Oregon Biomass Facilities
State of Oregon Business Energy Tax Credit recognizes pre-95 facilities as part of state renewable energy standard. http://bit.ly/amPZj5
February 14, 2010
State of Oregon Business Energy Tax Credit recognizes pre-95 facilities as part of state renewable energy standard. http://bit.ly/amPZj5
February 09, 2010
GSA to Green-Up Portland, Oregonm Federal Building
The GSA is renovating the 18 story federal building in Portland, Oregon. Green features include a vertical green wall and reduced water usage with low flow fixtures and recycled roof water.
"... part of a $133 million renovation, the General Services Administration wants to grow “vegetated fins” on the western facade of the Edith Green-Wendell Wyatt Federal Building ... save energy year-round using one of Mother Nature’s own tools."
" ... will use 60 to 65 percent less energy than comparable buildings. That translates to an energy cost savings of $280,000 per year."
"Solar panels could also provide up to 15 percent of the building’s power needs. Energy use for lighting will be halved."
"... building in question was already slated for an energy efficiency upgrade, but funds from last year’s federal stimulus package stressed projects that were environmentally friendly."Via: SmartPlanet LINK
February 03, 2010
Oregon Green Tech Education and Certificate
Oregon receives funding that will further its objectives for green tech educational offerings leading to trained and certified workers entering the renewable energy industry. OIT will collaborate with Worksystems, Inc., community colleges and industry to drive the internship program for Oregon’s energy stakeholders. ...
... "The resources will be used to implement the Greening of Oregon’s Workforce project to develop local networks that will deliver training in green occupations. The State’s Green Jobs Council will be responsible for implementing the green jobs strategy which is mandated by Oregon State law, and will link to other state efforts, such as the Networks of Excellence that are emerging around green industries. Training will prepare workers for occupations in energy efficiency and renewable energy industries, including occupations that have long-term demand, offer the potential for high wage, career pathway jobs, and support local sourcing and innovation. Program partners will develop new curricula, adapt existing curricula, and complete development of the Oregon Green Tech Certificate. " ...Via Oregon Institute of Technology: |Renewable Energy Internships
Continue reading "Oregon Green Tech Education and Certificate" »
November 30, 2009
Cagoule Fleece - Fleece from Recycled Bottles
Cagoule, a small company from Portland, Oregon, sells a line of gloves, hats, blankets and scarves made from post consumer recycled plastic beverage bottles.
My wife found these at our local Whole Foods Markets (Devon, Pa) and thought they looked like a great idea ... quality warm fleece gloves from post consumer recycled bottles.
" ... everything we make is still created from superbly soft fleece itself made from post-consumer recycled materials ... We recycle absolutely everything we can and run the entire show with waste reduction firmly in mind ... "
" ... BottleFleece™ ... made from 85% post-consumer recycled fibers obtained from plastic soda bottles and post industrial waste ... soda bottles are collected by recyclers, then shredded, melted, and extruded into fibers which then become ultra-plush fleece ... about 2 one-liter bottles in every BottleFleece hat ... "
Via: Cagoule Fleece Link
September 08, 2009
Oregon Renewable Energy Project Monitors Wind Solar
Oregon Institute of Technology student, who is majoring in Renewable Energy Engineering, receives project funding support from Portland General Electric for monitoring the performance of a wind and solar power system at a local high school. ...
... "Placencia's project proposal aims to resolve three issues: remounting of the existing photovoltaic panels and reinstalling a wind turbine at David Douglas High School; designing and installing the monitoring system; and designing and installing the human-machine interface, which will provide the interactive features of the system. " ...Via Oregon Institute of Technology: PGE Grant funds project
February 01, 2009
Oregon Solar Leadership
The State of Oregon is executing on its alternative energy strategies and is demonstrating leadership in the solar photovoltaic space. ...
... "After targeting solar and renewable energy over the past few years, the state clinched several projects in this niche, including Solar World in Hillsboro ... " ...Via Area Development: Oregon Set to Lead Nation
September 16, 2008
Yakima's Planet Payback
Yakima makes lots of outdoor related items -- mostly various items for carrying bikes, canoes and the like on your car or truck. So ... it is not surprising that they are very much into the outdoors and the environment ...
" ... dedicated to helping people get into the great outdoors. ... anytime you manufacture something it inevitably has an impact on the environment. ... Our primary objective is reduction. Because let's face it, it’s much easier to clean up after yourself when you’re not messy in the first place. And then what we can't reduce, we off-set. "
" ... partnered with carbonfund.org to calculate the cost of our remaining footprint and then donate however much it takes to offset it. ... It's our little way of helping pave the road to a greener future."
Here are some things Yakima does in manufacturing to reduce their impact ...
