Category Archives: Carbon Management

Global Smart Grid IT Market Will Reach $8.6 Billion by 2017

by CGR Staff Writer
Posted on April 12, 2012 by CGR Staff Writer

Billions of dollars are being invested in smart grid infrastructure, including smart meters and distribution automation systems.  Recognition is growing, however, that the true value of this investment can only be realized by a parallel investment in a new generation of utility information technology (IT) systems that can help collect, manage, and analyze the vast amounts of data generated by smart grid technologies.  Energy companies must become as focused on data and information management as other industries, such as finance, telecommunications, and retailing, have become over the last two decades.

This recognition is leading to a new focus on, and increased investment in, software and IT services for the smart grid.  According to a new report from Pike Research, the global smart grid software market will be worth $1.3 billion by the end of 2012 and will reach $2.9 billion by 2017, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.2%.  The total software and related IT services market is forecast to reach $4.3 billion by the end of 2012 and grow to over $8.6 billion by 2017, with a CAGR of 15.5%. Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Energy, Business, Carbon Management, Energy, Energy Management, Green Business, Green IT, Information Systems, Smart Grid, Sustainability News, Technology | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

ConAgra Foods Program Saves Nearly 300 Million Gallons of Water, Eliminates 61,000 Tons of Waste, and Reduces Carbon Emissions

by 3BL Media Press Release
Posted on April 12, 2012 by 3BL Media Press Release

(3BL Media) Omaha, NE – April 11, 2012 – ConAgra Foods, Inc., (NYSE: CAG) announced today the winners of its 2012 Sustainable Development Awards, an internal awards program intended to drive and reward innovative approaches to sustainability that produce tangible business results. The more than 100 entries collectively:

  • reduced carbon emissions by more than 43,600 metric tonnes;
  • eliminated 61,000 tons of landfill waste and 4,800 tons of packaging material;
  • and conserved 295 million gallons of water.

Additionally, the projects delivered more than $28 million in savings, demonstrating the economic value of the company’s commitment to sustainable development.

ConAgra Foods started the Sustainable Development Awards in 1992 to encourage and incentivize employees to proactively look for ways to eliminate waste, reduce energy and conserve water through smart design. Winning teams are awarded a $5,000 grant from ConAgra Foods to apply toward a sustainable community service project. Continue reading →

Posted in 3BL Media, Business, Carbon Management, CSR, Energy Management, Goods, Services & Product Design, Green Business, Green Facilities, Health, Press Companies, Recycling & Waste, Sustainability News, Sustainability Practices, Water Usage | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Major Investors Warn Energy Companies of Business Risks in Flaring Gas at Shale Oil Wells

by CGR Staff Writer
Posted on March 30, 2012 by CGR Staff Writer

(3BL Media) Boston, MA – March 29, 2012 – With escalating shale oil production putting the US on track to become the world’s largest oil producer, investors are challenging an increasingly common industry practice – burning off or ‘flaring’ associated natural gas from shale oil wells – as environmentally damaging, economically wasteful and a threat to the industry’s bottom line.

“We are concerned that excessive flaring, because of its impact on air quality and climate change, poses significant risks for the companies involved, and for the industry at large, ultimately threatening the industry’s license to operate,” wrote three-dozen investors in a letter sent this week to 21 of the industry’s largest shale oil producers, including Continental Resources and Chesapeake Energy.

The letter notes that in North Dakota alone, which produced an average of 418,000 barrels each day last year and is now the third largest source of domestic oil production behind Texas and Alaska, annual flaring-related emissions were equivalent to more than two million tons of carbon dioxide, as much as adding 384,000 cars to the road. Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Carbon Management, Climate Change, CSR, Emissions Trading, Energy, Energy Management, Environment, Green Business, Health, Pollution, Sustainability News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Preparing for a Low Carbon Economy to Be Presented by U.S. Green Building Council (LEED)

by CGR Staff Writer
Posted on March 26, 2012 by CGR Staff Writer

TUSTIN, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The USGBC Orange County will feature an event on Thursday, March 29, 2012 focused upon Preparing for a Low Carbon Economy. In 2007, global carbon trading activities were valued at 65 billion Euros; by 2020, trading volume could grow to 2 trillion Euros. The USGBC-OC has scheduled Environmental Entrepreneur of the Year Award semi-finalist Doug Smith to discuss how carbon markets will play a key role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and driving investment in low-carbon technologies and services. The presentation will address preparing for a new low-carbon economy involving nations, companies and individuals.

Speaker Doug Smith is an environmental entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in the business sector. He is the founder and CEO of Village Green Global, Inc., which provides online energy reporting and carbon emission analysis to companies worldwide. Doug has a Masters in Sustainable Practice and has recently lectured in Environmental Pollution Management at Chapman University in California and the Royal Institute of Technology in Australia.

