Green costs are decreasing slowly [they'd be decreasing more quickly if we had a stronger commitment to granting incentives to alt energy manufacturing companies].  I’ve seen shrinking figures on additional cost percentages [down to a 1.5% to 3.1% range from a 3% average over the past two years] and mostly a static time period for recouping that additional expense due to steadily [but slightly] rising standard energy costs [carbon-based].  Savings will obviously increase if there is sharper upward movement of traditional energy costs [which is what is being predicted based on the market].  Richmond committed to LEED Silver for all new construction and renovation of over 5,000 square feet, something that will benefit the newly-approved new Huguenot High School.  Voting against this type of technology in construction is foolish on numerous accounts.  First, if we oppose this greening of our buildings, we’d be short-changing ourselves left and right based on passing up savings that reach ten times or more the amount of the original capital investment.  Second, we’d obviously be short-changing the environment when statistics are showing a greater propensity of children to develop asthma due to standard airborne pollutants.  Third, we’d be shortchanging the engineering/construction/architecture community that could otherwise be pursuing certification to draw upon a greater clientele base.  Based on finance power for local governments, the minute investment would cut energy spending and free up revenue that could be used to better other areas of services and also offer an opportunity for pesky things like urban real estate taxes to be subsided.  There are a lot of options and opportunities.  Do us a favor.  Go green.

To revisit the past post and elaborate on Ford Motor Company’s efforts to vigorously proffer green change in its automobiles, it’s worthwhile to take an in-depth look at its EcoBoost technology, the driving force behind the leaps and bounds attained in setting efficiency standards in its new product line.

First, in summary, EcoBoost is a strategy aimed at delivering results in engine performance with respect to fuel use and consumption.  It targets fuel injection technology and pushes for a better delivery.  There are several components of the EcoBoost technology that can be enumerated:

1. Direct fuel injection.  With the guidance of Ford technology, advancements in direct injection processes have allowed greater fuel economy without diminished performance.  For example, a 3.5 Liter EcoBoost engine delivers as well as a 4.6 V8 on a Lincoln MKS.
2. How does the technology work and impact performance?  Direct injection, as applied in EcoBoost, sprays controlled amounts of fuel into individual cylinders.  The direct approach increases performance and the controlled amounts sustain efficient use of fuel.  As a result, emissions are decreased by up to 15%.
3. The controlled spray is delivered by a solenoid-controlled injector.  The combination of enhanced air-fuel mixture and cooling yields a truly sound engine system.

     In times of turmoil, it is very rare to find a silver lining or even a torchbearer that leads the way forward and reminds us of the spirit of progress and prosperity.  This light at the end of the tunnel is essential for the downtrodden to continue to advance with hope of better times to come.  It is with this surprising spirit that Ford Motor Company has been moving forward against many obstacles during this time of recession and stands today at the top of its class, truly the leader of the domestic automotive market and undeterred by the effects of the recession and a financial restructuring mandate from the federal government.

In Richmond today, Ford Motor Company, with the finely practiced sponsorship of Richmond-based The Alliance Group, delivered a sophisticated presentation at the Richmond Omni on its new (and greener) Taurus series in front of an array of dealers, enthusiasts and a few attuned to all things political in the Richmond area.  The unveiled Taurus will not be recognized as the rounded automobile that we have come to know on the roads.  The new product resembles a muscular Audi R or a Lexus GS, yet seems more refined and a bit cooler, even at first glance.  Features such as the newly-minted MyKey technology — teenagers, your stereo will not turn on unless you have that seatbelt latched properly — and ambient lighting add to a remarkable array of new technologies and a restructured interior that includes Shiatsu-emulating technology on the seats.  To top it off, advanced emissions technology puts the vehicle in a class beyond what we see in the Toyota Camry, delivering performance with a respectful mind toward our environment.

As I was leaving the luncheon, the two new models of the Taurus were parked in front of James Center Plaza, looking like two silver streaks of sculpted ice and steel standing out in prestigious contrast on a late summer day as the winds start favoring a flavor of the impending fall.  I saw heads turn, grins flash and even a pause from one passerby for a cell phone snapshot.  Little did these individuals know that under the hood lay hidden the fruits of the efforts of Ford Motor Company to assert itself as the new steward of smarter transportation while using ingenuity to preserve the performance that we have come to expect from it.  Just look at the regenerative breaking system patented by one of Ford’s top engineers and there will be no doubt that Ford will remain a lauded household name for years to come.

