February - Please scroll to bottom for previous months or years.
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A small error at Dominion costs Americans many millions (posted 02/28/05)
A Dominion Transmission clerk sent the wrong file to the Energy Information Agency (EIA) recently creating a gas storage error Nov 24
Corruption holds back safety measures at Ukraine's Chernobyl (posted 02/28/05)
There is an overspend of over 300m dollars and a schedule lag of almost two years
Bureau County Wind Energy Project Seeking Support (posted 02/28/05)
A group of central Illinois electric cooperatives is giving customers the opportunity to support wind energy development, including the Crescent Ridge project, through the purchase of renewable energy certificates.
Aid Federation Calls for Action on Water (posted 02/28/05)
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies says lack of water and sanitation kills as many people each month as the recent tsunami.
Ship's Captain Pleads Guilty to Obstructing Justice (posted 02/28/05)
advising crew members to destroy and conceal from U.S. Coast Guard inspectors incriminating faxes relating to the use of a bypass pipe.
Scottsdale Residents Protest Proposed Tank Height (posted 02/28/05)
In Scottsdale, Ariz., neighbors of an arsenic treatment facility still in the planning stages are protesting the proposed height of the tanks, saying the structures would obstruct views and lower property values.
Amazon Land Grab Fuels Brazil Progress, Violence (posted 02/28/05)
Brazilians call it "grilagem", the grabbing of land by fraud and violence. In the Amazon jungles of huge, wild Para state, it is carried out by an informal alliance of "grileiros", loggers, ranchers and businessmen backed by private militias and gunmen.
Dirty Water, Sanitation Kill Thousands Daily - Experts (posted 02/28/05)
Unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation kill 4,000 children every day, global health experts said on Friday.
Tsunami Spells Hope for India's Hunter-Gatherers (posted 02/28/05)
When the earth shook and the waters began receding from the creek near their settlement, the Onge of India's Little Andaman island knew nature was telling them something.
Only 10,000 Florida utility customers sign up for Sunshine Energy program (posted 02/28/05)
A year after Florida Power & Light announced a voluntary program to help fund cleaner methods of generating power, less than a third of 1 percent of the utility's residential customers have signed up to spend $9.75 a month for the project.
Group plans power plant (posted 02/28/05)
Virginia electricity providers have formed a consortium to build a $1 billion coal-fired power plant in Southwest Virginia.
Hyundai-Kia Starts Fuel Cell Car Pilot in US (posted 02/26/05)
a pilot program for its fuel cell vehicles and completed a hydrogen recharge station near Los Angeles, CA.
Suppliers Miss Mandate on Renewable Power (posted 02/25/05)
Retail electricity suppliers will likely have to pay about $15 million collectively to a fund to help boost renewable energy projects because they were unable to buy enough renewable energy in the region last year
EPA Sides With North Carolina on Pollution Controls for TVA Coal Plants (posted 02/25/05)
The Tennessee Valley Authority could be required to install more costly pollution controls on its coal plants next year under a consent agreement signed Thursday by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and North Carolina officials pushing to limit smog in the Great Smoky Mountains.
PPL to Invest $630 Million in Voluntary Pollution Controls (posted 02/25/05)
PPL Corporation will invest an estimated $630 million in pollution control equipment for three coal-fired generating units in a project that will further reduce air emissions, create jobs and improve the competitiveness
Feds order Susquehanna power plants and others to stop killing off fish (posted 02/25/05)
Each year, millions of game fish, fish eggs, crayfish and other organisms are sucked out of the Lower Susquehanna River and killed by power plants.
Blackouts may lie ahead (posted 02/25/05)
Much of Southern California could be at risk for rolling blackouts like those in the 2000-2001 energy crisis if August and September are unusually hot, state energy officials warn.
'Imminent danger' cited in shutdown of coal mine (posted 02/25/05)
The inspection, which began at 8:35 p.m. Thursday, discovered 13 different violations involving fan blades that were not working properly and ventilation curtains that were not installed properly, if at all, to keep polluted air flowing away from work areas.
Power plant uses methane to power base (posted 02/25/05)
“This is the classic proverbial taking lemons and turning them into lemonade,” Lieutenant Governor Herbert said. “By taking methane gas that’s created by decaying garbage and creating energy, which we can use to make lives better and save taxpayers’ money.
Venezuela seen to boost foreign relations through energy deals (posted 02/25/05)
Venezuela is seen to be driving its foreign relations through a series of strategic agreements in the energy sector
Lexus Announces RX 400h Luxury SUV (posted 02/25/05)
Lexus has announced the launch of its 2006 RX 400h, the world's first gas/electric hybrid-powered luxury vehicle, which will go on sale April 2005.
SEIA Asks Congress for Solar-Friendly Energy Bill (posted 02/25/05)
“This bill needs to be a 21st-century energy bill,” said Rhone Resch, president, SEIA. “We need to stop subsidizing 19th-century technologies and create markets for new, reliable energy sources.
Green Biofuel Seen Competitive in a Decade (posted 02/25/05)
Bioethanol, an environmentally friendly fuel currently more expensive than gasoline, should become competitive with the conventional car fuel in 10 years, the head of Europe's leading bioethanol firm said on Thursday.
US Energy Overview (posted 02/25/05)
Graphic update on consumption, production.
Retreat of Antarctic Ice Shelves Is Not New (posted 02/25/05)
The current retreat of ice shelves in the Antarctic due to global warming is nothing new -- but this time the problem is manmade and therefore potentially more serious
Tribal Clashes over Water and Land in Central Kenya Leaves at Least Four Dead (posted 02/25/05)
Maasai tribal fighters clashed with police after attacking rivals from the Kikuyu tribe Wednesday and at least four people were killed, the latest deaths in a monthlong dispute over scarce water and grazing land in central Kenya
Greenland FACTS (posted 02/23/05)
The Greenland icecap contains 1/8th of the total global ice-mass
Greenland ice-melt 'speeding up' (posted 02/23/05)
Carl Boggild and his team have recorded falls as dramatic as 10 metres a year - in places the ice is dropping at a rate of one metre a month.
Greenland ice cap 'doomed to meltdown' (posted 02/23/05)
The Greenland ice sheet is all but doomed to melt away to nothing, according to a new modelling study. If it does melt, global sea levels will rise by seven metres, flooding most of the world's coastal regions.
Arctic melt may dry out US west coast (posted 02/23/05)
Cities and towns along the west coast of the US could be suffering from a serious water shortage by 2050, thanks to global warming.
ARCTIC SEA ICE SHRINKING (posted 02/23/05)
The total area of surface melt on the Greenland Ice Sheet for 2002 broke all known records for the island and the extent of Arctic sea ice reached the lowest level in the satellite record,
Bush, Schroeder to Make Pledges on Climate Change, Official Says (posted 02/23/05)
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and U.S. President George W. Bush were expected to make pledges on efficient energy use and combating air pollution at their meeting Wednesday in Germany
Clean Air Renewable Energy Coalition Applauds Budget (posted 02/23/05)
Canada's ability to generate "Green Power" was given a major spur forward today by Finance Minister Ralph Goodale's Budget.
Gov't Offensive in Defence of Amazon Jungle (posted 02/23/05)
Hope is sometimes born of tragedy. Decisions adopted by the Brazilian government in the wake of the murders of U.S.-born nun Dorothy Stang and three rural activists in the past week in the northern state of Pará could help curb deforestation and violence in the Amazon jungle region.
Greenland Ice Cap Is Melting Fast (posted 02/23/05)
Greenland's cover of ice is melting ten times quicker than previously thought, an increase that could lead to floods across the world, scientists have found.
Indigenous Australians, Big Losers with Global Warming (posted 02/23/05)
despite the Australian government's refusal to sign on, experts point out that global warming would have a devastating effect on the country's indigenous communities
Inuit to Charge U.S. for Climate Change (posted 02/23/05)
The Inuit people of the Arctic regions are preparing to charge the United States with human rights violations, saying that country is the leading culprit behind climate change, which threatens their way of life -- and their very survival.
It’s Not Enough! (posted 02/23/05)
Even the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) believes the resource base for a long-term establishment of worldwide nuclear power plants to be inadequate, according to the current annual report.
The U.S. Department of Energy calculates that in 2030, the conventional uranium reserves will be depleted.
Man seeks to build renewable energy power plant in Forsyth County, Ga. (posted 02/23/05)
A man who wants to build an unusual, 24-hour-per-day renewable energy power plant in Forsyth County says the Georgia Public Service Commission has given him an opening to do so.
Nuke Waste Project Divides Native Tribe (posted 02/23/05)
The crystalline skies and tranquil, smoke-coloured mountains ringing the reservation of Utah's Skull Valley Goshute Indian Tribe give little hint of the area's troubled history as a dumping ground for chemical and biological waste.
Panelists Decry Bush Science Policies (posted 02/23/05)
The voice of science is being stifled in the Bush administration, with fewer scientists heard in policy discussions and money for research and advanced training being cut
Spread of wind turbines stirs gale-force debate in West Texas (posted 02/23/05)
About 20 miles southwest of Abilene, in green, rolling hills around Coronado's Camp -- a historical area where the Spanish explorer is said to have traveled, and the site of a modern-day grocery store and barbecue stand -- the tranquility is starting to fracture.
The Final Proof: Global Warming Is Man-Made (posted 02/23/05)
Scientists have found the first unequivocal link between man-made greenhouse gases and a dramatic heating of the Earth's oceans. The researchers - many funded by the US government - have seen what they describe as a "stunning" correlation between a rise in ocean temperature over the past 40 years and pollution of the atmosphere.
OPEC could raise output if prices rise further: president (posted 02/23/05)
"If prices continue to increase, there will be a reaction
from OPEC to help
reduce these prices as it did throughout 2004
EU wants to work with US on climate friendly energies research (posted 02/23/05)
The European Union wants to work together with the US to develop new energy technologies to combat climate change post-Kyoto
Texas bill would add 3,000 MW of renewable energy by 2015 (posted 02/23/05)
Texas state Sen Troy Fraser has introduced a bill that would require an additional 3,000 MW of wind and other renewable generating to be developed in the state by January 2015
Colombian coal may be resold to US (posted 02/23/05)
A number of European utilities with comfortable stock levels are
said to be
exploring the possibility of reselling some of their pre-booked shipments of
Colombian coal into the tighter US market where FOB prices are about
$10-$13/mt higher.
Bush wakes up to climate commitment (posted 02/23/05)
...in an apparent about turn on the
contentious subject. The President talked about ‘working together on the way
forward’ with Europe - despite a difference in opinion on Kyoto Protocol –
and how emerging technologies such as hydrogen fuel cells and renewable energy
can usher in ‘good stewardship of the Earth’.
‘Major step’ for Amazon rainforest (posted 02/23/05)
Conservation group WWF has called the declaration of two new protected areas of the Brazilian Amazon as a ‘major step forward’ in establishing sustainability in the decimated region.
Ford hybrid makes green list (posted 02/23/05)
Ford’s hybrid 4x4 Escape has been ranked as one of the greenest vehicles of the year in America, despite a sustained campaign against the company’s environmental performance in the US market.
London green initiatives praised (posted 02/23/05)
The London Climate Change Agency and
the Mayor’s Energy strategy have been praised by Sustainable Energy Minister
Larry Whitty, who called them important factors in the capital’s fight against
climate change.
Changing the perception of climate change (posted 02/23/05)
“Evidence suggests that we need to engage people close to home if we are going to succeed in changing attitudes to climate change,” said Margaret Beckett, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. "We need people to understand that climate change is happening here and now, that it will affect all of us, and that there are things we can each do to help reduce our personal contribution to climate change.”
Internet project forecasts global warming (posted 02/23/05)
The greenhouse effect could be far more severe than experts had previously predicted, according to results from the world's biggest climate-modelling study.
New fuels could drive new jobs and energy independence (posted 02/23/05)
Innovative fuels such as biodiesel and hydrogen fuel cells could boost jobs in a growing industry thanks to a package of bills introduced by Rep. Brian Sullivan (D-Mukilteo) and passed by the House Technology, Energy and Communications Committee today (Feb. 22).
Kyoto as an Opportunity (posted 02/23/05)
"Kyoto's ability to survive the near-fatal attacks of the Bush Administration is testimony to the urgency of the climate problem and the widening consensus that it must be responded to."
Bill Would Extend Renewable Energy Tax Credits (posted 02/23/05)
In an effort to support renewable energy generation facilities at the state and local level, Congresswoman Mary Bono (R, CA-45) introduced the Renewable Energy and Production Incentive (REPI) Reauthorization and Reform Act. The legislation would extend the REPI program for an additional 20 years.
