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1. Another Big Solar Deal in the Works for SCE
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2. Why Choose A Green Bed Mattress and Pillow
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3. Valence Mulls U.S. Battery Plant, Ranks Big Three Region Dead Last
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4. Daily Sprout
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5. Hey, Lover – Show Your Valentine You Care with Organic Gifts
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6. Cancel Your Random Catalogs
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7. EV Ownership: A Hybrid Technologies Update
Another Big Solar Deal in the Works for SCE
David Ehrlich - Big Green
Southern California Edison plans to announce what it’s calling “the world’s largest solar deal” tomorrow morning, but details are scarce. There are a couple of ways this could go. SCE could be announcing an update for one of its previously announced solar deals, like the Stirling Energy Systems solar farm, which SCE called the “world’s largest solar facility” back in 2005. Or the utility could be announcing a new deal with a solar contractor for either solar thermal or PV. Any guesses?
The Stirling deal is for the planned 850-megawatt Solar One project in the Mojave Desert, which uses solar thermal and stirling engine technology. SCE, part of Edison International, signed another solar thermal contract last June, but it doesn’t qualify as anything close to “world’s largest” — it’s a deal to get power from a 245-MW solar thermal plant to be built by eSolar.
Both of those projects are still going through the approval process with state regulators, so perhaps tomorrow’s announcement will be a surprise third candidate, also vying for that coveted “world’s largest” moniker. We’ll bring you the full story bright and early, so be sure to tune in.
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Why Choose A Green Bed Mattress and Pillow
jchait - Home & Garden
Green bedding is a huge deal because we spend about a third of our lives in bed. Some of us probably spend even more time in bed 
This is a major reason why you should go green with all your bedding, including the main components - your mattress and pillows.
Perks of choosing an eco-friendly mattress and pillow:
Conventional cotton can be jam packed with pesticides and even insecticides. You don’t want to sleep on that.
Many of the synthetic fabrics and materials used in conventional mattresses and pillows are made with non-renewable petroleum products. These products are often further treated with chemicals that can, over time, emit icky junk into the air (and into your peaceful dreams).
Conventional bed items are made with some major flame retardant baddies. Yes, no one wants to burn alive, but flame retardant materials like the ones used in conventional mattresses and pillows are overly bad for your health. The combustible-happy petroleum materials used to make conventional bed items is why the mattress and pillows need treated anyhow.The most common flame retardants are PBDEs and has been shown to pollute both the planet and our bodies. PBDEs have been noted as a possible prerequisite to birth defects, decreased sperm counts, motor skill problems, and more.
All of the above not only can cause problems in your home (added toxicity, chemicals in the air, and health issues) but also are dangerous for the people who manufacture these products.
All in all, conventional mattresses and pillow spell big trouble for your health and your green home. Coming up, how to choose a greener mattress and pillow, and some more facts about healthy green bedrooms.
Do you know what’s in your mattress?
Valence Mulls U.S. Battery Plant, Ranks Big Three Region Dead Last
Josie Garthwaite - Automotive
While consortium members would need money for R&D, Valence President and CEO Bob Kanode estimated the company could get a plant up and running — and employing people — in the U.S. in less than two years for just $500 million. (Legislators aren’t necessarily against earlier-stage investment: The House version of the stimulus bill includes $1 billion specifically for battery research grants; the Senate version includes $2 billion for advanced battery manufacturing.)
Valence, which released a rather grim quarterly report yesterday, is hardly alone in jockeying for federal funds. And with the ballpark estimate offered by Kanode, it’s not really undercutting competitors on price. A123Systems has requested $1.84 billion to build multiple battery plants in Michigan and other states, and EnerDel has applied for $480 million to double its production capacity for hybrid vehicle battery packs — both under the $25 billion DOE loan program for advanced vehicle manufacturing (separate from the stimulus bill).
But unlike rivals such as A123, the company would rather avoid Motor City and the surrounding region. States with drier climates — and so-called “right to work” laws — such as Texas (where Valence is headquartered), Nevada (where the company has an R&D facility) and Southern states are more likely candidates, according to Kanode.
Why the South? Besides the climate and weaker protections for labor unions, the region has European automakers. Kanode likes the EU’s “deliberate” approach to developing a market for electric vehicles, and he expects companies based there to lead the electrification of the automobile. “This isn’t just a Big Three situation,” Kanode said. “European OEMs are larger than the Big Three, larger than the OEMs of Asia.”
Building a factory in the South would give Valence a leg up if BMW, Mercedes or Volkswagen (which have plants in South Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee, respectively) start shopping around for battery suppliers. Vehicle battery packs are heavy and long-distance shipping costs add up — that’s why General Motors opted to assemble packs in Michigan for its Chevy Volt, though the lithium cells will be made in South Korea.
All of this is still very much up in the air, however. Kanode said Valence is still studying whether it could make a U.S. operation profitable after stimulus funds run out. And before it goes whole hog for stimulus funds, the company wants to know what the audit process will look like. Kanode asked, “Will it be a burden for us to administer, or will it be reasonably be done?”
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Daily Sprout
Josie Garthwaite - Misc
The Indium Problem: Doping silicon photovoltaic cells with indium can push efficiency up to around 40 percent — but the metal is rare enough that the world’s reserves would be exhausted within a decade if we continue using it at current rates. — Fast Company
How to Succeed in a Recession: If you want to change the world with clean technology, start by saving people money. That’s the key to startup success these days, according to Mohr Davidow Ventures partner Josh Green. — NYT’s Bits Blog
Post-Shakeout Solar: Wafer and silicon producers are likely to fare better during the looming solar shakeout than cell and module makers, which are suffering from low prices and oversupply, according to a new report. — Reuters
Fuel Cell Baby Steps: Medis Technologies hopes to soon manufacture a fuel cell big enough to run a laptop computer, and later one that could run a whole house. For now, it’s working on a version that ranges from 1 to 4 watts and is more suitable for phone chargers and flashlights. — NYT’s Green Inc.
