The people may be made to follow a path of action, but they may not be made to understand it. -- Confucius A long-simmering dispute between Google and the government of the People’s Republic of China appears to be coming to a head this week, as the Internet search giant began re-directing traffic from its google.cn Chinese-language search engine to its google.com.hk site, based in Hong Kong. With thi ...

Chevron Corp. has unveiled a huge solar energy test facility in California, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times. The oil giant  has revealed that it filled an 8-acre site in Bakersfield, CA  with 7,700 solar panels to test low-cost energy systems for its operations. The panels, in various sizes, represent seven cutting-edge photovoltaic technologies from seven companies that Chevron reportedly is ...

The South Carolina Department of Commerce, Newberry County and the Central SC Alliance have announced Caterpillar plans to increase operations at its facility in Newberry County. The company expects employment at the Newberry facility to increase by about 500 people as a result of the capacity expansion project. Caterpillar is making a multi-year, significant capital investment in support of the Newberry ex ...

Michigan Economic Development Corp. is helping 11 companies grow in Michigan and also backing two brownfield redevelopment projects. Combined, the 13 projects are expected to create 7,182 new jobs (2,790 direct and 4,392 indirect), retain 781 total jobs, and generate over $742.4 million in new investment in the state. The projects include an overseas company launching U. S.  operations in Muskegon Township ...

The Governor’s Wind Energy Coalition, a bipartisan group of 29 governors, has called upon Congress to adopt a national renewable energy standard that would set a minimum requirement for the use of renewable electricity. The coalition, chaired by Iowa Gov. Chet Culver, presented a package of recommendations this week, including streamlined permitting for both onshore and offshore wind power projects and an u ...

Several U.S. cities are competing for a place in Google's “Fiber for Communities” program. The Internet giant is going to select several communities for installation of Web connections with speeds 100 times faster than anywhere else, with data transfer rates faster than 1 gigabit per second. Cities have until March 26 to tell Google they're interested in the venture. Google says it will pick one or more cit ...

Renewable and Sustainable Companies (RASCO has been approved for tax credits that will help locate its headquarters to Flint, MI. RASCO said it will take up to eight weeks before it officially secures the building and starts bring its operations to 2851 Cole Blvd., near Buick City. "We’ll start the relocation into the Flint area and begin in earnest the actual recruitment," CEO Rick Short said today. The $1 ...

Purdue University plans to get more involved in high-tech economic development efforts across the Northern Indiana Corridor, according to a report posted on SouthBendTribune.com. The effort, called the Northern Indiana Corridor effort, plans to make use of academics and research in high-tech ventures—including packaging, wireless technology, electric vehicles and other "new economy" efforts—to boost the eco ...

San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro has announced that the city has received $3.7 million in federal stimulus funds for solar panels at three locations. The solar panels will be located on buildings at the University of Texas at San Antonio and St. Philip’s College, as well as the city’s Mission Verde Center at Cooper. The three sites are expected to generate 600 kilowatts, nearly tripling the city’s large-scal ...

Gov. Bev Perdue has announced that Siemens Energy Inc. will expand its gas turbine operations in Charlotte, NC. The company plans to add 825 jobs and invest at least $135 million over the next five years, the Asheville Citizen-Times reports. The expansion was supported by state grants from the Job Development Investment Grant program and One North Carolina Fund. “Creating jobs is my No. 1 priority and this ...