Cortland Coleman

New Jersey has a lot to be proud of: Sinatra, The Soprano's, the shore, solar power.

Solar power? New Jersey? Oh yeah. Big time.

In fact, the state has provided such strong leadership and vision on solar that it is #2 nationwide in solar panel installations, right behind California. Part of the success story has been fueled by government support in the form of rebates for residential and commercial installations.

Now, with the state facing budget constraints and the program blanketed in applications for rebates, regulators are seeking a new model to support the future of solar energy in New Jersey. New programs could take the form of energy credits, tax incentives, etc., but will probably move away from cold, hard cash rebates. A new model will have its winners and losers, it supporter and detractors. What's important is the continued support, vision and leadership that has gotten us to the enviable #2 ranking.

New Jersey and solar have been perfect together. Let's keep it that way.

Note - For those who don't know, "New Jersey and You: Perfect Together" was the state's slogan for many years.

General Electric's Ecomagination program, the company's clean tech division, has been a major success with increasing revenues and a long list of orders. GE builds much of the devices, equipment and infrastructure necessary to install, generate and distribute renewable energy around the world. It's been resoundingly applauded and rightfully so. Unfortunately, that hasn't done anything to help GE's stock which currently trades in the sub-$30 area, not a great place for the one-time bellweather. So, why isn't the success of Ecomagination translating to gains in the stock's price? Dow Jones & Company believe it's due, in part, to bad public relations. From their subscriber newsletter Tommorow's News Today:

Ecomagination also suffers from the perception that, however fast growing, it’s mainly a “green” marketing slogan around products that GE would be selling anyway.

That's unfortunate because the success of the program is directly attributable to GE's committment to serve the clean tech industry. They've been an early, effective and visionary leader in the renewable enrgy sector. It seems that the Ecomagination's accomplishments are simply not being communicated effectively. While it's responsible for only a small slice of GE's total revenue pie (8% of $173B), it's list of worldwide accomplishments - heralded by governments, business and environementalists - is impressive and worthy, yet it fails to add to shareholder value.

Remember, the first step in solving a problem is admitting you have a problem. Time to re-think the 'ole communications strategy. Ecomagination is definitely worth it. 

The western United States is leading the way in recycling compact fluorescent light bulbs. The dirty little secret of CFL's is the mercury they contain, mercury that could seriously harm someone who comes in contact with the substance. Yes, the bulbs are great for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but don't break a bulb anywhere near growing children - the effects of mercury on the nervous system are catastrophic. There is a massive amount of opportunity in CFL recycling, but it's great to see the western U.S. providing leadership and vision here at home. Maybe this will even spark a little healthy competition with eastern states.

You want your business to do the right thing for the environment, but you can't afford a high-priced consultant to come poke around your office to determine what to do first. If this sounds familiar, or you just want your workplace to be a little more environmentally-friendly, then take a look at NRDC's Greening Advisor. It is a one-stop shop to green up your operations. The Advisor focuses on specific areas of opportunity like purchasing, water use, air quality, etc. It's a great way to green your operation, enhance productivity and decrease expenses.

The major oil companies have been endlessly touted their committment to renewable energy sources in a carbon-restrained world, but is their resolve borne out in their investments? Not quite. According to the Dow Jones (certainly no Mother Jones):

"As the companies continue to garner plenty of cash from high oil prices, which reached record highs of more than $123 a barrel this week on the New York Mercantile Exchange, they continue to steer their funds to share repurchases
and avoid any major jump into unconventional fuels."

How are oil companies using those windfall profits? They're investing in their core business - oil. That's not surprising, but it does indicate two things:

1. Greenwashing is big business for some businesses, and

2. It's going to take smaller companies truly dedicated to clean energy to significantly alter the landscape of energy generation in 21st century America.

Tom Konrad has an excellent post on the communications and marketing of energy efficiency. This is one of the low-hanging fruits of greenhouse gas emission reduction but its one of the measures with the biggest potential. Some may even come to rely too heavily on efficiency, casting aside mandatory reductions from coal-burning power plants. Emission reductions from energy generators are a must in fighting climate change, but energy efficiency definitely has a big seat at the table and Konrad wisely argues that most utlities and those that regulate them are going about marketing energy efficiency incorrectly.

Because public utilities are regulated, it falls on the regulator to ensure that the utilities incentive includes those factors which will actually increase the adoption of energy efficiency.  Normal businesses have found that the factors to emphasize are non energy benefits such as comfort, health, and safety.  These factors are out of favor in regulatory circles, because they are difficult to value in dollars and cents.      

Difficult to value does not mean without value.  People buy things they value, and when it comes to home energy efficiency, they are buying health and comfort, with a dash of energy savings... not the other way around.

That's sage advice. People aren't going to turn the furnace down to save what they think will be a few nickels, but they will better manage their home and its energy consumption if doing so will make them healthier and more comfortable, and they may even save a few nickels in the process.

This is a summary of an email I sent to someone regarding a big, upcoming oppportunity for clean tech communications or green PR. I thought it would make a nifty blog post. I hope you agree.

There is a big opportunity for PR firms with clean tech divisions in the upcoming auctions for carbon allowances. The first auctions to be held here in the US next year will be implemented by the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) - an 11-state effort in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast region. These auctions will generate resources for states to invest in renewable energy, reducing carbon emissions and, of course, public outreach, education and marketing efforts.

Innovative firms should consider positioning themselves on the front-end and begin engaging companies and communities that stand to gain from these auctions. The states that make up RGGI are currently writing the rules and criteria that will ultimately determine distribution priorities, project scoring standards, etc. This is the first wave of carbon auctions to be held domestically and RGGI is not only blazing a path that others, including the Western Climate Initiative will most likely follow, their efforts are also informing the federal policy discussion, and with all three major Presidential candidates supporting limits on greenhouse gas emissions, a national cap-and-trade program with carbon allowances as its centerpiece is as close to an inevitability as you can get.

Bottom line...early clean tech investments will pay big dividends to firms that are pro-active and engage in the process sooner rather than later.

The State of Pennsylvania took a small but bold step towards the future today. The state's Treasury announced it will invest $15 million in, "...clean technologies, such as innovative alternative or renewable energy sources, and clean and green technologies that enable companies to reduce their emissions to the environment," according to a press release. Congratulations to the Keystone state. Hopefully, as profits swell so will the amount of money the state invests in clean tech, and hopefully other states will follow Pennsylvania's lead.

The following is a brief I wrote for Brijjit.

Government incentives and German innovation have combined to bring wind energy and an explosive renewable energy industry to Germany. The author correctly observes that subsidies from the German government were key to getting the clean technology sector off-the-ground. Germany is now reaping the benefits of that forward-thinking. They are a world-leader in the use of wind energy and the renewable energy business sector has exploded to create jobs, blue skies and an international green business hotbed in Germany. However, as the world starts to fight global warming, the author argues that Germany must continue to innovate and invest if it is to maintain its leadership position.