Entries by Jennifer Zerwer

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

Several news stories on the science and politics of global warming caught our attention this week:

It's just the beginning of September, and California has already spent $106.5 million during the fiscal year to fight more than 50 major wildfires. According to researchers at Headwaters Economics, even a slight rise in average spring and summer temperatures could bring an incredible increase in the number and cost of fires. Using Montana as a case study, where an average of $28 million is spent annually to protect homes from forest fires, researchers anticipate a one-degree increase in average summer temperatures would at least double home protection costs. The combination of additional development and hotter summers could push the average annual cost of protecting homes from forest fires even further, to exceed $80 million by 2025.

In South Asia, the effects of climate change are expected to threaten water and food security for more than 1.6 billion people. A report produced by the International Food Policy Research Institute reveals India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Nepal will be most vulnerable to falling crop yields caused by glacier retreat, floods, droughts and erratic rainfall.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) concluded the total funding need for adaptation to climate change by 2030 could amount to $49 billion - $171 billion per year globally. To better understand the level of global investment required to adapt, the UNFCCC commissioned six studies that provided estimates for the year 2030. Areas covered by the studies included agriculture, forestry and fisheries, water supply, human health, coastal zones, infrastructure and ecosystems. Infrastructure accounted for three quarters of the estimated costs.

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

It's that time of year when migratory birds begin journeying to their winter homes. From August 15 through October 31, over 250 species of birds are expected to migrate through San Francisco along the Pacific Flyway, some traveling as much as 11,000 miles. Many birds migrate at night and can become confused by lights, particularly those on tall structures. It's thought that the lights on tall buildings affect the navigation of birds, causing them to collide with buildings or circle buildings repeatedly, suffer from exhaustion and die. Lights left on in tall buildings contribute to millions of bird deaths throughout the United States each year.

To help migratory birds safely make their way through San Francisco, the Golden Gate Audubon Society is teaming up again with PG&E and the San Francisco Department of the Environment to promote "Lights Out for Birds." With the start of another bird migration season (February to May and August to October), this program encourages tall building owners to review their nighttime lighting practices, including time clock and EMS settings, and make sure that non-essential, after-hours lighting is eliminated.

"We're very encouraged that the word is getting out about Lights Out for Birds since we launched this program in San Francisco last spring," said Noreen Weeden, conservation project manager for the Golden Gate Audubon Society. "Many migratory avian populations are already in significant decline, and this program will help make it safer for the millions of birds that are expected to travel through the Bay Area this season."

Lights Out for Birds has been successfully implemented in several cities, including New York, Chicago and Toronto, where participants help save energy and birds. In fact, one building operator reported a savings of $200,000 in 2006 alone. In addition to saving birds and money on energy bills, the reduced energy consumption decreases overall greenhouse gas emissions.

To learn more about how lights affect migrating birds, visit: http://www.flap.org/. 

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

Mona Yew, principal in PG&E's Emerging Clean Technologies department, just returned from Beijing, China, where she spent three months working with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) to promote energy efficiency. NEXT100 asked Ms. Yew to offer her perspective on energy efficiency in China. Here are her answers:

What do you do at PG&E?
I work in PG&E's Emerging Clean Technologies group, which is part of the Renewable Energy department within our energy procurement organization. Our goal is to expand energy generation from renewable and clean energy resources in California. We investigate emerging renewable and clean technologies and find ways to help support and advance these technologies. I focus primarily on biomass technology and carbon sequestration.

What's your background in energy efficiency?
Prior to working with renewable technology, I've held various positions at PG&E related to energy efficiency program development and implementation.

What were you doing in China?
The NRDC has a long history of promoting energy efficiency in China, and PG&E has been a long-time supporter of this effort as a member of the China-US Energy Efficiency Alliance. I took on a three-month secondment at the NRDC's Beijing, China, office to provide training on demand-side management (DSM) and energy efficiency program administration and implementation. I helped NRDC develop a training program and provided training to members of NRDC's DSM Technical Center and their government partners. I also helped with designing implementation plans for regional pilot projects called "Efficiency Power Plants" that NRDC is working on with their provincial government partners. 

What's an Efficiency Power Plant?
An Efficiency Power Plant or EPP is a "virtual" power plant that delivers "negawatts" through a portfolio of demand side management or energy efficiency projects. It is the term that is used in China to describe the energy efficiency pilot projects in the provinces.

What do you think most Americans would find surprising about China's efforts? 
Most people in the U.S. don't realize that China has fairly aggressive energy reduction targets. They are seeking to reduce energy intensity (energy consumption per unit of GDP) by 20 percent from 2006-2011. They are also working to reduce discharge of major pollutants by 10 percent within the same timeframe. I think there is a perception in the U.S. that China has unchecked energy growth. There is no doubt that China's demand is growing and will continue to grow significantly, but they are also looking for ways to meet new growth through demand side management.

Do you think the energy reduction goals set by the Chinese government are realistic?
From what I've seen, most provinces are reporting that they are on track to meet the target. However, it's not an easy task. China has a GDP growth target of 8 percent for 2009. Many industries are struggling with finding the money needed to implement projects while still meeting the growth target in today's economy.

Any noteworthy differences between China and the U.S.?
The biggest difference I noted is in energy consumption behavior. Chinese households are very frugal, cost conscious and do a lot to conserve. For example, compact fluorescent light bulbs are widely used and many homes have washers but not dryers. Household appliances are smaller and require less energy. Homes are also smaller in comparison to the U.S., so the energy use is also lower. Of course, China is a developing country with a large population. So when you add everything up, it's still a very large number. And they are catching up - so one thing some people are concerned about is how to retain that sense of energy frugality as China catches up with developed countries.

One thing California has in contrast to China is dedicated funding for energy efficiency programs. The Chinese provinces that are implementing the Efficiency Power Plant pilots have had to come up with creative ways to fund the projects, such as by tapping into urban construction fees or seeking ESCO (energy service company) financing.

California also has over 30 years of experience in implementing energy efficiency programs. Even though there is a desire - a mandate - to reduce energy use in China, they don't yet have the infrastructure or the portfolio approach like we have here that provide a suite of comprehensive energy efficiency programs that range from audits and rebates to design assistance, education and training to help end use customers save energy.

This takes us back to my mission in China - by sharing best practices on how we implement energy efficiency programs in the U.S. and working with China to adapt the U.S. experience to Chinese conditions and design and implement suitable DSM programs, we can help China move closer to meeting their energy reduction target and help curb global greenhouse gas emissions.

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

It's been a week since the Project Kaisei Expedition team departed from the San Francisco Bay in two vessels to study marine debris in the North Pacific Gyre. Located in an area of the Pacific, north east of Hawaii, the North Pacific Gyre is part of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a swirling mass of plastic and other waste that's 30 meters deep and twice the size of Texas.

Project Kaisei's goal is to determine how to capture the waste and to study the potential to detoxify and recycle the materials into diesel fuel. Part of the research they are conducting includes trying a variety of devices to capture debris on a small-scale to help determine the best large-scale methods for waste capture. As Next100 has reported, Project Kaisei joins a small, but growing list of organizations that are seeking to address the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and slow the flow of waste into the oceans.

