Shelly Roche
Shelly Roche
Shelly Roche is a computer programmer and entrepreneur who gets excited about food and farms, living simply, and using free enterprise as a mechanism for changing the world.
Shelly is currently exploring North America in a 23' Class C motorhome while she launches her new tech company, Wordchuck.
Website URL: http://twitter.com/shellyroche
Green Business News - Week Ending October 1st
A Growing Clean Energy Market is Emerging Among India's Vast Rural Poor
A new generation of inexpensive, durable cook stoves could significantly reduce pollution and associated health problems among India's rural poor, a population estimated at 114 million households. Nearly half of this group has no access to electricity, and more than 85% of them rely on firewood and dung for cooking and heating. Firewood and dung fires produce sooty smoke that causes many health problems, as well as premature death.
New products such as solar lanterns, energy-efficient stoves, biomass gasification, and small-scale hydropower systems have been popping up to serve the rapidly growing demand for alternative cooking and electricity products. Since 2004, the market for these sorts of green energy products in rural India has grown an average of 36% per year, and is estimated to grow to more than $2.1 billion.
Wave Power Delivers Electricity to US Grid For First Time
Wave energy company Ocean Power Technologies is the first to deliver ocean-generated electricity back to the US grid. The PB40 PowerBuoy was installed at the Marine Corps Base in Hawaii to test the its ability to produce utility-grade renewable energy. The device is installed almost a mile off the coast of Oahu, and has been producing electricity for more than 4,400 hours. Independent monitoring has found it to have no significant environmental impact.
While wave power lacks the large-scale potential of wind or solar, this demonstration proves it does have certain practical applications, and can be used safely with minimal impact.
Offshore Wind Power Can Electrify Half of East Coast
A new report from Oceana found offshore wind could generate enough power to supply half of the East Coast's electricity. They also estimate wind could produce up to 30% more power than available fossil fuel sources in the same areas. States included in the study are: Delaware, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Jersey, Virginia, South Carolina, Rhode Island, Maryland, Florida, New York and Georgia.
The report goes on to recommend a plan for transitioning away from fossil fuels and toward offshore wind power, including things like:
* Removing federal subsidies for fossil fuels, and incentivizing electrification projects.
Grocery stores try setting up fake farmers markets
Safeway and Albertsons supermarkets are among many that have been testing a new tactic to sell produce: setting up outdoor "farmers markets" that look like your neighborhood farm market, but sell the same produce available inside the store. Fortunately, local groups quickly caught on to the marketing ploy and complained, resulting in Safeway changing their sign from "Farmers Market" to "Outdoor Market".
Semantics aside, it's always a good idea to ask where the produce came from and do a little research before buying -- even when you're not buying from a supermarket. An investigation in LA found that many farmers markets were selling produce that came from the same factory farms that supply the major chain stores.
Read more »
Source4Style Creates Online Marketplace for Sustainable Fashion
New company Source4Style allows designers to easily source sustainable materials by providing an online marketplace specifically for sustainable products. Founder Summer Rayne Oakes says some designers spend up to 80% of their time hunting for materials, and that finding underlying sustainability data is extremely difficult.
In order for a fabric to be available on Source4Style, a supplier has to provide extensive information, which is then reviewed by a panel. The questionairre is based largely on the Eco Index, which is a tool created to measure the impact of clothing and other outdoor gear. Topics include recycled content, organic content, certificatios, farming processes, fair trade practices and more.
Oakes is discovering that many suppliers are thrilled at the opportunity to provide additional information about their products.
Ben & Jerry's Backs Off 'All Natural' Claims
Ben & Jerry's is voluntarily removing the phrase "all natural" from products that contain partially hydrogenated soybean oil and other ingredients that don't actually occur in nature. This move is in response to a complaint filed by the Washington-based Centre for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). Ben & Jerry's will remove the claim and continue to focus on other core values, such as fair-trade suppliers, cage-free eggs and milk from family farms that don't use bovine growth hormones.
This case demonstrates a growing consumer trend of demanding more than marketing claims, and investigating to make sure the underlying data supports such claims.
Green Business News - Week Ending September 24th
How to turn local water conservation into good business
At this year's Clinton Global Initiative, the lead scientist at the Nature Conservancy introduced the organization's innovative market-based "water protection" plan. The concept behind the plan is that people are willing to pay for clean, safe water -- even in the poorest populations. As an example, Dr. Sanjayan explains that by taking a payment directly from a family in Quito, and giving it to someone in the Andes who is protecting a clean water source, they are able to prevent the money from getting tied up in governmental bureaucracies. The direct flow of funds incentivizes protection of water sources and encourages conservation. The program has been wildly successful, turning the Conservancy's initial investment of $1000 dollars into an $8 million dollar enterprise.
CRD Analytics’ Top 1,000 Sustainable Companies: Who’s in the Top 10 and How?
