Alternative Energy News - May 15, 2007

• Reported U.S. sales of light-duty hybrid vehicles rose 26% in April 2007 from the year before, reaching 27,351 units.

• Contrary to those Republicans who can no longer dent global warming but instead cry that fighting global warming is too expensive, a new study shows that curbing global warming won't bankrupt economy.

• Wal-Mart Stores Inc. announced that it has launched a program to test the use of solar power at some of its operations.

• Companies see profits in green initiatives: from manufacturers to banks, environmental projects surge.

• In a sign of congressional concern over near record-high gasoline prices and global warming, a Senate committee approved legislation calling for the most significant increase in vehicle fuel efficiency in decades.

• Gas prices may be nudging people in Ventura County, California out of big cars and wedging them into smaller ones, new marketing and sales data show.

• Yahoo! aims to wield its power as the biggest U.S. Internet media company to encourage millions of consumers to take basic steps to help the environment as part of its corporate push to confront global warming.

• IBM has unveiled its "Project Big Green," a $1-billion-a-year effort to make data centers worldwide more energy-efficient, cost-effective and greener overall.