How Efficiency Makes Solar Affordable
When solar energy companies think about how to reduce the cost of their product, typically a lot of time and money goes toward increasing the efficiency of solar panels and their manufacturing process....
View ArticleWhat the Election of 2010 Means for Green: Not Much.
As a self-proclaimed East Coast liberal intellectual who drinks Starbucks Grande Nonfat Decaf Lattes on a regular basis, I woke up this morning after the Mid-term elections of 2010 with a heavy heart....
View ArticleHUD Announces Energy Efficient Home Loan Pilot Program
Yesterday the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced a pilot program to finance $25 million in home efficiency upgrade loans: Backed by the Federal Housing Administration...
View ArticlePlastic Trumps Silicon in Solar Panel-Making?
According to a UK solar panel expert, silicon—the primary material in solar panel manufacturing today—may soon be a thing of the past. So what material has the versatility to take its place? You...
View ArticleBreaking Light Bulb Myths
I have to agree with the Tea Party; the US government should not choose the light bulbs I use in my home. And fortunately, it does not. Yet that’s the spin being pushed by those who want to roll back...
View ArticleWhat Will Your House Look Like In 2020?
Just a few short decades ago, we couldn’t have imagined computers the size of a phone, GPS devices that can keep us from being lost, and internet technology that makes it possible to talk to a friend...
View ArticleTech Dreams: Solar-Powered Laptop
It’s far from being a reality, but an Italian product designer has a vision for solar-powered laptops. The Luce Solar Panel Powered PC is by Andrea Ponti would be powered by two solar cells, one behind...
View ArticleTaking Control of the Heat
Last week, temperatures soared into the triple digits, reaching record highs for the Twin Cities. After a wicked winter, I actually welcomed the heat with open arms. That is, until the temperature...
View ArticleSquiting Toward Retirement: A Boon for the Lighting Industry
Americans report in surveys that they are likely to retire later than expected as a result of this economic downturn that doesn’t seem to want to quit. While that’s bad news for golf courses and...
View ArticleEarth Hour 2012
March 31st is Earth Hour, the day when between 8:30 and 9:30 pm people all over the world switch off the lights to make a symbolic gesture representing the need to be frugal with electricity and, we...
View ArticleGreen Buildings Will Sustain the Future Health of Billions
By 2050, the world’s population is expected to hit nine billion. And, by that year, scientists have projected that 80 percent of the world’s population will live in urban environments. In the United...
View ArticleBringing Green Manufacturing Back Home
We talk a lot about the need for America to lead the world in green manufacturing, and with good reason: a strong green manufacturing sector will create good, domestic jobs and boost exports, all while...
View ArticleWeatherizing 82,000 Homes This Summer
Picture a neighborhood block somewhere in your town. It might have single-story homes for 10 families — complete with front porches, sidewalks and green lawns. Or instead that block might have a single...
View ArticleThe Recovery Act: Laying the Foundation for a Clean Energy Economy
Last week, I spoke at two events that helped underscore the extent to which President Obama’s Recovery Act is paving the way for a clean energy economy. Before an audience of green affordable housing...
View ArticleMaking Restaurants Efficient – Simple Energy Fixes Increase Profits
As restaurateurs struggle to keep their business afloat with fewer customers, some are turning to greening as a way to stand out from competitors, from serving local foods to making deliveries in...
View ArticleCheap LED Bulbs and Free Charging Stations
The U.S. retailing giant, Home Depot, is now selling a super-efficient, LED light bulb for just under $20, and the chain says that the bulbs are selling so quickly that it is having difficulty keeping...
View Article31,000 Homes Weatherized in June
One of the best and most exciting parts of my job is helping make homes and businesses more efficient. Why? The places where we live and work consume 40% of the energy we use in the U.S. Through...
View ArticleImagine H2O Launches X-Prize for Water Innovation
Water. Most Americans think nothing of it. Turn on the faucet and we expect clean water to flow under good pressure at the temperature of our choosing. But to make all that happen, water requires...
View ArticleThe U.S. and China – Advancing Clean Energy Research Through Cooperation
What two countries lead the world in energy consumption, energy production and greenhouse gas emissions? The United States and China. Can our two countries work together to help lead the world in a...
View ArticleLED Litigation Goes Tubular: Altair Targets LED-O Light Tubes
Altair Engineering (Altair) is a Michigan-based company that sells energy efficient solid state lighting products, particularly LED lamps, through its subsidiary, Ilumisys. Altair owns U.S. Patent Nos....
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