Green Technology

IBM creates analytics that enable watershed management in collaboration with The Nature Conservancy.  Online modeling tools allow users to understand water quality impacts.  …

…   “Typically, tools and information -- especially satellite information and analytical tools -- have been hard for the average watershed manager to obtain.

Rivers for Tomorrow will address this challenge by making the information readily available. It will even provide software so managers can take spending issues into consideration when formulating their plans.”   …

Via IBM: Rivers for Tomorrow (PDF).

Rivers for Tomorrow Website.

Posted by Green Tech at 08:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

University of Delaware students pitch their business models as campus competition and benefit from feedback to their plans. 

The event brings together business, government, and academia to foster collaboration and drive innovation.  Voltaic Coatings participated in the event to gain insights into commercialization of its technologies, which have the potential to reduce the cost of and drive adoption of solar power.  …

…   “Voltaic Coatings hopes to commercialize ProDot Plus for application as a conductive layer in organic LEDs (OLEDs) and solar panel manufacturing, as well as a replacement for Indium Tin Oxide (ITO), a major cost driver in many electronic devices.”   …

Via University of Delaware: Business Plans.

Posted by Green Tech at 01:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The US Department of Energy is enabling the development of advanced solar photovoltaic manufacturing processes through its SunShot Initiative. 

The agency has selected its initial portfolio of projects for up to $112.5 million of investment over five years. 

The program will create a collaborative network of universities, public labs, and photovoltaic manufacturers focused on commercializing new processes. 

The initial project portfolio:

• Bay Area PV Consortium (BAPVC)
• SVTC will create a contract PV Manufacturing Development Facility
• U.S. Photovoltaic Manufacturing Consortium (PVMC)

…   “The Department's SunShot Advanced Manufacturing Partnerships will help the solar power industry overcome technical barriers and reduce costs for PV installations, help the U.S. regain the lead in the global market for solar technologies, and provide support for clean energy jobs for years to come.

By engaging multiple companies across the PV supply chain, the SunShot Advanced Manufacturing Partnerships program intends to have broad impact on the U.S. solar industry.

Selected projects will create organizations designed to bring PV companies together in a coordinated environment to address common technology needs. 

The facilities established through these projects will provide services, tools, and facilities to PV companies and suppliers to assist them in developing and demonstrating new technologies and in making the transition to commercial production.”   …

Via Department of Energy: Solar Manufacturing Partnerships.

Posted by Green Tech at 07:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

integrated into the business model through collaboration.  …

…   “The global organizations will work together to apply scientific knowledge and experience to examine how Dow’s operations rely on and affect nature. The aim of the collaboration is to advance the incorporation of the value of nature into business, and to take action to protect the earth’s natural systems and the services they provide people, for the benefit of business and society.

One of the major objectives of this collaboration is to share all tools, lessons learned and results publicly and through peer-review so that other companies, scientists and interested parties can test and apply them.”   …

Via Yahoo News: Nature Conservancy Collaboration with Dow, Press Release.

Posted by Green Tech at 02:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

will test new technology applications in real world scenarios, centralize the results, and facilitate on-going conversations among the participants.  …

…   “First, it will provide companies with opportunities in buildings to test their innovations in operational buildings, which will help them improve their products as well as collect data on their performance, both keys to marketing their products. In exchange, participating building owners would be eligible to employ the technologies at discounted rates.

Second, it will develop an information and data clearinghouse to track building technology costs, benefits, and lessons learned from deployments underway throughout the City.

Third, it will host stakeholder discussions with private sector and academic institutions on green building entrepreneurship, financing and City-specific challenges.”   …

Via IBM: New York City Technology Innovation Center, Press Release.

Posted by Green Tech at 11:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

IBM collaborates with Singapore to deploy emerging technology solutions to address society’s challenges.  Smart analytics can be used to optimize energy consumption and delivery on the smart grid.  …

…   “Analytics and optimization-based techniques for managing the supply and demand of energy on a SmartGrid;”   …

Via IBM: Singapore Smart Initiatives.

