Following one of the worst years in economic history, signs of hope have begun to emerge for the clean-tech sector, with clean energy becoming a driving force for global economic recovery. In 2009, combined global revenue for the three major clean-energy sectors – solar photovoltaics, wind power and biofuels – grew by 11.4 percent over 2008, reaching $139.1 billion. These three sectors are expected to reach $325.9 billion by 2019, according to the Clean Energy Trends 2010 report issued by Clean Edge Inc., a research and publishing firm devoted to the clean-tech sector.

“From the smart grid and energy efficiency to renewable energy generation and advanced battery storage, clean tech continues to be a major driver of regional job growth, economic recovery and technological competitiveness,” says Ron Pernick, Clean Edge co-founder and managing director. “Despite severe economic conditions, clean-energy markets were able to hold their momentum in 2009 as many regional and federal governments and private corporations focused on clean-energy investments as a way to pull out of the global economic tailspin.”

The Clean Energy Trends report includes growth projections for the major clean-energy sectors (solar PV, wind and biofuels), as well as global clean-tech investment and jobs data. The report’s key findings include:

• The global production and wholesale pricing of ethanol and biodiesel reached $44.9 billion in 2009 and are projected to grow to $112.5 billion by 2019. In 2009, the biofuel market consisted of more than 23.6 billion gallons of ethanol and biodiesel production worldwide.

• Wind power (new installation capital costs) is projected to expand from $63.5 billion in 2009 to $114.5 billion in 2019. Last year’s global wind power installations reached a record 37,500 MW. China, the first-time global leader in new installations, accounted for more than a third of new installations, with 13,000 MW.

• Solar PV will grow from a $30.7 billion industry in 2009 to $98.9 billion by 2019. New installations reached almost 6 GW worldwide in 2009, a nearly sixfold increase from five years earlier. But because of rapidly declining solar PV prices, industry revenue in 2009 fell about 20 percent, from $38.5 billion in 2008.

• U.S.-based venture capital investments in energy technologies declined from $3.2 billion in 2008 to $2.2 billion in 2009. However, clean energy’s percentage of total U.S. venture capital investments continued to rise, accounting for 12.5 percent of total activity in 2009. This represented the largest share in the history of the clean-energy asset class.

• The global solar PV and wind power industries together currently account for a total of more than 830,000 jobs worldwide. By 2019, global industry growth will push the total to more than 3.3 million jobs.

The annual Clean Energy Trends report, now in its ninth year, can be downloaded for free at www.cleanedge.com.

At first glance, one would think that the Midwest, home to so much farmland, would naturally be in the forefront of “green” initiatives. After all, that farmland is producing a major share of the nation’s food. And the farmers who own that land are surely setting the best examples of how to be green – because that is what their life work is all about.

But the truth of the matter is this: Farmers who own several hundred acres of property may be using only a portion of that land to produce agricultural commodities. Some may be using a great portion of their land for production, but not doing it in a way that preserves or protects nature.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has stepped in with federal programs that provide incentives for working farms to also be working to conserve by introducing the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). CRP is a voluntary program for agricultural landowners, which provides annual rental payments and cost-share assistance to establish long-term, resource-conserving covers on eligible farmland.

The USDA’s Farm Service Agency reports that CRP protects millions of acres of American topsoil from erosion, thus keeping the nation’s natural resources safe. By reducing water runoff and sedimentation, CRP protects groundwater and helps improve the condition of lakes, rivers, ponds and streams. Acreage enrolled in the CRP is planted with resource-conserving vegetative covers, making the program a major contributor to increased wildlife populations in many parts of the country.

Another facet of the program is called the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), which is a voluntary land retirement program that helps farmers protect environmentally sensitive land, decrease erosion, restore wildlife habitat, and safeguard ground and surface water. CREP tends to be a community-based effort under local leadership that addresses local and national conservation issues – impacts to water supplies, loss of critical habitat for threatened and endangered wildlife species, soil erosion, and reduced habitat for fish populations such as salmon.

As an example of these federal programs in action, the Illinois Farm Bureau reported that a Peoria County farmer has 320 of his 700 acres devoted to soil and water protection, animal habitat, and prairie conservation. This farm is a showcase for visitors, providing an education in viewing prairie grasses, wildflowers, woodlands and wetlands. The farm also features a system of dams, terraces, waterways and grass filter strips that capture potential pollutants from water before they reach streams or rivers.

As more farmers understand that CRP reimburses those who remove environmentally sensitive cropland from production and foster wildlife habitat, more farms will become living “classrooms” for conservation and the protection of our planet.

