Inside Renewable Energy http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/podcast Inside Renewable Energy delivers a comprehensive overview of the renewable energy industry. Interviews, news, events, products coverage and more. Feeder 1.5.2(371) http://reinventedsoftware.com/feeder/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss en Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:26:21 -0400 Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:26:21 -0400 http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/podcast/ipod-icon-2144.jpg Inside Renewable Energy http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/podcast 144 144 RenewableEnergyWorld.com Inside Renewable Energy delivers a comprehensive overview of the renewable energy industry. Interviews, news, events, products coverage and more. Renewable Energy, Alternative Energy, Global Warming, Climate Change, Environment, Green Living, Solar, Wind, Solar Power, Wind Power, Biofuels, Ethanol, Biodiesel clean RenewableEnergyWorld.com Stephen@RenewableEnergyWorld.com no July 3, 2008 - Inside Renewable Energy - Roundtable Discussion: Outlook for Renewable Energy Last month's Renewable Energy Finance Forum in New York City brought together some of the most sophisticated investors and analysts in the renewable energy and cleantech space. The end of the conference featured a roundtable discussion about the current status and future prospects for the industry as they relate to developments happening within the conventional energy industry. In this podcast, we're presenting a slightly edited version of this in-depth discussion.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest developments in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:38:07 -0400 july-3-2008-inside-renewable-energy--roundtab RenewableEnergyWorld.com Roundtable Discussion: Outlook for Renewable Energy Last month's Renewable Energy Finance Forum in New York City brought together some of the most sophisticated investors and analysts in the renewable energy and cleantech space. The end of the conference featured a roundtable discussion about the current status and future prospects for the industry as they relate to developments happening within the conventional energy industry. In this podcast, we're presenting a slightly edited version of this in-depth discussion. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest developments in renewable energy news and information. no 48:01 June 27, 2008 - Inside Renewable Energy - Community Wind: Building a Democratic Industry in Canada This week, we're podcasting from the World Wind Energy Conference in Kingston, Ontario. There is an ongoing movement in Canada to support more community wind projects and create a more distributed, democratic energy economy. We'll take a look at what's happening within Canada to promote awareness about community wind and help this under-developed sector grow.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:35:21 -0400 june-27-2008-inside-renewable-energy--communi RenewableEnergyWorld.com Community Wind: Building a Democratic Industry in Canada This week, we're podcasting from the World Wind Energy Conference in Kingston, Ontario. There is an ongoing movement in Canada to support more community wind projects and create a more distributed, democratic energy economy. We'll take a look at what's happening within Canada to promote awareness about community wind and help this under-developed sector grow. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 20:55 June 19, 2008 - Inside Renewable Energy - An In-Depth Look at Renewable Energy Finance This week, we're podcasting from the Renewable Energy Finance Forum in New York City. It's a complex industry out there, and this conference is designed to give investors the most in-depth, up-to-date information about the U.S. and global renewable energy markets. We'll have some interviews about industry consolidation, tax equity financing, carbon cap and trade schemes, venture capital, and of course, the impact of the political stalemate in Washington over federal tax incentives.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Thu, 19 Jun 2008 20:17:04 -0400 june-19-2008-inside-renewable-energy-an-inde RenewableEnergyWorld.com An In-Depth Look at Renewable Energy Finance This week, we're podcasting from the Renewable Energy Finance Forum in New York City. It's a complex industry out there, and this conference is designed to give investors the most in-depth, up-to-date information about the U.S. and global renewable energy markets. We'll have some interviews about industry consolidation, tax equity financing, carbon cap and trade schemes, venture capital, and of course, the impact of the political stalemate in Washington over federal tax incentives. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 36:42 June 12, 2008 - Inside Renewable Energy - Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion; EU-Wide Feed-in Tariff Few people have given Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) much thought over the last 30 years. But with the rising price and potential supply constraint of fossil energies, technologies that once seemed unfeasible now seem reasonable. OTEC is one such technology.

We'll speak with Christopher Barry, a marine engineer who once worked on OTEC devices during the oil embargo of the 1970's. He will tell us how OTEC works and why it could be an important part of our future energy mix.

Then we'll speak with Rainer Hinrichs-Rahlwes, vice-president of the European Renewable Energy Federation, about why the European Commission decided to temporarily drop the debate over Feed-in Tariffs versus certificate trading and instead allow EU member states to meet the region-wide renewable energy target on their own.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Thu, 12 Jun 2008 08:32:27 -0400 june-12-2008-inside-renewable-energy-ocean-th RenewableEnergyWorld.com Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion; EU-Wide Feed-in Tariff Few people have given Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) much thought over the last 30 years. But with the rising price and potential supply constraint of fossil energies, technologies that once seemed unfeasible now seem reasonable. OTEC is one such technology. We'll speak with Christopher Barry, a marine engineer who once worked on OTEC devices during the oil embargo of the 1970's. He will tell us how OTEC works and why it could be an important part of our future energy mix. Then we'll speak with Rainer Hinrichs-Rahlwes, vice-president of the European Renewable Energy Federation, about why the European Commission decided to temporarily drop the debate over Feed-in Tariffs versus certificate trading and instead allow EU member states to meet the region-wide renewable energy target on their own. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 26:46 June 5, 2008 - Inside Renewable Energy - Envisioning the Future for U.S. Wind In this week's program, we've got a selection of interviews from the Wind Power 2008 conference on the technical, political and financial issues facing the U.S. wind industry. Although the industry still has not gotten the production tax credit extended for next year, the mood at the conference was very upbeat. We'll take a look at the vision for the future of American wind.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Thu, 05 Jun 2008 09:57:30 -0400 june-5-2008-inside-renewable-energy-envisioni RenewableEnergyWorld.com Envisioning the Future for U.S. Wind In this week's program, we've got a selection of interviews from the Wind Power 2008 conference on the technical, political and financial issues facing the U.S. wind industry. Although the industry still has not gotten the production tax credit extended for next year, the mood at the conference was very upbeat. We'll take a look at the vision for the future of American wind. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 48:20 May 29, 2008 - Inside Renewable Energy - Verifying Efficiency Claims for Organic PV; Renewable Heating and Cooling in Europe Organic PV has made a lot of headway in recent years as efficiency levels have climbed higher and higher, grabbing the attention of researchers and investors. However, some reported efficiencies of organic PV cells are being disputed because of inconsistent and unverified testing.

We’ll speak with Journalist and Author Peter Fairley about his latest story called, “Solar Cell Squabble,” which outlines the debate over how organic PV should be tested and its implications for the health of the industry.

