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)

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

May 29, 2009

43 more nations planning to have nuclear power plants, association says

Forty-three more nations, including some emerging countries, have plans to launch nuclear power programs in addition to the 31 economies that currently have atomic power plants, according to a recent report by the London-based World Nuclear Association.

Amazonian Indigenous Protest Provokes Peruvian Government Reprisals

After more than six weeks of protests by Peru's Amazonian indigenous groups that have included blockades of major roads and waterways and the shutting down an oil pipeline pumping station, the Peruvian government has begun to crack down.

Arctic May Boost Oil and Gas Reserves

The first-ever comprehensive assessment of Arctic oil and gas deposits reveals that 13% of the world's undiscovered oil and 30% of its undiscovered natural gas could be trapped beneath the far north's barren land and icy waters. The potential resources are unlikely to alter world trends in oil and gas trade, however, and will probably keep Russia the king of natural gas for years to come.

Biggest Polluters Closer To Climate Deal; Canada

The world's biggest greenhouse gas producers have edged closer to agreement on a deal to fight global warming at crucial climate change talks in December, Canada's Environment Minister Jim Prentice said on Thursday.

California Businesses Could Save More Than Enough Water to Supply Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco

In the midst of a third consecutive dry year, California's water supply continues to shrink as the state’s population grows, but according to a new report by the Natural Resources Defense Council, the state’s commercial, industrial and institutional (CII) sector has the tools to save more than enough water to meet the annual needs of Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego combined. Some leading California businesses and institutions are already catching on — saving water and money at the same time.

Can the US Afford Cap-and-Trade?

Many Americans are fearful that if we reduce our carbon footprint, we will compromise our quality of life. This fear, however, is unfounded as evidence from around the United States demonstrates. U.S. states vary only modestly in average incomes, but have widely differing per capita emissions.

China's New Focus on Solar

China's government has announced generous support for its photovoltaic companies, which are aiming to become market leaders and be the first to supply solar power at just US $ 0.10 per kilowatt-hour (kWh).

Climate Change Making Everest Ascent Harder-Sherpa

A Nepali sherpa who holds the world record for climbing Mount Everest said on Monday rising temperatures were melting snow and turning the slopes barren, making it even harder to scale the world's tallest peak.

Clouds clearing away for PV industry

Despite the current crisis, the German photovoltaics industry sees a bright future. According to industry association BSW-Solar, most companies expect a significant uptrend beginning already in the near future.

Coal prep, processing emission limits to be stiffened

Based on comments that stakeholders made regarding last year's proposals, EPA seeks to revise the particulate matter emissions and opacity limits for thermal dryers and pneumatic coal-cleaning and handling equipment, and to expand the standards for thermal dryers so that they apply to direct contact and indirect contact dryers and pneumatic coal-cleaning equipment for all coal ranks.

Cold water ocean circulation doesn't work as expected

The familiar model of Atlantic ocean currents that shows a discrete "conveyor belt" of deep, cold water flowing southward from the Labrador Sea is probably all wet.

Company sees sludge as clean energy

When the late state Sen. Jim Rhoades asked him to devise a use for ever-increasing supplies of sewage sludge, Bruso fell back on his years of experience with soils and immediately thought fertilizer.

Could Ontario Be the Next Germany?

The introduction of Ontario's Green Energy Act, modeled after Germany's successful feed-in tariff approach, is expected to fuel rapid growth of the clean energy market in the province.

Crude prices leap to new highs on technical signals, soft dollar

Global crude futures retained their upward momentum Friday, leaping to new intra-day highs as the US dollar lost value, equities markets edged up and technical buy signals were triggered.

ICE Brent crude futures for July delivery broke through the $65/barrel mark, leaping to a fresh intra-day high of $65.43/b.

Democracy at Work

Political science teaches compromise as art form. And nowhere is that tenet clearer than with the carbon constraint bill now debated by Congress

Efficiency record for laser-processed solar cells

A team of researchers at the Stuttgart university has achieved an efficiency record for laser-processed solar cells based on crystalline silicon. The manufacturing process is fit for industrial volume production, the research group claims.

Electric Utilities Rise to Meet Solar Call-to-Action

As financial markets deteriorated in October 2008, Solar Electric Power Association Executive Director Julia Hamm challenged the solar and utility industries to deploy solar power on a massive scale despite new economic barriers. She issued the challenge in a speech at Solar Power International, the nation's largest solar conference and trade show.

