Americans set new record for solar cell efficiency

 

"One of the important ways to make solar energy cheaper is to improve the amount of sunlight that solar cells can convert into electricity. So it’s a big deal to see that First Solar announced on Tuesday that it’s managed to create a record 18.7 percent solar cell, up from the 17.3 percent cell it touted in July 2011."

So writes Ucilia Wang on the popular tech site, GigaOM.

Her story also provides a quick background on the competition between U.S. and Chinese companies in developing solar panels and the debate over whether to make solar cells from silicon or cadmium-telluride.

You’ll find it at:

Related solar energy news  stories: 
First Solar’s news release on its new world record
Ubiquitous Energy sets focus on solar cell technology
The price of solar power

Our most recent posts: 
Two days at the beach–next week in the NJ Legislature
Pa. jury throws book at state supreme court jurist 
Local-level pols adopting Obama’s social media tricks 
So this is a Pennsylvania natural-gas-drilling slowdown? 
 

Americans set new record for solar cell efficiency Read More »

Two days at the beach–next week in the NJ Legislature

The environmental committees in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature have scheduled a joint hearing for Monday to consider six bills that address rebuilding at the Jersey Shore following Superstorm Sandy.

And then the fireworks…

On Friday, March 8, the Democratic majority will conduct the first in a series of hearings on how the state responded to Hurricane Sandy. The focus will be on the politically-volatile topic of the Christie Administration’s award of a shore cleanup contract to the Florida-based debris hauling firm, AshBritt. 

Here’s next week’s lineup:

ASSEMBLY ENVIRONMENT AND SOLID WASTE
3/4/13 9:30 AM
Committee Room 4, 1st Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ
 
For discussion only (no vote):
A-3889  Spencer, L.G. (D-29)
Requires consideration of increased property value due to dune construction in determining compensation provided for condemned beachfront property.
Related Bill: S-2599
      
A-3890  Eustace, T.J. (D-38)
Provides limited exemption from local land use restrictions to allow certain existing structures to be raised to new FEMA base flood elevations.
Related Bill: S-2598
      
A-3891  Spencer, L.G. (D-29)
Permits fifth and sixth class counties to assume control and responsibility for operation and maintenance of beaches bordering Atlantic Ocean.
Related Bill: S-2601
      
A-3892  Spencer, L.G. (D-29)
Establishes criteria and requirements for shore protection project priority list and funding from Shore Protection Fund.
Related Bill: S-2600
      
A-3893  Spencer, L.G. (D-29)
Repeals law providing CAFRA permit exemption for certain grading or excavation of a dune.
Related Bill: S-2602
      
AR-152  Ramos Jr., R.J. (D-33)
Urges U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and FEMA to conduct assessment of damage caused by Hurricane Sandy.
Related Bill: SR-100
     
—————————————————————————————————–

SENATE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY
3/04/13 9:30 AM
Committee Room 4, 1st Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ
 
For discussion only (no vote):
S-2598  Smith, B. (D-17); Whelan, J. (D-2)
Provides limited exemption from local land use restrictions to allow certain existing structures to be raised to new FEMA base flood elevations.
   
S-2599  Whelan, J. (D-2)
Requires consideration of increased property value due to dune construction in determining compensation provided for condemned beachfront property.
      
S-2600  Whelan, J. (D-2)
Establishes criteria and requirements for shore protection project priority list and funding from Shore Protection Fund.
      
S-2601  Smith, B. (D-17)
Permits fifth and sixth class counties to assume control and responsibility for operation and maintenance of beaches bordering Atlantic Ocean.
     
S-2602  Smith, B. (D-17)
Repeals law providing CAFRA permit exemption for certain grading or excavation of a dune.
      
SR-100  Smith, B. (D-17); Bateman, C. (R-16)
Urges U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and FEMA to conduct assessment of damage caused by Hurricane Sandy.  Related Bill: AR-152
  
——————————————————————————————————

Senate Legislative Oversight and Assembly Regulatory Oversight and Gaming.
Joint hearing, 1 p.m., Friday, March 8 at the Statehouse. No room assignment yet.

Our most recent posts:
Pa. jury throws book at state supreme court jurist
Local-level pols adopting Obama’s social media tricks 
So this is a Pennsylvania natural-gas-drilling slowdown? 

Two days at the beach–next week in the NJ Legislature Read More »

Pa. jury throws book at state supreme court jurist

Joan Orie Melvin leaving Allegheny Courthouse (Tribune-Review Photo)






















A jury in Allegheny County today found Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice
Joan Orie Melvin guilty on six out of seven counts of corruption, reports the
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

“Although the jury deadlocked on one charge of official oppression, Melvin, 56,
will likely be stripped of her seat on the state’s highest court, and will likely
lose her pension.

“The jury also found her sister and former staffer Janine Orie, 58, guilty on all
six of the counts she faced. The jury deliberated for 15 hours over four days.

“Melvin, of Marshall and Orie, of McCandless, were also accused of conspiring
to use the employees of a third sister, former state Sen. Jane Orie, for political
work. A judge in June sentenced Jane Orie to 2 1⁄2 to 10 years in prison on
similar charges.”


Our most recent posts: 
Local-level pols adopting Obama’s social media tricks
So this is a Pennsylvania natural-gas-drilling slowdown? 

