Renewables -- A Long Way to Go

Sanity Check: How much energy are we really getting out of renewable sources? Note that the largest renewable contributors are biomass and hydro.

This chart is based on EIA data from 2001.

Biofuels Program presentations available

Presentations related to the May 4 biofuels program are now available on our website! Go to GER, then choose the Documents and Downloads option, then scroll down to Biofuels Program Materials.

This just in from Sustainable Greensboro....

Energy Efficiency in the Workplace, May 3.

Sustainable Greensboro and the Greensboro Partnership Present... Workshop: Reducing Your Company’s Energy Consumption Panelists: Dr. Harmohindar Singh, Professor Department of Civil, Architectural, Agricultural and Environmental Engineering and Director of the Center for Energy Research and Technology at NC A&T State Peter Rojeski, Jr., Ph.D., P.E., Professor of Architectural Engineering at NC A&T Wendy Cockerham, LEED AP and Director of Sustainable Construction for WeaverCooke Construction, LLC Tracy Valentine, CPA, for Davenport, Marvin, Joyce & Co., LLP When: May 3, 2010, 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM Where: Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, 342 North Elm Street, Greensboro, NC For more information and to register here or call 336.887.8316. (Note: if you attempt to register on-line and get a warning message, click on "Events.")

Interested in the Chevy Volt?

The Chevy Volt is an electric car with a "range extender" -- an on-board gasoline engine to charge the battery (if needed). Here's Plug In America testing a prototype: ZAP!

Rake leaves? No, Just pick up one

Nissan has a neat website. It's where the company describes its new electric car, the Leaf. Check it out -----> Nissan Leaf

Reminder! Two Upcoming Presentations

Tuesday, May 4, 4:00 PM

Our February 13 event was cancelled due to inclement weather. It has been rescheduled for Tuesday, May 4, so mark your calendars:

"Biofuels as a Business: The Prospect for Biofuels Production in the Piedmont." There will be three presenters. Dr. Ghasem Shahbazi, Director of Bioengineering at NC A&T State University, will discuss the types of biofuels that are practical from a real-world production perspective. Derek Blackburn, also at A&T, will then present an overview of the biorefineries currently operating in North Carolina. This will be followed by a talk by Gary Sink, President of Red Birch Energy. Red Birch operates a commercial-scale biodiesel refinery in Bassett, VA. The business model employed by Red Birch is impressive, so impressive in fact that the company has been invited twice to Washington to present its model. Among other things, Red Birch intends to offer a franchising option, for people who want to get into the biodiesel production business but who wish to take advantage of the expertise and experience already amassed by Red Birch personnel.

What: Biofuels as a Business: Prospects for Biofuels Production in the Piedmont
When: Tuesday, May 4, 2010; 4:00 - 6:30 PM
Where: Kathleen Clay Edwards Library auditorium, 1420 Price Park Rd., Greensboro, NC

Saturday, May 8, 10:00 AM

"The Net-Zero Energy Residence." Presenter: Michiel VanderSommen. From a housing perspective, the net-zero energy residence represents the ultimate in energy localization: local energy sources, local energy production (and conservation), local energy consumption. By definition, a net-zero energy residence produces at least as much energy as it consumes. The concept can be extended to provide energy support for personal transportation, by expanding the energy production capabilities of the residence (or residential community) to provide battery-charging for personal vehicles. Michiel will examine various techniques for meeting the net-zero energy objective, including passive solar design, the use of orientation, construction, and landscaping techniques for maximizing energy efficiency, and the application of energy production technologies that are appropriate for residences and residential communities.

What: The Net-Zero Energy Residence
When: Saturday, May 8, 2010; 10 AM - 12 Noon
Where: Kathleen Clay Edwards Library auditorium, 1420 Price Park Rd., Greensboro, NC

The Future of Biofuels?

Two promising feedstocks for biofuels production are cellulosic material and algae. To download a white paper that discusses the prospects of employing these feedstocks, entitled "Transitioning from 1st Generation to Avanced Biofuels," visit: http://www.myeflorida.com/mk/get/CE_BIOFUELS_WP