News 2008:

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World CO2 since 1750 (cubic feet)

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April 29, 2008

Bush says global oil production not keeping pace with demand

US President George W. Bush Tuesday pegged high gasoline prices in part on global oil production not keeping pace with demand and tight refining capacity in the US.

Chance Of US Drought Seen; Food Squeeze Feared

The US Midwest has enjoyed nearly 20 years without a major drought but forecasters worry the corn belt's luck could dry up this year, further squeezing tight global supplies amid soaring food prices.

China shuts 83 inefficient coal plants to reduce consumption

In a continued effort to curb polluting emissions and to improve energy efficiency, China has shut down 83 small coal-fired power units with a combined installed capacity of 4,700 MW between January 1 and April 15, 2008, the National Development and Reform Commission said April 25.

Citing environmental worries, Gov. rejects Bear Lake hydroelectric plan

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. on Tuesday announced the Division of State Parks and Recreation won't negotiate an easement necessary for the project, citing a need to balance the benefits of such development against "unnecessary disruption" of the surrounding area.

Cost of Nuclear Plant Fuels Two-State Battle

As the fight over nuclear energy shifts from safety to cost, timing the public release of the multibillion-dollar expense takes on an increasingly strategic value to both sides.

The estimated cost of new nuclear power plants has tripled in the past few years, with projections now hitting $6 billion to $9 billion per reactor.

Desalination Raises Environmental, Cost Concerns

As global freshwater reserves dry up, desalination plants are receiving greater attention as an option for providing both drinking water supplies and agricultural irrigation. But a new study released on Thursday raises several concerns about the environmental impact and cost effectiveness of the widely touted technology to convert seawater to fresh water.

Emission Cuts Begin at Home for Energy Exec

The Tonge family lives in a big brick house with an SUV parked in the garage, surrounded by the chemically green lawns and wide concrete roads of suburbia.

Not exactly a tree-hugger's paradise.

Fight Over Wind, Solar Power Goes Beyond Cost

The battle of wind power vs. sun power is tilting in wind's favor.

Both provide an environmentally friendly alternative to coal- and gas-fired electricity, and both emit none of the greenhouse gases associated with globalwarming. But solar power - despite several advantages over wind - is much more expensive, experts say.

Food Price Hikes Fuel Anti-Ethanol Moves In US

Missouri is considering rolling back a mandate supporting ethanol production amid growing outrage over rising prices for food and livestock feed.

Forum on renewable energy reviews industry challenges

Continued congressional delays over extending tax breaks to solar, wind and other renewable-energy companies are starting to affect 2009 deals being made now by Silicon Valley companies, San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed said this morning.

"I've got my finger on the panic button," Reed said...

Gold isn't buying as much oil as it used to

We started with last September, when the number was about 9 barrels per ounce. Beginning in January, the number soared, as the price of gold climbed and oil fell. By February 6, the number of barrels of oil that you could fetch with an ounce of gold had risen to 10.35.

The change since then has been remarkable,..

Hog farm standoff

On the morning of April 22, Charles Mix County police arrested 15 Yankton Sioux tribal members, including adult men and women, and teens as young as 16, for blocking construction of a hog farm on privately held land within the reservation boundaries.

Humans Overwhelm Climate Equilibrium

The energy from an out of equilibrium atmosphere must go somewhereA new study indicates the degree to which humanity has overwhelmed the atmosphere's ancient carbon cycle [ark]. Human activities are putting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere 14,000 times as fast as historic natural processes.

Idaho county approves special-use permit to build wind project

While the wind farm will be sited on 20,212 leased acres, the 150 turbines and power equipment only will use about 200 of those acres, said Rich Rayhill, energy vice president of Seattle-based Ridgeline. Construction is expected to start in 2009.

Key US lawmakers reach tentative deal on core farm bill

Key negotiators on US Senate-House of Representatives conference committee have tentatively worked out a core farm bill that contains provisions to boost the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission's oversight of electronic markets and push development of ethanol and other renewable fuels, Senator Tom Harkin said Friday.

Latin America's Poorest Seek Food Price Respite

Farm ministers from some of Latin America's poorest countries met on Saturday to seek a regional solution to soaring food prices that have sparked violent protests in the Caribbean.

Legal Logging Destroying the Earth's Biodiversity, Climate, Water and Biosphere

New forest paradigm a must to achieve global ecological sustainability.  It is easy to rail against "illegal" logging, when in fact typical "legal" commercial logging is far more extensive and destructive in total to the world's biodiversity, climate, water and biosphere.

Making a Killing from the Food Crisis

The world food crisis is hurting a lot of people, but global agribusiness firms, traders and speculators are raking in huge profits.

Methane - Can We Afford to Ignore This Ticking Time Bomb?

Once triggered, Methane Burps could result in runaway global warming the likes of which even the most pessimistic doomsayers aren't talking about.

Nuclear regulator needs surge of new talent-- Chairman of governing body tells RPI students growing industry means plenty of opportunities

The agency that oversees the nuclear power industry is facing "massive" retirements and is scrambling to recruit as nuclear energy is once again expanding.

Ohio lawmakers pass renewable energy measure

Ohio legislators have passed a bill requiring that the state generate 12.5 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2025.

Oil stretches ever higher as market powers reach Roman stalemate

The global debate over how to handle soaring energy prices -- and particularly runaway oil prices -- has reached a stalemate.

Last week, the world's energy consumers told leading oil powers gathered in Rome that, without a shadow of a doubt, oil prices were damagingly high.

Pickens says wind power may be the future

Boone Pickens said in Oklahoma City on Wednesday that the nation never will become energy independent because it imports more than 70 percent of the petroleum it needs today.

And more than 70 percent of that goes into transportation, he noted.

Poor Children Main Victims Of Climate Change – UN

Millions of the world's poorest children are among the principal victims of climate change caused by the rich developed world, a United Nations report said on Tuesday, calling for urgent action.

Quote of the Day 042808

"The talks are still going on now with NNPC, we are hopeful for a resolution today. Production is still shut in."
An ExxonMobil spokesman said Tuesday it is hopeful of reaching a resolution to end a strike at its Nigerian operations

"We have just received confirmation from Ineos that power is being made available and that utilites have been restored to Kinneil. The Kinneil plant is being restarted and plans are in place to begin increasing offshore production throughout the course of the day."
BP has restarted the Forties Pipeline System (FPS)

Russia says has no plans to cap carbon emissions

Russia will not accept binding caps on its greenhouse gas emissions under a new climate regime, currently being negotiated to succeed the Kyoto Protocol after 2012, top officials said on Monday.

Safe water, Lessons from Kazakhstan

A major survey in Kazakhstan found that, despite meeting the UN definition of what constitutes safe water, a large number of people reported suffering from illnesses like hepatitis and gastroenteritis.

Second test cargo to arrive at new LNG terminal in Mexico

A second start-up liquefied natural gas cargo is set to arrive around May at Sempra LNG's Costa Azul LNG import terminal in Baja California, Mexico, the first such facility on Mexico's western coast, officials said at a San Antonio energy conference this week.

Senate leadership, climate bill sponsors to start talks

The US Senate Democratic leadership and key members pushing a climate change bill will begin this week a series of closed-door meetings to discuss strategy over how to pass the legislation, a Democrat aide said Friday.

Sierra Club isn't lone opponent of coal plants

As the number of coal proponents and climate change deniers steadily shrinks worldwide, it is imperative that mainstream media provide balanced stories and factual information in lieu of perpetuating the myth that it is just "environmental wackos" who are heeding the warnings of the entire, peer-reviewed scientific community.

Some state renewable standards 'unachievable'-- EEI's Owens

Renewable portfolio standards in some states are "unachievable" and are among the many daunting challenges the power industry faces in trying to add some $1 trillion in facilities over the next 30 years, said David Owens, executive vice president at the Edison Electric Institute.

Spain Nuclear Leak Won't Shape Renewal Policy - Government

A radioactive leak at a Spanish nuclear plant which required the screening of up to 800 people will not sway any decisions on the country's ageing reactors, Energy Secretary Pedro Marin said on Monday.

State blasts emissions proposal

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's top air pollution regulator Wednesday denounced the federal government's proposal to demand higher fuel efficiency in new cars because a 24-word passage written into the Bush administration's 417-page plan would block California's aggressive efforts to enact its own emissions standards.

Sunflower plant supporters try again to gain governor's approval

With the Kansas General Assembly set to reconvene April 30, Governor Kathleen Sebelius is reviewing a final "compromise offer" from Sunflower Electric Power Cooperative concerning two proposed coal-fired plants that would be built under legislation she has vetoed twice.

Survey finds 59% support building more US nuclear power plants

Fifty-nine percent of Americans said the US should "definitely" build more nuclear power plants, according to a survey released April 25 by the Nuclear Energy Institute.

Sustaining indigeneity, navigating citizenship

Indigenous peoples are not parties to the formation of nation-states, like the United States and Canada, and generally are not citizens of nation-states at the time of their creation. When, for example, the United States and Canada were formed, very few Native inhabitants were considered citizens.

US Environment Groups Target Senate Races On Climate

US environmental groups joined forces on Thursday to target Senate candidates in Colorado, New Hampshire and New Mexico, aiming to elect a 60-vote majority to deal with global warming.

What's Moving the Oil Markets 042908

•Crude futures started the new week still in bullish mood, with the whole complex moving higher

•In addition to the Grangemouth strike and its effect on North Sea production, various supply issues in Nigeria kept oil prices well supported despite a strengthening of the US dollar, sources said

•On Sunday night, BP shut down its North Sea Forties Crude Pipeline System (FPS) as a result of a strike at the Grangemouth refinery in Scotland, a company spokeswoman said.

What's true, false about coal

Whether to build new coal-fired power plants in western Kansas has turned into one of the hottest political power struggles in decades between the Legislature and the administration of Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.

April 25, 2008

250 Million Europeans Are Online

More than half of Europeans are now regular Internet users, 80 percent of them have broadband connections and 60 percent of public services are online according to a new report from the European Commission.

An Olympic opportunity for Declaration

At a time when world citizens are loudly protesting China's policies against the backdrop of its national coming-out party, the Beijing Olympic Games, it deserves mention that the United States remains opposed to the declaration's minimum human rights standards for indigenous peoples

Arctic Ice Melting Faster Than Anticipated - WWF

Arctic ice may be melting faster than most climate change science has concluded, the conservation group WWF said in a report published on Thursday.

Are Tax Credits the Best Way To Drive Renewable Energy Investments?

The Renewable Energy community has run into a road block over how to attract sufficient investment in renewable energy generation.

Biofuels-- Production Grows, As Does Skepticism

But 2007 represented a turning point for biofuels, as global confidence in this fuel source was shaken. Several scientific studies raised questions about the environmental benefits of clearing land for biofuels. And with grain and soybean prices skyrocketing, decision-makers began to voice serious concerns about using food crops for fuel production.

Bioheat Gaining Support in the Northeast United States

With heating season coming to a close in the Northeast, businesses, homeowners and other utility customers are looking back at their heating bills and thinking about how they might bring them down next year.

Canada Led G8 In Greenhouse Gas Emissions Growth

Canada's greenhouse gas emissions increased by 25 percent from 1990 to 2005, the highest amount of any G8 nation, according to government figures released on Tuesday.

Chinese gasoline imports likely to exceed 200,000 mt in May

Chinese gasoline imports are forecast to exceed 200,000 mt in May, as China strives to plug supply shortages amid strong domestic demand, heavy refinery turnarounds and renewed efforts to build stocks, trading sources said this week.

Coal stocks dive at China's power plants

Stocks at power plants in such provinces as Hebei, Anhui and Chongqing
Municipality have slumped to seven days of consumption.

Corn, Rice Surge As Global Food Tensions Mount

With global tensions over food supplies mounting, prices of world staples rice and corn surged on Tuesday amid strong demand and concerns over slow planting of the new US corn crop.

Despite Obstacles, Biofuels Continue Surge

World production of biofuels rose some 20 percent to an estimated 54 billion liters in 2007.

Earthquake In Illinois Could Portend An Emerging Threat

The concern of Douglas Wiens, Ph.D., and Michael Wysession, Ph.D., seismologists at Washington University in St. Louis, is that the New Madrid Fault may have seen its day and the Wabash Fault is the new kid on the block.

Emerging Market Oil Use Exceeds U.S. as Prices Rise

Traffic jams in Beijing and humming air conditioners in Dubai are replacing U.S. highways and suburbs as the driver of global oil prices.

Energy Commission Approves New Energy Efficient Measures for California Homes and Businesses

The California Energy Commission today announced dozens of new energy efficiency building standards for new construction that will save consumers money and reduce energy consumption.

