Energy & Environment Consumer Survey

75% of Consumers Have a Favorable View of Solar and Wind Energy,

According to New Survey from Pike Research

Monday, February 07, 2011 5:01 AM

(Source: Business Wire)

The future of the U.S. energy supply is a topic of fierce debate in the political and business arenas, and consumer opinion is a vital component of the broader discussion about the pros and cons of various paths toward a clean energy future. According to a new survey from Pike Research, consumer support for renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, is extremely high.

•  In a survey of more than 1,000 U.S. adults, the cleantech market intelligence firm found that
  
• 79% of consumers have a favorable view of solar energy, and
  
• 75% have a favorable view of wind energy --
•  in terms of overall support, these were the top two highest ranked areas in a survey that asked consumers about their views on 12 energy and environmental concepts. The results are summarized in a free white paper, which is available for download on Pike Research's website.

The percentagesof survey respondents stating that they had either a "very favorable" or "favorable" view for each of the 12 concepts were as follows:

1. Solar Energy: 79%
2. Wind Energy: 75%
3. Hybrid Vehicles: 64%
4. Electric Cars: 57%
5. Biofuels: 47%
6. Clean Coal: 47%
7. Nuclear Power: 42%
8. Smart Meters: 37%
9. Smart Grid: 37%
10. Carbon Offsets/Credits: 24%
11. LEED Certification: 19%
12. Cap and Trade: 15%

Cap and Trade and Nuclear Power were tied in terms of the largest percentage of "strongly unfavorable" or "somewhat unfavorable" views from survey participants, each with a 19% unfavorable rating, followed closely by Carbon Offsets/Credits with 18%. LEED Certification, the green building certification program administered by the U.S. Green Building Council, suffered from a very low level of familiarity among respondents -- 53% stated that they were unfamiliar with the program, the lowest level of familiarity of any of the 12 energy and environment concepts.

Pike Research's white paper, "Energy & Environment Consumer Survey", analyzes consumer attitudes and awareness about 12 energy and environmental concepts. In addition to favorable and unfavorable opinions, the number of respondents unfamiliar with a concept is also considered to compare the level of consumer awareness within each topic. The study includes charts summarizing the survey results, along with commentary on notable trends and patterns for each area. A full copy of the white paper is available for free download on the firm's website.

Pike Research is a market research and consulting firm that provides in-depth analysis of global clean technology markets. The company's research methodology combines supply-side industry analysis, end-user primary research and demand assessment, and deep examination of technology trends to provide a comprehensive view of the Smart Energy, Smart Grid, Smart Transportation, Smart Industry, and Smart Buildings sectors. For more information, visit www.pikeresearch.com or call +1.303.997.4619.

A service of YellowBrix, Inc.

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Westinghouse Solar Information

 Westinghouse Solar

• The trusted way to go solar

Westinghouse has always been a part of your home. Westinghouse Solar continues that tradition with solar panels that are safe, powerful and reliable. Energy from the sun is clean and affordable. And now you can get it from a name you’ve always counted on.

• Power for the way you live

The Westinghouse Solar Power System is good for your planet, and even better for your budget. It will not only decrease your dependency on fossil-fueled energy sources, but will dramatically reduce - in some cases even eliminate - your energy bill. 

• The Westinghouse warranty

You have our word on it. Every Westinghouse Solar Power System is backed by the proven reliability of the Westinghouse name. Our warranty covers panels for 25 years, inverters for 15 years.

• 5-25% more energy than other solar panels

Advanced monocrystalline solar cell technology efficiently captures and converts more of the sun’s energy into more usable power for you, while technology on each panel ensures you achieve maximum power production 

• Safe, reliable AC power

Unlike the high-voltage DC current powering ordinary systems, Westinghouse Solar Power systems feature a built-in technology that delivers safe AC power. In addition, our innovative design guards the system from the corrosive effects of sun, wind and rain to provide decades of optimal performance. 

• Sleek, efficient design

The clean, contemporary look of Westinghouse Solar Panels complements any roof and style of home. But the benefits extend beyond beauty. The entire system requires 80% fewer parts to install and maintain, ensuring years of worry-free operation.

• DIY or Scotts Contracting can assist click here to email scottscontracting for additional Information

Britians Military- Fossil F to Green Energy Sources for Frontline Military Bases

Green energy plan at military bases

(UKPA) – 13 hours ago

British military bases on the front line in Afghanistan could be run on solar and wind energy in future under Ministry of Defence plans.

The move would cut the need for expensive and dangerous convoys to supply diesel for the electricity generators at forward operating bases deep in Taliban territory.

The MoD's Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) agency has invited contractors to put forward ideas for how remote bases could switch to renewable energy sources.

Firms have also been asked to look at everything from introducing more efficient generators to reducing the power used for laundry.

