Deep-set and long-running disagreements between federal agencies and Southern California Edison have delayed millions of dollars worth of renewable energy projects meant to power facilities in California’s national parks and forests.

To wit: an $800,000 solar panel project at Death Valley National Park, photovoltaic panels at the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area visitor center, and a solar power system at the U.S. Forest Preserve’s Mono Lake facility are just a few of the contracts stalled by the fed’s inability to reach an agreement with Edison regarding how to fit the projects into the state’s electrical grid. All of these projects are of course funded by John Q. Taxpayer.

Though it would be easy to point the finger at Edison and the general resistance in the private market to alternative energy initiatives, the blame here lies with the fed. Generally speaking, according to federal law, federal agencies are not supposed to make deals that could leave them liable for future damages. Once again, it is a money issue, but one of the federal government, as these pet-projects are dollar commitments that Congress hasn’t exactly allocated. Lots of red tape when the fed and the private market try to make a baby.

However, other utilities in California have made similar arrangements with the fed without impasse, and indeed very few road bumps.

The situation has caused the parks to struggle to meet their renewable energy goals, in the face of federal orders to reduce their carbon footprint. In addition, the parks are losing tens of thousands of dollars from utility bills during the stall.

“It is disappointing to see this big investment sitting idle when we could easily flip the switch and produce benefits,” said park superintendent Woody Smeck.”We are purchasing electricity from SCE, whereas we could be using renewable energy from the sun and returning power to the grid.”

Death Valley National Park superintendent Sarah L. Craighead lamented solar projects that have been switched off for nearly two years:

“We have been trying to get these agreements in place for quite some time. Everything is just sitting in the queue,” she said. “We want to turn these things on.”

Death Valley park officials hope that the revamped visitor’s center will reduce their energy costs by 70%.

What do you think? How can they reach an agreement to get these renewable energy projects up and running?

Renewable Energy Initiatives Delayed in California, Parks Lose Thousands is a post from: The Inquisitr

If there is one thing that you can definitely say about Richard Branson it is that he isn’t lacking of hyperbole when it comes to promoting his projects, and his newest announcement today was no exception.

Branson was in London to announce another of his continuing initiatives to lower the carbon footprint of his prize airline – Virgin Atlantic.

Calling it one of the most exciting developments of our lifetime, as well as being a major breakthrough on the ‘war on carbon’ Branson announced that in partnership with LanzaTech they are developing the world’s first low-carbon aviation fuel. It is believed that the new fuel will halve the airline’s current carbon footprint.

This new method calls for capturing the waste energy that typically escapes from heavy manufacturing plants via their huge smokestacks and through a recycling method turn that energy into aviation fuel.

Using this newly discovered method they believe that they can capture up to 65% of the waste energy from places like the world’s steel mills and after fermenting it as well as using a chemical conversion process they believe the results will be a usable jet fuel.

via Richard Branson

Richard Branson`s Virgin Atlantic announces low carbon fuel initiative [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Save The Planet And Win, opening publicly in beta mode today, lets you calculate the environmental damage you’re doing and find ways to cut it back. Billed as the “first voluntary personal carbon registry in the United States,” the site offers networking opportunities to compare your steps to others’ and discuss strategies for saving the Earth.

You can also accumulate “points” by watching the site’s sponsored videos about going green. Those points can then be used to buy carbon offsets, donate to environmental causes, or — if you just need the dough — you can trade them in for cash.

Save The Planet And Win is promising weekly sweepstakes to keep environmental friendliness fun and interesting, too.

So far, the site claims about 66,000 pounds of carbon reduced by its members prior to its public launch.

Environmental Social Network Launches With Lofty Goal is a post from: The Inquisitr