Posted by Green Tech at 04:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The arrangement is aimed at aligning Dow’s capabilities in CIGS based materials with Caltech’s research in next generation photovoltaics. Together, they expect to develop new, ultra low cost, high efficiency photovoltaic materials. " ...

Continue reading "Dow Caltech Solar Photovoltaic Research Collaboration" »

Posted by Green Tech at 07:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "UCLA will not only administer the collaborative, but will also create a technical advisory committee to work with the writers of the action plan. The committee will also provide some of the support science, such as fire hazard models, details on how urbanization impacts water runoff, and - the centerpiece - a localized climate model for the region. " ...

Continue reading "Scenario Planning Climate Change Impacts" »

Posted by Green Tech at 07:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

UK is dedicating two weeks to showcase sustainability across its campus.  The University will offer lectures, tours, and events to raise student and community awareness.  ...

...   "The entire community can participate in the Sustainability Pledge. There are many things we can do daily that will simultaneously promote economic vitality, ecological integrity, and social justice. By pledging to undertake some of these activities individuals are making a commitment to building a sustainable campus ... "   ...

 Via University of Kentucky: Sustainability Event

Posted by Green Tech at 08:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Arizona State University and Advent Solar will collaborate to develop next-generation solar technology based upon the architectural framework provided by Advent Solar Ventura Technology. This technology provides the blueprint for delivering the industry’s best value for silicon PV modules. Ventura Solar Technology combines the Emitter-Wrap Through (EWT) back-contact cell with Monolithic Module Assembly (MMA). It is an integrated cell-to-module architecture that delivers higher energy efficiency at lower production costs. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 10:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

 I have been paying a lot more attention to the packaging in the consumer and other products I use ... recently I saw the Green Restaurant Association logo on a non prepackaged salad package from a local Whole Foods.  Most of their plastic containers are #2, well marked and therefore recyclable.

Their non prepackaged containers previously were plastic clamshells (I recall) ... now they area recycled paperboard ...

Read on for more about the Green Restaurant Association >>?

" ...Green Restaurant Association℠ (GRA), a national non-profit organization, provides services in research, consulting, education, marketing and community organizing. ... involves restaurants, manufacturers, vendors, grassroots organizations, government, media, and restaurant customers. ... provides a convenient way for all sectors of the restaurant industry, ... to become more environmentally sustainable."

Check out Dinegrenstore for an idea of the available green materials ... in a wide array of product lines.

Via:  dinegreen  LINK

Posted by Green Dude at 05:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "They are investigating the business parameters of going commercial with an enhanced method for pre-treating biomass from wood waste and plants that can be grown on non-agricultural lands. Lorimer says the new technology promises to solve many problems with existing inefficient and environmentally harmful methods of breaking down the cellulose in these crops into sugars for conversion into liquid fuel. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 09:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "SAP’s approach to sustainability is to holistically manage social, environmental and economic risks and opportunities for enhanced profitability, reputation and compliance. The report issued today tracks SAP’s footprint in areas such as facilities management, business travel, water use and waste management. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 07:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by Green Dude at 05:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The 104-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system - covering about 8,000 square feet and roughly the length of two football fields - will produce about 112,000 kilowatt hours a year, or 28 percent of the 400,000 kilowatt hours used to light the interchange. The $1.3 million project is expected to be completed and online in December 2008. Electricity for the highway interchange is provided by PGE and the added solar power will be handled through a net metering arrangement. The solar panels will produce electricity during the day, supplying power onto the PGE grid, and PGE will return an equivalent amount of power at night to light the interchange. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 02:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The first product, a renewable diesel that works in today's engines, is targeted for commercialization in 2010. Scale-up and testing work to date indicate that this fuel scales more quickly and economically than currently available biofuels, and reduces emissions by 80 percent over petroleum diesel. Using Amyris' breakthrough technology platform, the new joint venture, Amyris-Crystalsev Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento de Biocombustiveis Ltda, will work with Brazilian sugarcane mills and fuel producers to quickly scale production of the Amyris renewable diesel fuel. Amyris will hold the majority stake in the Amyris-Crystalsev venture, and Crystalsev will hold the remaining stake and contribute commercialization expertise. " ...