Also in the podcast: Part two of our look at renewable heating and cooling (REHC) policies. We’ll talk to Veit Buerger, a research fellow for the Energy and Climate Division at the Institute for Applied Ecology, about German promotion policies and the need for Europe to more aggressively develop a robust REHC sector.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Wed, 28 May 2008 16:47:27 -0400 may-29-2008-inside-renewable-energy-verifying RenewableEnergyWorld.com Verifying Efficiency Claims for Organic PV; Renewable Heating and Cooling in Europe Organic PV has made a lot of headway in recent years as efficiency levels have climbed higher and higher, grabbing the attention of researchers and investors. However, some reported efficiencies of organic PV cells are being disputed because of inconsistent and unverified testing. We’ll speak with Journalist and Author Peter Fairley about his latest story called, “Solar Cell Squabble,” which outlines the debate over how organic PV should be tested and its implications for the health of the industry. Also in the podcast: Part two of our look at renewable heating and cooling (REHC) policies. We’ll talk to Veit Buerger, a research fellow for the Energy and Climate Division at the Institute for Applied Ecology, about German promotion policies and the need for Europe to more aggressively develop a robust REHC sector. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 21:36 May 22, 2008 - Inside Renewable Energy - Staying Positive During Rough Political Times for Renewables After successive record years for wind and solar in the U.S., no one thought the industry would be facing another potential expiration of key federal tax incentives. But now the industry is scrambling to get the tax credits through Congress before project development starts drying up. The uncertain situation raises the question: Is the industry tipping forward or stepping backward?

Despite the debacle in Washington, most analysts are talking positively about the U.S. market. While the political process has been very slow, industry representatives are confident that the tax credits will be passed by mid-summer. Even if something goes wrong, they say, there are still plenty of opportunities to turn things around. We’ll have a feature story on how people are feeling about the future of renewables in the U.S.

Also in the podcast: Wilson Rickerson, co-author of a new white paper on the U.S. renewable heating and cooling (REHC) market, talks about why REHC is so often left out of the policy debate.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Wed, 21 May 2008 16:41:07 -0400 may-22-2008-inside-renewable-energy-staying-p RenewableEnergyWorld.com Staying Positive During Rough Political Times for Renewables After successive record years for wind and solar in the U.S., no one thought the industry would be facing another potential expiration of key federal tax incentives. But now the industry is scrambling to get the tax credits through Congress before project development starts drying up. The uncertain situation raises the question: Is the industry tipping forward or stepping backward? Despite the debacle in Washington, most analysts are talking positively about the U.S. market. While the political process has been very slow, industry representatives are confident that the tax credits will be passed by mid-summer. Even if something goes wrong, they say, there are still plenty of opportunities to turn things around. We’ll have a feature story on how people are feeling about the future of renewables in the U.S. Also in the podcast: Wilson Rickerson, co-author of a new white paper on the U.S. renewable heating and cooling (REHC) market, talks about why REHC is so often left out of the policy debate. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 19:57 May 15, 2008 - Inside Renewable Energy - Utility Profit Decoupling; Building Integrated PV In service territories across the country, the solar industry is facing an uphill battle. Because rate cases are often structured so that more energy consumption equals more profits, utilities don't have an incentive to encourage energy efficiency or distributed renewables. But there is a solution: Profit decoupling.

We’ll talk with Wayne Shirley, principal of the Regulatory Assistance Project, about how profit decoupling works and why it’s so important for distributed generators connecting to the grid.

Also in the podcast: We’ll explore some new PV products coming on the market. Stephen Torres, chief operating officer of Lumeta, will tell us about the company’s new “Peel and Stick” panel and its residential solar tiles.

Then John Langdon, vice president of marketing for the thin-film manufacturer HelioVolt tells us about the company’s latest venture to make building integrated PV products with its Copper Gallium Indium Selenide (CIGS) cells.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Wed, 14 May 2008 14:24:44 -0400 may-15-2008-inside-renewable-energy-utility-p RenewableEnergyWorld.com Utility Profit Decoupling; Building Integrated PV In service territories across the country, the solar industry is facing an uphill battle. Because rate cases are often structured so that more energy consumption equals more profits, utilities don't have an incentive to encourage energy efficiency or distributed renewables. But there is a solution: Profit decoupling. We’ll talk with Wayne Shirley, principal of the Regulatory Assistance Project, about how profit decoupling works and why it’s so important for distributed generators connecting to the grid. Also in the podcast: We’ll explore some new PV products coming on the market. Stephen Torres, chief operating officer of Lumeta, will tell us about the company’s new “Peel and Stick” panel and its residential solar tiles. Then John Langdon, vice president of marketing for the thin-film manufacturer HelioVolt tells us about the company’s latest venture to make building integrated PV products with its Copper Gallium Indium Selenide (CIGS) cells. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 27:49 May 8, 2008 - Inside Renewable Energy - California Solar Initiative Update; Social Merchant Banking in the Developing World As the California Solar Initiative approaches its 15-month anniversary, many changes have been made to speed up the adoption of photovoltaics in the state. Before the program began, some people were worried about flaws in the design of the rebate calculator, utility rate structures, and a cumbersome application process. We'll talk with Sue Kateley of the California Solar Energy Industries Association about how those issues have been addressed.

Also, Dr. Russell deLucia, Founder and President of the Small Scale Infrastructure Development Fund (S3IDF), talks about the role of the social merchant bank model in building a clean energy infrastructure in developing countries.

Lastly, Solar Nation Executive Campaigner Chris Stimpson comments on the political debate over a gas tax holiday in the U.S. The issue has sparked even more questions about our politicians’ commitment to renewable energy.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Wed, 07 May 2008 14:19:19 -0400 may-8-2008-inside-renewable-energy--californi RenewableEnergyWorld.com California Solar Initiative Update; Social Merchant Banking in the Developing World As the California Solar Initiative approaches its 15-month anniversary, many changes have been made to speed up the adoption of photovoltaics in the state. Before the program began, some people were worried about flaws in the design of the rebate calculator, utility rate structures, and a cumbersome application process. We'll talk with Sue Kateley of the California Solar Energy Industries Association about how those issues have been addressed. Also, Dr. Russell deLucia, Founder and President of the Small Scale Infrastructure Development Fund (S3IDF), talks about the role of the social merchant bank model in building a clean energy infrastructure in developing countries. Lastly, Solar Nation Executive Campaigner Chris Stimpson comments on the political debate over a gas tax holiday in the U.S. The issue has sparked even more questions about our politicians’ commitment to renewable energy. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 22:24 May 1, 2008 - Inside Renewable Energy - Solar Industry Fears 'Gaming' of SREC Markets Over the last year, as some east coast states have started transitioning into market-based incentive structures for solar, small- and mid-sized businesses are worried about getting pushed out of the market by a few larger businesses.

Solar programs based on Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs) — as currently designed — are only beneficial to large "Big Box Integrators," say many business owners. There are fears that if changes are not made to the system, there will be unhealthy market concentration in states such as Maryland, New Jersey and Florida.

The debate over SREC-only markets highlights a growing divide within the solar industry over how the market should grow: Top down or bottom up? We'll look at what SRECs programs are, where they're in place, and their predicted impact on the industry.