EPA Administrator Pledges Strong Federal Cleanup Presence at Dow Dioxin Site in Michigan and Accelerated Assessment of Dioxins’ Human Health Impacts

Administrator Lisa P. Jackson today committed to a federal leadership role in expediting the ongoing cleanup of the Michigan Dow Dioxin site and an acceleration of the Environmental Protection Agency’s overall scientific review of dioxins.

EPA Strengthens Safety Measures for Soil Fumigant Pesticides

The Environmental Protection Agency is strengthening safety measures for soil fumigant pesticides. The safety measures will reduce fumigant exposures to bystanders—people who live, work, attend school, or spend time near agricultural fields that are fumigated—and increase overall safety of fumigant use by requiring greater planning and compliance.

Ernst & Young Release Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Indices

Boosted by the new CSP index, the U.S. has remained top in the all renewables index and extended its lead to four points. European nations have benefited from the European Economic Recovery Plan as well as announcements from the EC that one-third of Cohesion Policy funds will target a green economy.

Federal court halts implementation of N.Y.´s bottle bill

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York issued a preliminary injunction, May 27, while it decides on the constitutionality of the law. The expanded bill requires a 5-cent deposit on bottled water and special labeling, in the form of a unique bar code, on deposit containers sold in the state, effective June 1.

Forecasting for Dollars

It's 5 a.m. on a Monday and operations at the Puget Sound Energy trading desk are heating up. Actually, like utilities everywhere, the Bellevue, Washington, operation is never quiet. This flurry of activity is repeated from coast-to-coast as the desks gear up for that day's trades, and in this case, as the company's power generation bids are prepared for the day-ahead market.

Gas hydrates in Gulf of Mexico could be new energy source; USGS

Gas hydrates -- a substance that scientists say could be a new source of energy -- exist in the US Gulf of Mexico in quantities big enough that they could possibly be used to produce gas using existing technology, the US Geological Survey said Friday.

Global Energy Demand Seen Up 44 Percent By 2030

Global energy demand is expected to soar 44 percent over the next two decades with most of the demand coming from developing countries such as China and Russia, the U.S. government's top energy forecasting agency said on Wednesday.

Homegrown Grains; The Key to Food Security

OK, you've mastered tomatoes and peppers -- but how about learning how to grow grains in your own yard?

Innovation and Sea of Change in the Residential Solar Market

The collapse of the capital markets doesn’t seem to sway solar entrepreneurs from innovating and remaining hopeful of the future. Many European companies share the same sentiments as their American counterparts in the role that U.S. will play in the future solar market.

Lack of Yucca option, causing nuclear waste woes, groups says

Savannah River Site's Community Reuse Organization will join other groups that oppose the Obama administration's decision to scrap plans for a permanent nuclear waste repository in Nevada's Yucca Mountain.

Mazda Extends Range With Hydrogen Hybrid

Hydrogen is an alternative fuel whose viability is directly dependent on the amount of money and effort placed behind its development. Electric cars have an inherent advantage as the power grid infrastructure is already in place, but hydrogen requires a whole different kind of transportation and filling station other than the outlet in your garage.

NASA Supercomputers Advance State of the Art of Ocean Circulation Modeling

Scientists believe the ocean and its interactions with the atmosphere are key to studying climate change. To better understand these interactions, they identified three important areas in climate research. They look at the 'states' of the ocean and sea-ice, which includes their temperature, salinity, current speeds, and sea-surface elevation, and study their changes at and below the surface.

NCAI leader warns of new breed of ‘Indian fighters’

Indian fighters are apparently alive and well; and tribal leaders want members of Congress to know it – especially when it comes to determining a possible remedy to a recent Supreme Court ruling in the Carcieri v. Salazar case.

New Ocean Circulation Experiment has Potential Big Climate Model Impact

New research by Duke University, in conjunction with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is casting doubt on long-held theories of North Atlantic Ocean circulation patterns.

Obama says to discuss US 'clean energy' push with Abdullah

On Thursday, Obama said he would discuss with Abdullah how the US is looking to "advance clean energy" as a means of stabilizing energy prices and controlling greenhouse gases. He would not be framing such an advancement of alternative energy supplies as a means of cutting US oil imports, he added.

Ocean temperatures and sea level increases 50 percent higher than previously estimated

...research suggests that ocean temperature and associated sea level increases between 1961 and 2003 were 50 percent larger than estimated in the 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report.

Ontario to spend $100 million on green building retrofits

Ontario, Canada, is spending about $100 million in what that government believes to be one of the largest green building retrofits in North America.

About 1,000 new jobs are being created through the renovation of the former Sears Canada headquarters building in Toronto that is now owned by the government.

