World's first ethanol power plant opens

A Brazilian utility company has opened the world's first power plant that has the ability to run off bio-ethanol.

The plant was designed using a twin turbine system that allows the plant to instantly switch between running off of natural gas or ethanol.

Brazil is the world's second largest producer of ethanol and is exploring back-up sources of energy to hydro-electric power, which is the country's primary source of power.

The bio-ethanol plant will undergo five months of tests and trials to make sure it is running properly and that it meets emissions requirements. After that, the plant will be commercially operated.

For more information on the world's first ethanol power plant, check out this story from Business Green.

U.S. government tightens geothermal regulation amid earthquake fears

The U.S. Department of Energy is planning to release stricter safety regulations on geothermal energy sites in an effort to address concerns that drilling deep holes into the Earth can result in local earthquakes.

Geothermal energy sites work by drilling deep holes into the ground to access hot bedrocks that are found deep underground. Water is then poured into the holes, which releases steam that can be used to power turbines and produce power.

While the localized earthquakes that can occur around these sites are highly unlikely to cause serious enough earthquakes to endanger humans, the local earthquakes have been known to damage the foundations of buildings and can cause thousands—even millions—of dollars in damage if left unregulated.

The new rules will require sites to get plans approved by seismologists and to run seismic tests at the site during drilling. If the earthquakes that result from the drilling are larger than expected, the sites will be required to shut down.

For more information, check out this story from Business Green.

The most fuel efficient 2010 cars and SUVs

The Daily Green has compiled a slide show of 2010 cars and SUVs that get over 30 miles per gallon. As we have pointed out before, going green doesn't necessarily have to cost you a bundle, and you will see that most of the vehicles cost about as much as other, less-efficient models.

Each slide contains a description of the car as well as a neat section that will highlight the fuel efficiency, the cost to drive 25 miles, and the annual emissions of each vehicle. Whether you are in the market for a compact, a family sedan, or a SUV, this list likely has something for everyone. Check it out here when you get a chance.

U.S. government introduces funding to increase fuel efficiency of large trucks

The U.S. government announced funding this week for nine projects aimed at increasing the fuel efficiency of large trucks and passenger vehicles.

Government officials said the funding will create 500 jobs immediately and has the possibility of creating as many as 5,000 jobs in the future.

The Department of Energy said the projects could reduce carbon emissions from road transport vehicles in North America by 30 percent by 2030.

For more information, check out this story from The Daily Green.

Number of cars in U.S. shrunk for first time in 2009

In either a sign that U.S. citizens are switching to more sustainable means of transit or a reflection of the economic recession, more cars were taken off the road in 2009 than new cars were sold for the first time in history.

A report from the Earth Policy Institute argues that increasing population growth in urban areas as well as rising oil prices means that this trend is likely to continue until at least 2020. In 2009, the total automobile population in the U.S. decreased by 2 percent. By 2020, there could be as many as 20 percent fewer cars on the road.

Hopefully, these numbers are a sign that Americans are realizing and taking advantage of the benefits of sustainable transportation methods. For more on this story, click here.

Five radical (maybe crazy) ways to stop global warming

As politicians continue to debate what role governments should play in fighting global warming, some people are promoting scientific fixes to the problem.

Some of these ideas may be feasible, while others are just plain crazy. But, I guess it is important for us to realize that while the best solution to global warming may lay in changing current behaviors, this may not be enough to reverse some of the damage our past actions have caused. Looking at scientific ways to slow down warming may be helpful as well.

If you're curious (and you should be), check out this story from The Daily Green.

GM set to begin manufacturing electric car batteries

Auto giant GM will begin production tomorrow of the battery packs for its Chevy Volt electric vehicle.

Production of the batteries at the company's plant in Michigan is a major step towards the release of the Volt later this year. The vehicle is expected to cost around $40,000.

GM officials have said the car will operate solely on battery power for about 40 miles of travel or until the battery reaches 70 percent power remaining. After that, the vehicle will operate similarly to traditional hybrids. The car is expected to have a total range of about 300 miles between fueling stops.

To read more about production of Chevy Volt batteries and the vehicle itself, check out this story from Business Green.

