The Senate votes overwhelmingly to send nuclear power technology to India; U.S. carmakers take a beating; and China embraces algae-based biofuels.

Senate approves nuclear deal with India: The United States Senate overwhelmingly approved a measure late Wednesday which will provide nuclear power technology to India. The bill is controversial, due to India’s continuing refusal to sign the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty. Under terms of the agreement, U.S. companies would be allowed to compete for billions of dollars in Indian civilian nuclear power contracts. In exchange for the technology, India will agree to international monitoring, and to refrain from a resumption of nuclear weapon testing. (CNN)

Ford’s US sales drop 34 pct, GM down 16 pct: U.S. automakers took a drubbing in September, with Ford reporting a drop of 34 percent over this time last year. Chrysler followed with a 33 percent slowdown, while GM clocked losses in sales volume of 16 percent. Analysts attribute the dramatic slowdown to tightening credit, which is keeping new car buyers away from showroom floors. (Brietbart)

Dim Bulbs: Those Squiggly “Green” Light Bulbs Could Hurt the Environment, Study Says: A study published Wednesday suggests that, in terms of pollution, Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFLs) may be a but of a mixed bag. In countries such as the United States — which produces the majority of its power from coal — CFL energy efficiency will result in a net loss of environmental mercury. Areas generating their power through nuclear or renewable technology might experience a net increase in mercury pollution, due to the small amount in each bulb. (WSJ.com)

Americans continue to drive less for 9th straight month: Are you driving less? Most Americans are, according to a new report. Auto travel slumped for a ninth straight month in July — traditionally on the the busiest driving months of the year. Estimated mileage was down 3.6 percent from the previous year. That’s not as steep as the 5 percent drop reported in June. (Autoblog Green)

China Shows Green Aspirations With New Algae Biodiesel Facility: China continues to show strong interest in the green fuels sector. Shanghai Jun Ya Yan Technology Development Company says they’ve signed a technology agreement with U.S. based PetroSun to construct a $40 dollar algae-to-biofuel refinery. The two companies plan to produce both ethanol and biodiesel from the green brew. They’ll also use algae for “other useful products,” which analysts expect will be farm feedstocks made from algae waste. (Gas 2.0)

ShareThis

That $25 billion automaker bailout will be coming with a few strings. And researchers announce a new kind of solar cell which achieves 40.8 percent efficiency.

Detroit Bailout Loans On The Road To Approval, With Condition Attached - Car Makers Meet 35 MPG By 2020: The $25 billion dollars approved by the Senate this weekend to help modernize U.S. carmakers is coming with some strings. Automakers will be expected to deliver an average fleet fuel economy of 35 miles a gallon by 2020 under the deal. While that’s 40 percent higher than current standards, 35 MPG vehicles have been available since the mid-1980s. (Treehugger)

Solar Cell Sets World Efficiency Record At 40.8 Percent: Solar cells are getting better. A team at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory has managed to juice more power from a solar cell than ever before. The new photovoltaic cell converts 40.8 percent of the light it receives into electricity — a world record. It’s likely to be developed for space applications and for use in concentrated solar photovolaic arrays. (Science Daily)

Hamburg allows Vattenfall to build coal-fired plant: In a sign that tougher economic times may lead governments to ease up of environmental goals, the German city of Hamburg has decided to approve the construction of a new coal-fired power plant. Despite European commitment to meeting aggressive CO2 reduction goals, the new facility will become Germany’s larges coal power plant. Environmentalists and an unusual coalition of the Green and Christian Democratic parties hoped to halt construction of the $2.8 billion project. (Reuters)

Sony Ericsson Offers Environmental Warranty,GreenHeart Phone Concept: Sony is upping the ante on its green electronics commitment. The company recently introduced an “environmental warranty” which would guarantee free disposal and recycling of its devices. Now Sony is showing off a new line of what it calls GreenHeart phones. The wireless devices are designed with eventual recycling in mind, starting with a non-petroleum bioplastic case. The keyboard is made from recycled materials, the manuals are only available in PDF form, and the phone are shipped with a free environmentally themed game called Ecomate. All GreenHeart phones will be shipped in environmentally friendly packaging. (Environmental Leader)

