Page 6 - North American Clean Energy May June 2015

editor's note
news bites

IT SEEMS FITTING TO ME that I am writing my irst Editor’s Note for North
American Clean Energy on Earth Day. People everywhere are taking notice of

their environment today, planting trees, cleaning up parks, and doing little “acts
of green.” I look out my window and see signs of renewal, of new life. here are
blossoms on the trees, little green leaves sprouting up, the birds and ladybugs
are back, and my sons can inally take the kayaks out on the pond to recover the

hockey net that got stuck in the ice this winter. Not even a month ago, the ground
was brown, cold, and dead but now, everywhere I look, there’s life. It kind of feels
like the earth is taking care of itself.

Ironically, I’m also writing this from directly above the Marcellus Formation,
the largest source of natural gas in the United States. here’s been a surge in
drilling activity here, bringing with it economic beneits as well as environmental
concerns. his week also marked the 5th anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon

oil spill, the largest accidental marine oil spill in history. Reports continue to come
in regarding health consequences, new drilling policies, and the economic and
environmental impacts of the spill. It seems, that while the earth may be taking
care of itself, some of its inhabitants are just doing a lot of taking.

hose involved in the renewable energy industry are inding ways to generate Backpacking with Solar Close to the
energy from the stuf that just happens anyway. Water will low, the sun will
shine, the wind will blow, and the earth will radiate heat whether we harness that Power
Pulse of Time
energy or not, so why not make good use of it? It’s a growing business too, after Goal Zero’s Solar Ready collaboration program he VBus Touch HC, allows users

all. ACORE’s report, Outlook on Renewable Energy in America explains;
unlocks the ability for brands to work to to control their heating system
create integrated products that truly allow with the brand-new Apple Watch.
America needs energy that is secure, reliable, improves public health, protects the outdoor enthusiasts to live life of the grid. In addition to the iPad and the
environment, addresses climate change, creates jobs, and provides technological Gregory Mountain Packs, is the irst brand
iPhone, VBus Touch HC now also

leadership. America needs renewable energy. If renewable energy is to be developed to to participate in the program, giving outdoor supports the Apple Watch. Never
its full potential, America will need coordinated, sustained federal and state policies enthusiasts the irst opportunity to experience before has it been this easy to
that expand renewable energy markets; promote and deploy new technology; and a fully integrated outdoor adventure powered communicate with a home heating
provide appropriate opportunities to encourage renewable energy use in all critical by the sun. he Stout and Amber Solar Ready system; e.g., while traveling, it is

energy market sectors: wholesale and distributed electricity generation, thermal energy backpacks were designed to meet the needs
possible to increase the indoor
applications, and transportation.*
of the next generation of backpacker who temperature before returning
expect to have power in the backcountry for home, or adjust the heat to counter
he support of the government, at the federal and state levels, coupled with
phones, cameras, and navigation. hese packs changing weather conditions with

an increased priority to lessen US dependence on foreign oil by using renewable are compatible with Goal Zero's Nomad solar just a tap of the wrist.
energy has created immense opportunities in the industry. Many of the panels and array of portable power packs, RESOL | www.resol.com
technologies which harness renewable energy resources in the US, including wind, enabling adventurers, mobile consumers and
solar, geothermal, and biofuels, are, or soon will be, economically competitive with outdoor enthusiasts to take their travels to
Apple, the Apple logo, iPad, iPhone and
the fossil fuels that meet 85 percent of US energy needs. All of this has created
remote places without relying on a wall outlet Apple Watch are trademarks of Apple Inc.,
an energy industry which has the opportunity to work together with the earth, to power their favorite devices.
registered in the U.S. and other countries.
rather than simply take from it.
Goal Zero | www.goalzero.com
App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.
Although Earth Day lasts only 24 hours, while this issue of North American
Gregory Mountain Products
Clean Energy is still fresh, I challenge you to go out and enjoy a little of what www.gregorypacks.com
our earth has given us. Take a walk, smell a lower, acknowledge the greatness of
nature, and remember why we got involved in renewables in the irst place.

is
Dav
C. he green roof on Chicago’s City Hall
an Green Rooftops
d I
anEnvironmental legislation has been passed in France requiring rooftops on all new
dercommercial buildings be partially covered in either solar panels or plants. French
eeenvironmental activists originally called for a mandatory “greening” of entire rooftops
e D
colin all new construction but the law has been limited in scope to include only new
Nicommercial buildings. It has also been made less burdensome for businesses, requiring
byonly a part of the roof to be covered with plants and allowing the choice instead to
otoinstall solar panels to generate electricity. Green roofs can act as insulation, helping keep
Ph
Jill Walters
a building cool in the summer and warm in the winter. hey also retain rainwater, reduce
storm water runof, favor biodiversity, and give birds a place to nest in urban areas.
Green roofs can already be found in parts of Germany, Australia, and Canada, where the
city of Toronto became the irst city in the Western Hemisphere to mandate green roofs.

*American Council On Renewable Energy, (2007). he Outlook on Renewable Energy in Green roofs, or “eco-roofs” are growing in popularity in US cities as well, where you can
America Volume II: Joint Summary Report.
ind them in Portland, OR; New York, NY; and Chicago, IL.

6 nacleanenergy.com
MAY/JUNE 2015