An LA Times columnist's misunderstanding of the smart grid points out one of the toughest hurdles for advocates: explaining it to the general public and media.

In December, President Bush signed into law the Energy Independence and Security Act, which included provisions for the creation of smart grids to better manage the country's power supply. Utilities are using that to propel their smart grid investments.

California's three biggest utilities (SCE, SDG&E and PG&E) are installing smart meters at millions of homes and businesses, at a cost of nearly $4.6 billion.

"The idea is that interactive connections would give utility customers real-time information about energy rates and let them plan their activities accordingly. Instead of doing the laundry in the afternoon when power is expensive, you'd be able to see when rates are lower and save money by doing the wash then," explained LA Times "Consumer Confidential" columnist David Lazarus.

Right so far. Then Lazarus claimed that because the utilities had all opted for smart meters with less expensive, lower-speed connections, those meters could be outdated before they are even operational. Lazarus said the smart grid will be broadband, and the new meters won't "speak the same language" because their network connection is slower. Wrong.

continue reading

General Motors and Chrysler are offering 2.5-ton SUVs as gas-electric hybrid models. Is a Tahoe or Yukon really a green vehicle?

Gas mileage is only 20 miles per gallon, up from 13. But look at the bright side: It's like having a school bus that only costs $0.21 per mile!

NY Times story:

continue reading

A dozen ways to do solar on a large scale: conventional photovoltaics, concentrating solar, solar thermal, storage methods, micro-CSP, Fresnel lenses, Stirling engines, even balloons.

continue reading

Seattle has been ranked as one of the best of the 100 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S. for the size of its "carbon footprint." Much of this region's high score apparently is because most of our residential power comes from hydroelectric dams.

continue reading

Columnist Ken Silverstein says detractors of ethanol are trying to decelerate its take off. Critics blame ethanol production for global food shortages and potentially more greenhouse gas emissions, while the industry is ramping up to meet federal mandates.

continue reading

Will you be exhibiting or speaking at EMC 2008? Let's try to connect for a quick interview or briefing. E-mail me through my bio page at the newspaper.

We've needed $4 gas for a long time, to change drivers' habits. I saw regular gas at $4.10 last weekend (Leavenworth, WA). And, finally, more commuters are taking the train or bus instead of driving.

Seattle was mentioned in this NY Times article yesterday:

continue reading

REI released its 2007 sales figures on May 5, 2008. With it, the company also released its stewardship report, a.k.a., CSR report.

Where do most of REI's carbon emissions come from?

continue reading

Instead of spending $9 billion to theoretically reduce the price of gas at the pump, let's recover that amount of revenue that's now wasted by subsidizing oil companies. A few months of $4 gas might wake up Americans stuck in the age of the family station wagon.

continue reading

Speculative office developers are going to market with sustainable, high-performance buildings. But are tenants willing to pay more to lease them?

Building Design & Construction had an article recently about premium rental rates for green office space. The article includes brief case studies of eight green commercial buildings and their results in attracting tenants.

Are you leasing green space, or developing speculative green office space? Please add your observations in the Comments.

Here's the link to the article:

continue reading

EV blogger Domenick Yoney defines 3 classes of electric vehicles: prototypes, CAD concepts, and press releases.

ElektrikCar is in that middle category, distributing computer-aided design 3D renderings of their all-electric model, Domenick writes.

"...the eventual product will be a "Limited Edition," carbon fiber composite bodied, far-ranging, under $80K, eye-grabbing, purple streak."

Their concept would have a Lithium Ion battery -- Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFEPO4) or Nano Lithium -- with a 200-mile range, they say.

The "video" released on YouTube is nothing more than a PowerPoint sequence of CAD renderings, but the EV design is sleek and fun...

continue reading

The upcoming issue of Time Magazine will be all about "How to win the war on global warming."

It's interesting to note that this is the cover story in all worldwide editions of Time, except for Europe. That edition focuses on US-UK relations.

Inside the April 28 issue, which will reach newsstands this week:

Cover story -- How America Can Lead in Green

So far, the U.S. has sat out the fight against climate change--but that can't continue.

The Candidates and Climate Change

All three presidential contenders talk like greens. What the cap-and-trade fight about to break out may say about them.

Also in time for Earth Day ...

continue reading

Northwest venture capital firms don't invest in cleantech. Washington is not doing enough to make sure that it educates the next leaders in science and technology. Life sciences are doing better here than in most states. Biofuels aren't the ones to blame for food costs. Microsoft would like you to see its green side.

That's the message from the third annual Washington Technology Summit held Tuesday at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue.

John Cook, the P-I blogger just across the virtual hall from here,

continue reading

Maybe international interests will use what they know to help shape WA and US energy policies.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) today conditionally approved a $7.4 billion merger between Puget Energy, Inc. (NYSE:PSD) and an international investment consortium led by the Macquarie Group.

Shareholders of Puget Energy -- the parent company of Puget Sound Energy -- at a special meeting yesterday approved a merger with the consortium.

continue reading

You can't escape the tax bill, but you can zero out your utility bill.

A net-zero-energy building in New Jersey has proven that it can produce all of its energy needs on site for a full year. Two more ZEBs are coming in Vancouver, and they'll be carbon-neutral.

This month's Building Priorities Briefing (released today) explores three commercial buildings without power bills, and contrasts the many meanings of "zero" in energy and carbon.

Three Buildings Net Zero Energy - Building Priorities Briefing

continue reading