Top 5 Green Energy Companies From 2008

Author: Nick Tart

Thousands of organizations and businesses are going the extra mile and spending the extra dollar to buy utility-scale energy from renewable resources. So much so that the United States E.P.A. (Environmental Protection Agency) compiles a quarterly list of the top green power companies from their Green Power Partnership program which came out in July 2008.

Some businesses take diminutive steps towards a green campaign, but these companies are proving their allegiance to a greener environment by voluntarily spending millions of dollars on clean energy.

1. Intel purchased 1.3 billion kilowatt hours of electricity in January 2008. This compensates for 47 percent of the companies overall energy use.
2. PepsiCo purchased 1.1 billion kilowatt hours of electricity in 2007, the equivalent of powering 90,000 homes for an entire year. This accounts for 100 percent of their annual energy use. PepsiCo was named Green Power Partner of the Year in 2007 by the E.P.A.
3. U.S. Air Force has already purchasd 9 million kilowatt hours of electricity this year as of July 2008. They have invested in a number of biogas, biomass, geothermal, solar and wind energy providers.
4. Wells Fargo has purchased 5.5 million kilowatt hours of electricity from wind energy providers thus far in 2008. They are also a Green Power Partner of the Year in 2007. More than green energy, Wells Fargo has made a number of other commitments to their green campaign including LEED certifying their buildings and offering online account statements.
5. Whole Foods Market, the past two years has purchased enough green energy to compensate for 100 percent of their energy use, totalling to over 5 million kilowatt hours annually. The company is also investing in multiple other efforts to reduce their carbon footprint on the environment.

Other organizations ranking high on the E.P.A.’s list are Starbucks, Johnson & Johnson and the University of Pennsylvania.

About the Author:

Nick Tart is the editor of four main sites for Worldwide Marketing Solutions. One of which is Great Earth News. GreatEarthNews.com is ‘The Good News Site’ that provides information and tips to help you better the world. If you enjoyed reading this article, please check out The Good News Site!.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Top 5 Green Energy Companies From 2008

From naturalnews.com

(Natural News) A newly formed energy group called the Tres Amigas Project has put forth a proposal to interconnect three regional areas of natural energy sources, covering wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal generated electrical energies. The project may cost 1 billion dollars and take five years to complete.

The three regional grids to be connected are the Eastern interconnection, the Western interconnection, and the Texas interconnection. The connecting high speed substation would be placed in a 22.5 square mile area near Clovis, NM. Three high voltage converters capable of converting 5000 megawatts of direct current would be installed, forming a triangle over the Clovis 22.5 square mile area.

Those three converters would be linked with direct current superconductor cables from American Superconductor. The superconductor cables are meant to be underground, which minimizes environmental and property ownership issues. The cables are also very efficient at transmitting electricity.

Their power loss during transmission is around 3 percent, while conventional overhead cables often lose more than 10 percent of transmitted power. American Superconductor creates superconductivity with a ceramic wire that is cooled with liquid nitrogen circulated around the wires.

The proposal was announced last October, 2009 by New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson. Governor Richardson had previously served as the U.S. Energy Secretary. The newly forming Tres Amigas Project has its headquarters in Santa Fe, New Mexico’s state capitol.

Why it’s needed

Most of the renewable energy is produced in American rural areas, but the highest energy demands are in urban areas nearer the coast lines. The group’s CEO, Phil Harris, says more transmission lines need to be built to take advantage of renewable energy sources.

Currently, only 2.5 percent of America’s electrical energy is supplied from renewable energy sources. With existing technology, it could go to 10 percent by 2020 according to The National Research Council’s 2009 report on renewable energy sources. The renewable energy sources available in America include wind, solar, and hydroelectric energy.

The Tres Amigas Project would be a major step toward linking with another proposed project. A 3,000-mile wind energy trail called the Green Power Express is scheduled for completion by 2020. These two new technologies would enable electrical power from renewable energy sources to exceed the National Research Council’s 2009 expectations.

Sources for this article include:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-1…

http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/ari…

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-1…

The environmental movement and the general feeling toward environmental responsibility has been gradually increasing for the past 10 years and has increased dramatically in just that past 4 years. Renewable energy, pollution control, environmental responsibility are all becoming mainstream concepts and goals.

