In the opening keynote, Dan Geiger, Executive Director, U.S. Green Building Council USGBC – Northern California Chapter, noted that green building has been a bright spot in an otherwise gloomy market. Total […]
What Is the Appropriate Role for Government in Cleantech Innovation?
It’s not a popular thing to argue right now, but yes, there certainly is a vital role for government in support of cleantech innovation. Let me start by acknowledging that I absolutely […]
Chicago Launches First City Infrastructure Trust in the US : Greentech Media
Financing energy efficiency is both a tricky business and a no-brainer. But that’s starting to change — at least in Chicago. On Thursday, the city’s mayor, Rahm Emanuel, announced the Chicago Infrastructure […]
Keeping the Lights on in California Amidst 33% Renewables and Environmental Rulings
California’s 2020 goal of generating a third of its power from renewables will be more complicated than just building enough solar power plants, utility-scale wind projects, and geothermal facilities. Renewable energy, much […]
Smokestack vs. Tailpipe: How Clean Are Electric Vehicles?
At nearly every electric vehicle or smart grid conference, someone in the audience asks the question about just how clean electric vehicles are given that they are probably fueled by coal power […]
Construction of the Largest U.S. Geothermal Heat Pump System Underway
A groundbreaking geothermal heating and cooling project shows that these super-efficient heat pumps are gaining traction. Construction of the largest ground-source geothermal heating and cooling system in the United States is now […]
Solar Power for Your Shower! Business Models for Third-Party Ownership of SWH
Earlier this week I discussed the market penetration of solar water heating (SWH) in the United States and how states and utilities are incentivizing these systems. This article discusses how the private […]
Top Three Reasons Cheap Natural Gas Won’t Kill Renewable Energy
I’ll be the first to admit that cheap natural gas prices are one of the biggest short-term threats to deployment of renewable energy in the U.S. today. With a glut of gas […]
Negative prices in wholesale electricity markets indicate supply inflexibilities
Wholesale electricity markets sometimes result in prices below zero. That is, sellers pay buyers to take the power. This situation arises because certain types of generators, such as nuclear, hydroelectric, and wind, […]
New Financing Models have Potential to Revolutionize Commercial Solar Water Heating Market
Last month, SEPA released a new study titled, “Heating Up: The Impact of Third Party Business Models on the US Market for Solar Water and Space Heating.” The report profiled the emergence […]
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