Owens Corning Installs Largest SolarWall® System of 2008

The SolarWall® technology is a solar air heating system that uses the sun’s energy to heat ventilation air for commercial and industrial buildings. It substantially reduces traditional heating fuel expenses and CO2 emissions, requires no maintenance and lasts more than 30 years.

Patent Portfolio Strategies for Cleantech Companies

The stimulus package recently passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama (the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) includes billions of dollars for energy grants and loan guarantee provisions that are intended to enhance the use of renewable energy as well as energy efficiency.

Pennsylvania wants to allow power companies to capture carbon dioxide emissions and put them into the ground

Unlike trash disposal, carbon dioxide cannot be dumped in a landfill, shipped away or burned.

But some Pennsylvania lawmakers hope to find another place for the greenhouse gas that scientists implicate as the main cause of global warming.

Pickens On Mackinac; Natural Gas Plus Wind Equals Less Foreign Oil

Pickens criticized the United States for not having an energy plan for 40 years, and ever-increasing percentages of American oil being imported from overseas.

But he said there had been little leadership on changing that because until recently, "we had cheap oil. Consequently America was never tasked to look at what would happen if it was cut off from us."

Power usage down all over

Power usage is down steeply across the country in the first three months of 2009 compared with 2008, due in part to the economic downturn and possibly a change in consumer behavior,..

Rating Agencies are Hoping to Redeem Their Reputations by Downgrading Countries

In recent weeks, the major rating agencies have become very courageous; they have started to hint at downgrading a number of major economies....The top executives at these firms must have thought they have sent shivers down the backs of these governments and that their decision to downgrade would have significant repercussions for them in the debt and currency markets.

Renewable Energy

For years topics relating to the environment and green energy were a social issue, with emphasis on moral and social consciousness rather than on anything practical. It was not an issue to be taken too seriously. Today it has become a social imperative, an issue in which everyone has to actively participate.

Report of Solar-Geophysical Activity 052809

Solar activity continued to be very low. The disk is spotless and no flares occurred.  The geomagnetic field was quiet to mildly unsettled. A sudden impulse measuring 33 nT at Boulder occurred at 0520 UTC, bringing unsettled conditions in its wake. The source of this impulse is of dubious origin.

Research reveals Pacific Ocean threats and solutions

The Pacific Ocean, occupying a third of the planet's area, faces threats that will render some coastal areas uninhabitable.

Pollution such as sewage, runoff from land and toxic waste; habitat destruction; over-fishing; and climate change leading to sea level rise, ocean acidification and warming will all interact to damage the ocean's ecology and coastal economies.

Rise in Consumer Confidence Good News for the US Economy

Sanyo tops 23% c-Si solar cell efficiency

Sanyo Electric says it has ratcheted up the conversion efficiency of its crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells to a record 23.0%, a mark confirmed by the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST).

Solar Beats Power Lines in State Poll

By a nearly 2-to-1 ratio, Mainers would prefer using solar panels to upgrade the state's power grid over putting up high-voltage lines, according to a poll released Wednesday.

Solar Makes Sense Now

As demand escalates with uncertain supply, prices will in turn increase, placing a huge strain on our economy. Clearly, the mandate to deliver new energy solutions has never been stronger, and solar PV is ready to deliver competitive prices with high-value job creation at the same time.

Solar Sparkle for Arizona

The team behind a new solar heating plant recently unveiled in Arizona expects the performance not only to be "sensationally high," but that this may turn out to be the solar array with the best output worldwide. The plant provides industrial process hot water -- a sector that could be set to grow very rapidly.

Stream of renewable placements may run dry

Recent share placements by renewable energy companies suggest the industry has passed through a financial bottleneck, but investor appetite for further stock sales could vanish as quickly as it surfaced.

Study Links Stranded Marine Animals to Environmental Toxins

Cape Cod is one of the top areas in the world for marine mammal strandings. The animals are sometimes loaded with parasites or are sick. But, despite a long history of pollution in our coastal waters, the toll pollution takes on sea creatures has been harder to establish.

Tenn. company to construct large biomass facility at SRS

The $795 million project replaces a deteriorating, inefficient coal powerhouse and oil-fired boilers at a savings of approximately $34 million a year in energy and operation and maintenance costs and reduces air emissions, including 100,000 tons per year of greenhouse gas emissions.

The American Academy Of Environmental Medicine Calls For Immediate Moratorium On Genetically Modified Foods

The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) today released its position paper on Genetically Modified foods stating that "GM foods pose a serious health risk" and calling for a moratorium on GM foods.

