Smart Meter Hysteria

Consumer foes of smart meters are not letting up. In 2011, California’s Pacific, Gas & Electric (PG&E) has been the focus of smart meter installation protests. Some consumers fear that electromagnetic radiation from the radios inside wirelessly networked smart meters could cause harm in humans. Some studies have shown that EMF coming from the latest [...]

Better Place Raises $200 Million Series C Financing

The press release states, “with the launch of the first nationwide electric car networksin Israel and Denmark just months away, Better Place today announced that it has secured $200 million through a Series C equity financing from a consortium of top-tier investors and partners, nearly doubling the company’s valuation to $2.25 billion (post money valuation [...]

Mission Motors Announces Series B Financing

Press release states, “Mission Motors, a developer of cutting-edge electric vehicle technology, today announced that it had closed on a $9.0 million dollar Series B financing round led by Warburg Pincus, a leading global private equity firm. Warburg Pincus is making an initial investment of $7.5 million in the company and Infield Capital is following [...]

SunPods Inc. Announces the First Pre-packaged Solar Arrays Ready for Global Export

According to the press release, “SunPods Inc., a manufacturer of the first complete, factory-built solar array, announced today that the SunPods Solar Energy Export Kit (SEEK™) is now available to all International Partners. The pre-packaged and containerized solar arrays are designed for shipment to any global destination. SunPods International Agents will assemble the SunPods and [...]

Solyndra Closes $75 Mil Credit Facility

According to the press release, “Solyndra, a manufacturer of cylindrical solar photovoltaic (PV) systems for large industrial and commercial rooftops, today announced the closing of a new $75 million secured credit facility underwritten by existing investors. The proceeds from the financing will be used to support Solyndra’s working capital requirements, accelerate the Company’s ongoing cost [...]

Remy International, Inc. Chosen to Supply Remy HVH250™ Electric Motors to the New All-Electric Aptera 2e Vehicle

According to the Remy Press Release, “Today, Remy International, Inc. joined Aptera Motors for a press conference in Carlsbad, California where Remy was announced as the electric motor supplier for the Aptera 2e. Remy will supply HVH250™ electric motors for the new Aptera 2e all-electric vehicle. Remy is already supplying a High Voltage Hairpin (HVH™) [...]

Amyris Biotechnologies Secures Investment from Temasek Holdings

According to the Press Release, “Amyris Biotechnologies, Inc. announced today that Temasek Holdings has invested $47.8 million into the company. Amyris intends to use these funds to support commercial plant design and construction activities as well as ongoing operations in the U.S. and Brazil. “We are privileged to welcome Temasek as a significant investor, and [...]

CalCars: PHEVs are the Future

Based out of Palo Alto, CA, CalCars is a nonprofit organization comprised of engineers, environmentalist and entrepreneurs. While a majority of people are looking to invest in the EV market, CalCars believe that plug-in hybrid EVs (PHEVs) are the best of both worlds. To them, PHEVs are not simply a transition from traditional internal-combustion engine [...]

Solar Industry Leader Amonix Acquires Sunworks Solar

According to the Press Release, “The Board of Directors of Amonix, Inc., the best choice for utility-scale solar power in hot and dry climates, announced today that it has completed the acquisition of Sunworks Solar LLC, a solar manufacturing plant developer. At the same time, Sunworks co-founder Brian Robertson becomes Chief Executive Officer; Sunworks co-founder [...]

CPUC Approves Edison’s Tehachapi Transmission Line to Support Renewable Energy

According to the Press Release, “The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) today approved Southern California Edison’s request to construct Segments 4-11 of the Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project (TRTP) in order to increase access to new renewable energy. This brings the total of new transmission approved by the CPUC for the state’s investor-owned utilities to more [...]

California Approves Space-based Solar Satellite

The ever-expanding solar industry has tackled land-based projects and is now looking to the skies for their latest innovations. Although space-based solar technology has been around for decades, it has never really been a viable option in terms of cost-efficiency. Nevertheless, last Thursday California regulators approved a project to beam solar energy from a satellite [...]

Green Wine Summit

The region of Northern California is synonymous with a particular product that is harvested, much to the delight of people the world round. Wine finds a home in this region, in places such as Monterey, Sonoma and Napa. The grapes that are harvested produce wines that are well known, and now the city of Santa [...]

Being Green Pays

The energy crisis in California between the years of 2000-2001 left many state citizens angered at their utility providers, and rightfully so. Thanks to the corporate greed of companies such as Enron, the entire economy of the state was affected in an adverse way. However, there were good things that came from these trying years, [...]

U.S. Military Plans 500 MW Solar Plant in Mojave

According to the Press Release, “The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has hired two companies to build a 500 megawatt power plant at Fort Irwin in California’s Mojave Desert, which would be by far the military’s largest solar facility.”  This project, set to be complete by 2022, would cost roughly $2 billion and dwarf the [...]

A Dash of Spirit – Eco Friendly Vodka

Alcohol has played a pivotal role in the development of human history. From mighty conquerors to the peasant farmer, all drank. Alcohol has found numerous different uses during its time being consumed on this planet. From water being turned to wine, to cleaning of injuries, alcohol has a storied past. In the modern world, there [...]

Peak Oil & Mass Transit in California

Researchers at the UK Energy Research Center have recently completed a study indicating that Peak Oil – the point of highest production of oil worldwide, after which oil production will decline sharply – will be reached by the year 2030 at the very latest. On the alarmist side the report’s chief author Steve Sorrell warns [...]