Image: NYSERDA

New York State’s Industrial and Process Efficiency program will provide over $100 million over the next two years to help data centers and manufacturers control energy costs and improve competitiveness, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced this week.

Funding will go to energy studies and capital improvements designed to increase energy efficiency and reduce waste.

Already, NYSERDA has awarded three companies — Clough Harbour & Associates (Albany), Energy & Resource Solutions (New York), and Willdan Energy Solutions (New York) — approximately $2 million each to identify cost-effective energy savings options and educate businesses on available funding.

“New York is a great place to do business, and our funds will help leverage New York’s benefits as a business location while making the businesses that are here more competitive in the marketplace,” said Francis J. Murray, Jr., President and CEO of NYSERDA.

Last year, NYSERDA invested approximately $4 million to improve energy efficiency in the manufacturing and data center industries. According to the agency, those efforts reduced energy consumption by nearly 41 million kilowatt hours of electricity—the equivalent of supplying nearly 6,300 single family homes with electricity for an entire year.

New York has the nation’s second largest concentration of data centers. Recent studies conducted by Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found that New York data centers spend nearly $600 million per year on energy costs and projected that their energy consumption could double in three to five years.

Image: Governors' Wind Energy Coalition

While there is no shortage of hot air swirling around various plans to harness wind energy to power our homes and businesses, a group of United States governors has hammered out a plan and is ready to take it all the way to the top.

On Tuesday, Iowa Governor Chet Culver and Rhode Island Governor Donald L. Carcieri released Great Expectations: U.S. Wind Energy Development, the Governors’ Wind Energy Coalition’s 2010 Recommendations. Culver and Carcieri are the chair and vice chair of the 29-state organization, which is attempting to shape a national policy to make wind power both viable and cost-effective.

The group formed over a year ago and began work on recommendations in December. The next step: Lobbying efforts to get a bill into Congress and on to President Barack Obama’s desk as soon as possible.

“We need all the clean and cost-effective resources we can generate. And we will only get there if we work together,” Culver said during a press conference called in conjunction with the report’s release. “Continued uncertainty will potentially cause the nation to surrender the industry to other countries. If China gets the job of supplying the U.S. wind industry, (jobs) could be lost forever.

“The good news is that we have increased wind generation dramatically over the past few years, but continued growth hinges on a more stable market. Given the immense advantages wind power provides to industry, consumers and the environment, it is clear that Congress must pass a strong federal renewable electricity policy so investors, developers and state policy makers are working together to achieve a common goal.”

Among the recommendations in the report:

• Adopt a renewable electricity standard (Known as  a RES, it sets benchmarks for the nation to reach a certain level of clean energy production by specific dates. Many believe that having a strong RES is the only way that clean energy technology can promise lenders and investors a measure of security, to show that the industry will not be buffeted by politics in the coming years.)
• Develop new interstate electric transmission system infrastructure as needed to provide access to premier renewable energy resources both on-shore and offshore
• Fully support coastal, deep water, and offshore wind energy technology and transmission research and development
• Streamline permitting processes for both offshore and on-shore wind energy development projects
• Expand the U.S. Department of Energy’s work with the states and the wind industry to accelerate innovation
• Extend the Treasury Department Grant Program in lieu of the Investment Tax Credit — providing immediate capital, and adopt a long-term renewable energy production tax credit with provisions to broaden the pool of eligible investors

“These recommendations could not be more timely,” Carcieri said. “Congressional action on the energy bill seems to have stalled. It is our hope that these recommendations — and the national bipartisan consensus they represent — will advance the energy deliberations now under way in Congress.”

It’s spring cleaning time again—time to clean up the clutter and start fresh. But before you get to work, take a few minutes to consider these tips for making spring cleaning green cleaning.

Out with the old, in with the new

(Photo: Green Right Now Network)

Traditional household cleaning products contain dangerous, toxic ingredients that can cause or contribute to serious health issues including cancer, respiratory problems, reproductive abnormalities and allergic reactions. So, if your cleaning supplies are along the traditional lines, it’s probably time to start considering greener alternatives. On your next trip to the store, stop in the cleaning aisle and look for products labeled as non-toxic, biodegradable or made from renewable resources. And, check to see if your community has toxics recycling days, so that you can safely remove your old cleaning products from your home. (If you just throw them out in the trash, you run the risk of contaminating the environment.)