As people become more conscious of the environment and are motivated to save money by using renewable energy by the ailing economy, a new type of lifestyle seems to be emerging; living green. The term “green” is now a mainstream term that indicates environmentally responsible or pollution free, or energy efficient.

Living green or “being green” has become such a high profile issue, that it has actually become a defined lifestyle that for many people living it, feels very good on a number of different levels. Someone who is living green:

Usually spends much less money on utilities, food, and fuel. Being green usually means that one drives a hybrid vehicle, or at least a vehicle that gets superior gas mileage. They don’t spend as much money on gas.

Being green means that one most likely has a renewable energy system in their household such as solar or wind power that saves them an amazing amount of money in electric bills.

Being green feels good because they tend to eat healthier than the average person. Many people living the green lifestyle ear many all natural and organic foods that contain no toxins, preservatives and have little or no saturated fat content. These people are eating significantly healthier than the average person, and in many cases are spending less money on their foods.

The green lifestyle has an emphasis on exercise and outdoor activity. Many people being green have gardens in which they grow their own organic or all natural vegetables to eat. This not only saves money but is a good past time that provides exercise.

In short, being green feels good for health, financial, and social reasons. The green lifestyle is inherently connected to health and well being, so people living green will exercise more and eat healthier. Being green usually means that ones household is as energy efficient as possible, which by definition means that they are saving a ton of money in utility bills.

Being green is a lifestyle choice that has a positive impact on the general environment, which helps give many people a positive sense of purpose that sustains them and gives their lives added meaning. As the economy has grown worse, many people have adopted the green lifestyle out of desperation to save money and to become more efficient.

Many people will pick up the principles of being green for purely financial reasons and will then become enamored with the entire lifestyle and will adopt the idealism of the entire green movement in general. Being green is becoming a powerful force for change in this country, on a social, financial and environmental level. As more and more people adopt the living green lifestyle, the economy and the environment will gradually improve.

After long wait, the supposed energy “crisis” just might force politicians to finally get us off the Middle Eastern tit of oil. I am going to put myself out on a limb here and say that I actually think the high gas prices are a good thing. While they do leave a pain in the wallet of most American families - mine included - the reality is that the way we Americans seem to learn best is through the wallet.

Take cigarettes, for example. When the cost of a pack of cigarettes became so high that buying them became more than a thoughtless expense, the consumer demand for smokes started going down. How many remember all those surgeon general warnings and studies showing that smoking was bad for us? All the warnings in the world weren’t enough to get people to put out their smokes. It wasn’t until the cost started to rise that people finally took notice. The point is that money talks when it comes to getting us to make a change, and I firmly believe that the same holds true when it comes to making an energy change.

It didn’t take the Japanese long to figure out that Americans make decisions with their wallets. That is precisely why they are building more economical automobiles while providing the level of quality American consumers demand. Thanks to the better leadership of Japanese companies and their desire to invest in energy saving technology, a growing number of Americans are making better energy choices with their wallets. While it may take awhile for us to make the transformation from gas to hybrid technology to sensible ethanol, biomass or hydrogen technology for our transportation, there are choices that Americans can already be making right now in their own homes that can help with the “crisis” we are currently facing.

The facts are simple. The vast majority of electricity comes from coal fired plants, followed by natural gas, nuclear and hydroelectric plants. In the future, we can hope that biomass technology will also contribute substantially to electrical production. At present, there are also many wind and solar projects in the works, but there is still a need for a greater amount of change.

Experts agree that most consumers realize global warming is occurring and are at least somewhat aware of the importance of shrinking their carbon footprints
. Most think this involves having solar panels on their house and using fluorescent light bulbs. While both are certainly helpful, getting green power is an easier and more effective step to take.

Unfortunately, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates that only 700,000 out of 122.5 million American households are buying green power. While it is true that not all households have access to green energy sources, only about 1.8% of those with access to green energy are participating in these programs. Some areas of the country, such as Palo Alto, California in Silicon Valley, are ahead of the curve when it comes to switching to green energy. In fact, the participating rates in this part of the country are at about 20%. Palo Alto is somewhat of an anomaly in that the city is home to a highly educated affluent populace that is receptive to change and innovation. Nearby Santa Clara also has stellar participating rate of about 8.7%.

