| PermalinkBy dkauffma,on May 15th,2012 Founded in November 2009,the Dominion Resources GreenTech Incubator (DRGI) seeks to attract clean energy innovators desiring to accelerate the successful growth of their early stage businesses. Each of our Founding Partners is committed to building the alternative,renewable energy sector in Central Virginia by supporting the needs of domestic clean energy entrepreneurs. DRGI accepts member companies pursuing alternative energy solutions across a wide spectrum of technologies including,but not limited to,biotechnology (biofuels), wind and solar generation,hybrid,carbon capture and smart grid technologies,electric vehicles,fuel cells,batteries and other storage technologies,energy conservation,enabling software products,smart appliance and other clean energy products or services. Our member companies benefit from access to staff expertise,business advisory boards,a complete offering of support services plus networking and educational programs. Our attractive facilities located in the Town of Ashland provide a range of office,office suite,cubicle and flex space designed to cost effectively serve the needs of start-up companies. DRGI is managed for the Founding Partners by the Virginia Biosciences Development Center (VBDC). Over the past 15 years VBDC has successfully incubated nearly 70 biosciences companies in its incubation program at the Virginia BioTechnology Research Park. VBDC boasts of more than 40 graduates including three publicly traded companies. VBDC clients have accessed more than $400 million in equity and grant financing to grow their businesses. By dkauffma,on March 19th,2012 This new method of clean energy is unique in a number of ways. We currently have a lot of energy floating around and have only been able to harness a few sources well. I apprecaiate the innovative approach that this company took. I look forward to seeing other innovative clean energy technologies emerge as we move away from fossil fuels toward renewable energy sources. I particularly believe that the wavestalks (windstalks in the water) could be extremely valuable in the future. By dkauffma,on February 7th,2012 There’s a great website that provides various paid and free courses online called Udemy. Udemy’s goal is to disrupt and democratize the world of education by enabling anyone to teach and learn online. Just as blogging democratized the publishing industry (enabling anyone to instantly become a journalist),Udemy seeks to dramatically change education by empowering millions of experts around the world to teach &share what they know. A free online course on the Economics of Energy and the Environment. By wblassingame,on February 6th,2012 By wblassingame,on February 6th,2012 Not only is the NFL tackling children’s health issues with its highly visible Play60 campaign,the league is also going after some of the world’s most pressing environmental issues. To my surprise,the NFL Environmental Program has an 18 year history of promoting several large scale projects to address solid waste,material reuse and most recently,the Super Bowl’s contribution to climate change. Similar to the New York Giants,the NFL Environmental Program is worthy of praise for their recent success in “greening” the Super Bowl. In partnership with Green Mountain Energy,the nation’s leader in clean electricity and carbon offset devices,the NFL is utilizing 15,000 megawatt hours of renewable energy certificates (RECs) to offset their carbon footprint from last night’s Super Bowl. These emissions are being offset through a variety of renewable solutions from using wind energy from a plant in South Dakota to tree planting in Indianapolis. Green Mountain energy explains,“Overall the RECs will avoid more than 14,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions associated with Super Bowl electricity consumption over the course of the month long period leading up to and immediately following the Super Bowl.” The NFL Environmental Committee has also expanded the use of green power to all six major Super Bowl facilities so that similar initiatives can be continued in the future. It is safe to say that the future of the Super Bowl looks very green. Source:Green Mountain Energy 
By Gavin P. Smith,on January 30th,2012  Powerful currents and competition upstream have delayed the installation of more underwater turbines in the East River. But when it’s complete,will it work? Watch the video report on the New York Times site by clicking here.
By Trevor Daubenspeck,on January 21st,2012 A great article by Richard Matthews on the differences in renewable and fossil fuel subsidies and how that reflects upon energy producing options. Obviously the cheaper the fuel,the more likely energy producers will construct those types of energy plants. Specific mentions: - The IEA estimates that removing fossil fuel consumption subsidies would reduce global carbon-dioxide emissions by 1.5 to 2 billion tons by 2020.
- Additionally,IEA estimates that fossil fuel subsidies would be $660 billion in Y2020 compared to $395 billion in renewable sources during the same time period.
