@The Convergence of ICT, the Environment, Climate Change, EV and HEV Transportation & Distributed Renewable Energy

Sustainability is now firmly on the agenda in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA); with the development of Masdar at the hub of a low carbon future, we are continually seeing a shift away from fossil fuels towards a variety of clean energy and power solutions. Some of the most surprising movements are happening in oil-rich countries such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Here, I offer a look at the rise in alternative energy projects in the Middle East and the large numbers of renewable energy job opportunities being created.

Currently, the MENA region meets 98 percent of its energy requirements through oil and gas, having benefited from abundant hydrocarbon resources and low costs in the region. However, rising oil prices combined with a greater understanding by the Middle East of the impacts of global warming and growing energy demands, brought about by huge infrastructure development, have resulted in depleting reserves and a clear need to diversify. Fortunately, the geography and climate conditions of the MENA region are highly conducive to the development of renewable energy sources, most notably solar and wind.

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Proponents of net metering report sending 60,000 emails to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) urging it to increase the amount of solar photovoltaic (PV) generation which can participate in the state's policy, by challenging current utility practice in calculating the state net metering cap.

The CPUC has indicated in a preliminary ruling that utilities are using an overly restrictive approach to calculating this cap, and on May 24th, 2012 the agency will vote on this proposal. The Vote Solar Initiative warns that under current policy, the cap could be reached as early as mid-2013.

"When we crafted California’s original net metering law, the goal was maximize the amount of clean distributed energy on the grid," said former Assemblyman Fred Keeley, author of California’s net metering law.

"By proposing this methodology, the CPUC is complying with the original legislative intent and helping California lead the way toward a clean energy economy."

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IntelliGen Power, a leader in distributed power projects, is announcing today their availability to provide free assistance to businesses and municipalities seeking funding through the New Jersey Clean Energy Solutions Large Scale CHP (LSCHP) Program.

“This program is a great opportunity for businesses to get free money to pay for their CHP systems,” said David Lesser, President of IntelliGen Power. “The utility rates in New Jersey already make cogeneration a very appealing solution for energy users looking to save money, and support from this program drives down the cost even more. Even without this funding, cogeneration projects in New Jersey typically pay for themselves in less than 5 years.”

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"The Morning Briefing" is SmartPlanet's daily roundup of must-reads from the web. This morning we're reading about LED technology and innovative use.

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TXU Energy introduced on Wednesday a new product that will alert customers during the course of the month if their electricity bill is headed over budget.

The emailed budget alerts warn customers when their electricity usage hits a point that is likely to result in a bill that is higher than a particular spending threshold. Customers can set their own bill thresholds, and TXU doesn't charge its customers for the service.

The idea is that the customer gets a warning in time to slow down household electricity usage before the billing cycle ends.

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