For more on this story, see Thursday's print version.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Thu, 01 May 2008 08:38:57 -0400 may-1-2008-inside-renewable-energy--solar-ind RenewableEnergyWorld.com Solar Industry Fears 'Gaming' of SREC Markets Over the last year, as some east coast states have started transitioning into market-based incentive structures for solar, small- and mid-sized businesses are worried about getting pushed out of the market by a few larger businesses. Solar programs based on Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs) — as currently designed — are only beneficial to large "Big Box Integrators," say many business owners. There are fears that if changes are not made to the system, there will be unhealthy market concentration in states such as Maryland, New Jersey and Florida. The debate over SREC-only markets highlights a growing divide within the solar industry over how the market should grow: Top down or bottom up? We'll look at what SRECs programs are, where they're in place, and their predicted impact on the industry. For more on this story, see Thursday's print version. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 28:23 April 17, 2008 - Inside Renewable Energy - Full Cost Accounting of Energy; A Detailed Discussion about Future Wind Technologies We know the market price of fossil energies, but do we know their true cost to society? In this week's program, we'll examine the concept of full cost accounting and how it could dramatically shift the energy landscape in favor of renewables.

We’ll speak with Financial Analyst J. Peter Lynch about the importance of quantifying the external costs of energy; Steve Barg of the International Institute for Sustainable Development on the value of “ecological goods and services”; and European Commission DG of Research Domenico Rossetti about ExternE, the European program for full cost accounting.

Also, we’ll have a detailed discussion on the wind industry between two experts: Consultant Andrew Garrad of Garrad Hassan and Eize De Vries, wind technology correspondent for Renewable Energy World Magazine.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:57:05 -0400 april-17-2008-inside-renewable-energy--full-c RenewableEnergyWorld.com Full Cost Accounting of Energy; A Detailed Discussion about Wind Technologies We know the market price of fossil energies, but do we know their true cost to society? In this week's program, we'll examine the concept of full cost accounting and how it could dramatically shift the energy landscape in favor of renewables. We’ll speak with Financial Analyst J. Peter Lynch about the importance of quantifying the external costs of energy; Steve Barg of the International Institute for Sustainable Development on the value of “ecological goods and services”; and European Commission DG of Research Domenico Rossetti about ExternE, the European program for full cost accounting. Also, we’ll have a detailed discussion on the wind industry between two experts: Consultant Andrew Garrad of Garrad Hassan and Eize De Vries, wind technology correspondent for Renewable Energy World Magazine. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 41:05 April 10, 2008 - Inside Renewable Energy - Creating Sustainable Cities The United Nations projects that sometime this year more people will be living in cities than in rural areas. By 2020, it's predicted that 5 billion people will be living in urban environments. While rapid urbanization can cause many social, economic and environmental problems, it can also open up the door for many solutions as well. This week, we'll look at some methods for creating more sustainable cities.

Firstly, Richard Levine, co-director of the Center for Sustainable Cities at the University of Kentucky, will outline the basic principles behind sustainability. He’ll tell us what the concept means and how it can be applied to urban areas.

Then, Michael Kinsley, senior consultant with the Rocky Mountain Institute’s Sustainable Cities program, talks about his work advising big and small cities and the economic opportunities that energy efficiency and renewable energies pose for urban planners.

Finally, Herbert Girardet, director of programs at the World Future Council, describes his vision for renewables in the urban and suburban environments as well as his work on the Chinese eco-city of Dongtan in Shanghai province.

Wrapping up the show, Jackie Jones of Renewable Energy World Magazine interviews Li Junfeng of the Chinese Renewable Energy Industries Association about the wind market in China.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Thu, 10 Apr 2008 08:37:28 -0400 april-10-2008-inside-renewable-energy-creatin RenewableEnergyWorld.com Creating Sustainable Cities The United Nations projects that sometime this year more people will be living in cities than in rural areas. By 2020, it's predicted that 5 billion people will be living in urban environments. While rapid urbanization can cause many social, economic and environmental problems, it can also open up the door for many solutions as well. This week, we'll look at some methods for creating more sustainable cities. Firstly, Richard Levine, co-director of the Center for Sustainable Cities at the University of Kentucky, will outline the basic principles behind sustainability. He’ll tell us what the concept means and how it can be applied to urban areas. Then, Michael Kinsley, senior consultant with the Rocky Mountain Institute’s Sustainable Cities program, talks about his work advising big and small cities and the economic opportunities that energy efficiency and renewable energies pose for urban planners. Finally, Herbert Girardet, director of programs at the World Future Council, describes his vision for renewables in the urban and suburban environments as well as his work on the Chinese eco-city of Dongtan in Shanghai province. Wrapping up the show, Jackie Jones of Renewable Energy World Magazine interviews Li Junfeng of the Chinese Renewable Energy Industries Association about the wind market in China. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 25:57 April 3, 2008 - Inside Renewable Energy - How Photovoltaics Can Copy Photosynthesis; Interviews from World Sustainable Energy Day We all know how photosynthesis works. Or do we? Researchers at the University of Chicago and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have made new discoveries about why photosynthesis is so efficient. Their work may have implications for the efficiency of future solar cells.

We’ll talk with Greg Engel, assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Chicago about how this research is changing our understanding of solar energy collection.

Also, Jackie Jones, editor of Renewable Energy World Magazine, brought back some interviews from the World Sustainable Energy Days in Wels, Austria. We’ll get some perspective on how the International Energy Agency is approaching renewable energy, how the European Commission will ensure the EU meets its renewable energy targets, and how Upper Austria has achieved such a high biomass and solar thermal penetration level.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Wed, 02 Apr 2008 12:50:30 -0400 april-3-2008-inside-renewable-energy--how-pho RenewableEnergyWorld.com How Photovoltaics Can Copy Photosynthesis; Interviews from World Sustainable Energy Day We all know how photosynthesis works. Or do we? Researchers at the University of Chicago and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have made new discoveries about why photosynthesis is so efficient. Their work may have implications for the efficiency of future solar cells. We’ll talk with Greg Engel, assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Chicago about how this research is changing our understanding of solar energy collection. Also, Jackie Jones, editor of Renewable Energy World Magazine, brought back some interviews from the World Sustainable Energy Days in Wels, Austria. We’ll get some perspective on how the International Energy Agency is approaching renewable energy, how the European Commission will ensure the EU meets its renewable energy targets, and how Upper Austria has achieved such a high biomass and solar thermal penetration level. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 28:24 March 27, 2008 - Inside Renewable Energy - It's Alive! How Living Organisms are Helping Create a Renewable Energy Future The energies we mostly rely on today were made possible by the death and fossilization of ancient organisms. Unfortunately, our continued reliance on those fossil energies will most certainly cause the future death of many others. So how are we going to change our habits and develop more renewable energy? Well, one way is to use living organisms such as plants, animals, bacteria and fungi to develop next-generation fuels and electricity. In this program, we'll talk with some researchers who are on the cutting-edge of this field.