On Day 7, the Project Kaisei team has traveled 1,100 miles due west of Santa Monica and has begun to enter the Gyre. As they observe on their blog, the amount of plastic they are encountering is overwhelming:

"A week into our voyage, our planned mission transitioned into a shocking reality. When we began our trip, to the elusive vortex, we were not sure what we would find. We gather data from twice-daily trawls, plus thirty-minute observations from the bow and main mast, counting the number of pieces of debris sighted.

The second of today's trawls yielded a preponderance of plastic, versus marine life. The tally of plastic pieces counted in the thirty-minute observations today increased from 115 in the morning to well over 300 in the afternoon."

To follow the expedition in real-time, check out the Project Kaisei Interactive Voyage Tracker at: http://www.projectkaisei.org/.

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

Several stories on the science and politics of global warming caught our attention this week:

The aggressive efforts employed by the Chinese government to reduce emissions during the Beijing Olympics did significantly improve air quality, according to a Cornell study. In preparation for the Olympics, measures were implemented to regulate traffic density, encourage public transportation, halt construction, and replace coal with natural gas to produce electricity. Based on Beijing air quality data collected in 2007 and 2008, carbon dioxide decreased 47 percent, car emissions of black carbon were down 33 percent and ultrafine carbon-based particles decreased 78 percent. According to Max Zhang, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, who led the research, "we hope our study can help or advise local regulators and policymakers to adopt long-term sustainable emission controls to improve air quality." 

While "Cash for Clunkers" may be stimulating the economy, it is not impressing climate experts. The Associated Press estimates that the initial 250,000 vehicles that will be permanently retired will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 700,000 tons a year. When you consider that the U.S. emitted about 6.4 billion tons last year, it's just a drop in the bucket.

If you've been considering a trip to Alaska or Washington to check out the glaciers, there's no time like the present. Seriously. As further evidence of our warming climate, a study released this week by the U.S. Geological Survey indicates that three major glaciers in these states have thinned and shrunk dramatically. Although all three glaciers - Gulkana and Wolverine in Alaska and South Cascade in Washington - have distinct climates, they all display a similar pattern of significant mass loss.

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

Each year, PG&E produces a Corporate Responsibility Report to share with our stakeholders the progress we're making and steps we are taking to make positive contributions to the quality of life in the areas where we live and work - as well as to share where our efforts have fallen short. The company began producing an environmental report in the 1990s and broadened the scope to its first Corporate Responsibility Report for calendar year 2003.

PG&E's complete report for calendar year 2008 is now available and can be viewed online.

In the report, you'll find informative Q&As with California Academy of Sciences' Executive Director Dr. Gregory Farrington, Ph.D. on the importance of climate change education and managers at IKEA West Sacramento on how they maintain their standing as one of IKEA's least energy-intensive locations by participating in PG&E's energy efficiency and demand response programs.

A few environmental highlights from the 2008 report include:

• Enabling our customers to achieve record energy savings through our energy efficiency programs--bringing total cumulative customer savings to $24 billion and avoided emissions of carbon dioxide to more than 155 million tons since the mid-1970s.
• Signing new contracts for almost 1,800 MW of additional renewable energy supplies. PG&E now holds commitments that will enable us to provide more than 20 percent of our future power deliveries from renewables.
• Working with the U.S. Climate Action Partnership and others to advocate a national, economy-wide cap-and-trade program to address climate change.
• Purchasing 214,000 metric tonnes of forest carbon from coastal redwood forests for customers enrolled in our voluntary ClimateSmartTM program.
• Earning a spot on the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index and receiving the highest possible rating from Innovest Strategic Value Advisors

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

This week Edison Electric Institute (EEI) is hosting its annual convention and expo in San Francisco. The conference focuses on the major public policy challenges now facing the electric utility sector and features such thought leaders as U.S. Secretary of Energy Dr. Steven Chu and Environmental Defense Fund President Fred Krupp. Hot topics on this year's agenda include the smart grid, the future of electric vehicles, renewable energy standards, carbon trading and energy efficiency.

As the host utility, PG&E created a special demonstration for attendees simulating how customers will one day communicate with PG&E through SmartMeter's Home Area Network (HAN) gateway. This demonstrated how customers can utilize the HAN to better manage their energy use and participate in voluntary demand response programs.

In the demonstration booth, a variety of smart energy devices were connected to the HAN, including a thermostat, in-home display, smart plug, demand response enabled refrigerator and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). PG&E then initiated a demand response signal to the HAN to reflect an energy curtailment event. Based on settings preset by the customer, the smart energy devices, refrigerator and PHEV automatically adjusted to reduce energy consumption. For example the thermostat automatically increased its set point temperature by five degrees and the PHEV disabled its charge. The demonstration also showed how customers can easily override a demand response event if needed. Check out pictures of the demonstration below.

As my colleague Jonathan Marshall has written before, electric customers stand to benefit greatly from a smarter grid, including more control over energy bills and better, faster service.

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

The Ohio State Highway Patrol has installed five-watt solar panels on its fleet of 1,150 cruisers in effort to reduce fuel consumption and extend the vehicles' battery life. The new solar arrays will allow officers to turn vehicles off during stationary patrols and continue to operate their radios without draining the vehicle battery. To help mount the panels, the agency created custom brackets from recycled, mis-printed license plates.

 

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

Yesterday, scientists and volunteers from the University of California Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group (SCPBRG) banded the three baby peregrines that nest on the ledge of the 33rd floor of PG&E's high rise in downtown San Francisco. While peregrine fans were able to enjoy the event via live webcam, it was a special experience to witness the banding of these endangered species in person.

The Eyases - It's a girl, girl and boy!
Upon seeing the falcons up close, SCPBRG's Program Manager Glenn Stewart was able to determine their sex - two females and a male. According to Glenn Stewart, female falcons are always larger than males, so it's easy to determine the sex in person. He estimated their weight to be around two pounds each.

Thanks to the Yahoo! Discussion group dedicated to Dapper Dan, Diamond Lil and their offspring, the young falcons now have names: Hi (pronounced "hee"), Liwa (pronounced "lee-wa") and Kiwel (pronounced "kee-well"). The names are derived from the coastal Miwok words for sun, water and wind, respectively. These young were named in honor of their PG&E birth site, after an advertising campaign PG&E had a couple of years ago that featured a "sun, water and wind" superhero.

The Bands
Glenn Stewart placed a band on each of the young falcon's legs. One band is the normal U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service bird band which contains a phone number to call in the event someone finds a peregrine. The second band is a visual identification band that can be read from a distance with binoculars. There's actually a small window of opportunity to band falcons; it needs to be done once the eyases reach their full size, but before they grow their flight feathers.

Hundreds and hundreds of falcons are wearing these bracelets in California today. The bands do not bother or interfere with the lives or activities of the falcons, and they allow scientists to learn more about the dynamics of population recovery for the endangered peregrines. For example, as a result of SCPBRG's banding and tracking efforts, they can expect Hi, Liwa and Kiwel to travel up to 700 miles when they are old enough to establish their own territory.