Economic Stimulus Memo

misc1

In the next week, comparative analyses on green policies in mentionable states pursuing alternative solutions, a powerpoint or two, and several draft policy memos to legislators will be posted to kick off the site into high gear and mark the significance of the 2009 fiscal year in Virginia for green businesses.  Stay tuned…

memo-renew-virginia-12-15-08

       The Renew Virginia initiative, propounded by Governor Timothy M. Kaine late last week, signifies an important budgetary victory in Virginia.  Facing an approximated $3 billion shortfall for this fiscal year in the Commonwealth, tax incentives would have been more selective than usual and program cuts may ensue based on Virginia’s hierarchy of needs, as determined by the legislature and the Governor — separately but mutually.

       As consequence of the Renew Virginia initiative, green development and growth will be the primary focus of the vision and, consequently, our budget.  This means a number of things for small and large businesses alike that serve green interests.  First, laws that could ultimately inhibit growth, such as zoning restrictions and taxes on potential corporate investors, will need to be put under the legislative microscope and adjusted through amendment, revision or erasure and new implementation of an updated law.  For an overall effect on Virginia’s economy, green growth cannot be expected in the form of an overnight delivery but must have preparations that encourage its growth.  Enabling residents and small businesses (i.e. starting from the bottom and moving upward) to afford changeover, from the most basic steps of changing energy habits to the most complex involving retrofitting HVAC systems inside shops and restaurants, deals with affordability.  Beating the rising costs associated with standardized energy and inefficient fixtures, ones not concurrent with modern technological and structural abilities, involves being able to make the change.

       A vision for the state budget simply means that Governor Kaine will be unlikely to sign any other major legislative act that supersedes the interests of the tenets of the program.  The implications of this will become clearer in the next few weeks as the Office of the Governor releases more specific information on the Renew Virginia initiative.  Small businesses are already making use of what was once considered scraps and refuse.  The idea of efficiency is sewn and leaves the door open for innovators to reformat Virginia’s cities, structures and way of life.

Custom Search

The prospect of green growth in the Commonwealth of Virginia is tremendous because it is literally untapped and currently a vague vision in the minds of innovators and some bold  entrepreneurs.  With the advent of policies and visions such as the 2007 Virginia Energy Plan, setting the bar for development is wide open.  What is being made to work in California, effectively forcing changeover for utilities companies, may not work in other states.  Governor Kaine’s vision approaches attracting outside investment for small growth, a more conservative approach that certainly sidesteps speedbumps potentially associated with forcing the outright regulation that Governor Schwarzenegger has pushed.  A $4.5 million reward cap for outside interests investing in producing alternative solutions in Virginia is a start but other states are more competitive.  Green energy has to be proven in Virginia, and a few localities are taking notice of the opportunities.  If the Tangier Island pilot program can be pushed forward into reality, saving money for struggling Virginians can be as real as it was for those in Denmark on the island of Samsø.

Investment strategies are still open in Virginia.  The ability to acquire participation of national leaders in green energy, such as Solyndra, will hinge on the incentive offered for investment.  States such as Virginia do not market their economies for investment at random; incentives within the tax code are necessary for businesses to see Virginia as a suitable venue for formation of their pursuits.  If Virginia hopes to engage in green transition, it will need to attract the right type of investment with the right type of incentive.  Furthermore, Virginia must develop its home-grown green industries by paving the way to the acquisition of investment from sources such as the Virgin Green Fund, CMEA Ventures and others.

Student involvement creates a promising bridge between our future working force and our future environment and ability to offset costs that stem from inefficient fuel sources and construction practices.  Inefficiency can range from gasoline costs to a necessity of utilizing limited resources on this planet or even in our Commonwealth.  Reusing wood and stone not only can save money but saves our business community from relying upon suppliers that cut further and further into Virginia’s natural heritage through mining, quarrying and logging.  Student involvement already exists in Virginia, from the renown green engineering program at Virginia Polytechnic Institute to the student efforts at Mary Washington promoted by Noresco, one that has proven to save extensive amounts of money in an already tight state economy.

This effort will consist of pulling in the right resources to boost public interest in green solutions to energy.  Our Commonwealth’s interests can be matched by the talents that it offers from a diverse body of sources.  This site will find some of these and serve as a tool of advocacy.

Read the rest of this entry »