Think reining in global warming pollution will destroy our economy! Think again

$1.7 trillion: The amount of money the United States would save from 2010 to 2030—if Congress enacts comprehensive climate policy that includes a cap on heat-trapping carbon emissions as well as a package of energy and transportation policies

US DOE should broaden idea of appliance efficiency standards; NRC

The National Research Council on Wednesday recommended that the US Department of Energy should include in its appliance energy-efficiency standards not only the efficiency of the individual appliance itself, but also the life-cycle efficiency of producing the fuel needed to run it.

US House Democrats urge Interior to reassess Alaska leasing

Some US House of Representatives Democrats have asked Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to void oil and natural gas leases that the US Department of the Interior issued in the Chukchi Sea and cancel pending lease sales in the sea, in light of a recent federal court decision challenging the agency's plans for those auctions during the Bush administration.

US Senator Kerry pushes US-China cooperation on clean energy

US Senator John Kerry wrapped up a trip to China Thursday by saying that the country, the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, is willing to begin immediate bilateral negotiations on promoting clean-energy technology.

USDA Must Stop Invasive Plants

Non-native and damaging, or “invasive,” species can spread disease, harm the environment, undermine decades of conservation efforts, and cause serious economic costs to industries and communities. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) regulations for importing live plants have been out-of-date for decades and currently don’t protect our land and water from harmful non-native plants

Waste_Inbox 052609

The export of electronic scrap to developing countries for recycling continues to be a serious problem. But some companies are starting to recognize this and do something about it.

Water from Melting Greenland Ice Sheath May Impact Northeast US Coast

New research by the National Center for Atmospheric Research points to the possibility that water from the melting Greenland Ice Sheath could change oceanic circulation in the North Atlantic, in a way that would raise sea levels off the Northeast by about eight inches more than the average global sea level rise that is expected with global warming.
 

World CO2 Up 39 Percent By 2030 Without New Policy; EIA

Global emissions of the main greenhouse gas carbon dioxide will jump more than 39 percent by 2030 without new policies and binding pacts to cut global warming pollution, the top U.S. energy forecast agency said on Wednesday.

May 26, 2009

‘False solutions’ on climate change bring indigenous delegation to Washington

...a delegation of 18 indigenous leaders from both hemispheres stopped in Washington to tell Congress and President Barack Obama there will be no solution to global warming and climate change if indigenous communities are not directly involved now.

About Plastic Bag Reduction

Plastic bags affect our environment and society.

Plastic bag litter - and its effects on the environment, wildlife and human settlements - is the primary concern, however plastic bags are increasingly viewed by the community as a symbol of unnecessary consumption.

'Alien' Pests Wreak Vast Economic Damage; U.N.

Many governments are ignoring alien invasive species such as weeds or rats that may be causing $1.4 trillion damage a year to the world economy, the head of the U.N. Environment Program (UNEP) said on Friday.

Arctic Methane Rise Spurs Worry On Permafrost Thaw

A rise in concentrations of a powerful greenhouse gas over the Arctic after a decade of stability is stirring worries about a possible thaw of vast stores trapped in permafrost, experts said.

BLM not doing required well inspections in Western US; study

The US Bureau of Land Management is not keeping up with legally required environmental inspections of oil and gas wells in the Western US, but the current gas demand slump is providing a "golden opportunity to catch up," a coalition of environmental groups said Friday after releasing a new report.

Brazil, Russia and US undo what OPEC is trying to achieve with supply cut

As OPEC nations make their biggest oil production cuts on record, Brazil, Russia and the US are pumping out more, threatening to send crude back below $ 50 a barrel as demand slows.

China Energy Expert Sees Coal Power Slowing From 2011

China's boom of coal-fired power plants is likely to slow after next year as excess capacity and then expanding renewable and nuclear energy sources kick in, a senior energy policy analyst said in an interview.

Congress to clarify what is covered by Clean Water Act

The Obama administration is asking Congress to pass legislation clarifying which bodies of water are covered by the Clean Water Act.

Crude prices seen falling to $40-50b this summer; Japan Energy

Benchmark light sweet crude futures on the New York Mercantile Exchange
could fall to around $40-50/barrel toward summer as some OPEC producers may
increase output, encouraged by current prices of around $60/b, Japan Energy's
general manager of crude and products buying Tadashi Yamazaki said Tuesday.

Environmental benefits of electric cars dismissed as 'fiction'

The research conducted by the group Transport Watch found that diesel powered vehicles emit approximately half as much CO2 as electric cars when the use of fossil fuels to produce electricity is taken into account.

