California utility regulators not quite ready for fuel cells (New York Times)

While Google, Wal-Mart and other corporations have embraced fuel cells, California regulators have turned down requests from the state's two biggest utilities to install the technology. In a preliminary decision, an administrative law judge with the California Public Utilities Commission found unwarranted an application from Pacific Gas and Electric and Southern California to spend more than $43 million to install fuel cells that would generate six megawatts of electricity.

Green plastic breakthrough from Big Blue, Stanford (CNET)

A group of scientists from IBM and Stanford University announced Wednesday a chemistry breakthrough that could change the nature of plastics and plastics recycling. Using organic catalysts, the team has developed a new method for producing and breaking down plastic polymers.

California global warming law may lead to job losses, report says (LA Times)

The state's nonpartisan legislative analyst's office says the losses could occur in the short term. State Sen. David Cogdill uses the report to criticize climate regulation.

California to regulate "most potent" greenhouse gas (New York Times)

Starting in 2011, California will regulate emissions from electric utility equipment of the gas sulfur hexafluoride -- commonly called SF6. It is typically used in high voltage transmission systems in circuit breakers, switches and insulation, according to a recent California Air Resources Board announcement.

Secretary Chu: "US lagging in clean-tech race" (Palo Alto Online)

The U.S. lags behind other countries in the race for clean technology even though it has the greatest "innovation machine" in the world, U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu told a Stanford University audience Monday. But the clean-tech race is not just between nations -- it's a global race against time, Chu warned.

What you need to know about the ARPA-E program (earth2tech)If you've been worried that the Department of Energy's loans, loan guarantees and grants to greentech startups like Tesla, Solyndra, and BrightSource, are too risky, then you're not going to be too keen on the DOE's high-risk energy tech fund, ARPA-E (Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy). But that's the entire point of the ARPA-E program -- to support moonshot technologies that might be too risky for other investors -- and the DOE has already announced the first round of ARPA-E grants, and has awarded a total of $151 million for 37 projects.

Coda Auto: $40 million more before EV launch (Cleantech Group)

Santa Monica-based electric vehicle maker making final tweaks to its $35,000-or-less sedan to met 2010 sales target, but is already looking at other applications of its technology.

Tesla buddies up with luxury watchmaker for special edition Roadster (Green Beat)

Tesla Motors will be teaming up with Swiss luxury watch company Tag Heuer to produce a special edition of its Roadster. The company has been fairly quiet since filing for its IPO last month, so this is a fun bit of news: The vehicle will make its debut at the Geneva Auto Show this week. The idea is for both luxury brands to increase their global cachet. Tag, which is unveiling a new tech-savvy watch on March 18, has yet to become a major presence in the U.S., while Tesla is still building its presence in Europe.

Parsing fact from fiction with the Bloom Energy box (CNET)

A company seems to have come out of nowhere, raised loads of money, has retired Gen. Colin Powell on its board, and made some audacious claims about reinventing the energy business. As I dug through last week's news, I asked myself: Is Bloom Energy's public relations blitz to be believed? The short answer, it appears, is "yes." But don't expect miracles.  

New energy group seeks stimulus millions (OC Register)

To hear Greg Trimarche tell it, Orange County is missing out -- big time. "Orange County is not getting anywhere close to their share of stimulus dollars," Trimarche said. "We're getting about 30 percent of the national average." This week, Trimarche, a partner at the Bryan Cave law offices in Irvine, did something about it. With Brandman University, Trimarche launched CleanTech OC, a new trade group dedicated to getting Orange County's share of billions in federal stimulus dollars for clean-energy projects that remain unclaimed.

SolFocus founder turns up the heat with new solar startup b2u Solar (earth2tech)

Gary Conley, the entrepreneur who founded concentrating solar company SolFocus, is at it again. Last month he launched b2u Solar, a startup which uses the sun's heat for industrial applications like drying, curing and commercial baking, and is one of a crop of startups working to take advantage of the higher efficiency potential of heat compared to electricity.

Metrus Energy lands first contract for PPA-style energy efficiency (earth2tech)

Metrus Energy, a startup seeking to popularize a power purchase agreement-like model for investing in building energy efficiency projects, has landed its first contract. The "efficiency services agreement" announced Friday calls for military contractor BAE Systems to upgrade its Merrimack, N.H. manufacturing facility's energy efficiency with Siemens doing the upgrades and Bank of America doing the financing.