But, the real question is why aren’t more people taking advantage of these programs? The answer is simple: many are not aware that they can actually buy green power.

The Green Power Network, which is run by the department of energy, makes it easy for you to see whether or not you can purchase green power through your local utility company. While there is a small premium for choosing green power, most can easily make up for the extra cost by foregoing their daily super latte from the coffee shop.

Currently, 44 states offer green electrical power to their customers. In order to participate in one of these programs, you simply buy and pay for green power from your usual supplier. For most Californians, this would be either Pacific Gas & Electric or Southern California Edison. Your supplier then applies the amount of power you purchase to the grid system.

Most power companies also sell green “renewable energy certificates,” or RECs, separately. RECs represent one megawatt hour( MWh) of renewable energy, which may be produced from solar, wind or other renewable sources. Each MWh you purchase means that one less MWh of the polluting coal variety needs to be produced.

Excluding hydroelectric energy, only about 3% of our nation’s energy currently comes from renewable energy sources. In California, the figure is more like 11% and new legislation mandates that utility companies produce 20% energy of their energy from renewable sources by 2010. As you can imagine, the companies are scrambling to sign contracts with renewable energy producers. The reality is that there may not be enough capacity for them to meet the goal by 2010 but, if you ask me, the goal should be higher and the state should be shooting for having 33% of its energy being from renewable sources by 2020. Now, that is a goal that can make a real difference.

Going green, also known as eco friendly living, is a growing trend around the world. Now more than ever, people are beginning to realize the impact their actions and decisions have on the world around us. Every time we get in a car, ride on a plane, or make a purchase at the grocery store, we know that energy is consumed, greenhouse gasses are created, and landfills get a little fuller. It’s easy to become overwhelmed by the vastness of it all, but relax and take a step back. No one of us has to save the world alone. But what we can do is each take a few small steps every day. Small changes make a big difference in the grand scheme of things. With that in mind, we’re going to discuss a few easy things that you can do at home to make a big difference in the world around you.

1. Recycle. Experts agree that recycling is one of the best and easiest ways to make a difference. If every person on the planet recycled, we could reduce landfill waste and greenhouse gasses in a very significant way. Most communities have recycling programs in place already, making it easy to participate. If your city doesn’t, inquire with local officials about starting a program.

2. Don’t throw it away! We have a tendency not to think about items we throw away. They disappear from our sight, so they are out of our minds. But all those things that the garbage truck hauls away every week do have to go somewhere, and that place is a landfill. Landfills are a major cause of greenhouse gasses and ozone depletion. So next time you get ready to throw something away, ask yourself if you could possibly use the item in another way or donate it.

3. Turn off the water. U.S. householdswaste thousands of gallons of water every year. A significant amount of this water goes down the sink while we are brushing our teeth, washing our hair, or soaping up in the shower. Turning off the water during these activities can save a huge amount of water, which not only helps the environment, but also saves you money.

4. Ride your bicycle. For short trips around town, air up the tires and ride your bike. It will save you gas and give you some good exercise. If you don’t have a bicycle, you can walk, ride rollerblades, or even a skateboard.

5. Install low flush toilets and showerheads. This is another way to consume less water in the bathroom. Even better yet, if you’re getting ready to put in a new toilet fixture, look into composting toilets. These fixtures are clean and odorless, and will save you a significant amount of money in water and sewer costs.

While the suggestions above may seem like really small things, don’t underestimate the impact these changes can make. If every person in the United States made a conscious effort today to turn off the water while brushing their teeth or shampooing their hair, think how many millions of gallons of water would be saved! Now multiply that over the course of fifty years, and the result is astronomical. So what are you waiting for? Now is a great time to jump on the going green bandwagon by recycling, saving some water, and using less energy. The environment will benefit, and in many cases, your pocketbook will, too.

Green energy refers to the use of power that is not only more efficient than fossil fuel but that is friendly to the environment as well. Green energy is generally defined as energy sources that don’t pollute and are renewable.

