News 2009:

Footnote:  We always attempt to get the news to you AND obey copyright laws.  We apologize if, in our haste to get the news out, we miss a notice that it was copyright protected. We are a non-profit foundation therefore  we do not reprint for profit.  Our sole motivation is to keep our public informed.  If you have an article reprinted here and desire us to eliminate it, just let us know and we will immediately delete it, without question, with apologies.  arizonaenergy on copyright law   FAIR USE NOTICE

*******************************************************

 

##

World CO2 since 1750 (cubic feet)

*******************************************************

December 29, 2009

$7.7M ends global warming case

The state announced a $7.7 million settlement Wednesday with three power plant owners that ended a legal challenge against a global warming program aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from power plants.

The deal removes the sole legal roadblock filed in New York against the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a 10-state effort in the Northeast to limit emissions of carbon dioxide.

Art Rosenfeld, the 'godfather' of energy efficiency

Chu credited much of the research on white roofs to "Art Rosenfeld, one of my local heroes." "Rosenfeld. I love his energy stuff," cracked Stewart, who didn't appear to know who he is. "Top-notch weatherizing guy."

As colleges add green studies, classes fill

Colleges are rapidly adding new majors and minors in green studies, and students are filling them fast.

Barnwell nuclear dump ruling pending

After a six-year legal war over safety at a nuclear waste dump, South Carolina environmentalists hope a pending court decision will force stricter disposal practices for the Barnwell County site.

Biomass Plant planned for UK

The visually stunning Teesside plant will be covered with greenery, provide fuel for over 50,000 homes and be powered by palm kernel shells – byproducts of the palm oil plantations and a seemingly controversial choice given the environmental issues surrounding palm oil plantations and deforestation.

Catching some rays; Family installs solar panels on home

Robert Pate had been musing over solar energy two or three years, but he couldn't find a local contractor to make his dream a reality.

China Introduces Law To Boost Renewable Energy

A new Chinese law requires power grid operators to buy all the electricity produced by renewable energy generators, in a move that will increase the proportion of energy that comes from renewable sources in coal-dependent China.

ChotuKool; the $69 fridge for rural India

Is this the world’s cheapest refrigerator? Launched by Indian conglomerate Godrej and Boyce, ChotuKool's $69 price tag is not the only reason it can be called super economical. The portable, top-opening unit weighs only 7.8kg, uses high-end insulation to stay cool for hours without power and consumes half the energy used by regular refrigerators.

Emissions Software, Are We Ready?

Greenhouse gas emissions have been receiving a lot of attention recently. Last week, President Barack Obama traveled to the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen and pledged a 17 percent reduction in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. Meanwhile, other initiatives have taken place both within the US and in other regions of the world.

EPA Announces Plan to Require Disclosure of Secret Pesticide Ingredients

Reversing a decade-old decision, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Tuesday that it plans to require pesticide manufacturers to disclose to the public the inert ingredients in their products.

An inert ingredient is anything added to a pesticide that does not kill or control a pest.

EPA issues new guidelines for shipping hazardous waste

The new regulations increase the level of regulatory oversight and align U.S. laws with hazardous waste shipping procedures of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, an international consortium of 30 countries including the U.S.

Going green, environmentally and financially

If Charles Szoradi could figure out how to power a car or even a light bulb with his caffeine-free personal pep reservoir, he just might achieve his goal of ending America's energy-hogging ways.

Goodbye Copenhagen, Hello Mexico City

COP15 (the United Nations climate talks) in Copenhagen came to a close on December 18 after a tumultuous two weeks in which emotions and expectations rose and fell on a daily basis. In the end, COP15 produced a relatively weak political agreement that committed to keep global warming at 2°C or less and promised $30 billion in funding to battle climate change by 2012. It also created a framework for international transparency on climate actions for both developed and developing nations.

Grants to fund retraining of unemployed for green jobs

San Diego County's community colleges are going green to train unemployed workers for new environmentally friendly jobs.

Green job training on the horizon

More people will need skills to install solar panels, weatherize homes for energy efficiency and build eco-friendly homes in the next year, the Gulf Coast Workforce Board anticipates.

Middle East-Med Region Could Solar Power World

Middle Eastern and North African countries, often referred to under the umbrella term MENA countries, have the potential to create more than 3 times the world’s power needs, according to a new study reported in the Dubai-based Khaleej Times.

Navajo Nation to build wind farm in Ariz.

The Navajo Nation says it will build a $200 million wind farm near Flagstaff, Ariz., in conjunction with Foresight Wind Energy and Edison Mission Energy.

New financing schemes make solar more affordable

If you think you need $20,000 to $30,000 in cash upfront to install a solar system on the roof of your home, think again.

New Innovation

"The story is really about the power industry. More will happen in our industry in the next 10 years than has happened over the past hundred years. Now we have smart grid and there's the potential for all sorts of change -- it tells us about outages, is capable of self healing and requires no human intervention," Avery said.

PSE Customers Make Solar Power Shine in Cloudy Economy

A year of cloudy economic news proved to have a bright spot: the rapid growth of Puget Sound Energy customers connecting their home or small business solar systems to the utility grid.

Record-breaking snow across the US and climate change

While snow fall over the East Coast and middle of the country in the United States in December is hardly unusual, a number of record amounts of precipitation may point to a larger shift in the climate. Scientists say that higher temperatures causes more water evaporation, which increases the chances of heavy precipitation events, such as floods and snowstorms.

Renewable Energy Rises to Over 10% of U.S. Energy Production & Electricity

According to the most recent issue of the "Monthly Energy Review" by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), renewable energy sources (i.e., biofuels, biomass, geothermal, hydroelectric, solar, wind) provided 10.51% of domestic U.S. energy production during the first nine months of 2009 – the latest time-frame for which data has been published. And according to EIA’s latest "Electric Power Monthly," renewable energy sources provided 10.21% of net U.S. electrical generation for the first nine months of 2009.

Report of Solar-Geophysical Activity 122809

Solar activity was very low. Region 1039 (S28E18) has shown little change from yesterday and remains a beta group. No flares were observed during the past 24 hours.  The geomagnetic field was quiet. Observations from the ACE spacecraft show solar wind velocities average around 335 km/s...

Rockefeller; W.Va. will have voice in climate debate

"I just think it is crazy for environmental people to say we can have all of the electricity we want without coal," Rockefeller, D-W.Va., said during a telephone interview last week with the Daily Telegraph. "So West Virginia I think needs to be at the table."

Secret of the golden ratio revealed

The golden ratio describes a rectangle with a length roughly one and a half times its width. Also known as the golden section, golden mean and divine proportion, among other names, it has intrigued mathematicians and artists alike for centuries.

Six Reasons Why Earth Won't Cope for Long

AS WORLD leaders arrive in Copenhagen for the crunch phase of the climate conference, the focus turns to what kind of deal is likely to emerge. Pre-eminent climate scientist Prof James Hansen of the Nasa Goddard Institute has already given the entire process the kiss of death. Any political deal cobbled together is, he believes, likely to be so profoundly flawed as to lock humanity on to "a disaster track", writes JOHN GIBBONS

Sun, Moon Trigger San Andreas Tremors; Study

Tidal forces parallel to a segment of the San Andreas Fault in central California may be causing non-volcanic tremors that could help predict earthquakes, researchers said on Wednesday.

The High Costs of So-Called 'Cheap Food'

Over the past 65 years, chemical agriculture, factory farms, and now genetic engineering have devastated public health, wrecked the environment, and destabilized the climate.

Three Climate Polls; Do You 'Believe In' Warming?

More than 80 percent of Americans surveyed in a new public opinion poll support action to limit the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide and move the U.S. toward a clean energy future.

US Long-Term Mortgage Rates Inch Up To Just Over 5 Percent

Vigil on the Plains

On Dec. 15, Crow Creek Sioux Tribe Chairman Brandon Sazue got a visit from eight horseback riders on a pilgrimage to memorialize 38 Dakota men who died in the nation’s largest mass hanging, in December 1862 in Mankato, Minn.

War on US(A) is not a Metaphor!

Arial Spraying, GMOs and beyond, vaccines.... Horrifyingly, the list goes on and on.

Consider: even though the bogus Swine Flu Level 6 Pandemic fizzled, the genocialists STILL want you to take your Swine Flu shots. Why?

While The Choice is Still Yours, Take Your Pick Globalist Slavery or Planetary Freedom

The War on the People was declared long ago in the halls of Globalist power brokers, but it has, until recently, been one of the best, the most well-kept secrets on the globe.

December 24, 2009

After the Catastrophe in Copenhagen, It's Up to Us

* Every coal train should be ringed with people refusing to let it pass

Alaska Coast Erosion Threat To Oil, Wildlife

A portion of Alaska's North Slope coastline is eroding at a rate of up to 45 feet a year...Warmer ocean water has thawed the base of frozen bluffs and destroyed natural ice barriers protecting the coast, causing large earth chunks to fall each summer, the scientists said.

BP Discovers Leak At Alaska Oil Pipe, No Output Hit

BP has discovered a leak in an oil pipeline from one well at the giant Prudhoe Bay field, the third pipeline leak reported by the oil major over the past month on Alaska's North Slope.

Climate accord offers some grounds for hope

The UN Climate Change Conference ended on Saturday (19 December) with frustration and verdicts of failure from many delegates because it did not reach a binding agreement on how to tackle climate change — or any agreement at all on targets for carbon emissions.

But some commentators say that important principles behind fighting climate change have been established for the first time, and some action could start immediately even without the existence of a universal agreement.

Copenhagen leaving locals waiting for next step

The non-legally binding agreement reached Friday in the final hours of the United Nation's Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen may have left some disappointed and wondering what steps will be taken next.

Duke Energy To Spend $93 Million To Resolve Clean Air Act Violations

Duke Energy, one of the largest electric power companies in the nation, will spend approximately $85 million to significantly reduce harmful air pollution at an Indiana power plant and pay a $1.75 million civil penalty...

El Paso plans 32 electric-car charging sites

El Paso may not have many electric cars on its roads, but it will have plenty of electric-vehicle charging stations by summer.

Evolving Trends in Wind Power Generation

Wind power generation is expanding worldwide with the tower-mounted 3-bladed design being the most popular wind power conversion technology. However, the variation of designs and range of output level is expanding as researchers and developers continually seek innovative ways to reduce the cost per kilowatt.

Federal Officials Promote Use of Coal Waste on U.S. Farms

Federal officials are promoting the use of a chalky residue from coal-burning power plants as a fertilizer on U.S. farms, even as regulators simultaneously consider new rules for the waste, which contains small amounts of toxic metals.

In Santa Cruz County, green companies are poised for growth

Green jobs, which represent a sliver of employment in California, offer the potential for building a more sustainable economy, according to a new report from Next 10, an independent Silicon Valley think tank.

Into The Heart Of The Climate Debate; What's Warming Us Up? Human Activity Or Mother Nature?

C&EN's 8,900-word cover story notes that global warming believers and skeptics actually agree on a cluster of core points:

N.Y. man; Entergy lied about shortfall

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has accepted a petition from a New York man to investigate whether Entergy has lied about the adequacy of the decommissioning funds for its nuclear power plants.

Natural Gas’ Fortunes

Energy's future may have come to light with Exxon Mobil Corp.'s proposed purchase of XTO Energy. If ExxonMobil's predictions are right, unconventional formations such as shale would provide significantly more of this country's generation and transportation fuels.

Nigeria warns militants against renewed violence in oil region

The minister's warning Tuesday came against the backdrop of a claim by the country's main militant group MEND--the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta--that it had carried out a "warning strike" Saturday against an oil pipeline operated by either Shell or Chevron in Southern Rivers state.

Opec Rolls Over, Again!

OPEC is actually scheduled to meet just twice each year but in view of the volatility in recent years has met as much as six times in the year. Furthermore, each member state holding the presidency naturally wants to host a meeting and this usually takes place in December.

Pacific Warming Continues; Australia Weather Bureau

The last severe El Nino in 1998 killed more than 2,000 people and caused billions of dollars in damages to crops, infrastructure and mines in Australia and Asia.

Project captures carbon dioxide at FirstEnergy site

The pilot project handled about 20 tons of carbon dioxide per day from the flue gases generated by the Burger plant.

Replacing Coal with Biomass

Spurred by renewable portfolio standards, impending carbon legislation and public concerns about the environment, utilities across the U.S. are considering how they might lower emissions and incorporate more renewable energy into their electricity generation mix. And while wind, solar and other types of renewable energy plants remain on the table as options to explore, one choice they may already be familiar with is biomass.