Striving for the Government's "Ear" on Renewables (posted 02/23/05)
The energy savings realized each year through energy efficiency measures since the 1970s are larger than the amount of energy we produce or consume from any single energy source.
SPACE WEATHER ADVISORY OUTLOOK #05- 8 (posted 02/23/05)
Category G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm levels are possible on 24 - 28 February due to high speed solar winds from a coronal hole on the Sun.
Impending Presence of Micro Fuel Cells (posted 02/23/05)
The 5th edition of Darnell Group's in-depth analysis of Power Packs for Portable Electronics finds that several factors are driving this dynamic market into the future.
Great Salt Lake Mercury Worries Scientists (posted 02/23/05)
Federal scientists studying the Great Salt Lake have found some of the highest levels of mercury ever measured anywhere -- prompting concern about some of the migratory birds that feed on the lake's brine shrimp.
Cuba Calls on Citizens to Conserve Water to Confront Shortage (posted 02/23/05)
Cuba urged its citizens Monday to cut back on water use, announcing that new measures will be necessary to fight a long-lasting dry spell.
Brazil Vows Slowdown of Amazon Destruction (posted 02/23/05)
Destruction of Brazil's Amazon rain forest will slow down in 2005 after the murder of a U.S. nun prompted the government to launch an unprecedented crackdown on illegal loggers and ranchers, the head of Brazil's environment agency said Monday.
Tsunami-Hit Beach May Become Turtle Haven (posted 02/23/05)
"Marine turtles are very sensitive to human disturbances, so we want this place to be a sanctuary to let nature take its course, We might be able to learn so much, because it's very tough to study this rare species."
Energy Bill, PUHCA May Be Shelved Yet Again (posted 02/22/05)
"I think everyone wants an energy bill, but President Bush has outlined his legislative priorities and they are quite substantial. I think the question on every energy person's mind on the Hill is whether an energy bill will have the ear of Congress in this next term
The North American Terminal Survey (NATS) (posted 02/22/05)
If all the prospective terminals, coupled with the 4 existing terminals, were to come on line at full capacity, as projected by the developers (all by 2011), they could supply over 70% of the US total demand for natural gas. They would require more LNG supplies from the world market than suppliers are presently forecasting total liquefaction capacity to be by 2011.
Social Isolation, Guns and a 'Culture of Suicide' (posted 02/22/05)
Death by gunfire is typically thought of as an urban plague, fueled by crime, poverty and drugs.
But rural America also has such an affliction.
What's Moving the Oil Market? (posted 02/22/05)
Oil markets remain nervous over talk of OPEC output cuts to prepare for the second-quarter slowdown in oil demand.
OPEC president Sheikh Ahmed al-Sabah says no need to cut output (posted 02/22/05)
Kuwaiti oil minister Sheikh Ahmed Fahed al-Sabah, the current OPEC president, said Wednesday that stock levels were acceptable and prices currently too high to warrant a cut in OPEC's production
Mexico could become net oil importer in 10 years (posted 02/22/05)
Mexico, which currently exports some 1.9-mil b/d of crude oil,
could become a net importer within 10 years unless some way is found of stemming
a looming
financial crisis at Pemex
EPA Sides With North Carolina on Pollution Controls for TVA Coal Plants (posted 02/22/05)
The Tennessee Valley Authority could be required to install more costly pollution controls on its coal plants next year under a consent agreement signed Thursday by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and North Carolina officials pushing to limit smog in the Great Smoky Mountains.
Experts Look to Cleaner, More Abundant Energy Development (posted 02/22/05)
Energy company executives, environmentalists and academics gathered at Rice University in Houston last week to discuss the challenges ahead for meeting energy demand while at the same time reducing pollution. None of the scenarios described are ideal.
Community Speaks Out on Plant Expansion (posted 02/22/05)
Hundreds of people packed into the Louisa County Middle School auditorium last night to speak out on the possible expansion of Dominion Virginia Power's North Anna Nuclear Power Plant.
Attitudes Toward Energy a Concern (posted 02/22/05)
The nation's growing appetite for energy means nuclear power needs another chance and renewable energy must be taken more seriously, according to the speakers at Cambridge Energy Research Associates conference in Houston this past week.
California Lawmaker to Propose Study on Converting Nuclear Plant to Natural Gas (posted 02/22/05)
A proposal to study Diablo Canyon's earthquake safety and the potential for converting the nuclear plant to natural gas has positioned Assemblyman Sam Blakeslee as an ambitious and somewhat contrarian freshman Republican.
Managers Say Yucca Process on Track (posted 02/22/05)
Managers of the Energy Department's effort to put the nation's spent nuclear fuel in Yucca Mountain told a panel of regulators Thursday that they'll have a license application for the project ready for review by the end of this year.
Energy Harvest Grants Encourage Alternative Energy Use (posted 02/22/05)
Local innovators will receive "Energy Harvest Grants" from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for their efforts to develop and utilize alternative energy methods. The Rendell Administration announced $5 million will fund 34 statewide grants which are to be used to fund private-sector projects.
Renewable energy industry calls for a quarter of UK energy to come from renewables by 2025 (posted 02/22/05)
The action plan will be sent to all political parties ahead of the forthcoming general election. This recommendation is in line with that made recently by the Climate Change Task Force
Shower Heads to Remove Harmful Chlorine (posted 02/21/05)
Although chlorine is necessary to keep our water safe from bacteria, ongoing studies show it could be harmful when inhaled and absorbed through the skin during hot showers. The newly developed Sunbeam Health at Home shower filter heads can remove up to 99% of the harmful chlorine found in shower water.
Flood Threat Forces Ariz. Evacuations (posted 02/21/05)
It was the third round of storms to strike central and northern Arizona since late December, but officials have said the storms aren't enough to pull Arizona out of its nine-year drought.
TARDEC Purifies Water From Vehicle Exhaust (posted 02/21/05)
it has developed a vehicle-based water purification, generation and recovery technology to deliver a dependable source of potable water from emissions.
Membrane System Sales to Reach $9 Billion in 2008 (posted 02/21/05)
The demand for pure water will drive the market for cross-flow membrane equipment and membrane from $6.8 billion worldwide in 2005 to $9 billion in 2008. Desalination alone will account for over one third of this growth and revenues in this sector will grow to $2 billion in 2008.
Bush Cuts EPA Budget by 6% and Seeks to Cut Water Programs (posted 02/21/05)
U.S. President George W. Bush asked Congress to cut the Environmental Protection Agency's budget for fiscal 2006 by 5.6% to $7.57 billion by paring water-related programs.
Boosting Wind-Energy Standards to Mean 'Significant New Benefits (posted 02/21/05)
TEXAS- "It's looking real good from the governor on down because they realize we need to develop renewable energy sources, and now's the time to do it,"
Shortage of snow won't affect power supply (posted 02/21/05)
Spokane, Washington- A report just released by a regional power and conservation agency confirms what already seems apparent: Spring runoff is predicted to be well below normal levels.
$5 Billion Preliminary Commitment Approved By Ex-Im Bank for Proposed U.S.-Built Nuclear Power Plants in Mainland China (posted 02/21/05)
Ex-Im Bank this year marks its 71st year of helping finance the sale of U.S. exports, primarily to emerging markets throughout the world, by providing loan guarantees, export credit insurance, and direct loans.
Renewable Energy Bill Killed In North Dakota House (posted 02/21/05)
North Dakota- The state House of Representatives on Thursday voted down a bill that would establish a fund to support renewable energy projects and encourage state agencies to use renewable fuels.
APS: Having different rules for half of market is unfair (posted 02/21/05)
Southwest many grid owners are not required to play by the same rules as the IOUs with about 50% of the grid being owned by governments that are not under FERC jurisdiction.
Brazil Plans Vast Amazon Reserve to Stem Logging (posted 02/21/05)
Brazil's president on Thursday decreed the creation of one of the world's largest environmental protection areas in the Amazon to combat illegal logging and rising violence after the killing of a prominent US human rights activist.
Shipping, Not Drilling, Main Oil Risk For Arctic (posted 02/21/05)
A major oil spill from a tanker is the main danger to the Arctic environment if oil exploration increases in the region, not drilling which is increasingly clean, the author of an eight-nation survey said on Friday.
Strong Quake Causes Panic in Indonesia's East (posted 02/21/05)
A strong earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale rocked eastern Indonesia's Sulawesi region early on Saturday, sparking panic in seaside communities as residents fearing a tsunami fled their homes for higher ground.
Netherlands to Shut Nuclear Plant in 2013 (posted 02/21/05)
Bowing to public and environmentalist pressure, the Dutch have phased out almost all nuclear power plants except the 450-megawatt Borssele, whose operator says its life could be extended by at least 20 years while keeping safety a priority.
Ocean, Arctic Studies Show Global Warming is Real (posted 02/21/05)
A parcel of studies looking at the oceans and melting Arctic ice leave no room for doubt that it is getting warmer, people are to blame, and the weather is going to suffer, climate experts said on Thursday.
Global Warming Could Worsen US Pollution - Report (posted 02/21/05)
Global warming could stifle cleansing summer winds across parts of the northern United States over the next 50 years and worsen air pollution
Lead in Environment Causing Violent Crime - Study (posted 02/21/05)
Lead left in paint, water, soil and elsewhere may not only be affecting children's intelligence but may cause a significant proportion of violent crime, a US researcher argued on Friday.
Mysterious under-ice Antarctic lake to unveil prehistoric ocean world (posted 02/20/05)
Russian scientists promise to make a sensational discovery in the evolution of the natural world. Having drilled a superdeep well in Antarctica, they will uncover a lake, which was formed not less than 500 million years ago.
GREAT NEW ANNOUNCEMENT (posted 02/19/05)
ARIZONA IS CONCERNING EXPANDING THE "ENVIRONMENTAL PORTFOLIO STANDARD"!!!!
Staff at the Arizona Corporation Commission, the regulatory body that oversees many of the state’s utilities, recently issued a report proposing changes to the state’s environmental portfolio standard that would greatly increase the amount of solar installed in the state—to the tune of 1,400 MW by 2025. It’s a big deal, but Arizona, which has solar resources metaphorically equivalent to Saudi Arabia’s oilfields, can handle it. It’s a huge opportunity, and we are committed to seeing the regulatory process through to success.
For details, see:
../Analysis/ArizonaElectricity/EPS-StaffRpt-01-21-05.pdf
AEC Completes Final Testing of its Demo HPU (posted 02/19/05)
The HPU successfully powered the company's recently converted internal combustion engine (ICE) with its low-cost, on-demand hydrogen.
Ballard Power Announces Fuel Cell Breakthrough (posted 02/19/05)
has claimed significant progress in three areas crucial to the commercialization of automotive fuel cell stack technology - freeze-start capability, durability and cost reduction - without compromising performance.
Biomass will Power 10 MW for Arizona Utility (posted 02/19/05)
Power from the Snowflake White Mountain Power (SWMP) biomass facility may not come online until 2008, but the Salt River Project (SRP) in Phoenix, Arizona has already added 10 MW from the wood-fired facility to their renewable-energy portfolio.
Renewable Energy: One Last Chance (posted 02/19/05)
Supporters of a bill that would have created a commission to administer a $12 million trust fund to be spent on developing renewable energy in North Dakota say the legislation would define the state's public policy on renewable energy.
Renewables Play Their Part as Kyoto Protocol Takes Effect (posted 02/19/05)
"It is even more troubling that today, the day that the Kyoto Protocol goes into effect, the United States remains isolated as one of the few industrialized nations that is not a party to the document."
Solar Joins Growing Energy Bill Debate (posted 02/19/05)
This week, Rhone Resch, the executive director of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), testified before the House Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee to make a case for the industry's place in the upcoming debate over what's sure to be an expensive, broad, and most-likely contentious, national energy package.
Update from VoteSolar (posted 02/19/05)
2005 is shaping up to be the year when solar could really turn the corner. On the heels of major solar victories in Colorado, Pennsylvania, and Washington DC, there are serious efforts under way in California and Arizona for solar programs of a size and scope never before attempted in America.
Dangers of Mercury Pollution Overstated, House Republicans Say in Report (posted 02/18/05)
Dangers of toxic mercury pollution in the environment have been overstated, the House Resources Committee says in a report issued in anticipation of new regulatory proposals from the Bush administration.
US DOE merges electricity grid, reliability offices; names chief (posted 02/18/05)
The US Department of Energy has merged its Electric Transmission
and
Distribution and Energy Assurance offices to create the Office of Electricity
and Energy Assurance and named Kevin Kolevar director.
