Alternative Energy Daily News - March 12, 2007

• The Washington state Senate overwhelmingly approved a climate-change bill Saturday that has won the embrace of utilities and environmental groups for curtailing the market for power produced by coal technologies.

• California is no longer alone in its campaign against climate change. The nation's most populous state, after passing a landmark law last year to slash industrial greenhouse gas emissions 25 percent by 2020, has joined with Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington to address what some are calling one of the planet's most serious threats.

• The two most influential groups in the home building industry and the code development and enforcement community are collaborating to bring uniformity to sustainable building practices.

• The JPMorgan Environmental Index-Carbon Beta, jointly launched by JPMorgan and Innovest Strategic Value Advisors, is the first bond index designed to address the risks of global warming.

• Responding to growing concern from Madison, WI area residents about global warming, Madison Gas & Electric will triple the size of its green-power pricing program and reopen the program to new customers.

• Japan is spending as much as $8 billion to buy minority stakes in 40 ethanol distilleries across Brazil, a Brazilian newspaper reported.