Thin-film solar technology coming to Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart is experimenting with new alternative energy solutions, including wind turbines, geothermal, and solar panels. The company is planning to deploy next-generation thin-film solar panels to 30 additional stores in California and Arizona. The solar installations are expected to provide up to one third of the energy used at each store. Since 2007, Wal-Mart has installed solar panels at 31 of its 8400 stores. Thin-film solar panels can be used in locations where traditional solar panels can't - for example, in climates where heavy snow loads occur.
General Mills To Use 100% Sustainable Palm Oil
BMW unveils Mini Scooter E ahead of Paris show
A Crop Sprouts Without Soil or Sunshine
The company is also planning to convert abandoned buildings in Newark into vertical farms in order to make produce available to areas immediately surrounding each farm. Eventually, they'd like to service the entire tri-state area's residents, schools, supermarkets, hospitals and restaurants. This move is part of a growing initiative to turn Newark into an agricultural hotspot and improve residents' access to healthy, locally-grown food.
Green Business News - Week Ending September 17th
A Belated Debate on Modified Beets
More than 75% of America's corn, soy and sugar beet crops are genetically modified, but we rarely hear about it in the news. Many European countries have banned such crops due to insufficient research and concerns about health, safety and environmental impact.
Environmentalists and farmers are suing the federal Agriculture Department in a California court, in an effort to overturn permits that would allow farmers to plant genetically altered sugar beets. On August 13, a San Francisco judge issued an injunction against planting genetically modified sugar beets. His ruling was based on the Department of Agriculture's failure to adequately study the environmental impact before approving the widespread use of genetically modified crops.
The beets in question are engineered by Monsanto to be resistant to their Roundup herbicide, which allows farmers to apply large amounts of herbicide to fields without killing the beets. Extensive use of Roundup has already resulted in the emergence of "superweeds" that are also resistant to Roundup, and require far harsher chemicals to eradicate. Sugar beets are known to cross-pollinate with regular beets and Swiss chard, and nearby organic farmers are concerned about contamination of their heirloom crops. Earthjustice and the Center for Food Safety contend that this would "deprive farmers and consumers of the choice to grow and consume nongenetically engineered food."
Read more »
Turning everyday garbage into gasoline
A new product called the MicroFusion Reactor can process organic food waste --anything that goes into your compost bin -- into ethanol fuel. At a cost of less than a dollar a gallon, Reactor-produced ethanol is far cheaper than buying ethanol the traditional way.
The system costs $16,000 -- $10,000 for the waste storage tank and pump/reactor system, and $6000 for the generator. CEO Thomas Quinn sees the product as benefiting businesses like hotels and restaurants, which generate large quantities of organic waste. He also sees applications in residential areas. If you don't produce enough organic waste on your own, you can have it delivered.
Read more »
eBay: Our merchants are good for the Earth
Auction giant eBay has sponsored a report that explains how its business model promotes sustainability and energy efficiency. The report found that by eliminating the need for a physical storefront, the retailer avoids the environmental costs associated with maintaining a retail space. eBay started their research in 2008, with a goal of completing "the world's first comprehensive analysis of the global warming benefits of online trading, payments, and communications."
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Ferrari's hybrid future
Ferrari has announced its 2012 supercar will be based on new hybrid technology that will cut emissions by 35%. Their 599 hybrid concept system uses a kinetic energy recovery system to improve energy efficiency. The new supercar will be smaller and lighter than current models, and will not sacrifice speed for lower fuel consumption and emissions.
Are Marketers Bowing to Positive Peer Pressure?
Consumers are seeing huge increases in "green" and "sustainable" marketing, as companies respond to growing market demand for environmentally responsible products. Next time you're at the grocery, check out the shift from product packaging that used to focus entirely on selling the product, to packaging that prominently features its environmental benefits. One example is compostable packaging. The Keebler chocolate chip cookies packaging can be upcycled (turned into new products instead of going to the landfill), and uses almost a quarter of it's prime marketing real estate -- the front of the cookie package -- to tell you about it.
As article author Heidi Tolliver-Nigro notes, "Do you know what a big deal this is? The front of a product package is one of the most precious pieces of real estate a consumer product company has. For them to devote 10% or even 20% of that real estate to some kind of sustainability initiative really says something. For them to give more space to sustainability marketing than the product itself, that’s astonishing."Astonishing, and a striking testament of how our buying decisions bring about change in the marketplace.
REI Releases 2009 Stewardship Report
Recreational Equipment, Inc (REI) released its fourth annual stewardship report report this week, highlighting the company's ongoing commitment to sustainability and employee welfare. Notable findings include:
* 31% of greenhouse gas emissions came from the company's adventure travel program, REI Adventures. This is notable because retailers normally see the highest emissions from in-store energy use.
* REI's five environmental target areas are reducing greenhouse gas emissions, reducing waste and increasing recycling, green building, sustainable paper usage and product stewardship.
* They also focus on employee welfare, and went so far as to join the Fair Factories Clearinghouse and conduct an independent audit of their fair labor compliance program. 60% of REI's factory violations were a result of health and safety, and fair wage issues.