Make your own cleaners

Rather than buying natural cleaning products, you could opt to create your own. It’s easy and affordable. All you need are some basic ingredients such as baking soda, borax, cornstarch, isopropyl alcohol, lemon juice, vinegar and washing soda. You can find a number of recipes for cleaning mixtures online and there are even books dedicated to the subject of green cleaning. Here’s one basic recipe to get you started: mix one cup white vinegar with one cup water for an all-purpose cleaner.

Avoid cleaning with paper towels or other disposable materials

Paper towels and disposable, one-use cleanup items can be handy, but they also create unnecessary waste. To help ensure that you can clean green, get some reusable microfiber cloths or sponges for cleaning. Or better yet, cut up old towels or sheets and use them for cleaning rags.

Let in some fresh air

Enjoy the spring season! Opening your windows or putting plants indoors can actually help to improve air quality.

Remember the three “Rs”: reduce, reuse and recycle

When doing a big spring cleaning, you may be tempted to just “trash” a bunch of stuff. Reducing is a good thing, right? While it’s great to reduce (after all, it’s the first “R”), it’s equally important to reuse and recycle whenever possible. So, take a little extra time to sort through things. You’re likely to find that many of the items you don’t need or want anymore (for example, old clothes, furniture and toys) could be useful to someone else. You could give them away or donate them—or if you want to earn a little green, you could have a garage sale.

Before pitching items you can’t find new homes for, be sure to consider whether or not you could recycle them. We all know that we can recycle newspapers, magazine and glass, but there are other materials including old electronics (cell phones, VCRS, computers) that can be recycled too. For items that can’t be recycled, be sure to consider whether they are toxic before putting them in the trash. For example, old paint, batteries, fluorescent light bulbs or traditional household cleaning products shouldn’t be thrown away with your everyday trash; rather, these are the kinds of items you’ll want to bring to a community toxics recycling day.

These are just a few ways to clean green. Remember that green cleaning is beneficial all year long. And, if you need some help cleaning, there are green cleaning services out there that you can hire.

AT&T said today it will have a tree planted in honor of each customer who opts in to paperless billing – up to 1 million trees in 2010. The program, which will be operated in conjunction with the Arbor Day Foundation, is open to customers of  AT&T residential home phone, AT&T U-verse TV, broadband and wireless customers nationwide.

According to PayItGreen, if a million customers switch to paperless billing, this would help to save 400,000 pounds of paper, avoid 6 million pounds of greenhouse gases, and prevent 4 million gallons of wastewater from discharging into lakes, streams, and rivers in a year. And, according to the EPA, planting 1 million trees can absorb more than 1 million tons of carbon dioxide, can provide oxygen for up to 4 million people to breathe in a day and can forest more than 1,400 acres of land.

AT&T said customers can opt in to paperless billing and activate the tree planting by going online to www.att.com/paperfree and following the instructions. After enrolling, customers can choose to have a tree planted where there is the greatest need — or they can choose between regions of the U.S. that have various needs for reforestation, such as helping provide clean drinking water in California or protecting rare birds in Michigan.

“The trees planted by AT&T will help clean the air and drinking water for millions of Americans, restore habitat for wildlife and restore our nation’s forests for future generations to enjoy,” John Rosenow, chief executive and founder of the Arbor Day Foundation, said in a statement.

AT&T also accepts wireless devices for recycling in all 2,000-plus of its retail locations. Working with customers and other channels, AT&T estimates it will collect roughly 14 million wireless devices for recycling by the end of 2011, which is the equivalent of keeping more than 920 tons of primary materials and more than 13 tons of toxic waste out of landfills.

“We encourage all of our customers to make the switch to paperless billing with us this year,” Philip Bienert, vice president of ATT.COM, said in a statement. “Whether they care about conserving natural resources, supporting reforestation, enjoying the convenience of reducing the amount of mail they receive each month – or all of these things – we’re offering them a simple way to make a difference with just a few clicks of the mouse or taps of the smartphone.”

Image: Carnegie Institution for Science

From Green Right Now Reports

Assessments of which nations are the world’s biggest polluters can be deceiving. A study by the Carnegie Institution for Science has determined that over a third of carbon dioxide emissions stemming from the consumption of goods and services in developed countries are actually released outside their borders.

For instance, if Americans buy goods produced in China, they are effectively “outsourcing” the carbon footprint while not technically doing the polluting on home soil.