- According to Bloomberg,the Wind Industry will become cost competitive without subsidies by 2020 in Europe and 2035 in the United States due to Shale Gas discovers. [To note,Bloomberg only mentions the affects of cutting Wind subsidies,not cutting all subsidies (including fossil fuels)].
By Gavin P. Smith,on January 19th,2012  Click to watch “Home –A Documentary”
Internationally renowned photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand makes his feature directorial debut with this environmentally conscious documentary produced by Luc Besson,and narrated by Glenn Close. By Gavin P. Smith,on January 15th,2012  “Studies conducted by the University of Washington,Virginia Tech and the Electric Power Research Institute estimate approximately 400 terawatt-hours per year can be extracted from marine and hydrokinetic technologies in this country,excluding ocean thermal systems. This is enough electricity to power cleanly approximately 36 million average American homes.” –Jacques Beaudry-Losique,Deputy Assistant Secretary for Renewable Energy,Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy,US Dept of Energy [i]
In one of the first hearings directly related to hydro power potential,Jacques Beaudry-Losique shed light on the enormous potential on the horizon for hydro power in the United States. Hydro power is generally thought of as a current-based technology. Such tech relies on the flow of water current to generate electricity. This is just one of several forms,including wave motion,hydro-thermic and magnetohydrodynamic energy generation. Current-based technologies can be divided into three categories:axial flow turbines,cross flow turbines,and reciprocating devices. As one would expect,development costs may be high initially. Government subsidies,however,in energy and green sustainability programs will alleviate and offset these initial cost barriers. An example of this is the Marine Renewable Energy Research and Development Act of 2007. This act directed the Department of Energy (DOE) to “support RD&D and commercial application programs for MHK renewable energy technologies…and authorized DOE to provide grants to higher education institutions for the establishment of national centers for marine renewable energy research,development,and demonstration.”[ii] Just how much did the U.S. government authorize in this area? The answer –$50,000,000 appropriated from 20008-2012. Now,even venture capitalists and private equity firms are seeing the prospects of what is possible with hydro power systems. Sensing that solar and wind are already costly and “old news”,investment interest in hydro ventures is up 1000+% in recent years. According to House testimony by Roger Bedard,Ocean Energy Leader for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI),a non-profit collaborative R&D organization,the overall sustainable benefits of hydro power include: - Provision of a new,environmentally friendly,renewable energy source
- Easy assimilation into the grid (because of the predictability of the resource)
- Ease of transmission constraints with minimal,if any,aesthetic concerns
- Reduced dependence on imported energy supplies
- Reduced risk of future fossil fuel price volatility
- Reduced emissions of greenhouse gases
- Stimulated local job creation and economic development
The move toward hydro power in the U.S. is clear. The cost-effectiveness of power generation when compared to all other forms is also clear: 
[i] Hearing before the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment Committee on Science and Technology –U.S. House of Representatives,December 3,2009,pg. 12. [ii] Hearing before the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment Committee on Science and Technology –U.S. House of Representatives,December 3,2009,pg. 7. [iii] Hearing before the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment Committee on Science and Technology –U.S. House of Representatives,December 3,2009,pg. 25. By Trevor Daubenspeck,on January 9th,2012 According to the latest Institute for Electricity Efficiency (IEE) study,in Y2010 the US saved 112 terawatts-hrs of electricity through energy efficiency efforts. That amount translates to eliminating electricity demand of 9.7 million homes or reducing CO2 emissions by 78 million metric tons. To the average American consumer,this means realized savings of greater than 3.5 cents per kilowatt-hour consumed. 
To continue this trend,more than 6 States (if you count Washington DC as a State) are more then doubling their Electricity Efficiency (EE) budget,a further 37 States are increasing their investment (average increase roughly 25%),all in the effort to further cut overall electricity costs. 
As a result,the IEE forecasts that the EE impact for Y2011 to be greater than 125 terawatts-hrs saved,an increase of more than 10% over the previous year. What is the lesson from this? If the United States can continue positive investment into economical EE measures across the residential,commercial,and industrial sectors,than we as a nation effectively hit multiple birds (reduce GHG emissions,reduce costs,promote economic growth) with one stone (Electricity Efficiency). | |
