All Blog Posts Tagged 'certification' (12)

The following post was written by MEEA Program Manager Will Baker

Currently, The Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA) is assisting the Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Energy (MDNR-DE) in facilitating a stakeholder process to develop a state-specific voluntary home energy certification program. Previously, MEEA completed similar tasks for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) as a…

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No doubt if you follow energy or environmental issues, you’ve heard over and over again that the least expensive way to tackle our energy difficulties is through efficiency. One report from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) suggested that $168.6 billion could be saved through energy efficiency by 2020. Still, some of those close to the ground have heard horror stories on how the whole process is sometimes carried out in real life.

Significant…

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Just decades ago, solar power was an idea that had not yet reached its time. However, that has changed dramatically as the global community seeks alternative sources of power. The demand for solar energy rose 40% in just one year alone, making this renewable resource one of the fastest growing industries. The earning potential of businesses involving solar power could be astounding in the near future. Individuals qualified in the industry will no doubt have the advantage over their…

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However, it appears that these two companies aren't the only ones trying to get in on the electric car market; it was recently reported that Hyundai Heavy and Magna-E Car Systems have come together under an agreement to develop next-gen lithium ion batteries. Their goals reach far and wide, as Hyundai hopes to have 30% of the electric car market in Europe and North America at some point or another.



With this many car-makers trying to make their way into the electric car industry,…

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A strong commitment to the development of alternative energy has been made by President Barack Obama. In a recent radio address, the President called for a strategy "that relies less on foreign oil and more on American-made energy". These renewable energy sources, which include solar and wind power, will not only help wean the U.S. from fossil fuels, but create thousands of new American jobs. Solar training of these workers will be an important part in expanding alternative energy…

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In 2009 stimulus money was granted for over $2 billion dollars by the government to set up training courses for professional mechanics and individual persons in regards to knowledge and repair training of the new electric vehicles. By 2015 the government of the United States would like to see an increase in the rate of electric vehicles on the road upwards to at least one million vehicles. Development of electric vehicles may answer some of this country's problems but it certainly will not…

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Upon the earthquake and tsunami disaster in Japan on Thursday, March 14, 2011, nuclear power plants have shown to not have the capacity to withstand extremely powerful natural disasters. The earthquake and tsunami led to problems at three of the country's nuclear power plants, one of which remained a serious concern Monday as crews continued a seesaw battle to control a damaged nuclear reactor complex.



In Fukushima Prefecture, an explosion in a building housing the No. 3 reactor at the… Continue

A 448-kilowatt commercial solar system was powered up last Tuesday at the San Bernardino Corporate Center near Mill Street and Toppecanoe Avenue. The project came out of a partnership of the Novato-based SPG Solar Inc., the nonprofit for Sustainable Communities Reinvestment Partnership, known as SCRIP Inc, and the Inland Valley Development Agency (IVDA), the regional joint powers authority overseeing redevelopment in and around the former Norton Air Force Base.



The commercial…

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A weatherization program in South Carolina that has made area homes more energy efficient could impact the local economy for decades to come. The Orangeburg-Calhoun-Allendale-Bamberg Community Action Agency program is funded by federal stimulus dollars and has improved 179 houses for low- to moderate-income homeowners over the past year.

The work has cut utility bills and made older homes energy efficient. OCAB Community Action Agency Executive Director Calvin Wright says 12…

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SolarReserve, a U.S. developer of utility-scale solar power projects, announced today that it has received its final Certificates of Environmental Compatibility (CEC) by unanimous decision (5-0) from the Arizona Corporation Commission for its 150 megawatt (MW) Crossroads Solar Energy Project. The approval includes the associated transmission line connecting the project to Arizona Public Service's transmission grid. This final approval follows this past December's unanimous decision (11-0) from… Continue

The Executive Roundtable, made up of renewable energy industry leaders, met in order to discuss the future of the renewable energy industry. Due to the recent recession and talk on Capitol Hill to reduce or cut incentives, the renewable energy industry faces a defining moment that could lead it in different directions. However, the industry remains one of the U.S. economy's most consistent job creators and experiences much support among politicians and the public.



Chief Editor David… Continue

In 2008, the solar thermal industry in the United States underwent a period of unprecedented growth. The Great Recession caused the economic situation to worsen in 2009, lowering consumer spending as well as decreasing the demand in the solar thermal industry. Slowly in 2010, the solar thermal industry began to recuperate and experienced an optimistic growth in which solar thermal installations began to increase in popularity. Consumers began realizing that solar thermal installations are a… Continue