ESolar raises $130M for power plants

"The key attribute of our technology is that it's economical at that smaller size," Rogan said. "We can build those massive developments, but we also can build smaller developments closer to where power is consumed."

Falling Polish coal output raises energy security fears

Poland produces almost 95% of its electricity from coal-fired plants.  Some coal seams are close to exhaustion and we have been preparing to exploit new ones.

Finding Middle Ground in our Energy Future

In the battle between climate change, energy policy, and capitalism the weakest voice at the table is that of the average person. While industrial lobbies have tremendous power in the government and while environmental organizations increasingly have more influence, somehow the voice of the average American has been missing from the discussion.

Florida Moves To Curb Ocean Sewage Dumping

The sun-drenched beaches of southeast Florida lure tourists from all over the world. But few of them may realize that a torrent of human waste is dumped silently every day into the seemingly pristine waters offshore.

Food Prices ‘Massacre’ Of World's Poor - Chavez

Soaring food prices are a "massacre" of the world's poor and are creating a global nutritional crisis, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Tuesday, calling it a sign that capitalism is in decline.

Former UN Boss Annan Warns Of 'Hunger Disasters'

Climate change is aggravating the global food crisis and many poor countries could be facing the start of major hunger disasters, former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said on Tuesday.

Gas industry must not ignore environment, officials say

The emergence of the Rocky Mountains as a major production area is forcing gas and oil companies to make adjustments to the way they operate, particularly in addressing environmental concerns, speakers said Thursday at the Platts Rockies Gas and Oil Conference in Denver.

Green Business Makes Dollars and Sense

The report, entitled “Profiting from Green Business,” includes nine articles ranging in topics from energy audits of facilities to best practices for marketing eco-friendly products and services.

Greenhouse gases continue to increase

Major greenhouse gases in the air are accumulating faster than in the past despite efforts to curtail their growth.

Greenhouse gases roses greatly in 2007

Global atmospheric levels of two potent greenhouse gases rose significantly last year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Inbox 042408

Inbox 042508

Seriously, sort of, the Big Day is upon us. Not just upon us, but all over us, through and through us, in one end and gurgling around and getting ready to jump straight back out the hole it came in from.

Inventor Dean Kamen wants to put entrepreneurs to work bringing water and electricity to the world's poor

An estimated 1.1 billion people in the world don't have access to clean drinking water, and an estimated 1.6 billion don't have electricity. Those figures add up to a big problem for the world—and an equally big opportunity for entrepreneurs.

Iraq-- The year of transfer?

Five years on, the US-led occupation of Iraq faces renewed violence in Baghdad's Sadr City and the once pacified city of Basra. In March and April 2008, Iraqi security forces have become ensconced in battles with militia in both cities.

Amidst this unrest, the country's oil ministry has taken the important step of qualifying thirty five international oil companies (IOCs) to bid for its first post-war licensing round...

Key US Senate Republican says climate bill unlikely to pass

Legislation that would cut US greenhouse gas emissions 70% by 2050 is unlikely to pass the Senate this summer unless the measure is "dramatically" amended, New Mexico Senator Pete Domenici,..

Lawmaker pushes for 'green' initiatives

Kermit the Frog had it all wrong.

It really is easy being green, according to Long Island members of Congress who say they're out to prove it this Earth Day.

Lawmakers set to pass comprehensive energy bill

Florida could soon have an energy policy that lawmakers and others say would make the state a national leader in clean energy.

More Than Half of US Hospitals Are Now Technically Insolvent or at Risk of Insolvency

As states and municipalities begin to limit spending in the face of slumping tax revenues and a weakening economy, the financial health of many hospitals is likely to further deteriorate.

Nigerian militants claim another Shell pipeline attack

Nigerian militant group the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta said Friday it had sabotaged another Shell-operated pipeline in the Rivers state, the third such attack in the last two weeks.

Ohio EPA does not track CO2

So much federal focus is on lowering greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency does not require states to gather emissions data.

Oklahoma secures land for switchgrass crops

Oklahoma secured land April 24 for the world’s largest stand of switchgrass devoted to cellulosic ethanol production.

Switchgrass has higher energy output than corn and does not compete with human or animal food sources.

Pine Beetles May Affect Climate Change - Study

Mountain pine beetles that are destroying forests along much of the Rocky Mountain range are doing so much damage that they may affect climate change, Canadian researchers reported on Wednesday.

Quote of the Day 042508

"The entire operations have been grounded."
A strike at ExxonMobil's Nigerian arm has wiped out 770,000 b/d of production,

Renewable Fuels Debated

Carbon emissions are going to be regulated by the federal government. When that happens, no consumer and no sector of the economy will be insulated from the effects..."The cost of emitting is going to be pushed into every single activity and every business in the world,"...

Report of Solar-Geophysical Activity 042408

Scientists unlock frozen natural gas

For the first time, Canadian and Japanese researchers have managed to efficiently produce a constant stream of natural gas from ice-like gas hydrates that, worldwide, dwarf all known fossil fuel deposits combined.

Senate looks into tax credits for renewables, energy

Though they´re still seeking a funding source, two Senate Finance Committee leaders are peddling a measure to continue tax credits for investments in renewables and energy efficiency.

Solar Energy; Not Just Electricity

A common inaccuracy that I frequently encounter - through work, in the media, and in government - is based on an implied assumption that energy, and energy displacement, and therefore solar energy, revolves solely around electricity.

Sun Cycles Not Key To Recent Global Warming - Expert

Satellite data show that changes in the sun are contributing to global warming but to a smaller extent than human activity, a space scientist at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington told a group of petroleum geologists Wednesday.

Time for an International Renewable Energy Agency?

At the invitation of the German Federal Government, representatives from more than 60 countries met in Berlin earlier this month to discuss the founding of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), an intergovernmental organization that will exist to exclusively promote the adoption of renewable energy worldwide.

Transatlantic trade row looms over biodiesel

European biodiesel producers said they were asking Brussels on Friday to impose punitive import duties on U.S. biodiesel but their U.S. rivals said they would hit back with a complaint of their own.

Tucson Electric Power, Arizona regulatory staff reach rate deal

In July 2007, TEP proposed three rate options that would lead to a rate hike of $117 million, or 14.9%, to $181 million, or 23%, depending on the approach selected.

Twenty governors sign climate change declaration

"It is now time for unified action and today my fellow governors and I memorialized our commitment to stop global warming while calling on our federal partners to join us in establishing a national policy on climate change," said Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell, who presided over the signing announcement.

Twenty-One Nations, European Commission, Meet in South Africa to Discuss CO2 Sequestration

Led by 21 nations and the European Commission, the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum (CSLF) met in Cape Town, South Africa last week in an effort to develop cost-effective technologies for the separation and capture of carbon dioxide for its transport and long-term safe storage.

U.S. wind industry ranks its leaders

Wind turbines now generate enough electricity to serve 4.5 million homes in the United States, according to the latest ranking from the American Wind Energy Association.

U.S., Japan 'greenest' nations

As the world celebrates Earth Day Tuesday, a Gallup poll indicates Americans and Japanese citizens are the "greenest" of all in the top five polluting nations.

UK fuel poverty summit to be held Wednesday

UK media reports have now suggested that the retailers might look to increase prices by as much as another 25%.

Update on State Renewable Portfolio Standards

According to a new report, "Renewables Portfolio Standards in the United States: A Status Report with Data through 2007," released by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, a growing number of states are supporting renewable electricity through the creation of renewable portfolio standards (RPS).

US Environment Scientists Report Political Meddling

Nearly 900 scientists at the US Environmental Protection Agency have experienced political interference in their work in the last five years, the Union of Concerned Scientists reported on Wednesday.

US House Democrats float plan to cut US GHG emissions 80% by 2050

Three US House Democrats have begun circulating among colleagues a set of
principles for a climate-change bill that would require the US to cut
greenhouse gas emissions 80% below 1990 levels by 2050 and commit the nation
to binding international emission targets.

US product stocks stay on tightening trend

Total US product stocks fell another 1.6 million barrels to 642.9 million barrels the week ending April 18, according to data released Wednesday by the Energy Information Administration, and keeping America on a continued tightening trend.

US senators threaten to target arms deals with OPEC nations

Five US senators will call on President Bush Thursday to persuade OPEC to
increase oil supplies or risk having Congress hold up multi-million-dollar
arms sales to Saudi Arabia, the UAE and other OPEC members, the senators'
offices said.

US senators urge 'fair royalty' on federal-lands mining

Companies mining minerals like gold and uranium on federal lands could find a government royalty tacked onto their operating costs if a group of US senators gets its way.

US Weather Commentary 042408

Despite prophetic or magnanimous claims you may hear, the percentage of Tropical Storms that evolve into Hurricanes and the number of Hurricanes that actually make U.S. landfall any given year, are very much at the whim of local environmental conditions & synoptic steering patterns which can only be accurately assessed as the Season is underway.

April 22, 2008

AEP heads 'back to the drawing board' after IGCC plant rejection

American Electric Power will continue to try and build integrated gasification combined cycle power plants using coal, but it is being forced to do some additional work following rejection of plans in Ohio and Virginia...

Alaska's Endless Endeavor

An Alaskan natural gas pipeline would certainly help feed America's energy appetite. But financial and political impediments are delaying construction.

Analyst sees strong US natural gas prices this summer

Record-high oil prices are likely to keep a strong level of support underneath natural gas prices this summer...

Bee colonies continue to decline

Honey bee population declines continue to trouble the U.S. agricultural industry. America’s honey bees are responsible for pollinating more than 100 different crops worth $15 billion annually and continue to experience population decrease

Bolivia Morales-- Biofuels Serious Problem To Poor

Bolivian President Evo Morales on Monday criticized "some South American presidents" for supporting the use of biofuels, which he said are responsible for high food prices and global hunger.

Brain reacts to fairness as it does to money and chocolate

The human brain responds to being treated fairly the same way it responds to winning money and eating chocolate, UCLA scientists report. Being treated fairly turns on the brain's reward circuitry.

Brown's Gas (HHO) -- Clean, Cheap, and Suppressed Energy

There is something of great importance to the world that is being suppressed and hidden from us: That abundant, clean energy can and is being derived from water. Sea water, well water, tap water; good old H2O.

Challenges of Green Residential Development-- Resistance to Change Intro

It all begins with education. Consumer awareness on green building is murky. To put it succinctly it is as clear as mud to most.

China + India's commodities demand to run for 10 years-- Anglo CEO

Anglo American chief executive Cynthia Carroll expects Chinese and Indian
demand for commodities including coal and iron ore to continue at an annual
rate of around 5% for the next 10 years.

Crude hits new highs on weaker dollar, US products stable

Global crude futures surged to fresh records in early European trading Tuesday, while product futures were lagging a bit behind despite a renewed fall in the US dollar and bullish short-term news, sources said.

Drought-Hit Cyprus To Ship Water From Greece

Cyprus, facing its worst drought in a decade, will start importing water from Greece within the next two months, Agriculture Minister Michalis Polinikis said on Monday.

Endorsing their rights

The Canadian Parliament has endorsed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples by a majority vote - an action that was lauded by indigenous peoples' organizations and human rights groups across the continent.

Energy Industry Says More Construction Needed

Environmentalists argue more energy efficiency could greatly reduce the need for a huge new wave of power plants and transmission lines.

EPRI Analysis Shows Energy Efficiency Can Curb Need for New Generation

Energy efficiency improvements in the U.S. electric power sector could reduce the need for new electric generation by an additional 7 to 11 percent more than currently projected over the next two decades if key barriers can be addressed...

EU Moves To Fast-Track 'Clean Coal' Proposals

The European Union may boost efforts to capture climate-warming carbon dioxide (CO2) and store it underground by pushing forward proposals for a dozen demonstration projects, EU officials said on Thursday.

EU Urges Bush To Be More Ambitious On CO2 Curbs

The European Commission urged US President George W Bush on Thursday to be more ambitious in tackling climate change while welcoming his acceptance that the United States would need to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

Five Facts About Rice, Staple For Half The World

Soaring prices are hitting rice, a staple food for more than half the earth's population, causing political unrest, supply bottlenecks, and sometimes draconian moves by governments to protect domestic stocks.

French Senate Approves GMO Law

France's upper house of parliament has passed a bill laying down conditions for the growth of crops using genetically modified organisms (GMO) after changing a key amendment aimed at limiting their cultivation.

Geothermal bounty bubbles with potential

Geothermal energy is clean, runs 24 hours a day and could be providing millions of people with electricity in Utah and the West.

So what's the holdup?