Theft of Grease for Biodiesel on the Rise: CA Adjusts Laws: Higher fuel prices have encouraged a whole new kind of crime: grease theft. Restaurants used to pay to have their leftover kitchen grease hauled off, but its value as a biodiesel stock has led to an epidemic of late-night thefts. Now California is hoping that lowering fees for the legal transportation of grease will encourage backyard biodiesel brewers to go legit. Duties have been dropped from $400 to $75 a load. It’s still too early to see if the measure will have any effect. (Gas 2.0)

ShareThis

Gulf Coast gas stations are still reporting spot gasoline shortages; your TV may become obsolete next year; and the Blade Runner doubles as both bus and train

No quick end to gas shortage in Southeast: Spotty gasoline shortages continue throughout the southeastern United States, fallout from the double punch of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. Retailers in Nashville, Atlanta, and Charlotte continue to report supply problems — the result of shuttered or damaged Texas refineries that could take another several week to get back to full capacity. Meanwhile, oil prices took a sharp drop Monday on fears of weak demand and a sputtering U.S. economy. Light, sweet crude closed down $10.52 to $96.36 a barrel Monday, off over 10 percent from the previous close. (USA Today and MSNBC)

2 First U.S. carbon auction brings states $39 mln: The first stateside carbon auction raised some $39 million dollars toward renewable energy construction. Big carbon emitters, such as power companies, snapped up the right to emit carbon dioxide at a little over three dollars a ton. The selling states — Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont — will divide the money to fund more green energy resources for the region. (Reuters)

10% of U.S. Domestic Energy Now Renewable : While the future of the renewable energy tax credits which have led a boom in green energy technology remains in doubt, the industry is clearly making progress. A new report on how things are going has just been released by a group calling itself the SUN DAY Campaign. It says, in part, that green power now makes up about 10 percent of our national production. Leading the way: biofuels and biomass/ But windpower is catching up quickly, up almost 50 percent from last year’s reported numbers. ( EcoGeek)

ASL Steps Up TV Recycling Efforts Ahead of Digital Switch: By now, you’ve probably heard about the big TV switch in 2009, when broadcasters will be compelled to switch off traditional channels in favor of the new U.S. digital standard. The move, which is scheduled for February 17th, will instant make obsolete all analog televisions not on cable or using an over-the-air digital converter — and that means an avalanche of potentially toxic e-waste. California’s ASL Recycling is among the disposal companies ramping-up for a crush of dicarded TVs. They’re planning to stage 150 collection points to take up and safely dispose of the sets. We’ll help direct you to a collection site in your nieborhood as the switch gets closer. (Good Clean Tech)

Blade Runner concept combines a bus with a train: It’s a bus — i’s a train. It’s both. A new mass transit concept called the Blade Runner from the UK’s Silvertip Design is designed to help meet new demand for rail transportation option, without the need for additional track construction. The Blade Runner looks a bit like a jumbo-sized double decker bus. It’s equipped with two sets of running gear: one for road, and one for rail. The Blade Runner would be capable of taking to the highway when rail lines aren’t available, functioning as if it were an 18-wheeler. Like modern locomotives, diesel generators would power electric motors connected to the drivetrain. (Autoblog Green)

ShareThis

A busy few days for environmental legislation in Washington; West Coast Green showcases the latest in CleanTech; and scooter sales really take off in 2007.

House Approves Clean Energy Tax Credits, But New Version Could Stall: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid implored his counterparts in the House not to make changes to a tricky Renewable Energy Bill, but Representatives went ahead and approved their own version, anyway. That has the fate of the massive bill again up in the air. While the House and Senate measures are in broad agreement, the House chose to strip language including incentives for environmentally questionable oil shale and tar sands development and coal-to-gas schemes. Uncertainty over passage of the bill has already caused cancellation of planned wind, solar, and biofuels projects. (Earth2Tech)