Via: Yakima Link
August 10, 2008
Oregon Solar Highway
Oregon will build the country's first demonstration project of a solar highway. Oregon companies, utilities, and government are collaborating to achieve this installation, which will generate some of the power requirements for lighting the highway.
... ... "The 104-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system - covering about 8,000 square feet and roughly the length of two football fields - will produce about 112,000 kilowatt hours a year, or 28 percent of the 400,000 kilowatt hours used to light the interchange. The $1.3 million project is expected to be completed and online in December 2008. Electricity for the highway interchange is provided by PGE and the added solar power will be handled through a net metering arrangement. The solar panels will produce electricity during the day, supplying power onto the PGE grid, and PGE will return an equivalent amount of power at night to light the interchange. " ...Via State of Oregon: Solar Highway Installation
November 01, 2007
Photovoltaic Power Conversion
Basic insights on solar panel orientation, area, energy production, conversion rates, and grid integration from University of Oregon Solar Lab. ...
... "On a clear day around noon, incident solar radiation is approximately 100 Watts/square foot (1,000 W/square meter). Mono-crystalline (single crystal) and multi-crystalline solar panels change about 15-18% of the incident sunlight into electricity. Therefore it takes roughly 70 to 60 square feet of roof area respectively for a 1 kW solar electric system. Thin film technologies such as amorphous silicon panels are approximately 8% efficient and a 1 kW array would take up twice the area of a crystalline array. " ...
September 25, 2007
10 Greenest US Cities
Yahoo picked 10 Cities that "in no particular order -- ... putting residents first. That means they're obsessed with clean air and clean water, renewable energy, reliable city buses, trams, streetcars and subways, a growing number of parks and greenbelts, farmer's markets and, very important, opportunities for community involvement."
"Portland, Oregon - ... More than 30 years ago, ... tore down a six-lane expressway to make room for a waterfront park. ... set an urban growth boundary to protect 25 million acres of forest and farmland, started a solid-waste program that recycles more than half of the city's trash and erected more than 50 public buildings that meet tough standards set by the United States Green Building Council. ..."
"Austin, Texas - Home to the first Whole Foods Market ... 205 parks, 14 nature preserves, and 25 greenbelts. ... plans to meet 20 percent of its energy needs with renewable energy and energy efficiency by 2020. ... a recycling center that dates back to 1970, a dozen outdoor farmer's markets, city buses that offer free rides on 'high ozone' days and an innovative "pay-as-you-throw" trash collection program that rewards residents for being less wasteful ..."
Minneapolis, Minnesota - ... more than 60 percent of downtown workers use public or alternative transportation ... Free parking for registered van and car pools, an extensive bike path and bike lane system and employer-sponsored showers ... Minnesota State Department of Commerce nudging businesses and residents to hook solar systems up to the city's grid, ..."
"Boulder, Colorado - ... city planners started preserving parkland in 1898. ... more than 90 percent of residents recycle, where new water meters are not allowed above certain elevation, thus protecting ridgelines and peaks, and where, when recent federal tax cuts gutted city budgets, residents voted themselves a third sales-tax hike to raise $51 million to buy and protect even more open land."
"Burlington, Vermont - ... More than one-third of all energy used in the city comes from renewable resources, ... laws don't allow the use of pesticides on public parks, land or waterways. ... residents formed an extensive network of citizen-based groups that take on everything from environmental programs to clean up toxic sites to watchdog groups to monitor pollution in Lake Champlain. ..."
"Madison, Wisconsin - ... first city in the United States to offer curbside recycling ... 15,000 acres of lakes and 6,000 acres of parkland ... recycling program gets a whopping 97 percent participation, with 265 tons of material... collected each week.... bike-friendly city with more than 100 miles of bike paths ...a place where there are three bikes for every car."
"New York, New York - ... More than 80 percent of NYC residents use public transportation,... New Yorkers burn gasoline at the rate the U.S. did in the 1920s. ... ... Per capita, New Yorkers use fewer resources and put less pressure on their surroundings than any other city of its size. ..."S
"San Francisco, California - ... bus, subway and ferry services that reach throughout the Bay Area, .. . more than half the city's residents use public or alternative transportation to get to work. ... Prevailing winds ... help keep pollution at bay. ... leader in green building, with more than 20 building projects registered for official green certification. And city residents are willing to tax themselves. Voters said yes to allowing the city to sell $100 million in revenue bonds to support renewable energy."
"Santa Monica, California - ... Three of every four of the city's public works vehicles run on alternative fuel, ... among the largest such fleets in the country. All public buildings use renewable energy. ... the city has cut greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 10 percent, ... an urban runoff facility catches 3.5 million gallons of water each week that would otherwise flow into the bay. ..."