According to the study, about 2.5 tons of carbon per person are consumed in the U.S. but produced elsewhere. Europeans, on average, top four tons per person.

“Instead of looking at carbon dioxide emissions only in terms of what is released inside our borders, we also looked at the amount of carbon dioxide released during the production of the things that we consume,” says co-author Ken Caldeira, a researcher in the Carnegie Institution’s Department of Global Ecology.

The study used 2004 data to create a model of the flow of products across 57 industry sectors and 113 countries or regions. Researchers calculated the net emissions “imported” or “exported” by specific countries.

“Just like the electricity that you use in your home probably causes CO2 emissions at a coal-burning power plant somewhere else, we found that the products imported by the developed countries of western Europe, Japan, and the United States cause substantial emissions in other countries, especially China,” lead author Steven Davis said. “On the flip side, nearly a quarter of the emissions produced in China are ultimately exported.”

Some European nations generally not thought of as major offenders come off looking a bit less “green” in the report, which claims that over a third of carbon dioxide emissions linked to goods and services consumed in many of those countries actually occurred elsewhere. Switzerland, for one, outsourced emissions that exceeded the amount of carbon dioxide produced within national borders.

The United States is both a major importer and a major exporter of trade-based emissions. The net result is that the U.S. outsources about 11 percent of total consumption-based emissions, primarily to the developing world.

New research by U.S. environmental and geo-science academicians shows a distinct warming trend in the nation’s breadbasket over the last two centuries.

The scientists drew that conclusion after examining 65,987 weather records, recording the daily mean temperatures since 1828. Those weather observations, made by doctors in pioneer forts and later Weather Bureau officials, helped Dorian J. Burnette and David Stahle of the University of Arkansas, with the help of geographer Cary Mock of the University of South Carolina, reconstruct the climate of Manhattan, Kansas, in the center of the nation. The scientists’ findings are published in the March 15 issue of the peer-reviewed Journal of Climate.

What they found was that 19th century temperatures were notably cooler than those in the 20th Century and the first decade of the 21st Century.

“It still gets cold today, but the trend from 1828 to the present day is unmistakable,” said Dr. Burnette, who holds a degree in environmental dynamics, in a news release. “There is a warming trend in the cold extremes of about 5 degrees Celsius since 1855.”

Burnette said he used daily data from seven historical stations and four modern stations in Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma, to determine the daily mean temperature for each day dating back to July 1, 1828. He then computed seasonal and annual temperature means for each year, and looked at how these numbers have changed over time.

Calculating the most extreme warm and cold events for each year, Burnette found that the cold extremes are changing relative to the warm extremes, and are “warming at almost twice the rate as the warm extremes,” according to a news release.

The upsurge in warmer temperatures since 1855 tracks with the scientific belief that temperatures have been warming incrementally worldwide in concert with the increase in carbon emissions in the air from burning fossil fuels, a phenomenon of the industrial age.

Dr. Burnette’s data also show an accelerated warming trend since 1969, again fueled by a rise in cold season temperature extremes.

This is consistent with what we see globally on average,” Dr. Burnette said.

Burnette also studied records from the U.S. Army Surgeon General, the Smithsonian Institution and the Signal Service housed in the National Archives in his quest to find the detailed weather information from these early observers. In interpreting the data, the team developed a computer program that could help check readings against others in the region, to make sure that inaccurate data was excluded or to interpret weather vernacular that was used in the 19th century.

Composting can be as simple or as complicated as you make it. From piling green and brown things in a corner of the yard

Compost bins need aeration, like this metal mesh enclosure. (Photo: Bureau of Environmental Services, Howard County, Md.)

to buying that perfect compost bin, you’ll generate the same end result.  Those of us who turn and nurture our piles can expect more compost in a faster time period, but regardless our gardens will benefit from a little or a lot.

There are a variety of containers and methods to composting. They include:

• Plastic bins/barrels.

• Wire mesh enclosures and loose piles.

• Worm composters.

• Indoor composters, even motorized filter composters.

Gardening experts lean toward the simpler methods of piles and outdoor enclosures. Closed systems require more turning because there isn’t as much air and water.

The enclosures and bins are mainly to prevent rodents and other animals from getting into the compost, which may be more of a concern in dense urban areas. Homeowners in the suburbs or rural areas can use compost piles without much animal interference.