Rock-Breathing Bacteria Could Generate Electricity And Clean Up Oil Spills

The findings could be applied to help in the development of new microbe-based technologies such as fuel cells, or ‘bio-batteries', powered by animal or human waste, and agents to clean up areas polluted by oil or uranium.

Short-term energy storage; adaptable flexibility

Energy storage options can be segmented by the length of storage that they offer. Long-term storage such as hydro reservoirs may store energy for many months and have an important impact on the overall energy budget, while small-time storage such as capacitors can help avoid flickering of the light when net companies switch between different electricity suppliers. In this article Bent Sørensen assesses a selection of short-term energy storage devices and their fields of application.

Solar Firm; Michigan Poised For 'Solar Explosion' In 2010

According to company president Mark Hagerty, the year is shaping up to be “a perfect storm for solar” in the state.

“Many people think that solar won’t work in Michigan because it’s too cold and it doesn’t get as much sun as other places, but that’s misconstrued,”

South Africa Says Copenhagen Outcome 'Not Acceptable'

South African negotiators said on Tuesday the outcome of the Copenhagen climate talks was disappointing and unacceptable, largely due to a flawed process that damaged trust among delegations.

This Year In Clean Energy - What A Ride

The year 2009 started off with a bang for the clean energy industries -- encompassing energy efficiency, renewable energy, clean distributed generation -- for manufacturers, project developers, installers -- the whole family of industries.

UN chief urges world powers to end climate bickering

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon appealed for world powers to make a new effort to secure a legally binding climate deal next year amid new diplomatic wrangling over the failure of the Copenhagen summit.

US DOE launches program creating new 'energy innovation hubs'

The US Department of Energy on Tuesday said it would launch a new research model at the agency by creating three new "energy innovation hubs" to focus manpower and resources on solving broad energy challenges.

US NRC denies motion to suspend Yucca Mountain license proceeding

DOE has been studying the site since the 1970s, but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada has been one of the project's biggest opponents, claiming the site cannot safely house highly radioactive waste for the required 1 million years.

World's largest solar project prompts environmental debate

...Critics -- including some environmentalists -- say green energy isn't always green. In a refrain being heard increasingly across California, they contend the plan to cover this ranch land with a huge solar project would harm a unique landscape and its wildlife.

Yuma a potential hub of green technology

In an effort to act on President Obama's jobs summit of Dec. 3, a series of forums are sounding out rural communities' perspective of how best to expand employment.

December 22, 2009

2010 Will Bring Affordable Solar Energy to the People of Kansas

NeoEnergy Independence of Kansas, LLC has been formed for the purpose of bringing affordable Solar Power to the people of Kansas, and with the help of the Kansas SBDC and the Kiowa County Chamber of Commerce, that is exactly what is going to happen.
 

A Year in Review, 2009

2009 will go down in economic history as probably one of the easiest years to predict. Given that the global financial crisis had already engulfed most economies by the last quarter of 2008, even those that refused to believe their own eyes and ears, it was clear that we were heading for a bumpy ride. And a bumpy ride we did have. However, what is still not clear is whether we are completely out of the woods yet.

Africa; Giving Up on Grids

In Kenya, one million households use car batteries as their main source of electricity. From Lagos to Nairobi, even the poorest slum dwellers are driven to purchase fuel that can create power to charge cell-phone batteries and provide light. In all, more than half of Africans south of the Sahara--500 million people--aren't connected to a national electricity grid and probably never will be.

Allegheny Power customers can buy wind energy

Allegheny Power customers can now buy wind-generated electricity from renewable energy broker Clean Currents -- but what will they actually be getting?

Amid Hard Times, A View From Off the Grid

“I knew too much about the world,” Jill told me on a recent visit to the couple’s spread near Ithaca, N.Y., which they call On Warren Pond. “The more I knew, the more I wanted to control my own life,” she said.

AP Poll; Most see climate change as serious

Three of every four Americans view climate change as a serious problem that will harm future generations if not addressed, according to an Associated Press-Stanford University poll.

Bioenergy could meet global energy demand

The estimated potential for bioenergy production is 1135-1548 EJ (ExaJoule) in 2050, based on different scientific studies. The global energy consumption is 490 EJ today, and could reach well over 1000 EJ in 2050, according to IEA projections.

California 'Cash for appliances' program will likely start in April

The California Energy Commission on Wednesday approved the state's plan to implement a "cash for appliances" program with federal stimulus funds.

Clean Energy to convert AT&T vans to run on natural gas

A subsidiary of Clean Energy Fuels Corp. will convert another 463 vans to run on compressed natural gas for AT&T.

Crude rangebound as OPEC leaves production quota unchanged

Crude futures were trading in a tight range in the European morning Tuesday as the OPEC reached a widely-anticipated agreement to leave current crude production limits unchanged for the time being.

Demonstrating Storage Devices

Balancing the electricity load is a difficult job. The hard part is maintaining that portion of the system that often sits idle but which is necessary to meet high energy times.

Dutch have a simple answer to energy crisis — working together

A farmer and an engineer, these two Dutchmen have been building on the expertise that's kept the Netherlands above sea level for seven hundred years with new marine energy devices. Now they are building on the human interdependency that life below sea level has encouraged. The co-operative spirit is in with the bricks in the Netherlands — or rather in with the dykes. If one farmer builds a sea-wall, he's still vulnerable to flooding if his neighbour does not.

Energy Information Administration, December 14, 2009

The Annual Energy Outlook 2010 reference case released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration projects total primary energy consumption to grow by 14 percent between 2008 and 2035, as the fossil fuel share of total U.S. energy consumption falls from 84 percent to 78 percent.

Energy-thrifty White House turns deeper shade of green

As President Obama meets with world leaders at the United Nations climate conference in Copenhagen today, the government he runs at home is quietly engaged in an unprecedented effort to reduce its carbon footprint, increase energy efficiency, conserve water, cut waste and more.

EPA targets coal industry

North Dakota energy interests felt pressured by pending federal climate laws. Now a recent move by the Environmental Protection Agency toward the regulation of carbon emissions has put them in a vise.

FACTBOX; What Was Agreed And Left Unfinished In U.N. Climate Deal?

The accord was not legally binding, and did not commit countries ever to agree a binding successor to the Kyoto Protocol, whose present round ends in 2012.

In addition, countries were invited to sign up to the accord, meaning it did not guarantee global participation.

Fewer Americans Worried By Climate Change; Survey

Al Gore's pitch for saving the planet from global warming appears to be falling on increasingly deaf ears, a Zogby Interactive survey shows.

FutureGen project in Mattoon, Ill., faces uncertain future

The coal industry thought it had found the answer that would allow coal-fired power plants to continue generating electricity while also lowering greenhouse gas emissions -- a process that captures carbon emissions and stores them underground.

Illinois is to be the testing ground for the promising but untested technology.

Governor Rendell Announces $1.5 Million in Grants to Fund Innovative Green Energy Projects

Governor Edward G. Rendell today announced $1.5 million in investments for six projects that will conserve or generate enough electricity over their lifetimes to power more than 2,000 homes for one year.

GRAIN publications back call for action on agriculture to address climate change

On December 15th, La Via Campesina and a number of other groups will be leading a day of action in Copenhagen to put agriculture front and centre in the discussions over climate change. Although the official Convention is sure to disappoint, these groups will be carrying a message of hope.

Industry fears some plants will shutter as stricter pollution standards become likely

It's a bad time to be a coal-fired power plant operator in Illinois.

Judge says waste law doesn't apply to poultry litter

A federal judge ruled in favor of several poultry companies Tuesday by throwing out the state's claim that poultry litter is solid waste as defined by federal statute.

Nearly Half U.S. Lakes in Fair to Poor Condition

The condition of 56 percent of the lakes in the United States is rated as good and the remaining 44 percent are in fair or poor condition, according to a draft study released by today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Off-Grid Living

Many people don’t fully understand what “off the grid” means, and often just mentioning this brings up ill-conceived perceptions that in some cases are simply untrue and based not on reality, but on myth. The purpose of this write-up is to present what living off the grid means to us, the philosophy behind why we did what we did and, for those that are really keen, the nuts and bolts of the whole system, or our approach.

Ohio lawmakers wary on climate bill

But that isn't because the Ohio Democrat doubts scientific evidence that man-made greenhouse-gas emissions cause global warming.

Brown has not been swayed by a scandal involving e-mails stolen from a British climate institute that global-warming skeptics say show that some scientists are exaggerating the threat posed by greenhouse gases.

Penobscot chief calls on Obama to help stop state erosion of tribal sovereignty

When the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act was passed in 1980, a Senate report celebrated the event with the statement that “from this day forward the tribes of Maine will be forever free from state interference when it comes to matters internal to their tribes.”

Pipeline attacks in Iraq and Nigeria support oil futures

Crude futures rose Monday as a number of bullish factors helped give support to prices. On the other hand, comments from oil ministers in OPEC suggesting that there will be no change in the oil production ceiling at the meeting tomorrow in Angola were seen to offset the upward pressure.

Q+A; What Copenhagen Accord Means For Prices, Markets

European carbon prices crashed by almost 9 percent on Monday after UN climate talks ended on Saturday with a bare-minimum agreement between after the U.S., China and a few other emerging powers that falls far short of the conference's original goals.

Regulators to consider revoking plant permit

Elected officials and environmental activists who are trying to force closure of the South Bay Power Plant gained momentum yesterday when regional water quality regulators said they would consider rescinding the facility's pollution permit.

Right now, important decisions are being made that will impact the health and security of the world. Are these decisions being made using the best available science?

Unfortunately, powerful oil and coal companies, agribusiness, arms control opponents, and groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce are twisting scientific facts to incite fear and sway elected officials into opposing efforts to curb global warming, reduce the threat of nuclear weapons, and keep our food safe.

SRP using coal plant at Springerville

The $1 billion unit, located at Tucson Electric Power's existing Springerville generating complex, replaces generation lost when the Mohave Generating Station in Laughlin, Nev., was closed in December 2005 due to pollution concerns.

Steven Chu pledges $350m clean tech fund to sweeten deal at Copenhagen

US energy secretary attempts to show Obama administration is serious about action on climate change

Stimulus money goes to states to study power transmission

The U.S. Department of Energy awarded the Western Governors' Association $12 million to help 11 states plan for new electric transmission.

The Breathing Earth simulation

Welcome to Breathing Earth. This real-time simulation displays the CO2 emissions of every country in the world, as well as their birth and death rates.

The Copenhagen Communique; An Entrepreneur’s Perspective

What does the Copenhagen Communique mean to an entrepreneur? Am I being too blunt to suggest the answer is "nothing"?

Time Runs Out But Climate Talks Continue, Draft Deal Tabled

The draft agreement came after high-level negotiations in a smaller circle of around 30 countries - including China, India and the United States, as well as European Union member states. Now other countries will decide their positions on the proposal.

Toxic Releases Decrease Nationwide

The USEPA released in early December the 2008 Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) report which provides information on toxic chemicals used and released by utilities, refineries, chemical manufacturers, paper companies, and many other facilities across the nation to all media whether it is air, water or solid waste.

U.N. climate talks end with bare minimum agreement

U.N. climate talks ended with a bare-minimum agreement on Saturday when delegates "noted" an accord struck by the United States, China and other emerging powers that falls far short of the conference's original goals.

United States Announces Global Research Alliance to Combat Climate Change

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today joined representatives from 20 other countries across the globe to announce the formation of the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases, an international research collaborative to combat climate change.

US Geologic Survey Research Produces New Insight Into Oceanic Circulation

The USGS released an important study of the deep ocean’s temperature variability and circulation system that could help improve projections of future climate conditions.

The deep ocean is apparently affected more by surface warming than previously thought, and this understanding allows for more accurate predictions of factors such as sea level rise and ice volume changes.

What You Have to Do to Go Off Grid?

Individuals in nations around the globe are seeking ways to go off grid. Typically, when people speak of going off grid, they are referring to the nation’s power grids

Wind’s Blues

Green energy is causing a blue mood in West Virginia. Opponents of a wind farm there near the Greenbrier resort have long said that a project now underway is killing bats and that it must comply with federal laws. A federal judge now agrees with them.
 

Yasuni Park Trust Fund Will Keep Ecuador's Oil Underground

Ecuador's initiative to protect the climate and the rainforest of Yasuni National Park by leaving its largest oil reserve in the ground will be supported by a new multi-donor trust fund to offset lost oil revenue...

December 18, 2009

Are global airlines truly facing such dark nights in 2010?

The global prognosis for the airline industry is grim. The International Air Transport Association has forecast a $5.6 billion global net loss for 2010, coming right after a forecasted $11 billion loss in 2009.