UK was a net gas importer in 2004 for first time since 1996 (posted 02/18/05)
Although North Sea gas output is now in decline, the UK does not yet import the majority of its gas.
Sweden remains committed to phase out nuclear: Minister Sahlin (posted 02/18/05)
Sahlin spoke at the invitation of a union umbrella group
representing plant
workers. She called uranium "a finite resource, which means that nuclear is
not sustainable." Sahlin said that by developing renewable energy sources
and
promoting energy conservation, Sweden can phase out nuclear power.
Solar project on the hot spot (posted 02/18/05)
Solargenix has been unable to arrange financing for the project, which would provide power to Nevada Power Co. and help the utility meet minimum requirements for renewable energy use under a 2001 state law.
Allegheny Energy faces suit over power plant emissions (posted 02/18/05)
Charlotte O'Rourke, a resident of Masontown, Greene County, says it's an ordinary town with ordinary people who must take extraordinary measures to stay healthy because of the soot-belching Hatfield's Ferry power plant nearby.
Vermont's Blue Spruce Farm Generates CVPS Cow Power (posted 02/18/05)
Blue Spruce Farm in Vermont, which owns 1,500 dairy cattle, has began producing electricity by burning waste methane gas for CVPS Cow Power, a first-in-the nation program directly linking CVPS customers, farm waste generation and the environment.
Alpine Iceman Reveals Stone Age Secrets (posted 02/18/05)
Some 5,300 years after his violent death, a Stone Age man found frozen in the Alps is slowly revealing his secrets to a global team of scientists.
Natural Disaster Death Toll Jumps to 320,000 in '04 (posted 02/18/05)
The Indian Ocean tsunami has caused the annual death toll from natural disasters to soar to 320,000 worldwide, more than four times the toll from the previous year
Bush Says Will Tell Europe 'We Care About Climate' (posted 02/18/05)
President George W. Bush said on Thursday he would tell Europe on a fence-mending trip next week the United States cares about climate change and wants to work together to develop technologies to confront it.
Energy-saving task force is given a green light (posted 02/17/05)
Sacramento County plans to join the green building revolution, but it's not necessarily a high-minded ethical decision. It's about on dollars and cents. Specifically, how to stretch them farther.
Wave Energy Potential Warrants Further Research And Development (posted 02/17/05)
A new report from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) suggests that generation of electricity from wave energy may be economically feasible in the near future.
Iran "determined" over nuclear power plants, official tells Algerian president (posted 02/17/05)
Washington's slogans on fighting terrorism, and establishing democracy are all tools for perpetrating hegemony over the Muslim countries. "The meddling of US in internal affairs of other countries has caused the hatred of the people's in the region.
Change already in air as Kyoto pact takes effect (posted 02/17/05)
As the treaty takes effect Wednesday, worries about its fairness are mixed with mild resentment. Europeans have set some of the most stringent targets for reducing greenhouse gases, which trap heat in the earth's atmosphere and have been linked by climate experts to global warming.
UK Energy: NUM calls for end to pit closures (posted 02/17/05)
The National Union of Mineworkers called on the government yesterday to stop the "charade" of pits being closed while UK Coal was unable to meet its supply commitments.
40 security lapses at UK nuclear plants spark terrorist fears (posted 02/17/05)
A LITANY of security failures at British nuclear sites has been revealed by government investigators, raising fears of a terrorist attack.
U.S. budget cuts funding for renewables by 4% (posted 02/17/05)
The US$2,600 billion budget provides increases to military and security activities, and provides tax cuts, but spend for the Department of Energy would drop 2% while environmental management would drop 8%. Fossil energy programs would increase 19% under DOE’s budget and nuclear will increase 5.2% to $511 million.
Major addition of wind turbines would not affect grid, concludes study (posted 02/17/05)
The state of New York could add 3,300 MW of wind capacity without major changes in the planning, operations or reliability of the power system.
New online directory provides information on renewables for financiers (posted 02/17/05)
An online database has been launched to list 200 lending groups that provide finance to the renewable energy and energy efficiency sector around the world.
Arctic Becoming Chemical Waste Sump, Says WWF (posted 02/17/05)
The Arctic, already a dump for Russian nuclear waste from the Cold War, is also rapidly becoming a chemical sump for the globe, the World Wide Fund for Nature said on Thursday.
Half World's People to Live in Cities by 2007 - UN (posted 02/17/05)
Half the world's population will live in cities in two years, a huge jump from the 30 percent residing in urban areas in 1950, UN demographers reported on Wednesday.
Hybrid Vehicles to Top Out At Three Percent of Market (posted 02/17/05)
Despite the growing popularity of hybrid vehicles and a slew of new models scheduled in the next few years, the market share for the fuel-saving vehicles is expected to peak at about 3% by 2010
PennFuture
Files Suit Against Allegheny Energy to Stop Massive Air Pollution from
Hatfield's Ferry Power Plant (posted 02/17/05)
Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future (PennFuture), with the
support of the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP), today announced that it
has filed suit against Allegheny Energy for massive air pollution violations at
its Hatfield's Ferry plant in Greene County, Pennsylvania.
PITTSBURGH, Feb. 16
/PRNewswire/
Energy
Bill Hydropower Title Breaks What Has Already Been Fixed, Says American Rivers
(posted 02/17/05)
The House energy bill making its way through Congress
would unfairly give electric utilities the last word in negotiations over the
future of the rivers they have dammed to generate hydroelectric power,
conservationists testified to the House Energy and Commerce Committee today.
Feb 16 - U.S.
Newswire
Chu:
DOE Underestimated Job (posted 02/17/05)
The Energy Department underestimated the job of compiling
millions of documents into an electronic database for Yucca Mountain, a problem
that has contributed to missed deadlines for the Nevada nuclear waste
repository, the departing project director said Monday.
Feb 16 - Las Vegas Review
- Journal
Boomers to Delay Retirement (posted 02/16/05)
Boomers will also delay retirement as a result of the financial and non-financial incentives that government and business will offer to help ease a future shortage of workers.
Aramco eyes growth in crude sales to India, China, US (posted 02/16/05)
Saudi Arabia, which supplies nearly 1-mil b/d crude to India and China combined, expects to grow those volumes and also wants to increase its market share in the US
Car labelling gets go-ahead (posted 02/16/05)
The voluntary programme will feature all forty-two manufacturers currently retailing across the country, and will display green information such as emissions and fuel efficiency, allowing customers to make environmentally-based choices.
European energy buyers take steps to limit risks: Global Insight (posted 02/16/05)
The steps include looking at alliances with gas and power
producers, seeking
long-term contracts at fixed prices and investigating cogeneration facilities.
Cogeneration facilities can generate heat and power for use in industrial
processes.
Kyoto becomes law (posted 02/16/05)
The Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change has come into force as of today, eight years after it was first proposed, in a move that has been welcomed by environmental campaigners. The emissions-reducing programme has been adopted by more than 140 nations, including the UK.
McConnell slates US Kyoto stance (posted 02/16/05)
Scottish First Minister Jack McConnell has delivered a scathing assessment of the Bush Administration’s refusal to co-operate with the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change, calling it “the single most damaging decision made by any world leader in the last ten years.” McConnell’s view has been supported by Scottish environmental groups.
OPEC raises 2005 world oil demand forecast to 83.78-mil b/d (posted 02/16/05)
OPEC on Wednesday raised its estimate of world oil consumption
in the first
quarter and for the whole year because of faster-than-expected economic
growth
Senate Republicans revise 'Clear Skies' bill in bid to gain votes (posted 02/16/05)
The chairman of the US Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Tuesday offered a new version of the Bush administration-backed "Clear Skies" bill to regulate pollution from coal-fired power plants.
State regulators consider escrow accounts for nuclear waste fees (posted 02/16/05)
The National Assn of Regulatory Utility Commissioners is
considering
establishing escrow accounts to hold money that utilities with nuclear power
plants now pay into the US government's Nuclear Waste Fund
Study Finds Pollution May Affect Babies' Genes (posted 02/16/05)
A study of New York City newborns suggests that prenatal exposure to air pollution may be linked to genetic changes associated with an increased risk of cancer, researchers said Tuesday.
Unions Lobbying Democrats to Back President's Clean Air Plan (posted 02/16/05)
A coalition of labor unions -- traditionally a bastion of support for Democrats -- are lobbying senators of that party in favor of President Bush's air-pollution plan.
Doctors Warned of Fluoride Toxicity (posted 02/16/05)
"The combination of gastric problems, difficulty in swallowing, leg muscle pain, and pain in the knee and hip joints is a key indicator of fluoride toxicity, and patients using high-concentration home fluoride treatments should be monitored for these symptoms," is reported in the January 2005 Journal of the American Dental Association
PSC Rejects Moratorium on Wind Power Projects (posted 02/16/05)
State regulators, in one of their first major decisions since Gov. Joe Manchin took office, quietly rejected a request for a moratorium on construction of wind power sites in West Virginia.
New governor drops DEP greenhouse reporting bill (posted 02/16/05)
Last year, Gov. Bob Wise told West Virginians that the state could "no longer bury our head in the sand on the issue of greenhouse gases."
Texas Wants Its Share in Nuclear Waste Deal (posted 02/16/05)
The debate among lawmakers over low-level nuclear waste storage has shifted from whether there should be such a facility in West Texas to how much money the state should get from it.
ChevronTexaco CEO calls for new U.S. energy policy (posted 02/16/05)
ChevronTexaco Corp.'s top executive said Tuesday that the United States needs to come up with a new energy policy because current regulations and restrictions make it too difficult to meet demand.
States say Bush's proposal on air pollution too hazy (posted 02/16/05)
Five Midwestern states are considering new rules that would require coal-fired power plants to dramatically curb air pollution linked to lung damage, heart disease and respiratory ailments.
Blair set to take nuclear option (posted 02/16/05)
TONY BLAIR is preparing to commit the country to the biggest nuclear power programme since the 1960s if he wins the forthcoming general election.
Bulgaria Hit By Heavy Rains, Floods, Mudslides (posted 02/16/05)
Heavy rains, strong winds and a rapid snow melt triggered floods and mudslides in Bulgaria on Tuesday, killing one person and cutting power to thousands of others in the Balkan country, officials said.
Many Nations Far From Meeting Kyoto Goals (posted 02/16/05)
The UN's Kyoto protocol on curbing global warming will enter into force on Feb. 16 with many nations far from meeting targets for 2012 set under the plan.
US to Spend $5.8 Billion on Climate Change in 2005 (posted 02/16/05)
The United States, which refused to participate in a United Nations-backed global plan to slow global warming, said on Tuesday it will spend nearly $5.8 billion in 2005 on research and programs addressing climate change.
ChevronTexaco CEO Says Era of Cheap Oil Ending (posted 02/16/05)
Roaring demand for energy from Asia coupled with difficulties in accessing oil reserves has resulted in a new energy equation where the days of cheap oil and even cheaper natural gas are numbered, the head of ChevronTexaco Corp. said on Tuesday.
Renewable Energy's Major Role in the Ownership Society (posted 02/16/05)
"The proven technologies of renewable energy and distributed generation do exactly what the President is calling for in the Ownership Society. "
SPACE WEATHER ADVISORY OUTLOOK #05- 7 (posted 02/16/05)
Category G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm levels are possible on 17 - 19 February due to high speed solar winds from a coronal hole on the Sun.
OPEC says no date set for proposed meeting with EU (posted 02/15/05)
Ministers of the European Union and OPEC member countries plan
to meet in May or June this year to discuss cooperation to stabilize and balance
world oil
prices
Spiking Fuel Prices - Our Wake-Up Call (posted 02/15/05)
At a time of enduring gasoline and diesel price spikes, there is the realization that a fundamental shift has occurred.
China's oil imports likely to triple by 2010: official (posted 02/15/05)
China, the world's second-largest oil consumer, is set to triple
oil imports
by 2010 as demand grows and domestic production nears its peak, a Chinese
official said on Monday.
Tokyo Electric Power Development targets US generation market (posted 02/15/05)
Tokyo's Electric Power Development Co Monday said it plans to
spend up to
$200-mil over the next three years to buy or build natural gas-, coal-fired or
hydro-electric power generation assets in the US.
US senator says public 'education' one key to LNG acceptance (posted 02/15/05)
US Sen Lamar Alexander (Republican-Tennessee) Tuesday said the
US must develop more liquefied natural gas terminals if it is to avoid sharp
increases in gas
prices that could threaten the country's economic competitiveness.
DOE waste program director to resign (posted 02/15/05)
Her resignation, which is not unusual for a presidential appointee at the start of a new term, had long been rumored.