The Experience

Understandably alarmed to see humans visiting their young, Dapper Dan and Diamond Lil flew furiously around the building continuously shrieking. They did their best to intimidate the small group of scientists and bird aficionados that had assembled for the twenty minute invasion. For safety, all donned hard hats in the event of an attack. Fortunately, the parents kept their shock and awe campaign in the sky. The little ones also communicated their displeasure by shrieking in harmony with their parents and spreading their wings.

Check out the slideshow below

Check out more of nature photographer Glenn Neville's banding photos at: http://www.raptor-gallery.com/

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

Two new web tools have recently been launched to make being green a little bit easier:

Reegle
For those looking to expand their knowledge of renewable energy and energy efficiency happenings worldwide, look no further than Reegle. This new site pulls together the latest related events, news and a sampling of green energy development projects onto a searchable global map.

Urban EcoMap
In honor of Earth Day, Cisco and the City and County of San Francisco teamed up to develop the Urban EcoMap, a new online resource that will provide local communities with information on their progress toward meeting emission reduction goals. Organized by zip codes, locals will be able to track their greenhouse gas contributions in the areas of transportation, energy and waste. It won't be available to San Franciscans until May 21. Urban EcoMaps for other cities, such as Seoul and Amsterdam, are expected to launch later this year.

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

Peregrine falcon fans are keeping their eyes glued to PG&E's San Francisco's headquarters at 77 Beale Street these days. Bird watchers meet every Thursday evening at the intersection of Main and Mission to check out San Francisco's most popular love birds, Diamond Lil and Dapper Dan. The pair arrived in early February to begin courtship at the nest box that PG&E hosts.

Dan's and Lil's union has produced four eggs. Glenn Stewart, program manager for the UC Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group (SCPBRG) and falcon expert, estimates the eggs will hatch around April 14 or 15. Anyone wishing to witness the blessed event can do so online, courtesy of a nest cam at http://www2.ucsc.edu/scpbrg/falconcamera.htm.

 
Not Your Average Bird of Prey
Peregrines hold the title of the world's fastest animal. They've been clocked reaching horizontal cruising speeds of 68 mph. When stooping, they can fly as fast as 273 mph.

Peregrines have adapted well to urban environments, nesting on tall city structures that are similar to the sheer cliffs they prefer in nature. SCPBRG began noticing peregrine falcons using PG&E's downtown skyscraper as a perch in the mid-1980s and placed a nest box on the ledge of the 33rd floor with hopes that someday peregrines might nest there. Finally, in 2003, a peregrine pair named George and Gracie selected PG&E's building as their nesting site. Since then, the utility has teamed up with the SCPBRG to look after the birds, including annual charitable donations to support SCPBRG's research efforts, nest cam, and education programs.

According to Wendy Pulling, PG&E's Director of Environmental Policy and bird-watcher, "It's thrilling to watch the peregrines swoop down past our offices. Pigeons in our neighborhood may not share our enthusiasm for the return of these birds to downtown San Francisco, but PG&E is proud to partner with the UC Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group to share the peregrines' family story via webcam to peregrine watchers around the world."

Peregrines are a fully protected and endangered species in California. Their population declined to zero known nesting pairs east of the Mississippi, and just two known nesting pairs in California by 1970. Thanks to the work of organizations like SCPBRG, today there are an estimated 250 peregrine falcon nesting pairs in California. SCPBRG credits the striking recovery of peregrines in California and throughout most of the world in large part to the widespread ban on the use of DDT.

SCPBRG will visit PG&E's headquarters about three weeks after the hatching in early May to tag the eyases before they take their first flight. Everyone is keeping their fingers crossed for a better outcome than last year, when the eyases died a few days after being hatched.

If you'd like to follow the progress of Dapper Dan and Diamond Lil in the meantime, check out the Yahoo! Discussion group at: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/SF_PGE_Falcons/

 

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

Several items relating to the business and technology of clean energy caught our attention this week:

• First Solar has reached a milestone of producing one gigawatt of clean, solar electricity with its thin-film solar modules since it began commercial production in early 2002. The company, with manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Germany, and Malaysia, has enough capacity to produce more than one gigawatt per year - the equivalent of an average-sized nuclear power plant (at least when the sun is directly shining).
• The place that calls itself the happiest place on Earth is now also seeking to become one of the greenest. The Walt Disney Company announced a sweeping sustainability initiative to reduce emissions, waste, electricity and fuel use, and its impact on water and ecosystems. Its long-term goals include achieving zero net direct greenhouse gas emissions, zero waste and net positive impact on ecosystems, among others.  For more highlights, visit www.disney.com/crreport. 
• In other entertainment news, Fox's "24" has become the first television program to go "carbon neutral." The show took a variety of steps to reduce its impact, including purchasing renewable energy, incorporating alternative fuels on-set, and offsetting the rest through the purchase of carbon offsets.

 

 

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

Several items on the science and politics of global warming caught our attention this week:

• Want to know the good news coming out of the International Scientific Congress on Climate Change in Copenhagen? Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, the director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany jokingly forecasts that global warming will increase usable land space by 10,000 percent. On the downside, Dr. Schellnhuber estimates the carrying capacity of Earth is less than one billion people.
• For California, global warming will cost a pretty penny. The Climate Action Team, a California interagency, issued the first of 40 reports that outline the potential impacts to the state's economy, property owners and government. Overall, global warming could cost California between $2.5 and $15 billion annually. This estimate includes the cost of fighting rising waters, wildfires, agricultural losses and meeting increased demand for potable water and electricity.
• Put down that hair spray. A new report published in Science indicates that sky visibility has decreased significantly over the past 30 years thanks to aerosols, resulting in "global dimming." Not only does global dimming impact beautiful vistas, the airborne particles also reduce the amount of direct sunlight reaching earth. That's bad news for solar energy concentrating systems because they rely on direct sunlight to produce renewable electricity. Flat photovoltaic and hot water panel systems, which utilize both diffused and direct sunlight, are less affected.
  

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

For €330, Europeans can now pre-order a new all-electric vehicle that will begin production later this year. Named Bluecar, this four-door electric vehicle is a joint effort between Italian firm Pininfarina and French manufacturer Bolloré.

Bluecar's lithium polymer batteries give this snazzy little ride a range of over 155 miles and a top speed of 80 mph. There's also a sleek set of solar panels on the roof that generates energy to help power the car's electrical equipment as well as its heating and air-conditioning system. But Pininfarina didn't stop there. This alternative fuel vehicle goes the extra mile with such sustainable features as leather-like seat covers produced from vegetable sources and other natural products that respect the environment.  

Beati loro!

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

A report issued today by Ceres and the Pacific Institute warns that water scarcity, made worse by climate change and growing demand, will increasingly threaten the global economy. Water is crucial for the economy, driving such industry sectors as electric power, high-tech, beverage, agriculture, apparel, biotechnology/pharmaceutical, forest products and metals/mining firms. In fact, the power industry is responsible for 39 percent of all freshwater withdrawals in the U.S. alone.

As PG&E adds conventional sources of power generation to back up its growing renewable energy portfolio and energy efficiency efforts, the company is doing its part to reduce the environmental impact of these plants. PG&E's new Gateway Generating Station incorporates the latest fuel-efficient and environmentally sensitive technologies. Situated along a river in Antioch, Calif., the 530 megawatt natural gas plant features "dry cooling" technology and combined cycle technology.

