The Connecticut Clean Energy Fund [CCEF] has announced that it is accepting applications for its new on-site renewable distributed generation program. There is about $21 million available to reduce the cost of clean, DG projects at commercial, industrial and institutional facilities through the state.
As the company’s misdeeds pile up in the public consciousness, it can be tempting to define the problem of Wal-Mart as one of a bad apple—a rogue company gone awry in an otherwise sound economic system.
Wal-Mart has indeed attained a scale that puts it in a category all its own, and there’s no question that it is leading a race to the bottom. But others are running that race too. Target’s wages are as poor and its health benefits as out of reach. Home Depot and Lowe’s have crushed thousands of independent hardware stores. Best Buy has its main sourcing office Shanghai, where it relies on the same dismal factories.
Business Forum: Ford can find its way by looking to future by David Morris Originally published in Minneapolis Star Tribune, December 5, 2005 The imminent eclipse of General Motors by Toyota as the world’s largest car manufacturer was decades in the making. We will read many instructive tales about how General Motors, and U.S. car companies … Read More
Baintree Electric Light Department (BELD) is partnering with Climate Energy to install and test out a 1 kW Micro-CHP (combined heat and power) systems. The units consists of a natural gas-powered Honda generator tied to a high-efficiency furnace.
Supervisors in Orange County, California, are planning to install a cogeneration system to meet the energy needs of some of their government offices at the Santa Ana Civic Center. Total system costs are estimated at $34 million for a little over 10 MW and would save the county from $4 million to $5 million a year.
The county would buy two 5.2-megawatt natural gas-fired generators to produce electricity. The equipment would also use the energy produced to fire boilers to heat and cool the government buildings.
The City Council of Santa Maria, California, voted unanimously to deny Wal-Mart’s request to rezone land for a supercenter. … Read More
Update: December 15, 2005
At today’s PUC meeting, the Commission directed the final version of the report “Achieving a 33% Renewable Energy Target”, as well as a summary of comments [see complete listing of comments] received on the report, to the Governor’s Climate Action Team.… Read More
On November 10th, several Senators from midwestern states introduced the Fuel Security and Consumer Choice Act. The bill would require all U.S. marketed vehicles to be manufactured as Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFVs) within ten years. FFVs can use both regular gasoline and varying blends of renewable fuels like E-85 (motor fuel with 85 percent ethanol content).
A leaked memo shows Wal-Mart plans to open or expand 484 stores in the U.S. this year, about 100 more stores than previously disclosed. Earlier this year CEO Lee Scott ordered employees to speed up the siting and construction of new stores in anticipation of more communities adopting zoning ordinances that restrict big-box development. … Read More
