Clean energy

Video

How this ‘tethered energy drone’ can help produce affordable clean energy with a small footprint

by Lisa Stiffler on August 23, 2019August 27, 2019 at 9:13 am 4 Comments

David Schaefer hesitates to call his technology a kite. It’s modeled on the same concept — a lightweight sail or wing with a frame that’s tethered to the Earth —… Read More

GeekWire Calendar Picks: The history of computers; tech’s role in clean energy policy; and more

by Nicole Tanner on June 14, 2019June 17, 2019 at 11:33 amComment

— Computers, at least the ones somewhat resembling what we know today, have been around since the mid-20th Century. Seattle is lucky enough to have some of the original gems… Read More

Starbucks taps Seattle startup LevelTen in first-of-its-kind clean energy deal

by James Thorne on June 5, 2019June 5, 2019 at 10:43 amComment

Starbucks has struck a first-of-its-kind clean energy deal that will generate enough power to run 3,000 of its stores by 2021. To pull it off, the coffee giant worked with… Read More

Clean energy marketplace LevelTen Energy raises $20.5M to help companies ‘go green’

by James Thorne on June 3, 2019June 5, 2019 at 9:22 amComment

Several years ago, LevelTen CEO Bryce Smith saw that companies such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Apple were starting to buy up renewable projects in a major way. He smelled… Read More

Video

Bill Gates touts €100 million venture fund for Breakthrough Energy Ventures Europe

by Alan Boyle on May 28, 2019May 28, 2019 at 3:24 pm 2 Comments

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is celebrating the official launch of Breakthrough Energy Ventures Europe, an investment fund that aims to boost clean-energy innovation in Europe to the tune of 100… Read More

Washington passes ‘strongest clean energy policy’ in nation with carbon neutrality mandate by 2030

by Monica Nickelsburg on April 24, 2019April 24, 2019 at 2:48 pm 7 Comments

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee wants his state to become the green standard in the fight against climate change, and he just secured a big victory in pursuit of that goal.… Read More

Amazon Web Services adds more clean energy to its cloud with three new wind farm deals

by Tom Krazit on April 8, 2019April 8, 2019 at 10:37 am 3 Comments

More than 229 megawatts of clean power will be added to Amazon Web Services’ data centers by the end of 2021 through three new wind farm deals announced Monday by… Read More

Video

Clean-energy Buds: Rising Seattle startup Drift teams with King of Beers in Super Bowl promotion

by Kurt Schlosser on February 1, 2019February 1, 2019 at 10:02 amComment

Budweiser is back at the Super Bowl, as usual, with another high-profile commercial in the contest for eyeballs, clicks and chatter among Monday morning advertising quarterbacks. The biggest beer company… Read More

Washington Gov. Inslee proposes ‘Clean Energy Smart Deal’ for next state legislative session

by Gregory Scruggs on December 11, 2018December 11, 2018 at 7:51 am1 Comment

Electric vehicles cruising I-5, net-zero buildings emerging from construction sites, high-speed rail zipping through Cascadia, electric-hybrid ferries plying Puget Sound, and nary a coal-fired power plant in sight. That could… Read More

Climate change initiative’s surprising showdown pits tech leaders against oil and gas industry

by Lisa Stiffler on October 29, 2018May 15, 2019 at 12:29 pm 11 Comments

Initiative 1631 — the measure on Washington state’s Nov. 6 ballot to address climate change — is turning into an unexpected showdown between big oil and the Northwest’s tech sector.… Read More

Video

Canadian government invests $38M in General Fusion to boost energy research

by Alan Boyle on October 26, 2018October 26, 2018 at 6:58 pm 2 Comments

The Canadian government says it’s investing $37.5 million (49.3 million Canadian dollars) in General Fusion, a British Columbia company that aims to build a prototype plant powered by nuclear fusion.… Read More

Video

Backed by Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, Breakthrough Energy Ventures lists seven new investments

by Alan Boyle on September 26, 2018September 26, 2018 at 9:09 pmComment

Breakthrough Energy Ventures, the $1 billion energy innovation fund spearheaded by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, has revealed seven more companies in which it’s investing, including startups that aim to build… Read More

GeekWire Calendar Picks: Gov. Jay Inslee at Seattle’s GoGreen Conference; Mine for talent at the UW Startup Job Fair; and more

by Clare McGrane on March 26, 2018March 26, 2018 at 12:10 pmComment

Battling climate change is one of the many points of disagreement between West Coast leaders and the Trump Administration. In light of that divide, this year’s annual GoGreen Conference in… Read More

Video

‘Impossible Flight’ reveals the turmoil and technology of a solar plane’s global trek

by Alan Boyle on January 31, 2018January 31, 2018 at 5:27 pm1 Comment

From the outside, it looked as if the Swiss-led Solar Impulse project smoothly soldiered through adversity as its solar-powered plane made a record-setting trip around the world in 2015 and… Read More

Watch Jeff Bezos open Amazon’s new Texas wind farm, perched atop a giant windmill like an action star

by Nat Levy on October 19, 2017October 19, 2017 at 8:22 amComment

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos celebrated the opening of Amazon’s newest wind farm, and he did it in style. A tweet from Bezos showed the Amazon chief executive perched high atop… Read More

LevelTen Energy raises $6.8M to make it easier for big companies to buy renewable energy

by Nat Levy on October 16, 2017October 16, 2017 at 6:04 amComment

Renewable energy is on the rise, but it’s still tough for most companies to buy clean power. Seattle startup LevelTen Energy just raised $6.8 million with a goal of fixing that… Read More