The results? Gateway requires 97 percent less water and produces 96 percent less discharge than a plant with a conventional water cooling system, all of which helps to protect the Delta Smelt. Compared to older plants, Gateway also yields 35 percent less carbon dioxide for every megawatt hour of power produced.

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

Many experts say the only hope to prevent the Great Pacific Garbage Patch from growing larger - the swirling mass of plastic and other waste is now 30 meters deep and twice the size of Texas - is to stem the flow of trash from land to sea.  However, one plucky non-profit is bucking the gyre. Beginning this year, the Environmental Cleanup Coalition (ECC) is rolling out the largest marine cleanup effort ever. By removing plastic debris from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the ECC hopes to improve the health of the North Pacific Ocean. 

The first step to cleaning up the world's largest floating dump? Raise a lot of money. Although the ECC doesn't cite the amount it's looking to raise in 2009, the money will go toward the purchase of a fleet of 20-30 ships between 300 and 600 feet in length. According the ECC,

"...the modified ships will create a cleanup and restoration laboratory called Gyre Island. By 2010 Gyre Island will be fully managed and staffed with mechanical engineers and technicians, ocean scientists and food system engineers and the community to support their cleanup and restoration work. The ships will be specially designed to drift net or otherwise pull trash out of the ocean, to filter ocean water of impurities and to process the salvaged plastic into useable products."

The ECC will surely face its fair share of obstacles fundraising for and creating Gyre Island, especially in this economic climate.  But seeing as pieces of plastic in this gyre absorb such pollutants as DDT and accumulate in the tissue of marine organisms all the way up the food chain, it's a noble effort we all stand to benefit from. 

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

Properly disposing of compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) just became easier for residents of Santa Cruz County, Calif. A Take-It-Back Partnership was launched today in collaboration with the County of Santa Cruz, California's Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC) and PG&E to facilitate free, convenient CFL recycling at 13 local retailers.

CFLs are a great way to reduce one's energy bill and environmental impact. In fact, they use 67 percent less energy than standard incandescent light bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. However, CFLs do contain trace amounts of mercury, so proper recycling of these energy-efficient bulbs is vital.

Although you can't toss CFLs in with your curb-side recycling, options are growing for convenient drop-off spots. To increase access, PG&E is doing its part by working with DTSC to support Take-It-Back programs throughout its northern and central California service area. One of the largest national CFL recycling program is offered by Home Depot, with drop-offs at all of its 1,973 locations.

Still, despite the energy savings and environmental benefits, many folks have not joined the CFL bandwagon because they find them unappealing. According to Michael Siminovitch, a professor and director of the California Lighting Technology Center at the University of California, Davis, "many manufacturers have been cutting corners and putting C.F.L.s of lesser quality on the market, skewing consumers' perception of the technology."

Even so, the future of energy efficient lighting is bright. Continuing advances in LED technology will ensure a wider breadth of options to meet lighting needs.

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

Think your garden is green simply because it's, well, green? Think again. All gardens are not created equal when it comes to sustainability. In fact, storm-water runoff from lawns contributes significantly to the pollution in creeks, lakes, rivers and streams.

Detailed guidance on creating sustainable landscapes can be found in a recent draft report, The Sustainable Sites Initiative Guidelines and Performance Benchmarks. It is a multi-year effort by the United States Botanic Garden, the American Society of Landscape Architects and the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Similar to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, the report has a point system for rating a landscape and provides such recommendations as plants that reduce erosion, clean the air and shade buildings, among others. The supporting groups hope its point system will be incorporated into LEED in 2011.

Here are some easy steps San Francisco-based Rock & Rose Landscapes recommends to lower the environmental impact of your garden:

• Strategically plant shade trees to cool your house in the summer and provide light in the winter. (PG&E advocates this as well.)
• Go native! Gardens featuring native plants usually require water for the first season only.
• To use water more efficiently, group plants together with similar water needs, use drip irrigation systems and get a rain water catchment.
• Edible plantings help to limit trips to the store and the need to purchase produce that's often shipped from far flung places.
• Install porous hardscapes, like gravel pathways, to allow water to seep back into the ground.
• To keep your garden looking its best, opt for organic fertilizer and manual weed control rather than polluting pesticides and herbicides.
• Consider native grass lawn mixes, which can provide a similar look and feel of standard sod lawns, but require 25% less water.

For more tips on sustainable lawns, visit www.epa.gov.

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

If you're a proud procrastinator it's likely you haven't even begun to think about your holiday shopping. Well, at least you're not alone. According to a new National Retail Federation survey, as of late last week about 44.5 million people, or 20 percent of holiday shoppers, hadn't started yet. So in honor of all you laggards Next100 presents this list of environmentally friendly gift resources:

• Treehugger Holiday Gift Guide 2008
• The Huffington Post's Green Gift Guide: Low-Impact, Eco-Friendly Ideas for the Holidays
• Natural Resources Defense Council's Great Green Gift Guide
• CNET Reviews' Green Gift Guide
• Grist's Lean, Green Giving
• Co-op America's Holiday Green Gift Catalog
• U.S. News' Green Gift Guide: For Friends and Coworkers
• Inhabitat's Green Gift Guide: Cheap Gifts Under $20
• CNBC's Green Gift Guide
• Earth 911's Gift Guide 2008
• Clean Technica's Holiday Gift Guide: The 8 Best Green Gadget Gifts

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

The amount of solar energy PG&E will deliver to its customer in 2009 just increased today with our purchase of 10 megawatts of thin-film photovoltaic (PV) solar energy from Sempra Generation. Sempra Generation's El Dorado Energy Solar facility is located in Nevada on 80 acres of desert property designated as a renewable energy zone and adjacent to the company's existing gas-fired power plant. Completed today, this solar facility is expected to begin renewable power deliveries to PG&E by January 1, 2009.

In addition to being PG&E's first contracted solar project to come online, Sempra Generation can now boast of having the largest thin-film solar power installation in North America. The facility features more than 167,000 of First Solar's PV modules. A Pacific Crest equity analyst claims that First Solar has achieved the elusive goal of grid-parity with conventional power when measuring cost on a kilowatt-hour basis.

Although there are some reports that the solar industry will be shaky in 2009, Fast Company's comprehensive look at the industry's leap into the mainstream shows there are many bright spots as well.  

For those interested in solar on the home, TIME reported today that engineering company CH2M Hill is partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy to provide Internet solar maps of 25 American cities, using Google Earth technology. The maps will allow homeowners to plug in their address to pull up detailed information on their estimated solar energy potential, utility bill savings and all available incentives, among other things. San Francisco is the first city to be completed and you can check out its solar map here.