Governors Convene At Yale To Fight Global Warming

The moment he strode into Woolsey Hall Friday afternoon, late but just in time for a photo op, Arnold Schwarzenegger changed the climate of Yale's austere gathering of governors and gave the sweltering crowd a boost of energy -- and a lot to think about.

Greece suspended from UN Kyoto carbon trading

Greece has been suspended from U.N. carbon trading in an unprecedented punishment for violating greenhouse gas reporting rules that underpin a fight against global warming, officials said on Tuesday.

Groundbreaking of North America's Largest Solar Photovoltaic Energy Park

Joint venture partners SkyPower Corp., a Lehman Brothers Company, and SunEdison Canada announced today the official groundbreaking of First Light, North America's largest solar photovoltaic energy park to date, located on approximately 300 acres of land in Lennox & Addington County, Ontario.

Houston, LA named top CO2 polluters

Counties in the main U.S. petrochemical and driving hubs top the country's output of the planet-warming gas carbon dioxide, emitting about three times more CO2 than the top county in New York does, researchers said on Thursday.

How green are green businesses?

With Earth Day being celebrated Tuesday, it seems every industry is eager to tout its green credentials. There are environmentally friendly spas, green printing presses, green liquor companies, and green alternatives to inflating the tires of your gas-guzzling SUV.

Hybrid vehicle registrations increased 38% in 2007

RL Polk, a provider of automotive information and marketing solutions, has reported that the nationwide registrations for new hybrid vehicles rose to 350,289 registrations in 2007, a 38% increase from 2006.

Hydrogen Generation

Currently, hydrogen is receiving a lot of press in the context of new applications involving renewable energy and clean technologies. In particular, R&D is underway to generate high rates of low-cost hydrogen gas via electrolysis (splitting water molecules with electrical energy to generate hydrogen) to fuel hybrid electric/hydrogen and fuel cell vehicles and reduce NOx emissions in standard combustion engines.

International Commission Calls for 'Paradigm Shift' in Agriculture

A commission of international agriculture experts unveiled a series of reports on Wednesday calling for an end to "business-as-usual" farming practices to avoid widespread environmental degradation and increasing food scarcity.

Latin America-- Reconciling Oil and the Environment

Years of public scrutiny, ever-newer technologies, more government regulations, notions of corporate responsibility and the market-driven need for greater efficiency are all factors behind improvements in the environmental policies of Latin America's petroleum industry.

Leading Wind Energy Manufacturers Call for Immediate Extension of Key Renewable Energy Incentive

Senior executives from four of the world’s top wind turbine manufacturers - GE Energy, Gamesa, Siemens and Vestas - joined today in urging Congress to act promptly to extend the renewable energy production tax credit (PTC).

Manufacturers, US EPA agree on call for energy savings

The National Association of Manufacturers and the US Environmental Protection Agency signed an agreement Monday that calls for manufacturers to voluntarily cut their energy use by 10%.

Message for Experimental Researchers in Hydrogen

Roy McAlister’s Observations Regarding New Approaches To Hydrogen and Oxygen Production From Water. 

More hydrogen break-throughs

Researchers have found a way to generate hydrogen directly from plant sugar. They expect the breakthrough to provide a cheap and efficient source of green transport fuel.

Municipal Solar Power Plants - EDF Partners with Nanosolar

In any region with a decent amount of sunshine, there is no more economic way of reliably providing municipal power during the day than through a municipal solar power plant.

New center to research ways to convert sunshine into low-cost electricity and fuels

The newest research center of the Colorado Renewable Energy Collaboratory aims to find ways to directly convert the sun's energy to low-cost electricity and fuels. The Center for Revolutionary Solar Photoconversion (CRSP), announced today...

Nuclear question returns as nation weighs energy alternatives

Save the polar bear? Go nuclear.

That is one way to beat climate change, or so says the Nuclear Energy Institute

Oil Running Out As Prime Energy Source - World Poll

Most people believe oil is running out and governments need to find another fuel, but Americans are alone in thinking their leaders are out of touch with reality on this issue, an international poll said on Sunday.

Pickens to import water, wind power to North Texas

Mr. Pickens said he also hopes to start acquisition in May for a right-of-way to transmit the power and large volumes of aquifer water to the Dallas area from ranch and farming land around Pampa.

Plants remain online after Illinois earthquake

Nuclear plants in the Midwest remained online following an earthquake early April 18 in southern Illinois that was felt across the region.

Quebec Joins US - Canada Group To Cut Emissions

A coalition of western US states and Canadian provinces eyeing a regional carbon credit trading market picked up an eastern member on Friday when Quebec said it would join.

Rats Agree-- Organic is Better

When given a choice between organic and conventional food, rats choose chemical-free.

Report of Solar-Geophysical Activity 042008

Solar Activity Forecast: Solar activity is expected to remain very low. Geophysical Activity Forecast: The geomagnetic field is expected to begin mostly quiet, increasing to unsettled to active on the second and third days of the forecast period as a recurrent
coronal hole high speed stream becomes geoeffective.

Researchers warm up to melt's role in Greenland ice loss

In July 2006, researchers afloat in a dinghy on a mile-wide glacial lake in Greenland studied features of the lake and ice 40 feet below. Ten days later the entire contents of the lake emptied through a crack in the ice with a force equaling the pummeling water of Niagara Falls. The entire process only took 90 minutes.

Russia may create world's biggest LNG production centre

Russia is en route to a new stage of technological development of the gas industry -- creation of the world biggest centre for production and supplies of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Russia to double spending on oil exploration

The government will double state spending on resource exploration to 2020 to $ 23 bn with the focus on oil in eastern Siberia to ensure good replenishment of reserves and efficiency of key projects...

Russia to raise oil export duty to record level

The government adjusts export duty on crude and petroleum products every two months, depending on changes in the Urals blend price on world markets.

Solar industry challenges semi equipment manufacturers

The solar photovoltaic industry might be a seller’s market for equipment manufacturers but representatives of the world’s leading photovoltaic product manufacturers are calling for suppliers to better address their needs.

Solar silicon boom wanes as new plants sprout

The mad dash to build polysilicon plants for the solar industry is beginning to slow as prices for the raw material start to retreat from their 20-fold increase in recent years.

Study Fuels Push to Utilize Farm Waste As Energy

Washington University engineers using imaging technology have found that vigorous mixing helps microorganisms turn farm waste into alternative energy.

Survey shows most of the state wants power lines to be buried

About half of 400 people surveyed on whether some electrical distribution lines should be buried in Oklahoma to reduce the numbers and lengths of outages say they would be willing to pay more each month to have that done, the state's Corporation Commission says.

Texas oil tycoon aims to harness power of the wind

This month he will make the first down payment on 500 wind turbines at a cost of $US2 million each. It is the first material step towards his goal of building the world's largest wind farm.

The future of solar-powered houses is clear

The future of solar-powered houses is clear. People could live in glass houses and look at the world through rose-tinted windows while reducing their carbon emissions by 50 percent thanks to QUT Institute of Sustainable Resources research.

'To lift up some of the hurt he is carrying'

Indigenous peoples offer love, encouragement, hope to the Dalai Lama.

UK renewables industry attacks grid access proposals

The UK renewables industry has attacked complex proposals to shake up the way generators access the transmission system.

UN commission extends Australia's seabed by 2.5 million sq km

The United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf in New York has confirmed Australia's jurisdiction over an additional 2.5 million sq km of seabed, giving it rights to any oil and gas resources that might be found in an area almost five times the size of France,..

US gas prices to relink with crude in next five years-- analyst

US natural gas prices, buffered now by rapid production growth from shale and other unconventional plays, will regain their link to global crude prices in roughly five years, a top energy consultant said on Monday

US power plants record biggest CO2 emissions jump in 10 years

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from US power plants climbed 2.9 % in 2007, the biggest single-year increase since 1998,..
Now the single largest factor in US climate change pollution, the electric power industry’s carbon dioxide emissions have risen 5.9 % since 2002 and 11.7 % since 1997.

Weak European gasoline sees rare arbitrage shipments to Australia

Weakness in the European gasoline market and extensive refinery maintenance in Australia encouraged traders to move gasoline from Europe to Australia in the first quarter of 2008, European trading sources said Tuesday.

West needs to review biofuel policy to tackle food prices-- ADB

Western nations should review their policy of providing biofuel subsidies as they "distort [resource] allocation decisions" and have contributed to the inflation of food prices globally, the managing director general of the Asian Development Bank, Rajat Nag, said Tuesday.

What do we lose when we become Saudi Alberta?

In Alberta’s tar sands lies the equivalent of 175 bn barrels of oil. Canada is already the United States’ largest energy supplier; each day, more than a million barrels of oil from the tar sands flows south.

What's Moving the Oil Markets 042208

•"The US dollar weakened again...in addition, supply worries in Nigeria and the strike at Grangemouth refinery are still giving the market some support," a London-based broker said. The euro/dollar rate climbed to 1.5975 in earlier trading, just short of the 1.5988 record.

•"The short-term news is very bullish, market volumes remain low and I believe that the market volatility has kept some people away.

Who controls Iraq's oil?

The recently-opened oilfield is in the area controlled by the Kurdish regional government near Irbil. Iraq's cheap-to-extract and easy-to-refine crude could make the nation rival Saudi Arabia as the world's top oil earner

Wild Fires Likely To Spread Due To Global Warming

Wild fires are likely to be bigger, more frequent and burn for longer as the world gets hotter, in turn speeding up global warming to create a dangerous vicious circle, scientists say.

With utilities bills soaring, some Seattleites turning to solar power

Even when the sky is gray and cloudy, Brown's solar system often will generate a kilowatt or two, reducing her electricity bill through winter. In summer, she pays only about $15 per month.

Until 2003, Brown didn't think she could afford to install the necessary equipment to generate solar power on her West Seattle home.

April 18, 2008

A Greener State

North East Arizona Energy Services Company (NEA-ESCO)

Visit us at our booth in Show Low, Arizona.  Saturday at Northern Pioneer College Campus 8-4.       See you there!!

Absence Of Clouds Caused Pre-Human Supergreenhouse Periods

In a world without human-produced pollution, biological productivity controls cloud formation and may be the lever that caused supergreenhouse episodes during the Cetaceous and Eocene, according to Penn State paleoclimatologists.

Alternative energy plant to locate in Sampson

A Pennsylvania company announced Wednesday that Sampson County will be the site for its first North Carolina electrical power plant fueled by chicken and turkey litter.

Bangladesh Introduces Improved Stove To Save Fuel

Bangladesh has introduced an improved cooking stove that will consume 50 percent less of the biomass used for cooking in rural areas, a senior official said on Sunday.

Billionaire Texas Oilman Makes Big Bets On Wind

Legendary Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens has gone green with a plan to spend $10 billion to build the world's biggest wind farm. But he's not doing it out of generosity - he expects to turn a buck.

Broadening Wind Energy Ownership by Changing Federal Incentives

A typical 2-megawatt (MW) wind turbine can provide enough electricity to power approximately 600 average American homes. So why is it nearly impossible for those same 600 households to pool their resources and own a wind turbine?

Bush Climate Plan Said Too Little, Too Late

A US plan to cap greenhouse gases by 2025 was dismissed as too little, too late by some delegates at 17-nation climate talks in Paris on Thursday while others welcomed it as a first firm US emissions ceiling.

Bush climate speech could help pass carbon cap-- US House Democrat

A key Democrat in the US House of Representatives said Wednesday that
President Bush's speech on climate change, which is scheduled later Wednesday,
will help lay the groundwork that would allow an emissions trading program to
pass his subcommittee and eventually get signed into law.

Bush unveils eco-plans during global warming speech

Michigan´s political master of the one-liner struck again April 16 after President Bush delivered a global warming speech interpreted as long on promises but short on specifics.

Bush's CO2 Plan Is 'Neanderthal' - German Minister

US President George W Bush's plan to halt a rise in US greenhouse gas emissions by 2025 could undermine, rather than support, efforts to combat climate change, German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel said.

Canadian Energy in a Changing Climate

The Northeastern United States receives a large percentage of its electrical power from Canadian hydroelectric power dams. California imported electric power from the hydroelectric power dams of British Columbia during a power shortage. Canada is also America’s largest foreign supplier of oil...

Change in Farming Can Feed World - Report

Sixty countries backed by the World Bank and most UN bodies yesterday called for radical changes in world farming to avert increasing regional food shortages, escalating prices and growing environmental problems.

Climate Expert Stern Says Underestimated Problem

Climate change expert Nicholas Stern says he under-estimated the threat from global warming in a major report 18 months ago when he compared the economic risk to the Great Depression of the 1930s.

