Renewable energy, including solar, wind, biofuels and more, accounts for more than 40 percent of power generation capacity added during the year.

The algae! Yes - the same slimy brown-green 'plant' that makes a pond or a lake look yucky - is the creating a great buzz as the most promising source of alternative energy. And now nanotechnology is being leveraged to add some more zing to the promise!

Algae are some of the simplest of the living organisms and can't even be classified as plants as they lack any differentiation into various structures such as leaves, roots or other organs that characterize a plant. Yet this simple structure is the very reason for the alarming growth rate of the algae: Under optimal conditions, it can double its mass overnight.

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Balancing medicine and media careers

Some are calling it a revolution in manufacturing technology, but, will nanotechnology be a green industry? it's a question that some scientists are saying needs to be answered now, before nanotech goes big-time.

Nanotechnology, shortened to "Nanotech", is the study of the control of matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Generally nanotechnology deals with structures of the size 100 nanometers or smaller, and involves developing materials or devices within that size. Nanotechnology is very diverse, ranging from novel extensions of conventional device physics, to completely new approaches based upon molecular self-assembly, to developing new materials with dimensions on the nanoscale, even to speculation on whether we can directly control matter on the atomic scale.

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Philips today staked its claim as the world's largest lighting solutions provider by introducing a wide range of new technologies, products and services that address both current and new uses of light. These innovations reflect a vastly expanded portfolio, the breadth of which is unique to the lighting industry. Ranging from components, electronics and fixtures to complete solid-state lighting systems with advanced controls.

Barry Cohen takes the concept of going green to a whole new level.

As director of the National Algae Association, he is a leading advocate of curbing U.S. dependence on oil by harnessing the power of tiny, green waterborne plants known to most as pond scum.

Though it may sound far-fetched, the idea has gained momentum in recent years.

After decades of research, algae now is viewed as one of the most promising inputs for alternative fuels like biodiesel, as well as a potential way to capture carbon emissions from polluting factories.

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Brush and other materials found in Washington forests could serve to provide new means of energy, as well as control fires. KING 5's Glenn Farley reports.

Renewable energy is energy generated from natural resources—such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides and geothermal heat—which are renewable (naturally replenished).

Rice Restaurants in New York uses a delivery van fueled by the waste vegetable oil generated by its locations.

Vegetable oil economy is the potential of vegetable oil to replace fossil fuels in the economy and how it compares to other potential replacements. Vegetable oils are the basis of biodiesel, which can be used like conventional diesel. Some vegetable oil blends are used in unmodified vehicles, but straight vegetable oil needs specially prepared vehicles which have a method of heating the oil to reduce its viscosity and surface tension. Another alternative is vegetable oil refining. The list of vegetable oils is long, and the vegetable oil market is growing. The availability of biodiesel around the world is increasing. There is significant research in algaculture methods with the intent to make biofuel from algae.

Last month, Apple took a big step towards becoming environmentally-friendly by eliminating Brominated Flame Retardant (BFR) and polyvinylchloride (PVR) from its iPods. Now the company is taking another huge step with its notebook computers.

Apple announced today that all new MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air will be PVC and BFR-free. And if you think those chemicals aren’t a big deal, well, they are. PVCs release dioxin, a known carcinogen, and BFRs are reproductive and developmental neurotoxins that build up over time in the human body. The substances put workers and recyclers at risk during the production and discarding of products.

Wind Energy

How to Get a Piece of Your Own Wind Farm

Now, more than ever, is the time to invest in wind energy.

Fresh off an Obama win, which will bring with it renewed energy policy and a new sense of energy responsibility, new renewable energy projects are destined to take root.

What's more, many of the related stocks have significantly sold off over the past six months to a year, and now offer attractive price tags.

A Snapshot of the Global Wind Industry

I've discussed wind energy in these pages many times before, but the conversation seems to have always turned to a discussion of wind turbine stocks.

Today, I want to take a step back, look at the industry as a whole, and focus more broadly on wind energy companies.

The Wind Energy Industry

First, let's get a quick rundown of the growth of the domestic and international wind markets out of the way.

How to Never Pay a Water Bill Again

The other day I was chatting with my father about the current happenings in my hometown of Elkton, Maryland.