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

Several items relating to the business and technology of clean energy caught our attention this week:

• Now that GM and Chrysler will receive a shot in the arm, it will be interesting to see if GM is able to get the production of the Volt back on track. In related news, a new consortium of U.S. chemical and electrical companies have banded together to seek $1 billion in federal funding to speed the development of advanced batteries for cars.
• A tidal turbine in Northern Ireland began generating 1.2 megawatts of energy, the most power produced to date by a tidal stream system anywhere in the world. According to the BBC, the SeaGen system functions similar to a windmill, using tidal currents rather than the wind to drive rotors. By reaching full power, this tidal turbine underscores the tremendous, untapped potential to meet growing energy needs with ocean power.  
• A new report from Forrester discusses how green IT initiatives will continue to fair well, despite the economic downturn. As we've recently reported, implementing energy efficient technology not only helps the environment, but also significantly contributes to a company's bottom line. Check out Business Green's scoop on the report here. 

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

Green efforts are feeling the squeeze these days as budgets continue to get leaner, according to a new report by Reuters. Thankfully, when it comes to energy efficiency, being budget and environmentally friendly aren't mutually exclusive.

Juniper Networks, a provider of high performance networking solutions, is the latest example of how PG&E is partnering with its customers to save money and the environment. As a global company, Juniper conducts vital stages of its product development at labs scattered Engineers test new products and product upgrades at these facilities that typically run around the clock.

As part of the company's commitment to reduce its environmental impact, Juniper is implementing innovative new approaches to how their labs are built and maintained, to better conserve energy, lower power bills and reduce their carbon footprint, all while improving their bottom line. Here are a few things Juniper is doing to reduce their utility costs:

Keeping it Cool
At one large lab at its Sunnyvale headquarters, Juniper recently installed an energy-efficient cooling system to help keep the lab cool all day long, a critical step to ensure the equipment runs effectively. The new lab uses "chillers" - a cold-water loop system which is significantly more energy efficient than air cooling.

The lab also uses "airside economizers." In the Silicon Valley, summer daytime temperatures can soar into the 90s, but year-round nighttime temperatures typically average 50 degrees. So at night, to save even more power, the energy-efficient chillers are turned off and "free" air from outside is drawn in to cool the lab.

Of course, it doesn't hurt that Juniper received a hefty $327,000 rebate from PG&E for installing this energy-sipping equipment that will save the company more than $262,000 in energy costs annually.

Kickin' it up a Notch
To utilize a more efficient power source, Juniper is switching its plugs to a higher voltage. So plugs in Juniper's labs are being upgraded from 120- to 208- and 480-volt circuits for maximum power savings.

Virtual Reality
Juniper is swapping out its six-to-seven year-old servers that used only 20-30 percent of their capacity in favor of new, energy-efficient servers capable of server virtualization. Virtualization allows multiple applications to run concurrently on computing equipment, enabling companies to consolidate their data centers and remove many of their existing servers. Juniper's new servers ensure full utilization, so instead of running eight servers in a lab, they can run one.

PG&E provides rebate incentives for customers who take advantage of this technology through our High Tech Energy Efficiency Program, and we expect to deliver approximately 15-20 megawatts or more of load reduction over 2007-2008.

Remote Access
Another way in which Juniper is saving money and reducing its environmental impact is through the development of remote access labs. Engineers actually work out of their regular cube or office space, but can "start and reset" the equipment that is physically located in the remote lab via their desktop or laptop computer. This approach allows Juniper to build lab facilities in locations where energy and other services are less expensive. These remote labs also include the ability to start up and turn down servers or other equipments remotely, so unused equipment does not eat energy unnecessarily.

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

If the San Francisco and Los Angeles Auto Shows are any indication, there still remains a strong drive to electrify vehicles despite the ongoing economic turmoil and recent reductions in gas prices.

Included in the fleet of alternative vehicles on display at the San Francisco show is PG&E's new all-electric vehicle from Mitsubishi Motors. As I've noted previously, we're leasing the vehicle for three years for research and demonstration purposes, which is part of our ongoing efforts to prepare for the integration of electric vehicles with the electric grid.

I had the opportunity to take a noiseless ride in Mitsubishi's iMiEV when we received it last Friday and was surprised at how roomy the four passenger vehicle is; there's ample leg room even in the back seat and trunk space to boot!

Although most electric vehicles won't begin hitting the marketplace until 2012, Palo Alto-based Better Place recently announced plans to help the San Francisco Bay Area prepare to switch to these low-carbon vehicles. Through a public-private partnership, Better Place hopes to spearhead a $1 billion investment to begin network planning in 2009 and deployment of charging infrastructure in 2010.

There are many reasons that make the Bay Area an ideal place for electric vehicles to enter the U.S. market, not the least of which is the region's energy provider (wink, wink), which delivers some of cleanest electricity in the nation, with 50 percent coming from non-carbon sources on average.

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

A roundup of green headlines that caught our eye this week:

• 61 is the magic number. This week NPR reported on an Evergreen State ecology professor who was able to approximate the ratio of trees to humans using NASA satellite images. Although it's ostensibly good news to know the world supports 61 trees per human, it remains to be determined how many trees a human consumes in a lifetime.
• Beantown's skyline just got a bit greener. Boston's first official skyscraper, the Marriott Custom House Tower, recently had an LED makeover. The fully-illuminated tower now consumes just one-third the energy of the previous incandescent fixtures. Is the CITGO sign next in line?
• A new report from the International Energy Agency indicates that renewable energy will overtake natural gas to become the second largest source of electricity behind coal by 2015. Get the full scoop from Reuters here.
• Treehugger reported this week on artificial islands that drill in the ocean for renewable energy. The man made islands rely on ocean thermal energy conversion to create up to 250 megawatts of clean power and also happen to yield 300,000 gallons of fresh water in the process.
• According to the New York Times' Green Inc. blog, drivers in the E.U. will soon know how efficient their tires are, thanks to a new regulation requiring manufacturers to provide labels that rate efficiency, grip and noise level. Regulators estimate CO2 emissions savings of 4 million tons with the new program, which would be akin to taking 1.3 million passenger vehicles off the road each year.

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

One of the latest victims of the economic downturn is commodity recycling, according to an article that appeared over the weekend in the Contra Costa Times. Over the past six weeks, the price for recycled cardboard has plummeted from $200 a ton to $30 to $40 a ton.

Adding insult to injury, buyers are scarce. Recyclers in California's Contra Costa County are looking to lease warehouse space to store their recycled goods that would normally be gobbled up by China. China, which is the top consumer of recycled fiber worldwide, uses the recycled material to prepare packaging for all its exported products. October through December is usually the busy period for this industry due to the holidays. But now, not only has the demand for these goods dropped precipitously, many ships are being sent back or remain anchored off China's coast with no buyers.

Recycling plays a critical role in diverting the amount of waste we put into landfills. It also helps to save energy:

• Recycled paper saves 60% energy vs. virgin paper
• Recycled glass saves 50% energy vs. virgin glass
• Recycled aluminum saves 95% energy vs. virgin aluminum
  

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

A roundup of green headlines that caught our eye this week:

• Incandescent light bulbs be gone! Bright Green Blog reports on the EU's ban of filament bulbs beginning 2010. This switch will help reduce domestic energy consumption for lighting by 60 percent, saving about 30 million tons of CO2 annually. The 27 EU member states are in good company: Australia, Cuba and the Philippines are other countries phasing out incandescents.
• Project Better Place announces it will silently roll electric vehicles into Australia.  
• The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, in partnership with Cisco, is encouraging Canadians to commit One Million Acts of Green over the next nine months. According to Conscious Consuming blog, acts can include recycling a cell phone and biking to work. What's more, participants can log their acts online and see an immediate impact via an extensive green calculator.
• Treehugger features the Consumer Electronics Association's new report titled Environmental Sustainability and Innovation in the Consumer Electronics Industry. The report discusses the shrinking environmental footprint of the CE industry, including such highlights as an 80 percent waste diversion rate from at least half of the companies interviewed.