If you use the pile method, experts say to add dry materials around the outside of the pile to reduce smells.

Sam Hartman, program coordinator for The Ecology Center of San Francisco, suggests a simple approach. Begin with a 3 foot by 3 foot square area in your yard. Enclose it with wood posts and wire mesh.

The University of Missouri extension service  provides illustrations and instructions this type of compost pile, and others, including using an old barrel to make a spinning composter. The churnable composter will work more quicker.

But because it may be easier to stick with a looser routine, many gardeners say stick close to the ground with this earthy process. Like Hartman, Georgia gardening expert, author and television show host Walter Reeves also advocates simplicity. He suggests homeowners pile compost in the corner of their yard where two fences intersect.

But Reeves cautions gardeners not to rely solely on compost to create a bountiful harvest. Make sure to add soil conditioners to your garden beds.

“(Compost) is a component of your garden, but it will not produce the volume to satisfy all your needs. Adding compost to the soil is gonna really jump start the flower bed or vegetable process,” he added.

Getting Started

After you’ve secured a container, you’ll need a pitchfork or large stick and a pail to collect kitchen scraps.

A bamboo scraps collector that could pass muster in the neatest kitchen.

Once you start collecting food scraps, you may want to make a small investment in a composting pail. These pails, which include carbon filters to destroy any smells, are pretty enough to sit on your kitchen counter and start around $20. Some choices can be found at Gardeners.com, or any of a dozen gardening supply stores online.

Clean Air Gardening offers a bamboo scrap pail with a place for charcoal filters in the lid, a nice combination of design and sustainable materials.

New York University released its Climate Action Plan (CAP) today, which outlines the first steps toward achieving carbon neutrality by 2040.

The plan was developed after the university took a greenhouse gas inventory, and it outlines the projects and methods it will use to reduce or offsets its emissions.

NYU officials credited both Mayor Bloomberg’s PlanNYC Climate Challenge and the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) for initiating and helping shape its actions. The school is a signor of the ACUPCC .

The goals:

• NYU will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions per square foot by 30 percent from FY 2006 levels by FY 2017. This plan aims to reduce emissions in “an immediate, ambitious and tangible way,” school officials said.

• NYU pledges to achieve “climate neutrality” (i.e. net zero emissions) by FY 2040 by upgrading buildings through efficiency and conservation, planning for green building, generating cleaner on-site and renewable energy,  encouraging behavior changes and offsetting remaining emissions.

“Across the University – from academics to financial and space planning to sustainability – we are striving to plan for the long-term,” said Michael Alfano, NYU’s Executive Vice President. “This Climate Action Plan fits within that template, relying on a rigorous analysis to point the way toward a 30-year goal of attaining carbon neutrality.”

Cecil Scheib, Director of Energy and Sustainability, noted in the news release that NYU has already made progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, cutting them by 20 percent over the past three years.

“NYU total emissions have dropped from a fiscal year (FY06) peak of 171,000 MTCE to 136,000 MTCE in FY 2009. This decrease in global warming pollution is a measurable component of New York City’s total emissions, and represents a major step toward confronting the challenge of global warming,” Scheib said.

NYU, which is located in Greenwich Village and comprises 14 schools and colleges,  intends to fulfill its CAP by retrofitting buildings to use less energy, and prioritizing those retrofits to maximize emissions reductions.

The school — already the largest university purchaser of wind power — plans to use more cleaner energy by expanding a cogeneration power plant on site, which is expected to mitigate nearly one-quarter of NYU’s baseline FY 2006 emissions. The university will also replace fuel oil used to heat buildings with cleaner energy sources.

NYU is exploring the possibility of adding wind and solar power to its on-site energy plans, projects that it hopes will be financially feasible because of a positive return on investment, buttressed by state and federal incentives.

Whatever emissions the school can’t reduce or eliminate with these methods will be mitigated through local, socially and educationally redeeming offset programs.

NYU’s Manager of Sustainability Initiatives, Jeremy Friedman said that the CAP plan “fuses” the short-term reductions required by the Mayoral Challenge with the broader goals of the ACUPCC.

And the program does not forget the educational opportunities provided by the changing times. NYU expects to foster a campus-wide appreciation of sustainability through expanded course offerings both at the main campus and the affiliated Polytechnic Institute of NYU.

