Apple got slagged not too long ago for conditions in the Chinese factory that manufactures its iStuff, although it should be pointed out that Foxconn manufactures electronic devices for many other companies, too (like Amazon, Dell, Motorola, Nokia, and HP, and so on). This week, following Apple’s announcement of the new iPad, Greenpeace was quick…
Going Green
Sorry, you can’t check these links out until you have completed and e-mailed your Environmental Innovation Awards applications. Volkswagen’s green commitment: billion (GreenBiz) Walmart Accused of Greenwashing (Environmental Leader) [shocking, I know] Why Whole Foods is Not a Sustainable Business (Triple Pundit) 13 Awesome Green-Themed Apps For Your New iPad (Treehugger) Rigid container reincarnation…
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Codexis (NASDAQ: CDXS) had some changes in the CEO and CFO roles last month. Undergoing what looks like a bit of a management shakeup, the maker of industrial enzymes for biofuels, green chemicals, and pharmaceutical product production, appointed Peter Strumph as the firm's interim Chief Executive Officer. Alan Shaw resigned as President and CEO "to pursue other interests." Robert Lawson, the CFO, also left the company last month. Michael Klein, a New York-based analyst with Sidoti & Co., was quoted in Bloomberg as saying, “It makes people question what’s going on internally and behind the scenes.” Codexis stock is trading near historic lows.
Fisker Automotive, the VC-funded extended-range electric vehicle maker, moved co-Founder Henrik Fisker to Executive Chairman of the firm and appointed Tom LaSorda as CEO and Vice Chairman of the Board last month. LaSorda was formerly CEO, President and Vice Chairman of the Chrysler Group and has also held executive positions at General Motors.
Fisker has raised more than $ 800 million in private equity and has produced a few hundred vehicles, amidst recalls, DOE loan issues, and layoffs. Ray Lane, former Chairman of the Board, will take a "lead director role," according to a press release from the firm. Lane also shepherded Next Autoworks (the former V-Vehicle) into its current situation. More details on the company's recent travails can be found here.
Fisker's most recent public relations gaffe is a failure during testing by Consumer Reports (see this Autoblog article for more details).
SunPower (Nasdaq:SPWRA), the high-efficiency solar panel maker and project developer controlled by French energy firm Total, named Charles Boynton to replace Dennis Arriola as its acting finance head, according to Reuters. Arriola's departure was announced last year. SunPower stock closed at $ 7.24 on Friday on the Nasdaq.
Moventas, a maker of wind turbine gears, appointed Mikael Laine, SVP of Business Development, to the position of CEO.
SolarTech is partnered with Nova Workforce Development in a program that trains people for greentech job positions that companies actually want to fill in solar, energy efficiency and green building.
I wrote a less than enthusiastic article about the sale of Oerlikon's solar unit to TEL last week.
Amorphous silicon (a-Si) technology has had a troubled commercial track record.
There was the the faceplant of Silicon Valley semiconductor giant, Applied Materials, its customers, and its a-Si photovoltaic efforts. Recently, Novasolar, the reincarnation of Optisolar, furloughed its employees, and ECD, with one of the longest money-losing streaks of any corporate entity, declared bankruptcy. Both of those firms were multi-junction a-Si PV producers.
We have been less dismissive concerning equipment vendor Oerlikon's efforts in a-Si because in our many conversations with Chris O’Brien, Oerlikon Solar’s head of market development in North America, he confidently stated that the firm's aggressive cost targets were in reach. He cited first-mover advantages, having a longer legacy in micromorph (tandem-junction) designs, and starting off with an efficiency advantage. He also cited some technical advantages compared to other a-Si vendors and his belief that costs of 70 cents per watt would be achievable by 2011.
I hereby take back those harsh words about Oerlikon's amorphous silicon, because judging by the magnitude of this deal, which was just revealed, amorphous silicon might have some legs. The price for the deal was $ 275 million. And it would seem that those cost targets have been reached.
O'Brien furnished a slide from a 2011 analysis by NREL of Oerlikon Solar's previous generation fab which estimated cost of ownership for that technology to be less than $ 0.70 per watt (excluding the cost of financing). Newer generation technology brings the cost of ownership to $ 0.50 per watt according to O'Brien.
O'Brien also notes that "While the company did report a small EBIT loss [for 2011], the magnitude is significantly lower than the recent results announced by other leading PV companies."
Oerlikon Solar, based in Zurich, Switzerland, is controlled by Russian tycoon Viktor Vekselberg.