Firstly, Bruce Rittman, director of the Center for Environmental Biotechnology at the University of Arizona, will tell us about microbial fuel cells that use cultures of bacteria to break down wet biomass waste to create electricity.

Then, we’ll talk with Bill Baum, general manager of the Specialty Enzymes Business Unit of Verenium and Steve Hutcheson, President and CEO of Zymetis about the best places in nature to find enzymes for breaking down cellulose for ethanol production.

Finally, Brian Willson, chief technology officer for Solix Biofuels, describes how to grow algae for fuel. He’ll talk about the differences between open and closed production systems, how Solix’s biophotoreactor works, and when we can expect to see biofuels from algae on the market.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Thu, 27 Mar 2008 09:33:54 -0400 march-27-2008-inside-renewable-energy-its-al RenewableEnergyWorld.com It's Alive! How Living Organisms are Helping Create a Renewable Energy Future The energies we mostly rely on today were made possible by the death and fossilization of ancient organisms. Unfortunately, our continued reliance on those fossil energies will most certainly cause the future death of many others. So how are we going to change our habits and develop more renewable energy? Well, one way is to use living organisms such as plants, animals, bacteria and fungi to develop next-generation fuels and electricity. In this program, we'll talk with some researchers who are on the cutting-edge of this field. Firstly, Bruce Rittman, director of the Center for Environmental Biotechnology at the University of Arizona, will tell us about microbial fuel cells that use cultures of bacteria to break down wet biomass waste to create electricity. Then, we’ll talk with Bill Baum, general manager of the Specialty Enzymes Business Unit of Verenium and Steve Hutcheson, President and CEO of Zymetis about the best places in nature to find enzymes for breaking down cellulose for ethanol production. Finally, Brian Willson, chief technology officer for Solix Biofuels, describes how to grow algae for fuel. He’ll talk about the differences between open and closed production systems, how Solix’s biophotoreactor works, and when we can expect to see biofuels from algae on the market. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 23:22 March 20, 2008 - Inside Renewable Energy - Doing Business in the Hydro Industry; Sponsoring RE Projects; Important Ruling in Nevada Last week, we covered some of the broad political and regulatory issues facing the hydro industry. This week, we'll have a feature story looking at what some companies are dealing with in the markets they serve.

We'll hear from Lori Barg, Chief Executive of Community Hydro, about the complicated permitting process in her home state of Vermont; Dennis Pungitore about his run-of-river hydro system in Colorado; and John Christensen about the potential for upgrading hydroelectric dams in California.

Also in the podcast: Sponsorship seems to be everywhere. Now it's hit the renewable energy industry! Ted Rose, Vice President of Business Development for Renewable Choice Energy, tells us about a deal that could mark a new trend for the industry.

Finally, we'll have a feature report on the situation in Nevada, where the Public Utilities Commission is deliberating the legality of third-party ownership of renewable energy systems. The decision will determine the fate of businesses renting or leasing systems to customers in the state.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Thu, 20 Mar 2008 08:43:39 -0400 march-20-2008-inside-renewable-energy--doing RenewableneEnergyWorld.com Doing Business in the Hydro Industry; Sponsoring RE Projects; Important Ruling in Nevada Last week, we covered some of the broad political and regulatory issues facing the hydro industry. This week, we'll have a feature story looking at what some companies are dealing with in the markets they serve. We'll hear from Lori Barg, Chief Executive of Community Hydro, about the complicated permitting process in her home state of Vermont; Dennis Pungitore about his run-of-river hydro system in Colorado; and John Christensen about the potential for upgrading hydroelectric dams in California. Also in the podcast: Sponsorship seems to be everywhere. Now it's hit the renewable energy industry! Ted Rose, Vice President of Business Development for Renewable Choice Energy, tells us about a deal that could mark a new trend for the industry. Finally, we'll have a feature report on the situation in Nevada, where the Public Utilities Commission is deliberating the legality of third-party ownership of renewable energy systems. The decision will determine the fate of businesses renting or leasing systems to customers in the state. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 20:54 March 13, 2008 - Inside Renewable Energy - Growing a Sustainable Hydropower Industry Think the hydropower resource in the U.S. is all dried up? Not even close. According to the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), there are still about 100,000 megawatts of run-of-river resources available in this country. That's not even considering the tens of thousands of megawatts available in our oceans and tidal estuaries.

Doug Hall, Program Manager for the INL Water Energy Program, tells us about how what types of technologies the industry may use to exploit this resource in a more sustainable way.

We'll also speak with Trey Taylor, Co-Founder and President of Verdant Power, a company that is developing kinetic hydropower turbines. Trey will talk about Verdant's technology and about some of the lessons learned during its pilot project in the East River off New York City.

Finally, National Hydropower Association Executive Director Linda Church Ciocci talks about the slow regulatory process at FERC and MMS, what kind of national incentives the industry relies on and how perceptions of the industry are changing within the government.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:17:52 -0400 march-13-2008-inside-renewable-energy-growing RenewableneEnergyWorld.com Growing a Sustainable Hydropower Industry Think the hydropower resource in the U.S. is all dried up? Not even close. According to the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), there are still about 100,000 megawatts of run-of-river resources available in this country. That's not even considering the tens of thousands of megawatts available in our oceans and tidal estuaries. Doug Hall, Program Manager for the INL Water Energy Program, tells us about how what types of technologies the industry may use to exploit this resource in a more sustainable way. We'll also speak with Trey Taylor, Co-Founder and President of Verdant Power, a company that is developing kinetic hydropower turbines. Trey will talk about Verdant's technology and about some of the lessons learned during its pilot project in the East River off New York City. Finally, National Hydropower Association Executive Director Linda Church Ciocci talks about the slow regulatory process at FERC and MMS, what kind of national incentives the industry relies on and how perceptions of the industry are changing within the government. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 28:36 March 6, 2008 - Inside Renewable Energy - Renewables Front and Center on the International Political Stage Political actors from all over the world gathered in Washington, DC for the WIREC conference this week to consider the impact that their choices have on the business of renewable energy. While renewables still play a relatively small role compared to fossil energies, the discourse over how to move the industry forward is changing dramatically as more leaders recognize the environmental and geo-political implications for implementing clean energies.

