May 16, 2008 6:34 AM PDT

Green-tech news harvest: Y2K problem for gas pumps, nitrogen worries

Posted by Martin LaMonica

A sampling of green-tech news.

Old-Style Pumps Balk At $4-a-Gallon Gas, Too - The Washington Post
Worse than the Y2K problem? Mechanical gas pumps don't go past $3.99 a gallon, forcing some station owners to shut down. (Via WSJ Environmental Capitalism.)
Reactive Nitrogen: The Next Big Pollution Problem - Wired Science
Nitrogen from fertilizers and burning fuels is changing the nitrogen balance in the planet and causing various environmental woes, a study released this week finds.
Berkeley Researchers Identify Photosynthetic Dimmer Switch - Berkeley Lab Research News
Academics say decoding photosynthesis is the key to harnessing more solar energy. (Via Greentech Media.)
Founding members of Solyndra walking out the door - Greentech Media
Michael Kanellos, in his new home, sees a revolving door at well-financed CIGS solar start-up.
New Process May Convert Toxic Computer Waste Into Safe Products - Science Daily
Getting fuel from electronic waste--researchers convert electronic circuit boards into an oil that can be used to make plastics sans toxins.
Dupont, Genencor Invest $140M In Cellulosic Ethanol Joint Venture - Environmental Leader
Yet another cellulosic-ethanol venture has formed, this one commercializing technology developed at NREL.
T. Boone Pickens Orders $2B of Wind Turbines - Earth2Tech
Another Texas oil man turns to prospecting west Texas wind.
Germany Debates Subsidies for Solar Industry - The New York Times
News hook: Qcells passes Sharp as the largest solar manufacturer. The piece focuses on Germany's feed-in tariff, the main reason Germany has the most solar power in the world.
Obama Green Talk Is Gold to Silicon Valley The New York Times
The New York Times' Bits blog gets venture capitalists' positive reaction back on Sen. Obama's alternative-energy plan, which combines R&D with tax incentives.