15 New Year's resolutions that will help the environment

Have you still not pinned down what your New Year's resolution(s) is going to be for 2010? Well, why don't you try picking one that can not only save you money but also help the environment?

The Daily Green has done the thinking for you. This slide show contains 15 resolutions that will not only make the environment cleaner and safer but may also help you keep a little more green in your pocket. Check them out when you get a chance. From giving up grocery bags to lowering your thermostat, most of these ideas are simple and easy and would make a great New Year's resolution.

OLED wallpaper may soon replace light bulbs

Organic LEDs, or OLEDs, are being hailed as the next generation of environmentally-friendly lighting. OLEDs can produce light with very little power, significantly less than what is required to power conventional light bulbs.

OLEDs are being used more and more, and one company is incorporating them into wallpaper with the goal of making the technology good enough to light rooms withou the use of conventional lighting. However, two main problems have kept the technology from widespread use: the cost to create products using them and the short lifespan OLEDs currently have. The company hopes more research can make the technology cheaper and more efficient.

For more information on this next-gen source of lighting, check out this story from Business Green.

U.S. Agriculture Department and dairy industry partner to cut emissions

The news is admittedly slow during this time of year, but there is a fairly interesting article from Business Green about the recent partnership between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the dairy industry, aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

The dairy industry has set a goal to cut emissions by 25 percent in the next 10 years. As part of the agreement, the USDA will help support (i.e. fund) research into advanced nutrient management for livestock as well as support technological advances that could lead to increased energy efficiency and an increase in the use of renewable energy.

For more information, check out the story at Business Green.

Copenhagen climate talks result in no binding agreement

Editor's Note: It's been a busy month here at TransAction, so we haven't been able to update the blog as often as we would like. However, regular updates should begin again in the near future.

As was expected by most, the U.N. Climate Summit last week in Copenhagen did not result in a binding agreement on emissions reductions. While accusations from both emerging and developed nations point the blame at each other for hindering the negotiations, the important thing to take out of the discussions is that while most nations involved agreed that climate change is a serious problem and that action should be taken, no emission reduction targets were agreed upon.

What came out of the negotiations is a two-page document called the Copenhagen Accord. It serves as a political (not legal) agreement between nations, and the accord gives very little details on how the nations that sign it actually plan to fight climate change.

Reaction to the accord has varied depending on who you ask. Instead of telling you what people are saying about it, you can read the reaction of several climate leaders in their own words, courtesy of Business Green. Click here to check it out.

World leaders set to attend Copenhagen talks

With the U.N. Climate Change summit set to begin two weeks from today in Copenhagen, over 60 world leaders have confirmed they will be at the summit, including the heads of state of the UK, France, Germany, Japan, and Australia. President Obama has said he may attend but has not confirmed that he will definitely be attending.

Leaders from over 192 countries have been invited in hopes that their presence will help increase the chances that a politically- and legally-binding agreement is made. In addition to Obama, Chinese President Hu Jintao and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have not confirmed that they will be attending the summit.

So, what do organizers of the conference hope to accomplish? The short answer is a legally-binding agreement on emissions reductions. The problem is that each country has its own agenda and own ideas on what should and should not be in such an agreement. This Daily Green story has more details on what the organizers are hoping to accomplish and the politics behind a potential agreement.

Treasury Department releases green energy bonds

The U.S. Treasury Department released about $2.2 billion in bonds earlier this month aimed at jump starting the renewable energy sector.

The bonds will basically serve as low-interest loans to people who want to start renewable energy projects, giving them an opportunity to begin projects despite the fact that other sources of funding have dried up because of the current recession.

Government officials hope that the bonds will get several projects, such as wind or solar farms, quickly into the construction phase of development. To read more, check out this story from Business Green.

A dozen or so things you probably didn't know you could rent

Renting things instead of buying them can save you a lot of money as well as keep the environment cleaner. The Daily Green has put together a list of a dozen or so items that most people probably don't know you can rent. Some of them are very practical, while others are downright silly but humorous nonetheless.