Insurgents have regularly targeted tankers carrying fuel into Afghanistan, and the military seeks to keep diesel resupply convoys to a minimum because they are vulnerable to attacks with improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Ray Fielding, of DE&S's programmes and technology group, said: "Alternative power systems must provide a similar level of electrical power with the same degree of robustness and remove the logistics burden of transporting fuel to the base. There must be no compromise to the effectiveness of the operations."

He added: "Although more efficient generators offer one possible solution, to minimise regular resupplies of diesel, renewable technologies are of great interest. While a single technology may not be the answer it may be possible to combine a number of approaches to supply the power needed."

The programme is being run with the British Antarctic Survey and Canada's Department of National Defence, which are also seeking to reduce the need to supply isolated bases with fuel.

The MoD is currently buying portable solar panels which will be issued to British personnel at smaller bases in Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan within the next six months.

The panels - which look like large mats and can be folded up and stored in a bag - are intended to cut the weight of the kit troops carry by reducing the need for heavy batteries.

Copyright © 2011 The Press Association. All rights reserved.http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5i6iNNJCz4DvOcyo9XtORdqN5VbQw?docId=N0572261296961450571A

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NFLs Green Energy Initiative

The Super Bowl 2011 NFL Championship Game will be tomorrow, February 6, 2011. The game will kick off at 6:25 pm Eastern Time; 5:25 pm Central Time on FOX
Pittsburgh Steelers  vs. Green Bay Packers Sunday, February 6, 2011 - 5:30pm CST on FOX

NFL- National Football League- Green Energy Initiative.  Kudos to the NFL and the On-going Green Initiative!  Besides this years Super Bowl Game between the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers is being advertised as the 'Greenest Super Bowl of All-Time'.





 In addition to this Green Energy initiative, the NFL has launched several other projects designed to address environmental impacts associated with the production of Super Bowl XLV. For instance:

• In partnership with the US Forest Service, Texas Trees Foundation and the Texas Forest Service, thousands of trees are being planted in a dozen communities throughout North Texas as part of the overall "greening" of Super Bowl XLV. "Super Grow XLV" tree planting events are taking place at local schools, parks and playgrounds.
• As part of an ongoing program with federal and state agencies and nonprofit community organizations, the environmental impact of the thousands of trees planted over the past seven years in connection with Super Bowl (and Pro Bowl) will be monitored and reported on an annual basis. Annual calculations of environmental benefits will be certified by researchers from the US Forest Service/USDA.
• Biofuels for transportation and field generators will be used wherever possible and practical. This includes a significant number of the buses in the Super Bowl transportation fleet.
• Solid waste will be diverted from local landfills through recycling projects at major event venues including Cowboys Stadium, the Super Bowl stadium compound, the Super Bowl XLV Media Center and the NFL Super Bowl headquarters offices.
• Extra prepared food from Super Bowl events will be collected and donated to community agencies. Several local agencies will participate under the leadership of the North Texas Food Bank and the Tarrant Area Food Bank. Tens of thousands of pounds of prepared food are expected to be recovered from sanctioned and non-sanctioned events. Food is distributed to shelters, community kitchens and churches throughout North Texas immediately after each participating event.
• All leftover, usable materials from Super Bowl events will be inventoried and donated to local non-profit agencies in North Texas. The Salvation Army is handling the sorting and distribution of recovered material. Donations include decorative materials, building materials, office supplies and equipment. For the second year in a row miles of decor material into re-manufactured products. A portion of the profit from sales of those products goes to support community youth programs.
• The "Super Kids –Super Sharing" project provides an opportunity for local school children to donate their gently used books, sports equipment, board games and school supplies to children in need in North Texas. Partners include the Dallas Cowboys, the Salvation Army, the Catholic Dioceses of Dallas and Fort Worth, and school districts throughout North Texas. More than 100 North Texas schools have registered in advance to participate, and all donated items will be sorted, inventoried and distributed to local schools in need and to local youth programs.

According to Jack Groh, the NFL's Environmental Program Director, these projects are designed to address the immediate environmental impact and, wherever possible, leave a tangible benefit to the local host community. Plus, all projects are developed in partnership with the local North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee and with a number of national, regional and local organizations.

(The above was posted at: http://www.examiner.com/science-nature-in-national/super-bowl-xlv-will-be-greenest-nfl-championship-ever)
Continue reading on Examiner.com: Super Bowl XLV Will Be Greenest NFL Championship Ever - National Science & Nature | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/science-nature-in-national/super-bowl-xlv-will-be-greenest-nfl-championship-ever#ixzz1D8uWS5XM

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6 Trends That Will Shape Green Homes

From energy efficiency to water conservation to density, here are the issues that will matter most to sustainable builders and consumers in 2011. 6 Trends That Will Shape Green Homes Brought to you via: St Louis Renewable Energy - Eco Home

Will the Bipartisanship Last?