Green Business News - Week Ending September 2nd
Waste Management going for 'black gold'
Houston-based trash and recycling company Waste Management is expanding their organic recycling services to include sales of mulch, compost and playground turf made from recycled organic materials.
To facilitate the expansion, Waste Management acquired Garick, which is a manufacturer of organic gardening products. Garick has the capacity to compost in excess of one million tons of material every year, and Waste Management plans to expand its food and organic waste removal services to accomodate their newfound capacity.
The acquisition brings Waste Management one step closer to a goal of increasing the amount of recyclables processed, increasing production of renewable energy, and investing in new waste-management technologies.
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The price of cheap Walmart eggs? Mummified hens and tainted eggs
Tom Philpott of Grist explores the root of food safety issues like the recent egg recall -- primarily, consumer demand for impossibly cheap eggs:
“The current egg recall, which grew out of filthy conditions on factory-scale Iowa egg facilities (detailed in my last post), can only be fully understood within this context. Profit margins on eggs that retail for 8 cents apiece are nano-thin; in order to make money, producers have no choice but to think in terms of massive volume. And they have to be ruthless about controlling costs.
In a market predicated on cost cutting, the winners aren't the players that produce the highest-quality eggs or maintain the best production standards. Instead, the spoils go to the ones that produce the most eggs at the cheapest price. And that means severe pressure to cut corners on food safety, building maintenance, working conditions, etc. As the career of Wright County Egg Owner Jack DeCoster shows, fines from violations of worker-safety, sanitation, and water-quality laws become a mere cost of doing business.”
As more consumers make buying decisions based on quality, animal welfare and sustainability, the market will shift to reward producers who adopt friendlier practices. Let’s hope this happens sooner, rather than later.
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Philly subway to capture energy from braking trains
Viridity Energey has been awarded a $900,000 grant to build a system to capture energy from braking trains as they slow down to enter stations throughout Philadelphia. The energy will be stored in a giant battery, and be used to power trains when they leave the station. Excess power will be sold back to the grid. The project is slated for operation by spring of 2011.
Viridity’s system includes hosted software that analyzes energy needs and optimizes usage accordingly. The project is estimated to save $500,000 a year using the new system. Viridity makes its money by getting a percentage of the revenue earned by its customers.
BP Tripled Ad Spending After Spill
Oil giant BP spent $93.4 million on advertising in the three months after the Deepwater Horizon disaster, three times what it spent in the same three months last year. According to a report made to the House Energy and Commerce Committee, BP bought fewer ads, but the ads it bought were longer and ran nationwide. The heaviest concentration was in the states directly affected by the spill. In addition to the ad spending, BP gave $89.5 million in grants to promote tourism along the Gulf Coast.
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Fresh Air for Sale, in Hong Kong
The notoriously poor air quality in Hong Kong has resulted in a “revolutionary new product” claiming to let you experience breathing “like the rest of the world does.” At a cost of 2 Hong Kong dollars (25 cents, US), you get a cannister, a mask, and your choice of flavors. The product’s fall launch corresponds with some of the highest pollution levels of the year. Roadside stations in central Hong Kong have classified air pollution levels at “very high” this week.
The campaign’s tongue-in-cheek youtube video has gotten over 140,000 views, and is aimed at increasing awareness of Hong Kong’s deplorable air quality, particularly with youngsters.
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Prescription Drug Use Rose to Include Half of Americans in 2008
A new study has found nearly half of Americans used prescription drugs every month in 2008. This number marks an increase of 10% over the prior decade.
Other findings include:
- 20% of children under the age of 11 took prescription meds each month
- 37% of people aged 60 or higher used five or more prescription meds per month
- Spending for prescription drugs hit $234.1 billion
- The two biggest sellers last year were Lipitor (Pfizer Inc.) and Plavix (Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.)
- For children, the most common medications were treatments for attention-deficit disorder
- For adults aged 20 to 59, antidepressants were the most common
- For adults 60 and over, cholesterol-lowering medications were most common.
Read more »
Green Business News - Week Ending August 26th
How Marketplace Economics Can Help Build a Greener World
Want to know the true ecological impact of what you buy? New technologies are being developed to track supply chains and offer “radical transparency” that goes well beyond marketing buzzwords.These technologies apply two fundamental economic principles to ecological metrics: marketplace transparency and lowering the cost of information. In economics, transparency makes markets work more efficiently. When it comes to the eco-impact of the products we buy, we as buyers know far less than those selling the products, but this is changing.
WalMart is developing a “sustainability index” that rates the ecological impact of its products, boiled down into a single metric. While this is a good first step, it is incredibly difficult to distill the complexities of a product’s origins and supply chain into a single number. They are also piloting life-cycle analyses of certain products - so consumers can see more than just the score.
Other companies like Unilever and Google are implementing their own eco-transparency plans.
