The Ten Essential Renewable Energy News Stories This Week

This week has been filled with worthwhile news from every clean energy sector. 

Mega companies such as Siemens, Dow Chemical, and Mitsubishi made big investments; new studies revealed extremely important information regarding the carbon emissions and climate change, and renewable energy and the environment; and, finally, pop culture welcomed renewable energy in, when one of the world's largest bands created funding for clean energy power plants.  

While you're catching your breath, I guess I should remind you that's just the start...

Here are the Top 10 Renewable Energy News Stories You May Have Missed:

1.  U2 Will Help Raise Money for Turkish Geothermal Plant - The environmentally and socially conscious, and outrageously popular band U2 announced it will not only purchase carbon offsets to balance the carbon footprint of its tour, but has also asked its fans to purchase offsets to balance out the greenhouse gas emissions they produce while travelling to the concert.  The offsets will support four clean energy power plants.

2.  New GE Study Shows Canadian Wind Farms' Profits Would Exceed Government Investment - General Electric has released a study which shows if the Canadian federal government invested $1.5 billion CDN in developing wind farms, it would recoup its costs and earn revenue within 25 years.  Stimulate the economy and generate clean energy, not a bad political move.

3.  Italian Solar Market is Hot - Last November the Italian solar market grew by more than 10% alone.  This growth has not been lost on solar companies. SunPower Corp. recently purchased SunRay Renewable Energy in large part because of its strong connections in the Italian solar industry.  Analysts expect Italy's solar capacity to increase 50% by the end of 2010.

4.  Fuel From Fish Tank Residue: The Latest Look At Algal Biofuel's Potential - Sandia Laboratories has stated that algae has the potential to displace large amounts of diesel and jet fuel in the near future as long as it can crossover some key obstacles.

5.  UNEP Report Shows Current Emissions Targets Are Not Enough to Prevent Devastating Climate Change - The United Nations Environmental Programme has released a report which indicates that the emissions pledges made in the Copenhagen Accord will not prevent a global temperature increase of 2 degrees Celsius -- the tipping point for global warming.

6.  Pepperbox Studio Makes Music Using Renewable Energy - Ever wondered what it would be like to live completely off-the-grid?  Well, musician Kristina Stykos from Vermont can let you know.  Stykos runs her home and recording studio on energy generated from solar, wind, and biomass.  She also has incorporated some important energy efficiency measures.

7.  U.S. Department of Energy Reports on Environmental Effects of Hydropower - Marine energy technologies such as wave and tidal power are viewed as a gold mine of untapped energy potential.  Yet, there are still many questions about the nascent technologies, particularly if the machinery will hold up.  The U.S. Department of Energy looks at an important question that has not come to the forefront:  the environmental effect of putting massive machines in the oceans.

8.  American Utilities: Hot for the Smart Grid and Warming to Renewable Energy - A new survey shows that American utilities are investing more capital and resources in information technology and smart grid development than ever before.  They are also increasing their renewable energy portfolios, albeit with a little less enthusiasm.

9.  ADM: The Greening of Big Agro - ADM has made a name for itself as the middle-man in the agriculture business.  Now, it wants to become the super-man of the ethanol business.  It is the world's largest corn ethanol producer and it is now engaged in serious development of advanced biofuels.

10. Government Study Shows U.S. Wind Resources Larger than Previously Estimated - The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has discovered that American wind resources are enormous.  The NREL's study revealed that America's continental, onshore wind resources could generate almost 37,000,000 gigawatt-hours annually.  This is more than nine times current U.S. electricity consumption.  Imagine what the wind resources would look like if the U.S. ever got moving on its offshore wind development?

Well on that emphatic note we conclude another whirlwind tour through this week's renewable energy news.  Remember, an easy way to catch all of EnergyBoom's news articles and other awesome features is by following us on Twitter and Facebook.