There are several categories of green energy (GE). They are anaerobic digestion, wind power, geothermal power, hydropower on a small scale, biomass power, solar power and wave power. Waste incineration can even be a source of green energy.

Nuclear power plants claim that they produce green energy as well, though this source is fraught with controversy, as we all know. While nuclear energy may be sustainable, may be considered renewable and does not pollute the atmosphere while it is producing energy, its waste does pollute the biosphere as it is released.

The transport, mining and phases before and after production of nuclear energy does produce and release carbon dioxide and similar destructive greenhouse gases. When we read of green energy, therefore, we rarely see nuclear power included.

Those who support nuclear energy say that nuclear waste is not, in fact, released into our earths biosphere during its normal production cycle. They stress as well that the carbon dioxide that nuclear energy production releases is comparable, in terms of each kilowatt hour of electricity, to such sources of GE as wind power.

As an example of the GE production the average wind turbine, such as the one in Reading England, can produce enough energy daily to be the only energy source for 1000 households.

Many countries now offer household and commercial consumers to opt for total use of green energy. They do this one of two ways. Consumers can buy their electricity from a company that only uses renewable green energy technology, or they can buy from their general supplies such as the local utility company who then buys from GE resources only as much of a supply as consumers pay for.

The latter is generally a more cost - efficient way of supplying a home or office with GE, as the supplier can reap the economic benefits of a mass purchase. Green energy generally costs more per kilowatt hour than standard fossil fuel energy.

Consumers can also purchase green energy certificates, which are alternately referred to as green tags or green certificates. These are available in both Europe and the United States, and are the most convenient method for the average consumer to support green energy. More than 35 million European households and one million American households now buy these GE certificates.

While GE is a great step in the direction of keeping our environment healthy and our air as pollutant free as possible, it must be noted that no matter what the energy, it will negatively impact the environment to some extent.

Every energy source, green or otherwise, requires energy. The production of this energy will create pollution during its manufacture. Green energy’s impact is minimal, however.

Due to a number of major factors, including the state of the economy, the climate crises and the general higher visibility of environmental issues, renewable energy has become a significant and high profile subject. Now, more than at any time in history, there is a growing awareness of our impact on the planet and consequently a growing movement toward environmental responsibility through the use of renewable energy.

The fundamental shift toward using renewable energy is not just motivated by those who are environmentally conscious and who want to do their part to stabilize the climate. renewable energy is also attractive to the countless people out there who are interested in saving money on heating and cooling bills by using alternative energy sources. Regardless of the motivation, the result is the same; unprecedented numbers of average people are looking into all types of renewable energy in order to save money on household energy bills. Many have numerous questions about renewable energy. Here are some renewable energy FAQs:

What is renewable energy?
Renewable energy is generally defined as energy that is unlimited in quantity and which renews or regenerates itself without any input from humans.

What are the different types of renewable energy?

Solar power: one of the most popular and reliable forms of renewable energy available, today, solar power is collected by solar panels that have numerous solar cells that store the sun’s energy and convert it into electricity, just like a traditional battery. Solar panels are usually installed on the roofs of structures and are linked together and then tied into the house’s electrical wiring system. Many people find that having a solar power system saves them dramatic amounts of money in heating and cooling bills and some people are even able to disconnect entirely from the electric company and live off the grid on solar power.

Wind Power: wind power comes from wind generators that capture the kinetic energy from the wind and translate it into electricity. This is essentially accomplished with propellers mounted on towers. As the wind turns the propellers, electricity is generated. Many electrical cooperatives have built large farms of massive wind generators, but a scaled down version is available for residential use.

Hydrogen furnace: while somewhat different and much more complex than solar or wind power, hydrogen furnaces are just beginning to become proven and reliable technology to create unlimited sources of renewable energy. Essentially, the hydrogen furnace produces energy from waste material by separating the hydrogen molecules. Hydrogen furnaces have posed massive engineering problems for years, but recently there have been breakthroughs that have allowed this technology to become viable.

Can one save money by using renewable energy?
If done correctly, one could save thousands of dollars per year in electricity costs by using renewable energy technology such as solar or wind power. In many places, solar panels can provide the majority if not all of the electricity necessary to power a household every month. The cost of installing a renewable energy system is often recaptured in savings in the first year.