SolarCity Secures $500 M from Goldman Sachs for Solar Lease

SolarCity Corp. has secured financing worth $500 Million from Goldman Sachs Group Inc. to fund rooftop solar system installations this year. The lease-financing agreement will help the California-based company to construct about 110 megawatts of solar power systems with little and even no up-front cost for homeowners and businesses. The deal is the biggest single financing agreement for rooftop systems in the U.S. and will raise awareness of the quality of the solar-lease asset option.

Moniz Unanimously Confirmed as New Energy Chief

In a 97-0 vote, Ernie Moniz has been unanimously named by the U.S. Senate as the next Secretary of Energy. He succeeds Stephen Chu who held the title for four years.  Moniz has background specific to renewable energy as he was former director of MIT’s Energy Initiative. He also held board seats at the Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy Systems. He also has a policy background with previous assignments at the DOE (1997-2001) and the Office of Science and Technology.

Sun Power to Launch Solar Leasing Overseas

Distributed generation and international markets will be the focus for SunPower over the next few years as the company makes a big push for its concentrating PV technology and selling residential leases abroad. The California-based company, which started offering residential leases in the United States two years ago, plans to introduce them in France as well. Overall, SunPower will increase its marketing and sales effort of its leases or other distributed generation products in seven countries: France, Japan, Germany, Australia, Spain, Italy and of course, the United States.

Japan’s Nuclear Regulator Shows Teeth

Japan’s nuclear regulator looks set in delivering a ruling that will permanently shut at least one nuclear plant and possibly more. An advisory board appointed by the Nuclear Regulation Authority said that an earthquake fault running under the country’s oldest reactor at Japan Atomic Power Co.’s Tsuruga plant is active. Laws in Japan prohibits building reactors on active faults and Tsuruga is one of six plants the regulator is probing for active faults after the quake and tsunami off Fukushima in March 2011 caused the meltdown of three reactors.

Solar PV Inverter Giant SMA Prepares to Lay-Off Workers

Global inverter leader SMA AG is preparing for major layoffs amid the global PV market’s first decline in many years. With sales half what they were just two years ago, plans to make the German company leaner must go beyond productivity gains and savings on material cost. Local reports suggest that as much as 1,000 workers will be affected. The majority of the cuts will be in Germany and particularly in the sales and service area. Some say that SMA’s soft results confirm the observation that the solar PV market is getting complicated due to technology shifts as well as pricing pressures.

Auction Rules May Boost the Price of Brazil’s Cheap Wind Power

Prices for wind energy in Brazil, currently the lowest in the world, may rise at least 15% due to policies designed to make Brazil’s power grid more reliable. Under rules announced by the Ministry of Mines and Energy last month, developers must install as much as 15% more generating capacity at new wind farms to make-up for the variable output from turbines. The new protocol requires developers to spend more on equipment and may prompt them to build in locations with less-than-ideal wind conditions that reduce output.

EU Probes Big Oil Firms for Price Fixing

Three of Europe’s biggest oil explorers are among companies being probed by European regulators about potential manipulation of prices in the $3.4 trillion-a-year global crude market. Royal Dutch Shell Plc, BP Plc and Statoil ASA reports that they are being investigated after the European Commission performed raids in three countries to uncover evidence of collusion as price fixing in energy markets has the potential to inflate production costs and consumer prices across the board. The probe underscores how pricing in some energy markets lacks the transparency of financial products such as stocks and corporate bonds.

Solar Manufacturer Suniva Plans Expansion

Suniva, an American manufacturer of high-efficiency/ cost-effective PV modules, says it is expanding its operations in Georgia thanks to unprecedented demand this year. The expansion amounts to some equipment upgrades at its manufacturing plant as well as the addition of 48 employees so that its module assembly operation can increase from one shift to a 24×7 operation. It should be noted that Suniva is among the smaller suppliers to the U.S. market, so its expansion may not cause a big shift in the manufacturing landscape. Suniva’s business typically serves projects sized from 200 kW up to 6 MW.

When One Plus One Equals Negative Three: A Collaborative Approach to Community Energy Reduction

There’s a saying “One plus one equals three,” that illustrates the common observation of a ‘whole’ of something being greater than the sum of its parts. When it comes to achieving energy efficiency, the more appropriate wording might be “One plus one equals negative three.” Or in Temple City’s case, “One plus one equals negative 27,940.”

