It's pretty clear at this point that wind and solar are the fastest technologies out of the gate in the renewable energy race. As of late, the Department of Energy has been modeling itself as a true power player in this market. Matter has blogged about DOE's support for geothermal and biofuels projects in the past.

The Department of Energy's most recent announcement provides $5.4 million in funding and technical assistance for solar in 12 major cities. Titled Solar America Cities, the program is part of President Bush's Solar America Initiative (SAI), which aims to make photovoltaic power competitive with traditional sources by 2015. Additional state and industry funds could push the total investment to over $15 million.

Making the annoucement at the New Frontiers in Energy Summit 2008 in Denver, DOE Secretary Samuel Bodman said, "These Solar America Cities aim to jump-start integration of solar power and encourage other cities across the nation to follow suit."

All this cash will help develop local infrastructure and implement programs in solar water heating, photovoltaics, and solar thermal technologies. The big winners, each receiving a $200,000 grant, are: Denver, CO; Houston, TX; Knoxville, TN; Milwaukee, WI; Minneapolis & St. Paul, MN; Orlando, FL; Philadelphia, PA; Sacramento, CA; San Antonio, TX; San Jose, CA; Santa Rosa, CA; and Seattle, WA. Cities were chosen to be diverse in geography and solar experience.

This is the 2nd year of Solar America Cities. DOE provided $5.4 million in funding and technical assistance to 13 cities in 2007. I hope the 2008 crop enjoys their federal largess, because next year it will be a dozen more cities having their moment in the sun.

Side note: Bravo DOE on the surprisingly well-designed graphic on the Solar America Cities page (and this one).

Green building is great. If you're rich and have tens of thousands of extra dollars to spend on a house, right? Maybe, but a new development in Harlem, NYC may help change that. David & Joyce Dinkins Gardens is a newly opening eco-friendly housing facility intended solely for low-income residents (Gmap it). Supporters of Dinkins Gardens also aim to prove that planet light doesn't have to mean wallet heavy. The total cost of the project was just $19.5 million.

"Dinkins Gardens is the new model for affordable housing," said Jonathan Rose, co-developer on the project. "Green projects like these are tremendous investments in the future of the community. By integrating social services, job training, affordable housing and green design, we're modeling what the future of Harlem and New York City -- in fact, cities nationwide -- can be."

Notable sustainable features of the 85 apartment building include:

• Efficient and recycled building materials
• Solar shades to fend off summer heat (and AC bills)
• Individually-ventilated apartments to improve indoor air quality
• Energy Star appliances and light fixtures
• Rainwater harvesting for irrigation and to decrease storm water runoff

Home Depot even provided a grant to help put in a green roof. Man, those guys are doing so much good lately, I'm starting to wonder if they feel guilty about something.

The residences were co-developed by Jonathan Rose Companies, a green urban planning and development firm and Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement (HCCI), a faith-based community group. To top it off, the complex will have apartments reserved for post-foster care system youth, integrate a 25,000 sq ft youth center and has plan for classroom space that HCCI will use to run a job training and placement program. I get the distinct impression I should be doing something more productive right now.

A project to greatly expand coal power generation in Nevada will be too costly and hurt stockholders, according to investment consultants Innovest Strategic Value Advisors.

The investment company says Sierra Pacific Resources, which currently generates 18 percent of its power from coal, would add 11.5 million tons of CO2 annually by building a 1,500 MW plant in Ely. According to Innovest, while most utilities are moving away from coal, Sierra Pacific is taking a step backward with coal, and the risk of likely carbon taxes or carbon caps outweigh the short term financial benefit.

"The company’s failure to incorporate climate related risks and opportunities into its strategy will create significant financial risks for shareholders and ratepayers.” The company says the annual cost of CO2 production at the Ely facility could be as high as $635 million.

Innovest says consumers should also be wary as the increase in the cost of electricity in Nevada has more than doubled the national average during the past eight years. However, while Sierra Pacific has a checkered environmental record, the company has made a power purchase agreement with Acciona Solar Power, so they have to be given some credit for beginning to diversify.

Innovest along with many financial institutions are warning against investments or loans for coal plant expansion. Statements like these drive the perception that coal stocks are a bad investment, which can be sufficient to lower interest on Wall Street, which reduces shareholder value, thus fulfilling the predictions. Since the Innovest announcement on Tuesday, however, Sierra Pacific Resources' stock has actually gone up slightly.

Coal is on the outs with politicians as well. As the Earth Policy Institute points out, between the governor of Kansas denying new coal plant permits to the proposal for a national moratorium on coal plants using current technology, the cost of expanding coal is rising sharply. That's one way to make renewable power such as solar and wind more cost competitive.

The Nevada Public Utility Commission however might be suppressing growth in solar in the state by denying companies the right to lease solar panels or sell power to homeowners. Stoel Rives, one of the leading law practices in energy and environment law, says that the PUC will soon decide whether companies that want to lease space on rooftops and sell the power to the property owners can do so without registering as a utility. If the PUC declares anyone who wants to sell power is a utility, it would chill attempts to generate distributed power in state and slow the emerging business model.

In 2007, 56% of the paper consumed in America was recycled. The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) says that the mark was achieved 5 years sooner than expected. And now the group is setting a new goal of 60% by 2012.

“Industry is demonstrating a real commitment to environmental sustainability by continuing to set and achieve aggressive paper recovery goals,” said AF&PA President and CEO Donna Harman.  “Whether at home, school, or work, paper recovery is something we can all do to make a difference.”

The 54.3 million tons of paper recovered last year amounts to 360 pounds for every person in America. Now, you can certainly argue that with fights over the remaining forest resources and human activity impinging on wildlands , the U.S. should be setting its sights much higher. When you consider that 25 million tons of recycled paper offsets the annual CO2 emissions of 18 million cars, the equation becomes even clearer. However, to put things in perspective, the 2004 paper recycling rate in Europe was only 54.6%.

As we switch over to electronic forms of communication, we'll need less paper. According to the PayItGreen Alliance, the average family can avoid the release of 63 gallons of wastewater and avoid producing 171 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions by receiving and paying bills online.

Unfortunately, the age of the paperless house or office also means mounting piles of e-waste from old computers, CrackBerries, and other trashed electronics. To combat this problem, Canada is considering recycling fees on televisions ($10) and computers ($13). The idea is to encourage manufacturers to make less harmful products, but in the short run, the fees will help pay for depots where consumers can take their lo-def TVs and People PC's for green disposal.