A global consortium of companies are forming a “Group of Ten” to develop an open source supply chain transparency system called E2 Turbo that will track data for the 20% of a product’s life cycle that accounts for 80% of its ecological impact. Once data is collected, the software suggests the best ways to improve impacts. Because the software is open source, the likelihood of gaining traction sufficient to support a market shift is high. If consumers reward brands that offer transparency about ecological footprints, the business case for transparency becomes compelling.
Read more »
Voltaic Systems Launches Slick Stand-Alone Solar Chargers
Voltaic Systems has launched a new line of stand-alone solar chargers that are capable of charging a smartphone in four or five hours of direct sunlight. These new chargers have about four times the charging power of most solar chargers on the market. The chargers use high-temperature Lithium Polymer, which stands up better to the heat in direct sunlight, and hold enough power to charge a smartphone twice. The models range from a purse-sized to a small day bag. At $99 to $129 each, these chargers seem like a viable option for anyone who might need a charge on the go.
Canadian “Green Steam” Contraptions Soon to be Killing Weeds All Over Town, Per Rec and Park
The city of San Francisco has swapped pesticides for a brand new Green Steam Machine device that kills weeds without the use of harmful chemicals. Instead, the machine delivers lethal doses of steam.
Says General Manager of Rec and Park Phil Ginsburg, “Last week, we unveiled our brand new Green Steam Machine, an eco-friendly alternative for weed control that eliminates the use of pesticides in and around children’s play areas. Purchased with help from the San Francisco Parks Trust, the Green Steam Machine is thefirst of its kind here in the United States and I can’t be more thrilled with the potential of this new machine. We are going to put one in every Park Services Area (PSA) around the city so that our gardeners and supervisors have regular access to this new machine.”
GM salmon may go on sale in US after public consultation
Food and Drug administration has begun a 60-day process to approve the first genetically modified animal for human consumption. The AquAdvantage salmon has been created by AquaBounty Technologies to grow twice as quickly as its non-modified counterpart. The fish has been under development for 14 years, at a cost of $50 million. The genetic modification introduces a growth hormone gene to make the fish grow faster, and also renders them sterile to prevent them from reproducing.
The FDA’s approval process could take less than a year, which would allow the fish onto the market in 18 months. This decision will set a critical precedent; if approved, it will open the door to a large number of animals that are being engineered for consumption.
We all know what happened the last time the FDA approved a product using growth hormones.
Lumenergi Raises $12.7 Million for Energy Efficient Lighting
Lumenergi Inc., a provider of energy efficient networked lighting systems, recently announced the close of a $12.7 million series B round of financing to facilitate expanding into large-scale commercial and industrial buildings.
Since lighting is responsible for up to 40% of energy consumed in commercial buildings, it is a key target for energy efficiency products. The company’s system enables building owners to centrally control their lighting to provide the right amount of light when and where it is needed, reducing lighting-related energy consumption by up to 70%.
Green Business News - Week Ending August 20th
Scottish scientists develop new whiskey biofuel
Researchers at Edinburgh Napier University have developed a process to convert by-products of whiskey production to what they’re calling a “super” biofuel. Their method is similar to a process that ferments sugar to produce butanol and acetone.
The new fuel can be used in vehicles and even airplanes, and is 30% more efficient than ethanol. Scotland produces 1.6 billion liters of by-product, called “pot ale”, and almost 200,000 tons of grain waste, called “draff”, which scientists say could become a significant source of environmentally-sustainable fuel.
A chicken poo-powered fuel cell
FuelCell Energy has produced a 1.4-megawatt fuel cell that runs on… chicken droppings! The new device has been sold to an Olivera Egg Ranch in California. Chicken droppings are typically stored in a "waste lagoon", where they release methane gas into the atmosphere. The poo-powered fuel cell will allow the ranch to capture methane using an anaerobic digester, then use the methane to power the fuel cell and generate enough electricity to power the ranch's entire operation.
As an added bonus, the heat that is a byproduct of the fuel cell will be used by the anaerobic digester, eliminating the need for a combustion-based boiler.
"My waste disposal costs will decrease as will my power bill as the poultry operation will continually generate the fuel needed to create electricity," says ranch owner Ed Olivera. Olivera Egg Ranch produces 14 million cartons of eggs per year.
Tesla co-founder: Electric cars with 500+ mile range by 2020
Martin Eberhard, a co-founder of Tesla Motors, has predicted that electric cars will have a range of 500+ miles within 10 years. Currently, most electric cars have a range around 100 miles, with the Tesla Roadster leading the pack at 244 miles. Eberhard, who currently works for Volkswagon/Audi, says the company is awaiting new 3.4 amp-hour lithium-ion battery cells that should be able to get a range of nearly 300 miles. Cost remains a factor, but Eberhard hopes economies of scale will help drive down prices as technologies continue to evolve.
New low-cost solar array for do-it-yourself residential installation
Seattle-based Clarion Power has developed a new do-it-yourself solar technology product for residential use that doesn’t require a costly professional installation. The Sunfish system starts at $799, and allows homeowners to connect the solar panels to their power supply by simply plugging it in to a regular electrical outlet.
