U.S. Chamber of Commerce strikes back after Apple defection: “We don’t have regrets”
Days after Apple announced that it would be quitting the U.S. Chamber of Commerce due to its opposition to greenhouse gas limits, the Chamber has very publicly shouted back. During a press conference this morning, the group’s president and CEO Thomas Donohue stated firmly, “We don’t have regrets about our position and we’re not going to change it.”
This louder response follows a letter sent directly to Apple CEO Steve Jobs on Tuesday, reading, “It is… Continue Reading
Apple becomes first tech co. to ditch U.S. Chamber of Commerce over emissions
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has been hemorrhaging members in recent weeks after opposing legislation curtailing greenhouse gas emissions. Today, Apple joined companies like Nike, Exelon and Pacific Gas & Electric, who have also quit or scaled down participation in the organization to take a stronger stance on climate change issues. But it’s the first technology company to do so — which could touch off a trend in eco-conscious Silicon Valley.
The Chamber of Commerce is… Continue Reading
San Jose, PG&E lift veil on major Smart Grid collaboration
Pacific Gas and Electric announced today that it’s partnering with the city of San Jose, Calif., to deploy a major project integrating smart meters provided by the utility with the city’s well-developed solar energy infrastructure.
PG&E has been gradually rolling out smart meters in its California service areas. Just like traditional meters, they record how much electricity a household or business is consuming in real time. Only now, they transmit the data they collect to both… Continue Reading
Roundup: PG&E installs smart meters, Stewart cows Cramer, the market seesaws and more
MySpace Events get an upgrade — The network’s new event invite system takes more advantage of users’ social circles. TechCrunch has more.
PG&E smart meters get the green light — The utility will spend $467 million in taxpayer money to install the meters in California homes. The San Jose Mercury News has the story.
Student VC firms feel the burn — The downturn has dried up cash for small university-based venture firms run by students, just like their professional counterparts,… Continue Reading
Roundup: Yahoo and Microsoft, Eminem sues Universal, and more
YAYED: Yet Another Yahoo Executive Departs — This time it’s Marco Boerries, the executive vice president in the company’s Connected Device Division, ahead of a pending reorganization under new chief executive Carol Bartz.
Eminem aims lawsuit at Universal Music Group — The successful rapper says the record label owes him $1.6 million in unpaid royalties from digital sales. Hypebot has more.
Ballmer: “I don’t want to wind up being known as the Jerry Yang of this market” — Microsoft chief… Continue Reading
Smart grid adoption could turn out to be slower than expected
Following a spate of hefty financings this year, culminating last week with Trilliant’s $40 million funding, it looks a bit like smart grid startups — companies that give the meters on homes and businesses the ability to communicate with utilities and other devices — are poised to take off. But for many of these firms, growth may be less of a rocket ride than a long, slow trudge uphill.
The smart grid, also called advanced metering… Continue Reading
Are the economies of scale in PG&E’s 800 megawatt solar installation real?
Pacific Gas & Electric, the utility that services much of northern and central California, has announced plans to buy electricity from an 800 megawatt solar panel installation, a vast project many times the size of anything currently existing.
The move is somewhat surprising, because the expectation was that utilities would first work on building more solar thermal plants, which focus sunlight with mirrors to drive steam turbines, before building large plants with costly solar panels. At… Continue Reading
Roundup: FCC turns down Skype appeal, PG&E asks for more renewables, and more
FCC chair rejects opening existing wireless networks — A petition from Skype failed to convince FCC chairman Kevin Martin to force wireless carriers to open up their existing networks to outside devices and software, leaving the newly-auctioned 700Mhz airwaves as the only network opened by regulation. More at the WSJ.
PG&E wants 800 – 1,200MW more renewable energy by 2015 — Energy utility PG&E, which supplies the Bay Area, just struck a deal for 900 megawatts… Continue Reading
Solar thermal gains steam with Ausra deal
updated
California energy utility PG&E has agreed to buy power from a 177-megawatt solar thermal plant to be built by Silicon Valley company Ausra.
Ausra, of Palo Alto, Calif., is applying for a regulatory permit to build on 640 acres of ranch land in California’s San Luis Obispo county.
The idea behind solar thermal power is focusing mirrors on contained water, which then turns to steam that can drive turbines. We last reported on Ausra two months ago,… Continue Reading