This week, Greentown Labs was able to give a tour of our new facility to Ward 2 Alderman Maryann M. Heuston and show her the amazing progress we’ve made! In other Massachusetts news, new legislature was passed to mandate greenhouse gas emissions reductions of 25% of 1990 levels by 2020. Hopefully this momentum continues and even more reductions continue in the years following. The Netherlands have also passed important legislature stating that every airport in the country will run on 100% domestic renewable energy starting next year!

Interestingly enough, Monday’s eclipse means huge testing opportunities for U.S Power to experiment with solar outputs and we look forward to reading about their findings. New research has concluded that renewable energy has saved nearly 13,000 lives in the last decade due to the reduction of air pollution. This number will only increase, especially due to new inventions, such as see through solar panels,and preditions, such as electric vehicle costs being the same as conventional car prices by 2018.

What news have you been reading this week? Share with us @GreentownLabs!

 

The Somerville Times – Greentown Labs Global Center for Cleantech Innovation nears completion

• The new Greentown Labs Global Center for Cleantech Innovation is approaching completion. The new center will increase its current available working space of 33,000 sq. ft. to an additional 54,400 sq. ft. at 444 Somerville Ave.

“This is a win for the city on so many levels,” Maryann Heuston says. “Increasing commercial development in Ward 2 has been a priority for me and it always will be. It brings more jobs to the city and allows socially conscious companies like Greentown Labs to set their roots in a great community.”

 

Renewable Energy World – An Eclipse Is Just What the US Power Sector’s Been Waiting For

• Turns out the solar eclipse, set to plunge parts of the U.S. into total darkness on Monday, will offer exactly what the power sector’s been looking for: a completely predictable stage for experiments.

“Grid operators including PJM Interconnection LLC and Southwest Power Pool are similarly using the eclipse to measure exactly how much rooftop solar is on their systems and improve their supply models for the next eclipse in 2024.”

 

EcoWatch – U.S. Wind and Solar Boom Helped Prevent Up to 12,700 Deaths Between 2007-2015

• A new study shows that renewables, particularly solar and wind energy, have significantly improved air quality in the United States from 2007 to 2015. The increased use of solar and wind resulted in thousands of lives saved.

“As the Independent noted from the current study, major air pollutants have declined between 2007 and 2015. Carbon dioxide fell by 20 percent, sulphur dioxide by 72 percent, nitrogen oxide by 50 percent and tiny particles known as PM2.5 by 46 percent.”

 

Phys.org – Buildings to generate their own power with innovative glass blocks

• Buildings could soon be able to convert the sun’s energy into electricity without the need for solar panels, thanks to innovative new technology of see through glass blocks.

“It is thought that buildings consume more than forty percent of the electricity produced across the globe. This new technology would allow electricity to be produced at the site of use, whilst being seamlessly integrated into the building.”

 

Futurism- Investment Bank Report Predicts the Cost of Electric Vehicles Will Match Regular Cars by 2018

• A report published in May by investment bank UBS predicts that the cost of electric vehicles will match that of regular combustion-engine cars by 2018. The cost of making EVs could become cheaper too, which can increase profit for car makers.

“These measures will be important, since more and more countries are now opting for EVs. France will ban selling petrol and diesel cars by 2040, while all cars sold in India will be electric by 2030.”

 

ThinkProgress – Massachusetts takes on leadership role with new greenhouse gas-cutting regulations

• New regulations are aimed to allow Massachusetts to meet legislatively mandated greenhouse gas emissions reductions of 25 percent of 1990 levels by 2020 and then larger reductions in the future. The new regulations take effect on January 1, 2018.

“These rules re-establish the Commonwealth as a national leader in developing sensible, enforceable standards to transition our economy to a low-carbon future”

 

Innovators Magazine – Airports go Dutch on renewables

• Airports across Holland will run entirely on renewable energy generated in the country starting next year.

“For our new energy contract, we wanted nothing but sustainable power generated in the Netherlands. After all, one thing is certain: aviation can and must be made more sustainable.”