Google develops prototype mirror for solar energy (CNET)

Google has developed a prototype for a new mirror technology that could cut by half the cost of building a solar thermal plant, the company's green energy czar said on Friday.

Villaraigosa considers a carbon surcharge for DWP customers (LA Times)

The extra revenue would be used to move the utility from coal to wind, solar and geothermal sources of energy. The mayor wants 20% of the agency's power to come from renewables by December.

A stink in Central California over converting cow manure to electricity (LA Times)

Air-quality rules in the region leave dairy farmers facing costly changes to generators used to burn methane to produce power. Some have put their renewable-energy plans on hold.

Balance Energy quietly building a web of microgrids (earth2tech)

Balance Energy -- a San Diego-based offshoot of British military contractor BAE Systems -- sees the bigger promise of microgrids in the private sector, not as islands of power unto themselves, but as trading partners, making and sharing electricity with each other and the grid at large.

Lease it: Tesla Roadster for (a minimum) $1658 per month (earth2tech)

Here's one way to help unprofitable electric vehicle startup Tesla move into the black: take its electric sports cars the Roadster and the Roadster Sport, which both cost over $100,000, and offer a leasing option. The company, which last month filed to raise up to $100 million in an IPO, now says it will offer the Roadster and the Roadster Sport with a three year, 30,000 mile contract and with monthly payments as low as $1,658.

Cleantech Group nabs $3.2 million to grow green empire (GreenBeat)

The Cleantech Group, the green technology event, research, reporting and consulting company, is having a big week. The first of five annual Cleantech Forums is taking place right now in San Francisco, drawing green investors and entrepreneurs from around the world. And today, the Bay Area company took the stage to announce its own news: a $3.2 million third round of funding that will be used to expand its reach and portfolio of services.

GM brain drain: Chevy Volt leader jumps to California battery start-up (GreenBeat)

General Motors is losing one of the key players on the team developing the Chevrolet Volt -- the hotly-anticipated plug-in vehicle that is supposed to forever change the green vehicle market. And where is Denise Gray, director of global battery systems, going? Where else? A battery startup in California.

Bloom Energy by the numbers (earth2tech)

With the official launch of fuel cell maker Bloom Energy on Wednesday I'm not any more sure if the company can actually deliver on some of its claims, though it has a lot of well-known customers like Google and eBay saying it's delivered on its promises. But the 8-year-old company, which has raised close to $400 million to get it where it is today, put out some new numbers at the event this morning that can help naysers and fans alike figure out what Bloom hopes to achieve.

Orange County officials form clean-tech trade group (LA Times)

Hoping to cut a heftier slice of the "green" funding pie and connect Orange County's far-flung clean-tech network, officials are banding with local companies and groups to launch a clean-tech trade association for the area.

DOE study: Wave technologies could harm marine resources (Greenwire)

Energy technologies that tap waves and tides could disrupt marine resources, the Energy Department found in a recent study. Marine and hydrokinetic technologies that capture energy from waves, tides and currents are poised to make a significant contribution to U.S. power supplies, but there is little known about their environmental impacts, the study says.

Net metering to shine on in New York, California (earth2tech)

Rooftop solar companies are breathing a sigh of relief -- and are getting ready to install more projects in New York and California. That's because legislatures in the two states have passed new rules that boost net metering, an arrangement that allows customers with small-scale solar and wind installations to get credit for the electricity they deliver back to the grid.

CFX Battery pulls $14.2 million, plans to ship by year's end (earth2tech)

"Like gangbusters." That's how Joe Fisher, chief executive for Azusa, Calif.-based startup CFX Battery envisions the company growing in 2010. Of course the lithium-ion battery cell developer will need funds to do that, and Wednesday announced that it has raised $14.2 million in a second round of financing to help it continue research and development, set up production, double its staff and begin its first deliveries.

CivicSolar bags $400,000 to help you choose the right solar panels at the best price (GreenBeat)

With rooftop solar panels becoming increasingly affordable, and more sellers entering the market, residential and commercial consumers alike could very well be paralyzed by choice. Should they go with standard photovoltaics? Thin-film panels? What's a good price? Who do you get to install and maintain them? A startup called CivicSolar says it can answer these questions and deliver the best possible product.