Senators Introduce Ocean Trash Bill (posted 02/15/05)
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators from coastal states introduced legislation Thursday calling for removal of the thousands of tons of ocean debris that wash up on U.S. shores each year.
Global Warming Treaty Set to Take Effect (posted 02/15/05)
After seven politically painful years, the Kyoto Protocol finally enters into force on Wednesday, reining in industrial emissions of carbon dioxide and other "greenhouse gases" in a first attempt to control climate change.
Earth's 'Lung,' the Amazon Forest, Breathes Uneasily in a Time of Climate Change (posted 02/15/05)
The Amazon forest was burning, and it was more than a sign of human encroachment. It was also the sight and scent of a dangerous chemistry, of tons of carbon dioxide -- transformed from wood and leaf -- rising into an atmosphere already loaded with it.
California Energy Commission Awards Beacon Power $1.2 Million Contract for Major Energy Storage Project (posted 02/15/05)
a contract with the California Energy Commission to demonstrate an advanced energy storage solution for frequency regulation and grid stability.
Pennsylvania Awards $1 Million to Fund Alternative Fuel Technologies (posted 02/15/05)
On behalf of Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell, Environmental Secretary Kathleen A. McGinty today awarded more than $1 million in Alternative Fuel Incentive Grants
LEVCO Offers 100% Renewable Energy Program for Residential Electricity (posted 02/15/05)
Levco Energy, the Norwalk based heating oil and energy provider, announced that residential electricity customers will now be able to choose to have their power come from 100 percent renewable energy resources without increasing their monthly energy costs.
Green Energy Resources Announced Certified 'Green' Fuel for Coal Utilities and the Renewable Energy Industry (posted 02/15/05)
"Green" Fuel (wood biomasse) will be approved by third party emission accreditors and emissions' brokers.
Unplanned plant outages a 'feature' in 2004: British Energy (posted 02/15/05)
A significant feature of the nine-month period ended Dec 31,
2004 was the
volume of unplanned outages, UK nuclear generator British Energy said in its
Q3 financial results Monday.
Shutdowns Hit British Energy Hard (posted 02/15/05)
An unplanned shutdown at Hartlepool Power Station contributed to a slump in fortunes for nuclear group British Energy.
Clean-energy idea can win business dollars (posted 02/15/05)
The competition calls for crafting a pitch that can sell a business concept to angel investors, venture capitalists, government grant-funding agencies and others. All Massachusetts students, researchers and entrepreneurs interested in emerging energy technologies are invited to participate.
Protesters oppose Bush's air pollution plan (posted 02/15/05)
Members of the Sierra Club and other environmental advocates held heart-shaped balloons Saturday near Kiener Plaza, calling President George W. Bush's air pollution legislation "a sweetheart deal for polluters."
Canadian alternative energy companies see opportunity in Kyoto agreement (posted 02/15/05)
As the Kyoto treaty on greenhouse gas emissions comes into effect this week, Canadian alternative energy companies are seeing green of a different kind.
Nevadans band together to fight California company's power plant (posted 02/15/05)
Two groups of Nevadans have formed to fight a San Diego-based company's plans to build a power plant near the scenic Black Rock Desert 100 miles north of Reno.
A way out for Bolivia? (posted 02/15/05)
In the landlocked, Andean nation of Bolivia, a major crisis is unfolding that deserves international attention. Bolivia is on the verge of nothing less than social suicide.
GREEN GENIUS: 2 DAYS TILL WE SAVE THE WORLD (posted 02/15/05)
'We should all make more journeys on foot. Half of all trips are less than two miles. Too many of these trips are by car. On the Continent, short trips are on foot or by bike. We should do this too.
Hyundai Reveals New Portico Concept Vehicle (posted 02/15/05)
It has two electric motors; one driving the front wheels and a second driving the rear wheels, providing all-wheel-drive capability.
Environmentalist tries to fight approval of Pueblo (posted 02/14/05)
In her appeal to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, Leslie Glustrom said the plant will pollute and contribute to global warming. She said the commission failed to abide by a state law that requires the "fullest possible consideration" of cost-effective clean energy and energy-efficient technologies.
FPL to Build Solar Panels Thanks to Green Customers (posted 02/14/05)
Florida Power & Light Co. has signed on more than 10,000 customers for its renewable-energy program.
Bush
Plan Streamlines Strip Mine Permits (posted 02/14/05) The Bush administration on Thursday announced a plan to allow
states to streamline the way coal operators obtain new strip mine permits. Salt
River Project to buy electricity from Arizona power plant
(posted 02/14/05) Salt River Project said Thursday it will buy
electricity from the state's largest power plant fueled by biomass, which is
planned near Snowflake. New Mexico
Weighs Reactor (posted 02/14/05) The uranium enrichment centrifuge plant that gets the most
attention these days is in Iran, but a larger one, carefully watched by the
civilian nuclear power industry and its opponents, is taking shape here, in the
desert just west of Texas. Lawmakers
Agree to Renewable Energy Study in Virginia (posted 02/14/05) A panel of state lawmakers agreed yesterday to study the
potential for renewable energy in Virginia if money can be found to pay for the
work. Spradley
continues quest to promote renewable energy (posted 02/14/05) Just because she's no longer in the Legislature doesn't mean
Lola Spradley stopped working for a cause she believes in. Wind farm
sought for peak (posted 02/14/05) The company owns 1,700 acres on Gore, land it mined for garnet
for a century before calling a halt to operations in the early 1980s and moving
four miles north to Ruby Mountain. Sinking
Islands Cling to Kyoto Lifebuoy (posted 02/14/05) Islanders
on tiny Tuvalu in the South Pacific last week saw the future of global warming
and rising sea levels, as extreme high tides caused waves to crash over
crumbling sea-walls and flood their homes. At
Least 64 Dead in Colombian, Venezuela Floods (posted 02/14/05) Flooding
and mudslides in northeastern Colombia killed at least 24 people and forced more
than 30,000 from their homes, authorities said on Sunday. Rich
Polluters Need to Show Better Example - UN (posted 02/14/05) Rich
nations are setting a bad example to the developing world by failing to cut
emissions of heat-trapping gases under a landmark UN plan to curb global
warning, the United Nations climate change chief said. Persuading
US on Climate is Top Challenge - Blair (posted 02/14/05) England
- Persuading Washington to support global efforts to tackle climate change is
Britain's main challenge over the coming months, Prime Minister Tony Blair said
on Saturday. Only
$70 Oil, Subsidies Will Spur Renewables (posted 02/14/05) Biofuels
and wind power are the best bets for alternative energy sources as oil and
natural gas prices rise even though the economics of green fuels are still far
from viable, analysts say. Safety
fears shut nuclear plants (posted 02/14/05) Corrosion and cracks were found in the reactor cores at British
Energy's Torness power station, East Lothian, and Hunterston B, Ayrshire. DOE
chief vows Yucca Mountain push (posted 02/14/05) Pressured by lawmakers, Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said
Wednesday he plans to take an active role on Yucca Mountain, a project he said
is causing problems for the Energy Department. Energy
Secretary Reaffirms Commitment to Building Nevada Nuclear Waste Dump
(posted 02/14/05) Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman told lawmakers Wednesday that
while progress on a nuclear waste project in Nevada will be delayed, the
government is "very focused and committed" to building the facility. Carbon
Emissions Trading is New Weapon to Battle Global Warming (posted
02/14/05) Environmentalists always said there would be a price to pay for
all the carbon dioxide being spewed into the atmosphere. Well, now there is. Seattle
Mandates Recycling (posted 02/14/05) Starting in 2006, people in single-family homes won't get their
trash picked up if they dump "significant amounts" of recyclables in
their trash Alaska
wants study of crystallized methane techniques (posted 02/11/05) An estimated 100 tcf of
crystallized methane gas beneath the Prudhoe Bay permafrost. If these highly
compressed gas hydrates can be produced, the additional supply of gas would
extend the commercial life of the proposed natural gas pipeline and make its
construction and operation more economical Alternative
fuels need more backing from EU states (posted 02/11/05) A debate organised by
think-tank Friends of Europe concluded that there was a need for a co-ordinated
approach to alternative fuels from all stakeholders and politicians,
particularly at member state level. China
and Canada sign energy agreements (posted 02/11/05) China and Canada agreed to
take on the energy sector -- oil and gas, nuclear energy, energy efficiency and
cleaner energy -- as "priority areas" of long-term mutual
co-operation. China's
ever-growing oil needs may result in a global shortage (posted 02/11/05) It's nice to have a
red-hot economy like China's that's hitting on all cylinders. But where will it
keep getting the gas to fill its tank? And will there be enough to go around? China's
risky scramble for oil (posted 02/11/05) Look at this imbalance:
The average American consumes 25 barrels of oil a year. In China, the average is
about 1.3 barrels per year; in India, less than 1. So as the 2.4 bn Chinese and
Indians move to improve their living standards, they're going to want more oil
-- likely more than can be produced. Environmentalists
fight planned gas terminal in Mexico (posted 02/11/05) Greenpeace Mexico
announced new efforts to block plans for a LNG import terminal off of Mexico's
Pacific coast near the US border. Europe
and Washington to focus on securing fuel supplies (posted 02/11/05) Plans were outlined on
both sides of the Atlantic to secure fuel supplies and reduce consumption amid
growing concern over rising oil prices, terrorist threats and surging demand
from a voracious China. Germany
urges oil producers to get a grip on pricing (posted 02/11/05) German Chancellor Gerhard
Schroeder urged oil-producing countries to get a grip on skyrocketing oil
prices, saying the rising costs are the death knell for poor countries. Iraq's
oil and power infrastructure attacked 196 times since war (posted
02/11/05) There have been at least
196 attacks on Iraq's oil and electricity infrastructure between April 2003 and
January 2005, imperilling the country's ability to get off the international
dole Mexican
oil spill devastates habitats (posted 02/11/05) The International Fund for
Animal Welfare (IFAW) has revealed details of its continuing rescue and
rehabilitation effort for animals affected by the oil spill near Veracruz in
Mexico. Oil
and gas employee training program draws wide interest (posted 02/11/05) "Wages here are around $ 10 to $ 15 (per hour), so the $ 22-per-hour
starting wage is what got my attention," Girten said. Since it was announced, the training program has drawn interest from all over
the United States OPEC
oil export revenues expected to reach nearly $ 345 bn this year (posted
02/11/05) The net oil export
revenues of OPEC should reach nearly $ 345 bn this year, up slightly from 2004
and 42 % higher than in 2003. Schlumberger
expects West Africa and US Gulf exploration to grow (posted 02/11/05) Exploration for oil and
gas will grow in 2005 as companies seek to increase and maintain production in a
strong price environment Schlumberger CEO Andrew Gould said. Surprises
that could have a noticeable impact on Gulf economies (posted 02/11/05) There is an old saying in
economic forecasting: The consensus is always wrong. This is why it is important
to think out of the box and identify the wild cards that may play out
differently from what the consensus expects. Taking
a stand against Scottish wind turbines (posted 02/11/05) the "Dancing
Ladies" sprang to life with a gust of wind and the touch of a button. The
Ladies are three 90ft-high wind turbines that will supply the famous
community-owned island with two-thirds of its electricity. The
chips are down: Biomass power fuelled by crops (posted 02/11/05) the project -- known as
Winbeg or Winkleigh biomass energy generator -- will be fuelled by crops such as
fast-growing willow, and should provide enough electricity for 23,000 homes. US
oil imports in 2004 were highest in its history (posted 02/11/05) The American Petroleum
Institute reported that the US import of foreign petroleum hit a record high of
over 10 mm bpd in 2004, the first time in the history of the States. Will
Washington tolerate a Chinese-Venezuelan pact? (posted 02/11/05) Venezuela is quickly
emerging as a major player in the global energy game due to China's skyrocketing
energy demands and the escalating instability of oil sources in the Middle East
and West Africa. Analysis
on the Venezuela-USA oil relationship (posted 02/11/05) Venezuelan President Hugo
Chavez has been ratcheting up the rhetoric over cutting off US markets from
Venezuelan oil supplies during the past several weeks. On the surface the idea
seems preposterous Users
in Connecticut Getting Choice for Renewable Energy (posted 02/11/05) Despite delays, state residents will be able to get their
electricity from renewable sources -- such as wind generators -- starting this
year SDG&E
Explores Offering Web Access (posted 02/11/05) SDG&E says it has a team at work defining the elements of a
pilot project to provide high-speed access in the form of broadband over power
lines, or BPL. Mexico
investments in energy to surpass US$10bn in 2005 (posted 02/11/05) the official stated that Mexican firms have a good chance of
being awarded the bulk of planned projects, given their experience, market
knowledge, familiarity with laws and production capacities. China
found 850-mil mt new oil reserves in 2004 (posted 02/11/05) China's three major oil companies intensified exploration
efforts last year, boosting the country's reserves by around 850-mil mt EU
energy boss expects SE Europe energy treaty final draft March (posted
02/11/05) EU and south-east European officials agreed the basic principles
to integrate the energy markets of 11 south-east European countries with each
other and the 25 members of the EU last December. Gas
to play main role in replacing German nuclear power (posted 02/11/05) The experts believe that in a 'green' option, gas would be
complemented by renewable power sources. Another
UK coal mine bites the dust (posted 02/11/05) One of the UK's remaining eight large deep coal mines, is to
close as its reserves cannot be mined viably, it was announced Thursday.