The system has built-in circuit protection and doesn’t require a dedicated control panel, which eliminates the need for an electrician. Homeowners simply mount the solar panels anywhere on the house and plug it in. Wi-fi is used to monitor the system once it’s installed. The largest model will generate up to 150 kilowatt hours per month, with five or six needed to produce the amount of electricity used by an average American home.
Sustainable packaging promises to deliver $140bn market
A new study predicts exponential growth in demand for environmentally-friendly packaging, with the global market expected to exceed $140 billion by 2015. Last year, the sustainable products sector was worth a mere $88 million. The report attributes this explosive growth to Asian markets joining the US and Europe in demanding packaging that is either biodegradable or recyclable.
Cosmetics and food are leading adopters of sustainable packaging, with shipping and healthcare quickly catching up. Also notable is a shift in the market, with biodegradable packaging growing much more quickly than packaging made with recycled materials.
Fred Flintstone wants this car and so should you
A new human-electric hybrid vehicle called the HumanCar is powered by a combination of hand cranks and electricity. Apparently, if the driver and three friends crank full-blast, they can get the car up to an impressive 60 mph on flat roads, and 30 mph up hills. If you don't have enough crank-power, there is an electric plug-in feature that can give you a boost. The car is priced around $15,000, and -- added bonus -- you can almost certainly cancel your gym membership.
Sunny Delight goes zero waste
Ohio-based juice maker Sunny Delight's six manufacturing plants produced zero waste this year, meeting the company's goal three years ahead of schedule. In 2007, they produced 1,140 tons of landfill waste, compared to zero tons in 2010. To achieve this goal, Sunny D went paperless for accounting functions, and started allowing vendors to file invoices and payments electronically. In addition to meeting waste goals, the company is also reducing water consumption, decreasing energy use, reducing packaging weight and reducing emissions.
Mini solar Bonsai tree powers your gadgets
French designer Vivien Muller is using mother nature to inspire a new artistic solor power generator, called the Electree. The Electree is modelled after a bonsai tree, with 54 miniature solar panels for its "leaves". A battery in the device's "trunk" stores electricity which can be used to charge small devices such as cell phones. The initial run of 20 limited edition "specimens" cost $6000 each, but its manufacturer is hoping to produce a larger run at a lower price point in the future.
Green Business News - Week Ending August 13th
Bicycle-Based Compost Collection Turns Town Toward Smarter Sanitation
Minneapolis-based Eureka Recycling is conducting an experiment to see if residents are interested in composting. Eureka employee Sonya Ewert is using a 27-gear bicycle and a custom-made compost trailer to go door to door and collect compostable items. Says Ewert, "It's been a bit smellier than I anticipated, but in general if I get paid to bike around, I can't complain about that."
If enough people are interested, Eureka will start offering the service. Tim Brownell, CEO of Eureka, would like to move toward a zero-waste city by 2020. He hopes that if he can establish a clear demonstration of interest, the permitting process will be easier to navigate.
For Parched Farmers, a Crop of Electrons
Farmers in the San Joaquin Valley are looking to large-scale solar power plants as a solution to hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland that are unable to produce crops. Decades of water shortages and drainage problems have led to a buildup of salt in the soil that forced 250,000 acres of land to be retired from farming.
Farmers are hoping to once again profit from the contaminated land by building a 5000-megawatt photovoltaic power complex. Farmer Mark Shannon is one of the farmers leasing land for the solar installation, although he’d rather be growing crops. In 2009, Shannon was unable to farm 85% of his land after receiving only 10% of their water supply. His family has farmed there for three generations.
Ford microgrid to combine solar with EV charging
Ford Motor announced plans to convert a Wayne, Michigan SUV factory to a solar-powered plant that will produce fuel-efficient cars. A microgrid will combine on-site solar generation with a battery that can be used to charge electric vehicles. The charging station will be used to charge electric trucks that transport parts between facilities.
The plan is intended to serve as a smart-grid test, and will cost $5.8 million to install. Ford expects to save $160,000 a year in energy costs.
Geneco's VW (Dung) Beetle gets pep from poop
Sustainable energy company Geneco has unveiled a modified Volkswagon Beetle that runs on methane gas extracted from human waste. Biogas is generated when sewage from a waste plant is put into a special container where oxygen-starved bacteria break it down and produce methane. The methane can then be used to power the Beetle’s modified engine.
Co-op capitalizes renewable energy businesses
A renewable energy cooperative, called Co-op Power, has added a new biodiesel business to its portfolio. Northeast Biodiesel is a multi-million dollar project in Massachusetts that will make about 3.5 million gallons of fuel per year, using recycled oil. The fuel will be used in buses, tractors, cars and in home heating systems. The new company is owned by the co-op and its 375 members, which will keep benefits and profits within the local community.
Some estimates claim this type of biodiesel is 80% better for the planet than conventional diesel made from soy or petroleum.
