General Electric Company (GE) is promoting a new standard in LED lighting for consumer use. Although the new LED technology from GE may be expensive for now, the company could be, once more, changing how the world looks at light bulbs.

According to GE, this new LED technology produces a quality of light similar to that of the old incandescent light bulbs, but which is so efficient it has been awarded Energy Star designation. No other similar LED light bulb has yet accomplished that. Better yet, the new GE LED bulbs contain none of the harmful lead which makes today's compact florescent light bulbs rather undesirable.

Continue reading General Electric Brings Another Bright Idea

General Electric Brings Another Bright Idea originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 08 Dec 2010 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If you still doubt that the next bubble will be green, check out the latest from California. Green and clean technology gigs surged 36% from 1995 to 2008, beating the state's overall 13% job-growth rate for the same period, according to Silicon Valley-based research firm Collaborative Economics. Since California's on the leading edge of this sector, many see it as a sign of things to come for the rest of the country.

As of January 2008, there were only 159,000 green jobs in California, less than 1% of the state's total, following year-over-year growth of 5%. But, during that same period, total jobs in the state dropped 1%, suggesting that jobs in sustainability just might be more sustainable. Though these may seem like small numbers, keep in mind that the green sector job market is twice the size of the state's biotech presence and two-thirds the size of the software industry.

Continue reading California tops U.S. for green jobs

California tops U.S. for green jobs originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Martin Wolf: Green energy will require a green tax code

Martin Wolf: Green energy will require a green tax code originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

How do you know the green finance sector has arrived? Well, it got its first Ponzi scheme! Allegedly.

The SEC filed charges against four people and two companies in a Denver federal court on Monday. Mantria Corp. and its principals, Troy Wragg and Amanada Knorr, stand accused of running raising $122 million from more than 300 investors in what could be a dozen fraudulent offers of securities. Mantria engaged Speed of Wealth LLC, run by Wayde and Donna McKelvy, to dump the cash out of their retirement plans and tap their home equity to "invest" in Mantria, which they said was offering returns ranging from 17% to "hundreds of percent" every year.

Continue reading Ponzi goes green, SEC in pursuit

Ponzi goes green, SEC in pursuit originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We're tired of bubbles, right? Anyone 30 or older has lived through two big ones so far, with a brief period of prosperity separating the decimation of dot-com largesse and mortgage-fueled paper wealth. It could take until 2014 for the jobs lost to be replenished, and there's little reason for optimism.

So, with the economy in the tank, we can focus elsewhere -- maybe on saving the planet. If we can't put green in our wallets, maybe we can add some to our lifestyles. Or, you could do both. Green technology could be the next boom in the United States, even if we do lag some parts of the world, and investing in clean solutions is really nothing other than investing in the next big thing. Even if you don't give a damn about climate change (or don't think it exists at all), the green market could likely become your employer -- or trigger the economic growth that will create your next job.

Some signs are visible already.

Continue reading Five signs that green is the next bubble

Five signs that green is the next bubble originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Rajendra Pachauri, U.N. climate scientist, has good news and bad news. I'll give you the latter first: eat less meat. Doing so will help slow global warming. The good news, also related to climate change, is that Pachauri, chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for the United Nations, investing in green technologies now is a smart move. So, by following Pachauri's advice, you cut down on your meat but reward yourself with a decent investment return.

If you take his advice as a whole (pretending you don't know you can do one part without the other), it's like getting paid to eat your veggies. Everyone who's been five years old at some point knows that being given green to eat green is ample motivation. The fun part, here, is that you're financing it by investing in green. It all matches!

Continue reading U.N.: Eat less meat, invest in green

U.N.: Eat less meat, invest in green originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Venture capital investment in clean technology grew 10% from the second quarter to the third this year. According to a report by the Cleantech Group and Deloitte, 134 companies received investments of $1.59 billion - up from $1.2 billion in the second quarter. The sector's upward trajectory continues, with last quarter marking the second in a row of double-digit growth. In the first quarter of 2009, venture capital investment in cleantech companies hit a low of $1 billion.