Colorado files suit against four oil, gas firms for water runoff

Colorado state officials have filed a motion against four oil- and gas-related companies for allegedly failing to control storm-water runoff from construction of a gas gathering line and access road on top of the Roan Plateau in western Colorado.

Companies defer on energy saving-- Other goals take priority, poll finds

Concerns about energy security, rising energy costs and climate change are mounting, generating more buzz about energy efficiency, a new survey released Monday shows.

Electric rates go up Tuesday - again-- We Energies' second increase in 3 months blamed on fuel costs

Electric rates for We Energies customers will rise beginning with bills sent out today, after the Public Service Commission authorized a $79 million increase to recoup rising fuel costs.

Electric-free Refrigeration

Nigerian inventor, Mohammed Bah Abba, of Mobah Rural Horizons, has received awards for his simple-to-implement invention of and evaporative cooler consisting of one pot inside another, with wet river sand in between and a damp cloth (or jute bag) on top. When kept in a dry, well-ventilated, and shady location, water evaporates, cooling the inner container.

Energy bill's greening power, costs debated

Forging ahead on goals for a greener Florida, state senators are expected to take up a comprehensive energy bill Wednesday that demands progress in the effort to reduce carbon emissions and replace fossil fuels with renewable energy sources -- from the gasoline bought by motorists to the way utilities generate power.

Global warming rage lets global hunger grow

We drive, they starve. The mass diversion of the North American grain harvest into ethanol plants for fuel is reaching its political and moral limits.

Greeley council says 'No' to uranium mine

The Greeley City Council has joined the movement against a proposed Uranium mine near Nunn saying it comes with too many unanswered questions and could hurt people and business in northern Colorado.

Green Gets The Gold

With just one house built, Darren Brinkley stands as the first green giant of Florida home construction.

His is the first "gold"-rated house in the state, so certified by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Green Investing-- Clever Plays in Clean Tech

For most of its nearly four-decade history, Earth Day has been a call to safeguard such precious resources as clean air and water for future generations, resources put at increasing risk by pollution. Lately, though, the annual April observance has also become a time for investors to take stock of the clean-technology opportunities in energy that have arisen in recent years.

'Green' on the go-- Vancouver engineer travels third world promoting renewable energy

During his overseas trips, Michel Maupoux sleeps on classroom floors, makes a bed in strangers' homes or takes a tent into a remote village. For days, he lives without electricity.

Green up with a carbon calculator

Businesses that want to become more green, be more efficient and at the same time boost their image, could find our new, streamlined carbon calculator, which launches today, invaluable.

Greenland Glacial Lake Vanishes In Warming Drama

Surface melting fuelled by climate warming can trigger dramatic events on the vast Greenland ice sheet such as a lake suddenly vanishing through a crack with force of Niagara Falls, experts said on Thursday.

Iberdrola Renovables Reports 80% Increase in Installed Capacity

Spanish clean energy firm Iberdrola Renovables's production and installed capacity, both increased by 80% in the January-March period of 2008, when compared to the same period in 2007.

Inbox 041508

First, this quote from Hunter Lovins, author of "Natural Capitalism," on what she sees as U.S. companies´ overall disregard for the idea of factoring the environment into their financial plans and reports:

"We treat [the environment] as if it has a value of zero, and that´s bad capitalism."

Inbox 041708

President Bush, you´ve no doubt heard, spoke about national climate change strategy yesterday. He called for the U.S. to halt increases in greenhouse emissions by 2025, mainly by cutting pollution emitted by power plants. And he recommended achieving that goal via voluntary emission reductions and technological innovation -- and pointedly not by adopting cap-and-trade legislation.

Law Bars Coal Gasification in Maine, for Now; State Environmental Officials Now Have Three Years to Adopt Emission Standards for Any Plants

It likely will be three years before plans to build coal gasification plants surface again in Wiscasset or any other part of Maine.

Montana officials tour Icelandic geothermal plant

The visit was a precursor to possible development of the renewable energy here.

Montana is thought to have decent opportunities to develop geothermal power, which uses heat from the earth's core to generate electricity or heat buildings.

Nationwide GHG emissions decreased in 2006

Nationwide emissions of greenhouse gases during 2006 decreased by 1.1 percent from the previous year, according to the U.S. EPA.

New Horizon Announces Acquisition of Two Uranium Properties

Both properties have no drilling on them and mapping and additional prospecting work is planned for the summer of 2008.

New turbines make headway in Legislature-- Smaller units safer for birds, companies say

Legislation smoothing the way for industry to install a new, smaller breed of wind-energy turbines on buildings passed its first test Wednesday.

NRC Issues Report on Italy Waste

In an uncommon move this week the Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued what it calls a "fact sheet" on EnergySolutions' application to import low-level radioactive waste from Italy.

Oceans Absorbing Less CO2 May Have 1,500 Year Impact

Global oceans are soaking up less carbon dioxide, a development that could speed up the greenhouse effect and have an impact for the next 1,500 years, scientists said on Wednesday.

Producing Clean Drinking Water Using Honeycomb Macaroni

Sand filtration has been a staple technology in the world of water treatment for more than a hundred years. It is now set to be replaced by a ground-breaking ultrafiltration technology, which employs membranes that look similar to macaroni arranged in a honeycomb structure.

Quote of the Day 041708

"There is no need to hold an extraordinary meeting of OPEC. OPEC cannot do anything for the situation."
Iran's oil minister Gholamhossein Nozari said Wednesday there is no need for OPEC to hold an extraordinary meeting as there is nothing the group can do to counter rising oil prices.)

Quote of the Day 041808

"The research aims to lower the production costs of bio-oils and expand the suite of biofuels produced and available in the United States."
The US Department of Energy said at its "Biomass 2008: Fueling Our Future" conference

Rep. says EPA should regulate emissions, not Congress

Be careful what you wish for. That was the warning Rep. John Dingell sounded April 10 when he sensed some of his colleagues would prefer that the EPA -- and not Congress -- regulate the heat-trapping gases contributing to global warming.

Report of Solar-Geophysical Activity 041608

Solar activity was very low. Region 990 (N27W03) produced a low level B-class flare...The geomagnetic field was mostly quiet to unsettled with an isolated active period between 0600 - 0900Z.

Researchers Trigger Lightning with Laser Beam

During an experiment carried out in South Baldy Peak, New Mexico, European researchers using a high-power laser deliberately triggered electrical activity in two passing thunderstorms.

Revolutionary Process Points To Sugar-Fueled Cars

Chemists are describing development of a “revolutionary” process for converting plant sugars into hydrogen, which could be used to cheaply and efficiently power vehicles equipped with hydrogen fuel cells without producing any pollutants.

The technology that will save humanity

The solar energy you haven't heard of is the one best suited to generate clean electricity for generations to come.

U.S. Supreme Court to hear case on power plant cooling methods

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear arguments on how costs influence the selection of the best methods for equipping power plants to minimize the killing of marine life.

Urban Sustainability-- A Force for Change

Over the last 50 years urban populations have exploded, causing a slew of environmental and social problems. However, many community planners see the world's urbanization not as a threat, but as a powerful force for addressing climate change and building a sustainable future.

US House Republicans seek probe into carbon offset markets

Senior Republicans on US House of Representatives committees charged with
energy policy and industry oversight are seeking an investigation into the
fast-growing international carbon offset market and whether offsets result in
actual greenhouse gas emissions reductions.

US Mortgage Rates Flat

Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) yesterday released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 5.88 percent with an average 0.4 point for the week ending April 17, 2008, unchangedfrom last week when it averaged 5.88 percent.  Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.17 percent.

What's Moving the Oil Markets 041708

•The US Dollar Index dropped 63.5 points to 71.387 Wednesday, with the weak US economy the catalyst for the ongoing slide.

•The run-up in global crude prices continued despite expectations for a 1.5 million barrel build in US crude stocks in this week's oil data

What's Moving the Oil Markets 041808

•"Oil has been taking so widely its directional clue from the dollar that when the dollar does not move, oil does not know where to go and when oil does not know where to go, the rest of the commodity spectrum stays as undecided," analysts for Petromatrix said in a report Friday.

•The euro/dollar rate surged to a new record value on Thursday, just short of 1.6, and since then only marginally retreated from the high.

News_Apr08/Will Wind Power Make the Grid Less Reliable?

...some ask, can wind power, being a variable resource-meaning it generates electricity when the wind is blowing-be relied upon as a significant part of a system that provides reliable electricity to consumers without interruption. In fact, based on a growing body of analytical and operational experience, the answer is a resounding yes.

Wind Power Bill Sails Through Legislature

Maine--The product of a state task force on wind energy, the bill aims to speed up the regulatory approval process for wind farms in areas deemed appropriate for that type of development. The measure also seeks to remove some of the controversy over the siting of wind farms by steering wind-energy facilities away from highly scenic or wilderness areas.

World Facing Huge New Challenge on Food Front

A fast-unfolding food shortage is engulfing the entire world, driving food prices to record highs. Over the past half-century grain prices have spiked from time to time because of weather-related events,..The world has not experienced anything quite like this before. In the face of rising food prices and spreading hunger, the social order is beginning to break down in some countries.

World Sea Levels To Rise 1.5m By 2100 – Scientists

Melting glaciers, disappearing ice sheets and warming water could lift sea levels by as much as 1.5 metres (4.9 feet) by the end of this century, displacing tens of millions of people, new research showed on Tuesday.

April 15, 2008

Analysts believe spot price of uranium may be poised for rebound

The spot price of uranium may be poised to rise, several analysts said this week after Taiwan Power was said to have rejected all the bids it received on April 8.

Biofuels Threaten Food Access In Latin America – UN

A global increase in biofuel production threatens to make food for Latin America's poor less accessible, a United Nations body said on Monday.

Bush considers backing global warming plan

It is probably an overstatement to characterize the conservative Washington Times newspaper as the Bush Administration’s Pravda, but the paper often has seemed a lot closer to the President than many other news organs, and even has been suspected of being a launching pad for trial balloons

Canada Logging May Ignite 'Carbon Bomb' - Greenpeace

Canada threatens to ignite a "carbon bomb" that could drastically worsen global warming if it continues heavy logging in areas of its vast northern forest, Greenpeace warned in a report on Thursday.

Cashing in on Your Solar Savings-- Bill Would Force Utilities to Pay for Excess Power

Electricity generated by a solar roof cuts a homeowner's utility bill, but some of those folks are upset when they learn that the best they can do is end up with a $0 bill, no matter how much power they produce.

That could be about to change.

China Drought Leaves 670,000 Without Drinking Water

A drought in China's northeast Liaoning province has left nearly 700,000 people without drinking water after rainfall in the first three months of 2008 tumbled to one-fifth levels last year, the Xinhua agency said on Sunday.

China, India Urged To Avoid Obsession With Cars

China and other big developing countries such as India need to take steps to avoid being over-reliant on private cars, the head of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning UN climate panel said.

Coal interests concerned about 'dual regimes' of state

Coal producers and coal-fired electric utilities are voicing concerns about federal and state governments each setting up their own carbon regulations, saying such "dual regimes" would be detrimental to the economy and would raise costs for companies to comply with the regulations.

Dental Offices May Be Source Of Mercury Pollution

In tests of wastewater from two dental practices, researchers at the University of Illinois found high levels of methylated mercury -- a chemically altered form of the metal that is toxic to the brain and nervous system.

Mercury is part of the silver dental fillings that have long been used to treat cavities; in this form, mercury is "believed" to be safe.

Domenici Pans Yucca-Only Approach

Political support for a Yucca Mountain repository eroded further on Wednesday when a leading Senate advocate of nuclear power said it has become "foolhardy" to plan to store used nuclear fuel at the Nevada site.

Electric Car Route Lined With Potholes

On an overcast Friday in February, about 100 people gathered behind Tesla Motors Inc. headquarters, awaiting the future of transportation. A truck pulled up with a trailer, which disgorged a sleek black electric sports car that promises to change the world as much as the Model T did a century ago.

Experts hack power grid in no time

Cracking a power company network and gaining access that could shut down the grid is simple, a security expert told an RSA audience, and he has done so in less than a day.

Financing Crucial To Next Climate Change Pact - UN

The global fight against climate change after the Kyoto pact expires will fail unless rich countries can come up with creative ways to finance clean development by poorer nations, a UN official said on Saturday.

Maine governor is expected to sign fast-track wind siting bill

Maine Governor John Baldacci is expected to sign this week a bill that creates fast-track review of wind farms and sets a goal to develop 3,000 MW of wind energy by 2020.

Melting Mountains A 'Time Bomb' For Water Shortages

Glaciers and mountain snow are melting earlier in the year than usual, meaning the water has already gone when millions of people need it during the summer when rainfall is lower, scientists warned on Monday.