Canada has been putting up with a lot of emotional abuse. Often labeled as a bunch of hockey-loving, beer-drinking, plaid-wearing socialists, many people can’t take our Northern neighbor seriously. But it’s time to cut the junk. The host of the last Olympic Games is actually much cooler than you think. And the reason has nothing to do with maple syrup.

Canada’s cool factor can be attributed to a really innovative production of Olympic medals. A February third article from Bloomberg describes the green process. The recent awards included metals from old televisions, circuit boards, monitors and electronic waste. Talk about trash to treasure. The metal was produced in a Vancouver based company called Teck Resources, Ltd, which is Canada’s largest base-metal producer which plans of processing 15,000 tons of e-waste this year, up from 2,100 in 2006. The company plans on augmenting its electronic stash to include DVD players, fridges, and light bulbs in an effort to re-use even more items that are just wasting away in dumps.

Although the whole Olympic process can wear down a few resources, Canada proves that eco-friendly elements can be incorporated. Not only does the production of these medals give Canada some good publicity, it shows that recycling is easy and just takes a little creativity. Including what would normally be considered “junk metal” in the production of other metals will help us reuse all those old TVs and fridges that are just hanging out in dumps. The junk can even be used to produce more of the same product, just with more recycled manner. Think of it as an e-reincarnation. So let’s toast our dear Canadians and take a hint toward more green production.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is recognizing eight landfill methane capture projects for their innovation in generating renewable energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). The winners include one of the largest landfill gas (LFG) to liquefied natural gas facilities in the world, located in Livermore, Calif.

“We are proud to recognize Landfill Methane Outreach Program partners who are turning trash into a clean and profitable source of energy,” said Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “These projects, and others like them, are helping us transition into a clean energy economy and make important greenhouse gas reductions.”

Methane, a primary component of LFG, is a GHG with more than 20 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide. Using LFG provides a significant energy resource, prevents GHG emissions, and reduces odors and other hazards associated with emissions. This year’s Landfill Methane Outreach Program winning projects will avoid the emissions of 546,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, the equivalent of annual GHG emissions from nearly 100,000 passenger vehicles.

Awards were given in three categories: Projects of the Year were given to the University of New Hampshire EcoLine Project, Rochester, N.H.; Jefferson City Renewable Energy Project, Jefferson City, Mo.; The Altamont Landfill Resource and Recovery Facility, Livermore, Calif.; Ox Mountain LFG Energy Project, Half Moon Bay, Calif.; Sioux Falls Landfill & Poet LFG Pipeline, Sioux Falls, S.D.; and the Winder Renewable Methane Project, Winder, Ga. The State Partner of the Year was given to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and the Community Partner of the Year was awarded to the Kent County Department of Public Works, Byron Center, Mich.

EPA’s Landfill Methane Outreach Program has assisted with more than 450 LFG energy projects over the past 15 years. The United States currently has about 509 operational LFG energy projects. The LFG electricity generation projects have a capacity of 1,563 megawatts and provide the energy equivalent of powering more than 920,000 homes annually.

The direct-use projects provide an additional 304 million standard cubic feet of LFG per day and provide the energy equivalent of heating more than 715,000 homes annually. Direct-use LFG energy projects do not produce electricity, but instead use LFG as an alternative to replace another fuel such as natural gas or coal.

The Landfill Methane Outreach Program is a voluntary assistance and partnership program that reduces GHG emissions by supporting LFG energy project development. The program also assists countries throughout the world in developing landfill methane reduction projects through the international Methane to Markets Partnership.

The millions of Americans who have driveways may not realize the environmental hazards those driveways can produce. Don’t be surprised if your community or homeowners’ association introduces rules in the future regarding driveway runoff.

Most property is in a watershed and drains to a nearby waterway, even when that property is not located close to a lake or river. Analyses in heavily populated counties indicate that 17 percent of a typical suburban watershed is made up of driveways, according to the Conservation Foundation.

So what’s the problem with our driveways? They direct rainwater runoff into stormwater systems, where it is then directed, usually untreated, to our waterways.

Auto and household hazardous waste tends to accumulate on driveways, and some environmental experts think they are a more dangerous source of pollution than roofs or lawns. In the summer, the elevated heat of asphalt driveways creates a higher temperature of runoff that could potentially harm certain fish species. The coal tar used to seal asphalt driveways on a regular basis produces dangerous levels of hydrocarbons that have been linked to mutations in fish.

