Washington, D.C. Leads U.S. in LEED-Certified Buildings

Note: This post was originally published on Clean Technica

By Silvio Marcacci

Washington, D.C. leads the nation by a wide margin in LEED-certified commercial and institutional green buildings per capita, according to a report released by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The USGBC’s report ranked the top 10 states based on 2010 U.S. Census data.

The District of Columbia leads the country with a whopping 31.5 square feet of LEED-certified square feet of space per person in 2011. Colorado ranked number two overall, and was the top-ranked state with 2.7 square feet per person.

Keystone XL Protesters Plan to “Blow The Whistle On Congress”

Note: This post was originally published on Clean Technica

By Silvio Marcacci

The Obama Administration may have rejected the existing Keystone XL pipeline proposal today, but anti-oil-sands advocates are planning a Washington, D.C. protest next week to support Obama’s decision and highlight campaign contributions from the oil industry to pro-Keystone lawmakers.

The “Blow the Whistle on Congress” event will take place on Tuesday, January 24th and feature 500 protesters dressed in black-and-white referee outfits. The event is expected to start at the U.S. Capitol and head to the American Petroleum Institute, the oil industry’s trade association.

Report: Power Plant Emissions In RGGI Region Fall to Lowest Level Yet

Note: This post was originally published on Clean Technica

By Silvio Marcacci

Emissions from power plants located within the states served by the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) have fallen to their lowest levels since the CO2 auction program launched in 2009, according to a new report from Environment Northeast (ENE).

Through the first three quarters of 2011, emissions totaled 96,127,957 tons, a 10.7 percent decrease compared to the same period in 2010. Based on average fourth quarter emissions from 2009 and 2010, ENE projects total 2011 emissions will fall to 34 percent below the RGGI regional cap of 188 million tons CO2 emitted. ENE’s analysis is based on emissions data provided by RGGI’s allowance tracking system.

Will Fukushima Push Japan Toward A Renewable Future?

Note: This post was originally published on Earth & Industry

By Silvio Marcacci

On March 10, 2011, Japan was planning on a nuclear power future. Never blessed with a wealth of domestic energy resources, the country was only 16 percent energy sufficient, the third-largest net importer of crude oil in the world, and the largest global importer of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and coal.

By late 2010, nuclear energy represented 29 percent of Japan’s electricity supply and it was the third biggest nuclear power generator in the world. A government master plan aimed to increase this mix to 41 percent by 2017 and 50 percent by 2030.

But on March 11, 2011 when the 9.0 earthquake and tsunami hit and caused the world’s worst nuclear power plant meltdown in 25 years, Japan’s energy sectorabruptly shifted from a nuclear-powered state to one without certainty about how to power its future.

How Fukushima Has Changed Nuclear Power in Japan

Note: This post was originally published on Earth & Industry

By Silvio Marcacci

The Fukushima Daiichi meltdown has profoundly changed the face of nuclear power in Japan, and may result in a complete shift toward alternate sources of energy for the nation.

Before the disaster unfolded, nuclear power provided about a third of Japan’s electricity demand. One year later, only 10 percent of the country’s nuclear fleet is in operation, the government is more heavily involved than ever before, and the national electricity system is struggling to meet demand.

Ballot Initiative Would More Than Double Michigan’s Renewable Portfolio Standard

Note: This post was originally published on CleanTechnica

By Silvio Marcacci

Last week, a coalition of clean energy advocates announced a 2012 ballot initiative that would amend the state constitution to more than double Michigan’s existing state renewable energy standard (RES).

The Michigan Jobs & Energy Coalition wants to boost the amount of electricity utilities provide to their customers to 25 percent by 2025. The state’s current RES, enacted in 2008, requires utilities to provide at least 10 percent of their electricity from renewables by 2015.

States Take Lead in Defining Green Jobs

Note: This post was originally published on CleanTechnica

By Silvio Marcacci

Green jobs are among the most controversial topic in America’s clean energy economy. Confusion over what exactly makes a job green has created disagreement over the total number of existing and potential green jobs, but efforts in several states are helping define the sector, track its growth, and connect job seekers to employers.

Land of 10,000 Green Jobs

Late last week, Minnesota released the Emerging Green Economy: Green Jobs Report 2011, a two-year study on green jobs in the state. The study was funded through a $1.6 million federal stimulus grant and examined job descriptions at thousands of companies to strictly define the sector.

The Nobel Prize for Sustainability?

Note: this post was originally published on CleanTechnica 

By Silvio Marcacci

In a ceremony last month, Katerva announced the winner of its first annual award for Best Sustainable Idea, a process touted as the “Nobel Prize of Sustainability” by the non-profit organization.

Sanergy, a company providing low-cost sanitation in developing countries, won the award for its work building waste treatment centers in Kenya. Its technology, a $200, locally produced toilet, is designed for 100 uses per day. Toilets are emptied and the human waste taken to a Sanergy processing facility for conversion into biogas for electricity and crop fertilizer for homes and businesses.