US Congress passes 25 bln loan guarantees to automakers: The U.S. Senate last night passed a $25 billion package of loan guarantees for U.S. carmakers and certain foreign manufacturers building autos on American soil. The package — which lawmakers insist isn’t a bailout — echoes a similar $675 million deal done for Chrysler in 1980. Automakers will primarily use the cash for modernization. On the Christmas list for GM: a new factory dedicated to engine production for its extended range electric car, the Chevy Volt. (Breitbart)

Building show: Smarter homes, water out of air: West Coast Green — a large gathering highlighting green building and technology — wrapped up this weekend at the San Jose Convention Center. Some 400 vendors were on hnad to show their wares, including an innovative startup which claims its gear can literally harvest fresh water from air. Element 4 claims its Watermill appliance can harvest enough water from ambient moisture to supply the daily needs of a six person family. CEO Rick Howard plans to have his device available for sale by February. Howard says future versions of the Watermill could be run on solar power, theoretically making water available pretty much anywhere, from disaster areas to the developing world. (CNET)

CO2 Climbing Regardless Of Economic Downturn: So you thought a slower economy might mean less industrial activity and carbon dioxide production? That’s what a lot of climate scientists were expecting, too. But figures just out from the Global Carbon Project indicate that not only have man-made carbon emissions not gone down — they’re still going up. A report released Friday shows CO2 emissions up by about 3 percent worldwide. The biggest offenders — China and the United States. China’s added output accounted for half of the worldwide increase. (Environmental Leader)

Scooter sales up 66% so far this year: People complain they’re noisy, and smaller engines don’t always mean a small pollution footprint. But scooters are fuel efficient, and high gas prices have caused sales of the small bore two wheels to roar ahead by an astonishing 66 percent over this time last year. Once a fashion statement or recreational vehicle, schooters such as the iconic Italian Vespa are finding new life as a replacement for automobile on errands or short commutes. Virtually every scooter manufacturer is reporting double-digit sales gains so far in 2007. (Autoblog Green)

ShareThis

Solar stocks rebound on the prospect of continued tax breaks; Chrysler shows off a radical electric concept car; and Dell gets a little bit greener.

Solar stocks enjoy rally as tax breaks renewed: Solar stocks came roaring back on Wednesday, the day after U.S. Senate negotiators renewed an $18 billion package encouraging renewable energy development. Shares of SunPower Corp rose 12.7 percent to close at $98.60. Evergreen Solar was also up 14.5% to $6.58 a share. The measure is expected to yield 440,000 permanent jobs in the United States and generate $232 billion in new investment. (Reuters)

Chrysler’s GEM Previews ‘Peapod’ Electric Car: Chrysler surprised the automotive market by their announcement this week that it plans to produce an electric car by 2010. With the cat out of the bag, company officials are starting to show off a highly revised version of its GEM “Peapod” electric car. The Peapod has already been given a new name: the GreenEcoMobility concept. The airy, pod-like electric vehicle makes extensive use of glass surfaces, and incorporates interior features made from earth-friendly recycled and recyclable materials. Chrysler says it could bring the GreenEcoMobility vehicle into production as early as 2009. (EV World)

Green is the New Red-Handed: With high energy costs and an increasing number of installed systems, solar owners in the U.S. are beginning to experience something new: panel theft. The relative compactness and high value of solar panels make them a tempting target for thieves. So is the availability of resale marketplaces such as eBay and Craigslist. Your best bet to protect a solar panel investment? Alarms, video surveillance, and tamper-free mounting screws. (Grist)

MINI EV won’t come with lithium ion batteries?: Engineers testing different configurations of the upcoming electric MINI privately confide they’ve had little success with lithium ion batteries and hub-mounted electric motors. That’s leading some analysts to believe the diminutive plug-in may be shipped with nickel hydride storage units or a Zebra battery similar to that in the electric Smart. Since the MINI’s Barvarian parent company isn’t commenting, we won’t know much about the vehicle’s production trim until it’s revealed at the LA Auto Show later this year. (Autoblog Green)

Dell Equipping All New Laptops with Energy Efficient LED Displays: Dell is the latest computer manufacturer to expand it offering of greener products. The company plans to offer LED backlit monitors in all its laptops by 2010. LED monitors are brighter and considerably more efficient than traditional displays. The energy savings will also mean increased battery life, early doubling the duty cycle of most models while decreasing display thickness. (CleanTechnica)

ShareThis

Congressional Democrats agree to drop a 25-year ban on offshore drilling. And Chrysler pulls a bit of a surprise, announcing a plan for electric cars by 2010.

