Both candidates in this year’s presidential campaign described the 2012 election as a “stark choice” between two different paths to rebuild and strengthen our nation’s economy. More than any time in recent memory, a whole host of competing initiatives and priorities hung in the balance as the ballots were counted—everything from “Obamacare” to Wall Street… Continue Reading
Zach Hiatt
Cleantech a Big Winner in 2012 Presidential Election?
Posted in Clean Energy, Green JobsShould Real Estate Appraisals Consider a Building’s Energy Efficiency? The U.S. Dept. of Energy Thinks They Should.
Posted in Department of Energy, Energy Conservation, Green Building, LEEDSo how much are those energy-efficient upgrades you paid extra to install on your commercial building really worth? Sure, they lower your monthly operating costs, but will “the market” ever recognize these savings and factor them into the value of your building? And what about the fact that your ahead-of-its-time building is more likely to… Continue Reading
The State of Cleantech in Washington, Part I: Clean Energy Leadership
Posted in Clean Energy, Energy Conservation, LegislationInnovate Washington – Have you heard of it? In one of our earlier posts in October 2010, Elaine Spencer reported on the findings and recommendations of the Washington Clean Energy Leadership Council (CELC), as presented in the Council’s Clean Energy Leadership Plan Report. The CELC had been created by our state legislature in 2009 and… Continue Reading
The Top Five Cleantech Stories of 2011, Part II
Posted in Alternative Fuels, Climate Change, Entrepreneurs, LegislationContinuing with our countdown of the Top Five Cleantech Stories from 2011, here are entries number 3 and 2: Number 3: The Resurgence of Bio Fuels in the Pacific Northwest Several years ago, the city of Portland, Oregon mandated that all diesel fuel sold within the city limits contain at least 5% biodiesel (also known… Continue Reading
The Top Five Cleantech Stories of 2011, Part I
Posted in Capital and Funding, EntrepreneursThe end-of-year holidays are all about family gatherings, religious celebration, retail mania, and of course, lots and lots of calories! But they are also a time to pause and take stock of the year gone by—to reflect upon our successes and failures, and then “resolve” to improve ourselves in the year to come. As our… Continue Reading
Clean Tech Funding Becomes Battleground in Latest Congressional Budget Fight
Posted in Capital and Funding, Clean EnergyA Department of Energy clean tech initiative known as the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) program became the battleground earlier this week in the latest round of congressional budget fights. The dust-up started when the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that its disaster relief fund would run out of money some time this week…. Continue Reading
Where Does Washington Rank in Clean Energy Leadership?
Posted in Clean Energy, LegislationBy Zach Hiatt and Matt Viers* According to a recent study by the consulting firm Clean Edge, Washington ranks a respectable sixth among all states in clean energy leadership. The second annual U.S. Clean Energy Leadership Index (CELI) concludes, however, that the Evergreen State lags significantly behind its west coast counterparts in clean energy promotion… Continue Reading
U.S. Supreme Court Issues Decision in Climate Change Nuisance Lawsuit — Court Rejects Common Law Nuisance Claims; Leaves Climate Change Regulation to EPA
Posted in Legislation, Natural Resources and Environment, RegulatoryIn a much-anticipated decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled this week that a groundbreaking climate change lawsuit brought by eight states and the City of New York against several major electric power companies could not go forward, at least not based on the plaintiffs’ public nuisance claims. In American Electric Power Co. v. Connecticut, 564… Continue Reading
Growth Board Decision A Good Reminder That Sustainable Development Is About Location, Not Just Design
Posted in Entrepreneurs, Green Building, RegulatoryThis past Monday, April 25th, the Central Puget Sound Growth Management Hearings Board issued a decision invalidating Snohomish County’s designation of Point Wells as an “Urban Center.” Point Wells is a 60+ acre tract of waterfront property in the very southwest corner of Snohomish County, adjacent to the Town of Woodway and the City of… Continue Reading
Is Nuclear Power Cleantech?
Posted in Renewable Energy, TechnologyJust when it seemed nuclear power was enjoying a rebirth as a “cleantech” (a.k.a. greentech) alternative to greenhouse gas emitting power sources like coal-fired plants, the unfolding events at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station in Japan have everyone taking a closer look. Our recent blog post by Denny Wong highlighted some of the economic… Continue Reading
Cancun and the International Climate Agreements: Is Slow-But-Steady Progress Enough??
Posted in Climate ChangeFor as much hype as surrounded the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen (“COP 15”) back in December 2009, the follow-up conference last December in Cancun seemed to garner relatively little attention, at least here in the United States. What gives? Wouldn’t any seasoned dignitary or reporter jump at the chance to visit Cancun… Continue Reading
No Climate Deal Out Of Cancun Yet, But Stay Tuned For More Last-Minute Drama
Posted in Climate ChangeTick… tick… tick… As the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Cancun (“COP 16”) moves into its last few hours without a finalized deal, observers are wondering whether gridlock will rule the day, or whether we’ll see an exciting (if not exactly groundbreaking) 11th-hour deal like we saw from the last U.N. climate conference in… Continue Reading
EPA Announces $10 Million in Local Funding – Is Your Community a "Climate Showcase Community?"