Posted by Green Tech at 05:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

One of the initatives of IBM's Project Big Green is to look for ways to resuce its' own energy needs and those of its clients.

"GIB-Services today announced a new energy efficient "green" data center ... will offer a first-of-its-kind energy model where a direct heat exchange will take place between the data center and a public swimming pool in the town."

"Located in Uitikon, Switzerland, ... is expected to create 2,800 MWh of wasted heat per year ... at full capacity -- the same amount of energy needed to supply up to 80 houses with heating and warm water for one year...."

"... Through reclaiming the heat, approximately 130 tons of carbon emissions can be saved. This corresponds to the carbon dioxide discharge of mid-size cars driving 500,000 miles."

Via:  IBM  Link

Continue reading "Excess Data Center Heat Heats Pool" »

Posted by Green Dude at 07:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Investments in Berlin research park are positioned to pay off as solar technology benefits from a strong collaboration between industry, academia, and research centers.  ...

...   "Lips said Adlershof is a solar scientist's paradise, due to the close proximity of research and industry, and the unique, open dialogue and collaboration that exists between the two. "   ... 

Via Deutsche Welle: Solar Tech Berlin

Adlershof Germany

Hahn-Meitner Institute: "The Hahn-Meitner Institute (HMI) is a scientific research institute which focuses on two main areas of work: structural and solar energy research. "

Posted by Green Tech at 11:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "The Eni-MITEI Solar Frontiers Research Program will include six areas of focus: Nano-structured thin film photovoltaics; Luminescent solar concentrators; Self-assembling photovoltaic materials; Water splitting; Materials for solar energy capture and storage; Maximizing the return on investment for solar thermal plants; " ...

Continue reading "Collaborative Solar Technology Research Program Targets Advanced Capabilities" »

Posted by Green Tech at 07:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "Funded by a $1.5 million research grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the three-year project will determine if energy crops planted for cellulosic ethanol could simultaneously produce methacrylate monomers, a key raw material used in the manufacture of many products including paint and coatings, building materials, and acrylic sheet and resins. The economics are attractive. More than 1.5 billion pounds of methacrylate monomers are produced annually in the United States, a market worth $780 million. Though in its early stages, the science looks promising. Molecular biologists and biochemistry experts at Ceres say that some plants naturally produce compounds similar to methacrylate monomers, but do not necessarily accumulate them in extractable forms or quantities. They believe it may be feasible to alter the way plants produce these compounds so that they can be extracted from the dried stalks, stems and leaves before these are fed into biorefineries producing ethanol from cellulose. " ...

Via Rohm and Haas: Bio-Products Research

Posted by Green Tech at 08:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Branson collaborates with coalition to launch Canadian awareness program, called Flick-Off, to educate the public about the devastating effects of global warming and to motivate people into action. ...

... "Virgin Mobile, MuchMusic, Roots, Environmental Defence and the Province of Ontario have joined forces to create a dynamic coalition to communicate a simple message: it's no longer enough to worry about global warming, it's time to take action and encourage everyone to join in. " ...

Via FlickOff: Sir Richard Branson & Ontario Environment Minister Laurel Broten Headline Coalition to Fight Global Warming

Posted by Green Tech at 04:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "In the city centre alone energy consumption fell 10.2 per cent between 7.30pm and 8.30pm, saving 24.86 tonnes of carbon dioxide from being released into the air. " ...

Via Sydney Morning Herald: Sydney Earth Hour

Posted by Green Tech at 09:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

... "An Ohio farmer wondered if he should replace his fuel-oil furnace with a geothermal heating system. The idea got high marks from a farmer in Indiana who said a geothermal system leaves no smell or residue and makes less noise. Then he offered tips on insulation and heat distribution. " ...

Via Yahoo! News: Read

Posted by Green Tech at 12:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)