 

 

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

Economic turmoil aside, one of the recent silver green linings is the passage of tax incentives for renewable energy development. Clearly the solar industry has much to celebrate, including the flurry of exciting announcements issued today:

• Gonzales Winery in Monterey County will soon be home to the world's largest winery solar power energy system. Sized at one megawatt, the system will be installed by Constellation Wines U.S. and will meet 50 percent of the winery's total energy requirements.
• The San Francisco Chronicle's David Baker reports on a California-based solar company that's shaking up the solar industry. Solyndra exited stealth mode today with a radically different approach to solar (think tubes), $600 million in funding and $1.2 billion in customer contracts.
• New thin-film manufacturer Konarka opened a new manufacturing plant today in Massachusetts that will have a production capacity of one gigawatt per year. Click here for the New York Times' report on the effort that is repurposing equipment from an old Polaroid printing facility.

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

A roundup of green headlines that caught our eye this week:

• Think it doesn't really matter if you pass on using [insert eco-friendly item here]? Think again. As reported this week in the Wall Street Journal, new statistics tallied by consultant McKinsey & Co indicate that U.S. consumers have direct or indirect control over 65% of the country's greenhouse-gas emissions. Green power to the people!
• Véhicules plus vert à Paris. The Paris Auto Show kicked off this week displaying a variety of alternative fuel vehicles, many of which are scheduled to be sold across the pond very  soon. Check out the New York Times' slideshow here.
• Following on the heels of Al Gore and T. Boone Pickens, Google launched a $4 trillion clean-energy plan this week to wean the U.S. off coal and oil for electricity production by 2030. The Wall Street Journal's Environmental Capital blog examines the feasibility of their green vision.
• A new study led by the University of Colorado at Boulder uncovers a large source of fine, organic particle pollutants that contribute to hazy skies and poor air quality. Get the scoop from Science Daily here.

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

Tomorrow, San Francisco's new Academy of Sciences, one of the greenest museums in the world, will open its doors for the first time. After more than a decade of planning, the new building stands as an embodiment of the Academy's mission to explore, explain and protect the natural world. Expected to earn a LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, the new Academy is topped with a 2.5-acre living roof and employs a wide range of energy-saving materials and technologies, as NEXT100 has reported.

In addition to the environmentally-responsible building, the Academy will unveil its climate change and sustainability exhibits, which take California as a case study to demonstrate the effects of global warming.

As part of PG&E's sponsorship with the Academy, all are welcome to visit tomorrow on us. They expect folks to begin lining up very early in the morning, so take public transportation and bring blankets and something to keep you entertained until the opening ceremony begins at 8:30 a.m.

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

With the development of renewable energy ramping up worldwide to meet increasing demand, it's easy to be dazzled by

the steady introduction of record-setting renewable projects. But as the saying goes, good things do come in small packages. As utilities look to supplant fossil fuel generation more and more with renewable energy resources, small projects have the potential to play a big role for those keen on developing balanced and diversified renewable energy portfolios like PG&E.

In fact, Calfiornia's first small renewable energy project recently began delivering emission-free power to PG&E customers. Sized at 1.5 megawatts (MW), Buckeye Hydro is the first of ten small projects to add to our qualifying renewable energy portfolio. Although we've only received interest from businesses to date, any of our customers can sign up if they'd like to sell excess renewable energy to the grid. Renewable energy projects that are elgible for the Feed-in Tariff program can be up to 1.5 MW in size and come from such resources as solar PV or thermal, biomass, wind, geothermal, fuel cells (using renewable fuels), small hydroelectric, digester or landfill gas and municipal solid waste, among others.

If you want to learn more, check out this interview with Etopia News and David Rubin, director of service analysis, pricing and payment products for PG&E.

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

Think plug-ins are the next big thing? Think again.

A company called Moller International took plug-ins a huge step forward this week when it announced the completed design of a vehicle which functions like a plug-in hybrid when on the road and gets vertical lift. Moller's Autovolantor can get you out of any traffic jam quickly, by lifting off vertically and flying up to 150 mph for a short distance. While the prototype cost around $5 million, Moller thinks it can deliver a commercial product at $250,000. No word yet on when one of these roadable aircrafts would be available or even the regulatory implications. But if you'd like to get into the nitty gritty, check out this preso from Moller on the autovolantor.

 

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

A roundup of green headlines that caught our eye this week.

• Plug-in hybrid transit buses start hitting the road.
• The BBC looks at how Denmark, which gets 20% of its energy from wind power, keeps the juice flowing even when the wind isn't.
• Treehugger discusses how global warming will not cause sea levels to rise as much as first anticipated.
• Chrysler reveals its plug-in...to dealers.
• The Bright Green Blog shows us non-cheesy environmentally-themed songs are possible.

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

 

• While commercial plug-ins are at least a good two years away, the Palo Alto Toyota dealership began accepting deposits on a plug-in version of the Prius this month.
• Green Wombat reports that Silicon Valley thin-film solar startup Nanosolar netted another $300 million infusion, bringing the company's funding to half a billion.
• South Korean firms team up to develop batteris for plug-ins. 
• An elementary school tricycle gets 17 mph with help from a solar-powered motor.

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

As my colleague Len noted, the Democratic National Convention is going all out this week to put on the greenest convention ever. No stranger to being environmentally friendly, the City of Denver is also supporting a number of environmental events this week in association with the Convention, further illustrating why it ranked among the top 20 on Popular Science's list of the Top 50 Greenest American cities.

Some of the highlights this week include:

• Green Frontier Fest
• SEIA's SunFest
• City Tour of Solar, which will educate municipal leaders, communities and schools on ways to incorporate more solar in Denver

There have been reports of some bumps in the yellow green brick road, but that's inevitable when your blazing new trails.

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

The UK's Guardian today reported on the carbon footprint associated with big music festivals and highlighted the Greener Festival Award winners (all UK specific).

With summer quickly coming to a close, Next100 wonders what are the U.S.'s greenest music fetes?

• Michigan's Rothbury Festival featured panel sessions with such environmental luminaries as Dr. Stephen H. Schneider to educate attendees on being green while getting down with the tunes.
• And San Francisco's Outside Lands is getting a dose of green from yours truly with our solar-powered stage and energy efficiency educational materials, among other highlights.

What other U.S. festivals are out there that showcase great music and great ways to be green?

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

Proving you can find renewable energy resources anywhere, Spiegel International reports that a new technology developed by Enviu, an environmental innovation lab, creates renewable energy by utilizing the tremendous energy expended by club goers.

" 'When you dance, you generate energy by the shaking of the ground,' Stef van Dongen, director of environmental innovation lab Enviu, told SPIEGEL ONLINE. 'What we do, very simply, is to capture the movement of dancing people and transform it into energy.'

