CAMILLE RICKETTS | posted on January 30, 2009

 
The past several years have seen rapid growth in the number of so-called “green collar” jobs in the state of California, according to a new report from Mountain View, Calif.-based Collaborative Economics. Between 2005 and 2007 alone, employment in the sector spiked 10 percent to about 105,000. To put that in context, the overall workforce grew about one percent statewide. This shift is significant for the state, and Silicon Valley in particular, where many formidable cleantech companies have taken root. The region has always been a hub for computing technology but only recently emerged as a leader in the green economy — even though wind and solar projects have been toiling out of the spotlight elsewhere for decades.

The wave was kicked off in 2004, when then-California Treasurer Phil Angelides pushed the state’s large public pensions (CalPERS and CalSTRS) to commit $1.5 million to a “Green Wave” program. The initiative included investments into venture capital firms that backed clean technology companies. The green trend reached a crescendo in 2007, when green czar Al Gore decided to join the prestigious Valley venture firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers to help advise it on clean technology investments. The whole time, cleantech startups have rushed to set up shop nearby; other firms, like Mayfield Fund, Silicon Valley Bank and Draper Fischer Jurvetson, have dedicating more resources to cleantech initiatives of their own. Clearly the bulk of these new green jobs won’t be at slick venture-backed startups. According to the report, nearly 20 percent of them are in manufacturing — the actual plants where solar cells, turbine blades and electric engines are built. Other salient findings include: …read full discussion

David Ehrlich | posted on January 30, 2009

 

Two different airlines had algae biofuel test flights this month, and both turned to the well-funded Sapphire Energy for their needs. Japan Airlines took flight today on a plane partially powered by camelina, jatropha and a small percentage of algae-based biofuels, while Houston’s Continental Airlines took to the wild biofuel yonder earlier this month, using a blend of jatropha and algae.

…read full discussion

Mike Chino | posted on January 26, 2009

 

 

Katie Fehrenbacher | posted on January 26, 2009

Remember the data center construction boom of the dotcom bubble? Well, the opposite trend — data center consolidation –  is starting to take effect now that energy efficiency is becoming increasingly popular and the economy has hit the skids. Sun is announcing Monday that it has finished “the largest data center consolidation project undertaken in the company’s history,” with a new energy-efficient data center in Broomfield, Colo. The data center is one of at least five that Sun has spent around $250 million constructing in recent years, while reducing its data center square footage by 60 percent.

The news comes just a day before Sun is expected to announce pretty poor quarterly earnings. Forbes says the earnings will likely deliver “the largest drop in year-over-year revenues,” since early 2008, as well as offer a closer look at how recently announced layoffs will be effecting the company. But the data center consolidation plan addresses cost-cutting, too.

The new 126,000-square-foot data center is the result of consolidating some 496,000 square feet of computing space, or a 66 percent reduction, in nearby Louisville, Colo., which Sun acquired after buyingnetwork computing company StorageTek. Sun says the new smaller Broomfield data center will save the company $1 million per year on its electricity bill by reducing 1 million kWh per month, eliminate 11,000 tons of CO2 per year that would be emitted into the atmosphere, and reduce Sun’s U.S. carbon footprint by 6 percent. …read full discussion

Evelyn Lee | posted on January 23, 2009

 

Increasing densification of urban areas is not a new problem, and unfortunately solutions to this dilemma usually result in the construction of an apartment building where an old, aging house once stood. However,Christopher L. Megowan was keen on finding a solution that would allow for increased density while also maintaining existing structures. And surely enough, he managed to add 1,200 square feet to the backyard of an 100-year-old Victorian home located on the outskirts of the University of Southern California campus. As a student investment, his modern addition comes in at a mere $130 per square foot. What is more impressive, perhaps, is the use of passive, environmentally-friendly efficiencies throughout the renovation which include ample daylighting and ventilation. …read full discussion

Chris Morrison | posted on January 23, 2009

 

 

One of the stranger-looking representatives of the electric car revolution is approaching its public debut. The Aptera 2e, an all-electric car that the company calls an “aerodynamic marvel,” has reached pre-production and is scheduled to start being manufactured in October of this year.

Aptera’s real claim to fame, aside from building electric vehicles in the first place, is its three-wheeled design that places two wheels at the front of the car and one in the back. This arrangement confers some steering and efficiency advantages, but is unknown in modern cars, which has prompted some (including me) to suggest that Aptera will have difficulty breaking into the market. …read full discussion

Katie Fehrenbacher | posted on January 23, 2009

With a record number of viewers watching video streams of the presidential inauguration this week, it’s not hard to see why energy consumption of the Internet has doubled between 2000 and 2006. And it’s just going to consume more energy as greater numbers turn to the web for entertainment, news, communication and shopping and as Internet users demand faster broadband speeds.

But take a closer look at the numbers and we can see the Internet is actually getting more energy efficient. According to data from Jonathan Koomey, scientist with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, while Internet energy use doubled from 2000 to 2006, Internet traffic has far more than doubled during that period, and has ramped up by a factor of 20 to the 5th (or 3.2 million). The reason for the discrepancy is because network technologies have gotten consistently more energy efficient per unit of data transferred over the Internet. …read full discussion

Bridgette Steffen | posted on January 21, 2009

 

Masdar, the new sustainable super-city being developed by Abu Dhabi, recently announced that it is building the largest grid-connected solar plant in the Middle East. The 10 MW solar plant will be half thin-film and half crystalline silicon photovoltaics, with 5 MW of thin film solar panels being provided by Arizona-based First Solar. The Masdar solar power plant is expected to reduce emissions of 15,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually and cost around $50 million. …read full discussion

Luke Iseman | posted on January 21, 2009

 

Hammocks: the symbol of lazy environmentalism (and proper permaculture design)

Regardless of your green ambitions, it’s never hurts to know the shortcuts to more sustainable choices. Funny and in this category is this guide to green living, even featuring a sustainable introduction: …read full discussion

Katie Fehrenbacher | posted on January 21, 2009

 

The idea of making the power grid smarter has entered the mainstream lexicon this year, with the inclusion of smart grid funding in the proposed stimulus package. Part of making the grid smarter is installing technology in homes — from smart meters, to better software, to wireless in-home networks — to help people monitor and reduce energy and cut down on their electricity bill. Some of the early trials that started in 2008 are starting to show positive results, but the more advanced technology is still taking baby steps.

This morning, smart grid startup Silver Spring Networks and software developer Greenbox are touting results of a small trial with Oklahoma Gas and Electric. Silver Spring’s network technology was installed, along with smart meters in 6,600 apartments for a trial that tested remote monitoring and termination of services; 25 customers tested out energy management services using Greenbox in-home software. …read full discussion