European Over-Fishing Began 1,000 Years Ago - Report

Europeans started over-exploiting freshwater fish at least 1,000 years ago, according to historical studies that could help manage depleted modern fish stocks worldwide.

Falling US gas rig count not matched by output drop; consultant

The falling natural gas rig count in the US seen in the last six months has not been matched by a drop in productivity, Porter Bennett, CEO of US consultancy Bentek Energy, said Tuesday.

Finding local food can be cruciferous, get help with the NRDC local food finder

We all need to start eating closer to home, and with all due respect, I don’t mean down at the corner KFC.

I’m talking about finding fresh, locally grown produce for home cooking. Do we even need to list the reasons?

Greener Power Plants; New Technology Minimizes Waste And Water Consumption

As the need for electricity in major U.S. cities continues to grow, so does the need for generating it in an environmentally friendly way.

Group goes to court over Summer reactor plans

Friends of the Earth said it filed an appeal May 22 with the South Carolina Supreme Court over state regulators' approvals for two new Westinghouse AP1000s at the Summer reactor site.

H1N1 Flu Could Mutate in Southern Hemisphere, Experts Warn

Health authorities around the world must be vigilant as the new H1N1 influenza virus meets seasonal flu viruses circulating in the Southern Hemisphere during the winter season, warns the head of the UN World Health Organization.

In 2015 up to 100 mm tons of oil to be shipped through Barents Sea

More than 15 mm tons of oil will be shipped through the Barents Sea in 2009, the authors of a new oil transport report say. In 2015, oil shipments in the area could amount to more than 100 mm tons.

In Brazil, Extreme Weather Stokes Climate Worries

No one could say they hadn't seen it coming.

The sand dunes had been advancing for decades before, two years ago, they finally swallowed the houses of Raimundo do Nascimento and 12 other families in Ilha Grande, an island in the Parnaiba river delta in northeastern Brazil.

In Hot Pursuit of Fusion (or Folly)

Here in a dry California valley, outside a small town, a cathedral of light is to be dedicated on Friday. Like the cathedrals of antiquity, it is built on an unrivaled scale with unmatched technology, and it embodies a scientific doctrine that, if confirmed, might lift civilization to new heights.

Iran pushes Persian Pipeline as European alternative to Russian gas

Iran's proposed Persian pipeline could be the perfect alternative to Europe's reliance on Russian gas, Iranian Oil Minister Gholam Hossein Nozari says.

Iran to boost oil cooperation with African and Latin American states

Deputy Oil Minister for International Affairs said that Iran plans to develop cooperation with African, Latin American and neighbouring countries in the oil sector.

Iran to import Iraq's oil

Iran has announced plans to import up to 200,000 barrels of oil per day from Iraq to feed a refinery in the oil-rich province of Khuzestan.

Kansas Enacts Renewable Energy Standard, Permits Disputed Coal Plant

Today, Governor Mark Parkinson signed legislation that establishes the state's Renewable Energy Standard and allows Kansans to generate their own power with renewable energy installations and sell back the extra electricity they produce to their utility through net metering.

Mysterious virus strikes FBI

The FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service were forced to shut down parts of their computer networks after a mystery virus struck the law-enforcement agencies Thursday

Naimi sees no OPEC output increase till stocks fall

Saudi Arabian oil minister Ali Naimi was quoted Tuesday as saying OPEC would not increase its crude oil production ceiling until it was satisfied oil inventories in consuming nations were back to normal levels, saying stocks currently at 62 days of forward cover were high and should come down.

National Archives; What, Me Worry?

While many of you this weekend were firing up your barbecues, cooking grilled meats and drinking chilled beers, the National Security Administration made a small announcement last Thursday having to do with a eensy, weensy, rather trivial data loss — it managed to misplace a TWO TERABYTE EXTERNAL STORAGE SYSTEM containing confidential information from the White House during the Clinton administration.

Nigeria to export 2.01 mil b/d in June, 2.04 mil b/d in July; NNPC

Nigeria crude exports including condensates are expected to exceed the country's OPEC quota in June and July despite a wave of militant attacks in the oil-rich Niger Delta, state-owned Nigeria National Petroleum Corp said Tuesday.

NYMEX crude firms as dollar drops, equity futures steady

NYMEX June crude futures on CME's Globex system were 67 cents higher at $61.72/barrel Friday, as the dollar continued its retreat and equity futures indicated a stronger open at the start of trading in New York.