The club will be among the first in the world to give back some of what dancers leave on the floor -- and it is part of a larger effort by Enviu subsidiary Sustainable Dance Club (SDC) to introduce environmental technology to an industry that has traditionally been a voracious consumer of electricity. Your average nightclub swallows up 150 times the amount of power normal households do. Club Watt plans to use 30 percent less."

Now I wonder if that means they'll lower the cover charge...

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

Following on the heels of the Plug-in 2008 conference, which had a number of exciting announcements, a stream of electric vehicle news continues to roll in  . Here's a quick rundown of the top highlights:

•  The San Francisco Chronicle reports that electric vehicle maker Zap received a healthy $10 million dollar vote of confidence from a Dubai entrepreneur. Although the cash infusion will be used to boost production, don't get your hopes up too high. Demand for Zap's silent, light EVs is so high that the money is already allocated to fill past orders.
  


• Associated Press covered the unveiling of Nissan's electric vehicle test model. It will be available in Japan and the U.S. in 2010 and globally in 2012.
  


• Mitsubishi Motors today announced its all-electric vehicles are coming to California - utilities, that is. PG&E and Southern California Edison will take delivery of the i MiEVs for fleet testing. Through daily operation, we'll gauge the viability of using these all-electric vehicles in our fleet and better understand the charging impacts on the grid. Mitsubishi's i MiEV, which can get up to 100 miles on a single charge and speed along at a zippy 85 mph, has already been extensively tested and well-received by Japanese utilities.
  


• Think you'll miss the familiar rumble of a combustion engine in your eco-friendly electric vehicle? No worries. Lotus has developed technology to simulate the noise of a real engine to make vehicles more audible. This is especially helpful for pedestrian and bicycle safety.

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

Adding to the list of breweries going green, Anheuser-Busch today announced that one in seven of its beers made in the U.S. will be brewed using renewable fuel by the end of 2009. The nation's largest brewer is turning to a combination of clean technologies to brew renewably, including biogas from a local landfill, solar and BERS, a technology that turns brewing wastewater into fuel. Once these projects are complete, 10 of Anheuser's Busch's 12 U.S. breweries will be producing renewable fuel.

If craft beer is more your style, you needn't look any further than the über-green brewery Sierra Nevada. This company has it goin' on full-circle style and is aggressively working to achieve 100% energy self generation. Their impressive efforts include incorporating a one megawatt fuel cell system, recycling, heat recovery, CO2 recovery, energy efficiency, water conservation and byproduct recycling. What's more, they're cataloguing their carbon footprint with the California Climate Action Registry and offsetting the emissions associated with their purchased energy through PG&E's stringent ClimateSmart program.

I'll toast to that!

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

A roundup of green headlines that caught our eye this week.

• San Francisco Chronicle covers how the global-warming West will continue to worsen as a hot bed for wildfires.
• Leaping off of Al Gore's suggestion, the Christian Science Monitor's bright green blog looks at where America's renewable energy would come from.
• Reuters reports on China's claim that its efforts to clear Beijing's skies are having an effect.
• The Baltimore Sun shines the light on renewable energy that's out of space.
• Like to walk? Treehugger shows you where not to live.

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

The Plug-in 2008 conference officially opened today and hit the road running with a flood of electrifying announcements. A unifying focus was building the ecosystem necessary to ensure that when PHEVs begin to hit the market in the 2010 timeframe, they do so seamlessly and in a way that benefits consumers, the environment and the grid.

• GM was the belle of the ball with its joint EPRI announcement to work with 34 utilities, including yours truly, to accelerate the introduction of PHEVs. Click here for the Wall Street Journal's report.
• The City of San Jose is partnering with Coulomb Technologies to install electric charging stations in garages and on street lights. The Mercury News' Matt Nauman gives the download on the effort.
• eTec, a battery manufacturer, launched a program with the U.S. Department of Energy to research bi-directional fast-charging operations for PHEVs.
• Raser Technologies announced their plans to develop a 100 mpg plug-in hybrid light truck. PG&E will take delivery of one of the first vehicles for testing and demonstration within our fleet.

It's exciting to see these companies firing on all cylinders as the electricity and transportation sectors converge before our eyes. If you want to learn about how PG&E is prepping its grid for the future, check out Dow Jones' MarketWatch piece on creating a smarter, faster grid.

 

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

With medium- and heavy-duty cars representing the second-largest consumer of energy in the U.S. transportation sector (just behind light-duty vehicles but ahead of every other transportation mode), you can imagine NEXT100's delight in taking a tour of PG&E's clean fleet efforts in the East Bay. To our surprise, NEXT100 learned these medium-and heavy-duty alternative fuel vehicles do not just roll off the line; some assembly, which can take up to a year, is required.

First, a little background (and horn tootin')
PG&E has been exploring alternative fuel technologies for over 20 years for use in our 12,000 vehicle fleet. We own and operate the largest utility natural gas fleet in the country and have 39 natural gas stations throughout our service area, 27 of which are open to the public. In fact, we started our tour in Concord where we filled up our natural gas vehicle (NGV) at the first natural gas fueling station that opened west of the Mississippi in the early '90s.

While much of our day focused on our NGV efforts, PG&E's approach to alternative fuel is holistic and we look to explore a variety of clean transportation technologies, including hydrogen, hydrogen bridging technologies, PHEVs, natural gas and dedicated electric vehicles, among others. As we continue to green our fleet, we're looking at a blended technology portfolio where each application is matched with the appropriate technology.

Tracy, CA: Where PG&E CNG gas crew trucks are born.
It was hot and dusty out at the American Truck & Trailer Body Co. where they have been custom building PG&E's gas crew trucks for the past 35 years. We toured the production areas where the chassis, body, and NGV tanks that all arrive separately are integrated. Working with such companies provides us the control necessary to incorporate clean fuel technologies into vehicles that would be impossible to get otherwise.

Another highlight of this stop was seeing some of the innovative trucks in the works for other customers, including the incorporation of solar panels to power on-board tools.

Liquid Natural Gas Fueling 101
It may just be in another state, but fueling with liquid natural gas (LNG) is not the same as fueling with compressed natural gas (CNG). This NEXT100 blogger was quite impressed when we hit PG&E's LNG fueling station in Fremont. PG&E has five Class 8 heavy-duty LNG trucks in our fleet which fuel there. By using LNG, we're able to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 15-20% over equivalent diesel engines and reduce fuel costs by 50%.

To begin with, LNG is kept at a frosty -260ºF in a thermos-like container. This means it's necessary to be clad in safety gear and pre-cool the fueling hose before you connect it to the truck. Once this is done and you've grounded the vehicle, you can pump away at a speedy rate of 80 gallons a minute. If LNG vehicles aren't used as frequently and the fuel is sitting in the tank, it's necessary to release the tank's pressure prior to fueling as that could drive up the temperature of the fuel and change its state.

As my colleague Len Anderson noted, the focus on alternative fuel options for medium- and heavy- duty applications is gaining speed. In fact, Terex Utilities will show its new plug-in hybrid bucket truck at next week's Plug-in 2008 conference in San Jose.