For instance, a new power saw will cost you around $150. However, many retailers and other places will rent it to you for $30. Given that most power tools are only used on average for a half-hour over their entire lifetime, this can save you a fortune. Other things you can save big bucks on renting include textbooks, sports equipment, camping gear, and other items.

Check out the full list on The Daily Green's website.

Senator Kerry pushes climate bill ahead

Massachusetts Senator John Kerry said today that he hopes to release a new, compromise draft of the Senate climate bill before the U.N. climate change talks in Copenhagen next month.

Such a move could slightly increase the chances of a binding agreement coming out of the conference. It is believed that the likelihood of a legally-binding agreement coming out of the talks hinges largely on the United States' willingness and ability to commit to emissions reduction targets.

The current bill would require the U.S. to cut emissions by 20 percent by 2020, but the bill has been met by opposition from both Republicans and moderate Democrats. Senator Kerry is holding bi-partisan meetings in hopes of working out a compromise that enough lawmakers will agree to vote for.

For more information on the U.S. climate bill and the Copenhagen climate change talks, check out this story from Business Green.

Study finds that workers are more productive in green buildings

A San Diego University study has concluded that workers in green buildings are more productive than workers in more carbon-intensive environments.

The research team examined 154 buildings with over 2,000 businesses to make their findings. The researchers found that tenants in buildings that had either Energy Star or LEED certification reported that their workers were five percent more productive in terms of workload and sick days. In addition, businesses in the greener buildings reported higher employee morale, lower employee turnover, and greater ease in recruiting new employees.

For more information on the study, check out this story from Business Green.

Which countries are the world's biggest polluters?

Some of the answers may surprise you. China has overtaken the United States as far as most total emissions go, as the Asian country has seen its emissions double in the last 10 years.

The biggest surprise, however, may be that Australia has passed the United States as far as highest emissions per capita. It is very surprising to see them higher on the list than countries such as the United States and Canada, which are colder and use much more fossil fuels for heating homes and businesses.

Both the United States and China pledged to address global warming and work on reducing their emissions at a recent U.N. meeting in New York. Both of these countries, as well as many other countries from around the world, will be meeting in Copenhagen next month for the U.N.'s Climate Change Conference. Representatives from countries around the world will work on negotiating a successor to the Kyoto Protocol, which is set to expire.

For more information on which countries are the biggest polluters, check out this post from The New Ecologist.

Senate puts climate bill on hold

Democratic leaders in the Senate decided today to put off more debate on the proposed climate change legislation for at least five weeks so the EPA can do an analysis of what the bill would cost to implement.

The delay will mean that any vote on the bill will almost certainly not occur until next year. This also means that no bill will be passed before the U.N. climate change summit in Copenhagen on December 7 despite pleas from German Chancellor Angela Merkel and U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for the U.S. to set the tone for the discussion by passing its own binding legislation.

With a lack of legislation before the summit, the U.S. team of negotiators will not have any mandate from Congress on what they should negotiate for. This could limit the team's willingness to agree to binding carbon emission reduction targets, something that U.S. negotiators have been hesitant to agree to in the past.

For more information, check out this story from Business Green.

Electric car goes 313 miles on a single charge

Who says electric cars don't have the range necessary to replace that traditional gas motor vehicle that you and your family rely on? An Australian businessman made his own argument for the viability of electric cars by completing a 313-mile trip in his Tesla Roadster.

The man completed the trip during the Global Green Challenge, an Australian solar car race that has been held since 1987. The Global Green Challenge includes a division for production cars, which is what the Tesla was competing in.

The trip smashes the previous record of 241 miles, which was also held by a Tesla Roadaster. For more info on the historic trip as well as the Global Green Challenge, check out this story from The Daily Green.

Salem State College receives environmental award

Salem State College was awarded a Leading by Example environmental award for its work to promote the use of renewable energy, water conservation, and recycling.

Some of the green projects the college has undertaken include purchasing 3.5 million kilowatt-hours per year of renewable energy to offset carbon emissions, creating a plan to protect nine acres of marshland that the college owns, and planting native beds that conserve water. The college also has a new dormitory under construction that is expected to be LEED certified, according to college officials.

Seven state colleges, municipalities, or agencies received the award. For more info, check out this story from The Globe.