At our first meeting this year, my fellow City Council and I passed the Energy Action Plan, a strategy that identifies specific goals and measures to achieve communitywide reductions in energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. By 2020, one of our targets is reducing GHG emissions by 27,940 metric tons of carbon dioxide (MTCO₂e).

For those like myself, who need help understanding “27,940 MTCO₂e,” the EPA has a great tool that calculates GHG equivalencies. As it turns out, achieving our target would essentially be like asking 4,183 homes to stop using electricity for a year. Taken at once, this large and looming reduction may seem overwhelming. But let’s break it down.

If we recognize that sustainability is a shared responsibility—of the State and City leading by policy and example; and of community members by taking small actions to reduce individual carbon footprints—we can and will be able to achieve incremental gradual reductions.

New measures being implemented by the State on building and vehicle codes are already automatically reducing our community’s emissions by more than 10,000 MTCO₂e. So in reality, the target we’re really aiming for is 17,470 MTCO₂e. And further chipping away at this number, the City has been committed to making energy upgrades in facilities and operations.

Between 2006 and 2010, we have reduced emissions by 7,900 MTCO₂e, a cool 4 percent; with planned lighting upgrades in civic facilities, public parking lots and Temple City streets to eliminate an additional 100 MTCO₂e. Other measures, like replacing outdated air conditioning units and planting more canopy trees for shade and natural cooling, will also help.

Though it was only recently that we identified a specific target reduction via the Energy Action Plan, we’ve been active in integrating sustainability into our new projects—including our ongoing capital improvement program.

The Rosemead Boulevard Project now under construction not only incorporates the energy-efficient lighting and climate-appropriate plants mentioned above, but it is recognized as the State’s first true “complete street” project. By designing for the safety and comfort of all roadway users, the “complete street” aims to encourage community members to consider alternative mobility options like walking, biking and public transit, not just driving.

Many of our other projects—like the Las Tunas Drive revitalization effort, community transit study, Bicycle Master Plan and Downtown Parking Study—also emphasize a “multimodal” approach to get people out of their cars and reducing Temple City’s overall carbon footprint.

Within the community, residents and businesses can also take small steps that, while subtle at the individual level, become impactful when everybody’s contributions are added—or subtracted—together.

To take the earlier example of reducing electricity consumption, instead of asking 2,615 homes to bear the full burden of stopping power usage for one year, we can instead encourage all homes—all 10,000 Temple City households—to reduce their energy use by just a quarter to achieve the same result. Working together and spreading the responsibility communitywide makes the GHG reduction more tolerable.

Plus, depending on how creative you get, there’s no doubt the journey to energy reduction can even be even fun.  As we focus on community building and fostering neighborly connections in Temple City, we’re realizing that cutting down on energy use can be as painless as going to your neighbor’s home to watch your favorite television show together—using one instead of two TVs; or even skipping TV altogether and taking a nice evening stroll for half an hour. The possibilities are endless.

At first glance, there’s no doubt that the Energy Action Plan can look like a boring, restrictive document that tells us what we can and can’t do to save energy. But if we look beyond “one plus one equals two,” we can create our own path to energy reduction and efficiency—one that fosters collaborative action. Not only are we reducing energy use, but also recharging our neighborhoods.

MEET MAYOR CYNTHIA STERNQUIST

Cynthia Sternquist is Mayor of the City of Temple City, a small suburban community in the Greater Los Angeles region. She has served on Council since 2011 with 19 years of previous experience on the Parks and Recreation Commission. As mayor, one of Sternquist’s top priorities is to lead a revival of the neighborhoods—fostering community interaction and promoting civic engagement through neighborhood block parties and townhall meetings.

SolarCity Slips as Investments Drives Losses

SolarCity Corp., the second-largest U.S. solar company by market value, slumped the most in more than two months after posting a first-quarter loss related to increased investments in rooftop systems. The California-based company fell 12 percent to $31.44 at the close in New York, the most since March 7. SolarCity has invested $138.2 million to install solar systems, up 65 percent, as demand for rooftop panels surged.  The company said it is boosting spending to build projects that will deliver long-term revenue. The company said in January that installations will rise 60 percent to 250 megawatts this year, from 156 megawatts in 2012.

