Source: Wired, The New York Times]

The Nutmobile: Mr. Peanut goes green with new set of wheels originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 11:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://green.autoblog.com/2011/02/23/the-nutmobile-mr-peanut-goes-green-with-new-set-of-wheels/

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Mainstream Energy Concludes 2010 with Record 60 Megawatts Sold

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mainstream Energy Corporation and its two subsidiaries, REC Solar and AEE Solar, each among the oldest, largest and most experienced solar energy companies in the country, reported record growth in 2010. Through its direct and indirect sales channels, 60 MW of commercial and residential photovoltaic systems were sold or installed nationwide, more than double over 2009. The company now employs more than 600 solar professionals in eleven states.
2010 was a remarkable year for Mainstream Energy?

The increase is due in part to the distribution arm of the company, AEE Solar, which boasts more than 2,000 customers ? installers, resellers and project developers ? in every state in the United States. The division saw a 250 percent year-over-year growth in East Coast markets alone and 78 percent increase in overall revenues.

Equally significant was the growth of REC Solar?s residential and commercial business. REC Solar maintained its momentum as one of the fastest growing installers in the United States and topped the California Solar Initiative (CSI) rankings as the state?s largest residential installer in 2010 for megawatts installed. REC Solar also signed agreements with a series of leading national retailers such as IKEA, Albertsons, Costco and Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets, and installed or was competitively awarded 10 MW of Federal government projects ? including a 2.9 MW carport-mounted installation for the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System, one of the largest of its kind in the United States.

?2010 was a remarkable year for Mainstream Energy,? said Angiolo Laviziano, CEO of Mainstream Energy. ?Projects with leading partners such as IKEA and Costco clearly demonstrate the commercial viability of solar, and the phenomenal growth achieved on the residential side shows that homeowners understand the value and necessity of adopting renewable energy. We take special pride in the fact that our deployed solar modules will over the first 25 years of their operational lifetime result in avoiding three billion lbs of CO2 emissions, equivalent to planting 7.1 million trees.?

Kam Mofid, President of Mainstream Energy, added, ?In the past twelve months we made a number of significant changes to increase our capabilities, our market reach, and our ability to better serve our customers. I could not be more proud of our 600 employees and network of dealers across the country, and look forward to another record year in 2011.?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/NrBn/~3/iJE1WUiGKYk/mainstream-energy-concludes-2010-with.html

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It's hammer time: How we test door locks

Some of the testers in our labs have been looking downright menacing lately. Using hammers, drills, pipe wrenches and other tools, they are attacking a series of door locks that we?re testing for an upcoming report. After all, when you?re buying a lockset, the last thing you want is one that someone can smash off with a few swings of a hammer?or get past completely with a good kick to the door. Hammering out a lock (see photo) can be an effective way to gain entry in a secluded area where no one is likely to hear the noise. For our test, we hammer vertically on a cylinder using a modified sledgehammer that weighs about 29 pounds. Each lock gets 10 hits. Under such punishment, two locks broke off altogether. Others took the 10 blows but afterward allowed us access with a screwdriver. Among other tests, we assess kick-in performance using a metal pendulum of about 100 pounds. We lift it to a pre-determined height, then release it repeatedly against a 1 �-in. door secured by 2 x 4 studding. The pendulum hits a polystyrene-foam cushion that distributes the impact in the same way the sole of a sneaker or shoe might. We also try to get past the locks using a cordless drill, pipe wrench, water-pump pliers (channel locks), a reciprocating saw, a crowbar, picking tools (wielded by a local locksmith), and even salt spray. True, no burglar has the time to wait for a lock to corrode in the sea air. That test is for durability of the finish, which protects the lock in the long run. The door lock tests will be included in a package of stories that will be online and on newsstands in early May. (It?s the June issue of Consumer Reports magazine.) Also included will be home, auto, and online security. ?Ed Perratore