So what could potential ordinances or covenants look like regarding our driveways? Shorter front yard setbacks would create shorter driveways. Limits could be placed on the length and width of driveways. The crown and pitch of a driveway could be sloped to direct runoff to porous areas and not to the street.

The future may see more “ribbon” driveways, which basically are two paved strips for a safe driving surface, with the rest of the area being short grass or a native grass. Another option could be the use of more permeable pavers as a driveway surface.

Experts also suggest that you sweep your driveway clean, rather than hose it and create even more runoff into the local waterways.

Rain barrels and the creation of rain gardens on your property are becoming popular alternatives to having gutter spouts pouring onto a driveway surface.

Here’s something to consider about your driveway: If you had a 1,250-square-foot driveway, it is estimated that in a climate that generally produces 34 inches of rain per year, your driveway would potentially contribute up to 26,500 gallons of runoff per year.

They usually pull up in a truck or van. And they usually need some assistance in pulling an old TV, computer, stereo, VCR or DVD player out of their vehicles.

It’s been going on for at least six years now, maybe even longer in some places.

It’s people taking advantage of an “Old Electronics Recycling Day,” and a county recycling service most often offers it.

With the choices in TVs, video components, computers and numerous other cell phone or compact music/Internet players growing with each passing year, there continues to be a great need for places to recycle these products.

It was only a few years ago in which consumers were warned that their appetite for new electronics carried an unhealthy side effect with the huge amounts of “toxic e-waste” they were creating in the process. Health experts were specific in their warnings that the cathode ray tube in old-style TV sets or computers contained as much as four to eight pounds of hazardous lead.

With the smaller appliances, the amount of mercury in their batteries and the cadmium in their displays was a health concern.

Without a national recycling program in place for electronics, states and mostly county municipalities created recycling programs and in some cases even banned the cathode-ray devices from landfills.

Just two years ago, the Environmental Protection Agency was estimating that 20 to 24 million unused TVs and computers were stuck in closets or cluttering up desks and tables across the country. With the advent of high-definition and now LED television sets, that number could skyrocket.

With a growing number of manufacturers creating their own recycling programs, there may be more options available to consumers for recycling old electronics.

However, it would be wise to check with your county government and contact a recycling coordinator to determine what is offered.

Generally, old electronics recycling days are held on a quarterly basis, or at least three times a year.

It’s a good alternative while state governments consider other programs. For example, Consumer Reports reported three years ago that Main instituted a first-of-its-kind of statute in which manufacturers would be directly billed for the cost of recycling based on the proportion of waste generated by their products.

The concept was simple. It would be one of many future steps designed to hopefully convince manufacturers to either design longer-lasting equipment or recycling-friendly models, or inform consumers about bringing old equipment to the manufacturer’s “consolidation center.”

Some states have gone as far as banning any CRT materials from landfills, while others have mandated that manufacturers create trade-in or buy-back programs for their own recycling efforts.

Much more will unfold in the coming years, mainly because much more will continue to happen on the new electronics front.

In the meantime, load up the truck or van with those old computers and TVs and head off to your county’s old electronics recycling location, or investigate the possibility of donating them to organizations seeking such equipment.

Poo. This three letter word makes foreheads crease and bodies cringe. It’s gross, it stinks, but you might never have guessed that this small smelly beast can be used power an entire farm. Sound like something out of a sci-fi flick? Well, you better believe it’s more like a reality show. An article published in the February 2009 issue of Popular Mechanic describes this messy, yet eco-innovative procedure.

The chosen one is Shawn Saylor. This Pennsylvania farmer uses the 18,000 gallons of manure produced daily by his cows to power a generator on his farm. Once the waste hits the ground, it goes through an extensive 16-day digestion process before it can be converted to actual energy. The manure begins its journey by being stored in a 19,000 gallon tank. It then travels through a U-shaped pipe where it is digested with bacteria that break the waste into a biogas containing 65% methane. The gas that is produced drives a natural gas engine which propels a 130kW generator.

18,000 gallons of manure daily may sound like a tremendous amount of number 2, and it is. Last year this method produced 1.2 million kWh of electricity, enough to power the farm and several homes nearby. Saylor saved about $60,000 in utility bills- a hefty amount of savings.

On the same note, a University of Texas-Austin study calculated that there is about 1 billion tons of manure produced in the United States annually. This amount could generate about 88 billion kWh of electricity-enough to account for 2.4 percent of annual US consumption.

It’s time, America, to stop making disgusted faces at the mere thought of poo. Who knows? Maybe one day it will be used to power your home.