Some of Oerlikon's customers include Tianwei and Astronergy. Those customers are now the charge of Tokyo Electron (TEL). Dr Michael Buscher, CEO of Oerlikon Group, was quoted in a press release as saying, "TEL is an ideal strategic buyer for our solar business. Its main operations are close to the predominantly Asian customer base and having had a partnership with them for three years, they know our Solar Segment well." TEL has been a sales representative for Oerlikon in Asia for the past three years and has more than 10,000 employees in a variety of semiconductor businesses.
Other amorphous silicon players include Sharp, which entered a JV with Enel and ST Microelectronics in a-Si a few years ago. Also struggling to remain competitive in amorphous silicon and its variations are Xunlight, AOS Solar, APSTL, HelioSphera, NanoPV, and Sencera.
All of this action takes place against the backdrop of thin film leader First Solar, with 2 gigawatts of 12 percent efficiency solar module capacity at a cost of less than 75 cents per watt.
One company with big aspirations that might have a shot in a-Si is Astronergy, with the backing of the Chint Group, one of the largest Chinese private businesses. GTM Research finds that "Chinese tandem junction a-Si customers of Oerlikon at scale" can be "very competitive with c-Si, especially in hot regions like the U.S. Southwest, India and SE Asia, where there is better kWh/kW performance." Astronergy has landed a 6.1-megawatt a-Si project in Tucson, Arizona.
A few vendors presenting at the pre-drupa media briefing last week in Düsseldorf mentioned programs promoting sustainability. Heidelberg announced that its Anicolor press line would be carbon-neutralized. When purchasing an Anicolor press, Heidelberg will offset the carbon emissions created when building the press at no additional cost to the buyer. Heidelberg has calculated the emissions…
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Here’s a question to ponder, but not for too long: why do gas stations post their prices? After all, there is no federal law that requires it (only a scant few states, such as New York, do), and wouldn’t selling outrageously priced gas be easier if customers didn’t know in advance what they were paying?…
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Two opportunities to offer to students:
Tagged: green, green living, NISW, students, sustainable 
Going Green @your library
Renewable energy policy has seemingly been on the hot seat since late summer. As early as today, it will finally find out how much political backing it has with a series of votes on Capitol Hill.
View original here:
Renewable Energy PTC and 1603 Extensions Tacked Onto Senate Bill
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Carl Pechman, an economist at FERC, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, spoke today at SolarTech's Solar Leadership Summit in San Jose, California.
He noted that FERC was "a really sleepy agency for many years." But his presentation and the recent actions of FERC showed that the agency is anything but sleepy these days.
Greentech Media's recent coverage shows that FERC realizes the changes occurring in the electrical grid. FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff spoke last month on the need for flexible electricity pricing and consumer energy awareness. We covered FERC Commissioner Philip D. Moeller speaking on the need for energy storage on the electrical grid last year. It seems that the commissioners at FERC 'get it' and realize that the grid is transforming and that they must be involved in regulating this shift.
Pechman spoke on what it is that FERC does as well as its current, future, and long-term views on the U.S. market.
"FERC is a creature of statute," which:
But its fundamental first principle is to ensure "just and reasonable rates" which are "not unduly discriminatory or preferential." Pechman noted that "within the agency there's a real hesitance to put the finger on the scale of any particular tech."
FERC acts with an open process of generic rule-making on broad policy issues. Pechman cited these FERC orders as milestones that have led change in the utility industry:
How is FERC changing the structure of the market?
Creating the 21st Century Grid
Pechman noted that for most of the grid's existence, "The customer was considered load and the idea of the utility was to serve load." But now "[w]e're getting a very different idea of what the customer is. [...] The customer is not just load but potentially power production and storage and able to respond to the system."
if you missed the announcement be sure to consider attending this virtual ALA Workshop on Wednesday, April 18, 2012, 2:30pm – 4:00pm Eastern. Greening Your Library: Save Money and the Environment (ALA Editions Workshop). Presented by Kathryn Miller, author of ALA Editions’ Public Libraries Going Green,
Your library is vital to connecting citizens with the knowledge and tools to change habits and lessen our impact on the Earth’s limited resources, and it all starts with leading by example. In this workshop Kathryn Miller, author of Public Libraries Going Green, will discuss practical ideas for how to become green, teach green, and lead green. Miller will introduce environmentally-friendly, money-saving initiatives that fit your existing building and services. Ideas for hands-on activities, such as rain barrels or butterfly gardens, will help you raise awareness and get your community involved.
Topics include:
- What it means to be green
- Ideas for your action plan
- Socially responsible collection management, from purchase to disposal
- Program ideas for children, young adults, and adults
Tagged: ALA, greening your library, workshop 
Going Green @your library
