Industrial Revolution 2

Intel Inside China: $20 Million on Solar:
Powered by Odiogo.com
on 28 October 2008, 18:03

by Scott Martin

Intel Capital on Tuesday said it injected $20 million into Chinese solar company Trony Solar.

The Shenzhen solar company develops thin-film solar technology. Thin-film advocates point to its low usage of raw materials compared with silicon wafer-based solar cells and the potential to bring down costs.

Intel Capital’s investment in China marks its first foray into solar energy in the region. The investment arm of the chipmaker has invested more than $100 million on solar energy this year. More on this…

Technorati Tags:
Solar Power, Sustainable Investing

Robert Pollin, Univ. of Massachusetts – Amherst Economics Professor:
To the house committee on pensions and jobs:

Energy efficiency (government) investments… Seems to be no brainers. We are dealing with known technologies. An example is retrofitting existing buildings… We can invest in retrofitting the public sector buildings starting tomorrow. There are 800,000 construction workers who have lost their jobs. We can put them back to work. We can get these projects going. They are relatively short term projects. And they will pay for themselves… on average, you’ll see a full return on your investment within about 5 years.

With respect to renewable energy. In regards will tax credits. We do know that renewable energy tax credits which you had stalled and now you’ve restored* are very effective. The market is very responsive… the last time you held back on the renewable tax credits and then increased them we saw a doubling, for example, in investments in wind energy. So those things are there before us.

I do think that the first priority… in the energy area … is energy efficiency. And you’ll get the most jobs. It will be done fast. The technologies are there. And you will fight global warming. You will increase energy independence. You will create a lever against future rises in the price of oil.

* He’s referring to the Renewable Energy Tax Credits extension that were blocked in the Senate after a republican filibuster.

Technorati Tags:
Sustainable Construction, Sustainable Economy, Green Jobs

Accelerated business response to climate change drives cleantech investment – Press release – Ernst & Young: “Accelerated business response to climate change drives cleantech investment
US$5.2 billion invested since January 2007

London, 2 October 2008 — As climate change moves up the corporate agenda, cleantech investment is reaching record levels according to Ernst & Young. Climate change challenges are creating opportunities for next generation technologies as companies seek to respond to stakeholder expectations, current and anticipated regulation, and rising energy costs. In addition, climate-smart companies view this as an opportunity to make them more innovative, efficient and competitive.

As part of a series of research on climate change transformation, an Ernst & Young study of 150 global companies found that 90% of those surveyed were undertaking climate change initiatives, with disclosed financial commitments totaling US$276 billion over the next ten years. Another Ernst & Young study1 revealed that 35% of corporate venture capital programs will increase their investments in cleantech companies next year and 44% within the next five years, supporting the finding that corporations are accelerating their climate change response. A third Ernst & Young study2 showed that 51% of institutional investors globally always or sometimes consider a company’s climate change response when considering investment in a new issue.

This accelerated corporate response to climate change is reflected in global venture capital investment trends. Ernst & Young’s Venture Insights® reveal that as a proportion of global venture capital investment, cleantech has grown rapidly – up from just 1.6% of total investment in 2003 to 11% in 2008. And in terms of value, global venture capital investment in cleantech is set to significantly exceed the record US$3 billion invested last year, having already reached US$2.2 billion in the first six months of 2008.”

More…

Technorati Tags:
Sustainable Investing

Cement and carbon emissions | Concrete proposals needed | The Economist:
“Concrete proposals needed

Dec 19th 2007

The construction industry confronts its carbon footprint

FANS of cement like to point out that it is the most widely used substance on the planet after water. Unfortunately it is also one of the most polluting. The main ingredient in concrete, cement is made by heating limestone and clay until they fuse into a material called clinker, which is then ground up and mixed with various additives. Both the heating, which is normally fuelled by coal, and the chemical reaction it induces release large amounts of carbon dioxide, and so contribute to global warming. By the industry’s own admission, cement-making accounts for some 5% of the world’s emissions of greenhouse gases—twice the amount attributed to aviation.”
More...

Technorati Tags:
Sustainable Construction, Sustainable Economy

Cement Industry Is at Center of Climate Change Debate – New York Times:

“Cement plants account for 5 percent of global emissions of carbon dioxide, the main cause of global warming. Cement has no viable recycling potential; each new road, each new building needs new cement.

Now, green incentives may be increasing pollution. The European Union subsidizes Western companies that buy outmoded cement plants in poor countries and refit them with green technology. But the greenest technologies can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by only about 20 percent.

So when Western companies revamp Eastern factories, the emissions decrease for each ton of concrete produced. But the amount of cement produced often goes way up, as does the total pollution generated.”

(Via Cement Industry Is at Center of Climate Change Debate – New York Times.)

Technorati Tags:
Climate Change, Sustainable Construction, Sustainable Economy, Greenhouse Gases

Progressive Voter Guide to the Environment | Environment | AlterNet: “Progressive Voter Guide to the Environment
AlterNet. Posted October 17, 2008.

From climate change to fuel efficiency, a look at where the candidates stand on this year’s top 10 environmental issues.”

a href=”http://www.alternet.org/environment/101996/progressive_voter_guide_to_the_environment/” rel=”nofollow” target:”blank”>Progressive Voter Guide to the Environment | Environment | AlterNet

Technorati Tags:
Environment & Politics, Environment