New Joint Oil Find May Be Biggest Yet In Brazil

An offshore find by Brazilian state oil company Petrobras in partnership with BG Group and Repsol-YPF may be the world's biggest discovery in 30 years, the head of the National Petroleum Agency said on Monday.

OPEC powerless to stem gains in crude oil prices-- Libya's Ghanem

OPEC member countries with limited spare production capacity have no influence over the factors that have triggered a spike in crude prices, Libya's top oil official said Monday.

Philippines biodiesel mandate lifts revenues at Chemrez

The introduction of a biodiesel consumption mandate in the Philippines last year helped boost revenues at local biodiesel producer Chemrez by a total of 62% in 2007, the Manila-listed producer of coconut-based biodiesel and other oleo-chemical products said over the weekend.

Popcorn-ball design doubles efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells

By using a popcorn-ball design – tiny kernels clumped into much larger porous spheres – researchers at the University of Washington are able to manipulate light and more than double the efficiency of converting solar energy to electricity.

Quote of the Day 041508

Vice president of Russia's second-biggest oil producer Lukoil, Leonid Fedun, said in a Financial Times interview published Friday that he believed last year's production of about 10 million barrels/day was the highest he would see "in his lifetime".
Fedun likened Russia to the North Sea and Mexico, where oil production is declining sharply, saying that in its main oil-producing region of western Siberia, "the period of intense oil production [growth] is over". The comments reflect a recent downward trend in the country's crude production, which has market analysts fretting about the possibility of a year-on-year decline in production for the first time since 1998.

Report of Solar-Geophysical Activity 041408

Swept Up by Wind

Wind's allure is tied to its environmentally-friendly image -- a picture that is now enhanced because of global desires to curb the use of carbon-producing fossil fuels. With U.S. lawmakers and all the presidential candidates now talking about the enactment of legislation to deal with this, wind power's stock is rising.

Top emitters meet in Paris, worries on UN overlap

The world's top greenhouse gas emitters meet in Paris this week to work out ways to slow global warming with uncertainty about whether the U.S.-backed talks will help or hinder plans for a new U.N. climate treaty.

Tri-City builders going green

Homes powered with solar energy, plumbed with self-composting toilets and topped with dirt roofs may seem a little far-fetched, but they'll soon be an option for local environmentally conscious homebuyers

UN climate panel plans comprehensive renewable energy analysis

The United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change voted late Thursday to draft a special report on the role that renewable energy resources can play in mitigating climate change.

US Court Rules Against Landowner On Border Fence

Eloisa Tamez has been been a leading figure in resistance to the fence, which is deeply unpopular in border areas. It has made her a thorn in plans to roll out a 670-mile (1,070-km) barrier along the US-Mexico border to block people from entering illegally.

US House panel gives EPA until Wednesday to answer subpoena

A US congressional committee that subpoenaed the US Environmental Protection Agency over documents related to regulations on greenhouse gas emissions has now given the agency until Wednesday to turn over the papers.

US retail gasoline price up 5.7 cents to record $3.389gal-- EIA

The average price of US retail gasoline climbed 5.7 cents to a record $3.389/gal for the week ended April 14, the Energy Information Administration said Monday.

US Says OPEC To Earn Almost $1 Trillion From Oil

OPEC member nations are expected to rake in almost $1 trillion this year from their oil exports due to record crude prices, according to the US government's top energy forecasting agency.

US Supreme Court to hear case on clean-water rule for generators

The case revolves around an Environmental Protection Agency rule that
requires coal and nuclear power plants to retrofit their cooling-water intake
systems to protect fish and other aquatic organisms.

What's Moving the Oil Markets 041508

•Global crude futures hit new all-time highs Tuesday, testing resistance levels as the current weakness in the US dollar continued to exert more immediate influence on oil and commodities markets than headlines.

•Earlier Tuesday, front month ICE Brent hit $110.45/b while NYMEX crude touched $112.48/b, both all-time highs.

•"The market is not racing ahead today, despite the new highs," said a London-based broker. "Europe does not really want to play. We'll have to see how the market behaves once the the US opens."

•The US dollar slipped further Tuesday against the euro, having plunged during Monday trading.

White House Weighing New US CO2 Proposal - Sources

The Bush administration is debating whether to embrace a mandatory system to control US greenhouse gas emissions and could make an announcement as early as this week, industry sources said on Monday.

April 11, 2008

2 Cities' Uranium Waste Could Prove $7.6B Treasure

About 40,000 canisters of depleted uranium are spread out in rows at the Paducah (Ky.) Gaseous Diffusion Plant. An additional 20,000 are stored at a closed facility in Piketon, Ohio.

For years, the canisters and their contents have been considered worthless waste. Not anymore.

Ahead of the curve. Fresnel technology in CSP

In the deserts of Spain one of the world's most recent concentrating solar power stations has been built, based on Fresnel technology. Daniel Reinhardt says the pilot plant is set to establish new standards for power supply and prove that an efficient and reliable solar energy power plant can be commercially realized.

Another take on power plant hearing

The recent hearing on the Victorville 2 power plant did not go quite as described by the developer, according to the California Energy Commission and Victorville's City Manager Jon Roberts.

Baldacci touts wood energy use

Baldacci administration officials said Wednesday that Maine's vast commercial forests contain enough "waste wood" to heat 150,000 homes and small businesses without reducing fiber supplies to existing mills.

Biofuels-- More Than Just Ethanol

As the United States looks to alternate fuel sources, ethanol has become one of the front runners. Farmers have begun planting corn in the hopes that its potential new use for corn will be a new income source. What many don't realize, is the potential for other crops, besides corn, to provide an alternate energy source to fossil fuels.

Calderon says Mexican energy reforms will adhere to Constitution

Though he did not say how it would be done, Calderon said the reforms would boost deepwater drilling. "The oil is ours and we're going for it." Mexico's neighbors -- Cuba and the US -- are currently exploring and exploiting their deepwater reserves.

California to Be Home to $600 Million Global Warming Research Center

California will establish a high-profile, $600 million research center to devise solutions for global warming, the Public Utilities Commission decided in a 5-0 vote Thursday.

'Clean Coal' Elusive As Governments Balk At Cost

Governments and the private sector are balking at the expense of kick-starting a technology to bury planet-warming gases underground, casting doubts on "clean coal" plans seen vital to help fight climate change.

Climate bill could weaken the US economy-- congressional staff

"Global climate change must be met globally,"...Macchiarola said that the climate change bills currently before Congress share two common themes: "neither require reductions from our global competitors, [because] they can't do that," he said, and "they [will] have a negative impact on our gross domestic product."

Climate Change Rises On World Bank Agenda

Climate change is now one of the World Bank's top concerns because of its expected impact on health and economic growth in developing countries, the bank's lead environmental economist said.

Common Sense on Biofuels

The future of the Earth could well hinge on the future of earth, the soil beneath our feet.

Cornell University's ninth annual Powwow and Smokedance

Pow wows are social gatherings involving traditional Native dances that continually evolve to include contemporary aspects. Highlights will include a Smoke Dance competition and pow wow exhibition dancing.

Creating Renewable Energy from Living Organisms

The death and fossilization of plants and animals gave us the dirty energy we rely on today; but it's living organisms that will give us the clean energy of the future.

Democrats, Republicans at odds over Clean Water Act

Democrats claim they´re repairing a Clean Water Act pollution permit muddle. Republicans fear that fix could mean environmental restrictions on a mere puddle. So it´s understandable if regulators remain, well, befuddled.

Feds, tribes strike deal on dams, fish

Federal officials and four Northwest tribes reached a settlement Monday that keeps the region's hydroelectric dams operating for at least another decade and earmarks $900 million for improving fish habitat.

Feedstock Frenzy

Floods And Drought To Rise Due To Climate Change

Flooding in temperate regions and the tropics and droughts in arid regions are likely to increase over the course of the century due to climate change, according to a study released on Wednesday.

Ford promises 30% GHG emissions cut by 2020

Ford Motor Co. has promised to cut greenhouse gas emissions in its U.S. and European vehicles 30 percent by 2020, and is the first automobile manufacturer to outline a plan to get there.

GHG bill would cut output of US coal-fired plants by 60%-- study

Coal-fired electricity generation would decline by more than 60% before carbon capture and sequestration technology becomes widely available under the Lieberman-Warner climate bill, according to analysis released Tuesday by the National Mining Association.

Green Gasoline Could Power Future Cars and Jets

Researchers have made a breakthrough in the development of "green gasoline," a liquid identical to standard gasoline yet created from biomass sources like switchgrass and poplar trees.

Greenhouse gas limits could create big challenges, FERC official says

If Congress limits the amount of greenhouse gases that power plants may emit, the country will face a big challenge building enough transmission lines to support renewable power plants that don't emit carbon dioxide, a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission official said Thursday.

Hopes Rise Global Trade Deal Can Avert Fish Crisis

Environmental advocacy groups say the impact of overfishing on food stocks and biodiversity is an ecological threat comparable to climate change.

How sweet it is-- 'Revolutionary' process points to sugar-fueled cars

Chemists are describing development of a “revolutionary” process for converting plant sugars into hydrogen, which could be used to cheaply and efficiently power vehicles equipped with hydrogen fuel cells without producing any pollutants.

Iberdrola Vaults Ahead of FPL Energy to Lead Global Wind Power Ownership with Nearly 7,000 MW

After trailing by a small margin at year-end 2006, Spanish utility Iberdrola vaulted ahead of FPL Energy to claim global leadership in wind power plant ownership in 2007 with over 6.9 GW under net ownership, ..

IEA says world needs bigger cushion on oil inventories

The world oil market needs a bigger oil stock "buffer" to cope with geopolitical tension, even though inventory levels are already above five-year averages, the International Energy Agency said March 11.

Inbox 041008

We know driving our cars and trucks is one of the primary contributors to global warming. We've seen gas prices shoot up to once-unthinkable levels in the past few weeks. Have those powerful reasons curtailed our driving at all?

Into a new era for indigenous rights

Over the past 30 years, indigenous peoples around the world have expressed greater public self-consciousness of their needs for recognition of land, resources and greater political and cultural autonomy.

Iowa Leads the Nation with 5.5% Wind Power, Says AWEA

Wind power provides 5.5% of the electricity generated in Iowa, making it the leading state for wind power generation on a percentage basis, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA).

Iraq's northern oil output hits post-war record

The substantial increase in the average daily production rate from Iraq's northern oilfields, including the giant Kirkuk field, climbed to a post-war high of 619,000 b/d in March, up 180,000 b/d from the previous month...

Is There a Safe Way to Invest in Renewable Energy Today?

An Exchange-Traded Fund (or ETF) is an investment vehicle traded on primary exchanges, much like a stock. An ETF represents a collection or 'basket' of stocks, in this case, all of the stocks in the "basket" are related in some way to the renewable sector.

La Niña is expected to continue for the next 3 months

La Niña declined to moderate-strength during March 2008 as negative sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies weakened across the central and east-central equatorial Pacific.

Large-Scale Solar Thermal Power Projects Planned for California

The push to develop large concentrating solar power (CSP) plants in California gained momentum last week, as FPL Energy filed an application to build a 250-megawatt CSP plant in the Mojave Desert and the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) agreed to buy the power..

Mideast can avert impending water crisis-- World Bank

The Middle East is overusing limited water resources and the amount of water available per head will halve by 2050, leading to social strains as more people quit the countryside, the World Bank said on Thursday.

Native company launches wind energy project

Just as a collective of tribes is pushing for federal legislation in favor of tribal-led wind energy projects, a Native company is posed to launch an unprecedented effort to help tribes to become principal owners of turbines.

New biodiesel crop Jatropha taking off in S.W. Florida

Nearly 1 million seedlings are in the ground at a nursery in Hendry County and promoters are looking for farmers – here and across the country – to raise them as oil-producing plants.

NRC wants to fine FPL $130,000 for Turkey Point violations

The NRC proposed a $130,000 civil penalty against Florida Power & Light for security violations involving sleeping guards at the utility's Turkey Point nuclear power plant.

Oil futures caught in early spring tug-of-war

Crude oil futures were caught in a tug-of-war between gasoline and heating oil last week. Those strong opposing forces were largely behind a very volatile week for light sweet crude oil futures. Gasoline is in general weighed down by a lush level of inventories, and middle distillates are being propped up by tight supply and demand balances.

Panel kills bill to fight warming

A bill that would have committed Maryland to fight global warming died in a House committee last night after lobbying from industry and from factory workers fearful for their jobs.

