Whole Foods, Renewable Choice Share Beacon Prize for Pioneering Wind Power Efforts

San Francisco — Whole Foods Market, Vail Resorts and Renewable Choice Energy (www.renewablechoice.com) received awards given by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the Center for Resource Solutions (CRS) for helping to advance the development of renewable energy in the U.S. The annual Green Power Leadership Awards, which recognize leading national green power purchasers and suppliers, were presented at an awards event on Dec. 4, 2006, in conjunction with the 11th National Renewable Energy Marketing Conference in San Francisco. Whole Foods Market and Renewable Choice shared the Beacon Prize, bestowed on companies for their initiatives in marketing renewable energy over the past year. The award cited the companies’ joint efforts to explain Whole Foods Market’s wind credit purchase and to market wind credits directly to its customers.

The EPA named Whole Foods Market a Green Power Partner of the Year in recognition of its historic wind energy credit purchase in January 2006. (see ED+C Newsline, March 2006.)

EPA and DOE presented awards for green power purchasing to 22 organizations that have demonstrated leadership by voluntarily purchasing green power or creating innovative supply options for consumers, including prAna (www.prana.com), a designer, marketer and wholesaler of climbing, yoga and outdoor/active lifestyle apparel and accessories, who launched its Natural Power initiative, offsetting the power of 250 of its retail locations nationwide, 100 percent of its headquarters and all of the homes of its full-time employees.

CRS presented six awards to organizations and individuals that have shown outstanding leadership in building and shaping the market for renewable energy. For more information, visit www.epa.gov/greenpower/winners/index.htm.

New Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Database

Washington, D.C. — Fuel Cells 2000 and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Hydrogen Program have launched a searchable database that documents fuel cell and hydrogen activity in the U.S.—stationary installations, vehicle demonstrations, fueling stations, and policies, initiatives, and legislation—at www.fuelcells.org/dbs/.

Congress Extends Federal Solar Energy Tax Credits

Washington, D.C. — In December 2006, The 109th Congress passed legislation that would extend the 30 percent solar energy investment tax credit for homeowners and businesses for one additional year, through the end of 2008. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) applauded the one-year extension of the solar ITC in H.R. 6111, the “Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006,” but at the same time cautioned that the lifespan of the credits is too short to encourage significant industry growth and cost reductions. An eight-year extension of the ITC will remain the solar industry’s top legislative priority in 2007. For more information, visit www.seia.org.

Solar Power Installation Unveiled At Staples

Rocky Hill, Conn. — The Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF), Staples and SunEdison unveiled a solar power installation at Staples’ 300,000-square-foot retail distribution center in Killingly, Conn. The 433-kilowatt DC solar power installation, built at no capital cost to Staples, was made possible through the collaborative effort of CCEF, which provided a $1.7 million grant for the project, and SunEdison (www.sunedison.com), which financed the remaining costs of the project and designed and installed the system.Visit www.staples.com/environment.

Sunpower Suntile Powers All-Solar Neighborhood

San Jose, Calif. — SunPower Corporation, a Silicon Valley-based manufacturer of high-efficiency solar cells and solar panels, and its subsidiary PowerLight Corporation, announced the opening of a 650 home solar-powered neighborhood. Built by Lennar Corp. in Roseville, Calif., the planned 650 homes will use SunPower’s roof-integrated SunTile solar electric system. Visit www.sunpowercorp.com.

C&A Floorcovering Uses Renewable Energy

Dalton, Ga. — C&A Floorcoverings, a Tandus company, is replacing diesel used in its commercial boilers with 100 percent biodiesel; a renewable energy source manufactured by Soymet, LLC, the company reports. Since C&A began using biodiesel in February 2006, 11 percent of its total energy is from renewable sources. Visit www.tandus.com.

City of Palo Alto Designated 1st Epa Green Power Community in California

Palo Alto, Calif. — The City of Palo Alto was recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as the first city in California to be distinguished as a Green Power Community. Visit www.epa.gov/greenpower and www.cpau.com.

Reeep Introduces Benchmark For Carbon Offset

Vienna — The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) has joined forces with the Gold Standard to eliminate confusion and irregularities from the voluntary carbon offset market. Verified Emissions Reductions (VERs) are carbon credits generated by renewable energy and energy efficiency projects for purchase by any person or organization wishing to make their activities carbon neutral. The Gold Standard VER (GS VER) is a mechanism that ensures the validation of the carbon credit, and was created to encourage the shift from a fossil fuel-based economy to a renewable energy economy. Visit www.reegle.info and www.reeep.org.

World Record Achieved in Solar Cell Technology

Washington, D.C. — On December 5, 2006, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Alexander Karsner announced that with DOE funding, a concentrator solar cell produced by Boeing-Spectrolab achieved a world-record conversion efficiency of 40.7 percent, thus establishing a new milestone in sunlight-to-electricity performance. The 40.7 percent cell was developed using a unique structure called a multi-junction solar cell, which achieves a higher efficiency by capturing more of the solar spectrum. Visit www.eere.energy.gov/solar/solar_america/.

Corn Plus, John Deere Power Ethanol Plant

Winnebago, Minn. — Corn Plus Cooperative, a farmer-owned ethanol plant in Winnebago, Minn., has entered into a co-development relationship with John Deere to harness wind energy to help power their plant. When running at capacity, approximately 45 percent of the electric energy demand for the plant will be supplied by wind energy. The project, CP Wind Farm, LLC, is being developed by Renewable Energy Solutions (www.renewableenergysolutions.ca) in conjunction with John Deere, and will feature the placement of two, 2.1-megawatt S88 wind turbines in close proximity to the ethanol plant. Visit www.deere.com.

Google Adds Solar to Headquarters

Mountain View, Calif. — Google Inc. has announced a rooftop solar-powered generation system at its Mountain View, Calif., headquarters capable of generating 1.6 megawatts of electricity, the company reports. According to installation engineers EI Solutions, by building the largest solar power system ever installed at a single corporate campus, Google will save more than $393,000 annually in energy costs —or close to $15 million over the 30-year lifespan of its solar system. Visit www.eispv.com.

Willie Nelson Introduces Biodiesel Fuel

San Diego — Country singer Willie Nelson has developed “BioWillie,” his brand of clean-burning fuel made from soybeans. The BioWillie brand, known as B20, is a blend of 80 percent petroleum diesel and 20 percent biodiesel, and is made from soybean oil. Visit www.wnbiodiesel.com.

Solarworld Group Expands Module Recycling to U.S. Market

Camarillo, Calif. / Bonn, Germany — The SolarWorld Group has expanded its solar module recycling program to include the U.S. market. The California-based subsidiary SolarWorld Industries America now offers customers the opportunity to return used and end-of-life solar modules. Visit www.solarworld-usa.com.