“The size and scope of this problem,” said Friedman, “are equaled only by our collective capacity to confront it together – by reducing greenhouse gas emissions as individuals, and by educating the next generation of leaders in the struggle to create a more sustainable and just world.”

Image: Pike Research

With Americans focusing more and more on streamlining their energy consumption and reducing costs, microgrids may become an increasing part of the solution. Smart integration that can allow communities, companies or institutions to operate “off the grid” is not only attractive, but is rapidly becoming a genuine alternative.

Microgrids are “islanded” power generation and distribution zones that operate autonomously from the larger electrical grid. A new report from Pike Research predicts that more than 3 GW of new microgrid capacity will be come online globally by 2015 at a total investment of $7.8 billion. The firm expects more than 2,000 sites to be operational worldwide by 2015, up from fewer than 100 in 2010.

Pike sees North America as the biggest player, accounting for 74 percent of industry capacity. Researchers anticipate that most of that will come in the form of institutional microgrids, followed by commercial/industrial and community grids.

In Europe and Asia Pacific, community microgrids are forecast as the largest categories.

As the current top-down system becomes increasingly unreliable and insecure and isn’t always friendly to renewable power generation, microgrids may gain appeal, with the potential to be part of a larger effort to create a Smart Grid that can add intelligence and automation while giving customers greater control over consumption.

“The distinguishing feature of a microgrid is the ability to separate and isolate itself from the utility’s distribution system during brownouts and blackouts,” says Pike Research managing director Clint Wheelock. “This degree of localized control is compelling for many microgrid proponents during this time of increasing concern over grid reliability.”

The electric car is almost here. Hybrids abound. Diesel has cleaned up its act. Even conventional internal combustion engines can be tweaked to do a bit less harm to the environment.

A brighter, cleaner future is a mantra at the auto shows this year. Scratch beneath the surface, however, and a different sort of impression emerges: Change may be coming to the automobile industry, but progress is slow — even grudging — and the message can be murky.

Chevy Volt. Photo: Green Right Now

Chevy has been hyping the much-discussed Volt, for example. The manufacturer’s new electric car – due later this year – can go up to 40 miles on a single charge before a gasoline engine kicks in to keep passengers from becoming stranded.

A breakthrough? Sort of. The price? Not certain just yet, but reps allow that it will be in the $40,000 range, at least initially, making The Volt more eco-friendly, than wallet-friendly.

Nissan has been touting its new LEAF, an all-electric vehicle expected to get about 100 miles on a full charge. Intriguing, or so it would seem. Unfortunately, the LEAF was a no-show at the recent Dallas Auto Show, even though the vehicles have been touring the country as proof of their worth as “real world” transportation. A representative suggested that Nissan hoped to have the LEAF at the New York International Auto Show in early April.

Mitsubishi brought its new all-electric  iMiEV, which already is on the road in Japan. Interestingly enough, the car was not prominently displayed among the manufacturer’s offerings at the Dallas show, and featured a decidedly U.S.-unfriendly right side steering wheel. When asked about the vehicle’s range, a Mitsubishi rep had to check with a superior to answer a seemingly obvious question. (The eventual answer: About 80 miles to a full charge.)

Meanwhile, the manufacturers continue to trot out a fleet of muscle cars, big trucks and big SUVs, some of which are only marginal upgrades on the status quo. One hybrid SUV touted a whopping 21 miles per gallon on the highway. Sure, that’s better than 17, but…

Bottom line: If you’re looking for real advances in fuel efficiency and environmental consciousness, you can find them. But you’ll have to look closely, and don’t expect too much just yet

Still looking for a greener ride? Here’s are some to consider:

2011 Chevy Volt

Is 40 miles on full charge enough to get America excited? The manufacturer argues that this should be enough for the average owner to make the average commute, using government statistics that claim more than 75 percent of all commuters travel 40 miles or less. If your one-way commute is 41 miles, fear not, since that gasoline engine will pick up the slack. Still, for a round trip exceeding 40 miles, you’ll have to find a place to charge up if you are going to get home without burning any fuel. (Interestingly enough, the gasoline engine doesn’t drive the wheels; it instead powers a generator that sustains the battery charge for up to 300 more miles.) A full recharge takes about 6.5 hours at 110V, around three hours at 220V. Will buyers pony up $40,000 or more for a relatively small car with such limited range? A $7,500 tax credit on the first 250,000 sold might help.

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