Source: http://blogs.consumerreports.org/home/2011/02/how-we-test-door-locks-.html

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Say Goodbye to a Lightbulb We All Know and Love

You know which light bulb I mean. It is the one you burned your hands on when trying to unscrew it too soon after it’s been turned off. It’s the one you put in the lamp in your living room to read by in your comfortable chair; the one you use to light the stairways at night. It’s the 100-watt incandescent that uses practically the same technology put together by Thomas Edison in 1879. It’s a metal filament inside a glass vacuum that gives off light and heat when exposed to an electric current. Say goodbye. It’s out of our hands. It’s a goner. I’m guessing it won’t go quietly.

It’s a little late to say goodbye in California, where 100-watt incandescents have been effectively banned since January 1. The rest of the country will catch up to us next year, when the popular light bulb will be banned everywhere in the United States. It is not really an outright ban that is clearing the shelves of 100-watt incandescents in 2012, followed by the 75-watt bulb in 2013, and the 60- and 40-watt bulbs beginning in 2014. What’s killing the familiar bulb is an act of Congress that mandated efficiency standards that incandescents cannot meet: the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007. As the standard for watts per lumen (a measure of light output) become higher and higher, the familiar bulbs will begin disappearing from store shelves. It will be illegal to manufacture the less efficient bulbs in the United States or import them from abroad. A few special use incandescents will still be allowed, for example 3-way bulbs and appliance bulbs.

The most popular incandescents will gradually give way to more efficient halogen, fluorescent and compact fluorescent lights, and solid state lighting (SSL) devices like light emitting diodes (LED). The reduction in total energy use and green house gas emissions in the United States will be dramatic. According to an analysis by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) the efficient light bulb provisions of the EISA will reduce national energy use by 60 terra-watt hours (terra equals trillion) of energy and reduce national emissions by 12 million metric tons of carbon by the year 2020.

Incandescents are already banned in Europe, but according to Ira Eisenstein, writing in the Home Energy Pros blog space, some stores there are selling 100-watt incandescents under the name “100-watt heat source.” Look for the creative American mind and the market to come up with similar workarounds in the United States. But gradually the incandescent bulb will be a thing of memory, while cleaner, more efficient, and longer lasting light sources become much less expensive.

Source: http://www.homeenergy.org/blog.php?id=122

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Energy 101: Concentrating Solar Power

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO5rUqeCFY4&feature=youtube_gdata

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Recycle Your Old Toilets!

Old toilets ready for the grinder

After replacing my old toilets that wasted huge amounts of water, I had four porcelain thrones that I didn’t want to dump in a landfill.� After a little research, I found a place in Atlanta that recycles old porcelain bathroom fixtures into gravel.

Packer Industries is located in Mableton, GA ... continue reading

Source: http://blog.mapawatt.com/2011/02/08/recycle-your-old-toilets/

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Recovery Act update from Sr. Advisor Matt Rogers -- End of Obligations

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cy-ovxvsqno&feature=youtube_gdata

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Who Are The Greenest Film Stars?

It is Oscars week so we got inspired by that and decided to seek out the greenest film stars out there. 1 ? Mark Ruffalo ? Mark is competing in the best supporting actor category due to his role in The Kids Are All Right movie, a contender in the Best Picture category. But apart [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EnergyrefugecomBlog/~3/iyisOLN6H5A/

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Xcel Cuts Solar Incentives in Colorado

According to Solar Knowledge, Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy, Inc. is cutting its solar incentives.

Referring to Xcel Energy as a solar company is slightly off-target, since the company is actually a major U.S. gas and electric utility serving eight states from Minnesota to New Mexico. Everything else hits a direct bull?s eye, and a very sensitive one at that, with a persistent recession creating a solar glut on the international marketplace that has brought solar component prices down by about half, and caused an equal loss in the stock prices of the companies themselves.