Sharp’s Solar Unit Losses Narrows After Incentives Introduction

Sharp Corp.’s loss at its solar unit narrowed after a boom in panel installations in Japan following the introduction of an incentive program in July. The company reported an operating loss of 4.4 billion yen for the year that ended March 31, compared with 21.9 billion yen a year ago. Sharp is one of the solar panel makers that is benefiting from strong demand in Japan thanks to the feed-in tariff program which pays above-market rates for clean energy such as solar and wind.

U.S. Revises Historic CO2 Reading

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration revised down readings that showed the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere surpassed a level not seen for 3 million years. Preliminary data for May 9 shows a concentration of 400.03 ppm at the Mauna Loa monitoring station in Hawaii. The figure has now been revised down to 399.89 ppm, and is still deemed preliminary.  While hourly measurements have frequently surpassed 400 ppm in the past month, the daily level has not. Readings for May 11, shows 399.46 ppm, the same level as shown by separate readings taken at the same observatory by the University of California,  which uses different equipment to analyze its data.

ClearSky Advisors Evaluates Solar Market in Latin America

ClearSky Advisors has recently valuated the attractiveness of each market in Latin America by quantifying the relevant fundamental and political factors which will drive solar installations over the next several years. Factors include solar radiation, the cost of electricity, current PV market maturity, effectiveness of existing solar policies as well as economic and investment risks. Given these factors, the most promising solar PV markets in Latin America are Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Peru and the Dominican Republic. While these countries are not the only opportunities in the region, they do represent the strongest overall markets when evaluated on both political and fundamental factors.

Belt-tightening in Washington hasn’t yet hit the Department of Energy (DOE). Its fiscal year (FY) 2014 Congressional Budget Request of $28.415 billion represents an increase of 5.2% and 8.0% from the FY 2013 annualized budget and the current FY 2012 budget, respectively, see Figure 1.  The requested allocation for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) for FY 2014 is also a brighter picture, at $2.775 billion, a 52% and 56% increase from 2013 and 2012 budgets, respectively.

That’s the request, at least. If recent history is any indication, the budget is certain to be cut, perhaps substantially. For FY 2012, Congress approved about 89%, or $26.320 billion, of the total DOE request. However, only 56%, or $1.780 billion, of the requested allocations for EERE survived the axe.

Sources: U.S. Department of Energy.

EERE Is Not a Priority

It may be a surprise to some, but EERE programs are not major priorities for the DOE. Weapons activities, nuclear nonproliferation, naval reactors and other defense-related initiatives absorb a major part of its budget. This is in keeping with the department’s DNA that descends from the Manhattan Project and a long lineage of atomic and nuclear commissions. These programs constitute about 64% of the 2012 enacted budget. EERE allocations were significantly smaller, comprising about 6.8% of enacted budgets in both 2011 and 2012.

What is EERE, exactly? According to the DOE, “The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) supports clean energy research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RD&D) activities on technologies and practices that help meet national security, environmental, and economic goals.” EERE programs are classified as Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, or Crosscutting.

Renewable Energy RD&D programs include solar, wind, hydro, and biomass, as well as geothermal and hydrogen technologies and fuel cells. Energy Efficiency covers well-known vehicle efficiency initiatives as well as more obscure projects such as advanced manufacturing and building technologies. It also covers the federal government’s own use of energy as well as activities to help state, local, U.S. territory, and tribal governments achieve their energy efficiency and renewable energy goals. Crosscutting initiatives cover funding for facilities and infrastructure, as well as overhead and communication and outreach. EERE prioritizes its RD&D work according to its impact; ability to make a large difference relative to current private sector activities; openness to broad problems, new ideas, approaches, and performers; economic benefit; and level of government responsibility.

Major funding shifts for FY 2014 include large increases in allocations for Vehicle Technologies and Advanced Manufacturing. Most programs show increased funding for FY 2014. Only Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies and Wind Power show a reduction. Bioenergy Technologies is a new function that takes over Biomass and Biorefinery Systems RD&D from previous years. Similarly, Advanced Manufacturing is a new activity evolved from Industrial Technologies funded in previous years.