This week, we'll examine renewable energy's role in the global political landscape through a series of interviews with politicians, business leaders and analysts attending the conference.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Thu, 06 Mar 2008 13:50:55 -0500 march-6-2008-inside-renewable-energy-renewabl RenewableEnergyWorld.com Renewables Front and Center on the International Political Stage Political actors from all over the world gathered in Washington, DC for the WIREC conference this week to consider the impact that their choices have on the business of renewable energy. While renewables still play a relatively small role compared to fossil energies, the discourse over how to move the industry forward is changing dramatically as more leaders recognize the environmental and geo-political implications for implementing clean energies. This week, we'll examine renewable energy's role in the global political landscape through a series of interviews with politicians, business leaders and analysts attending the conference. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 41:37 February 28, 2008 - Inside Renewable Energy - Conflicting Research on Renewables; Spanish Energy Companies Entering the U.S. There have been a number of contradictory academic and government studies on photovoltaics and biofuels released over the last two months. Because renewable energy is becoming a hot topic in the press, various media outlets are reporting on the studies without proper comparison and analysis, says industry expert Scott Sklar. We'll talk with Sklar about the negative and positive studies and get his opinion on how the press is covering the issues. He'll also give us a brief update on the latest renewable energy tax title.

Also in the podcast: Reese Tisdale, senior analyst for the Renewable Power Generation Advisory at Emerging Energy Research, puts global development figures into perspective and tells us what the hottest markets may be for 2008 and beyond.

Finally, Brian Gaylord, a market analyst for the Spanish Trade Commission, talks about the country's renewable energy market dynamics and explains why so many Spanish companies are looking to get into the U.S.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Wed, 27 Feb 2008 16:51:05 -0500 february-28-2008-inside-renewable-energy-conf RenewableEnergyWorld.com Conflicting Research on Renewables; Spanish Energy Companies Entering the U.S. There have been a number of contradictory academic and government studies on photovoltaics and biofuels released over the last two months. Because renewable energy is becoming a hot topic in the press, various media outlets are reporting on the studies without proper comparison and analysis, says industry expert Scott Sklar. We'll talk with Sklar about the negative and positive studies and get his opinion on how the press is covering the issues. He'll also give us a brief update on the latest renewable energy tax title. Also in the podcast: Reese Tisdale, senior analyst for the Renewable Power Generation Advisory at Emerging Energy Research, puts global development figures into perspective and tells us what the hottest markets may be for 2008 and beyond. Finally, Brian Gaylord, a market analyst for the Spanish Trade Commission, talks about the country's renewable energy market dynamics and explains why so many Spanish companies are looking to get into the U.S. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 27:08 Inside Renewable Energy- February 21, 2008 This week's podcast comes to you from the Renewable Energy World Conference and Expo (formerly Power-Gen Renewable Energy and Fuels). In this show, we'll tell you what the site and conference rebrand says about the changing renewable energy industry. We'll also bring you a roundtable discussion on the financial and political issues facing bioenergy companies today.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Fri, 22 Feb 2008 06:20:02 -0500 inside-renewable-energy-february-21-2008 RenewableEnergyWorld.com PGRE&F: Changes and Challenges for the Renewable Energy Industry This week's podcast comes to you from the Renewable Energy World Conference and Expo (formerly Power-Gen Renewable Energy and Fuels). In this show, we'll tell you what the site and conference rebrand says about the changing renewable energy industry. We'll also bring you a roundtable discussion on the financial and political issues facing bioenergy companies today. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 59:54 Inside Renewable Energy- February 14, 2008 Chris Anderson, Chief Operations Officer for Borrego Solar just built a new off-grid house in Peterborough, NH. Stephen Lacey recently visited Chris' house to check out his setup and discuss important considerations for homeowners who want to build green.

Also, Chris Stimpson, Executive Campaigner for Solar Nation, gives us his opinion on the many attempts by Congress to pass meaningful renewable energy legislation; what other possible pieces of legislation may come up in the next few months; and what his action priorities are for 2008.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Thu, 14 Feb 2008 11:06:47 -0500 inside-renewable-energy-february-14-2008 renewableenergyworld.com Building Green with Chris Anderson; Pushing for Change with Solar Nation Chris Anderson, Chief Operations Officer for Borrego Solar just built a new off-grid house in Peterborough, NH. Stephen Lacey recently visited Chris' house to check out his setup and discuss important considerations for homeowners who want to build green. Also, Chris Stimpson, Executive Campaigner for Solar Nation, gives us his opinion on the many attempts by Congress to pass meaningful renewable energy legislation; what other possible pieces of legislation may come up in the next few months; and what his action priorities are for 2008. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 23:27 Inside Renewable Energy- February 7, 2008 The Nubanusit Neighborhood and Farm is a new 29-unit co-housing development being built in Peterborough, NH. The community features state-of-the-art, energy-efficient homes; a working organic farm; seven wood pellet boilers for electricity and hot water; and “roughed in” plans for photovoltaics and solar hot water systems. Stephen Lacey visited the site and brought back this story.

Also in the podcast: Patrice Frey, Director of Sustainability Research at the National Trust for Historic Preservation tells us why preservation is one of the most effective tools for combating climate change and avoiding “green sprawl.”

IMPORTANT NOTICE: This is the last week to fill out our podcast listener survey! Please let us know what you think about this show! Just go to renewableenergyworld.com for more details.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Sun, 27 Jan 2008 16:45:41 -0500 inside-renewable-energy-february-7-2008 renewableenergyworld.com Sustainable Co-Housing; The Importance of Building Preservation The Nubanusit Neighborhood and Farm is a new 29-unit co-housing development being built in Peterborough, NH. The community features state-of-the-art, energy-efficient homes; a working organic farm; seven wood pellet boilers for electricity and hot water; and “roughed in” plans for photovoltaics and solar hot water systems. Stephen Lacey visited the site and brought back this story. Also in the podcast: Patrice Frey, Director of Sustainability Research at the National Trust for Historic Preservation tells us why preservation is one of the most effective tools for combating climate change and avoiding “green sprawl.” IMPORTANT NOTICE: This is the last week to fill out our podcast listener survey! Please let us know what you think about this show! Just go to renewableenergyworld.com for more details. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 18:41 Inside Renewable Energy- January 31, 2008 The race is on to bring the biofuels industry to the next level. As more people question the prudence of food-based fuels, researchers and companies are aggressively looking for commercially viable ways to produce greener alternatives to gasoline.

This week, we'll talk with Rob Tripp, CEO of Benefuel, a company that calls itself a “next-generation” biodiesel producer. Rob tells us about Benefuel's proprietary catalyst and how it makes for a more economical and environmentally-sound refining process.

Also, University of Nebraska Adjunct Professor Ken Vogel speaks about a five-year study showing that the energy potential of switchgrass-based ethanol is 450 percent higher than the energy put into growing, harvesting and refining the fuel.

Finally, Greg Wetstone, Senior Director of Governmental and Public Affairs at the American Wind Energy Association considers the importance of renewable energy development during these rough times for the U.S. and global economies.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: If you haven't already done so, please take our podcast listener survey. We want to know what you think. It will only take you a few minutes!