Production will be phased out over the next 12 months House
panel to reconsider energy bill passed last year (posted 02/11/05) The House Energy and Commerce Committee has circulated a draft
of energy legislation nearly identical to a bill passed by the House last
year...which passed the House with bipartisan support and was within two votes
of being passed by the Senate Activists
want less pollution from Georgetown, S.C., coal-fueled power plant
(posted 02/11/05) While steam and smoke rises from four towers at Santee Cooper's
Winyah Generating Station in increased amounts, environmentalists and
community-health watchers continue to push for stronger controls. Tuscon,
Ariz., Utility Officials Plan to Ask for Rate Increase (posted
02/11/05) The company also will continue to look to buy new power
plants, wind down its unregulated subsidiaries and prepare to ask regulators for
a rate increase in 2008 to offset higher costs NorthWestern
to Buy Energy From Wind Farm (posted 02/11/05) The PSC had urged NorthWestern for several years to include wind
power in its electricity portfolio. Greenpeace,
Locals Oppose Construction of Second Bulgarian Nuclear Plant (posted
02/11/05) Greenpeace and the citizens of Novi Khan want to stop the Belene
nuclear plant construction project... the plans to expand the nuclear waste
storage facility near Novi Khan. Twinsburg,
Ohio, firm promotes mercury capture technology for power plants (posted
02/11/05) Imagine the Houston Astrodome filled floor to the
ceiling with pingpong balls. Thirty of the balls have mercury inside. In one to
two seconds, find and remove 27 of the mercury balls. Leak
forces shutdown of South Texas nuclear reactor (posted 02/11/05) An early afternoon leak Wednesday at the South
Texas Plant Nuclear Operating Co. in the containment coolant system forced the
shutdown of reactor two High-End
Venturi Electric Sports Car Makes Debut (posted 02/11/05) The Venturi Fetish utilizes a lithium-ion battery to power its
180-kilowatt motor (equivalent to a 300-horsepower engine). Virent
to Develop First System to Convert Sugar into Electricity (posted
02/11/05) Virent Energy Systems has announced that it is developing the
first-ever demonstration system capable of converting sugar into power. Clouds
Gather Over Future of Kyoto Climate Pact (posted 02/11/05) Defying
repeated premature reports of its death, the Kyoto Protocol will come into force
in a few days. But doubts are already growing over the long-term future of the
world's most ambitious environmental agreement. Villagers
Chase off Wolves in Deadly Balkan Freeze (posted 02/11/05) Snowbound
villagers fought off starving wolves and the River Danube iced over as a
Siberian frost gripped much of the Balkans for the second straight week, killing
at least a dozen people. Congress
Pushed on Oil Drilling in Alaskan Refuge (posted 02/11/05) Congress
should approve drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to boost US
oil supplies, but shouldn't require more electricity to be generated from
renewable energy sources, a senior Bush administration energy official told
lawmakers on Thursday. US
Firms Said Lagging in Global Warming Fight (posted 02/11/05) Financial
and insurance firms elsewhere have awakened to the dangers posed by global
warming, but US companies have shown little interest so far 2005
Could Be Warmest Year Recorded -- NASA (posted 02/11/05) A
weak El Nino and human-made greenhouse gases could make 2005 the warmest year
since records started being kept in the late 1800s, NASA scientists said this
week. El
Nino to Weaken in Next 3 Months - US NOAA (posted 02/11/05) A
weak El Nino that had a minor impact on global weather recently will diminish
and end during the next three months, U.S weather forecasters said on Thursday. House
Panel OKs Energy Act (posted 02/11/05) UTAH "It will take away any concern or suspicion that what Utah
Power is doing is somehow not in the best interests of customers. . . . Crude
jumps as IEA sees tighter market in 2005 (posted 02/10/05) Crude futures surged Thursday after the International Energy
Agency cut forecasts for growth in output from Russia in 2005 and raised its
estimate for world demand growth, threatening to stretch supplies for a second
year. New
Iraqi government to decide on role of oil majors (posted 02/10/05) Multinational oil companies could participate in Iraqi oil field
development as the oil ministry moves to boost production and exports in 2005,
Iraqi oil minister Thamer Ghadban told Platts Wednesday. Sen
Kerry says US climate policy won't change until Bush is gone (posted
02/10/05) "Despite the scientific evidence that the threat is real,
dangerous World
nuclear generation sets new record in 2004 (posted 02/10/05) World nuclear generation in 2004 rose more than 3.7% to a high
of 2.686-bil MWh, led by record-setting performance in the US and Sweden,
recovery from regulatory ills in Japan, restart of long-laid-up units in Canada,
commissioning of new units in Korea and Ukraine, and solid performances in other
countries NRC's
2006 budget request higher than 2005 (posted 02/10/05) NRC is requesting nearly $701.7-million for its fiscal 2006
budget, up from the $669-million allocated for FY-05. Coalition
Launches Advertising Push in Support of Clear Skies Legislation (posted
02/10/05) The Coalition for Affordable and Reliable Energy (CARE) today
began running a series of advertisements to help promote the Clear Skies Act of
2005 Sempra
shuts down Mexicali plant (posted 02/10/05) gas-fired power plant in Mexico's Baja California state on
Wednesday for "unplanned reasons," Moscow
Plans to Turn Waste into Electricity (posted 02/10/05) It seems that Moscow scientists have discovered a new, entirely
real source of energy. You can generate electricity and heat from
anything: from household waste to coal that has already been burnt EU
Wants to Curb Greenhouse Gas Emissions Beyond 2012 (posted 02/10/05) The European Union head office proposed plans for curbing
greenhouse gas emissions beyond 2012 on Wednesday, arguing that environmental
protection need not come at the expense of economic growth if countries work
together. Experts
Try to Predict What the Next Tsunami Will Do (posted 02/10/05) The magnitude 9 earthquake off the coast of the Indonesian
island of Sumatra lifted the sea floor 15 feet and displaced trillions of
gallons of water, inundating coastlines thousands of miles away. $21
Million in FY '06 Energy-Efficiency Federal Budget Cuts Aggravates Energy Price,
Supply Crises (posted 02/10/05) "By cutting federal funding for
energy efficiency, President Bush's fiscal year 2006 Department of Energy budget
takes the wrong approach at the wrong time," Pacific
Nations Shaken by Quake, Tsunami Fears (posted 02/10/05) A
strong earthquake measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale rattled Vanuatu and an
exceptionally low tide in nearby Papua New Guinea sparked fears of a tsunami in
separate South Pacific incidents on Wednesday. UK
Navy Shows Seabed Ruptured by Tsunami Quake (posted 02/10/05) British
scientists revealed on Wednesday the first pictures of the undersea site of the
huge earthquake that caused the Asian tsunami as part of efforts to find out
exactly what happened. Budget
at a Glance: Department of Energy (posted 02/10/05) The budget would shut down federal support for oil and gas
research programs, scale back money for a nuclear waste dump in Nevada, expand
research into clean-coal technology and provide $67 million to find ways to
store climate-changing carbon emissions. Bush
Seeks Nearly Six Percent Cut in Environment Funding (posted 02/10/05) The Bush administration Monday proposed cutting the
Environmental Protection Agency budget by nearly 6 percent to $7.57 billion in
fiscal 2006 by targeting a program that helps cities replace aging sewage
systems. Asia
Quake, Tsunami Moved Islands, Shortened Days (posted 02/09/05) The
massive earthquake that triggered the Asian tsunami wobbled the earth on its
axis, forced cartographers back to the drawing board and changed time by a
fraction, but there's no need to adjust your clocks. Blair
Hopeful of US Backing on Climate Change (posted 02/09/05) Washington
wants to start discussing measures to combat climate change and may sign up to
an agreement during Britain's presidency of the Group of Eight rich nations,
Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Tuesday. Both
Coasts of Americas Seen Vulnerable to Tsunamis (posted 02/09/05) Both
the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the Americas are vulnerable to tsunamis like
the one that devastated Indian Ocean shorelines in December and experts said on
Tuesday they are scrambling to try to get warning system in place before
politicians lose interest. BP
plans to expand Frederick, Md., solar energy manufacturing site (posted
02/09/05) Just as the sun rises and sets, the solar energy industry has
faced its ups and downs. British
Nuclear Fuels Lands US Deal (posted 02/09/05) The new reactor is designed to replace plants in America and
Britain that will be taken out of use over the next ten years. Bush
‘backing away’ from energy goals - NGO (posted 02/09/05) The FY2006 budget request outlines a
$20m, or 2%, cut on FY2005 figures for energy efficiency funding, following a
trend over recent years. Bush
outlines clean energy aims (posted 02/09/05) In view of the Federal stance, several
state authorities have moved forward with their own pro-environmental
legislation. Bush
wants federal power priced at market rates (posted 02/09/05) The Bush administration called Monday for a major change in the
way federal power suppliers charge their customers -- basing rates on market
prices at the time, rather than the cost of producing the electricity. Climate
change pressure rising on PM (posted 02/09/05) Green group Friends of the Earth has
renewed its call for the UK to improve its position on climate change to ensure
credibility during 2005’s international debating on the issue. Coal recouped
(posted 02/09/05) Pennsylvania is littered with vast, abandoned piles of "boney"
-- a mixture of coal, rock and clay that chokes the life out of creeks and
streams, turning them a sickly shade of yellowish-orange. Not anymore.
Cold
winter threatens ozone hole (posted 02/09/05) Scientists have warned that
below-average temperatures this winter are increasing the destruction of the
ozone layer over Europe, in a statement this week. Early signs of the ozone loss
have been detected by researchers, prompting fears that the degradation could
worsen over coming decades. EIA
expects slightly less nuclear generation in 2005 (posted 02/09/05) U.S. nuclear plants will produce 785.8 million megawatt-hours (MWH)
of electricity in 2005, representing about 19.2% of anticipated total U.S.
