Community Solar Heats Up

Community Solar Heats Up

Residential solar installations are fairly expensive propositions, making it more difficult for people to participate in this renewable energy resource. But now a relatively new concept—community solar—is seeing the light of day. Despite some financial, legal and technology barriers, a handful of utilities in cities like St. George, UT, and Seattle, WA, have come together for community solar, paving the way for more to follow. Private industry is also stepping in, helping the market to heat up more quickly.

Energy Efficiency a Top Carbon Reduction Strategy for Many American Companies

Energy Efficiency a Top Carbon Reduction Strategy for Many American Companies

A newly-released Pew Center report “From Shop Floor to Top Floor: Best Business Practices in Energy Efficiency,” documents that US companies are increasingly pursuing innovative energy efficiency strategies to boost productivity and cost savings, while reducing their carbon footprint.

Small Wind Can Deliver Big Results

Small Wind Can Deliver Big Results

Supporting the local economy, promoting green jobs, encouraging energy conservation. These are some of the benefits that small-scale wind projects can offer–and are beginning to deliver in a big way despite market barriers.

The Changing Green Consumer Marketplace

The Changing Green Consumer Marketplace

The Changing Consumer Marketplace, the third webinar in the Sustainable Brands Boot Camp, provided up-to-date insights into the changing green consumer profile and what motivates consumers to buy green in today’s economy. Companies can use this market research to craft green product value propositions and make green profile decisions. Key takeaways? Green pricing premiums won’t work in a post-recession economy and sustainability has reached a tipping point into mainstream.

The MUSH Market: Problems and Opportunities

The MUSH Market: Problems and Opportunities

Has the MUSH market gone cold? This post examines the current and potential market for providing energy management services and building retrofits to municipal (state/local government) facilities, universities, K-12 schools and hospitals. It also looks at some of the ongoing barriers into the MUSH market while highlighting a handful of success stories by sector.

Venture Capitalists Transitioned to Energy Efficiency Investments in 2009

Venture Capitalists Transitioned to Energy Efficiency Investments in 2009

After a banner year in 2008 of investments directed to capital-intensive technologies like solar and wind, US venture capitalists backed away from that plan in 2009. So where are they putting their money now? Where the fastest payback is likely to be. New analysis shows a surge of investments in energy efficiency solutions—such as smart grid, and commercial and residential energy management.

Call for Papers: Sustainability in a World of Conflicting Values

Call for Papers: Sustainability in a World of Conflicting Values

The Society for Values in Higher Education (SVHE) is a fellowship who cares deeply about ethical issues facing higher education and the wider society. The annual SVHE meeting, with a theme of Making Choices: Sustainability in a World of Conflicting Values, will be held at Portland State University from July 21-25, 2010. Scientists, scholars and educators are invited to present papers that address sustainability from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. Proposals are due by April 1, 2010.

Fellowship Spotlight: Sustainable Energy Fellowship 2010

Fellowship Spotlight: Sustainable Energy Fellowship 2010

The Sustainable Energy Fellowship is a unique learning experience for upper-division undergraduate and graduate students in engineering, business and the sciences who are considering a career involving energy. The program is June 2- 9, 2010 at Cornell University. Deadline for application is March 1, 2010.