Imagine Homes will offer Dow’s Solar Shingles on all of its new homes as a standard option. However, people buying homes in Imagine’s Willis Ranch community will have a PV roof automatically. Dow has been rolling out the Solar Shingles to new markets slowly, starting in Colorado last year. The product is a Copper Indium [...]
Having a green certified home adds 9% to its appraised sales value in California, finds a new study. The study is the first rigorous, large-scale economic analysis of the value of green home labels in California and was conducted by state university professors. Researchers conducted a pricing analysis of all 1.6 million single-family home sales [...]
General Electric announced that it’s splitting its energy division into three standalone businesses later this year. The move will greatly simplify communication with customers and investors and creates a more agile organizational structure that aligns more effectively with each industry sector. The three new businesses will report directly to GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt. Currently, GE Energy Infrastructure employs 100,000 [...]
Germany’s SolarWorld lauched a U.S. anti-dumping trade claim against China in solar PV modules through SolarWorld America in October of last year. The firm was well within its corporate responsibility in its actions. SolarWorld has pressured for an anti-China trade claim to be made in Europe as well. But trade claims and anti-dumping tariffs don’t [...]
HP and Dell are each taking different approaches to sustainability. One is emphasizing removing toxic compounds from manufacturing the other is focused on recycling through take back programs. HP is better than Dell at removing toxic compounds from their designs. They have reduced PVC and BFRs have completely phased out beryllium and other compounds. However, [...]
Recently Popular Science released its list of the six top Green Tech innovations of 2010, whichrun the gamut from low to high tech sophistication. These innovationsdirectly benefit the planet or are better for the environment than thetechnologies they intend to replace. 1. The Groasis Waterboxx The Groasis Waterboxx was the best new innovation of the [...]
Researchers at Louisiana Tech University have successfully fabricated a breakthrough energy harvesting device,which utilizes waste heat energy from electronic gadgets to power them.Dubbed the CNF-PZT Cantilever, the device consists of a carbon nanotubeon a cantilever base of piezoelectric material. The carbon nanotube film absorbs heat and forces the piezoelectriccantilever to bend, which then generates an [...]
The Clean Tech Job Trends 2010 report offers a comprehensive summary of clean-tech job activityincluding US manufacturing issues arising from stiff internationalcompetition. The report also makes recommendations for the US includingthe application of feed in tariffs, increased exploitation of energyefficiency opportunities, and government policy. Clean-Tech Manufacturing Issues Clean-tech manufacturing is creating jobs and, led by [...]
Imagine using a cell phone combined with diagnostic microscopy toexpand basic healthcare in remote poverty-stricken areas around theglobe. Rethink how use of a social entrepreneurship model can helpcommunities gain access to clean water and sanitation. Design a systemto increase intercultural understanding and promote citizens’ concernsin mainstream media. For each of the last ten years, the [...]