Arizona has announced its Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program plan

The Department of Energy has begun announcing the program details for the State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program. With this program you can get $50 - $200 per appliance

Beautiful Earth Group Builds New York's First Solar-Powered Electric Vehicle Charging Station

Beautiful Earth Group, a New York-based sustainable energy company, today announced it has built New York's first solar-powered electric vehicle (EV) charging station. The solar-powered charging station is the first in New York City and one of only a few in the world.

Biofuel Production Up Despite Economic Downturn

Global biofuel production topped 81 billion liters in 2008, an increase of more than 36 percent over the previous year.

Blue Skies for Green Investment

International discussions to achieve firm carbon constraints may come up short. But that won't inhibit national governments and their legacy enterprises from investing in green technologies.

Bringing 'Green' Into the Home

The average home in the United States produces more than seven metric tons of carbon dioxide, or CO2, each year - just from electricity use. That adds up to around 17 percent of all the carbon emissions coming from the U.S. While Americans may want to live a "greener" lifestyle, many are unwilling to give up any of the modern conveniences that make a house a home

California American Water Announces Program To Prevent Water Theft

California American Water announced today that it is on the lookout for instances of water theft, a crime which most often occurs when water is taken from a fire hydrant without the required authorizations.

Carbon footprint labeling; Are you ready for it?

If you happen to be an electronics company fairly satisfied that your products comply with the nightmarish variety of "green" regulations like ROHS, WEEE and REACH, wait a minute. There's a new layer of regulation on the horizon: carbon-footprint labeling.

China Heavily Reliant on Emissions Heavy Coal

China is pushing ahead with plans to develop renewable energy sources. At the same time, though, the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases is still largely reliant on one major source of carbon emissions - coal.

Civil Society Delegates Excluded from Climate Summit, Gassed, Beaten

As world leaders arrived here Wednesday morning for negotiations, the Danish police forcibly removed hundreds of activists and accredited NGO delegates from the summit compound, located a few miles from downtown Copenhagen.

Climate talks tense after walkout

No sign of a breakthrough had been seen as of Tuesday morning on fundamental issues that have divided developed and developing countries since the beginning of the conference last week.

Conservation, renewables -- and CO2 emissions -- likely to rise, U.S. predicts

The latest U.S. government outlook on energy use concludes that renewables, natural gas and conservation will cover increases in energy demand through 2035, but carbon dioxide emissions will continue to grow absent new policies to restrict them.

Contradictory signals on non-OPEC supply?

The International Energy Agency gave its latest forecast for the world oil markets late last week, plotting a more robust outlook for global oil demand.

More puzzling was a sharp downward revision of non-OPEC oil supply next year, coupled with an hike in its non-OPEC supply outlook to 2014 after revisiting medium-term forecast given in June.

COP15 - Is it Based on Science or Politics?

One thing that the recent "Climategate" episode may have done is to rightly focus more attention on the science that is really the driving force behind the COP15 meeting currently taking place in Copenhagen. Reading through the hacked e-mails published on various blog sites, it becomes obvious very quickly that the rigor and pure approach of science has been totally overwhelmed and compromised by politics and money.

COP15; Solar groups want climate conference to recognise contribution of solar energy

Two dozen solar energy associations from around the world have told the United Nations at COP15 in Copenhagen that a significant portion of GHG emissions could be eliminated through an accelerated deployment of solar energy.

COP15; What can renewable energy expect from COP15

This is it. 2009 is the year to get serious about climate change, the greatest challenge of our age. World leaders meeting in Copenhagen need to reach an ambitious progressive post-2012 climate agreement. But vague promises and finger pointing will not cut it this time, cautions Angelika Pullen of the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC).

Crude futures surge on Iranian troops entering Iraqi oil field

Global crude benchmarks surged during the European morning trading session on the news that Iranian troops have entered Iraq's Fakka oil field, sources said.

Energy Security; Power to the People

Nine months after the great 1977 New York power blackout, birth rates in the city went up 35 percent. At least, that is the legend. What really happened during the blackout was less romantic: hundreds of shops were looted, buildings burnt to the ground, and damages amounted to over 300 million dollars.

EPA Releases First-Ever Baseline Study of U.S. Lakes

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today released its most comprehensive study of the nation’s lakes to date.

FACTBOX; Who Is Giving What At Copenhagen Climate Talks?

Participants in UN climate talks are starting to trade blame for failure to achieve a breakthrough. Who is compromising and where at the Dec 7-18 talks?

CHINA - the world's top greenhouse gas emitter (6.8 billion tonnes annually, 5.5 tonnes per capita)

Florida Law Firm First Worldwide To Accept Carbon Credits as Payment for Legal Fees

In response to the Copenhagen Climate Summit's call for innovative environmental solutions, a pioneering program was launched today to allow law firm clients to pay legal fees with carbon credits.

For OPEC, Nigeria and Iraq add urgency on compliance

After the roller-coaster ride of 2008 that culminated in OPEC's biggest ever output cut, 2009 has turned out to be a relatively calm year for the oil producers' club, which appears to have weathered the global financial storm without too much pain.

From Copenhagen; Renewable Energy Gets Boost as Climate Talks Stall

In the midst of a turbulent week of demonstrations outside the Climate summit in Copenhagen, in which the police released teargas and arrested hundreds of people, the U.S. announced new initiatives and legislation that will give renewable energy a significant boost at home and in developing countries.

Hubble sees further than ever before

NASA's recently upgraded Hubble Space Telescope has made the deepest near-infrared image of the universe ever taken.

India Rolls out National Solar Mission for Aggressive Solar Market Expansion

The Mission aims to establish India as a global leader in the field of solar energy by creating favorable policy frameworks for the uptake of solar power across all parts of the country.

Interested in the latest on COP15?

Check out what our bloggers have to report...

Leaked UN Report; Climate Pledges Too Weak to Stop Catastrophic Warming

A confidential analysis by the United Nations climate secretariat leaked to a civil society group shows that emissions reductions pledges by developed countries and some emerging economies now on the table would allow global warming to hit at least three degrees Celsius, 3oC, above pre-industrial levels.

Medical System Third Leading Cause Of Death

What is the third leading cause of death after heart disease and cancer? That would be the US. Medical system! The total medically-caused deaths every year is over 225,000. And the statistics were generated in July 2000!

This includes over 106,000 deaths from FDA approved medicines. The same FDA that lets itself be paid by pharmaceutical firms. The same agency that routinely tries to ban alternative medicines that have an excellent safety record and whose only crime is that they compete with Big Pharma FDA approved drugs.

MIT debuts the Copenhagen Wheel

a new bicycle wheel prototype which not only provides electric rider assist, but also contains "a veritable Swiss army knife's worth of electronic gadgets and novel functions", including sensors to monitor air quality and noise pollution, GPRS and Bluetooth connectivity.

NASA Study Shows Major Groundwater Loss in California Since 2003

The Central Valley -- and its major mountain water source -- the Sierra Nevadas -- have lost nearly enough water combined to fill Lake Mead, America's largest reservoir.

Our energy behavior; What's it all about?

When your dad stalked around behind you turning off lights, lowering the thermostat, he was all about the utility bills. Since they were pretty theoretical -- and yes, we did understand that he wasn't made of money -- it just didn't carry much weight. When we grew up we would just not make so much of such a boring issue.

Power to the People

How the Coming Energy Revolution will Transform an Industry, Change our Lives, and Maybe Even Save the Planet

Rebound; US Photovoltaic Market Growth through 2010

As shown in this chart, the total capacity of off-grid PV installations in the U.S. has been growing at a modest rate over the past 5 years. The real story is the growth that has been occurring in the grid-tied market.

Reinventing Carbon Dioxide - December 04, 2009

I have long felt that sequestering CO2 is a dead end...You properly point out that this is energy intensive. Your readers may be interested in just how much energy can be required to recycle CO2.

Replacing Fossil Fuels with Clean Solar Energy

As we arrive here at COP15, it seems clear that there will eventually be a price on pollution. But putting a price on carbon isn't enough. Negotiators in Copenhagen must focus on policies at the national level that will accelerate deployment of clean technologies like solar that make a real difference in fighting climate change.

That's where the solar industry comes in.

Residential Power Quality Questions

While there have been a large number of papers and other research on the effects of power quality for commercial and industrial operations, there has been very little published on the effects of power quality in residential applications.

Rise of the superconductor

Could superconductors transform the economics of wind power?

Rise of the superconductor, Part 2

how superconductors could help the USA get to grips with its grid modernisation issues

Sea levels set to rise more than expected due to 'deeply surprising' Greenland melt

A new study by the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program estimates that the sea will rise by 0.5 to 1.5 meters by 2100, threatening coastal cities and flooding island nations. This is double the predicted rise estimated by the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on climate Change.

Sifting through the Fog - December 09, 2009

Of course there are natural climate cycles that cause warming and cooling. It is not an either/or situation. The challenge is to build models that account for both natural and man-made effects that are consistent with the data.

Solar Panels Give Power to The People Electricity crisis spurs new interest

Rising PG&E rates make you feel powerless?

Not Norman Pease.

Two years ago he installed a 10-kilowatt solar panel system on his Orinda roof and now watches his meter run backward on sunny days

The Arizona Solar Power Society Predicts Bright Future for Solar in 2010; Plans to Launch 'Go Solar in Arizona' Public Service PR Campaign in January

The Arizona Solar Power Society plans to make Arizona's solar industry a bright spot in the local economy during 2010 despite Arizona's despondent economy. The association plans to launch a "Go Solar in Arizona" initiative in January to expand its solar community outreach program across Arizona...

The Birds and the Bees

For centuries, economies have risen and collapsed based on the market value of the products extracted from nature—timber, coal, metals, game. And yet the value of much of what nature supplies hasn't been reflected in the numbers.

Toxic Sewage Sludge in Your Food

The increasing use of sewage sludge as fertilizer for your food is an under-publicized and often hidden threat.

U.S. settles with Indian trust fund beneficiaries

After 13 years of negotiations, attorneys agreed Dec. 7 to settle a class action lawsuit between the federal government and plaintiffs for American Indian trust fund beneficiaries.

U.S. Supports $100 Billion Climate Fund for Poor Nations

The United States made a move to save the contentious UN climate talks in Copenhagen from failure today. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced that the United States is prepared to work with other countries toward a goal of jointly mobilizing $100 billion a year by 2020 to address the climate change needs of developing countries.

US EPA delays coal ash regulation decision past end of the year

The US Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday it will delay "for a short period" its proposed regulations for disposal of coal ash from power plants. The rules were expected to come out by the end of the year.

In delaying the proposed rules, EPA cited the complexity of the analysis...

US Fed Sees Improving Financial Market Conditions and Labor Markets

As expected, the FOMC kept the target for the Fed funds rate in the 0 to 0.25% range and reiterated that the low level of the policy rate would likely be warranted "for an extended period."  The Fed reiterated the view that U.S. economic activity "continued to pick-up" and added that "the deterioration in the labour market is abating".

US Geologic Survey Research Produces New Insight Into Oceanic Circulation

The deep ocean is affected more by surface warming than previously thought, and this understanding allows for more accurate predictions of factors such as sea level rise and ice volume changes.

US Mortgage Rates up But Still Below 5 Percent

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 4.94 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending December 17, 2009, up from last week when it averaged 4.81 percent.  Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 5.19 percent. 

Waste_Inbox121709

Recycling rates have stagnated for a good while now. That continues to be partly a function of human nature. But a little imagination can nudge those rates upward.

Whales no longer singing the blues

Endangered blue whales appear to be singing a happier song according to researchers studying the haunting sounds these huge mammals broadcast beneath the waves. Specifically, a drop in frequency has been noticed and a list of possible causes have been examined - from climate change to a rise in human-produced ocean noise - but it seems the explanation could actually be a positive one.

What Is Destroying Our Ponds and Lakes?

Wind energy can meet 65 percent of tabled 2020 emissions cuts by rich nations; GWEC

he Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) on Monday released calculations showing that wind energy alone could achieve up to 65 percent of the emissions reductions pledges by industrialized nations.

Wind turbines not harmful to human health, say experts

“The sounds emitted by wind turbines are not unique; there is no reason to believe, based on the levels and frequencies of the sounds, that they could plausibly have direct adverse physiological effects,” it concludes.

Woman's family awarded settlement; Allegheny Power to pay $70,000

The settlement comes more than two years after Wendy Tanner's family sued, saying the power company cut off her electric service about two months before her death.

December 15, 2009

Alberta announces it's open to accepting proposals to build nuclear plants

Alberta is officially open for nuclear business.

Provincial Energy Minister Mel Knight made the pronouncement Monday. He says consultations with Albertans, particularly a recent phone survey that found two-thirds are OK with building nuclear power plants, drove the decision.