Posted in Capital and Funding, Climate ChangeIn the second edition of its Climate Showcase Communities grant program, EPA is making up to $10 million available in grants to local governments to carry out initiatives designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change. In 2009, EPA launched a competitive grant program called the Climate Showcase Communities program to assist local… Continue Reading
Two Reasons to Celebrate!
Posted in EventsBy Zach Hiatt The first reason to celebrate, of course, is St. Paddy’s Day. Slainte! The second reason, which is less obvious and certainly less well-known, is that today marks our 100th post here on http://www.wagreentech.com/, the blog of Graham & Dunn’s Green Tech Practice Team! Like good produce this blog has grown organically, and… Continue Reading
Department of Ecology Working on Greenhouse Gas Emission Benchmarks
Posted in Climate Change, Legislation, Regulatory>
Lead, Follow, or Get Smacked by the Rubber Band
Posted in Events, Renewable Energy, Sustainable BusinessAt the MIT Enterprise Forum cleantech event two weeks ago, there was a lot of discussion and even frustration about why more hasn’t been done to speed up our economy’s conversion to cleaner, greener technologies. Granted, this was a room full of people on the leading edge of the cleantech curve (which should come as… Continue Reading
The Copenhagen Climate Accord, Part II: What does it actually do and where does it take us from here?
Posted in Climate Change, LegislationPart II of II In Part I of this post, we looked at what we (at least those of us who follow this stuff) could learn from the successes and failures of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen (“COP 15”). To summarize, we learned that China and an Obama-led U.S. are now very… Continue Reading
Age of Aquarius Redux – IRS Rules In Favor of Energy Tax Credit for Taxpayer Who Let the Sunshine In
Posted in Tax and Tax StimulusBy Denny Wong When the moon is in the Seventh HouseAnd Jupiter aligns with MarsThen peace will guide the planetsAnd love will steer the starsThis is the dawning of the age of AquariusAge of Aquarius, Aquarius! Aquarius! Aquarius! Aquarius!Let the sunshine, let the sunshine in, the sunshine inLet the sunshine, let the sunshine in, the… Continue Reading
Obama Steps in to Help Forge Copenhagen Climate Accord: What did we learn and what does it all mean?
Posted in Climate Change, LegislationPART I of II The much-anticipated, much-covered, and much-maligned United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen (“COP 15”) is over. The stages and displays have come down, the dignitaries and their proxies have gone home, and the protestors have moved on. Now that the dust has settled, let’s take a quick look at what we… Continue Reading
Copenhagen Climate Update: How’s It Going?
Posted in Climate Change, Natural Resources and Environment, Regulatory, Renewable EnergyAs world leaders converge on Copenhagen this week in an attempt to forge a binding global commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat global warming, the answer to the question, “How’s it going?” seems to vary widely depending on who’s being asked. Now entering its fourth day, the Copenhagen climate summit has seen its… Continue Reading
Congratulations To The Pacific Northwest CleanTech Open Winners
Posted in Capital and Funding, Entrepreneurs, Sustainable Business, TechnologyI recently had the opportunity to attend the Awards Gala for the inaugural Pacific Northwest edition of the CleanTech Open. I was extremely impressed and inspired by what I saw. From the exciting innovations of the contestants to Governor Christine Gregoire’s keynote address, to the organization and breadth of the CleanTech Open itself, the evening… Continue Reading
Washington Department of Ecology Holds Workshops on Low Carbon Fuel Standards: Ethanol, Biodiesel, Electric Cars on the Agenda
Posted in Alternative Fuels, Electric Vehicles, Energy Conservation, Events, Fuel Efficiency, Legislation, Renewable EnergyBack in June we highlighted Governor Gregoire’s Executive Order 09-05, entitled “Washington’s Leadership on Climate Change.” The Executive Order directed state action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase transportation and fuel-saving options for Washington residents, and protect Washington’s water supplies and coastal areas. To help accomplish these broad goals, it required the Washington Department of… Continue Reading
Money Talks: U.S. Department of Energy, Treasury Doling Out Major CleanTech Cash
Posted in Alternative Fuels, Capital and Funding, LegislationPuget Sound Clean Air Agency, Three Oregon Wind Farms Included The Department of Energy recently announced over $800 million in grants for cleantech projects throughout the U.S., using funds made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (commonly known as the “stimulus bill”). The first round of grants, announced on August 26th, included $300… Continue Reading
Better Hurry: “Cash for Clunkers”—officially known as “Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Act of 2009” or “CARS” Going Fast.
Posted in Legislation, Tax and Tax StimulusBy Kathleen Petrich “Cash for Clunkers” became law on June 24, 2009 (with issuance finalized on July 23, 2009) in which certain old “gas guzzling” cars and trucks are junked and the owners are given up to $4500 that a car dealer applies to a more energy efficient new car. The success was so overwhelming… Continue Reading