And, as with other similar conversations I've had with him, I couldn't help but notice the parallels between what's going on in Podunk and how I see the broader markets playing out.

Essentially, what I heard from my dad—and later validated with my own research—is a confirmation of the things I've been saying about the water industry for over a year now.

Here's an excerpt from a water investments report I wrote back in June of 2007:

To date, water and sewer bills, taxes, and private business foot the cost for most of the funds needed to build, operate, and maintain water and wastewater systems.

But those sources alone are not meeting the total current amount needed, let alone the increase that will be needed in coming years.

To meet future funding requirements, private firms in the industry will have to play a key role. The pressure of a competitive market, coupled with the introduction of new technology, will help ease the pain of an emerging funding gap.

Suntech's (NYSE: STP) second quarter 2008 earnings came out this morning. And boy were they impressive.

Net income for the quarter came in at $65.2 million, or $0.38 per share. Analysts had predicted earnings of $0.32 per share.

That income is nearly $24 million better than the sum in the same quarter of 2007—a 58% rise!

Revenue was $480.2 million, a full $40 to $50 million better than even Suntech's own estimate.

Mary Sawaya has seen a 50% increase in business over the past five years.
She sells work boots and Carhartt overalls in Kemmerer, Wyoming.
But the work boot market hasn't always been so bullish.
According to Sawaya, "About 10 years ago, [the energy industry] was in a slump. And then when Williams Field built their second plant and [Enterprise Products Partners LP] came in, and all this oil and gas cycling came through ... our business went way up."

Some are calling it a revolution in manufacturing technology. But, will nanotechnology be a "green" industry? It's a question that some scientists are saying needs to be answered now, before nano-tech goes big-time. This ScienCentral News video has more.

Green Nanotechnology has two goals: producing nanomaterials and products without harming the environment or human health, and producing nano-products that provide solutions to environmental problems. It uses existing principles of Green Chemistry and Green Engineering [1] to make nanomaterials and nano-products without toxic ingredients, at low temperatures using less energy and renewable inputs wherever possible, and using lifecycle thinking in all design and engineering stages.

In addition to making nanomaterials and products with less impact to the environment, Green Nanotechnology also means using nanotechnology to make current manufacturing processes for non-nano materials and products more environmentally friendly.

The buzz surrounding the Chevy Volt is increasingly overwhelming. An overview and update is certainly in order.

It was only five years ago when General Motors product chief Bob Lutz said that hybrid cars don't make "economic or environmental sense."

Has green lost its luster?

Of course not. Yet that seems to be the attitude of more than a few.

Sure, solar stocks have been battered over the past few months. But didn't the Dow (Index: DJI) go from over 13,000 to below 11,000 in the same time? Indeed, it did.

There is a giant bull market that hardly anyone knows about.

It has people grappling for a scarce resource. It has businesses fighting for rights to it. It has pitted neighbor against neighbor, and state against state.

And it could make you an absolute fortune.

By Nick Hodge
Getting Your Piece of the $25.7 Billion Acquisition Pie

In "Clean Energy Trends 2007," the Clean Edge authors cite "a number of developments [that] put clean energy definitively on the map over the past year."

One of those developments, they said, was "significant corporate investments in clean energy acquisitions."

By Nick Hodge

How To Follow the Green Money Trail

This article originally appeared in the Green Chip Review on July 17^th, 2008 as an in-depth report on today's green energy investments. With the current state of the energy market, and the looming boom in green energy, we felt readers of Wealth Daily could also profit from the information presented in this article. Enjoy

By Nick Hodge

The debate has once again been renewed about the extension of federal tax credits for energy produced from wind, solar, geothermal, cellulosic ethanol, biofuels and other renewable sources.

If you remember, the last time this discussion surfaced was in December, when the proposed tax credits were rolled into the Energy Bill. But, after a filibuster from the Republicans won by one vote, the credits were cut out and the bill went on to be signed with lackluster provisions--including a despicable rise in CAFÉ standards.

At the heart of the debate is where the money is coming from to fund the tax credits. As you probably know, the money would be shifted away from Big Oil--to the tune of $18 billion.