As solar power grows, so does panel theft

As solar energy creeps inexorably into public use, it is bringing with it an unexpected and unwanted parasite: thieves who take solar panels in the countryside.

The Farm Bureau has sent out an alert that solar panels are being targeted in rural counties.

Bacteria engineered to convert greenhouse gas into liquid fuel

As part of the push to reduce greenhouse gas emissions produced by burning fossil fuels researchers from the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science have developed a greener way to extract biofuel from bacteria. The team has genetically modified a cyanobacterium to consume carbon dioxide and produce the liquid fuel isobutanol, which holds great potential as a gasoline alternative.

Cap and Trade Working Already

The US already has years of experience with Cap and Trade. A sulfur dioxide (SO2) Cap and Trade program has proven an effective control strategy to lower SO2 emissions. It provides elements of market incentives and provides flexibility to facilities that emit large quantities of the pollutant in several ways.

Clean Edge Jobs

Clean Edge Jobs is the premier source for clean-tech job seekers, employers, and recruiters. Search current openings among the job categories listed below.

Climate conference at midpoint with much still unresolved

The Copenhagen climate conference is at midpoint "and we still have a daunting task ahead of us," Danish environment minister and conference president Connie Hedegaard said this weekend.

Climate Crisis - Copenhagen - Putting Agriculture Front and Centre in the Discussions over Climate Change

On December 15th, La Via Campesina and a number of other groups will be leading a day of action in Copenhagen to put agriculture front and centre in the discussions over climate change. Although the official Convention is sure to disappoint, these groups will be carrying a message of hope. What they want the world to know is that, in their on-going struggle for food sovereignty, there is a way out of the climate crisis.

COMEX gold makes modest gains against weaker dollar

Gold futures on the COMEX division of the New York Mercantile Exchange made modest gains Monday morning after the dollar eased against the euro in the wake of last week's losses, which wiped close to $100/oz off the price of gold.

Copenhagen brings indigenous climate change issues to world stage

Indigenous peoples of the Amazon, the Arctic, the islands of the Pacific Ocean and communities throughout the world that depend on their natural ecosystem for sustenance, livelihood and culture are the world’s prime witnesses to climate change.

Don't Think 'Climate Change,' Just Think Change!

One thing that I have learned here in Copenhagen is that it is simply too easy to get trapped into arguments about the science. It's easy to be skeptical; especially in the light of “Climategate” and to lose sight of the big picture. As a Greenpeace demonstrator said to me—“think of this as an insurance policy. If the science is wrong, then we will have achieved many good things anyway and if it is right—we may have saved the planet.”

Energy Department keeping nuclear repository options open

Department of Energy lawyers are forging ahead with their defense of a license application to build the nation's nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain.

EPA Analysis Shows Reduction In 2008 Toxic Chemical Releases

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is releasing its annual national analysis of the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). The TRI database contains information on chemical releases into the air, land and water, as well as waste management and pollution prevention activities. The analysis of the 2008 data, the most recent data set available, shows that 3.86 billion pounds of toxic chemicals were released into the environment, a 6 percent decrease from 2007.

Europe Raises Stakes with €7.2bn in Climate Change Aid

European leaders have pledged a total of €7.2 billion (US$10.5bn) over the next three years to help poorer nations cope with global warming, hoping to boost support for an agreement at the ongoing United Nations climate summit in Copenhagen that will put the brakes on runaway climate change.

ExxonMobil, XTO deal may trigger supermajor run for shale players

The fortunes of US shale producers were confirmed Monday with ExxonMobil's announcement that it would buy XTO Energy in the biggest US energy deal since Chevron bought Texaco in 2000.

Forecast; Cilmate Deal Moving Foward in Copenhagen

A draft climate pact unveiled on Friday revived hopes that U.N. talks might be able to pin down an international deal to fight global warming, but developing nations said they needed more cash from the rich.

With less than a week until more than 110 world leaders descend on the talks, the proposal would at least halve global emissions by 2050 seeking to bridge some of the long-standing rifts between rich and poor nations.

Gore Reports Snow and Ice Across the World Vanishing Quickly

Snow and ice across the planet are melting much faster than anticipated, and the cryosphere - the Earth's ice and snow cover - is very vulnerable to climate change, finds a new report presented today at the United Nations Climate Summit by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore and Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

'Green' goals require dramatic changes

If residents of the Cape and Islands are going to substantially cut their use of carbon-emitting fossil fuels, it will require major adjustments in how they drive, stay warm and live.

Idaho Power hits new winter peak in power demand

Idaho and eastern Oregon residents turned up their thermostats during the December cold snap and Idaho Power hit a new winter peak record for power use.

If you’re like me, nothing makes your blood boil more than seeing scientific facts twisted to incite fear and to harm people and our environment.

Today, oil and coal companies, agribusiness, arms control opponents, and groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, are using these kinds of deceptions to confuse the public and sway elected officials into opposing critical efforts to curb global warming, reduce the threat of nuclear weapons, and keep our food safe.

Iraq's oil production capacity set to rise to 12 mil b/d

Iraq's oil production capacity is set to rise to 12 million b/d within six years as a result of incremental crude oil to come from fields awarded in the first and second bidding rounds and through national efforts, oil minister Hussein al-Shahristani said Saturday.

It's Getting Hot in Copenhagen

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Copenhagen today as part of a global protest to demand governments across the world agree a binding new global deal to tackle climate change.

Mass. governor upholds moratorium on incinerators

The state of Massachusetts´ moratorium on waste incinerators has been upheld, with Gov. Deval Patrick declining to lift the state ban that has been in place since 1990.

Most US Mortgage Rates Follow Bond Yields Higher This Week

Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) last week released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.81 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending December 10, 2009, up from last week when it averaged 4.71 percent.  Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 5.47 percent.

New Category of Geothermal Heat Pumps Can Now Earn the Energy Star

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is announcing new requirements for residential geothermal heat pumps (GHPs), enabling water-to-water geothermal heat pumps to earn the Energy Star label for the first time.

New climate bill aimed at 'ensuring a future for coal'

The latest version of a U.S. Senate bill to address global warming will be aimed at "ensuring a future for coal," according to a legislative framework released Thursday by a bipartisan trio of senators.

Obama’s Pledge

In an effort to give the Copenhagen conference momentum, the Obama administration has introduced its long-awaited policy declaring greenhouse gases dangerous to the environment and public health.

OPEC production -- the reality gap widens

OPEC ministers are preparing to travel to their December 22 meeting in Angola where, barring any big surprises, they are set to rubber stamp for the fourth time this year their current output agreement.

Preparing for the Oncoming Climate Catastrophe

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions soon and fast enough to prevent a global average temperature rise of more than 2 °C above the pre-industrial level commonly regarded as the threshold for 'dangerous climate change' was always going to be tough. As we approach the end of the first decade of the twenty-first century and emissions continue to increase, keeping below 2 °C with any reasonable probability will be possible only with urgent and stringent mitigation measures. In practice, this will necessitate almost immediate emissions reductions by rich nations, followed soon after by reductions from developing nations.

President Obama’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Funding to be Used for Immediate Asian Carp Control Measures

Great Lakes Inter-agency Task Force Chair and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson today announced $13 million in federal funding to prevent Asian carp from migrating further toward the Great Lakes.

Renewable energy, 2009 and beyond; green shoots of recovery amid turmoil

After weathering financial storms this year, the renewable energy industry could be poised for a rebound in 2010. New regulatory systems in Australia, China, Japan and perhaps the United States should buttress renewables markets.

Report of Solar-Geophysical Activity 121409

Today's activity consisted of a few low-level B class events. New Region 1035
(N31E07) emerged on the disk today.  There is a slight chance for an isolated C class event. The geomagnetic field has been quiet to unsettled.

REX - robotic beast of burden hits the market

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) recently began showing a battery-powered robotic beast of burden which can carry up to 200 kilograms, run three days without a recharge, and follow and respond to the voice commands of its master. Though designed for use on the battlefield, REX has myriad commercial applications in agriculture, manufacturing, and beyond.

REX says Ohio leak caused by girth weld separation

Rockies Express Pipeline on Friday said a girth weld separation caused the November leak in southeastern Ohio that required operator Kinder Morgan to declare a force majeure and shut in a section of the natural gas line.

Saudi Arabia Running out of Sand?

This is something that would make Lawrence of Arabia turn in his grave: Recent studies are now showing that sand, once Saudi Arabia’s most common commodity (outside of oil) is now becoming almost as scarce as water.

Smart Meter Skeptics

In some circles, pushing smart meters may end up being dumb policy. A wave of public relations is now drowning out the skeptical voices necessary to assure that the public does not get bamboozled, some consumer advocacy groups say.

Solar energy use by Arizonans heating up

Gilbert resident Alan Morgan never considered himself to be an especially "green" sort of person. But when he read about how Valley utilities were offering rebates to help customers afford rooftop solar energy systems, he decided to look into the possibility of installing a solar system on his home.

Texas gets stimulus funds for appliance upgrades

Texas has been allotted $23 million in federal stimulus funds to pay rebates in April for the purchase of Energy Star-rated household appliances, Comptroller of Public Accounts Susan Combs said Friday.

Qualifying appliances include refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, dishwashers, water heaters, heat pumps, central air-conditioning units and clothes washers.

The downside of nanotech; do tiny particles spell big trouble?

Are we rushing to embrace the potential benefits of nanotechnology without considering the dangers?

U.S. Pledges $85 Million For Renewable Energy

The United States pledged on Monday to contribute $85 million to a $350 million multinational fund aimed at speeding up renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies in poor countries.

U.S. power plants meeting emissions goal

Acid rain-causing emissions have fallen in the United States by more than 50 percent from 1990 levels and already meet 2010 requirements, officials say.

Emissions of sulfur dioxide from U.S. power plants totaled 7.6 million tons in 2008, already less than the 8.95-million-ton cap going into effect in next year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported.

U.S. Trademark Office fast tracking ‘green’ patents

Recognizing there’s now a sense of urgency in saving the planet, the U.S. Commerce Department’s Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will pilot a program to accelerate the examination of certain “green” technology patent applications.

Utilities under gun to push cuts in electricity use

Legislation designed to prevent an explosion in electricity prices when rate caps expire at the end of next year has prompted local utilities to offer energy efficiency programs designed to help their customers lower demand.

Venture capital creeps toward the light

The first signs of the coming venture capital winter were spotted in the second half of 2008, and then it descended with a vengeance.

White House says stimulus will create 700,000 clean energy jobs

White House officials said Monday that the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is on track to create more than 700,000 jobs in the clean energy sector, among the 3.5 million jobs it will create or save across the economy by the end of 2010.

Who's behind the XTO-Exxon merge? The Russians!

It's not quite "Tear down this wall," but the Russian bear can only play hardball with natural gas and its neighbors before the free market brings a response.

Wind energy can meet 65 percent of tabled 2020 emissions cuts by rich nations; GWEC

The Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) on Monday released calculations showing that wind energy alone could achieve up to 65 percent of the emissions reductions pledges by industrialized nations.

"Wind power is rapidly emerging as a key technology towards a low carbon, resource efficient green economy...

World’s Largest Wind Farm to Be Built in the US

The United States has steadily outsourced record-breaking feats of engineering over the years, or stood by as other countries have eagerly grasped trophies for the world’s tallest building, biggest dam, longest bridge, or what have you.

Youth Actions Command Attention at Climate Summit

Chanting "Our future, our future," wearing bright orange t-shirts reading, "How Old Will You Be In 2050?" over 1,000 young people from countries around the world captured the attention of the world leaders, media, nongovernmental organizations, and delegates Thursday at the United Nations climate conference here in Copenhagen.

December 11, 2009

2009 Global Temperature Fifth Warmest on Record

The year 2009 is projected to rank as the fifth warmest on record since instrumental climate records began in 1850, according to a new report issued today by the World Meteorological Organization.

A Greener Way To Get Electricity From Natural Gas

A new type of natural-gas electric power plant proposed by MIT researchers could provide electricity with zero carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere, at costs comparable to or less than conventional natural-gas plants, and even to coal-burning plants. But that can only come about if and when a price is set on the emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases...

AEP Selected to Receive DOE Funds to Advance Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage to Commercial Scale

American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) was notified by the U.S. Department of Energy that it was selected to receive funding through the Clean Coal Power Initiative Round 3 to pay part of the costs of installing the nation's first commercial-scale carbon dioxide capture and storage system on its Mountaineer coal-fired power plant in New Haven, W.Va.

Are Americans Too Broken for the Truth to Set Us Free?

Can people become so broken that truths of how they are being screwed do not "set them free" but instead further demoralize them? Has such a demoralization happened in the United States?

Are We Asking the Wrong Questions about Renewable Energy?