Democrats allow drilling ban to lapse: Bowing to election year pressure and record fuel prices, Congressional Democrats will allow a 25-year ban on offshore oil and gas drilling to expire next week. Though most experts insist the move will have little impact on pump prices, the ban’s repeal is being hailed as a victory by Republicans and the petroleum industry. Democratic strategists had hoped to preserve a partial drilling moratorium, but capitulated in the face of a certain veto by President Bush. (CNN)

Senate Approves Energy Tax Credit Extensions: The U.S. Senate has approved an 11th hour reauthorization of tax credits which have fueled a boom in renewable energy development. The credits were set to expire at the end of the year, causing the cancellation or postponement of major wind and solar power developments. While the Senate bill differs in some way from a similar measure before the House, negotiators now expect to complete a compromise version of the $18 billion dollar package before Congress adjourns for the year. (Earth2Tech)

AAA - Gasoline prices should drop this week: AA analysts say that while gasoline prices remain high throughout parts of the Southeast, motorists should notice improvement as supplies rebound. Refining and transit points along the Gulf Coast have been largely shut down since the beginning of the month due to Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. That’s led to spot shortages and a return to $4 per gallon gasoline prices. While pain at the pump could begin moderating by next week, a fresh spike in the price of crude could once again hit drivers’ pocketbooks in October. (Orlando Sentinel)

China Planning Electric Vehicle Charging Stations: China’s Xinhua news agency says the nation will begin developing infrastructure to support electric cars. At least ten charging stations will be built as part of a test project in several major Chinese cities. If successful, the network will be expended nationwide. China showcased similar technology during the Summer Olympics, displaying fully computerized charging stations used to support about 600 electric cars attached to the event. (EcoGeek)

Chrysler gets into electric car race: Surprise! Struggling automaker Chrysler announced Monday that it intends to bring two electric vehicles to market in 2010. That puts Chrysler head-to-head with General Motors, which expects to have the extended range plug-in Chevy Volt in dealer showrooms at about the same time. From the sound of Chrysler’s announcement, the company’s new vehicles will feature range and layout similar to the Volt. They’ll also tap A123 Systems for lithium battery supplies. A123 is one of two vendors currently supplying GM with lithium battery packs. (CNET)

ShareThis

Oil prices post their biggest one-day price gain of all time, the EPA blows-off perchlorate heath concerns; and PC buyers may soon see a better Energy Star.

Oil prices make historic gain: The price of crude oil achieved a historic spike Monday, leaping a record $16.37 a barrel in a single day’s trading. Contracts for October light, sweet crude closed at $120.92 per barrel on tight inventories and fears that the U.S. government’s massive banking bailout will seriously weaken the dollar. Investors are increasingly looking to oil as a safe place to put their money, given steady worldwide demand and the intrinsic value of petroleum. (USA Today)

EPA against limiting rocket fuel ingredient in water: Environmental and health advocates say they are angered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s announcement that they see no reason to rid drinking water of perchlorate, a common ingredient in rocket fuel. A draft regulatory document regarding perchlorate was made available to the Associated Press Monday. Low levels of perchlorates have been detected in 35 states, prompting calls for more stringent regulation of their industrial use. Perchlorates are known to impact human health by interfering with the function of the thyroid gland. (CNN)

Toyota A-BAT concept could head to production while Tundra diesel stalls: While other companies are exploring clean diesel and plug-in technologies to raise fleet economy, Toyota is clearly putting all its eggs into the hybrid basket. Now Toyota is said to be considering bringing its hybrid-powered A-BAT compact pickup to market. The zoomy small truck is seen as a successor to the popular Tahoma. Toyota first previewed the A-BAT pickup this year at the Detroit Auto Show. (Autoblog Green)