Researchers spy on marine energy machines using data analysis and a raft packed with ocean monitors

by Lisa Stiffler on August 11, 2017August 11, 2017 at 8:25 amComment

In the basement of a nearly century-old, Gothic building on the University of Washington campus, engineers are conducting research essential for developing clean energy sources of the future. A team… Read More

Amazon plans massive solar energy installations on fulfillment center rooftops

by Todd Bishop on March 2, 2017March 2, 2017 at 5:42 am1 Comment

Amazon is pledging to install solar energy systems on 50 of its fulfillment center rooftops around the world by 2020, starting with 15 U.S. facilities this year. The initiative, announced this morning,… Read More

Startup Spotlight: LevelTen Energy makes it easier for corporations to buy clean power

by Monica Nickelsburg on February 27, 2017February 27, 2017 at 2:47 pm 2 Comments

Big companies are increasingly seeking out renewable energy to cope with carbon emissions caps and keep their budgets more stable, but those big transactions can be complicated and lengthy. So… Read More

Greenpeace parody slams Netflix over dirty energy use with a little help from ‘Stranger Things,’ ‘House of Cards,’ other originals

by Monica Nickelsburg on January 13, 2017January 13, 2017 at 11:00 am 2 Comments

In an appeal to binge-watchers everywhere, Greenpeace is using favorite Netflix characters to call out the streaming giant for its dependence on unrenewable energy. In a new video, parodying Netflix ads, Greenpeace… Read More

Calendar Picks: Cascadia VR meetup; indie game design lab; and more

by Clare McGrane on December 8, 2016April 9, 2017 at 12:27 pmComment

Virtual and Augmented Reality is booming in the Pacific Northwest, and on Friday, a host of fun, talented, and geeky VR enthusiasts will flock to the famous Green Dragon in… Read More

Elon Musk touts power-generating solar roofs as future SolarCity product

by Alan Boyle on August 10, 2016August 10, 2016 at 10:33 am1 Comment

The bad news is that SolarCity, the power-generating company that has Elon Musk as its chairman, is losing money. The good news is that it’ll be rolling out a new product:… Read More

Carbon-free cloud: Microsoft sets ambitious goals for renewable energy

by Alan Boyle on May 19, 2016May 21, 2016 at 4:39 pmComment

REDMOND, Wash. – Microsoft is kicking up its targets for environmentally sustainable cloud computing by pledging that half of the electricity to power its data centers will come from renewable sources by… Read More

Seattle mayor unveils comprehensive plan to electrify transportation in the city, improve air quality

by Kurt Schlosser on March 10, 2016March 10, 2016 at 1:20 pm 13 Comments

Mayor Ed Murray attempted to electrify the Climate Leadership Conference in Seattle in more ways than one on Thursday with a new transportation initiative called Drive Clean Seattle. The aim… Read More

Video

Bill Gates to reportedly unveil ‘biggest’ clean energy fund ever at Paris climate talks

by Molly Brown on November 27, 2015January 7, 2019 at 4:21 pmComment

Reports on the upcoming Paris climate talks are stating that Bill Gates’ next big project will be focusing on clean energy. According to ClimateWire, Gates will announce the “world’s largest… Read More

How this ‘tethered energy drone’ can help produce affordable clean energy with a small footprint

GeekWire Calendar Picks: The history of computers; tech’s role in clean energy policy; and more

Starbucks taps Seattle startup LevelTen in first-of-its-kind clean energy deal

Clean energy marketplace LevelTen Energy raises $20.5M to help companies ‘go green’

Bill Gates touts €100 million venture fund for Breakthrough Energy Ventures Europe

Washington passes ‘strongest clean energy policy’ in nation with carbon neutrality mandate by 2030

Amazon Web Services adds more clean energy to its cloud with three new wind farm deals

Clean-energy Buds: Rising Seattle startup Drift teams with King of Beers in Super Bowl promotion

Washington Gov. Inslee proposes ‘Clean Energy Smart Deal’ for next state legislative session

Climate change initiative’s surprising showdown pits tech leaders against oil and gas industry

Canadian government invests $38M in General Fusion to boost energy research

Backed by Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, Breakthrough Energy Ventures lists seven new investments

GeekWire Calendar Picks: Gov. Jay Inslee at Seattle’s GoGreen Conference; Mine for talent at the UW Startup Job Fair; and more

‘Impossible Flight’ reveals the turmoil and technology of a solar plane’s global trek

Watch Jeff Bezos open Amazon’s new Texas wind farm, perched atop a giant windmill like an action star

LevelTen Energy raises $6.8M to make it easier for big companies to buy renewable energy

Researchers spy on marine energy machines using data analysis and a raft packed with ocean monitors

Amazon plans massive solar energy installations on fulfillment center rooftops

Startup Spotlight: LevelTen Energy makes it easier for corporations to buy clean power

Greenpeace parody slams Netflix over dirty energy use with a little help from ‘Stranger Things,’ ‘House of Cards,’ other originals

Calendar Picks: Cascadia VR meetup; indie game design lab; and more

Elon Musk touts power-generating solar roofs as future SolarCity product

Seattle mayor unveils comprehensive plan to electrify transportation in the city, improve air quality

Bill Gates to reportedly unveil ‘biggest’ clean energy fund ever at Paris climate talks

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