The strong third quarter has made the cleantech sector the largest in the venture capital business, according to the Cleantech Group, pulling ahead of biotech. Twenty-seven percent of venture capital funds invested in the second quarter of 2009 went to cleantech companies - up from 3% at the beginning of 2004.

Continue reading Cleantech VC funding up in Q3

Cleantech VC funding up in Q3 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

GreenBytes, a unique data storage appliance company, has just received an $8 million Series A round of investment financing. Battery Ventures completed the deal, which provides fresh resources for the Rhode Island-based energy-efficient technology company.

Founded in 2007, GreenBytes offers network attached storage (NAS) and storage area network (SAN) solutions that reduce energy consumption, providing a cost savings opportunity while also addressing corporate social responsibility considerations.

Continue reading Green data storage firm picks up $8 million Series A round

Green data storage firm picks up $8 million Series A round originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading If U.S. isn't careful, China will turn clean tech into massive, dollar-green tech

If U.S. isn't careful, China will turn clean tech into massive, dollar-green tech originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If you want to feel like what you do for a living makes a difference, you'll soon face an embarrassment of riches.

The alternative energy industry -- the green business -- is about to ramp up its hiring, with the next year likely to show an increase in demand, according to U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis.

Continue reading Green jobs coming, thanks to investors

Green jobs coming, thanks to investors originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 11 Aug 2009 12:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

But, in reality, policy is coalescing and here is one trend that's likely to be a feature of the new economy: economic expansion through investment and increased exports, and not through consumption.

Continue reading 'Green' sectors may be several 'shoots' of new U.S. economy

'Green' sectors may be several 'shoots' of new U.S. economy originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

A great deal of the new technology that U.S. car companies are showing at the big auto show in Detroit is based on the U.S. car industry's plans to "go green." Some of those programs are based on electric cars. Others are based on ethanol hybrids.

According to Reuters, "the stars of the show were a slew of new or improved fuel-efficient and eco-friendly 'green' cars like the Toyota Prius and Chevrolet Volt."

Some analysts think The Big Three are too late to the table with "green" cars and that Japan has too big a lead. That may not be the problem at all.

Often cars powered with alternative fuels are more expensive than gas-driven cars. All that modern technology costs something. Consumers are looking at gas in the $1.70 range and oil prices moving toward $30 a barrel. Car buyers are often short-sighted. Why buy a hybrid when a gas car is inexpensive to operate? Oil prices may not go back up for two or three years. Maybe.

"Green" may not sell because the price of filling up an "old style" car has become remarkably cheap again.

Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.

Detroit's 'green' plans may be dead on arrival originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Honda (HMC) makes plans for new affordable hybrid

Honda (HMC) makes plans for new affordable hybrid originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 21 May 2008 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Josh Wolfe is best known for his industry-leading expertise in nanotechnology and likewise his focus is often on small, emerging growth companies.

But ironically, one of his core 'buys' is a company that ranks among the biggest of the big: General Electric (NYSE: GE). In his Forbes/Wolfe Emerging Tech Report, he looks at GE and its leading role in "green" technology.

"General Electric disappointed investors when its quarterly earnings recently fell for the first time in 5 years. Profits fell 5.8% to $4.3 billion and revenues rose 8% to $42.2 billion, short of the expected $44 billion.

"Moreover, GE reduced its 2008 annual earnings forecast, citing seizure of credit markets for struggling operations in its consumer and commercial finance divisions.

"'Green' has become transparent at GE. The missing ingredient to BP's green appeal, it seems, was some element of independent accountability. In 2005, when General Electric CEO Jeffery Immelt launched GE's own brand of green initiative, ecomagination, he hired New York consultant firm GreenOrder to keep score.