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Sun, 27 Jan 2008 15:46:06 -0500 inside-renewable-energy-january-31-2008 renewableenergyworld.com Advancements in Next-Gen Biofuels; Economic Benefits of Extending the PTC The race is on to bring the biofuels industry to the next level. As more people question the prudence of food-based fuels, researchers and companies are aggressively looking for commercially viable ways to produce greener alternatives to gasoline. This week, we'll talk with Rob Tripp, CEO of Benefuel, a company that calls itself a “next-generation” biodiesel producer. Rob tells us about Benefuel's proprietary catalyst and how it makes for a more economical and environmentally-sound refining process. Also, University of Nebraska Adjunct Professor Ken Vogel speaks about a five-year study showing that the energy potential of switchgrass-based ethanol is 450 percent higher than the energy put into growing, harvesting and refining the fuel. Finally, Greg Wetstone, Senior Director of Governmental and Public Affairs at the American Wind Energy Association considers the importance of renewable energy development during these rough times for the U.S. and global economies. IMPORTANT NOTICE: If you haven't already done so, please take our podcast listener survey. We want to know what you think. It will only take you a few minutes! Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 20:26 Inside Renewable Energy- January 24, 2008 Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) is emerging as one of the most promising utility-scale renewable energy sources. The launch of Nevada Solar One last June sparked a revival for this so-called “sleeping giant” in the U.S. and marked the first of a series of important developments for the industry. But there is still much uncertainty about the mid-term prospects for CSP, as the possibility of the investment and production tax credits expiring hangs over the industry.

Faced with this rocky investment climate, the U.S. is falling behind countries like Spain, which has a generous feed-in tariff for CSP developers. Mike Taylor, Director of Research for the Solar Electric Power Association just got back from a trip to Spain where he toured a few different projects and talked to developers and financiers. Taylor and CSP Today founder Belen Gallego will tell us about how the Spanish industry is benefiting from the country's renewable energy support structure.

We'll also speak with Ausra Executive Vice President John O'Donnell about the company's unique parabolic trough collectors and about how uncertainty in the U.S. market may impacting its aggressive business plan.

Finally, Darren Kimura, President and CEO of Sopogy talks about micro-CSP and how the company's technology can play a major role in the distributed generation sector.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Our listener survey is now posted on the podcast page. We encourage all of our listeners to participate and let us know how we're doing!

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Thu, 24 Jan 2008 08:14:25 -0500 inside-renewable-energy-january-24-2008 renewableenergyworld.com CSP: Market Trends and New Technologies Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) is emerging as one of the most promising utility-scale renewable energy sources. The launch of Nevada Solar One last June sparked a revival for this so-called “sleeping giant” in the U.S. and marked the first of a series of important developments for the industry. But there is still much uncertainty about the mid-term prospects for CSP, as the possibility of the investment and production tax credits expiring hangs over the industry. Faced with this rocky investment climate, the U.S. is falling behind countries like Spain, which has a generous feed-in tariff for CSP developers. Mike Taylor, Director of Research for the Solar Electric Power Association just got back from a trip to Spain where he toured a few different projects and talked to developers and financiers. Taylor and CSP Today founder Belen Gallego will tell us about how the Spanish industry is benefiting from the country's renewable energy support structure. We'll also speak with Ausra Executive Vice President John O'Donnell about the company's unique parabolic trough collectors and about how uncertainty in the U.S. market may impacting its aggressive business plan. Finally, Darren Kimura, President and CEO of Sopogy talks about micro-CSP and how the company's technology can play a major role in the distributed generation sector. IMPORTANT NOTICE: Our listener survey is now posted on the podcast page. We encourage all of our listeners to participate and let us know how we're doing! Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 20:31 Inside Renewable Energy- January 17, 2008 Many public opinion polls suggest that Americans strongly support mass adoption of renewable energy; however, when it comes to actually making a purchase from their utility or investing in their own system, people just aren't buying in the same numbers. Why? In this episode, we'll look at how to overcome the barriers in front of mainstream acceptance of renewables.
Firstly, we'll talk with Joe Brewer, a Fellow at the Rockridge Institute, about how the renewable energy industry and the broader environmental movement can use the “art of the argument” to weave a convincing story for their cause.

Secondly, Ron Pernick of the research and publishing firm Clean Edge and Brian Keane of the non-profit clean energy marketing firm SmartPower, outline the most important factors for selling the industry's ideas and products to the broader public.

Finally, Michael Shellenberger, co-author of the new book Breakthrough: From the Death of Environmentalism to the Politics of Possibility, challenges us to take a more proactive approach to economics and politics in order to tackle the enormous environmental challenges ahead.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Thu, 17 Jan 2008 08:20:20 -0500 inside-renewable-energy-january-17-2008 renewableenergyworld.com Changing Public Perceptions of Renewables Many public opinion polls suggest that Americans strongly support mass adoption of renewable energy; however, when it comes to actually making a purchase from their utility or investing in their own system, people just aren't buying in the same numbers. Why? In this episode, we'll look at how to overcome the barriers in front of mainstream acceptance of renewables. Firstly, we'll talk with Joe Brewer, a Fellow at the Rockridge Institute, about how the renewable energy industry and the broader environmental movement can use the “art of the argument” to weave a convincing story for their cause. Secondly, Ron Pernick of the research and publishing firm Clean Edge and Brian Keane of the non-profit clean energy marketing firm SmartPower, outline the most important factors for selling the industry's ideas and products to the broader public. Finally, Michael Shellenberger, co-author of the new book Breakthrough: From the Death of Environmentalism to the Politics of Possibility, challenges us to take a more proactive approach to economics and politics in order to tackle the enormous environmental challenges ahead. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 22:44 Inside Renewable Energy- January 10, 2008 Things aren't looking great for Wall Street coming into the new year. With a poor housing market, ongoing credit crunch, high energy prices, low employment figures and low consumer spending, the chatter about a recession has been getting louder in recent months. However, clean energy stocks have preformed very well over the last year and many analysts believe that 2008 could bring similar returns for investors.

In this week's show, Independent Wall Street analyst J. Peter Lynch gives us his perspective on how investors should approach solar stocks, the possible impact of high oil prices, and how the U.S. market approaches renewable energy compared with the rest of the world.