Nouvelle food trucks make fast food with slow values
A new wave of street food vendors across the country are bringing the Slow Food movement’s principles of local, sustainably grown and simple ingredients to the street corner. These upscale food trucks represent a new breed of mobile eco-conscious entrepreneurs, who are producing low-cost, high-quality food that is not only fast, but also fresh and tasty. Facebook and twitter are widely used to build customer loyalty, and to broadcast truck locations and specials.
LED Bulb Edges Below $20
Home Depot began selling new 30-year LED light bulbs for less than $20, after experts predicted such bulbs would cost at least $30 each through 2012. LED bulbs differ from compact florescent bulbs by emitting a light that is warmer and brighter, more closely emulating regular incandescents.
A spokeswoman for Home Depot said that the new EcoSmart LED bulbs are already so popular they are having trouble keeping them on the shelves.
Portland Gets North America's First Public Quick-Charge Station for EVs
Oregon’s largest utility has teamed up with NEC Corp, a communications and information technology company, to open North America’s first public-use, quick-charge station for electric vehicles. The charging station requires only 20-30 minutes to recharge an electric vehicle’s lithium-ion battery to 80% of its full charge.
Portland State University is working with PGE and the Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium to document the project, and plans to release its findings in September.
Green Business News - Week Ending August 6th
Builder pitches net-zero energy homes
A new company is seeking to build the nation’s largest net-zero energy subdivision, comprised of homes that produce as much energy as they consume.
The homes will start in the high $400,000s, and will face challenges as they compete with traditional homes priced under $300,000. Jim Regan, Energy Smart's president, embraces the challenges that come with his groundbreaking project. "This is the way the world should build," he said. "We can build a home that renews itself.''
Homes will use a combination of alternative energy sources, from solar to wind to geothermal, and homeowners will be credited for the energy they produce.
Read more »
California Businesses Get 0% Financing for Efficiency Improvements
PG&E, one of the country’s largest natural gas and electric utilities, has allocated $20 million for California business owners seeking to finance energy efficiency improvements. The money will be loaned interest-free -- that’s an unheard-of 0% financing -- and loan payments will be included in utility bills. The energy savings will be used to offset the loan, which adds up to an extremely low-cost way to greenify commercial properties.
And don’t worry if you’re not a California business person -- Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts have this program already in place, with New York, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Wisconsin and Oregon under serious consideration.
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Oregon on track to get utility-scale wave farm
New Jersey-based Ocean Power Technologies is one step closer to building a wave energy plant off the coast of Oregon that could generate enough electricity to power 1000 homes each year.
On Wednesday, the company signed a settlement agreement that included 11 government agencies and several private companies. Ocean Power is still waiting to be granted a license from the Federal Energy Regulation Commission that would allow it to connect to the grid.
To prepare for the project, the company worked with local government agencies to evaluate the effect on marine life or the Oregon seafood industries. They have also committed to continue evaluation once the project is completed.
EV charging station recharges without wires
Evatran has introduced a new wireless vehicle charging station that uses electromagnetic induction to transmit power to an electric vehicle’s battery.
The charging station is mounted to the floor near where the car is parked, and a vehicle adapter is mounted to the car. Going wireless is about 10% less efficient than using cords, but the time it takes to charge the battery is the same.
Evatran plans to begin producing the device in early 2011.
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Green tech investment surges even as economy lags
A new report from Ernst & Young shows venture capital investment in energy-related green technology surged 64% to $1.5 billion in the second quarter of 2010. This jump puts current investment in green technology at the same record-breaking levels reached in the third quarter of 2008, just before the economy collapsed.
The money is largely going to electric cars and supporting infrastructure, and solar projects. 59% of the investment went to later-stage startups that are more likely to produce high returns, rather than early-stage experimental enterprises.
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New BP boss says there will be ‘pullback’ in cleanup, but no abandonment
New BP CEO Bob Dudley made his first trip to the Gulf region this week to outline next steps for the energy giant’s oil spill recovery. He reiterated BP’s pledge to help oil workers who lost their jobs by setting up a $100 million fund that will start issuing grants on September 1st.
Meanwhile, after completing a new round of seafood testing, commercial fishing is reopening in portions of Louisiana state waters east of the Mississippi river. 7539 square miles of federal fishing waters remain off-limits.
Results of Xcel Energy's Wind-to-Battery Project
Xcel Energy has published results of a two-year direct wind energy storage experiment. The company installed a 1-megawatt (MW) capacity battery (20 50-kW NGK Insulator batteries) near an 11-MW wind farm. The battery’s purpose was to store wind energy and release it to the grid when needed. Early test results show the battery was effective in shifting wind energy from off-peak to on-peak availability, and that the new technology could be applicable to Solar as well.
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General Motors Invests in Lightweight Hybrid Maker
GM has taken an equity stake in Bright Automotive, a developer of lightweight plug-in hybrid vehicles. The new relationship will accelerate the release of Bright’s first car, which had been slated for production in 2013. Bright is considering factors like weight, wind resistance and construction materials to design its car platform, which will weigh 1500 pounds less than its competitors.