Continue reading Ecomagination: Going green with General Electric (GE)

Ecomagination: Going green with General Electric (GE) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 20 May 2008 11:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Venture capitalist Bill Joy: choose green tech over internet investments originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 17 Oct 2007 19:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

There are a whole lot of things to like right now about Trina Solar Limited (NYSE: TSL), the Chinese manufacturer of solar modules. The stock opened the year at $18.86 and closed Wednesday, August 8, at $62.08. Not a bad run up. Yes, the company is basically a start up, being in production only since 2004, and investors must be able to tolerate a high level of risk with patience. But the company is expanding on a variety of fronts while still maintaining a healthy enough balance sheet. Trina Solar 1Q 2007 earnings release back in May indicated a very positive investment scenario (the 2Q release is scheduled for August 23).

Despite the fact that the 1Q figures pertained to the winter quarter, generally a slow time for solar technology companies, Trina Solar posted a 10% increase in net revenues, to $42.5 million, from the previous quarter, but a staggering 194% (not a typo) increase from 1Q 2006. Gross profits from the quarter increased 5.3% to $9.5 million, and net income increased 7.3% to $4.7 million. Bear in mind Trina Solar posted these figures despite higher prices for raw materials and a decline in per unit price. Demand for solar technology continues unabated. Trina Solar shipped 17% more units by volume in 1Q 2007 than in 4Q 2006. That increase in volume meant Trina Solar produced and shipped 300% more solar watts in 1Q 2007 than 1Q 2006, and has plans to accelerate increases in both unit and watt volume.

Trina Solar is still in a rapid expansion phase, as is only to be expected from a company dealing in newer forms of technology. The company recently completed testing on its new line of increasing efficient solar modules and plans to market these modules to new and existing customers in Germany, Spain and Italy. At full manufacturing capacity, Trina Solar expects to produce 50 million solar watts with this product line. CEO Jifan Gao forecasts that Trina Solar will ship 87-80 million watts worth of solar modules in FY 2008, generating net revenues in the $270-$300 million range. Perhaps the wider investment community will hear of Trina Solar during the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

Trina Solar (TSL) shining brightly originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 11 Aug 2007 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Socially conscious investors may want to grab a copy of this week's (April 2, 2007) edition of FORTUNE magazine, which is all about the greening of corporate America. No longer can companies merely not pollute: The double bottom line of both economic profitability and social responsibility demands that companies re-engineer themselves and their products to be as environmentally friendly as possible.

Companies that are ahead of the game will prosper. Companies that lag behind in environmentalism will be punished by investors as well as the media. The article "Green is Good" summarizes the green activities of 10 well known companies that stand to reap rewards for their environmentally sensitive manufacturing and operational practices. Companies taking the lead towards a low-carbon economy are:

Continue reading Companies going green to make the green

Companies going green to make the green originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 04 Apr 2007 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

A couple weeks ago I wrote an article about B5 blend biodiesel now being produced by Aquaflow Bionomic Corporation Ltd. in New Zealand. At that time I promised to provide their prospectus when it became available. I've received an email from them indicating that the prospectus is now available. If you would like to view their prospectus, either as a PDF file or as hard copy, contact Aquaflow by using this link: Aquaflow Bionomic Corp.

This is not intended as an endorsement of Aquaflow or B5 biodiesel. I'm simply providing this information as a direction for readers to investigate if they are believers in the advancement of alternate fuels. For right now, information from Aquaflow is actually rather scant, but they are working directly with the government of New Zealand, and you may wish to contact either or both of them. This situation involves overseas investment in brand new technology -- please do be careful.

B5 biodiesel consists of 5% fuel processed from algae that flourishes in sewage settling ponds, blended with 95% currently available fuels. This could translate as an unending fuel source that will be perpetually obtainable. It's a solid investment idea as long as people keep eating and ... well, you know. Possible downsides to putting dollars into backing this fuel include the newness of the technology use and its limited scale. This is an investment idea that should be researched extensively before jumping into. Technology in its infancy can be a tough game to play, but the rewards can be phenomenal.

Investing in Aquaflow B5 Biodiesel may be worth considering originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 12 Jan 2007 15:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

GE to invest $50 million in green technologies in China originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 31 May 2006 09:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

GE's Ecomagination shows profits up and orders doubled originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 17 May 2006 15:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.