Also in the podcast: The World Future Council just released a new website designed to educate policy makers, regulators and advocates about how best to implement Feed-in Tariffs. Peter Roderick, Co-Director of the Climate Justice Program, talks about the website and how it may promote increased adoption of Feed-in Tariffs around the world.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Wed, 09 Jan 2008 15:42:02 -0500 inside-renewable-energy-january-10-2008 renewableenergyworld.com Prospects for Renewable Energy on Wall Street in 2008 Things aren't looking great for Wall Street coming into the new year. With a poor housing market, ongoing credit crunch, high energy prices, low employment figures and low consumer spending, the chatter about a recession has been getting louder in recent months. However, clean energy stocks have preformed very well over the last year and many analysts believe that 2008 could bring similar returns for investors. In this week's show, Independent Wall Street analyst J. Peter Lynch gives us his perspective on how investors should approach solar stocks, the possible impact of high oil prices, and how the U.S. market approaches renewable energy compared with the rest of the world. Also in the podcast: The World Future Council just released a new website designed to educate policy makers, regulators and advocates about how best to implement Feed-in Tariffs. Peter Roderick, Co-Director of the Climate Justice Program, talks about the website and how it may promote increased adoption of Feed-in Tariffs around the world. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 17:24 Inside Renewable Energy- January 3, 2008 Welcome to the new year! In our first episode for 2008, we're taking a look at some global trends for renewable energy throughout 2007. We'll talk with industry analysts about worldwide development figures, how the markets are approaching clean energy, the emergence of China as a major player in the industry, and the slowly shifting political climate in the U.S.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Thu, 03 Jan 2008 08:30:28 -0500 inside-renewable-energy-january-3-2008 renewableenergyworld.com 2007: A Brief Year in Review Welcome to the new year! In our first episode for 2008, we're taking a look at some global trends for renewable energy throughout 2007. We'll talk with industry analysts about worldwide development figures, how the markets are approaching clean energy, the emergence of China as a major player in the industry, and the slowly shifting political climate in the U.S. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 12:34 Inside Renewable Energy- December 27, 2007 Fri, 21 Dec 2007 15:27:32 -0500 inside-renewable-energy-december-27-2007 renewableenergyworld.com A Unique Holiday Greeting We take our work here at renewableenergyworld.com very seriously. But sometimes you need to step back and have a good laugh. This week, in place of our regular podcast, we present to you an audio christmas card produced by Emcee PV and DJ Silicon (a.k.a. Stephen Lacey). no 3:47 Inside Renewable Energy- December 20, 2007 European Union officials are currently debating the need for a voluntary renewable energy certificate trading scheme. Some countries that can't meet their renewable energy targets -- namely the UK -- are in favor of such a system, as it would allow them to purchase credits from countries that have excess generation capacity. However, many people are worried that a certificate trading scheme will undermine the feed-in tariffs already in place around Europe, hurting the distributed renewable energy market that is flourishing around the region.
Dirk Hendricks, Director of the European Union Liason Office at the World Future Council, joins us to talk about how a trading scheme could drastically change the market for renewable energy in Europe. Hendricks has been speaking with EU officials about the proposed trading system, and he'll tell us how the debate is playing out on both sides of the issue.

Also in the podcast: Chris Stimpson, Executive Campaigner for Solar Nation, comments woefully on the Energy Bill that passed Congress this week.

Plus, Hank Green, Editor of the technology blog Ecogeek.org talks about some of his favorite gifts to make the holidays a little less wasteful.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:40:16 -0500 inside-renewable-energy-december-20-2007 renewableenergyworld.com The Challenge for Feed-in Tariffs in Europe; Green Holiday Gift Ideas European Union officials are currently debating the need for a voluntary renewable energy certificate trading scheme. Some countries that can't meet their renewable energy targets -- namely the UK -- are in favor of such a system, as it would allow them to purchase credits from countries that have excess generation capacity. However, many people are worried that a certificate trading scheme will undermine the feed-in tariffs already in place around Europe, hurting the distributed renewable energy market that is flourishing around the region. Dirk Hendricks, Director of the European Union Liason Office at the World Future Council, joins us to talk about how a trading scheme could drastically change the market for renewable energy in Europe. Hendricks has been speaking with EU officials about the proposed trading system, and he'll tell us how the debate is playing out on both sides of the issue. Also in the podcast: Chris Stimpson, Executive Campaigner for Solar Nation, comments woefully on the Energy Bill that passed Congress this week. Plus, Hank Green, Editor of the technology blog Ecogeek.org talks about some of his favorite gifts to make the holidays a little less wasteful. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 19:47 Inside Renewable Energy- December 13, 2007 The necessity of good net metering laws and interconnection standards can't be understated. In order to grow the market for solar and other distributed forms of energy in the U.S., the appropriate laws must be in place to make installation easy and the investment cost-effective.

On Thursday, the Network for New Energy Choices released a report called “Freeing the Grid,” which looks at the best and worst net metering laws and interconnection standards around the country. Adam Browning, Executive Director of the Vote Solar Initiative, joins us to talk about the report and how distributed generators are treated differently from state to state.

Also in the podcast: Author and Renewable Energy Analyst Paul Gipe updates us on the increased interest in feed-in tariffs around North America. In the last few months, some Canadian provinces and U.S. states have expressed support for feed-in tariffs. And while this support may not necessarily turn into action, Gipe says that the government recommendations are a positive sign that the feed-in tariff movement is making progress in North America.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Wed, 12 Dec 2007 17:28:14 -0500 inside-renewable-energy-december-13-2007 renewableenergyworld.com The Importance of Net Metering and Interconnection Standards; Feed-in Tariffs Gaining Ground in North America The necessity of good net metering laws and interconnection standards can't be understated. In order to grow the market for solar and other distributed forms of energy in the U.S., the appropriate laws must be in place to make installation easy and the investment cost-effective. On Thursday, the Network for New Energy Choices released a report called “Freeing the Grid,” which looks at the best and worst net metering laws and interconnection standards around the country. Adam Browning, Executive Director of the Vote Solar Initiative, joins us to talk about the report and how distributed generators are treated differently from state to state. Also in the podcast: Author and Renewable Energy Analyst Paul Gipe updates us on the increased interest in feed-in tariffs around North America. In the last few months, some Canadian provinces and U.S. states have expressed support for feed-in tariffs. And while this support may not necessarily turn into action, Gipe says that the government recommendations are a positive sign that the feed-in tariff movement is making progress in North America. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 15:55 Inside Renewable Energy- December 6, 2007 'Tis the season to consume. This holiday season, Americans will produce 44 million tons of waste -- a 25 percent increase over the rest of the year. But instead of letting this waste pile up in landfills, there are many companies working to make another product that America and the rest of the developed world voraciously consumes: fuel and electricity. In this week's program, we'll take a look at a number of different waste-to-energy technologies.

Also in the podcast: we'll have an overview of ACORE's Phase II conference, which brought hundreds of forward-looking thinkers to Washington, D.C. to discuss global renewable energy development trends.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Thu, 06 Dec 2007 09:01:43 -0500 inside-renewable-energy-december-6-2007 renewableenergyworld.com Making Use of Holiday Waste; The Powerful Message from ACORE's Phase II Conference 'Tis the season to consume. This holiday season, Americans will produce 44 million tons of waste -- a 25 percent increase over the rest of the year. But instead of letting this waste pile up in landfills, there are many companies working to make another product that America and the rest of the developed world voraciously consumes: fuel and electricity. In this week's program, we'll take a look at a number of different waste-to-energy technologies. Also in the podcast: we'll have an overview of ACORE's Phase II conference, which brought hundreds of forward-looking thinkers to Washington, D.C. to discuss global renewable energy development trends. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 21:08 Inside Renewable Energy- November 29, 2007 The solar industry is itching to bring PV to grid parity with fossil sources of energy, and the burden of this task is carried primarily by manufacturers and politicians. This week, we're talking with two different types of manufacturers about their methods of lowering the cost of PV and how the recent debacle over the energy bill in Washington may impact their business.

