San Francisco-based Pacific Gas & Electric Co. will be the first U.S. utility to purchase electricity generated by wave power. PG&E’s new contract will use electricity in its new contract would come from a wave project planned by Canada’s Finavera Renewables Inc. for the waters off the coast of Northern California’s Humboldt County, according to the LA Times.

The PG&E Corp. subsidiary said power from the 15-year deal would be delivered beginning in 2010 and would provide a relatively meager boost to the grid — just 2 megawatts, or enough to power about 1,500 homes. But the company said the power deal was a significant milestone for a promising technology that could be a major source of renewable energy for the say. - LA Times

The move by PG&E to embrace this emerging technology shows that the market is there for innovative renewables. In California, new laws require utilities to obtain 20 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2010. Wave power has the potential to capture more energy in less space than wind and solar power systems.

Finavera’s “wave park” would include eight bobbing buoys set up roughly 2 1/2 miles off shore from Eureka, Calif. The up-and-down motion of the Pacific Ocean would power a pump that creates electricity, which would be delivered to a PG&E substation via an underwater transmission cable. - LA Times

There are still concerns about the impact of this technology on the region’s fishing industry, wildlife and outdoor recreation but Finavera has been conducting tests off the coast of Oregon and is involved with wave energy projects in Portugal, Canada, the United Says and South Africa.

You can check the launch of Finavera’s Aquabouy 2.0 Wave Power Generator over at Inhabitat.

See how it works (Finavera Renewables video)…

Via LA Times

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San Francisco-based Pacific Gas & Electric Co. will be the first U.S. utility to purchase electricity generated by wave power. PG&E’s new contract will use electricity in its new contract would come from a wave project planned by Canada’s Finavera Renewables Inc. for the waters off the coast of Northern California’s Humboldt County, according to the LA Times.

The PG&E Corp. subsidiary said power from the 15-year deal would be delivered beginning in 2010 and would provide a relatively meager boost to the grid — just 2 megawatts, or enough to power about 1,500 homes. But the company said the power deal was a significant milestone for a promising technology that could be a major source of renewable energy for the say. - LA Times

The move by PG&E to embrace this emerging technology shows that the market is there for innovative renewables. In California, new laws require utilities to obtain 20 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2010. Wave power has the potential to capture more energy in less space than wind and solar power systems.

Finavera’s “wave park” would include eight bobbing buoys set up roughly 2 1/2 miles off shore from Eureka, Calif. The up-and-down motion of the Pacific Ocean would power a pump that creates electricity, which would be delivered to a PG&E substation via an underwater transmission cable. - LA Times

There are still concerns about the impact of this technology on the region’s fishing industry, wildlife and outdoor recreation but Finavera has been conducting tests off the coast of Oregon and is involved with wave energy projects in Portugal, Canada, the United Says and South Africa.

You can check the launch of Finavera’s Aquabouy 2.0 Wave Power Generator over at Inhabitat.

See how it works (Finavera Renewables video)…

Via LA Times

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Think the green market is dominated by youth? Think again. A survey from AARP and Focalyst has found that forty million boomers are thinking about the environment when it comes to brand selection:

The green thing is not just for kids… a new report out from AARP Services and Focalyst on boomers and how social consciousness is alive and kicking when it comes to how they spend their money. According to the survey results 40-million boomers vote with their wallets and purchase environmentally safe brands. Referred to as “Green Boomers,” this massive segment is often more demanding of quality in the products and services they purchase, more attuned to advertising, both positively and negatively, and exhibit higher brand loyalty than other boomers. - Jill Greenburg, AARP

Boomers have a significant impact on today’s ever-greening economy with consumer behaviors that include buying organic foods, locally produced goods, using energy-efficient fixtures, investing in renewable energy and contributing to community efforts for the environment. And it’s not just wealthy boomers…

What’s driving the trend? It’s likely a combination of factors but one thing is certain, the trend is growing. And with more than half of the 79 million boomers on board with environmentally responsible spending they represent a huge part of the green economy. Perhaps it’s just true that with age comes wisdom and going green just makes sense.

More:

• Boomers Discover That It’s Easy Being Green at USA This day

Via EL

*In another study, Focalyst found that more than 80 percent of baby boomers are online…New Study Shows Baby Boomers are On the web (PDF)

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As an environmental journalist I often find myself writing about ideas or projects that I know will become the focus of scrutiny and criticism. These articles get a stream of passionate comments. That’s not possible! they’ll state or It will never work! What are they thinking?

