Posts Tagged ‘california’

California, Oregon, Massachusetts, New York and Colorado Top the Nation in Clean-Energy Leadership

August 22, 2011 | Author Erin Kilgour

California, Oregon, Massachusetts, New York and Colorado Top the Nation in Clean-Energy Leadership

Clean Edge’s “U.S. Clean Energy Leadership Index” Provides Companies, Investors, and Governments with Critical Data and Insights on the Clean-Energy Landscape

Clean Edge’s second annual U.S. Clean Energy Leadership Index, released today, provides the industry’s most comprehensive and objective analysis and ranking of how all 50 states, and the individuals, businesses, and organizations that operate there, compare across the clean-energy spectrum. According to Clean Edge’s assessment and ranking of more than 70 different indicators in technology, policy, and capital, the top 10 states in the nation are California, Oregon, Massachusetts, New York, Colorado, Washington, New Mexico, Minnesota, Connecticut, and Vermont.

Key market indicators tracked by Clean Edge include total electricity produced by clean-energy sources, hybrid and electric vehicles on the road, clean-energy venture and patent activity, and policy regulations and incentives. The 2011 Leadership Index paints an important and insightful picture of the U.S. clean-energy landscape. Based on this analysis the bottom 10 states in this year’s rankings (placing 41st through 50th) are Oklahoma, Wyoming, Alaska, North Dakota, Louisiana, Nebraska, Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, and West Virginia.

Highlights from this year’s research include:

•     Three states now generate more than 10 percent of their utility-scale electricity from wind, solar, and/or geothermal. Iowa leads the nation with 15.4 percent of its electricity now generated from wind power, followed by North Dakota (11.99 percent from wind) and California (10.06 percent from wind, solar, and geothermal).
•     Top-ranked California’s longtime commitment to clean energy has put the state far ahead of the pack in terms of technology deployment and capital creation. The state’s burgeoning clean-energy industry brings in more venture capital than all other states combined.
•     Idaho leads the U.S. in clean electricity as a percentage of its total generation – at an astounding 84 percent – when you include hydro and biomass. Other states that get more than 60 percent of their electricity from renewable sources including hydro and biomass are Washington (71.59 percent), South Dakota (65 percent), and Oregon (63.84 percent).
•     Oklahoma had more new EVs registered last year than any other state, but the number is somewhat misleading. Two of the nation’s largest rental car agencies register their vehicles in Oklahoma, accounting for the state’s high ranking for EV registrations in 2010. Without that statistical anomaly, California is the nation’s EV leader.
•     Michigan held the top spot in clean-energy patents for 2010 with 192 patents. Leading the charge is General Motors, which is reinventing itself as a sustainable transportation leader. GM received more clean-energy patents last year than any other company in the U.S., with 135 patents registered in 2010.
•     Mississippi, which ranks in the bottom 10 of the overall Leadership Index, is aggressively pursuing clean-tech manufacturing as it aims to garner its share of the clean-tech market. In the past year, the state has attracted a host of clean-tech companies to build manufacturing facilities and plants there, including California-based solar company Stion Solar Panels and Texas-based biofuel company KiOR. This shows that even low-ranking states are beginning to aggressively target clean-tech companies and services for their job creation and capital attraction, and are likely to rise in the ranks.

“This year’s Leadership index shows that clean-energy activity is dispersed across the nation, with leaders on both coasts and in between,” says Clean Edge managing director Ron Pernick. “While the industry faces many challenges, including strong national-level commitments in China and Germany against the backdrop of uncertain federal leadership here, the U.S. is still a relevant clean-energy innovator as exhibited by the state-level movements tracked in this year’s Leadership index.”

About the U.S. Clean Energy Leadership Index

Clean Edge’s U.S. Clean Energy Leadership Index tracks and analyzes the clean-energy economies of all 50 states. The detailed information (data from more than 70 indicators) covers technology, policy, and capital infrastructures for the clean-energy ecosystem. The subscription product is geared toward corporations, economic development agencies, investors, policy makers, technology innovators, foundations, and other stakeholders actively involved in the clean-tech marketplace.

Clean Edge leverages public and private data to generate each state’s leadership scores. Private data partners include Cleantech Group, R.L. Polk & Co., and Heslin Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti P.C. Public data sources include the Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE), Energy Star, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Energy Information Administration, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

A summary of the index is available at http://www.cleanedge.com/leadership/.