Brazil’s Bet: Ethanol Surpasses Gasoline in Brazil: Ethanol has apparently overtaken gasoline as the fuel of choice in Brazil. While much of the world is backpedaling on food-based ethanol, Brazil — as a major producer — has now transitioned over half of its domestic consumption from petroleum to biofuel. For Brazilian drivers, there’s also an economic incentive: ethanol currently costs less than half the price of conventional gasoline. (WSJ)

PC Buyers Might Get Efficiency Tags to Help with Computer Purchases: Buyers may soon have a better way to compare the energy efficiency of personal computers. Treehugger reports that the next generation of Energy Star standards contain language which would standardize how devices such as computers might be rated. Right now, few standards exist — leaving PC buyers scratching their heads of a variety of often conflicting marketing claims. (Treehugger)

ShareThis

The U.S. FDA moves closer to allowing genetically modified meats; virtually tour a carbon neutral island; and ride your bike for World Carfree Day. It’s today!

FDA issues rules for genetically modified animals: Genetically engineered meat — it’s what’s for dinner. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is moving in the direction of allowing genetically modified animals in your local grocer’s meat section. The FDA has just published a set of proposed guidelines which producers of engineered animals must follow before their products can be certified safe for human consumption. Under the current scheme, GM meats would not need to be specially labeled. The omission is drawing fire from health and consumer advocacy groups. (Reuters)

Ploggs Track Power Usage, Let You Know Wirelessly: It’s hard to manage energy use when you’re not aware of how much you’re using. While it’s only available in Europe so far, Ploggs outlets provide instant feedback of how much juice your plug-in devices are using. The Ploggs plus can talk to practically anything with a Bluetooth connection, such as a laptop or Blackberry. They’ll also record and display your energy use. A Plogg will set you back £55 in the UK, and the manufacturer is examining the possibility of entering the U.S. market. (EcoGeek)

SolCool’s Solar Air Conditioner Blows Off Hurricane Ike : Despite a nearly direct hit from Hurricane ike — which left the Texas coast reeling last week — the crew from Alternative Energy Group’s solar air conditioner project returned to their Houston installation to find their system had ridden out the storm without damage. The 1.5 ton Millennia solar air conditioning demo unit was unscathed and ready to run when employees came back to work last week. The pilot air conditioning program is said to reduce peak energy use by 70 percent, compared to conventional units. *Renewable Energy World)

Samso, the Danish island living off-grid : If you’re looking for some green inspiration to start your week, check out the Guardian’s stunning photo essay on Samso, a Danish island which now a a carbon footprint of near zero. They’ve done it with well-planned investments in things such as offshore wind and community solar water heating. Despite its remoteness, Samso is no longer dependent on offshore ebergy. In fact, it’s now an energy exporter. (Guardian)

How to Bike to Work (Or Anywhere Else): As mentioned last Friday, today is the 8th annual World Carfree Day, a showcase for alternative means of moving people from place to place. Over at our newly relaunched sister site, Lighter Footstep, we’ve put together a handy guide on getting started with bicycle commuting. Find out about route planning, equipment, and how to make it all practical once you arrive at the office. And if you’d like to follow Lighter Footstep in your RSS reader or on a web start page, click here to grab the site’s feed. (Lighter Footstep)

ShareThis

The Week in CleanTech, Sunday edition: House Democrats capitulate on offshore drilling; pump prices stay high; and a 12-year-old re-imagines the solar cell.

Fierce debate as House votes to lift ban on offshore drilling: The U.S. House of Representatives approved an energy bill late Tuesday which would open a large swath of the nation’s coastline to offshore drilling. But the bill faces a dim future, opposed one one hand by Republicans — who want drilling closer to shore, incentives for host states, and lower taxes for oil companies — and by environmentalists, who content drilling is dirty and won’t lower gasoline prices. The House measure would extend tax incentives for renewable energy development set to expire at the end of the year. The White House has already hinted at a veto, and the Senate is set to take up three energy bills very different from the House proposal. (SF Gate)