But I write about them anyway.

I do this not because I’m oblivious to the possibility that these ideas may fail in the real world or because I lack sufficient knowledge about what makes a project feasible. I write because in the new ideas, in the new projects and in the new visions are the makings of success, no matter how many ‘failures’ these endeavors might find along the path.

I’ve never met a successful business person who has never failed. Starting a business is at ideal an educated bet and at worst a tough learning experience. It’s also what I would call a win-win because even in failure, something is gained by the wise. The truth is that in business, as in life, it’s superior to try, even when failure is an option.

Failure is always a possibility. But allowing this to deter you from pursuing your dreams or from starting a business or from presenting an idea is in itself a failure of a much bigger scale. It is with that belief that I write about new ideas, no matter how absurd or far-fetched they might seem, because it’s not the critic who counts but those who face failure as only one of many possible outcomes.

As part of the ongoing b5media Apprentice Challenge the remaining b5 biz bloggers have been asked What one blog post or article might I recommend to our small business owner, Kay, that’ll help her move forward at this point? My answer is There’s No Effort Without Error and Shortcoming.

______________________________________________________________

*The b5media “Apprentice Challenge” is in its final weeks…check out the great blogs who are still in the running: Bookkeeping Solver, Biz Chicks Rule, Greener Assets, Leadership Turn, Small Business Boomers, Successful Blog, Yielding Wealth, Home Biz Notes

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Think the green market is dominated by youth? Think again. A survey from AARP and Focalyst has found that forty million boomers are thinking about the environment when it comes to brand selection:

The green thing isn’t just for kids… a new report out from AARP Services and Focalyst on boomers and how social consciousness is alive and kicking when it comes to how they spend their money. According to the survey results 40-million boomers vote with their wallets and purchase environmentally safe brands. Referred to as “Green Boomers,” this massive segment is often more demanding of quality in the products and services they purchase, more attuned to advertising, both positively and negatively, and exhibit higher brand loyalty than other boomers. - Jill Greenburg, AARP

Boomers have a significant impact on today’s ever-greening economy with consumer behaviors that include buying organic foods, locally produced goods, using energy-efficient fixtures, investing in renewable energy and contributing to community efforts for the environment. And it’s not just wealthy boomers…

What’s driving the trend? It’s likely a combination of factors but one thing is certain, the trend is growing. And with more than half of the 79 million boomers on board with environmentally responsible spending they represent a large part of the green economy. Perhaps it’s just true that with age comes wisdom and going green just makes sense.

More:

• Boomers Discover That It’s Simple Being Green at USA This day

Via EL

*In another study, Focalyst found that more than 80 percent of baby boomers are online…New Study Shows Baby Boomers are On the internet (PDF)

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The holidays are about giving and when this is applied in a business setting the collective results can make a world of difference. If you’re wondering how to give back from the success of your business consider 1% For The Planet, a growing network of companies that donate 1% of their sales to a network of over 1,500 environmental organizations worldwide.

There are over 600 members in the United Says alone including Via Viva, Totally Organic, Purely Shea, N’East Magazine, Native Energy and many more great companies and individuals.

How it works: Members of 1% For The Planet can contribute 1% of sales to any of the environmental organizations listed on the internet site. Member companies donate directly to their desired nonprofits—not through 1% FTP. We do this to encourage independent, personal relationships between member companies and the groups they support. These relationships are a real positive for businesses, enabling them to get involved and affect change firsthand.

Why give? In the words of playwrite Thornton Wilder: “Money, if you’ll pardon the expression, is like manure. It’s not worth a thing unless you spread it around encouraging young things to grow.” And that’s the idea of 1% FTP, to help good things grow by encouraging corporate giving.

The list of non-profits is growing steadily but this day include important organizations like Worldwatch Institute, World Wildlife Fund, Wild Aid, The Sierra Fund and The Nature Conservancy, among many others.

This holiday season, and throughout the year, think about giving 1% For The Planet to make it go around for the environment and keep the earth in business.

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As an environmental journalist I often find myself writing about ideas or projects that I know will become the focus of scrutiny and criticism. These articles get a stream of passionate comments. That’s not possible! they’ll say or It will never work! What are they thinking?

But I write about them anyway.

I do this not because I’m oblivious to the possibility that these ideas may fail in the real world or because I lack sufficient knowledge about what makes a project feasible. I write because in the new ideas, in the new projects and in the new visions are the makings of success, no matter how many ‘failures’ these endeavors may find along the path.

