Austin Among Top 13 "Solar American Cities"

The U.S. Department of Energy has named 13 "Solar America Cities" to receive up to $2.5 million in funding to further the adoption of solar technologies and Austin made the list. Qualifications included a "mature solar infrastructure" and high electricity demand. As reported by Green Wombat:

DOE also handed out $30 million in university grants for research to lower the cost of solar energy and improve its efficiency as well as $27 million to companies for "photovoltaic module incubator projects." Half of the 10 companies selected are Silicon Valley startups: CaliSolar, EnFocus Engineering, Solaria, SolFocus, and SoloPower.

Other cities included San Francisco, Berkeley, and New Orleans. Check out the full list here.

Wynn Encourages Austin Commercial Real Estate to Go Green

Will Wynn is once again stepping up to the "green" plate and asking for the commercial real estate community to work with the Austin Climate Protection Plan in implementing sustainable building strategies. Wynn will speak before a consortium of real estate groups on June 12 as part of a forum presented by The U.S. Green Building Council that will take place from 5pm to 7 pm at the Frank Erwin Center, LoneStar Room. The mayor will be outlining specific goals. According to the Austin Business Journal:

Groups participating in the forum include regional chapters and affiliates from the U.S. Green Building Council, American Institute of Architects, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, the Associated General Contractors of America, Building Owners and Managers of Austin, the Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems, Congress for the New Urbanism and the International Facility Management Association.

Check out the full article here for more details.

Dell: Greener Than The Rest

In celebration of World Environment Day, Michael Dell is announcing his plans to make Dell the greenest technology company on the planet. He pledged:

to reduce our own carbon intensity 15 percent by 2012. We have piloted power management initiatives throughout our global facilities that have shown tremendous energy and cost savings, we're investigating how we can share this with customers.

Dell has clearly been at the forefront of green initiatives in the PC industry. According to ecogeek, they're allowing customers to offset the lifetime carbon of their PCs (and even themselves) and they have developed an excellent recycling strategy and efficient desktop and laptop designs. In an effort to engage greenies far and wide, they are asking for consumers via the environment section IdeaStorm for ideas on going green.

Dell in many ways is the golden child to the Austin hi-tech industry, and with this current committment to green, we look forward to a whole new glow to the Austin and hi-tech communities far and wide!

Subdivisions Get Green!

Architects and developers are quickly jumping on the get green bandwagon with the announcement of a new project that is believed to earn 5 stars under the Austin's Green Building Program.

In addition to adhering to green building and energy standards, the community will attract the active and outdoor Austin resident with ammenities including: a 40-foot wide, pedestrian lane and park around which all of the homes have been designed. The park will include a garden, playground, hike and bike trails and a hammock court.

The development located in East Austin is scheduled to be ready in early 2008. Check out further information here.

Wild Oats and Whole Foods Merger in Question

It seems that the FTC is fearful of Whole Foods taking over the world (and would that be such a bad thing:-?). Today's Austin Business Journal featured an article that highlights the pending merger between Wild Oats and Whole Foods and the FTC's attempts to block the merger. Check out the full article below:

The Federal Trade Commission will sue to stop a pending merger between rival natural foods grocers Wild Oats Markets Inc. and Whole Foods Market Inc.

Boulder-based Wild Oats (NASDAQ: OATS) has agreed to be acquired by Austin-based Whole Foods (NASDAQ: WFMI). The deal was announced in February.

Wild Oats said Tuesday it was informed the FTC will file a federal lawsuit to block the acquisition.

Greg Mays, chairman and CEO of Wild Oats, said in a statement that the company disagrees with the FTC's position. He said the company is confident that the court "will agree that this merger is pro-competitive and the FTC's application for an injunction will be denied, thus allowing us to proceed forward with the merger. "

He said Wild Oats would cooperate with Whole Foods in fighting the FTC in court.

Whole Foods is offering $565 million, or $18.50 a share, for all of Wild Oats' stock. The definitive merger agreement also calls for Whole Foods to assume Wild Oats' debt.

Wild Oats has 110 stores in 24 states and in Canada, while Whole Foods has 194 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.