Panel ready to show ideas for greener city

A Tacoma task force suggests everything from a ban on vehicle idling to requiring sellers to have an energy audit before the sale of any building as ways to reduce Tacoma's carbon emissions.

PSE&G Receives Green Light to Launch Solar Investment Program

Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) today received approval from state regulators to begin offering $105 million in loans to help finance the installation of solar systems on homes, businesses and municipal buildings throughout its electric service area.

Renewable Power Initiative Poised for Ballot, Draws Fire

A California initiative that would have at least half the state's electricity coming from the sun and other renewable sources by 2025 has generated more than enough signatures to qualify for the November ballot, proponents said Monday.

Scientists study Canadian CO2 emissions

Canadian and U.S. scientists are urging Canadian officials to take the lead in eliminating dangerous carbon dioxide emissions that produce global warming.

Scotland Offers $20 Million Prize for Ocean Energy Innovations

The Scottish Government announced last week that it will offer a $20 million prize for innovation in marine renewable energy.

Solar PV to show largest growth in US

Consumption from grid-connected PV systems will grow by 19.6% per year over the 25-year period from 2005, according to the revised early release of the ‘Annual Energy Outlook 2008 with Projections to 2030' produced by the Department of Energy.

Study Reveals Critical Industry Issues That Keep North American Energy Executives Up at Night

After surveying nearly 100 executives within the electric and natural gas industries in the United States and Canada, this year’s study revealed that the five most critical issues facing the energy industry include:...

Tackling climate change business opportunity for EU-- Verheugen

"We can only solve our problems if we see climate change and industry as being linked," said Verheugen. "They are not opponents."

The State of Large-Scale Solar

Large-scale solar is about to rise on the energy scene with unprecedented impact. The revolution in small-scale solar is well-known, with installation of small solar systems in California, New Jersey, Germany, Japan and Spain setting records each year. But the time for 5 megawatt and over systems seems to have arrived.

UK's Brown Calls For G8 Action On Food Crisis

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Wednesday called for a coordinated response led by the United Nations, World Bank and International Monetary Fund to address soaring food prices.

UN climate panel plans comprehensive renewable energy analysis

"The issue of renewables was touched on in one [IPCC] report," he said. "But this will be a comprehensive report. There's never been a UN scenario [on renewables] before. We think it'll have a bigger influence than other reports. It'll bring the energy debate a big step forward."

US Senate votes 88-8 to extend renewable energy tax credits

The US Senate on Thursday approved in an 88-8 vote an amendment to a housing stimulus bill that would extend a series of renewable energy production tax credits for at least a year.

Utility gets millions in loans for residential solar project

Public Service Electric and Gas Co. has gotten approval from New Jersey regulators to offer $105 million in loans to finance the installation of solar power systems at homes, businesses and municipal buildings.

Utility to ask for another rate hike

Disappointed it was forced last month to scale back the size of its proposed rate increase, Rocky Mountain Power has crafted a way around its dilemma.

Venezuela aiming for big jump in oil output, refining by 2021

Venezuela hopes to pump an average of 3.5 million b/d of crude this year, up from 2.8 million b/d in 2007, and to increase this to 6.8 million b/d by 2021

Weather Boosts Overdue Utility Bills; Post-Winter Shutoffs Resume Tuesday

A rise in energy costs, combined with a brutal winter, has led to a jump of nearly 12% in the number of residents falling behind on paying their utility bills, leaving Wisconsin's largest utility with millions in unpaid debt that could be passed on to paying customers.

What's Moving the Oil Markets 041108

•Wednesday's US crude stocks data from the Energy Information Administration was a catalyst for the price hikes, a London-based trader said. "Crude has crossed all resistance levels, there is no nearby level. The next resistance level for NYMEX crude is $115/b," the trader added.

Wind Farm Carbon Savings 'Could Be Worth $25m'

New Zealanders would face increasing uncertainty over how to meet growing electricity demands if schemes such as the Kaiwera wind farm were denied consent, according to economics expert Dr Brent Layton.

Wind Power-- Impressive Growth Creates Shortages

• Global wind power capacity now tops 100,000 megawatts.
• Approximately 200,000 people worldwide are employed by the wind industry.
• More than 70 nations—from Australia to Zimbabwe—now tap the wind to produce electricity.

April 8, 2008

“Fossil” Fuel and Abiotic Oil

The “common knowledge” is that Fossil Fuels are hydrocarbons formed from the remains of dead plants and animals - , and also includes hydrocarbon-containing natural resources that are not derived from animal or plant sources known as mineral fuels.

2009 Surge in Utility Rates Looms

It's not clear how much rates could rise, but local gas and electricity providers are beginning to worry.

Alaska legislature wants to expand June session on gas pipeline

The Alaska Legislature Monday asked Governor Sarah Palin to expand the scope of a special session planned for June to discuss a proposed pipeline intended to bring North Slope natural gas to the Lower 48 to include a smaller pipeline to bring gas to Alaska communities and to a liquefied natural gas export project.

Algae-- 'The ultimate in renewable energy'

Texas may be best known for "Big Oil." But the oil that could some day make a dent in the country's use of fossil fuels is small. Microscopic, in fact: algae. Literally and figuratively, this is green fuel.

American forces should be more aggressive in Iraq

Iraq is a complicated but winnable conflict. It's high time that Americans wake up and realize this.

Are the oceans giving up?

Studies seem to indicate that oceans, which are major carbon sinks, may have had enough. If so, the consequences are BAD, writes Jayalakshmi K.

Bank meeting embroiled in 'green' debate

Inter-American Development Bank President Luis Alberto Moreno touted the lending agency's efforts to support green fuels and energy conservation on Saturday. But environmental groups accused the bank of pumping billions of dollars into projects that harm the environment.

Boeing flies first manned hydrogen-powered airplane

Boeing on April 3 said that it had recently flown a manned airplane powered by hydrogen fuel cells. It was a first in aviation history, according to the aircraft maker.

British Columbia offers bill to limit greenhouse gas emissions

"The Cap and Trade Act will make British Columbia the first Canadian province to introduce legislation authorizing hard caps on greenhouse gas emissions," BC environment minister Barry Penner said in a statement.

Businesses discuss energy efficiency

The message was echoed by almost every speaker and pamphlet at the Governor's Energy Efficiency Summit on Thursday: Investments in energy efficiency will pay off for businesses and the environment.

California Second in Nation in Wind-Power Generation- But State Falls Behind in Development

California remained the nation's second-leading creator of wind energy in 2007, but it has fallen behind the pace of development elsewhere in the United States.

Calling on the US to save oil prices from a crisis

There's no shortage of bleak predictions in the oil industry these days. Here's the April 7 version.

Carbon tax on large utilities evaporates

Why should the state stop western Kansas from getting the cleanest coal plant in the state, when eastern Kansas enjoys the power from some of the state's dirtiest plants?

Chicago firm pushes carbon credits at diverse meeting

In the 1980s, acid rain was an alarming environmental problem brought under control in part by giving businesses incentives to reduce their air emissions. Now, a Chicago firm is gambling millions of dollars on the theory that a similar program could let businesses solve the climate-change challenge.

Climate Change A Factor In Deaths From Disease - WHO

At least 150,000 more people are dying each year of malaria, diarrhoea, malnutrition and floods, all of which can be traced to climate change, said Shigeru Omi, the head of the WHO's Western Pacific office.

Compound Removes Radioactive Material From Power Plant Waste

Strontium 90 is a common radioactive by-product of fission in nuclear power plants. When extracted from the reactor along with other isotopes, a mixture is created made up of the radioactive material and inert ions like sodium and calcium.

Conservation key to meeting energy challenges-- Hutto

Orangeburg Sen. Brad Hutto says South Carolinians will have to learn to conserve energy because proposed federal emission regulations on the state's coal-fired plants could prove a "challenge" to the state's power infrastructure.

Cost estimates of controlling GHG emissions provide something for everybody

Computer model forecasts of the economic impact of legislation to reduce US greenhouse gas emissions are driven by, and no smarter than, the assumptions upon which they are based.

Energy company promotes 'clean' electricity

A new green company is positive there are people in the Rio Grande Valley who will support renewable energy.

Environmentalists, students support global-warming bill

Environmentalists, college students, religious leaders and scientists packed into a House committee meeting at the General Assembly on Tuesday to support a global-warming bill that would cap and reduce greenhouse-gas pollution produced by the state, from power generation to tailpipe emissions.

Europe's Biggest Onshore Wind Farm Plugs into the National Grid

EUROPE'S largest onshore wind farm goes on stream from today, with the first 10 turbines of the planned 140 now producing enough electricity to power 13,000 homes.

Fallout continues over EPA´s delayed ruling reaction

For a visual on how climate change policy will infiltrate existing statutes, think of an octopus, that "leggy" marine creature.

That´s the image an EPA air quality specialist conjured up Wednesday on the first anniversary of a Supreme Court ruling that the Environmental Protection Agency must determine the public health dangers associated with carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases.

FUJIFILM Dimatix Inkjet System Helps Researchers Optimize and Test New Materials for 'Solar Water Splitting'

New method relies on FUJIFILM Dimatix deposition technology to aid in discovering functional and inexpensive compounds for producing hydrogen from water and sunlight.

Gov. Schwarzenegger's Office 'Thrilled' With B.C.'s Climate Change Solutions

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's green team has taken notice of British Columbia's plans to fight climate change, lauding legislation that makes the province the first in Canada to introduce a cap-and-trade system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Ireland's Providence Resources finds gas in Gulf of Mexico

Dublin and London-listed junior Providence Resources said Monday it has made a gas discovery on Galveston Island Block A-155 in the Gulf of Mexico, 100 km off the US coast.

Kansas legislators keep Sunflower coal plant hopes alive--for now

Kansas legislators this past weekend began a three-week recess without resolving whether Sunflower Electric can revive its $3.6 billion plan to build two 700 MW coal plants in western Kansas.

Latins get aid in global war on emissions

With little fanfare, hundreds of millions of dollars are flowing annually into Latin America, cleaning up city garbage dumps and country animal manure, financing hydroelectric dams and doing away with coal-burning power plants -- thanks to a foreign-aid program that goes by the name of Kyoto.

Local woman takes on a power giant

Pilgrim Watch has about 70 members, but it's Lampert who has researched endlessly and taught herself how to battle a power giant. It's Lampert who has succeeded in a demand for a hearing, a stage only one other citizens group has reached in the relicensing of about 50 nuclear power plants across the country.

N American markets to decline 5pct, but Asia to grow, says Alcoa

US aluminum major Alcoa expects volume in North American end-use markets to decline 5% in 2008, further than originally forecast to levels "not seen in over a decade" although end-use markets are likely to grow on a global basis, an Alcoa executive said.

Oceans in the red

Its shocking but true. Human activities have left over 40 per cent of the worlds oceans damaged!

Fishing, climate change and pollution have left an indelible mark on virtually all of the world's oceans, according to a huge study that has mapped the total human impact on the seas for the first time.

OPEC's Badri says market well supplied, prices fair-- report

"The most important issue for OPEC is [to make sure] that there is no shortage in market and this has been materialized," the daily quoted Badri as saying. "The current oil supply is more than demand," Badri added.

Pennsylvania launches CFL bulb collection campaign

Pennsylvania is launching a campaign it hopes will make it easier for residents to recycle compact fluorescent light bulbs.

Quote of the Day 040808

"High prices are here...to stay. No one can say if it will be $100/barrel, $110/b or above. I've said that I see oil prices at $80-110/b--that's my guess for this year."
Oil prices are likely to remain high for some time, even though they are not due to a shortage in supply or world stock levels, OPEC president Chakib Khelil said Tuesday in London.

"The market is well-supplied. There is no physical demand for more oil. We have gone to all our lifters and they see no need for additional oil. We don't see any need to panic."
Qatari oil minister Abdullah al-Attiyah said Tuesday world oil markets were well-supplied and there was no need for OPEC to raise crude production, with speculators exerting a very strong influence on the price of oil.

Report of Solar-Geophysical Activity 040708

Revolutionary solar technology is set to transform energy generation

Nanosolar has developed proprietary technology that makes it possible to simply roll-print solar cells that require only 1/100th as thick an absorber as a silicon-wafer cell yet deliver similar performance and durability.

Shell Chief Seeks Carbon Capture Subsidies

The European Union must create rapid incentives to promote underground storage of carbon dioxide (CO2) to achieve its ambitious climate change goals, the head of oil major Royal Dutch Shell said on Monday.

State hopeful for 'Green Collar' jobs in future

New Mexico- Renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar and biomass, offer the state an opportunity to diversify its economy and provide "green collar jobs, said Lt. Gov. Diane Denish at a Renew conference in Tucumcari Wednesday.