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

A roundup of green headlines that caught our eye this week.

• Treehugger tells us what Baja California is going to add itself to the list of worldwide solar production hotspots.
• Thin film gains speed.
• Rich, offshore wind resource areas are revealed.
• Conscious Consuming celebrates National Downshifting Week, an effort to get us Americans to slow down and green up.
• A big rubber snake made waves in the renewable energy industry.

 

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

Chalk this up to the "only in California" file - the concepts of traditional renewables and emerging renewables. Thanks to California's natural heritage, PG&E has a long history of utilizing hydroelectric, geothermal and wind resources to meet energy demand.

Well, as a sign of things to come, enter PG&E's newest renewable energy project with San Joaquin Solar LLC, a subsidiary of Martifer Renewables Electricity LLC. 

Through our agreements with San Joaquin Solar, we're adding 106.8 megawatts (MW) of solar thermal-biofuel hybrid power to our energy mix. What's cool about this project is the combination of two renewable resources abundant in California - solar energy and biofuel from the Central Valley - to produce renewable energy around-the-clock, even at night.

Here's how it works: Martifer's hybrid projects combine Luz solar thermal trough technology and steam turbines powered by biomass to produce hybrid solar-biofuel renewable electricity 24/7. Each hybrid project will require 250,000 tons of biofuel annually, which will come from a combination of locally-produced agricultural wastes, green wastes and livestock manure.

These projects will be located near Coalinga, CA. And for anyone who's driven the I-5 to L.A., you'll have experienced first-hand the abundance of biomass material.

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

Over the Memorial Day weekend, I got to play tour guide for my cousin visiting from New Orleans. I always enjoy those opportunities because, despite having lived in the Bay Area for five years now, I still have not experienced many of the routine tourist attractions SF has to offer. So, cut to our day roaming around the de Young museum and their coolest exhibit - the observation tower which provides an amazing view of the new California Academy of Sciences' undulating, living roof.

Opening this September, the Academy's new building is a model of environmental sustainability. It will consume 30-35% less energy by employing the latest in energy-saving materials and technologies, including jean insulation, natural ventilation and a solar canopy for which PG&E will award a rebate.

Adding to their theme of environmental sustainability, the new Academy will feature some cool exhibits aimed at educating Californians about how they can take action on climate change. The building is even an exhibit in and of itself. How's that for walking the talk?

PG&E is granting the Academy $1.5 million over the next four years to participate in this climate change education campaign. We'll provide energy-related content for their "Science in Action" exhibit and PG&E subject experts will be incorporated into ongoing Academy programming. There will also be volunteer opportunities for our employees year-round.

My cousin's visit to California was his first trip out west and although he was blown away by pretty much everything he saw, his one disappointment was that the Academy was not yet open for "learning."

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

Yesterday, I woke with excitement for the planned, daring rescue of endangered, baby peregrine falcons off the Bay Bridge by biologists with the UC Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group (SCPBRG). Unlike last year where biologists scaled underneath the Bay Bridge to rescue the peregrine eggs, this time they waited until the eyases were a few weeks old. As an animal lover, I was really looking forward to seeing these little guys before they were whisked off to Santa Barbara to meet their surrogate mom and eventually be released into the wild.

It was critical that this rescue take place because, at the age of six weeks, the falcon eyases fledge, or take their first flights from the nest. The Bay Bridge nesting location, while protected, is lethal for fledging falcons because they drown beneath the bridge or land on the roadbed where they are run over.

Unfortunately, when the biologists reached the nest they discovered two dead baby falcons with no parents in sight. It appeared that they had died a few days after being hatched. We don't know for sure why they didn't make it, but speculations were swirling that morning, including potential environmental pollutants that my colleague Len wrote about the other week.

The most likely explanation was that one of the parents died. Raising falcons require two parents: one to keep the young warm and the other to hunt. What is certain is that it's a very rare occurrence. Peregrine falcons are very good at raising their young and once hatched, their chances for survival are great.

This news certainly deflated the mood among the bird lovers and SCPBRG folks that had gathered for the happy occasion. Peregrine falcons are a part of the PG&E family - our adopted pair, named George and Gracie, have nested on the PG&E headquarter building for a number of years. And we've been a supporter of the SCPBRG's work since the eighties.

The peregrine population declined to zero known nesting pairs east of the Mississippi, and just two known nesting pairs in California by 1970.  Thanks the good work of organizations like SCPBRG, today there are an estimated 250 peregrine falcon nesting pairs in California.

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

Now this takes recycling and renewable energy to a new level - a beer bottle solar heater. Are you listening co-eds?

According to UK site Ananova, a Chinese carpenter created the environmentally-friendly, energy-saving contraption by lying beer bottles on a board in rows and connected them with hoses. Cold water flows through the bottles where it's heated by the sun. He's helped more than 20 families in his village to make and install their own beer bottle solar water-heaters. Cin cin!

For PG&E's part, we're working to bring affordable, renewable energy to all the communities we serve. One way we're doing this is through our Solar Habitat program, a partnership with Habitat for Humanity International where we install solar electric systems on every Habitat-built home throughout our service area. This year, 64 homeswill be outfitted with solar arrays that will save families $500 a year on energy costs. Each panel will also help avoid the release of more than 132,000 pounds of CO2 over the 30 year life of the system.

But our work with Habitat is more than money we donate. PG&E employees have volunteered more than 3,500 hours a year. In fact, four PG&E employees are spending this week on the Gulf Coast as part of the Jimmy Carter Work Project to assist in the ongoing recovery taking place in the communities hit by Hurricane Katrina. You can check out their daily blog here.

Posted by: Jennifer Zerwer

It seems that whenever I open a newspaper, magazine or turn on the TV, there's always something about "green." Don't get me wrong - climate change is an urgent issue that must be addressed and I'm proud to be doing my part at PG&E to show how we're thinking and preparing for a carbon-constrained future. But sometimes I wonder (and fear) if the media, and the public for that matter, have reached a saturation point on green issues?

 

Well, I got some comforting insight today attending the Low Carbon Fuel Expo's media panel which explored how media influences the public's perception of climate change. The panel featured leading reporters that cover aspects of climate change regularly: David Baker, energy reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle; Mark Glover, auto editor for the Sacramento Bee; Janis Mara, business reporter for the Contra Costa Times; and Todd Woody, senior editor of Fortune Magazine and blogger for the Fortune Green Wombat blog.

 

All reporters were in agreement that barring any extreme reversals in weather trends, like a really cold decade, coverage of climate change will continue. According to Todd Woody, Fortune Magazine has devoted two reporters to covering the issue full time and will continue to devote resources to it because, while the hype may go away, climate change will spur long-term changes to U.S. business policy.

 

But don't take their word for it. One needs only to check out a newspaper to see that despite the continued downsizing this industry faces, coverage of green issues has increased; it's a topic that is covered by reporters of all beats. Moreover, newspapers, newswires, news radio, etc. are tapping their reporters and editors to also blog around the clock on the environment and anything else you can think of. The New York Times is up to 54 blogs and my colleague Len Anderson's old stand at Reuters has a bunch including an environmental blog with posts from their reporters all over the world.