Requested Budgets Rise

EERE allocations have shown interesting trends over the years. A breakdown of 2000 to 2014 allocations for wind, hydrogen, biomass, and solar renewable energy programs is given in Figure 2. Most notable is the steady increase in funding solar with a requested allocation in FY 2014 exceeding $350 million. Bioenergy technologies have seen strong support since 2000, and projected 2014 spending is in excess of $250 million. Hydrogen energy technologies have seen the biggest swings. From FY 2004 to FY 2010, hydrogen exceeded or was on par with biomass and solar, only to fall from grace in FY 2011. Wind energy allocations have remained the poor boy of EERE funding, with requested allocations the lowest of the four since 2004.

Figure 2: FY 2000 to FY 2014 EERE budget allocations for renewable programs.

Yet, considering bang for your buck, wind power has been a winner. Total cumulative allocations for wind power from FY 2000 through FY 2012 have been substantially lower in real dollars ($622 million) than for hydrogen ($1.446 billion), biomass ($1.787 billion), and solar ($1.873 billion), even though wind capacity additions over the same period have far outstripped the others. Possibly, as an investment for the future, it’s a wise decision to fund losing programs such as solar and hydrogen, neither of which has yet to make a substantial impact. Energy is not a horse race, but a betting person would put his/her dollars on wind.

It’s uncertain what Congress will approve for 2013 and 2014, but if history is an indicator, renewable energy and energy efficiency programs will suffer disproportionate cuts from the congressional knife. In actuality, however, much of the damage is already done, since the amount requested for these programs is insufficient to begin with. Add this to faulty decision making, such as the failed $535 million loan guarantee to Solyndra, an amount that alone is equal to about 20% of the total 2014 EERE request.

It seems like our government’s message to “energy research, development, demonstration, and deployment activities necessary to meet national security, environmental, and economic goals” is “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.”

The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author Dr. Barry Stevens, an accomplished business developer and entrepreneur in technology-driven enterprises. He is the founder of TBD America Inc., a global technology business development group. In this role, he is responsible for leading the development of emerging and mature technology driven enterprises in the shale gas, natural gas, renewable energy and sustainability industries. To learn more about TBD America, please visit: http://tbdamericainc.com/

Ted Turner Partners with Southern Co., Creates Solar Odd Couple

Ted Turner – a climate-change crusader, and Southern Co. – one of the largest coal-burners in the U.S, have found a common interest in developing giant solar farms. As investment costs drops, they have jointly purchased five projects to make Southern one of the largest U.S. utility owners of solar energy. The partnership, initiated by Turner’s camp, is all the more surprising given Southern Co.’s campaigns to quash laws requiring utilities to buy renewable energy, a cause that is intensely supported by the CNN television network founder.

Solar PV Manufacturer Prepares for Layoffs; Sells Equipments

According to a report from the Oregonian, SoloPower – a manufacturer of photovoltaic solar modules- sold thousands of dollars worth of equipment from its California headquarters last week as the company prepares to lay-off more workers. The auction of the company’s California equipment came a week after the company laid off 61 employees in California. The company also intends to cut 33 more jobs in California in June and will shut down its plant in North Portland.

Wind World Overtakes Suzlon as India’s Top Wind Turbine Supplier

Data from the Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers’ Association shows that Wind World Ltd., formerly known as Enercon Ltd., is now India’s top wind turbine supplier after installing 454 megawatts of turbine capacity last fiscal year. Suzlon Energy Ltd. ceded its position of being the top turbine supplier for the first time in at least a decade by trailing with only 415 megawatts of installations, while ReGen Powertech Pvt. was third with 273 megawatts. Suzlon has reported that it struggled to carry out orders due to a lack of working capital in the past three quarters.

Dowa Increases Silver Output for Japanese Solar Demand

Dowa Holdings Co. , Japan’s biggest silver producer, will increase output by 40%  this year to meet solar-cell demand after the 2011 Fukushima disaster sidelined a nuclear power plant thus causing a surge in  the costs of  fossil fuel . The Tokyo-based company plans to produce 500 metric tons of silver this year, aiming to jump from its 357-ton output last year.  This year, Japan is expected to become the largest solar market after China as the Japanese government seeks alternative sources of energy following the earthquake and tsunami that prompted the shutdown of all but two of the nation’s nuclear reactors.