"Chicago, Illinois - ... has 42 green-certified building projects, with more to come. ... city's nine museums and the Art Institute ... converted to run partially on solar power. ... one-third of all residents use public transportation to get to work. ...energy goals, likely to be met, is buying 20 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources this year. ... give tax incentives to homeowners who invest in Chicago's many historic homes and retrofit them with energy efficient heating and cooling systems, as well as water-saving plumbing. ..."
Via: Yahoo.com Link
August 09, 2007
Flexcar's Low-Car Diet
Remember the Lo-Carb diet? Something along the lines that reducing or giving up
carbs was good for either your health or your waist or maybe both?
Well here is a similar idea - the Low-Car diet - the idea that partially giving up cars may be good for your wallet and the environment ... (no sure about the effect on
your health or waist ...)
Flexcar is rolling out the Low-Car Diet.
>>>Read on for more info.
[August 2007] "Over the next few months, folks from across the country will be giving up their personal cars for 30 days, as they participate in the Flexcar Low-Car Diet."
" ... participants pledge to walk or use public transit, bicycles, Flexcar, and/or other modes of transportation to get around town. ... to ... that not owning a car, or downsizing by a car, is more than possible in metropolitan cities that enjoy numerous transportation options."
"Right now, Porlanders are in their third week ... read their stories and learn more about the Portland Low-Car Diet at www.portlanlowcardiet.com. Atlantans will be kicking off their challenge today, and participants in Los Angeles, Washington, DC, and San Francisco aren't far behind."
Via: Flexcar Link
July 07, 2007
Flexcar - The US' First Car Sharing Company
Here is another option to owning a car that you really do not need to use every day. "Flexcar ... [has] ... low-emission, fuel-efficient vehicles ... conveniently parked near homes and workplaces. Members use them when they need them, paying just a simple hourly rate ... It’s far less expensive than owning and operating a car, and much more convenient than renting. ..." Flexcar locations .... Link 
"Since 2000, more than 30,000 individuals and more than 400 businesses have become members. Study after study has shown ..." "Applying this data ... it is easy to see ... the impact of the Flexcar program is.
Via: Flexcar.com Link
June 18, 2007
Solaicx Solar Plant in Oregon
Solaicx will manufacture mono-crystalline silicon ingots and wafers for use in solar energy applications at a high-volume manufacturing facility in Portland, Oregon. ...
... "The plant, which will have an initial run-rate of 48 megawatts, will create roughly 100 new jobs by the end of 2007. In 2008, Solaicx plans to expand the plant’s capacity from its initial 12 silicon ingot growers to a total of 36 growers. At full capacity, the facility will produce 142 megawatts of solar ingots and wafers per year. " ...
Via Solaicx: Manufacturing Plant in Portland, Oregon
June 05, 2007
Nau - Green Clothing in a Green Store Environment
A new type of clothing store is on the way. And they have "green" baked into their business model!
"Early next year, Portland-based nau (Maori for “come to me”) plans to open four “Webfronts,” ... hybrid brick-and-mortar/online stores. ... 
products purchased online — whether at home or in the stores — will be shipped from a Portland warehouse to the consumer ...
... each store’s comparatively small footprint will be roughly 40 percent more efficient than a traditional retail store, on a sales-per-square-foot basis, ... "
" ... business plan echoes a commitment to efficiency and environmental innovation ... Most of the company’s executive team hails from Nike Inc. ... and Patagonia, companies renowned for the corporate social responsibility efforts. ..."
" ... headquarters is in a LEED ... Gold-certified building, ... and nau’s Webfronts are designed to feature green building elements as well ... the 120 clothing styles featured in nau’s initial spring line are set to incorporate recycled plastics, organic cotton, corn-based polyester and other environmentally preferable materials. The company is also seeking to design a “paperless, automated office,” according to a position announcement posted earlier this summer."
"But perhaps the company’s coup d’etat is its pledge to give 5 percent of its gross revenue to social and environmental groups. Shoppers will be able to use the Webfronts to select which groups get a share of the sale revenue. "
"Earlier this year, nau staff projected the company’s first line of products to be released sometime during 2007."
For more info see Nau's website Link
Via: Sustainable Industries Journal Link
June 04, 2007
Better World Club - A Green Auto Club
Now there is a GREEN automobile club with fulkl service benefits. Read on and learn more about Better World Club, Inc, headquartered in Portland, Oregon.
"Better World Club, Inc. is dedicated to balancing economic goals with social and environmental responsibility. ... supports a cleaner environment and alternative modes of transportation. We will provide ... high quality, good value and environmentally sensitive products and services:"
- "Emergency Roadside Assistance"
- "Travel Products and Services"
- "Insurance Products and Services"
" ... we act as an advocate ... of the consumer and demonstrate our social and environmental commitment by donating an amount equal to 1% of our annual revenues toward environmental clean-up and advocacy and by providing unique eco-friendly travel alternatives."
Via: BetterWorldClub.com Link