About Clean Edge:

Clean Edge, the world’s first research and advisory firm devoted to the clean-tech sector, delivers comprehensive insights to corporations, investors, governments, and other key stakeholders. The company integrates timely clean-tech data with expert analysis to provide critical intelligence to its clients and subscribers. Covering the entire clean-tech ecosystem, the firm’s offerings include subscription publications and related advisory services, industry-leading sponsored reports, the annual Clean-Tech Investor Summit, and benchmark clean-tech stock indices. To keep abreast of the latest clean-tech trends or learn more about Clean Edge, its partners, and services, visit http://www.cleanedge.com.

Media Contact:

Ron Pernick

Cofounder and Managing Director

Clean Edge, Inc.

pernick(at)cleanedge(dot)com

503-493-8681

Business Contact:

Bryce Yonker

Director of Business Development

Clean Edge, Inc.

yonker(at)cleanedge(dot)com

503-206-8448

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arkansas department of motor vehicles

Posted in News | Tags: analysis, annual, california, clean, Colorado, companies, comprehensive, critical, data, edge’s, energy, governments, index, industry’s, insights, landscape, leadership, massachusetts, nation, objective, oregon, ranking, released, second, york | No Comments »

TicketKick® Says New Traffic School Restrictions Give Drivers Even More Reason To Fight Ticket

August 21, 2011 | Author Erin Kilgour

A new law in California puts new restrictions on drivers who receive a traffic ticket and wish to attend traffic school to keep their driving record clean. California legal company, TicketKick® helps drivers keep their driving record clean by assisting in contesting traffic tickets for a Flat Fee™ and a full money back guarantee. Drivers who’s tickets are dismissed do not receive a point on their record which eliminates the need to attend traffic school.

Existing law in California previously allowed the court to allow anyone with a traffic violation to attend traffic school to clear their driving record, up to the discretion of the judge. Beginning July 1, 2011, a new law went into affect which severely limits the judge’s ability to grant traffic school to many drivers. TicketKick®, California’s leading resource for traffic ticket defense finds that many people in California in the past have chosen to plead guilty, pay their ticket and attend traffic school to keep their records clean, that is until they realized that they could hire a low cost legal service like TicketKick® to help them fight their ticket. California AB 2499, now in effect, places several restrictions on drivers who wish to attend traffic school, giving even more reason for drivers to contest their traffic ticket.

Up until recently, when drivers with a traffic ticket attended a court approved online or classroom traffic school, the conviction was dismissed from their driving record and did not appear as a ‘point’ against them. Under this new law, attending traffic school for the purpose of maintaining a clean driving record will “result in a designation of the driver’s conviction as confidential, rather than having the complaint dismissed” according to an AB 2499 bill analysis. This means that the driver’s ticket could still be seen by insurance companies or the DMV, viewable as a private violation.

This law will also prohibit drivers who receive more than one violation within an 18 month period to attend traffic school more than once within that period. In the past, many people would get away with attending traffic school for more than one ticket within 18 months because either the judge would allow it, or there would simply be a miscommunication between the courthouses. This new law will put a stop to this, as the courthouses will more communicative about the eligibility of a driver to attend traffic school. It requires the DMV to develop an online database accessible by all courts and by the traffic schools to allow oversight of student enrollments and completions, therefore keeping track of when a driver last attended traffic school. Furthermore, level two (12 hour) traffic school previously provided an opportunity for a driver to attend traffic school more than once during an 18 month period, when granted by the judge. This new law also puts an end to this option. Regardless of the county or courthouse, no driver will be allowed to attend traffic school more than once within 18 months for the purpose of keeping a point off of their driving record.

The number of tickets issued in California each year is estimated by several sources to be in the multi-millions. According to the AB 2499 Analysis, “the TVS (traffic violator school) option assists the operation of the courts by significantly reducing the sheer volume of potential court cases.”

“Simply put, the courts don’t want to deal with millions of trials,” says Greg Muender, President and Founder of TicketKick®. “A lot of people don’t realize that they have the option to contest their ticket through the mail through a trial by written declaration, because the courts don’t generally volunteer that option to people. But it is a very convenient legal procedure in California and we take advantage of it to the benefit of the drivers. Fighting a ticket through a trial by written declaration is an excellent place to start considering most cases are dismissed with our defenses, but even if it’s not, you can still resort to your option of requesting traffic school thereafter.”