Summer gasoline use down first time in 17 years

Record gasoline prices and a contracting U.S. economy will reduce summer gasoline demand for the first time in 17 years, the government's top energy forecasting agency said Tuesday.

US energy secretary concerned gasoline could hit $3.50/gallon

US Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman on Monday said he is "concerned" the average price of retail gasoline in the US could hit $3.50/gal as driving season approaches.

US NRC monitoring 'unusual event' at Connecticut nuclear plant

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission said it is monitoring an "unusual event" declared early Sunday at the Millstone 2 nuclear power plant in Waterford, Connecticut, that led to the "likely" release of some low-level radioactive gas.

US reactors eight or more years away from coming online-- NEI CNO

New nuclear power plants are more likely to come online in the US in the 2016-2017 timeframe than around 2015, a senior industry representative said Monday.

WaterPure International Proposes U.S. Military Utilize Atmospheric Water Generators To Create Own Water For Troops

An infantry squad encamped in a remote area can plug an AWG into a portable generator, produce three to five gallons of pure, safe, fresh, delicious drinking water per day from the air around it, and no longer be totally dependent upon having enough cases of drinking water on hand.

What's Moving the Oil Markets 040808

 •Crude futures lost some ground on Tuesday following Monday's rally, but were still trading at strong levels on support from ICE gasoil, which hit another record high of $1,017/mt in earlier trading.

•Distillates futures on ICE and NYMEX were the main drivers for Monday's rally

Wind Energy Industry Making Strides

Some observers see the wind energy study filed Wednesday as a sure sign the young wind industry in the Panhandle is about to grow up -- someday.

"There are multiple steps to expand the market. It will still be several years," ...

Wind Farm Gathers Steam

Wind farm developers, show us your plans.

That's the message Governor Carcieri sent yesterday to private developers who may be interested in building a massive offshore wind farm that would generate at least 15 percent of the electricity consumed throughout Rhode Island -- about 1.3 million megawatts of power a year.

World’s Largest Tidal Turbine Successfully Installed

The world’s largest tidal turbine, weighing 1000 tonnes, has been installed in Northern Ireland’s Strangford Lough. The tidal turbine is rated at 1.2 megawatts, which is enough to power a thousand local homes. It was built by Marine Current Turbines, and it will be the first commercial tidal turbine to produce energy, when it begins operation later this year.

April 4, 2008

18 US States Sue EPA Over Greenhouse Gas Pollution

Eighteen states sued the US Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday for failing to limit greenhouse gas emissions from new cars and trucks, one year after the Supreme Court ruled that the agency had the power to do so.

A Research Report on Cellulosic Ethanol Investment

Air Products’ Hydrogen Technology Fuels South Carolina Demonstration Project

Air Products mobile hydrogen fueling technology has been placed into service for a hydrogen fuel demonstration project in Aiken County, South Carolina. The fueler is providing hydrogen for a hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine pick-up truck...

Algae could one day be major hydrogen fuel source

“We believe there is a fundamental advantage in looking at the production of hydrogen by photosynthesis as a renewable fuel,” senior chemist David Tiede said. “Right now, ethanol is being produced from corn, but generating ethanol from corn is a thermodynamically much more inefficient process.”

Arizona Builders Committing to Higher Energy Efficiency Standards

Dozens of Arizona builders are joining the APS ENERGY STAR Homes Program, representing more than 22,300 residences that are - or soon will be - built at higher energy efficiency standards.

Asian Energy

To keep the industrial revolution humming in Asia in 2006 and 2007, China and India needed to build new coal-fired power plants. In fact, the number of power plants developed in Asia is so staggering that its impact is being felt by U.S. utilities.

Biogas Projects Show Promise for Power in the Developing World

Europe, the U.S. and the rest of the developed world are bringing more and more renewable energy online everyday to offset the use of fossil fuels and the release of greenhouse gases. Many of these projects are grid connected and are generally large in scale. Throughout the developing world on the other hand, fossil fuels are still the means by which most people get their energy.

California Sets Ambitious Renewable Energy Goals

Participants in a California energy summit resolved to introduce more jobs in the renewable energy industry and implement training and information programs at state, city and community levels.

Canadian Researchers Warn Of New Arctic Worries

Canada's massive Mackenzie Delta is feeling the impact of climate change faster than expected and could foretell of problems elsewhere in the Arctic, a Canadian researcher said on Thursday.

Cliffside protesters arrested

The protest was part of what the international Rising Tide network calls the "Fossil Fools Day of Action," which blames coal-fired power plants' carbon dioxide emissions for global warming.

Climate change bill signed

Washington State--Gov. Chris Gregoire has signed a climate change bill that Yakima Valley legislators fear will lead to mandates on agriculture to reduce greenhouse gases under the Growth Management Act.

Climate change needs a global, harmonized carbon price-- IMF

Climate change will create a "supply-side shock" that needs a harmonized global carbon price to reduce abatement costs, according to the International Monetary Fund.

Climate Seen Stoking Arctic Indigenous Land Claims

Global warming has opened the European Arctic to firms exploiting timber, oil, gas and metals, and intensified a land rights battle with Sami reindeer herders whose way of life is under threat, an indigenous leader said.

Climate solutions seen harming indigenous peoples

Large-scale solutions to help slow global warming often threaten the very indigenous peoples who are among those hardest hit by a changing climate, the U.N. University said on Wednesday.

Coal-use advocates follow contenders- Lobbying group claims coal is economical energy choice and becoming increasingly clean

While the Democratic presidential candidates are out stumping in Pennsylvania, they're being followed by some interesting vans carrying advocates of an issue that a year ago didn't need any additional publicity.

Coastal Populations Losing Livelihoods To Polluted Waters

"A significant portion of the world's population - nearly half of which lives within 40 miles of a coast - is vulnerable to harmfully over-enriched ecosystems," said Mindy Selman, senior associate at WRI and lead author of WRI's findings.

Crude futures markets trade sideways, waits for US economic data

Crude and refined products futures moved sideways Friday, showing some apparent strength early on but only in relation to a late sell-off Thursday, market sources said.

Dell to run headquarters with renewable power

Dell Inc. is betting that fossil fuel power will soon cost more than green power.

Distributed vs. Utility Scale Renewables-- A Dead-End Battle

Distributed energy will continue to grow in importance and popularity, but alone it is insufficient to address the climate crisis.
 

DOE works with wind to help Hawaii oil dependence

UPC Wind Partners LLC is partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy to study integrating wind power into Hawaii´s utility system to reduce its dependence on imported oil.

Duke Energy powerbills likely to climb

Power bills are the latest consumer expense set to increase as Duke Energy moves to pass on skyrocketing coal prices to its customers.

Eight Climate Protesters Arrested At US Coal Plant

Eight protesters who locked themselves to bulldozers at a Duke Energy Corp coal-fired power plant in North Carolina as part of a day of international actions on climate change were arrested on Tuesday, police said.

Florida Firm Focuses on Clean Energy To Replace Fossil Fuels

Growing global interest in the environment is leading to increased use of clean, renewable energy sources in place of fossil fuels like coal and oil, which generate greenhouse gas emissions.

Food Prices To Rise For Years, Biofuel Firms Say

Staple food prices will rise for some years, but should eventually fall to historical averages as harvests increase, biofuel company executives said on Thursday.

Fueling Ethanol Production While Protecting Water Quality

Grain-based ethanol production has increased dramatically in recent years as the cost and instability of oil has increased. New U.S. government policies require major increases in ethanol production. While future plans call for a viable cellulosic ethanol industry, expanded grain ethanol production will lead to further growth of corn acres in the near term, with unintended negative water quality impacts.

FutureGen Belongs Here-- Illinois House

The Illinois House joined a growing chorus of elected officials sounding off on the federal government's decision to scrap a plan to build an experimental power plant in east- central Illinois.

House subcommittee votes down coal bill

Tennessee--Efforts to ban top mountain removal of coal in Tennessee failed in a key House subcommittee this morning on a 5-3 vote.

Hungry Crowds Spell Trouble For World Leaders

"Is it not said 'A hungry man is an angry man'?" commented Simon Nkwenti, head of a teachers' union in Cameroon, after riots that killed dozens of people in the central African country.

Hydrogen-based Vehicle Research Initiative is Making Progress

A public-private effort to develop technologies for more fuel-efficient automobiles and to investigate the feasibility of hydrogen-based vehicles has made significant progress in most research areas, according to a new report from the National Research Council.

Insects Take A Bigger Bite Out Of Plants In A Higher CO2 Atmosphere

Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are rising at an alarming rate, and new research indicates that soybean plant defenses go down as CO₂ goes up. Elevated CO₂ impairs a key component of the plant’s defenses against leaf-eating insects, according to the report.

International Partners Create Database for Renewable Energy

An international program created to help 13 developing nations understand the extent of their solar and wind energy resources is expanding geographically and adding other renewable energy information to its free and growing public database.

Managing Streetlights in Top 10 Metros Could Save $90 Million Annually

The top 10 metropolitan regions in the U.S. can save $90 million annually in electricity costs while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 1.2 million metric tons of CO2.

NAFTA, US Drought Endanger Canada's Water -Study

Increasing droughts in the United States and American unhappiness over NAFTA mean Canada could one day be forced to allow bulk shipments of water to its giant neighbour, a left-leaning think tank said on Thursday.

OPEC blames US 'mismanaged' economy to drive oil prices up

OPEC, rebuffing calls from US President George W. Bush to increase oil output, cited "mismanagement" of the American economy as a major factor driving prices up.

OPEC minister anticipates decline of world demand on oil by 1.4 mm bpd

Algerian Minister of Energy and Mines and current president of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Chakib Khalil, anticipated that the world demand on oil would decline by 1.4 mm bpd starting from the second quarter of this year, while the current production of the Organization stands at 29.6 mm bpd.

Paper recycling hits record high

America recovered an all-time record of 56 percent of the paper consumed in the country last year, reaching a recycling goal set by the American Forest & Paper Association five years ahead of schedule.

Passive house retrofit-- Taking it easy

Improving the overall efficiency of a nation's housing stock by insisting new buildings reach the impressive passive house standard can mean a 90% energy saving and a high level of thermal comfort. Martin Ploss explains how it also makes for an increasing role for renewables in the built environment.

Quote of the Day 040308

"When greenhouse gas emissions are regulated for transportation as required by the US Supreme Court, that specific rule will eventually affect all other environmental regulatory requirements within the Clean Air Act, senior Environmental Protection Agency staffers said Wednesday. It's taking a multi-pollutant approach,"
said Steven Page, director of the EPA office of air quality planning

Quote of the Day 040408

"I don't think we have reached the end of the financial crisis."
Eurozone finance ministers voiced growing concern on Friday about the outlook for their combined economy under the threat of financial crisis, soaring inflation and a strong euro, as chairman of the Eurogroup of finance ministers Jean-Claude Juncker warned ahead of a meeting with his counterparts.

Report of Solar-Geophysical Activity 040308

Sandia Researchers Say Worldwide Water Shortage On Horizon

A crisis is looming over water shortages worldwide. By 2025 more than half the nations in the world will face freshwater stress or shortages and by 2050 as much as 75 percent of the world’s population could face freshwater scarcity.

Shedding Light on Thin-film Solar Cell Efficiency Research

Recently, researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) announced that they have moved closer to creating a thin-film solar cell that can compete with the efficiency of the more common silicon-based solar cell.

Ship emissions -- the next boost for distillate prices

While onshore transportation fuel emissions restrictions have tightened dramatically, with on-road diesel going from 500 ppm sulfur to just 15ppm in the US, and in Europe down to as low as 10ppm, emissions restrictions on ship fuel -- known as bunker fuel -- have lagged.

Siemens announces second major wind turbine order in the U.S. within one week

Siemens Energy has been awarded another major order for a wind farm in the U.S. with a capacity of nearly 325 megawatts (MW). Siemens will supply 141 units of its 2.3-megawatt turbines for the Biglow Canyon Wind Farm Phases 2 and 3 in Sherman County in Oregon.

Small Businesses Grow Big Environmental Technologies

It might be a surprise to some that a small business created such an innovative and successful product. But it really isn’t unusual - the majority of U.S. new technologies are developed by America’s 25 million small businesses, which also employ more than 50 percent of workers.

SMUD to officially open solar-powered fueling station

The Sacramento Municipal Utility District will formally open a solar-powered hydrogen fueling station for fuel-cell vehicles Tuesday near its headquarters on S Street.