UK Postpones Smart Meter Rollout by One Year

The U.K. delays its mass installation of smart meters by a year as suppliers struggle with design glitches and delayed testing. The full-scale release of more than 50 million meters will now run from the fall of 2015 to the end of 2020. The government initially planned to install the units from 2014 through 2019. The program is aimed at cutting energy use, emissions and consumer bills by providing users with information on the power consumption of appliances through the use of computerized meters. Utilities will be required to install them in customers’ homes, and can recover the costs through bills.

Greenhouse Gas Hits Numbers Unseen in 3 Million Years

The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere surpassed a threshold not seen for 3 million years, exceeding 400 parts per million for the first time since researchers began tracking the data. The main greenhouse gas blamed for global warming averaged 400.03 parts per million at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Mauna Loa monitoring station in Hawaii on May 9. The level is considered a landmark by scientist. Experts claim that the last time CO2 levels were this high was at least 3 million years ago – where temperatures were 2 to 3 degrees Celsius higher than pre-industrial times, the polar ice caps were much smaller, and sea levels were about 66 feet higher than today.

Group Asks Libous to Refrain From N.Y. Fracking Vote

The New York Water Rangers, a coalition of 10 environmental groups, is calling on state Senator Tom Libous to refrain himself from fracking deliberations after his ties to a real estate company with a natural-gas lease were revealed. The organization asks that the New York senator should stop blocking a vote on extending a ban on hydraulic fracturing for two years. Libous’ campaign donor and business partner, Luciano Piccirilli, operates a drilling company that has leased gas rights to a 230 acre property owned by Libous’s wife. The push comes amid calls to clean up Albany after two senators and an assemblyman, all Democrats from the New York City area, have been accused in corruption cases by federal authorities.

China Merchants to Invest $489 Million in Solar Farms

China Merchants New Energy Group, a Hong Kong-based renewable-energy developer, will structure a joint venture with Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Investment Co. to invest $489 million to build about 300 megawatts of solar power plants in China’s western region of Xinjiang by 2015. The plan comes after China Merchants in August agreed to tie-up with GCL-Poly Energy Holdings Ltd, the biggest maker of polysilicon, to build about 973 megawatts of solar power projects in China. China Merchants last year received as much as 10 billion yuan of financing from China Development Bank Corp. to develop solar farms.

MidAmerican Plans to Invest $1.9 Billion of Wind Farms in Iowa

A unit of Warren Buffett’s MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co. looks to invest $1.9 billion to build additional wind farms in Iowa. MidAmerican Energy Co., Iowa’s largest utility, is planning to build as much as 1,050 megawatts of new wind power plants in the state, adding to about 2,285 megawatts of projects that it already owns and operates. The projects may include as many as 656 new wind turbines to be completed by the end of 2015. The proposal still requires approval from the Iowa Utilities Board.

PJM Could Save Customers $7 Billion per Year through Wind Energy

According to a study by Americans for a Clean Energy Grid and Synapse Energy Economics, the PJM Interconnection could save its customers around $6.9 billion if it more than doubled the amount of wind energy it currently plans to build. The study is based on an extensive assumption set, including load, resource mix, transmission system configuration, fuel prices, and operational constraints. Using production cost modeling and capital investment accounting tool, Synapse computed production cost and energy market impacts from the wind cases, relative to the base case; and determined that increasing the amount of PJM wind will lead to incrementally greater wind performance and higher production cost efficiencies.

EU Carbon Trading Scheme  Sinks

Launched in 2005, the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) was meant to be the centerpiece of Europe climate policies and a pioneer that other countries would replicate. Its goal was to drive down carbon emissions by setting limits on emissions and allot allowances in the form of permits that would make fossil fuels more costly and the price of renewables more attractive. But the ETS never lived up to its hype because the number of permits issued was too great from the onset, which pushed the price of carbon down to less than 10 euros a ton. Experts say that permits would have to cost at least 30 euros a ton in order to dissuade companies from using high-carbon-emitting fuels.  The ineffective ETS continues to sink and will continue to do so until it drowns altogether.