Roster Changes on Senate Energy Panel Could Threaten
	Emphasis  Added by Scotty , KATIE HOWELL of Greenwire New York Times Feb 4, 2011
	All eyes will be on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee this session as it attempts to craft a legislative proposal to match President Obama's prime-time statement last week that he wants to source 80 percent of the nation's energy from low-carbon sources by 2035. But with an influx of new members, questions remain about how cohesive the panel will be on energy issues. Seven freshmen and one veteran senator are joining the 22-member panel this year in a shakeup that could threaten the historically bipartisan committee's ability to move on energy legislation, including the clean energy standard that Obama touted last week. "It's going to be tough; it's going to be challenging to come up with a consensus," said Joshua Freed, director of the Clean Energy Program at Third Way, a centrist Democratic think tank. The roster changes are sparked by the departures of six members from the Senate and three additional departures from the committee. Joining the panel are third-year Democrat Al Franken of Minnesota and freshmen Democrats Chris Coons of Delaware and Joe Manchin of West Virginia. Five freshmen Republicans -- Mike Lee of Utah, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Dan Coats of Indiana, Rob Portman of Ohio and John Hoeven of North Dakota -- will also join the panel. Paul and Lee are political newcomers, but the other three are veteran officeholders: Coats is a former senator and congressman, while Hoeven is a former governor, and Portman served in the House and in former President George W. Bush's Cabinet. The political ideologies of some of the new members could disrupt the panel's ability to pass bipartisan legislation this year. Specifically, the influence of tea party-backed Lee and Paul and wild card Democrat Manchin could play a significant factor in the committee's energy discussions. Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), the chairman of the committee, for one, is uncertain whether the membership changes will force the committee to swing to the right. But he remains hopeful the committee can continue working in a bipartisan fashion. "Well, what about Senator Franken? Senator Coons? We've got two who might not swing to the right, maybe one who would," Bingaman said of his party's new members. "I don't know." And as for the views of the five new Republicans, Bingaman added, "It's hard to know until we get into the discussion of specific issues." But on the issues, the new members -- especially Lee and Paul -- tend to be trending far to the right. Paul last week floated a measure that would cut $500 billion a year in government spending, including the complete elimination of the Energy Department. And  Lee wants to open up access to new oil and gas reserves in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and to oil shale reserves in Utah, Colorado and Wyoming. Manchin, on the other hand, in a campaign ad last fall famously shot through Democrats' cap-and-trade proposal. But the moderate Democrat could be an asset in finding common ground across the aisle. Republican Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, for one, said he is looking forward to working with Manchin. "I think we've got some good members on the Republican side, and I think we've got some good members on the Democrat side, like Joe Manchin, who understand energy policy, understand the need for it, and more importantly, see movement forward as a blend of everything that's out there if we want a successful blueprint," Burr said. Crucial players Some of the Republican freshmen -- like Portman, Coats and Hoeven -- with experience working with Democrats could also be crucial to moving energy legislation this year. Hoeven, for instance, has expressed interest in creating incentives for renewables. "I see incredible opportunity across all these subsectors of energy if we promote them all, create the right legal, tax and regulatory environment so that we can get these companies to invest in these new technologies, do new things in new innovative ways, you not only produce more energy, you do it with better environmental stewardship and you create jobs," Hoeven said during an interview in the Capitol this week. The former North Dakota governor helped increase development of the wind industry in his state, including a push to build new transmission lines and for stronger tax incentives for renewable industries. But he is an advocate for oil and gas interests as well. "My view is we've got to promote all of the sources of energy and we've got to create a climate where they can all come forward," he said. Third Way's Freed is optimistic about the committee's ability to work in a bipartisan manner on legislation like a clean energy standard. "While there are some wildcards like Senator Lee and Senator Paul, there are a number of senators who have a long track record of working across the aisle," Freed said. "That provides a real opening, particularly on an issue like a clean energy standard to get people around the table talking." "That's all we need this early in the process," he added. And the committee members will also have the example of its leaders. Bingaman and ranking member Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) have historically had a good working relationship, which is unlikely to change in the new Congress. Murkowski, who calls her new roster of Republicans a "good mix," said last night that she and Bingaman have held several long meetings to discuss legislative priorities. "We're kind of talking about some of those logistics right now and trying to find some of those areas of agreement," she said. White House meeting One area that is sure to find its ways into discussions of both Democrats and Republicans is Obama's proposal for a clean energy mandate. Bingaman, who has historically opposed such a measure in favor of mandates that support only renewables, yesterday met with Obama at the White House to discuss energy policy. In an interview, Bingaman called the sit-down "very constructive, very productive." But he said he and the president did not use the time to hash out any specifics on a clean energy standard. "Both the president and I agreed that Congress has a real opportunity to work together on bipartisan legislation to advance our energy and economic security," Bingaman added in a prepared statement. "I told President Obama that I plan to work with my colleagues on both sides of the Energy Committee aisle to develop workable legislative proposals that can achieve his clean energy goals." Reporters Jean Chemnick and John McArdle contributed. Copyright 2011 E&E Publishing. All Rights Reserved. For more news on energy and the environment, visit www.greenwire.com. Greenwire is published by Environment & Energy Publishing.

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Will the Bipartisanship Last?

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