Other News - RenewableEnergyWorld.com

Fracking and Solar: Friends, Foes or the Bridge to Clean Energy Adoption?

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:17:00 GMT

Hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” has been widely criticized by environmentalists who cite concerns with water pollution and methane leakage from this high-volume method of extracting natural gas. However, the burning of natural gas is undoubtedly better for the planet than the burning of coal. Some experts are now saying that — toxic chemicals an

Moniz Unanimously Confirmed As New DOE Chief

James Montgomery, Associate Editor, RenewableEnergyWorld.com — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:55:25 GMT

Ernie Moniz has been unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the next Secretary of Energy, in a 97-0 vote (with three nonvoters). He succeeds Stephen Chu who held the position for four years.

U.K. Delays Smart Meter Rollout by a Year on 'Challenge'

Alex Morales, Bloomberg — Thu, 16 May 2013 12:00:00 GMT

The U.K. postponed its mass installation of "smart" energy meters by a year as suppliers struggle with design glitches and testing is delayed.

The Finnish Hydrogen Roadmap: Hydrogen to Join Electricity in Ending Traffic Pollution

Jussi Solin, Technical Research Center of Finland — Thu, 16 May 2013 12:00:00 GMT

Global expectations for hydrogen are currently sky-high. Transport applications stand at the threshold of commercialisation, while ahead lies an investment boom in the hydrogen distribution network. The changeover to hydrogen based on natural gas would already mean a potential saving of billion in Finland's balance of payments. If hydrogen could then be produced from domestic renewable raw material, our car and bus traffic would eventually be practically self-sufficient and leave a significantly reduced carbon footprint. The above was revealed in the Finnish hydrogen roadmap published recently.

Springtime for Tesla

Mon, 13 May 2013 16:42:52 GMT

In my past couple blog posts, I've written about the electric car market and inventor Nikola Tesla , but I'd be remiss if I didn't take a moment to talk about Telsa Motors and the very big waves the company has been making lately. Tesla is having a very, very good May so far. Stock prices raised eyebrows on Wall Street, the company turned its first

Brazil May Favor Gas Over Wind to Fulfill World Cup Energy Demand

Stephan Nielsen and Mario Sergio Lima, Bloomberg — Wed, 08 May 2013 12:00:00 GMT

Brazil, the second-biggest producer of hydroelectricity, is seeking to increase the use of fossil fuels after the worst drought in 50 years depleted reservoirs, underscoring a limit to renewable energy.

Another Electric Car Maker Loses Power

Thu, 02 May 2013 18:23:19 GMT

After selling just 100 units of its product, electric car manufacturer Coda Holdings has filed for Chapter 11 in a Delaware bankruptcy court. Coda Automotive's only vehicle was its Coda Car, an all-electric sedan with four doors and a battery pack. The company has its headquarters in Los Angeles. Coda Cars have an EPA-rated battery range of about 8

Kenyan Island to Fight Malaria Using Solar Power

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:00:00 GMT

Since solar photovoltaic panels were first invented they have been used for many purposes and will no doubt continue to do so over the coming years. It is always good to hear of them being installed for a worthwhile cause over and above the usual benefits that they provide to the environment. A Kenyan island is gradually having solar panels fitted

2030: A Future Roadmap for Renewables?

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:00:00 GMT

A recent European Commission Green Paper seeking views on the development of intermediate renewable energy and climate targets for 2030 has prompted calls from the industry to adopt a three part approach, targeting renewable energy, energy efficiency and emissions reduction. Formally opening an ongoing debate, the consultation — the Commission says

4 Tactics for Converting Residential Solar Website Visitors

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:00:00 GMT

So you’ve done a lot of work blogging and using social media, plus paid web ads, to drive traffic to your website, but visitors don’t stay very long, and even when they do, most don’t contact you. Bummer. But why? There’s no one single reason for poor website conversions, but let’s go through a few common reasons and some solutions. 1) Your website

Solar Fred's Guide to Getting DIY Customer Surveys and Feedback

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 12:00:00 GMT

I recently had some car battery trouble, which was taken care of by AAA. They did a good job, and after testing my battery and giving me a jump, the AAA service person gave me his card and told me that I may receive a customer survey. That survey hasn’t come in yet, but it’s a reminder that solar companies in all sectors need to send these out too.

Breaking News: Martians Offer Earthlings Low-Cost Clean Energy

Renewable Energy World Editors — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 04:01:00 GMT

RenewableEnergyWorld.com has learned of secret meetings that have been held between UN energy ministers and Martian ministers of energy regarding the terawatts of easily exploitable geothermal energy that Mars possesses.

Greening City Grids for EVs

Elisa Wood, Contributor — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 11:21:00 GMT

Short of putting a windmill on top of a car - a parody vehicle that became a source of political jesting during the 2012 U.S. presidential election - electric vehicle (EV) owners have little control over the ultimate emissions profile of their cars. An EV is only as clean and green as the last charging station it visited. And in most cases, that charging station is only as green as the electric grid that feeds it.

For Renewable Energy, Hands-on Learning Can't Be Beat

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 19:16:47 GMT

I’m a reader. I love sitting down with a great book or an in-depth report full of charts and graphs and really digging in. SEIA and GTM Research just released their Solar Market Insight Report with staggering figures about solar installations in the U.S. in 2012. If you, like me, love to learn about the global growth of renewable energy, you shou

Obama to Press Congress on $2 Billion Clean Energy Research Fund

Jim Efstathiou Jr., Bloomberg — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 12:00:00 GMT

President Barack Obama is pressing Congress to create a $2 billion clean-energy research fund with fees paid by oil and gas producers to help lower U.S. dependence on oil.

15, Count 'Em, 15 Must-Have's for Any Modern Residential Solar Website

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 13:00:00 GMT

A lot of residential solar companies contact me about programs for them, and one of the first things I do is look at their websites. Some are okay, but often they’re outdated and missing several key elements that every modern website should have. So, for the benefit of not repeating myself and helping these installers to at least look modern, her

SolarCity Teams Up with Honda: Who's Your Non-Solar Co-Marketing Partner?

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 14:00:00 GMT

Sometimes it feels like solar installers have to make their own way in the world, but as SolarCity has just shown, that’s really not true at all. In case you missed it, SolarCity and Honda recently announced that they would be partnering to offer SolarCity products to Honda car buyers in 15 states states. In addition, Honda — a profitable company

Changing Perspectives on Climate Change

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 12:00:00 GMT

For most of his career, my middle school art teacher had the letters “POV” written on the classroom ceiling. From time to time, confused eleven-year-olds would inquire about the meaning behind the acronym permanently overhead. “Well,” he’d respond, “that depends upon your point of view.” So it is with climate change. We hear numerical evidence ever

Fuels America Sends Snarky Valentine to Big Oil

Jim Lane, Biofuels Digest — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 18:40:17 GMT

"We love how oil companies want to keep us dependent on a dirty, climate warming, expensive fuel in short supply. Isn't that just great?"

China's Hainan Province Mulls Electric Vehicles Demonstration Project

Liu Yuanyuan, Contributor — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 15:41:59 GMT

Industry leaders and experts were all positive concerning the future of Hainan province's electric vehicles market at the 2012 Global New Energy Vehicle Conference (GNEV) held in Boao and Haikou, two cities in Hainan province, China in January. Experts highlighted the challenges and opportunities of making the province an electric vehicle demonstration island, and said further research in tandem with favorable government policies is necessary.