Obama remains opposed to increase in US gasoline tax; DOT chief

"We think when people are out of work and the economy's in a recession, that it's not a good time to be talking about raising the tax," LaHood said Thursday at a National Press Club luncheon in Washington.

Obama Team Walks A Tightrope On Climate Change

At Obama's urging, Congress is working on a bill to curb greenhouse gas emissions with a cap-and-trade system. The developed world is again looking to the United States to lead on the climate issue after eight years of Washington sitting on the sidelines.

Oil worth billions outside Norway's Arctic coast

Some 7 bn barrels of oil equivalents are probably hidden under the continental shelf of northern Norway.
The oil industry and the political opposition parties now step up pressure on government to extract the resources.

Pakistan's cabinet clears way for pipeline as Iran's price is accepted

The cabinet cleared the way for the gas pipeline project with Iran by accepting price purchase formula offered by Tehran. A cabinet meeting accepted Iran's offer to export one bn cfpd of gas at 80 % of the crude oil price in the international market. A sale-purchase agreement is likely to be signed this year.

Pedestrian Plaza Reclaims Pavement for People

It's a small space, maybe 1000 square feet in sum, but it's symbolic, and perhaps a hopeful sign for pavement reclamation enthusiasts everywhere. The idea is to close a section of street to vehicular traffic, so that citizens can have a place to eat, drink coffee, read the paper, and generally hang out outside.

Push to add wind and solar expected to force changes in US power grid

The push to add more renewable wind and solar MW to the US electric mix will force changes in the way the power grid operates to keep electricity flowing reliably, said an industry watchdog.
Climate-change concerns have led more than half of US states to mandate that a percentage of future electric supply come from less-polluting resources, such as wind and solar power that emit no greenhouse gas.

Recycling Mysteries; #5 Plastics

If you’re trying to be more eco-conscious, chances are you’re already recycling plastic bottles (or using reusable ones!). But what about yogurt cups, hummus tubs or cottage cheese containers? What’s the best way to dispose of those?

Rising sea levels; Survival tips from 5000 BC

WITH rising seas lapping at coastal cities and threatening to engulf entire islands in the not-too-distant future, it's easy to assume our only option will be to abandon them and head for the hills. There may be another way, however.

Russia to put crude production up

Crude oil production from Russia is expected to boast modest gains in 2009 despite earlier forecasts of a decline in the industry, officials said.

Russian pipeline to reach China soon

A long-awaited oil pipeline from Russia is expected to reach China within weeks, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said. He told lawmakers that Russian state oil pipe builder Transneft will soon finish laying the pipes.

Second Giant Solar Plant Planned for Arizona Electricity Users

A 290 million watt concentrating solar plant, among the largest in the world, is planned for construction in the Harquahala Valley, 75 miles west of Phoenix, the Arizona Public Service utility announced Friday.

Survey finds US consumers in an energy-use delusion

As economic concerns deepen, most US consumers want to lower their utility bills, but they also overestimate their homes' efficiency and underestimate their own energy usage, according to a survey.

The Chan flu crisis

She made her reputation combatting the 1997 avian flu outbreak and the 2003 SARS outbreak.

She’s the right woman in the right place at the right time.

She closed the World Health Assembly in Geneva today with a typically understated speech...

The Lithium Boom Is Coming; The New Bubble?

New vehicle emission standards will likely be a boon for everything from aluminium to new plastics, but the producers of lithium -- a mineral used in batteries that power new generation vehicles -- could be the big winners.

The Smoking Gun, Subprime Underwriting and Prepayment

The two Fed working papers suggest how subprime lenders, borrowers, and regulators exploited this link between transactions and home price appreciation to create the appearance of a viable mortgage product, as long as home prices were increasing.

Thousands Evacuate Australian Floods, One Dead

Thousands more people in Australia's flood-hit east were told to leave their homes on Saturday as gale-force winds lashed the coast and emergency services said up to 20,000 people had been cut off.

Toxic Hudson River Sediment Could Poison Texas Aquifer

The long awaited dredging of the Upper Hudson River to remove sediment contaminated by PCBs from a General Electric factory began Friday near Roger’s Island in Fort Edward. ..But environmentalists in Texas are demanding an Environmental Impact Statement, saying that disposing of the PCBs at the Waste Control Specialists site could the poison the Ogallala aquifer.

Turkey Lets More Water Out Of Dams To Iraq - MP

Turkey has boosted the flow of the Euphrates river passing through its dams upstream of Iraq to help farmers cope with a drought after Iraqi complaints, but it is still not enough, a top Iraqi lawmaker said on Saturday.

Two New DC Power Standards Coming, Are You Ready?

