January 2011 Posts (44)

On Friday, Iberdrola Renewables, Inc. filed an application with the North Carolina Utilities Commission for a proposed wind farm on 20,000 acres of private land near Elizabeth City, NC.

If built, the Desert Wind Power Project, the current name of the project,  is considering development of a 300-megawatt…

Article in NY Times Dealbook covers clean energy discussions from Day 3 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.  A couple highlights...

In a Davos appearance, Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations…

Using detailed land analysis, Illinois researchers have found that biofuel crops cultivated on available land could produce up to half of the world's current fuel consumption – without affecting food crops or pastureland.

Published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, the study led by civil and environmental engineering professor Ximing Cai identified land around the globe available to produce grass crops for biofuels, with minimal impact on agriculture or the…

Haywood County has landed a $1 million grant to turn the methane pouring off a no-longer-used landfill into energy.

The money comes from the N.C. State Energy Office as a part of their Energy Efficiency and Conservation Plan, which offers funding for local projects aimed at....

 …

The deadline for applications is March 9th at 2 pm.

North Carolina's State Energy Office has announced a new program which offers grants between $100,000 and $500,000 for energy efficiency upgrades such as solar electricity, solar-thermal systems, and installation of energy efficient lighting. This program is for owners of commercial or industrial facilities and incorporated "large" non-profits (non-profits which occupy a space that they own of 20,000 square feet or more) to conduct…

Applicants must have:

• HERS Field Technician or Rater Certification by hire date
• Healthy Built Homes Training by hire date
• Strong understanding of building envelope and systems 
• High…

A Business Plan Competition for Women Sponsored by AdvantageWest & VERVE Magazine

Are you an established business that wants to expand? A would-be entrepreneur with a great idea for a startup? We want to hear your big idea! Enter the VERVE-aciously BIG Idea Business Plan Competition for a chance at $10,000 in cash, prizes, business support services and expert advice

ELIGIBILITY

To participate in the VERVE-aciously BIG Idea…

Blue Ridge Food Ventures featured in NYT as an example of a niche small business incubator!

Full article…

   Last night, President Obama addressed the nation in The State of the Union. Most of this speech focused on the economy but there were numerous focus points on the future of clean energy in our nation. President Obama compared the research of clean energy to that of the space race stating,

"This is our generation’s Sputnik moment. Two years ago, I said that we needed to reach a level of research and development we haven’t seen since the height of the Space Race. In a few…

On Jan. 18, Acme-McCrary Corp. in Asheboro, a century-old national leader in the manufacture of legwear and other garments, announced the development of one of the nation's largest solar thermal energy projects. The project is supported in part by a grant from the N.C. Department of Commerce's Energy Office under its Renewable Energy Grant program, funded through the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

North Carolina's U.S. Senator Kay Hagan, along with the N.C.…

Looking for capital for your green business?  Here are a few snippets from a good overview of 2010 venture deal flow from Local Tech Wire...

Venture capital investing rebounded strongly in North Carolina last year, returning to pre-recession levels.  The data shows:

1. The number of investments rose

2. The spread of deals by company category was…

2010 saw record breaking investment in the Clean Energy sector. According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, this record makes 2010 the strongest year  for investment in Clean Energy, by far. The drivers mainly responsible for this rapid growth were  China, European offshore wind, European rooftop solar and research & development. The sectors which had significant growth were solar power, wind power, and energy-smart technologies, such as smart grid, energy management, electric vehicles…

US Energy Secretary Chu has announced two new initiatives to promote tribal energy development:$10 million will be available this year through DOE's Tribal Energy Program to support energy efficiency and renewable energy projects on tribal lands, and that DOE's  Tribal Summit with American Indian and Alaska Native leaders will be held on May 5, 2011 in Washington, D.C.

These programs will be coordinated closely between Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs and tribal…

This video appears on the TED website and really challenges traditional thinking on construction…

Proposals are due by March 18, 2011.  The NC Division of Environmental Assistance and Outreach (DEAO) would like to announce the opening of the 2011 Community Waste Reduction and Recycling Grant Round!

Applicants may request any amount of funding up to a maximum of $30,000.  Applicants must provide at least a 20 percent cash match to the requested grant amount. DEAO has committed $700,000 for this grant cycle.

Counties, municipalities, councils of governments…

   Duke Energy and China-based ENN Group announced an agreement Tuesday to collaborate on the development of technologies to help build greener cities in China and the United States.

The agreement creates the Future Energy Technology Demonstration Platform and paves the way to exchange knowledge on advanced energy, building and transportation technologies.

   The companies’ shared vision for a “green” city encompasses electricity produced via cleaner generation technologies,…

A new report from  the Center for Clean Air Policy shows that smart growth practices enhance community prosperity and create economic benefits for local businesses, households, and governments. Reduced driving and efficient land use are key components of this report: Growing Wealthier: Smart Growth, Climate Change and Prosperity.

Growing Wealthier reports that cities investing in public transportation and downtown development are experiencing cost savings, growing tax revenues,…

Marshall McLuhan's famous quote 'the medium is the message' hits the nail on the head in regard to Eco Arts Awards driving mission to keep ecology top of mind in as many people as is possible. It seems in our overly electronic culture it isn't enough to "see" copious amounts of liter strewn along our roads with our own eyes, we need to see it in a video or perhaps in a photograph to impact us?  Perhaps its simply a numbers game as more people might "see" the photograph than walk down any…