In Pennsylvania, making the transition to more sustainable methods of food production has become more financially sustainable. For the second year in a row, the state will offer substantial monetary incentives for those farmers making the switch.
Pennsylvania farmers moving to organic agriculture or those who are certified organic have the opportunity to receive assistance for applying conservation practices through the state’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program organic initiative.

The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in Pennsylvania has set aside $760,000 to support organic agriculture. Approved applicants may be eligible to receive up to $20,000 per year, totaling up to $80,000 over six years.

The EQIP organic initiative is designed to provide financial assistance in the form of payments of 75 percent of the average cost of a conservation practice, or 90 percent of the average cost of a conservation practice if the producer is in a traditionally underserved group, such as limited resource, beginning or minority farmers.

Technical and financial assistance is available for a large number of conservation practices. Core practices that receive additional consideration as part of the application evaluation process include conservation crop rotation, cover crop, prescribed grazing, nutrient and pest management, conservation cover, field border, riparian herbaceous cover, riparian forested buffer and windbreaks.

“Through the EQIP organic initiative, organic producers or producers transitioning to organic have a unique opportunity to receive assistance. By separating these producers into a special group, organic initiative applicants only compete with other organic producers for funding,” says Dave Brown, NRCS state conservationist. “There is also a general EQIP funding pool from which all eligible agricultural producers can apply. However, these applicants compete on a wider scale for funding, often against all other producers in a multi-county region or the entire state.”

For more information about EQIP or to apply, go to http://www.pa.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/ or contact the local USDA service center.

After years of negotiations, an agreement has been reached to move forward on a restoration effort on the Klamath River in the Pacific Northwest. Conservation organization American Rivers joined Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in signing the historic pact.

The endeavor will represent the world’s largest dam removal project, restoring access to more than 350 miles of salmon habitat, resolve decades-long disputes over water in the basin and provide greater economic security for fishing, tribal and agricultural communities.

“The road to recovery begins for the Klamath River and its tribes, fishermen and farmers. River communities around the country will find inspiration in the collaborative solutions forged on the Klamath. It marks a significant new chapter in our country’s environmental history,” says American Rivers President Rebecca Wodder.

American Rivers conducted the first study on the potential removal of Klamath River dams in 2004 and continually insisted that removal of the dams be part of a more comprehensive basin-wide solution that these two settlements represent. The Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement settles many disputes concerning water and fisheries resources, while the Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement calls for the removal of PacifiCorp’s lower four Klamath River dams. The next step is passage of federal legislation to implement the two agreements.

The four dams produce a nominal amount of power, which can be replaced using renewable energy sources and efficiency measures, without contributing to climate change. A study by the California Energy Commission and the Department of the Interior found that removing the dams and replacing their power would save PacifiCorp customers up to $285 million over 30 years.

More efficient types of heating, ventilation and air conditioning can save homeowners plenty on their heating and cooling bills. Government tax incentives that encourage homeowners to improve their energy efficiency also promise to fuel new product development by HVAC manufacturers.

The HVAC industry is expected to see growth again as tax credits from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act help more consumers buy homes and update their systems. The green HVAC market should benefit in particular from federal and state support of more energy efficient homes and buildings, according to “HVAC, 2nd Edition—Green and Global,” the latest report from energy market research firm SBI Energy.

International manufacturers of HVAC devices seek to capitalize on the impending uptick in the market by designing high-efficiency equipment for sale in the U.S. that exceeds the 13 Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio minimum standard that was established by the Department of Energy in January 2006. Such equipment would qualify for the higher standards required to receive the tax credits available through the ARRA.

Recent developments in HVAC technologies have included geothermal heat pumps, under-floor air distribution and integrated photovoltaic systems. “Growth in the HVAC market will be driven primarily by the residential and non-residential construction markets,” says Shelley Carr, publisher of SBI Energy. “In addition, tax credits, new HVAC innovations, global expansion, and renewed investment in the replacement sector will revitalize the market.”

Thanks to the ARRA, homeowners can receive tax credits of up to 30 percent of the total cost of the installation of a geothermal HVAC system for geothermal heat pumps placed in service before Dec. 31, 2016. The DOE estimates that around 35,000 geothermal/ground-source heat pumps were installed in 2007, despite relatively high initial costs compared to standard heat pumps. By 2009, the number of geothermal/ground-source heat pump installations had reached an average of 90,264 per year.

According to the DOE, the average home spends about $1,900 annually on energy bills. The DOE estimates that homeowners can reduce their energy bills by up to 20 percent merely by replacing furnaces, boilers, central air conditioners and heat pumps with more efficient models.