CleanTech

Absent a rigorous examination of statistics, meaningful dialogue about environmental issues is impossible. This is particularly challenging now that environmentalism is generally recognized to be inextricably linked not only with the endlessly complex science of ecology, but with the dismal science of economics as well. To try to quantify the rational basis for a legitimate ideology of environmentalism is not easy. One way to productively further the dialogue of rational environmentalism is to publish online interactive spreadsheets of hopefully instructive simplicity, quantitatively presenting options in terms of costs and benefits for environmental issues management. To this end, we...

Earlier this month heralded the formal launch of "Carbon Information Management" (CIM) software from Planet Metrics, a Northern California based company that has been brewing this "web-based, multi-dimensional software that helps organizations to create and deploy innovative sustainability strategies" since early 2007. Unlike Environmental Health and Sustainability (EH&S) software, such as the enterprise wide solutions offered by market leaders in that space such as ESS, CIM software focuses on helping enterprises assess the total carbon footprint of their products and processes. As such, CIM offers an important analytical tool to help companies move towards clean and sustainable operations that...

With renewable energy sources like wind and solar constantly on hand, it is no wonder that everyone wants to harness this energy with constantly evolving technology. Cars and buildings are going solar, why not boats and massive cruise ships? Solar Sailor, an Australian company that owns the patented 'solarsail' technology, has developed devices comparable to 'wings' that attach to ocean-going vessels to harness the ever-popular wind and solar energy. Both sources of energy are especially abundant when floating on the ocean. This hybrid marine power (HMP) technology comes in the from of a 'solar wing', which typically rests on top of the ship like a solid metal sail (to take advantage of wind) and...

The drinking-water pipe network in the United States extends more than 700,000 miles -- four times the length of the national highway system. Much of the infrastructure is more than 100 years old. It is estimated by the American Water Works Association that U.S. water utilities will need to invest $250 billion over the next 30 years to replace the aging pipes, many of which leak. That typically involves digging up streets, which is costly. Enter a new platelet technology being tested by Yorkshire Water in the UK. It was developed by a company called Brinker, which was spun off from the University of Aberdeen. (It's estimated that about a third of London's drinking water is lost through leaking pipes.) The technology is already used by the natural gas...

Nobody likes a dirty workspace, but the chemicals splashed onto counters, mirrors and walls often leave a toxic residue that can cause more damage than the grime you clean off. Half of our lives are spent indoors. Who wants to spend that time inhaling unpronounceable chemical ingredients that float through the air? According to California's Green Initiative (a government funded directive) "Each year about six out of every 100 professional janitors are injured by the chemicals in the products that they use. Burns to the eyes and skin are the most common injuries, followed closely by breathing toxic fumes. Repeated long-term exposure may cause chronic illnesses or allergic reactions to workers who are exposed to...

The problem for scientists and engineers has been that in order to tune a catalyst to do what is desired, you need to know how it adapts during a reaction. Trouble is, watching catalysts in action has escaped the reach of scientists until now. With the aid of powerful spectroscopy technology, U.S. Department of Energy Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory scientists observed catalysts restructuring themselves in response to various gases swirling around them. The spectroscopy helps provide a window into these reactions for tuning catalysts. These insights are expected to help improve pollution control as well as fuel cell technologies. Smarter catalysts hold promise for removing toxins from water and helping feed...

Imagine trekking through the snow in one of the most remote places in the world. Wind whips around your whole body. Your fingers and toes are numb from the cold. A thick fur lined hood obstructs your peripheral vision, but there is nowhere to walk but straight ahead, anyway. When it comes time to call in for help, the satellite phone fails to pick up a signal. Then the unthinkable happens...the battery dies. A dying cell phone in the remote wilderness is a disaster. A dead mp3 player, camera or GPS system is not as serious, but also an incredible annoyance. Solio, the world's most advanced hybrid solar charger, has ensured that no one has to ever be without power. The lightweight design of...

Few plants show up on the table in as many forms as the soybean. This hairy legume has been an important component of various foods and drugs in asia for over 5,000 years. In that time, it has been squeezed, pressed, boiled and engineered into soymilk, tofu, edamame, sprouts, flour, or vegetarian cheeses. Soybean oils are also found in soaps, cosmetics, plastics, clothes and biodiesel. Soy is everywhere and now we can literally surround ourselves with the stuff by using it as foam insulation in our homes. Insulation is appealing to homeowners because it reduces energy costs: A properly insulated home will stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter since the flow of heat...

If you think about the mission of enterprise resource planning software, in some ways it's surprising the modules for environmental health and safety compliance weren't integrated sooner.  It is also interesting that at the same time as the major ERP vendors - Oracle, Microsoft, SAP, IBM, and others - were systematically integrating the major business information systems that had evolved, one company, ESS, a 15 year old company based in Tempe, Arizona, was systematically integrating the environmental health and safety (EH&S) information systems that had similarly evolved as fragmented, tactical solutions.  In both cases, there were compelling reasons why these information systems needed to be welded...

Nanoparticles are all the rage for a variety of different applications, ranging from treatments for cancer to use in automobile sensors. Trouble is, the manmade nanomorsels have been raising concern about side effects in humans and the environment. A University of Missouri research team has devised a method for creating nanoparticles that don't have negative side effects. And the work has garnered the scientists international recognition. The team found that when you submerge gold salts into water and then add soybeans, gold nanoparticles are created. The procedure is simple but can be used in creating very complex nanoengineered components. The beauty of this green process...

Cities are hot: Filled with skyscrapers, traffic and hot pavement, heat simmers between buildings causing the "heat island effect". Stagnant heat is trapped in the narrow city gaps and air conditioners cooling the inside of buildings spill even more heat out the walls. Trees offering natural cooling and shade are minimal and soil that helps water evaporation (thereby cooling the area) is non existent. Replacing the trees and soil are dark streets that store heat and reach temperatures up to 70F (21C) hotter than lighter surfaces. Stifling heat is depressing (unless you're at the beach), and the added smog and clouds that form because of it, don't help matters either. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that...

The evolution of the global energy economy is dependent on transitioning to the "smart grid," a term to describe an upgraded electric power transmission and distribution system that encompasses a broad range of innovations. The smart grid will be mostly invisible, but will impact virtually everything we do, and will facilitate a future where energy will be abundant, clean, and more than ever before, electric. There is possibly no company in the world more in the center of this transformation than GridPoint, located in Arlington, Virginia. Last week I spoke with Karl Lewis, Chief Strategy Officer for GridPoint, who described in detail his company's services. Understanding how GridPoint is...