Americans of all political parties are sick of spending massive amounts of government money. And it's certainly understandable why. In the fiscal year 2009, the U.S. spent $1.4 trillion more than it brought in through taxes, creating the highest budget deficit the country has seen since 1945.

At White House Meeting, Duke Energy CEO Says Passing Climate Change Legislation Key to Creating Jobs

Rogers, head of America's third-largest electric utility, joined Obama and leaders from the U.S. energy, environment and labor sectors to discuss the role of climate change legislation in stimulating new energy technologies and jobs.

Biodiesel bill passes House; Senate vote still in doubt

The US House of Representatives voted Wednesday to extend a soon-to-expire blender's tax credit for biofuels, but did so as part of a comprehensive tax extenders bill which has an uncertain future in the Senate.

The bill was approved by a vote of 241-181.

Biofuels cited as agricultural commodities demand driver; report

Global food prices are once again on the rise and biofuels continue to be a leading driver of demand for agricultural commodities, despite the slow down in the green fuels industry, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization said Wednesday in its Food Outlook report.

Boise is one of the world's leading geothermal cities

With Copenhagen in the spotlight this week as an example of geothermal's potential, the Geothermal Energy Association has identified 10 leading geothermal cities around the globe.

Clean Old Energy, New Energy Both Needed; Analyst

Policymakers should promote clean uses of old forms of energy as well as new pollution-free forms of energy to advance the world toward a low-carbon future, an analyst said Wednesday.

Comment; US Senate Climate Change Bill rained on by Democrats

It was Democrats - not Republicans - who did in the Senate Climate Change bill, which would have, had it passed, been a big boon to the renewables industry.

COP15; International banks will support projects in renewable energy

Leading Multilateral Development Banks (MDB) have committed to “further support” investment in projects and programmes in renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable transportation systems at COP15.

Copenhagen Skeptics Conference; Global Warming 'caused by sun's radiation'

As the world gathered in the Danish capital for the UN Climate Change Conference, more than 50 scientists, businessmen and lobby groups met to discuss the arguments against man made global warming.

Although the meeting was considerably smaller than the official gathering of 15,000 people meeting down the road, the organizers claimed it could change the course of negotiations.

Crude futures higher, WTI supported above $70 barrel

Global crude futures were higher in early European trading Friday as the dollar weakened marginally.

At 11:47 GMT the front-month ICE Brent contract traded at $72.37/barrel, up $0.51 from the overnight settle. The NYMEX WTI contract also traded higher at $70.99/b, a $0.45 rise.

Dairy Pollution Sparks 'Manure War' in New Mexico

The picture on many milk cartons shows cows grazing on a pasture next to a country barn and a silo — but the reality is very different.

Desert Rock denied $450 million in stimulus funds

Developers of the 15-megawatt power plant proposed to be built 25 miles southwest of Farmington said the project remains viable, despite its omission from the Department of Energy's carbon capture and sequestration pilot project grants announced Friday.

Developing nations 'slighted' as climate text detail thrashed out

Negotiators finally began editing sections of text that will form part of a final Copenhagen climate change declaration even as reverberations from the controversial Danish draft communique continued to echo around the packed conference halls.

EIA raises OPEC 2010 earnings forecast by $9 bil to $759 bil

The US Energy Information Administration has raised its forecast of OPEC's oil export earnings for 2010 by $9 billion to $759 billion.

El Niño is expected to continue and last at least into the Northern Hemisphere spring 2010

El Niño strengthened from October to November 2009, as sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies increased across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean..

Electric Cars Generate Sweet Tax Credits

The movement towards zero emission electric cars is gaining a tremendous amount of momentum. As we move into 2010, practical electric vehicles for the vast majority of the public will be available late in the year with the release of the Nissan Leaf.

Energy Efficiency Takes Center Stage

Mayor Villaraigosa touted the program as an example of the City's commitment to helping businesses save money by becoming more energy efficient.

"This program shows that Los Angeles can lead the way in promoting conservation and energy efficiency," he said. "Our goal is to make Los Angeles the greenest big city in America."

EPA Analysis Shows Reduction In 2008 Toxic Chemical Releases

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is releasing its annual national analysis of the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). The TRI database contains information on chemical releases into the air, land and water, as well as waste management and pollution prevention activities. The analysis of the 2008 data, the most recent data set available, shows that 3.86 billion pounds of toxic chemicals were released into the environment, a 6 percent decrease from 2007.

EPA orders Thomas Exploration Co. to halt discharges

The Tulsa, Okla., company was accused of violating the federal Clean Water Act after an Oct. 13 inspection. The EPA said its inspectors found unauthorized discharges of oil field brine contaminating nearby soil and a tributary of the Deep Fork River.

EPA Releases Final Specification for WaterSense New Homes

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its final WaterSense single-family new homes specification today, creating the first national, voluntary, water-efficiency specification for an entire new home.

EPA Signs Two Rules to Further Protect Ozone Layer

The rules reduce the availability and use of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), which are primarily used as refrigerants and harm the ozone layer. A diminished ozone layer allows more radiation to reach the Earth’s surface, leading to serious health effects, such as skin cancer, cataracts, and weakened immune systems.

Federal judge halts work on Greenbrier wind farm

A federal court opinion filed Tuesday in Maryland blocks completion of the planned 119-turbine Beech Ridge Energy wind farm in Greenbrier County, and restricts the operation of the project's 40 already-built turbines to the hibernation period of an endangered bat species.

GE Receives $1.4 Billion Contract to Supply Turbines for Largest Wind Farm Ever Built in the US

The wind farm, called Shepherds Flat, has received the majority of the necessary government permits to operate and is ready to be built. When completed it will be larger than any wind farm currently in operation around the globe.

Green jobs on rise in region

The report released by Next 10, a nonprofit and nonpartisan research organization based in Palo Alto, said that in the period studied, 1995 to 2008, the number of green jobs throughout California increased 36 percent, growing at a faster clip than total employment, which over the same time expanded by 13 percent.

Gryphon winged suit drops in for some serious air time

Aimed at the military, this high-tech human gliding device allows parachutists to leap from planes and glide in any chosen direction (except up) at speeds around 60mph - a somewhat conservative speed suggested by the manufacturers ...

Hollywood Goes To Copenhagen Climate Summit

Think melting arctic ice caps are the biggest threat from global warming? Dangers to polar bears? Think again, and think fast.

Huge Alaska Oil Spill Blamed on Ice Plugs

Ice plugged an inactive pipeline, causing it to burst, officials said Tuesday in an attempt to explain how 46,000 gallons of crude oil spewed onto the tundra near a BP Exploration processing center at Prudhoe Bay on Alaska's North Slope.

Huge Emissions Savings, Other Environmental Benefits Achieved Through Urban Compost Collection Program

Officials and local farmers announced today that city residents and businesses have composted more than 620,000 tons of material, mostly food scraps, through the city's green cart program. By composting all that food since the program was created instead of sending it to landfill, San Francisco:

Increased Temperatures Turn Fish into Daredevils

As the world grows warmer, some fish may stop acting like themselves. With a small rise in temperature, a new study found, some fish become more daring and more aggressive than they would otherwise be. The finding suggests that climate change could put fish in peril in unexpected ways.

Investment in All Energy Sources is Required, ExxonMobil Says in New 'Outlook for Energy, A View to 2030'

Growing world economies will increase energy demand by about 35 percent in 2030 compared to 2005, requiring trillions of dollars in investment and a commitment to innovation and technology,

Kingston Coal Plant Released 2.6 Million Pounds of Arsenic, Nine Other Toxic Pollutants Into Emory River in 2008 - More Than the Entire Water Pollution Output of All Other U.S. Power Plants

TVA's Kingston coal plant dumped into the Emory River in 2008 an estimated 140,000 pounds of arsenic contained in coal ash -- more than twice the reported amount of the toxin discharged into U.S. waterways from all U.S. power plants in 2007.

Local government can play major role in promoting renewable energies

Every city in the world should undertake policy development to support the deployment of renewable energy, recommends a 200-page report from the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Lowe's Launches Energy Centers to Help Customers Go Greener

Twenty-one Lowe's locations in California will soon include new Energy Centers, providing information and products related to measuring, reducing and generating energy. Energy Centers will roll out to other U.S. and Canadian stores in 2010.

Missing the Solar Boat

The Lack of Available Financing Is Stifling Solar's Growth

More Than 100 Nations Back Tougher Climate Goals

The group, which says rising sea levels could wipe them off the map, complained that a 5-meter (15ft) globe hanging in the Copenhagen conference center omits many island states such as in the Pacific or the Indian Ocean.

New Mexico to seek coal plant C02 cuts; oil, gas sector reporting

New Mexico utilities, state agencies and other stakeholders have until September 2010 to make recommendations on ways to cut carbon dioxide emissions from existing coal-fired power plants in the state under an executive order issued Monday by Governor Bill Richardson, a Democrat.

Nigeria, Angola key to OPEC increases in Nov; IEA

Nigeria's crude oil output rose to the highest level in 15 months and accounted for around 60% of OPEC's increase in November after a government-brokered amnesty deal halted attacks on oil facilities, the International Energy Agency said Friday.

NREL Breaks Down Walls for Biofuels

Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and ethanol producers are racing to come up with ways to make ethanol from cellulosic biomass that are cheaper and easier to produce than current methods. But they are hitting a wall. Cell walls in plants are making the production of cellulosic ethanol a challenge.

Property owners might get new loans to go solar

The Ventura County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday night to join a statewide program that would lend money to property owners for solar panels and other energy-saving measures.

Real Christmas Trees are 'Greener' than Fake

It may not sound like "tree-hugging," but cutting down a real tree for Christmas is actually greener than going with the artificial kind.

Renewable energy is critical to climate change mitigation, says IEA

IEA’s latest World Energy Outlook says renewable energy will be the second largest contributor (after energy efficiency) to the reduction of energy-related CO₂ emissions by 2030.

Research Is Vital To A Cleaner, Greener, Low Carbon Future

"Scientific and engineering research has already brought us fuel cells, marine, wind and solar power solutions, but more investment is needed to develop the capabilities of different solutions if we are to meet our carbon emission targets by 2020 and limit the impact of climate change."

Roberson Oil Co. ordered to stop discharging pollutants

The EPA said it found an unauthorized discharge of oil field brine a tributary of Clear Boggy Creek. The EPA’s inspectors said water located at the discharge point of entry into the tributary of Clear Boggy Creek was also contaminated from brine discharges and salts.

Russia to Help India Build 4 Nuclear Reactors

"Today, we have signed an agreement, which broadens the reach of our cooperation beyond the supply of nuclear reactors to areas of research and development and a whole range of areas of nuclear energy."

SCENARIOS; EPA RulesVS Congress's Laws On Climate Change

What happens next in the long-running U.S. drama over limiting greenhouse emissions could come down to a duel over whether rules or laws should dominate the policy landscape.

Scientists squeeze more out of light

Scientists at the University of Adelaide, Australia, have put the squeeze on light. By discovering that light within optical fibers can be squeezed into much tighter spaces than was previously believed possible...

Seabrook nuke plant shuts down for repairs

NextEra Energy's Seabrook nuclear power plant was shut down early Monday due to a vibration in a low pressure turbine on the non-nuclear side of the building, an official at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said yesterday.

Sifting through the Fog

Despite the cries of foul play, the global community is working right now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But the massive uproar from skeptics over global warming has diverted attention and dampened some of the enthusiasm in Copenhagen where those climate talks are occurring.

Smart Grid and Climate Change

If implemented wisely, smart grids also could reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by five percent to nine percent from 2005 levels

Solar Bill of Rights as Revealed at SPI!

1st Amendment --Americans have the right to put solar on their homes or businesses.

Solar India – Bold Plan or Bargaining Ploy?

"Even if India achieves only part of its solar mission, it will be a significant milestone."

Spent fuel storage costs may run $225B

If no federal repository for spent nuclear fuel is opened in the next 100 years, the nation's taxpayers could be on the hook to pay for on-site storage, such as the dry casks at Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant in Vernon

TARP Helped Stop Economic Panic, Underlying Weaknesses in US Financial System Remain

The Panel concluded that TARP was an important part of a broader government strategy that stabilized the U.S. financial system. It is apparent after 14 months, however, that significant underlying weaknesses in the financial system remain.

Tres Amigas Files with FERC for America's First Renewable Energy Transmission Hub

The SuperStation will be located in Clovis, New Mexico and will for the first time provide the capability to transfer thousands of megawatts of power between the three U.S. power grids -- or "Interconnections"..

U Of A's David Schindler Confirms Untold Levels Of Oil Sands Pollution On The Athabasca

After an exhaustive study of air and water pollution along the Athabasca River and its tributaries from Fort McMurray to Lake Athabasca, researchers say pollution levels have increased as a direct result of nearby oil sands operations.