Green Business News - Week of July 25th
UPS Digs Deep into Footprint, Sets High Goals for Fuel Efficiency
United Parcel Service has stepped up its environmental efforts, publishing a sustainability report that shows decreased energy and water use, fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and a new goal of 20% improvement in fuel efficiency by 2020.
Since UPS started compiling sustainability reports back in 2003, they have seen an improvement in most of their environmental key performance indicators. This year’s report includes more detail and provides new data about global greenhouse gas emissions.
Bicycle-powered coffee stand hits the streets of NYC
Kickstand Coffee, based in Brooklyn, uses two bicycles, a fold-up stand and a hand-cranked grinder to serve its hot and cold coffee at events throughout the city. Two 160-pound rolling carts are towed by bicycles and assembled at the location to create the coffee stand. Beans are ground by hand on an on-demand basis, and hot coffee is brewed on location using specially adapted beakers. The company has a mini folding bicycle in the works that will allow customers to grind their own beans.
Rooftop gardening provides environmental benefits in urban areas
Urban business-owners are taking the green roof concept one step further by using their roofs to grow fruit and vegetables. David Moxlow, president of Trenton Forging, which manufactures car parts in Michigan, is working to develop a way to harness the heat produced by their forge to keep their rooftop greenhouse warm enough to grow food year-round. The heat would otherwise be wasted, and the Michigan climate is too cold to support a greenhouse garden without a heat source. The produce is shared with employees and visitors. Moxlow hopes his system might help others in northern climates operate rooftop gardens year-round.
Rooftop gardening is particularly well-suited for manufacturers and warehousing operations that often have large, unused flat roofs, but little land to spare. Several systems are currently available that allow hydroponic or container gardens to be easily installed on such roofs.
Six commercial buildings save 9.9M kWh annually with new software
New energy reduction software from Optimum Energy has been employed in six locations throughout New York. Collectively, these six installations are expected to reduce heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) energy consumption by more than 9.9 million kWh annually, resulting in:·operating cost savings of more than $2 million per year;·water savings of more than 4 million gallons per year; and·greenhouse gas emission savings of more than 16 million pounds per year.
The software provides benchmarking, which allows cost savings to be easily calculated and tracked.
Hormel Foods awarded LEED Gold for new production facility
Hormel Foods Corporation’s new Progressive Processing production facility in Dubuque, Iowa has been awarded LEED Gold -- a first for a manufacturing plant. Jeffrey Ettinger, chairman of the board, president and CEO of Hormel Foods is quite proud of the accomplishment, which he hopes “sets a new standard for the food industry.”
Highlights of the new facility include:
- 25% less energy and water consumption than a plant built to meet current building codes and industry standards
- Nonirrigated landscaping, using native, low-maintenance vegetation
- Lighting and temperature controls that monitor the amount of light, heating, or cooling needed based on daylight, occupancy and time schedule.
- Sophisticated heat and water recovery processes. For example, waste water is captured and reused in toilets.
New eco-index software challenges manufacturers (and consumers)
A group of retailers including Nike and Patagonia have worked together to develop software that will track and measure the end-to-end environmental impact of their products.
The software is being compared to what Energy Star does for appliances, and will ultimately help consumers make purchasing decisions based on their personal eco-priorities and the eco score for each product. Companies will answer a wide range of questions about each product, including manufacturing, shipping and disposal.
Participating companies see the tool as a way to differentiate themselves as responsible, transparent and committed to sustainability. The eco-index tool will debut in Salt Lake City next month.
Leading Building Owners, Tenants Join Forces to Push Green Leasing
A group of leading building owners, investment advisory firms and corporate tenants have become allies in a campaign to make commercial office space more sustainable by breaking down the barriers to green leasing.
Buildings account for almost 40% of energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in the US, and studies have shown that market values increase, and vacancies and costs decrease in green buildings. However, difficulty in securing financing for green upgrades, significant upfront investments and longer-term payback for such projects often discourages landlords from making improvements.
The new coalition has signed a pledge to work together to overcome these obstacles and convert their properties according to guiding principles outlined in a Green Lease Action Plan.
This Week's Business News
Method Laundry Detergent Wins Award for ‘Behavior Changing Design’
Method has won an International Design Excellence Award (IDEA) for its innovative pump-action laundry detergent bottle that combats consumers’ tendency to use too much detergent. Although it seems counter-intuitive, it’s actually better for your clothes (not to mention your washing machine, your wallet, and the environment) to use less soap. Method’s new bottle only needs four pumps to dispense the optimal amount of detergent, and it also manages to squeeze every last drop out of the bottle so there’s nothing wasted when it hit the recycle bin.
To the IDEA jurors, the effectiveness of Method’s innovation is magnified by the product as a whole. "Even though the pump structure is nothing new in cosmetic packaging, combining it with ultra-concentrated detergent prompted new consumer behavior that reduces both resources and water use," says Starbucks executive Fumi Watanabe, a judge in the packaging category. "Why hasn't anybody done this before?"