Update - Refiners Out Longer Than Expected: It looks as if refineries along the Texas Gulf Coast will be out a bit longer than expected. It’s not direct damage from Hurricane ike that’s the problem — the storm’s worst winds and surge struck to the east of facilities such as ExxonMobil’s Baytown refinery. The issue is power. Utilities are still scrambling to get their grids online, which will keep Baytown and others from restarting several more days. After that, it will take up to a week to move refined product through the pipelines. Until then, expect pricey gasoline and spot shortages. (WSJ)

12-year-old Revolutionizes the Solar Cell: A Portland seventh grader — yes, he’s 12 years old — has made a potentially breakthrough discovery in solar cell technology. William Yuan has developed a three-dimensional cell which absorbs both visible and ultraviolet light. The combination could greatly improve solar cell efficiency, leading to smaller and much cheaper panel arrays. Yuan gets $25,000 and a trip to the Library of Congress for his troubles, and will no doubt have little trouble finding a great college in just a few years. (Wired)

Ethanol makers hit by cash crunch: Producers of ethanol — at one time big players in the CleanTech boom — are struggling at just the moment that investors are running for cover. Volatile corn prices are chewing up the profits of the young industry, promoting producers such as VeraSun Energy Corp to warn of larger than expected quarterly losses. Wall Street’s precipitous slide this week means ethanol manufacturers will have trouble attracting fresh investment, and many firms are already running low on cash. (Reuters)

The hottest tech job in America - Wildlife biologist: Fortune magazine has an interesting take on the hottest job in CleanTech — and it’s not an engineering position. With so many large-scale renewable energy projects heading into the field, utility companies have an urgent need for biologists to determine the impact on local wildlife. Salaries can run into six figures, and have spiked up to 20 percent this year in response to demand. (CNN Money/Fortune)

ShareThis

The Week in Cleantech, Saturday Edition: Wall Street’s rocky week spells trouble for green startups; and expect gasoline prices to stay high a few more weeks.

Credit crisis hurting clean energy sector - bankers: Investors at a renewable energy conference in London are trying to get a handle on the implications of Monday’s Wall Street meltdown. At first blush, the tightening of credit doesn’t look good for CleanTech. Europe, for instance, has set some fairly ambitious goals for renewable energy. But a slowdown in long-term lending will make those benchmarks difficult to achieve. A Rabobank spokesperson told Reuters that the CleanTech sector will have to look for new sources of funding, such as investment by pension funds or other areas of bank finance. (Reuters)

Implications of a Ten Day Refinery Outage: High gasoline prices and worsening fuel shortages are likely to continue well into October. The problem? Thanks to a previous shutdown for Hurricane Gustav, gasoline stocks were already low before this weekend’s strike by Hurricane Ike. Colonial Pipeline, one of the largest conduits or refined petroleum products in the Southeast, has already been closed due to insufficient stocks. According to AAA, gasoline prices spiked about 20 cents per gallon over the weekend, up to a national average of $3.80. Some areas reported spot prices in excess of $5 per gallon. (The Oil Drum)

Energy Star Standards Lax: Consumer Reports: An article in the October issue of Consumer Reports takes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy to task for failing to maintain Energy Star specifications and testing procedures. The consumer advocacy magazine says it’s time for third party verification of Energy Star claims. Consumer Reports independently tested several Energy Star-certified products and found that many failed to meet their stated efficiency claims. (GreenBiz.com)

GM to build their own batteries, seeks new employee: It appears that General Motors plans to get into the lithium ion battery business. Autoblog Green notes a job ad on the LinkedIn website seeking a battery project manager. The idea of GM building its own batteries certainly makes sense: the company has long said the Volt powertrain would find its way into a variety of other models. Producing its own lithium ion batteries would control costs and remove GM’s dependence on foreign suppliers. (Autoblog Green)

Ford Paces New Hybrid Model Rollouts: Ford Motor Company executive Ford executive David Finnegan say there are plug-in hybrids in his company’s future — but not just yet. Finnegan told the Denver Post last week that before Ford jumps into hybrids, it wants to see consumer support and the prospect of strong sales. He says the first Ford plug-ins would come no earlier than 2013, and that fully electric cars aren’t likely until sometime after 2020. (Denver Post)

ShareThis