energy

Start-up Hara said today it has secured $25 million from venture and corporate investors to further develop its software for managing corporations' energy and environmental footprint.

Software industry veteran Ray Lane, who is an investor at Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers, will become chairman of Hara's board. Other investors included General Electric, ConocoPhilips, utility NRG Energy, and Japanese industrial company Itochu. Including this series C round, Hara has raised $45 million.

The investment gives Hara the wherewithal to further enhance its online application and sales force in the fledgling field of energy and environmental management software. Hara said it … Read more

The Energy Take Classic 5 pack is exactly the same as the Energy Take Classic 5.1 speaker system, except that it's sold without the subwoofer. Since the 5.1 (with subwoofer) version is available for just $399, we strongly recommend prospective buyers purchase that one instead.

Toys "R" Us announced today that it plans to cover 70 percent of the roof of its distribution center, located in the leafy suburb of Flanders, N.J., with a solar installation.

The 5.38-megawatt solar project is a massive undertaking for a rooftop installation. Toys "R" Us claims this will be the largest rooftop solar installation in North America.

The Flanders distribution center is the largest distribution facility in the U.S. for the toy and electronics retailer. Toys "R" Us estimates that the roof spans about 32 acres. More than 869,294 square feet (almost 20 acres) of that roof will be covered in solar panels, according to the company.… Read more

Prime Minister Naoto Kan said today that renewable energy will be a key pillar of Japan's energy policy after the world's worst nuclear crisis in 25 years and that its nuclear policy must be reviewed from scratch.

The massive earthquake and tsunami on March 11 knocked out cooling systems at the Fukushima plant in northeast Japan, and the prolonged crisis could hamper Japan's efforts to reduce its use of fossil fuels. The plant is still leaking radiation.

"The current basic energy policy envisages that over 50 percent of total electricity supply will come from nuclear power … Read more

Renewable sources such as solar, wind, and hydropower could fulfill almost 80 percent of the world's energy demand by 2050 with the right policies, according to a U.N. report which won backing from governments today.

The 26-page study, by the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), broadly matched a draft written by scientists. It was approved by government delegates at talks in Abu Dhabi.

Environmental groups hailed the report as a guide to the shift from fossil fuels to combat climate change, a process set to cost trillions of dollars. But they said some draft … Read more

General Electric may have grown its clean-tech business fourfold over the past six years, but Chief Executive Jeffrey Immelt wishes he had spent a little less time talking about it.

The head of the largest U.S. conglomerate, who in January was named a top adviser on job creation to U.S. President Barack Obama, said yesterday that GE's focus on the environmentally friendly aspects of its wind turbines and high-efficiency appliances might have led his critics to believe he was more interested in saving the planet than growing the company.

"If I had one thing to do … Read more

Google has not given up on its goal of making renewable energy cheaper than coal for consumers but it is not predicting victory soon, its director of green business operations said.

"We are still moving forward," said Rick Needham, in an interview at the company's office in Washington. "I think that is an important goal and a very aspirational goal, but we are doing what we can."

The Internet search giant said in late 2007 it would invest hundreds of millions of dollars in solar, wind, and geothermal technologies to help make renewables cost competitive … Read more

It might seem a little ironic, but automotive traffic could be the next source of green energy. A bill for a pilot program that will harness road vibration and convert it to energy passed 6-1 in the California State Assembly's Natural Resources Committee yesterday. It will move to the Assembly Transportation Committee for voting next week.

California Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles) first introduced bill AB 306 in February.

Piezoelectric generation captures energy that cars, trains, or people generate as they move across surfaces and cause vibrations. These vibrations can be harnessed and converted to energy using piezoelectric materials … Read more

The 2012 Mitsubishi i will be riding a big wave to Hawaii, the first North American state to receive the all-electric car.

The Japanese automaker today revealed that beginning this month, Hawaiian consumers will be able to reserve the Mitsubishi i for a refundable deposit of $299 on Mitsubishi's Web site.

The Mitsubishi i will be available to test drive at Cutter Mitsubishi in Aiea, Hawaii, this fall.

The energy-efficient, five-door Mitsubishi i will launch in Hawaii, California, Oregon, and Washington in November 2011. The vehicle will be available nationwide by the end of 2012.

The car, with an … Read more