EU May Set Up to 67.9% of Tariff on Chinese Solar Panels

The European Union is said to be planning to impose levies of as much as 67.9 % on solar panels from China to counter unfair pricing, a practice also known as dumping. The European Commission expects to introduce the levies by June 6 to punish Chinese solar manufacturers for selling panels in the 27-nation EU below cost. The commission opened a dumping probe last September and is due to end early in December, by which time EU governments must decide whether to impose “definitive” anti-dumping duties for five years. European companies are demanding disciplinary tariffs to counter growing competition from China following similar U.S. trade protection.

Britain Urges Incentives for Low-Carbon Investments

The U.K. government drafted plans to encourage $170 billion of investment in the electricity sector needed to replace aging power stations and enhance the power grid by 2020. Queen Elizabeth II, opening the new legislative session in Parliament in London, has announced proposals to guarantee power prices for renewable generators and nuclear plants through so-called contracts for difference. The new Energy Bill will also ensure the security of electricity supply by paying producers for backup supplies when wind, solar and marine power fall short.

India to Impede Penalties on $1 Billion of Solar Thermal Plants

India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is looking to defer penalties on about $1 billion of solar-thermal power projects that are held up by equipment issues, lack of water, and financing difficulties. Seven projects adding up to 470 MW in capacity that were to be ready by May, are still not operational.  The projects could potentially forfeit about $42.5 million in performance pledges, according to rules when the contracts were awarded in December 2010.

Senate Energy Committee Submits Hydro Power Bills to Full Senate for Voting

Three pieces of hydroelectric power legislation have received approval from the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, positioning them for voting in the full Senate. Included on the committee’s agenda are: The Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act of 2013, The Hydropower Improvement Act of 2013 and The Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act. Support for these bills has been strong from both the Republican and Democratic parties, indicating a commitment to include hydroelectricity as part of President Barack Obama’s energy plan.

EU Carbon Disaster Stirs Australia as Polluters Win

The surprising collapse in European carbon prices is ruining Australia’s budget assumptions just as corporate resistance to the market weakens in the developed world’s biggest per capita polluter. The cost of permits on London’s ICE Futures Europe exchange, swiftly becoming the benchmark price for Australia, fell to a record 2.75 Euros ($3.60) a metric ton last month- which is 12% of the $A29 ($29.50) that the country was counting on. Australia agreed in August 2012 to link its carbon market with the EU system, and the drop in prices is strengthening the hand of carbon-market opponents and causes dread to Australia due to exploitation concerns. This also means that tax cuts will be deferred and the budget will have to be revised before it’s delivered on May 14.

Being in the commercial contracting industry for many years, I’ve had opportunities to see first hand the implementation of green building materials and factors that qualify for LEED certification. My real passion and life’s work is in the realm of eco-friendly use of facilities such as hotels. From my perspective, there’s much more to the process than just LEED certification. There’s a lot more to consider when making accommodations eco friendly.

As an example, factors of a responsible tourism award show by The Wild Asia Responsible Tourism Awards, an Asian-based accommodation provider include a number of aspects. Categories range from community engagement and development to cultural preservation. Other categories include protection of natural areas and/or wildlife conservation, as well as resource efficiency. These all have a crucial stake in the future of our planet.

What does this mean? Well, it can involve the serving of local foods or even the installation of faucets and showerheads with automatic shut-off valves to save energy. A major destination in Las Vegas has worked to fill its facilities with various items that meet LEED certified standards. Recently the Las Vegas Palazzo Resort was named Most Eco-Friendly Hotel in America. This is due to its self-sustaining elements and constant reuse of its own waste. With the amount of green hotels in Las Vegas going up, others need follow suite.

Hotels in NYC are also striving to reduce their carbon footprints through waste recycling and self-sustainability efforts. The ink48 Hotel features a program known as Earthcare. This program allows members to discuss what they’ve done to make a positive impact on the planet and brainstorm ideas about what they can continue to do in the future.

It’s refreshing and hopeful to see businesses taking a stride in the right direction by making their facilities operate sustainably. It’s even better when I’ve been able to contribute directly to such efforts. Just last year, Las Vegas boasted more than 124,000 hotel rooms and nearly 40,000,000 travelers. It’s a no brainer to think that every travel business owner should be making efforts to incorporate eco- friendly accommodations for their valued guests.