I’ve never met a successful business person who has never failed. Starting a business is at best an educated bet and at worst a tough learning experience. It’s also what I would call a win-win because even in failure, something is gained by the wise. The truth is that in business, as in life, it’s superior to try, even when failure is an option.

Failure is always a possibility. But allowing this to deter you from pursuing your dreams or from starting a business or from presenting an idea is in itself a failure of a much bigger scale. It is with that belief that I write about new ideas, no matter how absurd or far-fetched they may seem, because it’s not the critic who counts but those who face failure as only one of many possible outcomes.

As part of the ongoing b5media Apprentice Challenge the remaining b5 biz bloggers have been asked What one blog post or article might I suggest to our small business owner, Kay, that’ll help her move forward at this point? My answer is There is No Effort Without Error and Shortcoming.

______________________________________________________________

*The b5media “Apprentice Challenge” is in its final weeks…check out the great blogs who are still in the running: Bookkeeping Solver, Biz Chicks Rule, Greener Assets, Leadership Turn, Small Business Boomers, Successful Blog, Yielding Wealth, Home Biz Notes

Share This

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The holidays are about giving and when this is applied in a business setting the collective results can make a world of difference. If you’re wondering how to give back from the success of your business consider 1% For The Planet, a growing network of companies that donate 1% of their sales to a network of over 1,500 environmental organizations worldwide.

There are over 600 members in the United States alone including Via Viva, Absolutely Organic, Purely Shea, N’East Magazine, Native Energy and many more great companies and individuals.

How it works: Members of 1% For The Planet can contribute 1% of sales to any of the environmental organizations listed on the internet site. Member companies donate directly to their desired nonprofits—not through 1% FTP. We do this to encourage independent, personal relationships between member companies and the groups they support. These relationships are a real positive for businesses, enabling them to get involved and affect change firsthand.

Why give? In the words of playwrite Thornton Wilder: “Money, if you’ll pardon the expression, is like manure. It’s not worth a thing unless you spread it around encouraging young things to grow.” And that’s the idea of 1% FTP, to help good things grow by encouraging corporate giving.

The list of non-profits is growing steadily but this day include important organizations like Worldwatch Institute, World Wildlife Fund, Wild Aid, The Sierra Fund and The Nature Conservancy, among many others.

This holiday season, and throughout the year, consider giving 1% For The Planet to make it go around for the environment and keep the earth in business.

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InfoWorld has rounded up over a dozen IT experts who have had an eye on sustainable technology over the past year to share predictions for 2008 and beyond.

Green tech has flourished in the past year as vendors and customers alike have invested plenty of resources in making their products and practices more energy efficient, less wasteful, and eco-friendlier.

But is this sustainable-tech trend a mere green flash in the pan? Hardly. The flourishing world of green technology is driven by true need. Companies are running out of space and power in their datacenters, not to mention struggling with high energy costs. Business leaders, politicians, and consumers alike are becoming increasingly concerned about their impact on the environment.

Among the experts sharing their predictions:

• Christina Page, director of climate and energy, Yahoo, Yahoo Green
• Ted Samson, senior analyst and Sustainable IT blogger, InfoWorld, Sustainable IT
• Dave Stangis, director of corporate responsibility, CSR@Intel
• Pat Tiernan, VP of social and environmental responsibility, HP’s environmental sustainability page
• Steve Vassallo, principal, Cleantech practice at Foundation Capital, Cleantech site
• Larry Vertal, senior strategist for AMD Green, AMD, AMD green
• Hu Yoshida, CTO, Hitachi Data Systems, Hu Yoshida’s blog

What are they saying?
Find out at IT leaders share green-tech predictions for 2008.

What are your predictions for green tech in 2008?

Via EL

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I found a great example this day of an ad concept that does nothing to help promote the brand being advertised.  In fact, it does just the opposite by confusing the customer.  The guilty ad is from Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) promoting their Chantix stop-smoking product. 

Here’s the ad: 

While this ad caught my attention (and I’m not a smoker, so the visual is working to capture internet user’s attention), it also confused me.  If a customer purchases Chantix is the turtle concept in the ad telling them that their road to becoming a nonsmoker will be long and slow?  That’s how it comes across.  I’m sure the intention was to communicate the road to becoming a nonsmoker is long and slow without Chantix, but the marketing team behind this ad missed the boat.  The concept makes the message unclear.

The lesson to learn here’s to make sure the concept of your ad further communicates your message to your target audience rather than detract from it or confuse it.  Additionally, don’t let the concept of your ad damage your brand.

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