Firstly, Charlie Gay, Corporate Vice President and General Manager of the Solar Business Group at Applied Materials talks to us about the company's new SunFab integrated thin film manufacturing line. Charlie has had a long career in the solar industry, and he'll talk about primary trends in the cost reduction of PV.

Secondly, Denis Du Bois of Energy Priorities Magazine has an interview with Bob Ford, CEO of Solaicx, a manufacturer of monocrystalline silicon ingots and wafers. Bob will tell us about Solaicx's advanced manufacturing technology, how the company plans to scale up operations, and the importance of the investment tax credit for the solar industry.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Wed, 28 Nov 2007 10:54:27 -0500 inside-renewable-energy-november-29-2007 renewableenergyworld.com How Manufacturers are Bringing Solar to Grid Parity The solar industry is itching to bring PV to grid parity with fossil sources of energy, and the burden of this task is carried primarily by manufacturers and politicians. This week, we're talking with two different types of manufacturers about their methods of lowering the cost of PV and how the recent debacle over the energy bill in Washington may impact their business. Firstly, Charlie Gay, Corporate Vice President and General Manager of the Solar Business Group at Applied Materials talks to us about the company's new SunFab integrated thin film manufacturing line. Charlie has had a long career in the solar industry, and he'll talk about primary trends in the cost reduction of PV. Secondly, Denis Du Bois of Energy Priorities Magazine has an interview with Bob Ford, CEO of Solaicx, a manufacturer of monocrystalline silicon ingots and wafers. Bob will tell us about Solaicx's advanced manufacturing technology, how the company plans to scale up operations, and the importance of the investment tax credit for the solar industry. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 17:49 Inside Renewable Energy- November 15, 2007 You've probably heard the news by now: There have been numerous reports from Washington, D.C. over the last week that Democratic Congressional leaders may strip out the most important renewable energy provisions from the upcoming energy bill. We'll have a feature report on the status of the energy bill and what may happen to the renewable energy provisions.

Also in the podcast: Chris Stimpson, Executive Campaigner for Solar Nation, has a piece of commentary on the crazy week for renewable energy.

Plus, Denis Du Bois, Editor of Energy Priorities Magazine has an audio tour of the GreenBuild 2007 conference in Chicago.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Thu, 15 Nov 2007 08:07:15 -0500 inside-renewable-energy-november-15-2007 renewableenergyworld.com A Nerve-wracking Week for Renewables; GreenBuild 2007 Audio Tour You've probably heard the news by now: There have been numerous reports from Washington, D.C. over the last week that Democratic Congressional leaders may strip out the most important renewable energy provisions from the upcoming energy bill. We'll have a feature report on the status of the energy bill and what may happen to the renewable energy provisions. Also in the podcast: Chris Stimpson, Executive Campaigner for Solar Nation, has a piece of commentary on the crazy week for renewable energy. Plus, Denis Du Bois, Editor of Energy Priorities Magazine has an audio tour of the GreenBuild 2007 conference in Chicago. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 16:59 Inside Renewable Energy- November 8, 2007 The need to upgrade our outdated grid is getting more important each year. As renewable energy makes up more of the U.S. electricity supply and changes the energy landscape, the old, tired transmission and distribution system will have a hard time keeping up. In this week's podcast, we'll bring you three different stories on the transmission and distribution system as it relates to renewable energy.

First, we'll check in with David Meyer, Senior Policy Advisor in the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability at the U.S. Department of Energy. He'll tell us about the biggest integration problem for the renewable energy industry today.

Second, we'll highlight the financial and environmental complexities of developing more transmission lines with a feature story on the proposed Sunrise Powerlink project in Southern California. Even though the line is touted as necessary to bring remote renewable energy to San Diego, many renewable energy supporters are against the project. (Thanks to the Utility Consumer's Action Network for allowing us to use a portion of their video for the story).

Finally, Dr. Wade Adams, Director of the Richard E. Smalley Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology joins us to talk about how nanotechnology may transform renewable energy and the entire transmission system in the future.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Thu, 08 Nov 2007 09:31:02 -0500 inside-renewable-energy-november-8-2007 renewableenergyworld.com Regenerating the U.S. Grid The need to upgrade our outdated grid is getting more important each year. As renewable energy makes up more of the U.S. electricity supply and changes the energy landscape, the old, tired transmission and distribution system will have a hard time keeping up. In this week's podcast, we'll bring you three different stories on the transmission and distribution system as it relates to renewable energy. First, we'll check in with David Meyer, Senior Policy Advisor in the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability at the U.S. Department of Energy. He'll tell us about the biggest integration problem for the renewable energy industry today. Second, we'll highlight the financial and environmental complexities of developing more transmission lines with a feature story on the proposed Sunrise Powerlink project in Southern California. Even though the line is touted as necessary to bring remote renewable energy to San Diego, many renewable energy supporters are against the project. (Thanks to the Utility Consumer's Action Network for allowing us to use a portion of their video for the story). Finally, Dr. Wade Adams, Director of the Richard E. Smalley Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology joins us to talk about how nanotechnology may transform renewable energy and the entire transmission system in the future. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 23:50 Inside Renewable Energy- November 1, 2007 Demand for renewable energy in the U.S. is growing rapidly -- so rapidly, in fact, that supply cannot keep up. Even though renewables only make up around 7 percent of the U.S. electricity supply, growing voluntary markets and new state renewable portfolio standards (RPS) will ensure that clean sources of energy make up a larger part of the nation's energy mix. So, will the industry be able to meet the needs of the market over the next few years?
Lori Bird, a Senior Analyst for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory joins us to talk about a report she co-authored on the short-term renewable energy shortfall in the U.S.

We'll also talk with Jeff Deyette, Energy Analyst for the Union of Concerned Scientists about impact of the 26 RPS programs in the U.S.

Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information.

]]> Thu, 01 Nov 2007 09:18:45 -0400 inside-renewable-energy-november-1-2007 renewableenergyworld.com Keeping up with the Growing U.S. Demand for Renewable Energy Demand for renewable energy in the U.S. is growing rapidly -- so rapidly, in fact, that supply cannot keep up. Even though renewables only make up around 7 percent of the U.S. electricity supply, growing voluntary markets and new state renewable portfolio standards (RPS) will ensure that clean sources of energy make up a larger part of the nation's energy mix. So, will the industry be able to meet the needs of the market over the next few years? Lori Bird, a Senior Analyst for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory joins us to talk about a report she co-authored on the short-term renewable energy shortfall in the U.S. We'll also talk with Jeff Deyette, Energy Analyst for the Union of Concerned Scientists about impact of the 26 RPS programs in the U.S. Inside Renewable Energy offers the latest in renewable energy news and information. no 16:26