You have probably heard about efforts to develop a 380Vdc power standard for Data Centers and other critical facilities.

You may not be as familiar with a larger effort to develop a 24Vdc power standard for commercial, industrial and residential buildings.

U.S. Energy-Related Carbon Dioxide Emissions Down in 2008

Energy demand across the United States fell in 2008, leading to the largest annual decline in energy-related carbon dioxide emissions since the federal government began annual reporting on greenhouse gas emissions in 1990.

US Aims To Mend Rich-Poor Climate Split

The United States will try to persuade rich and poor countries to share the burden of fighting climate change next week, with a big US pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions likely to help mend ties.

US-Indian team investigates alternative energy source in India

"Energy scarcity in all its forms is a big issue in India. Any attempt to get [new] energy sources, particularly unconventional sources, is most welcome," Rakesh Kumar, deputy director of the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI)

Washing your car — without water

You know your car is a gas hound. But what about the water it requires?

Keeping a car clean, whether you rinse it off in your driveway or get it scrubbed at a professional wash, uses buckets of agua, more than you might realize.

Water worries cloud the future for US biofuel

It's corn planting time in the US Plains, and that means Kansas corn farmer Merl "Buck" Rexford is worrying about the weather -- and hoping there is enough water. Rexford plans to start seeding his 7,000 acres near Meade, Kansas, and he is relishing a recent heavy snow storm that dropped several inches of much-needed moisture.

World Business Leaders Hear Catastrophic Climate Warnings

"We meet at a critical moment in human history. Our planet is warming to dangerous levels," UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the opening session of the World Business Summit on Climate Change in Copenhagen on Sunday.

Yosemite's giant trees disappear

The oldest and largest trees within California's world famous Yosemite National Park are disappearing.
Climate change appears to be a major cause of the loss.

You Are Brilliant, and the Earth is Hiring;  Paul Hawken

You are graduating to the most amazing, challenging, stupefying challenge ever bequested to any generation. Nature beckons you to be on her side. You couldn’t ask for a better boss. The most unrealistic person in the world is the cynic, not the dreamer. Hopefulness only makes sense when it doesn’t make sense to be hopeful. This is your century. Take it and run as if your life depends on it: Paul Hawken

May 22, 2009

Air Force waves off warnings about GPS accuracy

A government report says the accuracy of GPS signals could deteriorate in the next few years because of delays in satellite launches, but the Air Force says it has plenty of ways of keeping up the navigation system increasingly relied on by drivers and cell phone users.
 

Air-fueled Battery Could Last Up to 10 Times Longer

"The key is to use oxygen in the air as a re-agent, rather than carry the necessary chemicals around inside the battery."

API ANALYSIS; US gasoline stocks in seasonal decline

US gasoline stocks fell by a larger-than-expected 1.954 million barrels to 206.186 million barrels the week ending May 15, a seasonal occurrence, as production declined and demand jumped, an analysis of the American Petroleum Institute's data showed Tuesday.

Auto Emission Standards Around The World

Here are highlights of the emission-cutting plans of some of the world's biggest emitters.

Ban Ki-Moon Calls For 'Green Deal'

"We absolutely must reach an agreement to reduce greenhouse gases and help millions of families adapt to climate change -- before our time runs out," Ban told an audience at Johns Hopkins University in Washington, according to a transcript made available at the United Nations.

Banking’s Dirty Little Compensation Secret

What is different about today’s debate is that it now includes the “big guys” being asked about their compensation and isn’t just restricted to executives of small banks. The big guys thought that they were above the regulatory worries of the “little people”.

'Bennett Freeze' is signed into law

President Barack Obama signed a bill that officially repealed the "Bennett Freeze" law that virtually halted economic growth in western Navajo Nation and on Hopi lands for four decades, marking final victory in Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick and Sen. John McCain's struggle to permanently remove the law.

Big U.S. Offshore Wind Farm Wins Crucial Permit

A $1 billion proposal to build the first big U.S. offshore wind-power farm passed a key hurdle on Thursday by winning permit requirements in Massachusetts, where it faces opposition from some influential residents.

Canada Details Fund For Carbon Capture, Clean Energy

The Canadian government announced details on Tuesday of the C$1 billion ($860 million) clean energy fund it promised in February, with the lion's share of the cash going to support the development of carbon capture and storage projects.

Carbon capture success in Wisconsin

...now there has been yet another successful demonstration that the technology to capture that CO2 from flue gas might actually work: chilled ammonia can capture more than 88 percent of the greenhouse gas before it goes up the smokestack.