U.S. Solar Market to Double by 2011

GTM Research estimates that demand for PV installations will grow by roughly 50 percent annually to between 1.5 GW and 2 GW in 2012. This growth could support at least 50,000 new jobs and over $6.1 billion in annual investment, and it will allow 1.5 million homes to enjoy clean, reliable solar energy.

US senators release general framework for climate, energy bills

Senators John Kerry, Lindsey Graham and Joseph Lieberman offered the four-page document to help inform a UN summit on climate change, which is being held in Copenhagen, Denmark.

USA remains most attractive country for renewable energy

The United States remains the most attractive country overall for renewable energy, but China has moved ahead of Germany to take second spot in the rankings released by Ernst & Young.

Waste_InBox 121009

Denmark is justifiably proud of its image as one of the world´s greenest countries. That´s partly why it was picked to host this week´s U.N. climate change conference. Recycling rates are sky-high there, and only about 5% of the country´s garbage is disposed of in landfills.

Water And Energy Nexus Critical To Climate Change

"There is a need for integration of water and energy policies. Having the right pricing, policy and regulatory frameworks are critical to encourage behavioural changes, motivate innovation and ensure sustainable use of water and energy. It will allow simultaneous adaptation and mitigation to climate change."

Wind farms have no negative impact on property values, says US study

There is no “widespread, statistically observable” impact of wind turbines on the sale of homes in the United States, concludes the most comprehensive analysis from the Department of Energy (DoE).

December 8, 2009

Africa Seeking $40 Billion Year In Climate Aid

Rich nations at the Copenhagen climate summit should commit $40 billion a year in new money to help Africa tackle the consequences of global warming, the president of the African Development Bank (AfDB) said on Monday.

All-electric sedan here Jan. 4

Tucson is one of several U.S. cities chosen for the test marketing of the joint Renault-Nissan all-electric vehicle. The car is expected to go into production later in 2010 and be available for sale in the test markets in 2011.

Amazon Native Leaders Assert Forest Stewardship for Climate Rescue

As government government officials gather in Copenhagen to negotiate a global response to climate change, Amazonian indigenous leaders are concerned about how the resulting agreement will impact their people and ancestral lands.

Amory Lovins has a big vision, still

Now the soft path is the cool path. Lovins has never stopped working, consulting, advising utilities and industries that were interested in energy efficiency, new technology and new ways of planning. And now he is seeking donations to a project RMI calls Reinventing Fire -- "driving the business-led transition from oil, coal, and ultimately natural gas to efficiency and renewables."

Aviation; The last bastion of unadulterated oil demand

At a time when most industries are facing strict controls over their emissions, aviation enjoys the rare privilege of being virtually without any kind of emission regulation.

Climate Activists Demonstrate in London, Organize Worldwide

An estimated 50,000 people marched in London Saturday to demand action on climate change. Dubbed The Wave, the biggest climate change march in UK history called on the government to take much more urgent and effective action.

Climate Change Proceeds Down Worrisome Path

Global temperature dropped slightly in 2008, but two other climate indicators—emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and its concentration in Earth’s atmosphere—continued their worrisome upward trends.

Climate summit produces greenhouse gas

British researchers said the 12-day U.N. climate change summit in Denmark will generate as much greenhouse gas as an African nation.

Coal smoke from power plants tarnishes hybrid electric cars' halo

Electric vehicles promise cleaner air, but reality is slightly smoggy.

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, which can draw power from the grid for an electric motor or rely on a gasoline-powered motor, will start hitting the roads next year. Electric companies say the cars cut pollution and help solve global warming.

Despite limitations, Pittsburg looks into climate plan

Despite having no control of more than 90 percent of the greenhouse gases emitted within city limits, the East Contra Costa County city is looking to create a long-term strategic plan to reduce local emissions.

Enel Green Power to develop 1,000MW wind power projects in Mexico

Through the agreement, Enel Green Power will have exclusive access to wind power projects being developed by SoWiTec, as well as the right to acquire these projects once they are fully authorized.

EPA; Greenhouse Gases Threaten Public Health and the Environment

Science overwhelmingly shows greenhouse gas concentrations at unprecedented levels due to human activity

Fish Production Reaches a Record

Reaching a record high as the industry continues to grow, nearly half of the fish produced for human consumption came from aquaculture

Europe’s Leadership

Global climate change talks will produce changes. But that progress will fall short of what many environmentalists are hoping for and namely firm and binding commitments in reductions in heat-trapping emissions.

Four ways to turn an orange peel green

While studying the possibilities of waste recycling, researchers at a Swedish university have come up with an unlikely suspect for an alternative fuel source - the orange. .. Citrus waste is usually a complete write-off in the compost game because it contains an antibacterial substance which slows its breakdown...

How To Invest In Water

A global water crisis is looming, but the path to profits is a muddy mess of regulated industries, giant companies with small water operations, and start-up technologies.

India Pledges to Reduce Carbon Intensity

India will never accept legally binding emission cuts at Copenhagen, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh told Parliament Thursday, but he did say the government plans to reduce India's level of "emission intensity" by 20 to 25 percent compared with 2005 levels.

No new nukes -- plants, that is

Nuclear power plants are being pushed as part of climate-change legislation. But the focus should be on renewable power sources, which are getting cheaper and don't produce radioactive waste.

Oil futures move in a narrow range as Brent-WTI spread widens

Trading in crude futures markets was lackluster Tuesday morning in Europe due to the lack of any major indicators, sources said. However, traders were considering the implications of the increasing spread between Brent and WTI due the climbing stocks at Cushing, Oklahoma--home of the WTI contract's delivery point.

REC Solar to build solar power systems in California, Arizona and Nevada

The projects generate approximately 2,465 MWh of electricity per year, the equivalent of what would be used by 219 households. REC Group panels will be used for the projects.

Single-atom transistor promises new quantum computing breakthroughs

As far as transistor size is concerned, it doesn't get any smaller than this. An international group of researchers from the Helsinki University of Technology, the University of New South Wales and the University of Melbourne have successfully built a fully working transistor that is just one atom in size...

The Case of the Stolen Climate Emails

The emails were posted on several public websites, although the breaking into of computers and releasing private information is illegal, and posting private correspondence without permission is unethical.

A police investigation is currently underway to determine who stole the file and the university has launched an independent review of the incident..

The World Resources Institute, General Electric, And Goldman Sachs Launch Initiative To Measure Water Risks And Opportunities

The Index will offer one of the most expansive measures of water risks currently available. It will aggregate nearly 20 weighted factors capturing water availability, regulations, water quality and reputational issues.

This bacteria will self destruct (and improve renewable biofuel production)

A key factor is determining the eco-friendliness of any biofuel is how much energy is required to produce it. If the energy expended in producing it, which more often than not comes from fossil fuels, is too high then the environmental benefits of the fuel can be questionable. Researchers have now developed a process that removes a key obstacle to producing lower-cost, renewable biofuels..

U.N. Climate Chief Defends Findings After Emails

The head of the U.N.'s panel of climate scientists on Monday strongly defended findings that humans are warming the planet, after critics said that leaked emails from a British university had undermined evidence.

Virgin Galactic reveals SpaceshipTwo

We’ve seen the mothership from which the world’s first manned commercial spaceship will be air launched and we’ve even seen design images of the craft itself. Now Virgin Galactic has unveiled the actual spaceship that will take private astronauts into space - SpaceshipTwo (SS2).

White House Jobs Summit Inspires New Push For Large-Scale Water Diversion Project

In the context of the White House Jobs Summit underway today, plans were announced today to re-launch a push for a decades-old, large-scale water diversion project that would create tens of thousands of new jobs, bring massive sums of fresh water to the southwestern U.S., potentially irrigate thousands of acres of arid land, increase planetary respiration to counter global warming, and yield a massive abundance of clean hydro-electric power.

Will Climategate, Copenhagen raise awareness of global warming debate?

One energy industry insider said last week that he believes a sea change is imminent regarding the future of pending climate-control legislation in Congress... Last month, hackers, possibly from Russia, snatched more than 1,000 e-mails and 3,000 documents from Britain's University of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit and published them online... The impact on negotiations and US legislation isn't clear yet.

December 4, 2009

A Climate for Renewables

Hiking is one of my favorite outdoor activities. Twenty years ago, my father and I went on a trip to explore several glaciers. It was a special experience for us, and one of my fondest memories. So you can imagine my horror to see recent photos of these very same glaciers that showed how much they had receded. Just 20 years ago, they were majestic examples of the Earth's natural beauty. Now, they are case studies of a planet in crisis.

Amid the Downturn, Firms Look to Information Technology to Restore Strength

A majority (72 percent) of business and information technology (IT) executives say their organizations place greater value on the IT function today than they did before the economic crisis. What's more, they view IT as an important part of their economic recovery efforts, according to the findings of a global study released today by Accenture..

An Exclusive Look at the New Siemens 3-MW Direct-Drive Turbine

Little over a year after Siemens erected its first 3.6-MW direct-drive "Proof of Concept" wind turbine, this November the company presented a new rather different 3-MW direct-drive concept.

Benefits of wind power extolled

Wind energy makes economic sense locally, environmental sense nationally and security sense globally, proponents said Wednesday.

Canada reaches milestone as wind energy now produced in every province

Canada has achieved a new milestone as wind-generated electricity is now being produced in every province with the recent opening of Bear Mountain Wind Park near Dawson Creek, B.C. This new wind development has also increased Canada's total wind energy capacity to more than 3,100 MW - a ten- fold increase in six years...

Carbon capture a long way from the US energy mainstream; GE exec

Funding for carbon capture and sequestration research, development and construction must be increased before CCS can become a part of the US energy mainstream, Norman Shilling, GE Energy carbon leader, said Wednesday.

Cavitation Technologies' Solution To The Water Crisis, Refining The Desalination Process

With water well on its way to becoming one of the hottest commodities, an obvious solution is to take the salt out of seawater. Desalination technology has been around for thousands of years. However, until recently seawater desalination was a very expensive water source solution, we believe we have the answer.

CH2M HILL Releases 2009 Sustainability Report

The report focuses on the complex and interrelated global issues of water, energy, climate change, and land use/development, and details how CH2M HILL is addressing these challenges internally and in support of its clients.

Chicago River Poisoned To Block Feared Asian Carp

Authorities scooped up poisoned fish floating to the surface of a Chicago-area waterway on Thursday in an operation designed to keep invasive Asian carp out of the Great Lakes and prevent an ecological disaster.

Cities touted for energy efficiency

Impact, leadership, ingenuity … Those are some of the words that were used Tuesday to describe four local cities that have taken energy efficiency to heart.

Climate Talk Collapse Better For Planet; NASA's Hansen

The planet would be better off if the forthcoming Copenhagen climate change talks ended in collapse, according to a leading U.S. scientist who helped alert the world to dangers of global warming.

Any agreement likely to emerge from the negotiations would be so deeply flawed, said James Hansen, that it would be better for future generations if we were to start again from scratch.

Coal industry needs to change tactics, Byrd says

Senator Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., said the coal industry needs to stop using "fear mongering, grandstanding and outrage as a strategy" and instead get ready to help stave off global climate change and curb mountaintop removal mining.

Combined cycle gas turbines (CCGTs) flood the market

With prices and demand so low one would expect investment to be in abeyance, and one would be right with regard to long-term replacement of coal and nuclear capacity.

However, during the fat years leading up to the crash, large amounts of gas-fired capacity was planned and entered construction, while similar amounts of wind capacity was fast-tracked to capture subsidies.

Confronting the Roles of Non-CO2 Pollutants in Global Warming

Aggressively reducing emissions of non-CO₂ climate drivers could forestall abrupt climate change for up to 40 years, according to a recent study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Copenhagen Offers '50-50 Chance' of Averting Dangerous Global Warming

The world has a "50-50 chance" of avoiding global warming of more than two degrees Celsius, the threshold for dangerous climate change, if a strong political agreement can be reached at the United Nations conference in Copenhagen, and then implemented, says Lord Nicholas Stern, an economics and climate expert at the London School of Economics and Political Science. But, he says, a total of governments' most ambitious emissions reduction targets stated so far still fall short of that goal.

Crude drifts lower, market awaits US unemployment numbers

Global crude futures were lower through the European morning trading session with the market seen to be largely quiet.

Developing countries have no emission cut obligations says India

India and other developing countries have no carbon emission reduction obligations and will take voluntary actions only according to the financial and technological support they get from developed nations, Indian environment minister Jairam Ramesh said Wednesday.

