Black Rock Forest, a nature preserve in the Hudson Highlands, has taken its mission to promote sustainability very seriously. Its educational and research facilities are now powered by multiple sets of solar panels and served by a geothermal heating and cooling system. The success of these renewable energy systems has been so great, resulting in large savings in its electricity bill, that the Forest is now considering installing wind and water energy.

Check out this story on NNEC's video blog and visit our partners' websites -- Vote Solar and Solar One -- to learn more about what you can do to promote ren ... Read Full Article»

Some current federal-level policy discussions about greenhouse gas regulation and renewable electricity standards have clouded the meaning of “renewable.”  Certain industries and their lobbyists are begging that nuclear power plants, waste-to-energy facilities, and other conventional sources of power be classified, incorrectly, under this term.  This is a classic case of furthering a cause by co-opting language that inserts confusion into a debate.

When referring to energy production, “renewable” was intended to mean access to an inexhaustible fuel supply derived from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, geothermal heat, tides, and waves, which are naturally replenished within a short time span.  “Renewable” must factor in impacts along the entire fuel cycle, from mining to disposal, and take into account the effects on air quality, water resources and land ... Read Full Article»