Pa. jury throws book at state supreme court jurist Read More »

Local-level pols adopting Obama's social media tricks

The skillful use of social media (Facebook, Twitter and emails) by Barack Obama’s team produced great fundraising and voter-turnout results in both of his presidential campaigns. The lesson was not lost on other officeholders and candidates, including those at the state and municipal levels.

A smart way to stay in touch with constituents.

New Jersey Assemblyman Joe Cryan sent the email below alerting his constituents to a timely vote (today in the State Legislature) on a hot topic (gun control).

Setting aside the politics of gun control and focusing on the value of the communication vehicle, we see it serving several purposes:

  1. Brand Building Cryan’s letter reminds constituents who he is and where he stands on an issue of significant public interest.
  2. Lobbying It makes a case for the Assembly’s legislative solutions and asks constituents to pressure members of the NJ Senate to act on those bills.
  3. Media Attention Reporters who read Cryan’s email in advance may consider calling him for comment in the stories they’ll file on the Assembly’s gun-control debate.
  4. Fundraising Winning public office and staying there takes money. Notice the "Donate" button?  

Fast and efficient Prior to the dawn of social media, elected officials had to print and mail letters to constituents. Using email, Facebook and Twitter is much more efficient and costs practically nothing. And because most social media vehicles provide for replies, a politician can take the pulse of voters through almost immediate feedback.    
 





Dear Friends,

In the President’s State of the Union address, President Obama implored Congress to take action on numerous gun safety measures proposed as a result of the tireless work of Vice President Biden and the task force he oversaw. "They deserve a vote" was the President’s plea. I can proudly say to you today that while the United States Congress may be dragging its feet on the President’s request, the New Jersey General Assembly is not. That vote is coming today.
Today the General Assembly will take-up a package of gun safety measures that will include measures to improve school safety, reduce maximum capacity of magazines to 10 rounds, restrict ammunition purchases by known criminals, expand background checks to include certain mental health records in the background check process, and bar individuals on the Federal Terrorism watch list from being able to obtain a firearms identification card or a permit to purchase. These are not extreme measures meant to take away individuals’ Second Amendment rights; these are common sense proposals to make our communities safer in the wake of countless and unnecessary gun violence happenings.
If you’re like me, and believe that enough is enough, I ask you to join my campaign. Follow our efforts on Facebook and Twitter. Let your voice be heard. While much will be accomplished today, the New Jersey Senate still needs to take action on these vital pieces of legislation. Contact your State Senators and let them know that YOU deserve a vote.
Sincerely,

Assemblyman Joseph Cryan



———————————————————————————————————–

Are your local officials reaching out to you via social media?  What’s your reaction? Are you a public official or candidate who is experimenting with social media? If so, we’d love to hear from you. What have you implemented so far? How is it working? What’s next? Let us know in the box below or email us at: editor@enviropolitics.com   


Our most recent posts:
So this is a Pennsylvania natural-gas-drilling slowdown? 
 

Local-level pols adopting Obama's social media tricks Read More »

So this is a Pennsylvania natural-gas-drilling slowdown?


It’s been all the talk. How gas drillers in Pennsylvania can’t get high enough prices for the natural gas they’re fracking due to an oversupply, a manufacturing lull, a still-sagging economy, not-yet-developed markets.You name it.

What we’ve been reading everywhere is that production is off. 

But hold on. Today, Pittsburgh Business Times reporter Anya Litvak writes:

Low gas prices be damned. The state’s Marcellus operators pulled 1.15 trillion cubic feet of gas out of the ground in the second half of 2012, more than during the prior six months, and the six months before that, and the six months before that…

Read Anya’s full story here.

So what’s going on? Are the stories we’ve been reading examples of intentional misdirection? If so, why? Who gains?

Or are they proof that the media needs to learn a lot more about the gas drilling industry’s operations and markets?

Can anyone out there educate us on this?  We’d really like to know.

Our most recent posts:
Activists push for bans on fracking in NJ and NY

So this is a Pennsylvania natural-gas-drilling slowdown? Read More »

Podcast Episode 3: Activists push for a ban on fracking in New Jersey and oppose the lifting of moratorium in New York

Fracking, the controversial drilling technique that uses a high-pressure mix of chemicals, sand and water to blast natural gas free from underground shale rock formations, continues
to make headlines in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

EnviroPolitics interviews environmental critics and business supporters at a hearing in Trenton on a bill to ban fracking (hydrofracturing) in New Jersey. Fracking advocates tout natural gas’s impact on energy costs, jobs and manufacturing. Critics raise concerns about water pollution  environmental degradation and human health.

We also update you on the status of New York’s natural gas drilling moratorium and highlight a new piece of legislation in Pennsylvania that encourages the use of acid mind drainage water in the fracking process 

Click the arrow in the audio player above to launch the broadcast.

Check out previous podcast episodes!

Our most recent posts:
Danger below: What Sandy sunk forces big cleanup
Jersey girl reports from yesterday’s D.C. climate rally 
Senator Lautenberg to retire when his term ends in 2015 
Fracking debate continues where no fracking’s likely
No misprint: Pa enviro group praises Gov. Corbett-twice  

Podcast Episode 3: Activists push for a ban on fracking in New Jersey and oppose the lifting of moratorium in New York Read More »