El Nino Set To Continue Into First Quarter Of 2010; WMO

An El Nino weather pattern warming the Pacific Ocean and linked to drought in South Asia is likely to continue through the first quarter of 2010, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Tuesday.

Energy CFOs Expect to Feel Impact of Recession at Least Six More Months

According to a new study by BDO Seidman, LLP, one of the nation’s leading accounting and consulting organizations, 40 percent of chief financial officers (CFOs) at oil and gas exploration and production companies don’t expect access to credit to improve until the second half of 2010.

Energy chief breaks ground at SRS

A biomass-fueled steam plant at Savannah River Site is a leading example of the nation's commitment to energy independence, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu said Monday.

"The development of clean, renewable energy will be a growth industry in the 21st century...

Extended Jobless Recovery Likely for the Back Office

Nearly 1.4 million back office jobs will be lost at the world’s largest companies between 2008-2010, according to a new study from The Hackett Group (NASDAQ: HCKT). These losses are just part of a longer-term trend that started in 2001 and will result in nearly 3.6 million general & administrative (G&A) jobs being eliminated by  2014.

First Deterioration in Corporate Credit Quality in 8 Months

Kamakura Corporation announced yesterday that the Kamakura index of troubled public companies increased in November for the first time in the last 8 months. The index jumped from 10.68% in October to 11.45% in November

Ford Creates 62 MPG Gas Cars in Europe

In the US, Ford is still behind the 5 major foreign auto makers in fuel efficiency, surpassing only GM and Chrysler. Yet Ford of Europe already achieves dazzling mileage that we Americans can only dream of.

Global Warming Threatens China Harvests; Forecaster

Droughts and floods stoked by global warming threaten to destabilize China's grain production, the nation's top meteorologist has warned, urging bigger grain reserves and strict protection of farmland and water supplies.

Green Future Affordable With Deep CO2 Cuts; Study

Prices of everyday goods such as clothing and food will barely rise if rich nations slash greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, according to a study on Wednesday that concludes green lifestyles are affordable.

Groups sue EPA to get info on Duke coal ash

EPA had sought information on the basins after a massive spill of coal-ash sludge by the Tennessee Valley Authority a year ago. Coal ash holds potentially toxic material.

HH2 hydrogen technology purports to turn any gas-guzzler into a hybrid

When the promoters of the HH2 Hydrogen Generator Clean Air Combustion System made an appearance at last year’s LA Auto Show they attracted their fair share of skepticism. Hardly surprising given their claims of boosting the horsepower, performance, and mileage of existing vehicles through the addition of an aftermarket device that mixes hydrogen and oxygen extracted from water with existing fuel. But the naysayers haven’t discouraged the system’s developers as they are fronting up to the LA Auto Show again this year with even loftier claims thanks to improvements to their system.

How Do Carbon Trading Schemes Work, Or Not Work?

Here are some questions and answers on carbon trading schemes, how they work, and why some critics object to them.

India's 'Death Factory' Leaves Toxic Legacy 25 Years On

It was seen as a symbol of the new emerging India -- a factory that would not only generate thousands of jobs, but manufacture cheap pesticides for millions of farmers.

But the Union Carbide plant in the central city of Bhopal left a more potent legacy when it accidently released toxic gases into the air...

Is Global Warming Unstoppable?

In a provocative new study, a University of Utah scientist argues that rising carbon dioxide emissions - the major cause of global warming - cannot be stabilized unless the world's economy collapses or society builds the equivalent of one new nuclear power plant each day.

Landowners look at power line proposals

In droves, people in suits, jeans and cowboy hats dropped by the Plainville Elementary School cafeteria Monday evening, ready to stare at a series of maps with green, orange and red lines drawn through them.

Martin Mayer, Audit the Fed! Ben Bernanke, Beneath the Banksters

"The tragedy for all of us would be if the Fed's and the Treasury's and the Congress's reverence for people who make a lot of money left us unprotected against some sudden revelation of the truth that becomes obvious only in hindsight, that a lot of them don't know what they're doing."

National Launch of Chevrolet Volt to Begin in California with Other Lead Markets to Follow

Chevrolet announced today at the Los Angeles International Auto Show that the Volt electric vehicle with extended-range capability will be available late next year in California - the nation's largest new-car market - with other lead markets to be named later.

New ocean wave-energy system developed

U.S. researchers say they've developed a durable and efficient ocean wave-energy system that could be placed at any ocean location or depth.

New spin for Europe's dash-for-gas

Two years ago European forward power prices were running consistently at between €60-70/MWh. Nobody foresaw that within 12 months those prices would have gone on an unprecedented bull run up to €80-100/MWh before crashing to €40-50/MWh.

Obama, America and Afghanistan

After months of hemming, hawing, indecision, and in-fighting within the White House, President Obama finally laid out his Afghanistan policy last night. There was good news, and bad.

One Killed In Mumbai Water Shortage Protests

India's growing water shortages are seen as a potential dangerous trigger for wider social unrest. The government has been criticized for failing to address water and electricity shortages, both from industry and the 1.1 billion population.

Plan to make L.A. 'plug-in ready' laid out

Under the agreement among government and private entities, the region's 400 existing electric-vehicle charging stations would be upgraded, and 100 would be added within a year after the adoption of new federal charging standards, expected to be issued in mid-2010.

Planning to Beat Climate Change

Climate change is not only coming, it is coming at a rate that realizes climate scientists’ worst fears. All scientific evidence points not only to the need for action but the need for prompt action.

Poll-- Most Cape Codders favor wind farm

The University of Delaware survey results, released yesterday, indicate that more residents of the Cape and Islands now support Cape Wind than oppose it.

Pregnant Women¹s Bodies Polluted With Chemicals Found In Consumer Products

This first-of-its kind study investigated the living environment of nine fetuses through testing the blood and urine of the nine mothers taking part in the biomonitoring study.

Progress Energy Carolinas Plans to Retire Remaining Unscrubbed Coal Plants in N.C.

In a report filed with the N.C. Utilities Commission today, the utility outlined its plan to close a total of 11 coal-fired units, totaling nearly 1,500 megawatts (MW) at four sites in the state:

Rail System Rallies

Warren Buffett is banking on the rail system to move America into the next era of prosperity. By extension, he might also be helping to boost the coal industry, which is dependent on rail transportation.

Reinventing Carbon Dioxide

Recession may stymie the rate of economic commerce. But it does nothing to inhibit the human mind. At issue now are rising pollution rates in combination with a declining fossil fuel base, both of which are causes that scientists and engineers are dedicating time and resources.

Researchers Develop Virtual Streams To Help Restore Real Ones

The ability to simulate water flow over topography with this degree of realism provides researchers with the insights necessary to improve sustainable stream restoration strategies, helping to optimize techniques to fight erosion, help prevent flooding and restore aquatic habitats in degraded waterways.

Researchers discover recipe for cheaper, more efficient fuel cell

Known mainly for their potential application in hydrogen cars, fuel cells are a promising technology with several unresolved issues, including working temperatures. Scientist at the University of Calgary have discovered a new material that allows a common kind of fuel cell to work at higher temperatures, increasing efficiency while decreasing manufacturing costs.

Setting the Precedent for Clean Energy

Carefully-sited offshore wind power can make a critical contribution to reducing global warming pollution and cleaning up our nation’s energy supply. As America’s first offshore wind farm, Cape Wind would generate the equivalent of 75 percent of Cape Cod’s energy and would set an important precedent for the future of clean energy development in this country.

Smog Shocker; smog problems off almost 50pct in 2009

Thanks in large part to cooler temperatures and more rain, the number of dirty-air days for smog nationwide has dropped by almost half in 2009 compared to last year, according to a survey by the non-profit Clean Air Watch.

SMOS Satellite Instrument Comes Alive

The MIRAS instrument on ESA's SMOS satellite, launched earlier this month, has been switched on and is operating normally. MIRAS will map soil moisture and ocean salinity to improve our understanding of the role these two key variables play in regulating Earth's water cycle.

Spencer Dale Reviews 2009 Economic Year

In a speech given yesterday to the Essex branch of the Institute of Directors, Spencer Dale – Chief Economist and Executive Director for Monetary Analysis and Statistics – discusses the policy response to the economic downturn, evidence that the economy has stabilised, and the prospects for 2010 and beyond.

Spot uranium price rises as long-term price falls

As November ended, there were both bullish and bearish signals coming from activity in the uranium market, sources said.

The spot price of uranium, which had fallen below $43 a pound U3O8, rebounded in the last week of the month to at least $45.25/lb.

Top Climate Change Expert Hopes Science Got It Wrong

Germany's top climate researcher says he hopes he and his fellow scientists around the world have got it all wrong about global warming.

Turning Heat to Electricity

In everything from computer processor chips to car engines to electric powerplants, the need to get rid of excess heat creates a major source of inefficiency. But new research points the way to a technology that might make it possible to harvest much of that wasted heat and turn it into usable electricity.

U.S. 2008 greenhouse gas emission fall 2.2 -EIA

Man-made U.S. greenhouse gas emissions fell last year as record oil prices and a weak economy reduced demand for fossil fuels, the Energy Information Administration said on Thursday.

'U.S. or Else' Mentality Could Stymie Wind Energy Growth

...becoming lost in the heady rush to lead the pack in the burgeoning U.S. renewable energy market are the down-in-the-trenches business fundamentals that determine success, whether the product is widgets or wind turbines.

UK Climate Expert Steps Aside After Hacked E-Mails

Dubbing the affair "Climategate," some climate change skeptics have seized upon the e-mails, some of them written 13 years ago, and accused scientists at CRU of colluding to suppress data which might have undermined their arguments.

Skeptics have pointed to phrases in the e-mails in which climate scientists talk of using a "trick" to "hide the decline" in temperatures as evidence that they adjusted data to fit their theories. CRU denies any manipulation.

UM Study; Male, Female Shopping Patterns Show Evolution At Work

Male and female shopping styles are in our genes -- and we can look to evolution for the reason.

US Long-Term Rates Set Another Low

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 4.71 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending December 3, 2009, down from last week when it averaged 4.78 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 5.53 percent. The 30-year has never been this low since Freddie Mac began its weekly survey in 1971.

US-Philadelphia Shows It Pays To Recycle

Residents can earn points for the amount of recyclables collected in trucks that have special sensors to weigh the material. Points are accumulated by each neighborhood and divided equally among participating households whose members can exchange the points for coupons and gift certificates at local businesses.

Why the Government Jobs Policy Isn’t Working

The U.S. economy is going to be sick until job growth returns and unemployment is significantly reduced. President Obama’s economic team doesn’t seem to know how to stimulate jobs growth and what they have tried so far isn’t working very well. While Obama’s policy seems to have stopped jobs from disappearing, that is very different from actually creating jobs and reducing unemployment.

Wind turbines beginning to energize Alaska

The turbines are part of a move toward renewable energy in Alaska. Wind turbines dot rural Alaska. Solar arrays power a building in Nome. Tourists soak at Chena Hot Springs Resort, a getaway powered by geothermal energy. And increasingly, homeowners are using energy derived from the sun and wind to heat their homes, keep the refrigerator running and charge their iPhones.

December 1, 2009

$14 million grant to help MID store wind energy

A $14 million federal grant will help pay for large batteries to store wind energy for the Modesto Irrigation District.

The batteries will allow the district to store this power for times of peak demand, rather than just using it when the wind is blowing...

Are You Prepared for Another Lost Decade?

Many investors and members of the financial press are only now recognizing that stock prices have lost ground over the last 10 years, labeling this period as the “Lost Decade”....Our opinion, based on extensive studies of previous secular bear markets, strongly suggests that investors should anticipate another “Lost Decade”.  As we will explain in more detail later in this report, 2009 could mark only the mid-point in this secular bear market. 

As bees continue to die off, suspicion turns to chemically coated seeds and other factors

Colony collapse disorder has a variety of suspected causes: pesticides, varroa mites, viruses, stress from shipping hives long distances to pollinate crops — or some combination. Colony collapse disorder typically affects commercial hives and generally not those kept by hobbyists.

But some researchers and environmentalists are focusing again on pesticides as the key culprit.

As Credit Woes Ease, Cash Flow and Pension Plan Volatility Are Among Top Finance Executives’ Concerns

While the worst of the financial crisis's impact on their firms may be behind them, most finance executives remain concerned about several financial and risk management issues, most notably cash and cash flow, and defined benefit (DB) pension plan volatility, according to a recent survey conducted by global professional services firm Towers Perrin.

Basel and the Illusion of Capital Strength

In the post-crisis analyses of the financial system, governments and regulators may disagree on the merits of narrow banking or a Tobin-style tax on financial transactions. But all agree that that the crisis exposed an undercapitalized banking sector. ...However, one of the great ironies of the crisis is that, ahead of its impact, the banking system appeared well-capitalized.

