A sampling of
green-tech news with quick commentary.
Credit crunch creates Catch-22 on energy–Newsday.com
Even with boosted incentives, solar energy could be a tough purchase for home-owners without access to credit. Via WSJ.
SEPA statement on historic 8-year solar tax credit extension–press release
Solar industry association predicts that utility-scale solar power plants will come online much faster as result of bailout bill.
The clean tech challenge–Living on Earth
Lux Research resident Matthew Nordan discusses how the credit crunch will affect the clean tech sector.
Garden State Offshore Energy wins bid for N.J. offshore wind farm–press release
New Jersey has approved a 350 megawatt off-shore wind farm, following Delaware and Rhode Island.
Imperium ’still under stress’ after recapitalizing–Greentech Media
Timely snapshot of the biofuels industry, which is struggling from high commodity costs and falling fossil fuel prices.
Forrester: There’s really no such thing as ‘green IT’–GreenTech Pastures
This post and report highlight the conflict with using “green” to describe a data center packed with always-on equipment built with toxic materials. That said, there is a lot companies can do.
High-efficiency generators for hybrid vehicles–Technology Review
The free-piston engine, originally developed in the 1920s, is getting another look to run a generator for serial plug-in hybrids/extended-range electric vehicles.
Capitalism to the Rescue–NYTimes.com
The NYT Magazine follows the brainiacs of storied VC firm Kleiner Perkins for a few months and concludes…green tech is real but the financial pay-off has yet to roll in.
Six products, six carbon footprints–WSJ.com
Part of an environmental package, the WSJ digs into the tricky business of determining product carbon footprints, with shipping and supply chain playing a surprisingly small role.