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Here is a brief list of some of the interesting sustainability news articles from this week:
Tax Policy Blowing in the Wind
Top 10 Unanswered Biofuels Questions for 2011
Case Set to Challenge EPA’s GHG Regs
State Department Partnership with 1E Slashes PC Energy Use
And you’ll find more headlines at CEILeadership.org!
Thanks to Voice of America for sharing their wrap-up video with us!
The EV was on display at the GOVgreen’s Ride & Drive. Read more about the partnership and vehicle here.
Solar World was an exhibitor at this year’s GOVgreen. Visit them online to learn more about their solar panels.
Nissan’s wireless charging system video just made nearly every other charging system look dated. We haven’t seen details on charging times for the wireless option, but assuming that it’s competitive, wireless charging may be here to stay.
That is, if it is actually launched when the insiders predict – 2013.
Here is a brief list of some of the interesting sustainability news articles from this week:
And you’ll find more headlines at CEILeadership.org!
The answer, apparently, might be something like India’s recent solar auction.
India has a goal of installing 20,000 megawatts of solar power by 2022. But instead of subsidizing the industry to spur growth, India has set up a reverse auction. According to a recent article in Bloomberg, under the program,
the government [of India] proposed to buy solar power at 15,390 rupees a megawatt-hour for 25 years. Companies bid to sell at a discount to that price in a process known as a reverse auction. Those offering the lowest rates win and are awarded the rights to build plants with capacities of as much as 20 megawatts each.
Why offer to sell you power for so little? It seems that installers are making a bet that the future cost of installing solar power will be lower, thus offsetting the lower amount they bid for the rights, and that there will be strong long-term demand for solar.
While solar prices have been coming down lately, it remains to be seen if these will be good bets. One trend has emerged from this year’s and last year’s reverse auctions in India: bids to provide solar power are decreasing, and rapidly approaching parity with coal-fired power.
TED Prize winners are usually individuals. This year, though, TED has decided to award the $100,000 in prize money to an idea, The City 2.0. In TED’s own words, The City 2.0 is
the city of the future… a future in which more than ten billion people on planet Earth must somehow live sustainably.
While we may know where the prize money is going, TED is making us wait to learn more. The folks at TED Prize are organizing a group of “visionary individuals” to create one “wish” to promote on behalf the The City 2.0. The wish will be revealed at the TED conference on 2/29/12.
Does it all sound a bit confusing? Yeah, a bit. But we like that the folks at TED are bringing sustainable cities to the forefront of people’s minds. Everyone can play a part in developing the “wish” for The City 2.0. Simply visit the TED Prize site, and have your say.
Also, you can learn more about this and previous prize winners at the TED Prize site.
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With all of the excitement of GOVgreen last week, we didn’t get to share a very interesting article from The Washington Post with you. As reported by the Post, the GSA and Metro are planning to coordinate Metro service and future federal facilities locations to provide federal employees with public transit options at the new locations.
It seems as though the GSA’s need for more space could be met using Metro-owned land and employees could benefit from convenient – and green – transit options.
Read the article at The Washington Post for more.