The Northwest Clean Energy Horizon

Good weather and an appetite for sustainability appear to be the main factors driving the formation of a world-class "clean energy cluster" in the Pacific Northwest. Skilled workers with strong creative talent are attracted to the area, and it's no coincidence that a range of renewable energy firms are setting up shop here as a result.

The Winds of Risk

Political risk may seem an odd concept to apply to the United States. International investment decisions usually weigh it when assessing how likely a government's collapse may be or how robust various regulatory and legal systems are.

UK fails to take lead on carbon capture technology-- think-tank

The UK has failed to take a lead on carbon capture and storage technology development, according to a report published by think-tank Policy Exchange Friday.

US can't meet ethanol goal

The United States will not meet Congress' mandate to produce more ethanol from waste products over the next 15 years, according to a government forecaster.

US Emissions from Power Plants Increased 2.9% in 2007

A poor progress report on efforts to rein in greenhouse gases: Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from U.S. power plants climbed 2.9 percent in 2007, the biggest singleyear increase since 1998

US Forecaster Expects Busy Storm Season

The noted Colorado State University forecast team expects an above-average Atlantic hurricane season and may raise its prediction of 13 tropical storms and seven hurricanes when it updates its outlook next week, the team's founder, Bill Gray, said on Wednesday.

US Long-Term Mortgage Rates Drift Slightly Upward this Week

Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) yesterday released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 5.88 percent with an average 0.5 point for the week ending April 3, 2008, up from last week when it averaged 5.85 percent.  Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.17 percent.

US nuclear plants set generation, capacity factor records in 2007

The 806.5 billion kWh generated by the US' 104 power reactors in 2007 surpassed the previous record, set in 2004, by 2.3%, EIA said.

US rush to produce corn-based ethanol to worsen pollution in Gulf of Mexico

The US government's rush to produce corn-based ethanol as a fuel alternative will worsen pollution in the Gulf of Mexico, increasing a "Dead Zone" that kills fish and aquatic life, according to University of British Columbia researcher Simon Donner.

US Senate to begin debate on climate bill on June 2-- key lawmaker

The US Senate is to begin debating a comprehensive bill to cap greenhouse gas emissions from the power, natural gas, transportation and industrial sectors to 71% below 2005 levels by 2050 on June 2, a key lawmaker said Tuesday.

West to East manufacturing crossover this year-- Analyst

Higher cost Western Europe has been seeing an exodus of electronics manufacturing to Central and Eastern Europe. Nokia’s manufacturing shift from Germany to lowcost Romania late last year is a high-profile indication of the trend.

What's Moving the Oil Markets 040308

•The downward correction came in line with a recovery by the US dollar ahead of Friday's eagerly awaited US employment data.

•Yesterday's [US stock] data was full of surprises," Rob Laughlin of MF Global said in a comment. "The whopping crude build caught everyone's eye before the gasoline draw evened things up.

Wind Energy Leaders Remain Dominant in Latest U.S. Market Rankings

“We extend a hearty congratulations to the nation’s wind power leaders,” commented AWEA Executive Director Randall Swisher. “As a clean, domestic renewable energy source, wind power is a key part of the solution to many of the most serious economic, environmental and energy security problems our country faces.

April 1, 2008

Battle for Iraq's main oil center of Basra set to continue

The Iraqi army's crackdown on Shi'ite gunmen in Basra is a long overdue battle the government needs to win to assert its authority over the oil-rich province and end the oil smuggling that is robbing the state of billions of dollars, analysts believe.

Big Brother's business is booming

Video surveillance is suddenly "the fastest-growing market for [digital] video chip providers."

Clean energy talks between US DOE, India to start next week

The US Department of Energy will send a delegation to India to meet with leading Indian energy companies to increase the use of biofuels and increase energy efficiency programs in the US and India.

Cleantech Forum

Since 2002, venture capital investments in cleantech have totaled over $17 billion, with a 50% growth per year, in 2007 alone, investment in European cleantech companies equaled €921 million.

Climate change talks open in Bangkok

Top climate brokers from more than 160 nations launched a new round of talks in Bangkok Monday aimed at setting out a plan for the most ambitious treaty yet for battling global warming.

Companies Give Folks Solar Help to Go Green

For years, Bruce Crawford dreamed of putting solar panels on his one-story house to cut his power bill and "do something good for the environment." But he couldn't see past some dark clouds -- the $20,000 to $30,000 purchase price.

Crude futures mixed, all eyes still on US dollar movements

Despite bearish fundamentals for crude futures due to a recovery in Iraqi oil production after last week's bomb attacks on a pipeline system on southern Iraq, the persistent volatile patterns for the US dollar...

EarthJustice objects to proposed farm exemption

Public interest law firm Earthjustice has submitted formal comments to the U.S. EPA on behalf of more than 70 groups from 28 states that object to an agency plan to exempt large farms from reporting emissions of certain gases associated with decomposing waste.

Efficiency can save money-- New report explains benefits of conserving energy

Consumers can save money by being more energy-efficient, a new report says.

Energy companies plug coal's 'clean' benefits

Dogged by pollution and growing concerns about global warming, power and mining companies have mounted a $40 million nationwide ad campaign aimed at cleaning up coal's dirty image.

EPA further delays action on greenhouse gas emissions

Backpedaling from his initial strategy of regulating motor-vehicle emissions first, EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson will wait until "later this spring" to start accepting public comment about potentially managing heat-trapping gases from multiple sources.

FirstEnergy agrees to report emission reduction actions

FirstEnergy Corp. has agreed to a shareholder request to report the actions it is taking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Fly Ash Beneath Golf Course Poses Potential Health Risks

What sets Battlefield Golf Club at Centerville apart, however, isn't the course's layout or water hazards; this 18-hole playground is sculpted from 1.5 million tons of "fly ash," a charcoal-gray powdery substance left behind by burning coal to make electricity.

Future jobs loaded with 'green'

Global warming and limited resources are forcing humanity to change how it gets energy, but in that change could lie a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for businesses and individuals to make money and reshape the world.

Glaciers suffer record shrinkage

The rate at which some of the world's glaciers are melting has more than doubled, data from the United Nations Environment Programme has shown.

Growing global economy to boost petrochemical demand-- NPRA

The global economy will double over the next 25 years meaning an extensive increase in demand for the petrochemical industry, according to Sherman Glass, incoming president of ExxonMobil's refinery division, Monday.

Help from Earth-- The renovated Northside High School will boast an energy-saving geothermal heating and cooling system

Workers with Richard Simmons Drilling dig narrow wells Friday near Northside High School. The wells will be part of a geothermal heating system.

Huge US Shift Away From Corn To Soy Acres

Record-high soybean prices are expected to lure US farmers to make a huge shift away from corn production in 2008 and if the current cold, soggy weather pattern persists in key corn states, corn plantings may be cut even more dramatically than analysts now expect.

Keeping the Lights On- Our National Challenge

Electricity demand is projected to increase by at least 30 percent by 2030 as the U.S. population increases, the economy expands, and the use of electric technologies grows

Law center challenges Duke N.C. air permit

The Southern Environmental Law Center is challenging North Carolina for issuing an air quality permit allowing Duke Energy Corp. to build a new coal-fired unit in the state.

Lloyd's cool water-saving invention runs hot

A DARLING Downs resident has invented a valve that stops the average household losing 16,000 litres of water down the drain.

Mexico's Calderon under intense fire on energy reform effort

Signs were growing, too, that the proposal, when it finally emerges, will be relatively modest in scope.

New Limits to Growth Revive Malthusian Fears

Now and then across the centuries, powerful voices have warned that human activity would overwhelm the earth's resources. The Cassandras always proved wrong. Each time, there were new resources to discover, new technologies to propel growth.

Today the old fears are back.

New Radioactive Waste Storage Facility Will Open at Chernobyl in April

A new radioactive waste storage facility near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant will be opened in April, Ukrainian Emergencies Minister Volodymyr Shandra said on Friday.

Oil Consumption Continues Slow Growth

Global demand for oil reached 85.7 million barrels per day in 2007, a modest 1-percent increase over the 84.9 million barrels consumed daily in 2006.

Presidential Candidates Define Energy Policies

Both parties admit the choice for president will be clear. The energy debate is no less cloudy.  On climate change...

Quote of the Day 033108

"The state of our planet requires you to be ambitious in what you aim for and in how hard you work to reach agreement."
UN Secretary General Ban Ki- moon said ..

Senate Hearing Tackles Carbon Issue

With large stores of coal in North Dakota and Montana, Democratic lawmakers from these neighboring states are teaming up in search of ways to make the industry environmentally friendly.

Smog Rules Contested

Tougher smog rules are here. But the clean air debate once again illustrates the divide between a conservative, pro-industry administration and its harshest critics among the environmental and health communities.

Stamping out CO2

Thirty-five mayors in Minnesota and hundreds more nationwide have pledged to put a lid on the heat-trapping gases billowing from their cities into the warming atmosphere. Now they're confronting the complexity of following through on their promises.

Still some hurdles for Colorado to become a player in the wind market

Complex weathervanes are taking the place of a licked finger extended in the breeze to gauge the wind as Coloradans consider expanding the state's ability to generate wind energy.

Tensions Rise As World Faces Short Rations

Food prices are soaring, a wealthier Asia is demanding better food and farmers can't keep up. In short, the world faces a food crisis and in some places it is already boiling over.

The Rush to Patent the Atomic Bomb

The U.S. atomic bomb was such a secret, scientists and engineers sometimes talked in code. It was the Manhattan Project, not "The Atomic Bomb Project." Plutonium was referred to as "copper," and the bomb itself as "the gadget."

But at the same time, scientists and engineers were furiously filing secret patent applications...

UN Body Meets To Act On Ship Gases, Cleaner Seas

Curbing greenhouse gas emissions from ships, slashing other air pollutants they generate and cleaning up the world's oceans, top the agenda at a meeting of the world's chief maritime body in London this week.

US House panel to vote on subpoenaing EPA for climate documents

A committee in the US House of Representatives will vote April 2 on whether to subpoena the Environmental Protection Agency for documents related to how the agency was preparing to respond to a US Supreme Court ruling for greenhouse gas regulation.

USGS And The Idaho Department Of Water Resources To Measure Water Levels In 1,300 Wells

The data collected from this large-scale measurement will help water resources managers understand the status of the aquifer as the state enters the April-September water year.

Utilities Hunt Energy for the Future

Oklahoma's two largest electrical utilities are taking steps toward meeting future power needs, but in different ways.

Utilities Jump on Board to Plan for a World of Plug-in Cars

In a sign of accelerating progress on plug-in hybrids -- the 100 mpg vehicles you can't yet buy in showrooms -- electric utilities quickly are linking with automakers and tech companies to develop "smart-charging" technology that controls when and how fast a vehicle is recharged.

Utility agrees to detail plan for emissions-- Presbyterians seek lower greenhouse gas releases

One of America's largest Presbyterian groups is doing what a lot of environmentalists are trying to do: hold FirstEnergy Corp. accountable for its efforts to combat global warming.

Water Advocates Calls For More Drinking Water And Sanitation Projects

In recognition of World Water Day, Water Advocates calls for the implementation of more safe drinking water and sanitation projects in developing countries. While recognizing the important work that has been done, to meet the global challenge there remains an acute need to ratchet-up actions by governments, corporations, foundations, the media, as well as the civic and faith-based community.

Water Standard Company Secures $250 Million In Funding For Environmentally Responsible Desalination Process

Water Standard Company (WSC) recently announced that it has received commitments of up to $250 million in equity to develop its Seawater Desalination Vessels, whose environmentally focused technology can help ease the world's growing water crisis and bring needed water to disaster-stricken areas.

What's Moving the Oil Markets 033108

•On a technical note, the momentum after early last week's bull run following the renewed Iraqi fighting seems to have calmed down, with this week's outlook being far more bearish

What's Moving the Oil Markets 040108

•Crude futures fell by around $4/b late Monday as a rebound in the US dollar and a weak NYMEX product contract expiration sent prices lower across the petroleum sector.

Wind Power-- Rising Costs Are Unlikely to Derail New Build Plans

The global wind energy industry is facing challenges including rising raw materials costs, supply chain problems and skills shortages, due mainly to booming demand. With renewable valuations at an all time high, Datamonitor predicts strong growth will continue on the back of record sustainable energy investments driven by technology maturity, policy incentives and heightened investor appetite.

World Mayors Propose Urban Water Declaration

Ankara, Turkey's capital and second largest city, dried up last summer. Faced with low rainfall and a shrinking reservoir, the city of 4 million resorted to water rationing. Hospitals delayed surgeries. Stray dogs died in the streets. Mayor Melih Gokcek asked residents to "wash your hair, not your bodies" and came under heavy criticism for alleged water mismanagement.