generation this year Energy
changes essential – Beckett (posted 02/09/05) UK Environment Secretary Margaret
Beckett has spoken of the need for ‘radical changes’ in the how the world
generates and uses energy as a key factor in combating climate change, at this
week’s international conference in Exeter. Entergy
Nuclear CEO Says Congress Needs to Expand Nuclear Energy (posted
02/09/05) The U.S. Congress urgently needs to enact a national energy
policy that includes an expanded role for new nuclear energy plants, a top
executive of the nation's second largest operator of nuclear plants told a
utility executive conference here today. Iraqi
minister promises "significant improvement" in power supplies by
summer 05 (posted 02/09/05) thanks to the provision of generators, the purchase of several
power plants and other measures, the electricity grid will undergo a significant
improvement this summer National
Energy Plan Needs to Focus on Consumers (posted 02/09/05) The bill is important since estimates indicate that during the
next 20 years oil consumption will grow by one-third and electricity demand
could increase by more than 45 percent. NERC
Adopts New Reliability Standards (posted 02/09/05) The new standards will apply to all entities that play a role in
maintaining the reliability of the bulk electric system in the United States and
Canada. Nevada
lawmakers told Yucca Mountain project is likely dead (posted 02/09/05) The head of the state agency fighting federal
efforts to open a high-level radioactive waste dump at Yucca Mountain in
southern Nevada told legislators Tuesday that the dump faces many obstacles and
may die altogether. Oil
prices merit re-examining of supply/demand fundamentals (posted 02/09/05) The supply and demand curves for oil aren't behaving the way
we were taught they should. Consequently, every drop counts. President
Proposes $322 Million for Department of Energy Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Programs
(posted 02/09/05) Backing up his commitment to a budget that provides "strong
funding" for hydrogen and fuel cells, President Bush has included $322
million in the FY 2006 Department of Energy budget for fuel cell and hydrogen
technology programs. Rate
increase sought for San Onofre work (posted 02/09/05) Edison spokesman Ray Golden said unless $829
million is raised to replace steam generators that have begun to crack, one of
the two nuclear units operating in San Diego County could be forced to shut down
as early as 2009 and the second by 2017. Reader
Response: 2005 State of the Union Speech (posted 02/09/05) "...my budget provides strong funding for leading-edge
technology -- from hydrogen-fueled cars, to clean coal, to renewable sources
such as ethanol." Renewables
stagnate in Europe, claim renewable energy groups (posted 02/09/05) The share of renewables in primary energy consumption of the
countries of the European Union in 2003 was 5.48%, compared with an EU objective
of 12% by 2010 Residential
PV could be cost-effective with incentive of US$1,300 per kW (posted
02/09/05) “An aggressive state solar PV buy-down program, coupled with
other incentives and standards for the inclusion of solar power in new homes,
could benefit residential homebuyers, utility ratepayers and the state as a
whole Solar
Tracker Project Slated for Yuma, Arizona (posted 02/09/05) "Perhaps the biggest benefactors of this project are the
young people of Yuma, who will grow up with alternative energy in their backyard
and realize its potential in everyday applications." Support
for solar PV would create 35,000 jobs in U.S. (posted 02/09/05) Development of the solar photovoltaic industry in the United
States would create 35,000 jobs and prompt investment of US$28 billion in 20
states. Time
for talking is over – WWF (posted 02/09/05) International conservation group WWF
has urged immediate action on climate change in the energy sector following last
week’s conference in Exeter, saying that everything is in place to make
progress. West Wing's
Ethanol Problem (posted 02/09/05) "The level of incentives for ethanol, an infant industry with
enormous growth opportunities, doesn't come close to those paid to oil, a mature
industry whose fuel source is running out. " What is
the Kyoto Protocol? (posted 02/09/05) The
UN's Kyoto protocol meant to rein in global warming enters into force on Feb. 16
after years of delays with the United States on the sidelines: Solar
power demand to soar in coming years (posted 02/08/05) Demand for solar energy in Thailand is projected to soar
over the next six years, driven by the government's programme to promote
renewable energy. Sick
of slow response, they made Duke listen (posted 02/08/05) Sometimes it takes a few loud voices to get a Fortune 500
company's attention. Creative
Financing Structures Provide Breath of Fresh Air for Wind Power Projects
(posted 02/08/05) After wind power projects ground to a near halt in early 2004,
expect a surge of activity among U.S. developers now that Congress has renewed
through December 2005 the federal production tax credit US
retail gasoline price should average over $2/gal by spring (posted
02/08/05) Although weekly pump prices dropped slightly on Monday, to
$1.91/gal, they are still up about 13 cts/gal from a month ago. Oil
prices 'normal', no need for consultations: OPEC president (posted
02/08/05) "Oil prices are normal and markets are reacting postively
to the last OPEC decision Saudi
Arabia producing 9-mil b/d until further notice: Naimi (posted 02/08/05) He also put Saudi Arabian crude output at 9-mil b/d.
"Hopefully EIA
says US power demand to rise 3.4% in 2005, 2.1% in 2006 (posted 02/08/05) The 2005 projection marks a slight increase over the 3.3% growth
rate EIA estimated in its January outlook. EIA said coal demand in the electric
power sector will rise 3.8% in 2005 and another 2.6% in 2006. US
House won't take up broad energy bill in February: DeLay (posted
02/08/05) The US House, which had hoped to begin debate on a new
comprehensive energy bill in February, has decided to wait for three committee
chairmen to come to agreement on tax incentives that will be included in the
measure, Majority Leader Tom DeLay (Republican-Texas) said Tuesday. US
DOE puts back start of nuclear repository operations to 2012 (posted
02/08/05) The US Dept of Energy hopes to begin repository operations at
Yucca Mountain, Nevada in 2012, two years later than its last official target,
waste program director Margaret Chu said Monday. Economic
growth should push gas demand this year (posted 02/08/05) Given expectations for continued economic growth, gas demand
should increase by 3% this year, the US Energy Information Administration said
Tuesday. In its February Short-Term Energy Outlook, EIA bumped up its month-ago
demand estimate for 2005 EU
govts extend nuke safety standards debate to end-2006 (posted 02/08/05) The European Union council of member state governments has set
up a working party to look at nuclear safety and waste management in the EU with
the aim of reporting conclusions by end-2006 First
Large-Scale Poultry-Litter Biomass Power Plant in U.S. (posted 02/08/05) Foster Wheeler North America Corp., has been awarded a contract
valued in excess of $18 million by SNC-Lavalin Power Inc. Europe
Increases Wind Capacity by Nearly 20% in 2004 (posted 02/08/05) countries in Europe had installed 34,205 MW of wind power to the
end of last year, an increase of 19.7% over 2003. Military/Aerospace
Decline for North America? (posted 02/08/05) You’d think with the U.S. military incursions everywhere that
the North American dominance of the military/aerospace power supply market would
not be in question. SPACE
WEATHER ADVISORY OUTLOOK #05- 6 (posted 02/08/05) Occasional minor (G1) geomagnetic storm levels
are possible on 09 February due to the effects of a high
speed solar wind stream from a coronal hole on the Sun. AWWA
Urges Action on MTBE Legislation (posted 02/07/05) Spurred by word that Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, who chairs the
Energy and Commerce Committee, plans "fast-track" passage of energy
legislation likely to include the same MTBE "safe harbor" language
that was in the bill that passed the House but failed in the Senate last session Bush
Seeks $867 Million Budget for Forest Thinning (posted 02/07/05) The Bush administration will ask Congress to increase funding to
$867 million in fiscal year 2006 for a plan to help reduce the risk of wildfires
in federal forests, a senior administration official said Thursday. Chattanooga,
Tenn., lands maker of wind turbine towers (posted 02/07/05) Chattanooga beat out cities in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and
Kansas to land a new manufacturer that will build towers for wind turbines,
officials said Thursday. EPA
Overlooked Health Impact... (posted 02/07/05) The Bush administration overlooked health effects and sided with
the electric industry in developing rules for cutting toxic mercury pollution,
the Environmental Protection Agency's inspector general said Thursday. Ex-Im
Bank Supports U.S. Exports to World's Largest Solar Energy Facility
(posted 02/07/05) The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) is
helping U.S. manufacturers and exporters of solar energy technology and products
obtain the working capital to increase export sales to Germany, one of the
world's leading markets for renewable energy goods and services. Expert
Says Reducing Forests Would Help Ease Drought in Wyoming (posted
02/07/05) A federal forest official says one way to address Wyoming's
long-standing drought is to clear cut more forest land. Food
Scarcity Predicted with Rising Temperatures, Falling Water Tables (posted
02/07/05) A global warming trend will reduce farm yields and make food
supplies scarcer over the next century, an environmental group said Thursday Forest
depletion triggers electricity crisis in Kenya (posted 02/07/05) Kenyan Environment Minister Kalonzo Musyoka has warned that the
east African country faces a major power crisis due to the depletion of forests,
local newspaper Sunday Standard reported. French
Body Sees "Oil Shock" Risk From Mideast (posted 02/07/05) The
world could face its third "oil shock" if political events in the
Middle East were to disrupt supplies, a French independent oil research body
said on Thursday. French
Ethanol Makers Seek Bigger Biofuel Quota (posted 02/07/05) French
ethanol producers hope to gain a bigger slice of the country's biofuel quota in
2007 after winning a disappointing 40 percent at the latest government
allocation Iraq
wants UN to stop using old oil funds for Volcker inquiry (posted
02/07/05) Iraq's ambassador to the UN said Friday he wants the world body
to stop using funds left over from the defunct oil-for-food program to finance
its Long
Island Power Authority Eyeing Fuel-Cell Project (posted 02/07/05) The Long Island Power Authority said it's looking for a firm to
install and operate fuel cells that would produce up to 10 megawatts of
electricity, enough to power 10,000 homes. NSF
Releases Reports on Arsenic Treatment Technologies (posted 02/07/05) To ensure drinking water technologies are available for
consumers to reduce exposure to arsenic, the not-for-profit NSF International
just released four final verification reports Oil
Tankers Collide, Wind Blows Slick Towards Port Said Coast (posted
02/07/05) A
stiff breeze is blowing a 1,500-tonne oil slick towards Egypt's Mediterranean
coast near the city of Port Said after two oil tankers collided on Saturday Researchers
Probe Antarctica's Shifting Ice (posted 02/07/05) Now that one mammoth Antarctic ice shelf has collapsed into the
ocean, when might another, bigger one crumble and slip into a warming sea? In
1,000 years? In 100 years? Sooner? Never? Sempra
Energy says marketing unit inks ethanol partnership (posted 02/07/05) Sempra Energy said Monday its Sempra Commodities marketing unit
has inked a joint venture with renewable energy developer New Hope Partners to
market ethanol Water
Needed to Grow Food, Preserve Ecosystems Worldwide (posted 02/07/05) Poor countries urgently need investment to improve water usage
in agriculture and ecosystems to reduce hunger White
House budget slashes oil, gas spending, other DOE programs (posted
02/07/05) The Bush administration's fiscal-year 2006 budget, released
Monday, would cut 2% from all discretionary spending for the US Dept of Energy.
Under the president's plan Nuclear
energy has stock draw (posted 02/07/05) "Today, U.S. nuclear generation is
at an all-time high, thanks to vastly improved operating rates and
capacity-boosting equipment. Antarctic
Glaciers Melting Faster This Year (posted 02/07/05) The recent events are
a predicted consequence of climate change and underscore the potential for sea
level rise as a result of climate warming over the Earth's polar caps. Bush
urges Congress to pass energy bill, Clear Skies Act (posted 02/07/05) President Bush called on Congress during his State of the Union
address to pass an energy bill and an air pollution emission reduction bill,
both of which have languished in the House and Senate for several years. EPA
inspector accuses agency of predetermined mercury finding (posted
02/07/05) Accused the agency´s senior management of pressuring its staff
to issue a mercury emission standard that may not represent the lowest emission
levels possible. US
EPA Understated Utility Mercury Cuts (posted 02/07/05) The
United State's 1,100 coal-burning power plants emit about 48 tons of mercury
each year, the largest unregulated US source. Microfabrication:
Fuel Cell Cost Breakthrough? (posted 02/07/05) University of Michigan researchers are developing ways that
could produce fuel cells at a fraction of the current cost by using
microfabrication rather than traditional manufacturing processes. Illness
And Injury As Contributors To Bankruptcy (posted 02/07/05) In
2001, 1.458 million American families filed for bankruptcy. Even universal
coverage could leave many Americans FPL,
Carlyle Group Purchase Mojave Solar Thermal Troughs (posted 02/07/05) "With these new projects, we are now the largest
generator of solar power in the U.S. with 310 MWs." GE
Expands Financing to Clean Energy Technologies (posted 02/07/05) "Demand for capital is growing for clean energy and
related fields, and our new venture is designed to meet that demand." Governor
wants utilities to use renewable energy (posted 02/07/05) In his State of the State speech Thursday, the governor will
recommend that by 2012, each electric utility or other retail electricity
supplier provide enough renewable energy to comprise at least 8 percent of the
electricity sold in Illinois Reader
Response: 2005 State of the Union Speech (posted 02/07/05) In this State of the Union speech, President Bush said that to
keep the U.S. economy growing strong we need reliable supplies of affordable,
environmentally responsible energy. Russian-Iranian
deal on spent nuclear fuel drawn up (posted 02/07/05) All issues have been agreed upon now. The
previous agreement dated 1992 did not provide for spent nuclear fuel to be
returned. Solar
Acquisition Aims to Commercialize Concentrator (posted 02/07/05) Each Sunflower module is composed of an array of mirrors that
track the sun throughout the day and year, concentrating its light onto a small
panel of PV cells that generate electricity. State
Energy Trust Offers (posted 02/07/05) Since renewable energy projects are often so capital-intensive,
long-term power purchase agreements can make the difference between a stalled
project and a project groundbreaking. World
Energy Modernization Plan (posted 02/04/05) The increasing instability of
the global climate, driven by the buildup of human-generated greenhouse
gases in the atmosphere, poses profound perils to our habitat, our public health
and safety, and the stability of our economic and political systems. The costs
of "business-as-usual" are manifesting themselves in the global
increase in extreme weather events, while there is significant inertia in the
current dependency on fossil fuels. Cost
of electricity generation in Mexico is double that of other countries
(posted 02/04/05) Put in dollars, the cost was equal to US$0.14 per kilowatt hour,
more than twice the US$0.068 in Canada and 59% more than the US$0.088 per KW/h
in the United States. US New
Generation 2004 (posted 02/04/05) These figures show a nearly 50% reduction in 2003 new generation
additions of more than 52,000 MW. US
new generation 2004 by primary fuel type (posted 02/04/05) Natural Gas a clear "winner". This
data highlights US new generation by plant state in 2004 (posted
02/04/05) Arizona's new generation of 1419.80 MW. US
nuclear costs steady at 1.7 cts/kWh in record production year (posted
02/04/05) Early estimates show US nuclear plant operators held 2004
operating costs to the same level as 2003 costs, about 1.7 cts/kWh US
Senate energy panel members announce March coal conference (posted
02/04/05) Both the chairman and ranking Democrat on the US Senate Energy
and Natural Resources Committee said Thursday they would convene in March a coal
conference to help inform them as they develop a comprehensive energy bill. UK
gas market reaching maturity: Centrica's Mark Clare (posted 02/04/05) The market is working, he said, with 17% of customers switching
electricity supplier in 2004 and 15% switching gas supplier. One of the few
obstacles left in the UK market was "the heavy hand of regulation U.S.
nuclear generation set record in 2004, NEI says (posted 02/04/05) U.S. nuclear plants had record output and stable costs in 2004
according to Colorado
answers increasing national demand for coal (posted 02/04/05) Colorado coal production is expected to reach another high this
year with strong demand from Eastern U.S. utilities. Power
Plants Hit By Reactor Safety Fears (posted 02/04/05) SAFETY fears may force the closure of two nuclear power plants supplying more
than half of Scotland's electricity, it emerged last night.