Texas Battery Maker Might Come Home: Valence Technology, which currently produces lithium-ion batteries, mostly in China, is considering building a battery plant in the U.S. or Europe. At least one electric vehicle maker has expressed interest in the U.S. plant. — The Austin American-Statesman
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Hey, Lover – Show Your Valentine You Care with Organic Gifts
susan - Sustainable Ideas
Haven't gotten your sweetie something for Valentine's Day yet? I'm not saying it’s easy to find gifts that are loving, sexy, decadent – not outrageously priced — and still kind to the planet.
But just because it's a hard combo doesn't let you off the hook. This is one holiday where it's more than the thought that counts.
There’s still time — for sweet stuff your favorite is sure to love – and love you for giving. And always, there’s the gift of the gods, chocolate.
1. CHOCOLATES: Fudge, truffles and caramels – all completely vegan and luscious, from Allison’s Gourmet. Shaman Chocolates offers chocolates that will please the taste buds and ease your conscience – the bars are organic, free trade and 100% of the profits go to the Huichol Indians – which Sherman says is the last Indigenous Tribe in North American to maintain their pre-Columbian tradition. As if chocolate couldn't get better — Navitas Naturals takes organic cacao nibs – the legendary Food of the Gods – and blends it with raw organic cacao paste (liquor) and organic sugar cane juice.
2. BODY, BATH AND CHOCOLATES: Pomegranate & Chocolate Love Kit – This love-kit, packaged in a pink bag, contains three bath and body products sweetly fragranced with organic pink guava essence and Fair Trade 70% cacao dark chocolate hearts. From Shea Terra Organics.
3. SWEET SMELLS AND MORE: Heart-shaped, cinnamon (yes, that and vanilla are sexy scents) candles – and a host of modestly priced organic love gifts from Pristine Planet.
5. SUSTAINABLY-GROWN ROSES – AND CHOCOLATE FREE: Organic bouquet, which provides sustainably-grown flowers from its partner farms, has a special – a FREE box of organic truffles with every Valentine bouquet — all organic.
6. DIY LOVE POTION — SHAKE IT UP: Make your own Organic Mint chocolate shake with this organic recipe, offered by Navitas Naturals:
Mint Chocolate Chip Shake (by Jill Morgyn)
Ingredients:
1/4 Cup Navitas Naturals Cashews
2 TBSP Navitas Naturals Sweet Cacao Nibs
1 TBSP Navitas Naturals Hemp Powder
3 Cups Water or 2 Thia Young Coconuts of water with flesh
1 TBSP Organic Soy Lecithin
3 Pitted Medjool Dates
2 Drops Mint Oil
1TBSP Coconut Butter
1 Tsp Flax Oil
1 Tsp. Superfood Green powder (powdered grasses)
1TBSP Green tea (matcha) powder (optional)
1 Dash Sea Salt
Add ice to preference
Directions:
Blend on high speed until frothy and serve.
7. Check out this video for more ideas: Tired of reading? Well, iVillage has some additional eco-friendly Valentine ideas.
Photo credit: See more great photos from Osvaldo_Zoom on Flickr
Cancel Your Random Catalogs
jchait - Home & Garden
Everyone is always talking about stopping the insane influx of junk mail, but catalogs are a better place to start.
Why?
Catalogs aren’t simple junk mail - catalogs are HUGE mounds of paper that most of use don’t need or read.
One source notes that 17 billion catalogs were distributed in the United States in 1998 and that 3.35 million tons of paper were used for catalogs in 1999. Catalogs have become more and more prevalent in recent years - you do the math.
Often catalogs are made up of glossy paper that’s not recycled or as easily recyclable as plain old paper.
Nowadays you can find almost anything you might find in paper catalog online instead.
What to do:
- Head over to Catalog Choice.
- Catalog Choice is a free service that helps you to limit what ends up in your your mailbox.
- You sign up, choose which catalogs you’d like to stop and then the company contacts the catalog providers on your behalf, requesting that you don’t get anymore of their catalogs.
Catalog Choice is a sponsored project of the Ecology Center. It’s endorsed by the National Wildlife Federation and the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Do you need the catalogs that come to your house? Why or why not?
EV Ownership: A Hybrid Technologies Update
khallgeisler - Bikes & Cars
Last week, I wrote about the LiV Wise electric car from Hybrid Technologies. A member of the Oregon Electric Vehicle Association had taken delivery of one of these Toyota Yarises with the combustion engine ripped out and replaced by lithium batteries and an electric motor. He shared his excitement about the car — and the fact that he’d put 1000 miles on it in his first month of ownership — and I shared it with GoodGreenCars readers.
But lest you think EVs are absolutely perfect, he did write in that he’s had a few minor issues with his LiV Wise:
- A software glitch had the computer beeping at him, but that can be updated
- When plugging in the car, metal contacted metal (”completely my fault,” he said), which created a spark that tripped the breaker in his garage
- The battery management system screen no longer comes on when charging without the key, so he may have blown a fuse in the car
“So we’ll see how idiot-proof the car is,” said the owner in an email. He also mentioned that Hybrid Technologies’ “customer support has been awesome so far,” a necessary attribute in a company whose products are on the bleeding edge of automotive technology. If you’re going to take the $40,000-leap, you want to know that the builder of your car has got your back.
Would you like to see more reporting about real people living with the latest in automotive technology? Let me know in the comments.
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