Nor are incentive cuts big news anymore. In Los Angeles, in November of 2010, the Department of Water and Power, or LADWP, cut its incentives (also known as rebates, or subsidies) by a third. Before that, it was Arizona utility Salt River Project, which in October cut its incentive program, reportedly to preserve the life of the program itself.

The damage to the nation?s solar pocketbook can be calculated. The damage to consumer confidence in incentive programs is immeasurable. In spite of that, and perhaps riding the previous wave of aplomb, the U.S. actually became a net exporter of solar in 2010, with 158 megawatts of Western solar coming online since 2005.

Xcel Energy defends its reductions by pointing out the industry declines I mention above. Seems to me that?s bass-ackwards thinking: when things are going badly, pull out all the stops. Only when they are going well is it time to cut back ? a bit of Keynesian economic logic that seems to have escaped the utility entirely.

Xcel is also recommending that state regulators approve further cutbacks in its incentive program, a move that has the Colorado branch of the Solar Energy Industries Association calling the reductions a killing blow (or words to that effect).

That may be a bit fanciful, but the cuts ? from $2.35 to $2.01 per watt immediately, and as much as $1.25 per watt later ? are deep. Blood is bound to flow. Fortunately, customers already approved for incentives will still get the higher rate.

Xcel Colorado President David Eves is recorded as saying that such cuts will position solar to become self-supporting. But isn?t it odd that coal, oil and gas (propped up to the tune of $3.6 billion this year) haven?t yet managed to become self-sustaining, even after a century of adoption? Or is that just Republican-think and I?m not smart enough to understand it?

Photo Credit: Mike Weston via Flickr CC

Source: http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/solar-funding/mpls-solar-incentive-cuts/

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10 Questions for a Materials Chemist: Elise Fox

Elise Fox | photo courtesy of Savannah River National Laboratory

At Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), Elise Fox works on a wide breadth of projects from fuel cells and batteries to concentrating solar power. She recently took some time to give us the download on advances in energy storage technologies, her favorite fictional chemist (hint: she?s an expert in charms and potions) and why she became a scientist.

Q: What promoted you to pursue a career in science?
 
Elise Fox: On some level I have always known I would be a scientist. It was just a matter of determining what kind.
 
Q: At SRNL, you work on materials science and technology. Why did you choose this field?
 
EF: I knew I wanted to be a chemist since the second day of Chemistry I in high school. After college I also knew I wanted to go a slightly different route than traditional organic, physical or analytical chemistry. So, I found an interdisciplinary materials science graduate program at Penn State where I studied catalysis in various energy applications, particularly focusing on how the properties of a ceramic support and alloying can influence the reactivity of the active metal center.

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Source: http://blog.energy.gov/blog/2011/02/17/10-questions-materials-chemist-elise-fox

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Solar Panel “Pole Tracker” Boosts Energy Intake 30%

When it comes to generating green energy via solar power, it goes without saying that the sun is a necessary component. So how can the amount of solar energy captured by these panels be optimized? By following the sun more closely, of course.

That was precisely the idea that Advanced Technology & Research Corp. ran with when they received a $1.1 million grant last year from the Maryland Energy Administration.

What came of that idea and the monetary support was a Solar Pole Tracker, a device that?by using a GPS controller to track the sun throughout the day?increases the panel energy intake by up to 30%.

With 1,200 of these tracker poles in the works, the company hopes to find government agencies and private businesses that would be willing to try them out. They are thinking that the technology would be perfect for light and utility poles situated anywhere from malls to parks.

The devices range in price from $700 to $1,760, but could pay for themselves within five years with help from energy credits and extra power that can be sold back to the grid.

Advanced Technology & Research Corp. doesn?t plan on stopping there, however. They are currently in the process of making a solar tracker for homeowners, and another that could even be attached to wind turbines.

Photo Credit: Andrew Maiman via Flickr CC

Source: http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/products/solar-panel-pole-tracker/

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