For decades California has lead the US solar industry, and is home to half of the installed photovoltaic solar capacity for the whole country.  While California is known for its abundant sunshine, its affinity for solar power and its large solar market are based on far more than this.  One of the biggest reasons why California (more…)

I attended the American Wind Energy Association’s 2011 Conference & Expo in Anaheim last week where I was able to see a lot of technology for turbines both large and small.

On the small side, at 3.5 and 7.5 kW, was Sonkyo Energy’s WINDSPOT turbine. (more…)

As a parent, I don’t expect world changing results when I gripe at my kids. I’m happy if they at least leave a path through the dirty clothes on their bedroom floors.

If you’re like that too, you’ll be a little sheepish when you hear the story of inventor and journalist Pierce Hoover. His 13-year-old son, Nash, kept forgetting to (more…)

Solar power is a great answer to those concerned with emissions and generating their own electricity and heat. True, efficiency is still an issue as PV panels often convert less than 20% of sunlight into electricity. But one California company is maximizing the power of the sun with an innovative, multitasking product. (more…)

Electric cars are not a new concept in the automotive industry. They were around before the pre-eminence of the internal combustion engine in the 1890s. They were introduced again in the United States in the 1990s with GM’s EV1, but were dropped when GM decided they are unprofitable. Now the (more…)

Want to go beyond the basics of reduce, reuse, recycle to make your workplace more environmentally friendly? There are several new technologies that can help reduce energy use and wasteful practices.

1. Cloud computer online services
Forget lugging your work laptop home or working at (more…)

Well, I’m usually not one to say “I told you so” but, at the very least, a new study from Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) supports my “preaching” about energy efficiency over the past year.

According to a recent EDF report, if homeowners adopted certain energy reduction behaviors – based on data generated from information-based (more…)

Less than a decade ago, major American energy companies were investing billions in constructing new terminals for importing liquefied natural gas — the cooled, dense state of methane that makes it economical for it to be transported by ship. Today, some of those same companies are contemplating (more…)

You may surely know it by now : Germany decided to phase out completely all its nuclear power plants by 2022. This is done for political reasons as the local Greens are gaining power.

Some people are cheering as they believe this is (more…)