If a driver chooses to attend traffic school, they must pay their full ticket fine, pay the court’s traffic school fee, and then pay the traffic school. The fee that the court imposes on a driver to attend traffic school may be increased to cover the fees incurred by a court assistance program (CAP) for monitoring and traffic administration services provided to the court.

A representative of IVES Auto Insurance said that a driver’s rates could be increased as much as 20% if they have two tickets within three years on their record, or for having a suspension due to any unpaid tickets. Mr. Muender of TicketKick® drives the point home: “Many people receive more than one traffic ticket within 18 months, it’s very common, especially with California’s ticketing increases. Our point is: Why use up your traffic school option when you can fight it first? Every ticket has potential to be dismissed, and our defense experts aggressively write defenses for most violations based on every aspect of the law. If you are found guilty, then you can resort to traffic school.”

TicketKick® is a registered Legal Document Assistant in California, providing self help services in traffic ticket defense, with a similar service model to companies such as LegalZoom and E*Trade. TicketKick® works with attorneys in California in developing their defenses, which utilize many different arguments and tactics. TicketKick’s goal is to help people get their traffic tickets dismissed, and although not every customer will win their case, TicketKick® offers a full refund and a free consultation for guilty verdicts. TicketKick® representatives can be reached at (800) 580-1902, at http://www.ticketkick.com, or at questions(at)ticketkick(dot)com.

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Posted On: San Diego, CA July 28, 2011

Posted in Driving Record | Tags: assisting, attend, california, clean, company, contesting, driving, fee™, fight, flat, give, helps, legal, money, puts, reason, receive, record, restrictions, says, school, ticket, ticketkick®, traffic, wish | 1 Comment »

Halifax Signs to Drive-Thru Records

August 21, 2011 | Author Jeffrey Kellner

Halifax Signs to Drive-Thru Records Halifax has signed to Drive-Thru Records. They are slated for a spring 2005 release of their debut full length.

Halifax has signed to Drive-Thru Records. They are slated for a spring 2005 release of their debut full length.

Southern California’s Halifax has signed to Drive-Thru Records. On Sunday, July 25th, lead singer of Halifax, Michael Hunau, officially announced on stage at their gig opening for Less than Jake at The Intersection in Michigan, their signing to Drive-Thru Records.

Backstage after Halifax’s frenzied set, Hunau said “This weekend is one of those weekends I’ll remember for the rest of my life. On Friday, Richard & Stefanie, co-owners of Drive-Thru Records, came to see us play the Main Stage at Hellfest in New Jersey, opening for the Ataris, Misfits, Sick of it All and Shadows Falls. After our set we spoke and made the final decision to sign our pending offer from Drive-Thru and that they were the right home for us. Tonight (Michigan’s show) was the most amazing show for us, announcing on stage that we had just signed with Drive-Thru Records and looking out into the sea of thousands of kids and just seeing them cheering and going crazy.”

Drive-Thru Records, who’s distribution deal with Geffen Records expires on July 31st, will be announcing their new distributors in the near future. Kevin Donlon, bassist of Halifax, is “Confident that whoever Drive-Thru chooses for their new distributor, whether major or indie, is no matter what, the right home for us. We’ve been friends with Richard, Stefanie, and most of the Drive-Thru bands for a long time now, and it just feels right to be there.”

Halifax is currently touring in support of their EP, “A Writer’s Reference” on No Milk Records, which is available on tour, at halifaxrock.com, and various mom & pop record stores. There are plans to have the EP re-released with new artwork and to remain on No Milk Records, but distributed by Drive-Thru Records.

This summer’s touring plans for Halifax include their current tour with Victory Records recording artist Spitalfield, followed by a 2 1/2 week stint on Warped tour, and wraps up with a tour with Rufio. When September comes Halifax will start writing and pre-production for their debut full length on Drive-Thru Records. The band plans on starting recording late this Fall for a Spring 2005 release.

Halifax currently has a website with more information, MP3s and videos at WWW.HALIFAXROCK.COM

For more information on the HALIFAX contact Halifax’s management: Heath Miller at Excess dB Entertainment: (201) 567-9771 or via email at Heath@excessdb.com

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Posted On: Woodland Hills, CA July 29, 2004

Posted in Driving Record | Tags: announced, california, debut, drive, halifax, hunau, intersection, jake, july, lead, length, michael, michigan, officially, opening, release, signed, signs, singer, slated, southern, spring, stage, sunday, thru | No Comments »