Wind
Farms Likely to Face a Buffeting (posted 02/04/05) ENGLAND
Plans for three new wind farms in Northumberland ( which would generate
enough electricity to power more than 70,000 homes a year ( were unveiled
yesterday as the region's green energy drive gathered pace. Thermal
coal case worry for industry (posted 02/04/05) The Victorian Government has been warned that blocking a Latrobe
Valley coal project could prove costly. Jinjiang
Garbage Incineration Power Plant to Go into Test run (posted 02/04/05) The plant is designed to generate electricity with heat energy
from garbage treatment. Thumbs-up
for power policy in New Dehli (posted 02/04/05) The Union Cabinet on Wednesday cleared a policy roadmap to light
up the entire country by 2012 and lead to a free-for-all in transmission,
besides nursing back the power sector's financial health. The
Climate Crisis Coalition's Global Warming (posted 02/04/05) The Climate Crisis Coalition is writing to enlist your support
in signing and helping circulate the People's Ratification of the Kyoto
Protocol. West
Antarctic Ice Sheet Shows Early Signs of Disintegration (posted 02/04/05) Researchers
from the Cambridge-based British Antarctic Survey (BAS) have discovered that a
massive Antarctic ice sheet previously assumed to be stable may be starting to
disintegrate, a conference on climate change heard yesterday. Its collapse would
raise sea levels around the earth by more than 16 feet. New
Findings Reveal Much Faster Warming (posted 02/04/05) "Our
experiment shows that increased levels of greenhouse gases could have a much
greater impact on climate than previously thought," said David Stainforth,
the project's chief scientist, from Oxford University. Congress
Cuts Funds for Climate Research Stations (posted 02/04/05) Congress
has eliminated funding for a fledgling network of 110 observation stations
intended to provide a definitive, long-term climate record for the United
States. New
Coal Plants Seen Swamping Kyoto (posted 02/04/05) The
official treaty to curb greenhouse-gas emissions hasn't gone into effect yet and
already three countries are planning to build nearly 850 new coal-fired plants,
which would pump up to five times as much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere as
the Kyoto Protocol aims to reduce. Leaked
Document Shows Coal Industry Plan to Gut Climate (posted 02/04/05) An
industry group that represents coal producers and suppliers has been carrying
out an ambitious strategy for defeating or scaling back a host of ongoing
congressional and state initiatives to limit greenhouse gases, mercury and other
air pollutants, according to a recent internal letter obtained by Inside EPA. Coal
Industry Strategy Letter To CEO of Peabody Energy (posted 02/04/05) Fossil Fuel
Firms Spent $440 Million Over 6 Years on Political Influence (posted
02/04/05) The United States is the oil and
gas industry's biggest customer, slurping up fully a quarter of global
production in 2003. UCS
Accuses White House of Distorting Science (posted 02/04/05) The
Union of Concerned Scientists said in a report that the administration had
suppressed research on global warming, air quality, sexual health, cancer and
other issues. Industry
calls Cost of Reductions Prohibitive (posted 02/04/05) In
1997, more than 2,500 economists, including six Nobel Laureates, said the U.S.
could cut emissions -- up to 30 percent by some estimates -- simply through
efficiency and conservation -- at a net gain in jobs and productivity to
the U.S. economy. THE
CLIMATE CRISIS: INTRODUCING A SOLUTION (posted 02/04/05) What is missing is
neither the technology nor the know-how. What is missing is the vision. Wild
Weather Wreaks Havoc in Australia (posted 02/04/05) Wild
storms lashing Australia forced police to warn people to stay away from the
centre of the country's second most populous city on Thursday after Melbourne
experienced its heaviest rainfall in almost 150 years. US
EPA Understated Utility Mercury Cuts (posted 02/04/05) The
US Environmental Protection Agency understated how much coal-fired power plants
could reasonably cut mercury emissions and issued proposed rules based on
pressure from senior managers, the agency's investigative arm found Thursday. Congressional
delegation objects to LNG proposal (posted 02/04/05) U.S. Sen. Jack Reed and Representatives Patrick J. Kennedy and
James R. Langevin yesterday announced their opposition to proposals for
liquefied natural gas terminals in Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts. A
quarter of all fuel sold in Russia is illegal (posted 02/03/05) Russian police officers uncovered over 8,500 crimes in the fuel
and energy sector in 2004, a deputy head of the Interior Ministry's Economic
Crime Directorate, Nikolay Malinov, told reporters today. African
Poor to Bear Brunt of Global Warming Crisis (posted 02/03/05) Africa's
poor millions, already suffering grinding poverty and rampant disease, risk
bearing the brunt of the global warming crisis unless urgent action is taken now Boomers
to Delay Retirement (posted 02/03/05) The bull market meltdown, stratospheric deficit levels, rising
life expectancy, surging health care costs, lack of retirement savings and a
brewing labor market shortage, are forming a “perfect storm” that will force
or entice boomers to work during their golden years. BPL
is all the rage in rural Internet (posted 02/03/05) Now they have a new Internet service that sends information over
electrical lines, and they wonder how they lived without it. Bush
to Push For Energy Bill, Won't Enter MTBE Fray (posted 02/03/05) President
Bush will make a pitch for the passage of a broad energy bill with incentives to
boost domestic production when he delivers his State of the Union address Canada
Says to Focus on Debt Relief (posted 02/03/05) Finance
ministers from the Group of Seven wealthy nations will urge debt relief for poor
nations and warn of the risk of high oil prices to the global economy when they
meet later this week in London Chernobyl
nuclear plant safety remains an issue (posted 02/03/05) Employees of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant have said that
the situation at the plant is critical because of the lack of money for nuclear
and radiation safety. Chester
lawmaker is part of push to reduce greenhouse gases in Vermont (posted
02/03/05) Calling global warming a fact of life, Rep. Kathy Pellett is
helping to lead the effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Vermont. Coal-fired
Plants Face Huge Environmental Protection Investment (posted 02/03/05) China - - State Environmental Protection Administration
of China (SEPA) announced on January 27 that 46 coal-fired plants without
setting up desulfurization equipmentsare required to complete the main
desulfurization projects by the end of 2005. The End of the
Blind Alley (posted 02/03/05) The “Energy
Commission“ – a highly-ranked expert committee made up of
representatives from economics, government, labor unions, science, environmental
organizations, and consumer councils – calls for a sustainable strategy for
future energy supply in the USA in its report “The End of the Blind Alley“. Farmers
looking at methane digesters to create energy from cow manure (posted
02/03/05) In the future, Frederick County residents may power their homes
thanks to a few local dairy cows. February
Natural Gas Bills Decrease by 17% Over Last Month (posted 02/03/05) The winter heating season in the West has reached its peak and
is beginning to decline. Natural gas usage hit its highest point in December and
January France
Unveils Biofuel Plan to Meet EU 2010 Target (posted 02/03/05) France
unveiled on Wednesday details of its plan to triple the country's biofuel output
within three years and said it still hoped to meet the output target set by the
European Union for 2010. Last
two Ivan-hit US Gulf deepwater platforms to return by April (posted
02/03/05) The two remaining deepwater Gulf of Mexico facilities that
remain shut-in as a result from last fall's Hurricane Ivan are slated to be back
online by April 2005 Lloyd's,
Other Insurers to Pay $93 Million to California Over Waste Dump (posted
02/03/05) The
settlement will help California recover expenses from cleaning up the
Stringfellow Hazardous Waste Site in southern California's Riverside County,
according to the statement. NRC:
Plant meltdown via Internet keystroke `entertaining fiction' (posted
02/03/05) A nuclear plant meltdown cannot be initiated by a keystroke from
the Internet, NRC said on its "For the Record" Web site. The agency
was responding to an episode of the Fox TV show "24" that aired last
night Oregon
Moving to Center of Wave Energy Development (posted 02/03/05) Significant advances in university research and other studies in
the past two years are pointing toward Oregon as the possible epicenter of wave
energy development in the United States. Private
Equity Players Search for Power Generation Asset Bargains Weak market conditions
(posted 02/03/05) The recent wave of asset purchases within the
merchant generation sector by private equity firms are at dramatically higher
discount rates than those previously seen within the sector and are betting on a
recovery in the electric power market The
Seven Deadly Sins of Planning and Risk Management for Power Companies
(posted 02/03/05) Electricity industry participants
face enormous challenges in their planning and risk management activities. This
is especially true for the United States’ $250 billion-a-year electricity
industry which has been battered over the last few years and is characterized
today by overcapacity and retrenchment throughout the industry. Silica
Issue Clouds Outlook For US Asbestos Bill (posted 02/03/05) A
bill to establish a $140 billion asbestos compensation fund was undergoing a
rewrite Wednesday after warnings that a provision affecting claims for silica,
another lung-scarring mineral, could derail the legislation. SPACE
WEATHER ADVISORY OUTLOOK #05- 5 (posted 02/03/05) Occasional minor (G1) geomagnetic storm levels
are possible on 07 and 08 February due to the effects of a
high speed solar wind stream from a coronal hole on the
Sun. States
Act to Save Energy, Ease Bills (posted 02/03/05) At least a dozen states are imposing or considering new
energy-efficiency requirements that will help drive down monthly utility bills
but will force many consumers to pay more for household electrical items. US
Senate Panel May Deadlock on Utility Emissions (posted 02/03/05) A
Senate panel fight over whether carbon dioxide should be included in a plan to
limit pollutants emitted by US utilities threatened on Wednesday to derail a
Bush administration push for a bill this year. Wind
power likely to face greater opposition in US, Abraham says (posted
02/03/05) Wind power developers and supporters will likely face increasing
opposition to their efforts to get more of the generating source in place in the
US, former Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said Wednesday. Wind
Energy a Goal in Illinois (posted 02/03/05) Less than a month after Gov. Rod Blagojevich's administration
approved a controversial coal-fired power plant, the governor plans to call for
more of the state's electricity to come from wind turbines and other renewable
sources. IEA
chief says risk of price crash removed at $45/bbl (posted 02/01/05) The head of the west's energy watchdog Tuesday said OPEC's
decision to leave its output quotas unchanged was a signal that the 11-member
cartel was committed to providing adequate volumes of crude to world oil markets
but said he was not "very disturbed" by the temporary suspension of
the cartel's price band. US
Gulf shut-ins from Ivan (posted 02/01/05) 135,756 b/d oil, 489,390 Mcf/d gas:MMS some 6.93% of annual production of 605-mil bbl. A total of
165.75 Bcf of gas has been shut in thus far ChevronTexaco
experimental ultrasound system to cut pollutants (posted 02/01/05) ChevronTexaco is on the verge of installing an experimental
ultrasound system to drastically cut pollutants in crude refining, thereby
delivering more OPEC
needs to act in way that ensures economic growth:White House (posted
02/01/05) The White House Monday declined comment on OPEC's decision to
leave unchanged its crude output quotas, but said it believed the cartel should
act in the interest of the global economy. China
signs production sharing deal in Cuba (posted 02/01/05) China has joined the hunt for oil in Cuba through a
production-sharing agreement signed between state-owned Sinopec and the Cuban
state company Cupet Spain
adds 2,060MW of wind capacity to 8,263MW in 2004 (posted 02/01/05) Installed wind capacity in Spain rose by a record 2,060MW in
2004 to 8,263MW, according to the country's Renewable Energy Producers
Association (APPA). The increase was 1,377MW in 2003 and 1,493MW in 2002. House
lawmakers urge Bush administration not to cut energy budget (posted
02/01/05) The House Western Caucus on Monday urged the US Office of
Management and Budget not to slash fiscal-year 2006 funding for federal
government programs that "research, assess and foster" energy and
minerals production. The caucus, which consists of 59 House lawmakers from
western states Southern
Company Subsidiary to Launch the Nation's First Mercury Research Center