The presentation will take place on Thursday, March 29th from 5:30 pm. to 8:00 p.m., with a networking opportunity and mixer from 5:30 to 6:30 and the presentation from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. The meeting will be located at 14725 Alton Parkway, Irvine, CA 92618. Sponsors include Platinum Founding Sponsor Edison, Gold Founding Partners Glumac and Pro Repro, Annual Silver Sponsors and Event Sponsor RBF Consulting, a Company of Michael Baker Corporation, Snyder Langston, and Annual Friends Fuscoe Engineering and CSL Enterprises. This meeting is open to the public. The cost of the event is $25.00 for members, $35.00 for non-members and $15.00 for emerging professional members and students with student I.D. An additional charge of $5.00 will be applied for registration at the door. For pre registration, contact Vicki Phillipy at vphillipy@usgbc-oc.org. Continue reading →

Posted in Business, BusinessWire, Carbon Management, Climate Change, Green Business, Green Facilities, Renovations & Construction, Sustainability News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Porter Airlines to Conduct Canada’s First Biofuel-Powered Revenue Flight

by 3BL Media Press Release
Posted on March 23, 2012 by 3BL Media Press Release

(3BL Media) Toronto, ON – March 22, 2012 – In mid-April, Porter Airlines plans to use one of its Bombardier Q400turboprop airliners to conduct the first biofuel-powered revenue flight in Canada. On February 9, 2012, in preparation for Porter’s upcoming flight, a Bombardier Q400 turboprop test aircraft became the first aircraft in Canada to fly on the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D7566 bio-derived jet fuel, which was recently certified.

“We are timing our biofuel-powered flight close to Earth Day to emphasize the contribution that biofuels are expected to make in helping the aviation industry meet its targeted reduction in emissions,” said Robert Deluce, President and Chief Executive Officer, Porter Airlines. “Q400 and Q400 NextGen aircraft are already among the ‘greenest’ aircraft in the world and the use of biofuel will make the aircraft even more environmentally conscious.”

Porter’s biofuel-powered revenue flight will utilize a 50/50 blend of biofuel with Jet A1 fuel. The biofuel portion is derived from the oilseed crop, Camelina sativa* (49 per cent) and Brassica carinata* (one per cent). Continue reading →

Posted in 3BL Media, Alternative Energy, Biofuels, Business, Business Transportation, Carbon Management, CSR, Energy, Energy Management, Green Business, Green Marketing, Pollution, Sustainability News, Sustainability Practices | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Parisleaf Printing and Design Receives CurrentState™ Platinum Certification

by 3BL Media Press Release
Posted on March 20, 2012 by 3BL Media Press Release

(3BL Media / theCSRfeed) Tulsa, OK – March 19, 2012 – Parisleaf Printing and Design recently completed the CurrentState™ Sustainability Audit and received Platinum Certification – the highest certification level available.

The Client’s Challenge

Parisleaf is a Printing and Design company located in Gainesville, Florida.  Parisleaf provides a variety of services which include printing, branding packages, web and logo design.

Parisleaf’s largest challenge is that traditional print related goods and services can have a significant negative impact on the environment.  Negative impacts occur at all stages of the paper life cycle -  the harvesting of trees, the processing of wood fiber into pulp and  the disposal of paper products at the end of their useful life.

However, Parisleaf has overcome these challenges. They offer carbon negative printing and web solutions to its clients. Parisleaf is able to achieve this because of their innovative green practices and the steps they take to mitigate their effect on the environment.   Continue reading →

Posted in 3BL Media, Air Quality, Business, Business Transportation, Carbon Management, CSR, Emissions Trading, Energy Management, Environment, Furnishings, Goods, Services & Product Design, Green Business, Green Facilities, Green IT, Green Marketing, Green Supply Chain, Heating & Cooling, Information Systems, IT Asset Management, IT Policies, Procedures & Strategy, Janitorial, Kitchen, Food & Catering, Landscaping, Lighting, Office Management, Print Management, Recycling & Waste, Renovations & Construction, Storage Solutions, Sustainability News, Sustainability Practices, Tips to Green Your Business, Water Usage | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

SolarCity and Rabobank Announce $42.5 Million Fund for Commercial Solar Projects

by CGR Staff Writer
Posted on March 15, 2012 by CGR Staff Writer

Latest collaboration will fund construction of over 30 corporate solar installations

NEW YORK & SAN MATEO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Rabobank and SolarCity® today announced $42.5 million in structured financing to fund over 30 commercial solar projects in California. This new fund is the latest iteration of a Rabobank-SolarCity collaboration that has produced a solar-powered electric vehicle charging corridor to connect Los Angeles and San Francisco, and a series of solar installations at local bank branches in California.

“We can allow many businesses to install solar panels for free, and pay less for solar electricity than they pay for utility power”

“We can allow many businesses to install solar panels for free, and pay less for solar electricity than they pay for utility power,” said Lyndon Rive, chief executive officer of SolarCity. “With the help of strong partners like Rabobank, we’re allowing businesses to generate their own clean power and improve their bottom lines at the same time.”

Since the expansion of its renewable energy finance platform to the Americas in 2009, Rabobank has become a leader in the U.S. renewable energy project finance field, focusing primarily on the solar, wind and bio-mass sectors. Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Energy, Business, BusinessWire, Carbon Management, CSR, Emissions Trading, Energy, Energy Management, Green Business, Green Facilities, Heating & Cooling, Solar, Sustainability News, Sustainability Practices, Technology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

IBM Names Worldwide Recipients of 2012 Smarter Cities Challenge

by CGR Staff Writer
Posted on March 15, 2012 by CGR Staff Writer

ARMONK, N.Y., March 15, 2012 / 3BL Media / PRNewswire/ – IBM (NYSE: IBM) today selected 33 cities worldwide to receive IBM Smarter Cities Challenge (#smartercities) grants during 2012.

Launched in 2011, this three-year, 100-city US$50 million program, IBM’s single-largest philanthropic initiative, funds in-person engagements staffed by teams of top IBM experts, who study and then make detailed recommendations addressing locally important urban issues.

(Go here to read about the experience of one mayor whose city earned an IBM Smarter Cities Challenge grant in 2011.) Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Carbon Management, CSR, Energy, Energy Management, Green Business, Sustainability News, Technology | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment
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