Supercharging Japan’s Clean Energy Economy; Patent Index Update; Kior’s $100M Haul, and Much More

Lessons from Japan: How the Nation Can Supercharge its Clean-Energy Economy

By Ron Pernick

Two and a half years after the Fukushima disaster, all of Japan’s 50 nuclear reactors are offline. The nation’s total energy mix from nuclear power has dropped precipitously, from nuclear providing 11.3 percent in 2010 to just 0.7 percent in 2012, according to recently released data from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, & Industry…

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In partnership with Clean Edge, SolarCity has just released a new briefing report for the C-Suite: Consumer Trends in Sustainability: Insights to Grow Your Market Share and Defend Your Brand. In the review of recent green consumer data and trends, the briefing provides market insights, highlights barriers for corporations, and illuminates the opportunity ahead. 

11/4/2013 Senate, House Bills Call for National Renewable Energy Standard

Mark Udall (D-Colorado), Tom Udall (D-New Mexico), and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) have all called for a national RES policy, proposing a short-term six percent requirement of renewables adoption (2015 for the Udall bill, 2014 for Markey), gradually increasing to 25 percent by 2025.

Renewable Energy World

11/1/2013 PACE on a Roll: $43 Million and Counting

Cities and states across the U.S. have issued over $43 million to more than 180 commercial property-assessed clean energy (PACE) financed projects, according to data from PACENow.

Greentech Media

10/31/2013 All NYC Streetlights Being Replaced with LEDs

In an energy-saving effort, the city plans to replace all of its 250,000 streetlights with brighter, whiter, energy-saving, light-emitting diode fixtures in one of the nation’s largest retrofitting projects.

The New York Times

10/30/2013 Green Globes and LEED Now Equal for Federal Buildings

10/29/2013 Rooftop Solar Not Just for the Wealthy

The Center for American Progress has released an analysis of solar installation data from Arizona, California, and New Jersey that found that solar installations are overwhelmingly occurring in middle-class neighborhoods.

Clean Edge News

10/24/2013 Biofuel Maker Kior Gets $100 Million Investment from Khosla and Gates

KiOR, Inc. has announced the execution of $100 million in committed equity related financing in two separate private placement transactions to support the Company’s recently announced expansion of production capacity in Columbus, Mississippi, called the Columbus II Project.
Clean Edge News

10/22/2013 World Clean Energy Investment Heads for Second Annual Fall in a Row

Global investment in clean energy was $45.9 billion in the third quarter of 2013, down 14% on the second quarter of this year and 20% below the number for Q3 2012, according to the latest data on deals and projects compiled by research company Bloomberg New Energy Finance.
Clean Edge News

10/21/2013 U.S. Consumed Less Energy Last Year Than in 1999, Says NRDC

The group also noted that additional investments in efficiency could cut U.S. energy consumption by 23 percent by 2020, save customers nearly $700 billion, and create up to 900,000 direct jobs.
Clean Edge News