(posted 02/01/05) Southern Company today announced that its Gulf Power subsidiary
will be the first utility in the nation to launch a comprehensive Mercury
Research Center to study different methods of reducing mercury emissions from
power plants. Utilities
want outages excluded from reports (posted 02/01/05) Utilities periodically ask the PSC to exclude certain
weather-related blackouts from their reliability reports on the grounds that
they could not have reasonably prevented the outages and that such interruptions
unfairly tarnish their service records. UPPCO
Will Restore Silver Lake (posted 02/01/05) "Silver Lake is a significant component of our overall
hydroelectric generation plan," Our decision to restore Silver Lake is a
reaffirmation of our commitment to renewable resources." United
Solar Ovonic Signs Two-Year Agreement With Conergy AG for 1.5 MW of Photovoltaic
Products (posted 02/01/05) Announced today that it has signed a two-year distribution
agreement with Conergy AG of Germany for 1.5 MW of photovoltaic (PV) products. Iran
to set up first ever solar thermal power plant (posted 02/01/05) The very first solar thermal power plant ever made in Iran will
be set up in the province of Yazd by 2009 to localize the construction
technology, said the deputy minister of energy and the manager of the solar
thermal electricity project. UK
Government: Wave and tidal power to feed grid within 3 years (posted
02/01/05) The UK's first large scale wave and tidal power generation farms
could be contributing to the national grid within 3 years under a new support
scheme worth GBP42million announced today by Energy Minister Mike O'Brien. In
Venezuela, clouds are forming over oil (posted 02/01/05) Venezuela may be increasing tension in energy markets with
decisions that are confounding international oil companies, but the government
there says it is merely seeking more income and new markets for its oil. Lithuania
to scrap Ignalina nuclear plant (posted 02/01/05) The government has approved the programme of the shutdown of
units No 1 and 2 of the Ignalina nuclear power plant (IAE) for 2005- 09, and has
redefined the stages of the plant's decommissioning. Which
Technology Wins When Gas Fuel Prices Soar? (posted 02/01/05) Until natural gas prices began exceeding $5.00/MMBTU the
2,500hour/year or less operating hour electric generation requirements were
generally met using modern reciprocating genset technology or simple cycle gas
turbine technology. RELEVANCE
OF BIO-FUEL IN COAL BASED POWER PLANTS (posted 02/01/05) It is estimated that the oil reserves are likely to be exhausted
inside 25-30 years. Bio-fuel seems to fulfil the requirement while in search of
an alternate to this wonderful resource; the concept of using "vegetal
oil" as an engine fuel in this regard dates back to 1895 when Rudolf Diesel
(1858-1913) developed the first engine to run on peanut oil as he demonstrated
in 1900 at the World Exhibition in Paris Wireless
Electricity: What Solar Electricity has in Common with the Cell Phone Boom
(posted 02/01/05) The parallels between the wireless communication industry and
the solar electricity business are striking in similarity. The advancements made
in solar electricity (photovoltaics) industry over the last forty years closely
resembles the application, technology and pricing progression history of the
wireless industry. SFC
Fuel Cell Honored at World Economic Forum (posted 02/01/05) was awarded the title of "Technology Pioneer" in the
"Energy" category at this year's World Economic Forum. EU
Commission Proposes Ban on Mercury Exports (posted 02/01/05) The
European Union, the world's largest supplier of mercury, is set to ban exports
of the metal by 2011 under new rules proposed by the EU executive Commission on
Monday, continuing the fight to curtail its use worldwide. Chilly
Winter May Widen Ozone Hole Over Europe (posted 02/01/05) Record
cold temperatures this winter could create a bigger hole in the ozone layer over
parts of northern Europe, leading to damaging ultraviolet rays that can cause
skin cancer, the European Commission said on Monday. Canada
Eyes Overhaul of Kyoto Strategy (posted 02/01/05) The
Canadian government is considering a five-year tax incentive and subsidies
package aimed at convincing businesses and consumers to curb greenhouse gases, a
Canadian national newspaper reported on Monday. Ecuador
Quake Fears After Hundreds of Tremors Hit (posted 02/01/05) Hundreds
of earth tremors off the coast of Ecuador in the past 11 days have sparked fears
that a bigger quake could strike soon. Fish
Returns to Aceh, But Disease Risk Still High (posted 02/01/05) More
than 400,000 Indonesians made homeless by the tsunami in Aceh province remained
at high risk of disease amid poor sanitation in crowded refugee camps Pemex
Wants $9 Billion to Fix Pipes, Oil Spills Continue (posted 02/01/05) Mexican
state oil monopoly Pemex Monday confirmed an oil spill in Veracruz state -- it's
fifth spill of oil or fuel in four months -- as energy authorities said $9
billion was needed to fix the country's old and rusting pipeline network. Ancient
Beasts Raise Questions About Climate Change (posted 02/01/05) The UN projects that overall temperatures will rise by 1.4-5.8 degrees
centigrade (2.5-10.5 degrees Fahrenheit) by 2100, mainly because of a build-up
of carbon dioxide from cars, factories and power plants.
Such rapid change in global temperatures is seen by many scientists as a
major threat to countless species, in conjunction with habitat destruction and
other man-made threats. Investment
in Water Needed to Reduce Hunger (posted 02/01/05) Bad
water management and lack of infrastructure are the main reasons for the low
food productivity in many developing countries Scientists
Grapple With Climate as Crisis Grows (posted 02/01/05) The
conference comes just days after an international report described the climate
crisis as a time bomb and a conservation group warned of disastrous warming in
the Arctic. Eruptions
Possible at Two Alaska Volcanoes (posted 02/01/05) One
Alaska volcano has been emitting small bursts of ash for three weeks and another
is being shaken by tremors, indicating that eruptions are possible at both
within weeks, seismologists said on Monday. US
House Panel to Vote on Alaska Refuge Drilling (posted 02/01/05) A
US House committee is expected to vote next week to revive a broad energy bill
that would allow oil drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR),
a key part of the Bush administration's national energy plan that faces
opposition in the US Senate. Soaring
Oil Prices Drive Record Exxon Mobil Profit (posted 02/01/05) Exxon
Mobil Corp., the world's largest publicly traded oil company, on Monday posted
the biggest quarterly profit ever for a US company -- $8.42 billion -- driven by
high crude oil and natural gas prices. Hungry
Microbes Reduce Arsenic in Groundwater (posted 02/01/05) Microbial processes ultimately determine whether arsenic builds
to dangerous levels in groundwater, say researchers at the University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Remediation may be as simple as stimulating
certain microbes to grow. Melting
Glaciers Threaten to Increasingly Shrink the Worlds Water Supply (posted
02/01/05) Acting as the world's water towers, mountain glaciers are
diminishing at an even faster pace than expected. Around 75 percent of the
world's fresh water is stored in glacial ice, much of it in the mountains. EPA
2004 Enforcement Reduces Pollution by One Billion Pounds (posted
02/01/05) EPA has announced that its enforcement actions concluded in
fiscal year 2004 will reduce a projected one billion pounds of pollution and
require cleanups estimated to total a record $4.8 billion – significant
increases from last year. EPA
Updates Homeland Security Strategy (posted 02/01/05) EPAs updated Homeland Security Strategy, which describes the
agency’s ongoing initiatives and activities to protect our country from and/or
respond to the consequences of terrorist attacks, has been released. EPA
Releases Drinking Water Health Training Video (posted 02/01/05) The EPA has released an educational video designed to help
health care providers recognize, report and prevent waterborne illness from
drinking water sources. Ontario
Wants New Deal on Great Lakes Water (posted 02/01/05) Ontario will not sign an international deal limiting how much
water can be diverted from the Great Lakes unless changes are made to better
protect the basin Colo.
Mountain Town First to Reuse Water (posted 02/01/05) Next year, Kremmling will become the first Colorado mountain
town to install a water reuse system. Salt
Water Pump in West Primes Earthquakes (posted 02/01/05) A federal facility that pumps salty water 14,000 feet into the
Earth's crust most likely has something to do with the magnitude 3.9 earthquake
that struck the Utah-Colorado border Nov. 6 Phoenix
Plant Problems Affect Water Supply (posted 02/01/05) Treatment plant problems caused 1.4 million Phoenix residents to
boil their drinking water or use bottled water, the Associated Press reported. EPA
Issues Interpretive Statement on Pesticides and Water and Seeks Comment on
Proposed Rule (posted 02/01/05) The statement and proposed rule reflect EPA's long-standing
policy that a CWA permit is not required where application of a particular
pesticide to or over water is consistent with requirements under the Federal
Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act Colorado
Water Talks Enter New Arena (posted 02/01/05) Colorado will launch a new round of public water talks in March
to address such thorny issues as how to stave off projected urban shortages,
protect farm water and ensure enough water in streams for fish and kayaks, the
Rocky Mountain News reported. Big
name manufacturers advance green power buying (posted 02/01/05) A
dozen big US companies whose goal is to spur the development of 1,000 mw of
cost-competitive green power by 2010, came 62 mw closer to their goal, said the
World Resources Institute. 20%
green by 2020 would only cost 3.7% more (posted 02/01/05) Reaching
a 20% by 2020 renewable power goal would raise power prices by only 3.7%, a
Rutgers University study for the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU)
found. Xcel
power plant still faces opposition (posted 02/01/05) Last month, the Public Utilities Commission approved a
settlement between Xcel and about two dozen groups, including the Sierra Club.
Xcel agreed to greatly reduce pollution from a new 750-megawatt generating unit
at its Comanche Station, encourage the use of alternative energy sources and
more efficient power and address other sources of pollution in the area. Mercer
County power plant has increased emissions lately (posted 02/01/05) Kentucky Utilities' E.W. Brown plant increased sulfur dioxide
emissions from 27,800 tons to 56,700 tons from 1995 through 2003, according to
"Pollution on the Rise," a report compiled by the advocacy group Clear
the Air. Bush
administration pushes plan to change air pollution regulation (posted
02/01/05) The plan would make sweeping changes in the way the government
regulates air pollution. Among them, it would relax controls on power plants and
other pollution sources and allow their owners to buy or trade the rights to
higher authorized emission levels as long as a cap was maintained on overall
emissions nationwide. Dirtiest
power plants in Ohio worsen (posted 02/01/05) Pollution from Ohio's dirtiest coal-burning power
plants increased from 1995 to 2003, creating a growing health threat for
Ohioans. Dubious
distinction for Illinois (posted 02/01/05) Only Texas saw a greater increase than Illinois in carbon
dioxide pollution from power plants in 1995-2003. PPL,
regulators oppose power plant bill (posted 02/01/05) PPL Montana and utility regulators spoke against a bill that
would allow NorthWestern Energy to develop its own power plants. Drought
reduces Uganda's hydro-power generation capacity (posted 02/01/05) A Ugandan minister warned prolonged drought has significantly
affected the water levels on Lake Victoria, reducing Uganda's hydro-power
generation capacity and increasing power shortages across the country. For
Iraqis, it's water, electricity and more Infrastructure woes are a political
issue (posted 02/01/05) The caretakers of Iraq's decrepit and constantly sabotaged
infrastructure are learning that there are few jobs more thankless than running
for a seat in the new government while struggling to keep the water, electricity
and oil flowing for the citizens who will be casting their votes on Sunday. for Current Events go to: Events for News of 2004 go to: News
of 2004 for Events of 2004 go to: Events
of 2004 for News and Events of 2003 go to News
and Events Archive 2003 For News earlier in 2004 go to archives.
and irreversible, the political evidence is that ideology will trump reason in
the White House, and there will be no affirmative, real 'next step' for
America until we have a change of heart and mind, or a change in the
leadership at the top
one day Iraq will attain production of 6-mil b/d.
activities in his country.
vulnerable to bankruptcy unless such coverage was
more comprehensive than many current policies.
preliminary data, the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) said today.
higher-quality oils at a much lower cost.