Bio-fuel growth raises concerns about forests

Forests are a treasure trove of limbs and bark that can be made into alternative fuels and some worry the increasing trend of using that logging debris will make those materials too scarce, harming the woodlands.

British Antarctic Survey Climate Review finds the Ozone Hole has Shielded Antarctica from Global Warming!

An important report from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) shows things aren’t always what they seem to be, and that our knowledge of our complex Earth is not a good as we thought. Sometimes problems are not what they seem to be, and sometimes a problem in one sense carries unknown benefits in other senses

Canadian Pacific Railway testing use of biodiesel fuel

Canadian Pacific Railway is testing the use of biodiesel fuel through a five-month pilot project involving four locomotives operating between Calgary and Edmonton.

Checklist for going solar

With the sun setting before 5 p.m., solar power may be the last thing on your mind these days.

But declining panel prices, a federal tax credit and a state rebate all make now a good time to at least investigate whether solar power might make sense for your home -- and your budget.

Climate change, drought transforming Navajo’s dunescape to a dust bowl

The Navajo have long had a close relationship with the dunes – the land’s resources and its sacred places define their lives. The disruptions wrought by a warming climate are forcing abrupt cultural changes on a people with a long reliance on a once stable ecosystem. What they call Sei Nahogishii, “the tumbling sands...

Climate workshop stresses sustainability, indigenous knowledge

American Indian stalwarts of environmental justice recently met at a national workshop to write a milestone climate change declaration, clearly outlining a course on how to save the planet using indigenous science and knowledge.

Coal plant settlement uncertain

The fate of a settlement aimed at resolving litigation over We Energies' new coal-fired power plant in Oak Creek is up in the air after conservation groups refused to revise the deal to address concerns raised by state regulators.

COMEX gold battered by Dubai credit crisis

Gold futures on the COMEX division of the New York Mercantile Exchange fell sharply Friday with risk appetite seemingly evaporating as financial markets around the world reflected the implications of a new credit crisis that erupted in Dubai earlier this week.

Crude futures higher on geopolitical tensions and weak dollar

Global crude futures edged higher during Tuesday morning trading with ICE Brent "approaching the top of the trading range," a trading source said.

"The situation in Iran with the hostages has certainly stirred things up a little," the source added. Five Britons were detained by Iran after their racing yacht strayed into Iranian waters last Wednesday.

Crude rebounds on Dubai-led selloff, boosted by weaker dollar

Global crude futures were trading higher during European trading holding on to Asian gains following last week's broad selloff on Dubai's burgeoning debt troubles while a weaker dollar also boosted prices.

"It seems as though we've recovered from the bout of jitters following the Dubai led selloff," a crude broker said. "The weaker dollar is certainly helping crude which is now back in the familiar trading range."

Dalai Lama Says Climate Change Needs Global Action

Tibet's exiled Buddhist spiritual leader the Dalai Lama entered the climate change debate on Monday, urging governments to take serious action and put global interests ahead of domestic concerns.

Deep energy retrofit home research planned

Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee say they plan to conduct a series of deep energy retrofit home research projects.

Deep energy retrofits are renovations to existing structures that use the latest in energy-efficient materials and technologies and result in significant energy reductions...

'Dirty' power plants faulted

Three area power plants rank among the "100 dirtiest" in the country, a new report by an environmental group says.

The Homer City and Conemaugh plants in Indiana County are examples of aging, coal-fired facilities that contribute significantly to the global-warming problem, Philadelphia-based PennEnvironment said Tuesday.

Electric Voltra concept paves the way for sexy next-gen motorcycle design

Freed from the necessities of fuel tanks, airboxes, cooling systems, exhausts and the bulky combustion motor itself, designers are going to be able to start with a pretty blank sheet when it comes to designing tomorrow's electric motorcycles.

/Engineers take a bad year in stride

I tip my hat TO ENGINEERs. Despite the toll of the past year on the economy in general and tech in particular, most EEs still love their jobs, wish to stay in the field and do not regret their investments in the profession.

Federal Tax Credits for Consumer Energy Efficiency

If you purchase an energy-efficient product or renewable energy system for your home, you may be eligible for a federal tax credit. Below you will find an overview of the federal tax credits for energy efficiency.

Global Salmon Study Shows 'Sustainable' Food May Not Be So Sustainable

Popular thinking about how to improve food systems for the better often misses the point, according to the results of a three-year global study of salmon production systems. Rather than pushing for organic or land-based production, or worrying about simple metrics such as "food miles," the study finds that the world can achieve greater environmental benefits by focusing on improvements to key aspects of production and distribution.

How Power Corrupts; The Devastating Truth about the Obama Healthcare Plan, Part Two

...the Obama Plan is a government-corporate partnership from top to bottom. It always was.

The insurance companies agreed to call in their markers on Congressional legislators and get the necessary votes to pass the Plan.

The die is not yet cast. But that’s the strategy.

Hybrid car boom driving sales of rechargeable cells

Smaller, lighter and with greater power-storage capacity than nickel hydride batteries--which have been a popular choice for hybrid vehicles--lithium-ion batteries are seen as key to improving the performance of eco-friendly vehicles.

Incredible Report on Coal's Impact on Human Health

Physicians for Social Responsibility has released a groundbreaking medical report, “Coal’s Assault on Human Health,” which takes a new look at the devastating impacts of coal on the human body. Coal combustion releases mercury, particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and dozens of other substances known to be hazardous to human health. This report looks at the cumulative harm inflicted by those pollutants on three major body organ systems: the respiratory system, the cardiovascular system, and the nervous system. The report also considers coal’s contribution to global warming, and the health implications of global warming.

Mankind using Earth's resources at alarming rate

Humanity would need five Earths to produce the resources needed if everyone lived as profligately as Americans, according to a report issued Tuesday.

Mini ice age could hit in a matter of months, not years

Those who scoffed at the swiftness with which the world was plunged into an ice age in the film The Day After Tomorrow may need to rethink their disbelief with new research showing that such a scenario may not be so far from the truth. A new study reveals that switching off the North Atlantic circulation can force the Northern hemisphere into a mini ‘ice age’ in a matter of months rather than the tens of years indicated by previous research.

Momentum grows for Copenhagen climate deal

World leaders on Friday rallied to a diplomatic offensive to forge a U.N. climate deal in Copenhagen next month and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said an agreement was "within reach".

New Life for Nuclear

Although the construction of any new nuclear plant is at least a decade away, power plant owners are slowly adding to the fleet in small increments, or uprates. Through dozens of uprates using efficiency gains, technological improvements and regulatory changes, power plants can increase their output from 2 percent to 20 percent based on a variety of factors.

New Scrubbers Cut Brunner Island Emissions

Years ago, as PPL pondered how to get its Brunner Island power plant under sharply lower emissions limits coming Jan. 1, 2010, it had two options.

It could build its way there or buy its way there.

PPL chose the former.

Obama in talks with senators on climate change-energy bill; aides

White House officials indicated Monday that President Barack Obama has in recent weeks taken an aggressive behind-the-scenes approach toward crafting a climate and energy bill in the Senate while at the same time publicly highlighting climate change as a major topic of discussions with foreign leaders.

OPEC unlikely to change output at December 22 meeting

After an upward spurt in crude prices to $82/barrel in late October spurred talk of a possible output increase at OPEC's December 22 meeting in Angola, the betting is back on a rollover of the current agreement.

Over 85 Leaders To Attend Climate Talks

U.N. climate talks in Copenhagen next month can be a turning point in the world's fight against global warming, Denmark's prime minister said on Friday, adding that more than 85 heads of state and government had already said they would attend.

Power Plants Emit Three Times the Pollution of All the Nation’s Cars

The nation’s power plants emitted 2.56 billion tons of global warming pollution in 2007, which is equivalent to the pollution from nearly 450 million of today’s cars – nearly three times the number of cars registered in the United States in 2007, according to a new analysis of government data released today by Environment America.  More than 70 percent of this pollution came from plants – primarily coal plants – built before 1980. 

Radioactive Leak Probed At Indian Atomic Plant

Indian officials are investigating the leak of a radioactive substance into drinking water at an atomic power plant in the south of the country, they said on Sunday.

Regulator questions nuclear reactor plans

The Guardian reported Friday the Health and Safety Executive refused to recommend design plans for nuclear reactors that would help the United Kingdom replace its aging atomic and coal plants.

RI gov to speak about offshore wind power plans

Gov. Don Carcieri will offer industry leaders an update Thursday on his plans to build a massive wind farm off Rhode Island's coast capable of providing 15 percent of the state's electricity needs.

Scientists grow meat in a lab for the first time

Researchers from The Netherlands extracted myoblast cells from the muscle of a live pig; cells that in the right environment would grow into muscle in order to repair damage to tissue, and incubated them in a nutrient-based solution derived from the blood of animal foetuses. The result was what has been described as “a soggy form of pork” which, due to laboratory rules hasn’t been sampled for taste yet. Sufficient “exercising” of said product could however yield a tougher, steak-like consistency.

Smart grid hits snag over powerline standard

The U.S. government is grappling with one of the first big snags in the wake of awarding $4 billion in grants to build a smart electric grid. It could take years before there are any low cost appliances for Joe Consumer to plug into an intelligent power network.

The vision of a smart grid includes smart appliances that automatically turn on or off in response to fluctuating energy prices as electric demand peaks and troughs.

'Smartening Up' Government Buildings for the 21st Century

Just as the President and others push for new energy efficiencies in government, a revolutionary new approach is being employed by industry leaders to reduce energy use in data centers and in new and existing buildings.

Surry planners delay vote on controversial coal plant

More than 40 people urged county planners Monday to vote against a controversial proposal to build what would be the state's largest coal-fueled power plant in the tiny town of Dendron.

The Changing Role of US Forest Management in Response to Climate Change

In a memo sent on November 20, US Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell told his regional offices and station directors that "responding to the challenges of climate change in providing water and water-related ecosystem services is one of the most urgent tasks facing us as an agency. History will judge us by how well we respond to these challenges."

The Devastating Truth about the Obama Healthcare Plan

It is one thing to read and understand the details of the Obama Health Plan. It is another thing to grasp the kind of power this bill will create, and what that power, in the future, will mean and do.

Total US oil demand revised down by 518,000 bd in September; EIA

Total US oil demand for September was revised down by 518,000 b/d to 18.362 million b/d, according to data released Monday by the Energy Information Administration.

September oil demand was the lowest since September 2008, but year-over-year, total US demand was up 566,000 b/d. Month-over-month, total US demand was down 370,000 b/d.

Trash companies open compressed natural gas stations

Trash companies in four states have opened new compressed natural gas fuel stations with the help of Clean Energy Fuels Corp.

Turns out power plant site is clean

Consider it a lesson in watching where those decimal points go.

The city of Lodi may avoid a costly contamination cleanup at the site of a proposed power plant after it was discovered that an engineering consultant's report -- which appeared to show unsafe levels of pollutants tested in the soil -- was inaccurate.

U.S. Climate Bill Could Boost Economy by $111B, Study Says

As Republican senators in the U.S. attempt to delay proposed climate change legislation on the grounds that it could harm the country's economy, a major study from three influential universities suggests that a robust climate bill would have the exact opposite effect and would boost GDP by $111 billion by 2020.

UN to Assess Contaminated Oil Production Sites in Niger Delta

An environmental assessment of the pollution left by decades of oil production in the Ogoni region of the Niger Delta was jointly launched Friday by the Governor of Rivers State and the United Nations Environment Programme in Bori, Nigeria.

Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) Projects Proliferate, Finds Zeus Research

Energy research and consultancy, Zeus Development Corporation observes a rapid rise in the number of underground coal gasification (UCG) projects in recent months.

"Greenhouse gas emission concerns are prompting power and coal-to-liquids project developers to find innovative ways to manage carbon," said Chris Cothran, upstream analyst at Zeus

US 30-Year Rates Match All Time Low Last Week

Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) last week released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.78 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending November 25, 2009, down from last week when it averaged 4.83 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 5.97 percent. The 30-year has not been this low since the week ending April 30, 2009, when it averaged 4.78 percent.

US market for certified renewable energy grows 45%

More than half a million residential and 20,000 commercial customers purchased 13 TWh of certified renewable energy last year, according to the Center for Resource Solutions (CRS).

US Navy Concerned About Offshore Wind Development

Maryland is one of several Mid-Atlantic states looking to add offshore wind power to its energy supply. However, the US Navy expressed concerns last week that large turbines off the coast could conflict with military operations.

Wind energy summit to look at options

Financing pressures may be up and fuel prices down, but the time is still right to take advantage of Oklahoma's wind power potential, a state energy official said Monday.