Posted: 9/30/08

NEW YORK, N.Y. -- North America's first auction of greenhouse gas emissions permits last week raised nearly $38.6 million that will go toward energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in six Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states.

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) sold nearly 12.6 million carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) allowances Friday to 59 participants at a clearing price of $3.07 each. The floor was set at $1.86 per allowance, each of which allows electricity generators to emit up to a ton of carbon dioxide.

"The first RGGI auction has successfully used market forces to set a price on carbon, and this will send a clear signal to support the investment in clean energy technologies," Pete Grannis, RGGI chair and commissioner of the New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation, said in a statement Monday.

September 5, 2008

California's trend-setting energy and environmental laws are a noble but risky effort. While they are serving to create a new economy, the rules may also be hamstringing some utilities and businesses.

Green energy experiments are not new to California, but this undertaking is more aggressive. The state, which now gets 11 percent of its power from renewable energy, has always taken a progressive posture toward expanding its sustainable base. The problems, though, are that wind and solar resources are limited while the cost of compliance may be too high for some.

August 6, 2008

Global communications company Nokia wants to spread the word. It had dozens of offices and campuses around the world that used a ton of energy and in the process, released lots of greenhouse gases. In 2003, though, it set out to do something about it. It consolidated campuses and improved ventilation and lighting processes. Altogether, it says that its energy consumption has dropped 7 percent in five years.

Pressure is mounting on all businesses to cut their heat trapping emissions. It's particularly true of commercial buildings that are responsible for 38 percent of those releases. Awareness is growing. But confusion persists as to how to deal with the problem. The fact is that many enterprises can save money by implementing some sensible conservation features and by applying new operating procedures. Businesses can't control energy prices. But they can manage how much power they use.

Wal-Mart rolls out the green carpet to build a sustainable future

Name the organization that recently announced these environmental goals: "To be supplied 100 percent by renewable energy; to create zero waste; and to sell products that sustain our resources and the environment." If you think it must be a dreamy-eyed environmental group, think again. This ultra-green pledge actually came from the country's biggest retailer, Wal-Mart, which operates more than 4,100 stores in the United States and another 2,900 internationally.