While Method is thrilled that their efforts are being recognized, they aren’t wasting any time further improving their product line. They believe that sustainability is an ongoing process, and are seeking to increase the percentage of recycled plastic used in their bottles, as well as replace the 5% remaining non-plant-based ingredients in the detergent with more natural sources.
Pittsburgh Wins Big with Green Initiatives
Pittsburgh has just been ranked sixth on Site Selection magazine’s inaugural sustainability index for metro cities. Rankings are based on Green Industry; number of LEED Certified projects; LEED Certified projects per capita and level of incentives support for green projects. From the 2003 Gold-LEED certified David L. Lawrence Convention Center to its #1 ranking in farmers markets and community gardens per capita, this former steel town is surprising residents, visitors and green-savvy entrepreneurs with its new-found eco-status.
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Going Beyond the Living Wage: Can Nobility Be Profitable?
Knights Apparel CEO Joseph Bozich joins the raft of business leaders who don’t believe boosting market share and doing good are mutually exclusive.
For example, Bozich has just aquired a new facility in the Dominican Republic’s free trade zone. Even though the government defines the monthly “living” wage as $176, Bozich is paying each of his 120 employees three times that amount.
Knights t-shirts will retail for the same $18.00 as its premium brand competition in Addidas, Nike and Reebok. As UC Berkeley professor of CSR Kellie McElhaney explains: “A lot of college students would much rather pay for a brand that shows workers are treated well.”
This socially responsible move is putting pressure on Bozich’s competitors, and has even prompted Nike to reveal they are keeping an eye on Knights to see how their strategy works out.
Harvesting Personal Energy to Create Ohio’s Clean Energy Future
Kinetic energy is the inspiration behind a new clean energy business in Cleveland, Ohio called Tremont Electric. Less well-known than solar or wind, kinetic energy is created by movement -- in Tremont’s case, using small-scale, everyday activities like walking or running.
The company was formed in 2007 after founder Aaron LeMieux went for a hike on the Appalachian Trail and was forced to make frequent stops in towns along the way to recharge his CD player.
His new device, the nPower PEG (personal energy generator), is the size of a glasses case and can be tossed into your backpack or purse to harvest the energy you generate as you walk. The device can then be used to power small electronics like your cell phone.
Google Energy Signs 20-Year, 114 MW Wind Power Contract
Google Energy has just closed a 20-year deal to buy 114 megawatts of power from the NextEra Energy Resources Story County II wind farm in Iowa. This move not only creates a great PR opportunity for Google, but more importantly gives the wind producer incentive to continue to make investments in renewable energy.
Google has adopted a number of strategies to become a carbon-neutral company, from minimizing energy consumption to using renewable energy to power facilities to purchasing carbon offsets.
Compost Conundrum Muddies Market
The number of compostable dishware products available in Seattle has grown 900% in less than three years, due to a new law requiring restaurants to use only recyclable or compostable single-use items. The law aims to reduce the more than 6,000 tons of plastic dishware that hits the landfill each year.
This shift in the plastic dishware marketplace is creating an issue for product manufacturers: The existing standard -- a certification by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI)-- isn’t always sufficient to break down materials because each compost facility has its own unique conditions. According to a report from the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, manufacturers making the switch to compostable technology may not find it worth the hassle unless a national standard that uses BPI as its starting point can be developed. In order to be effective, a national standard should address both the compostability of a product and grade the quality of the compost produced.
What Will Green Air Travel of the Future Look Like?
Robin Mannings, independent futurologist, and Charles Champion, executive vice president of engineering at Airbus, spoke to Businessgreen.com about how aviation is trying to move away from its traditional association with high energy consumption, and Airbus’s grand schemes for a greener future of air transport.
According to Mannings and Champion, there are several possibilities for alternative fuels, although none has emerged as the de facto winner:
- Hydrogen power is bulky to store
- Algae-based fuels are in testing and could potentially replace fossil fuel
- Solar is unlikely to be the main propulsion for passenger airliners, although it could be useful in powering electrical devices onboard
- Potential for energy recovery during descent
Mannings also suggests it might be time for a more radical shift in airline culture by returning to a more spacious and leisurely approach to travel. He mentions the concept of using airships, similar to cruise liners, that would burn less fuel by focusing less on speed and more on experience.
Champion points out that a first step in greening the airline industry is to replace fossil fuels with biomass fuels, as this can keep current fleets operational rather than requiring a massively expensive complete replacement. Part of the solution could be integrating more closely with Air Traffic Management (ATM). Time spent circling the airport waiting for clearance to land burns fuel, and he believes he can significantly reduce fuel consumption by improving the ATM process.
Airbus has published a report, The Future, speculating on these ideas and more. “We drew a lot from our discussions with young people, to find out if, maybe, they thought air travel would be a thing of the past,” says Champion. “But what they told us is that they expect to travel even more than people do today. However, they also want to travel in a more cost-efficient and environmentally friendly way.”
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