The production of waste, especially with many countries emerging into powerful economies, has become a problem of such dimensions that something definite has to be done.Many new technologies are being developed to process, recycle and reuse waste, some combining waste treatment processes in the same plant to produce a variety of useful products such as electrical energy, diesel, heat, carbon black and other recyclable materials. Latest estimates show that there are 431 waste-to-energy (WTE) plants in Europe and 89 in the United States (2004). The U.S. recycles 14 percent of its trash in WTE plants.
To shift the global economy from fossil fuels to renewable energy will require the construction of wind, solar, nuclear, and other installations on a vast scale, significantly altering the face of the planet. Can these new forms of energy approach the scale needed to meet the world’s energy demands?
Meet Conor Carlin, Manager, Enterprise Energy Intelligence EnerNOC, Inc. Conor is also the managing editor of Thermoforming Quarterly, a newsletter of the Thermoforming Division of the Society of Plastics Engineering. Prior to transitioning to a career in energy management, Conor worked for 9 years in business development, sales and marketing in the plastics and packaging industries. Read our interview with Conor, in which he shares his story of how he transitioned from a career in packaging and plastics sales management to one in energy management.
The following is a response to the article Could Algae be the New Corn? by Julia Verdi. She raised the following questions… Does Algae pose the same risks as corn? Are biofuels the wrong way to go when it comes to identifying fuel sources?
In this uncertain and unsustainable investment market, companies that build “smart answers” and offer consumers “cost less, mean more” solutions are poised to offer investors the best growth of their investment valuation. “Smart companies” will grow sustainable revenues as they succeed in integrating technology, best practices, customer expectations and sound business values. American investors should look for companies that are aligned with these three growing trends: the return of manufacturing to the U.S., creation of local economies, and generation and/or use of smart energy systems.
While women are more eco aware than men, they are are underrepresented in green jobs. This includes jobs created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. However, there are a growing number of programs that are designed to address these inequities.
Stephen Hinton, provides a compilation of professionals that will see growth as the US economy goes green. He predicts that those in STEM professions (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) will experience the most job security.
At the Midwestern Governors Association Jobs and Energy Forum held in Detroit last week, the group released its Platform for Creating and Retaining Midwestern Jobs in the New Energy Economy (Jobs Platform) and the Midwestern Energy Infrastructure Accord (Infrastructure Accord). These two documents are part of an effort by these Governors to position the Midwest as a leader in the new energy economy.