Changing Climate; Carbon Tax Gaining Momentum over Cap-and-Trade

The number one response: Cap-and-trade could too easily be manipulated or gamed. In an age of global financial turmoil, much of it brought on by dubious financial creations such as credit default swaps and subprime mortgage derivatives, these folks didn’t trust the market makers (or regulators) to properly manage the process.

China Tells Rich Nations To Cut Emissions By 40 Percent

Rich nations should cut their greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 percent by 2020 from 1990 levels as part of a new global climate change pact, China said on Thursday, spelling out its stance ahead of negotiations.

Climate 2030 Blueprint

Today, the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) released the Climate 2030 Blueprint, a peer-reviewed study showing that the United States can dramatically cut global warming pollution while saving households and businesses in every region of the nation billions of dollars in energy costs.

Coal, biomass fuel combo could help US meet demand needs; report

Meeting US power and fuels needs through coal or biomass would not be competitive at the current prices for oil, but in combination, the two could produce a viable alternative fuel by 2020, according to a report the National Research Council of the National Academies of Science released Wednesday.

Coal-fired power plant losing support, environmentalists say

Four of 10 electric membership cooperatives planning a $2 billion coal-fired power plant in Washington County have pulled out of the project, according to environmental groups that have campaigned against the 850-megawatt generating station.

Computer virus strikes US Marshals, FBI affected

Law enforcement computers were struck by a mystery computer virus Thursday, forcing the FBI and the U.S. Marshals to shut down part of their networks as a precaution.

Court rules in favor of foreign nuke waste

A federal judge Friday opened the door for foreign radioactive waste to be disposed of in Utah.

In a case being watched around the world...

Crude supported by soft dollar, higher equities in thin trade

Global crude futures gained fresh momentum Friday, buoyed by the extended slide of the US dollar to a fresh low and modest gains on European equities markets, sources said.

Daimler takes stake in Tesla

Daimler AG has acquired an equity stake of 10 percent of electric car manufacturer Tesla Motors. With the move, the German luxury car maker intends to speed its lagging e-car development.

Dept. of Energy to spend $144M to clean up N.Y. reactor

The U.S. Department of Energy has agreed to spend about $144 million cleaning up the inactive High Flux Beam Reactor at the Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, N.Y.

Duke Energy Announces Acquisition of Its First Wind Farm in Eastern U.S.

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) took another step in expanding its renewable energy portfolio with the announcement that it is acquiring a 70-megawatt wind power project in Pennsylvania - the company's first in the eastern U.S.

EPA Administrator Jackson Wraps Up Two Day Tour of Wyoming Energy Production Sites with Governor Freudenthal

Wyoming is currently the nation’s largest net exporter of energy. The state also has some of the best wind energy potential in North America, with highly-rated wind production areas stretching from the western border with Utah to the state’s eastern plains.

Food factories help viruses spread and evolve?

Yes. The current pandemic is linked to the way we produce food—in factory farms, via vertically integrated business. Experts say the global food industry, like the global banking industry, is too big and out of control. It needs to be fixed.

Genetically Engineered Crops - A 'Spectacular Failure'?

On May 10, Deconstructing Dinner recorded Ann speak at an event hosted by the Kootenay Local Agricultural Society. Ann's talk dealt with the topic of genetically engineered food, and she sought to demonstrate the "spectacular failures" of these technologies, which are now pervasive throughout the North American food supply.

Green Jobs & Investment in Indian Country

A groundswell of "green" investment and activity has been building on Native American Indian tribal lands around the country. Recent action at the tribal, state and federal levels, as well as in local communities and the private sector, bodes well for the future of these marginalized populations and lands. It also dovetails nicely with what we've come to associate and identify with in traditional American Indian culture and beliefs.

IEA foresees $100 billion oil investment drop in 2009

Global oil investment this year is likely to be $100 billion lower than 2008 levels, the International Energy Agency's chief economist, Fatih Birol, said May 20, warning that lower investment as a consequence of the global economic crisis threatened future energy security as well as the effort to combat climate change.

In Brazil, extreme weather stokes climate worries

The sand dunes had been advancing for decades before, two years ago, they finally swallowed the houses of Raimundo do Nascimento and 12 other families in Ilha Grande, an island in the Parnaiba river delta in northeastern Brazil.

Industrial Farming is Giving us Less Nutritious Food

The commercially grown vegetables, fruits and grains that we are eating today are significantly less nutritious than these foods were 100 years ago, or even just 30 years ago.

Inside Russia

Russia, the biggest country in the World by area and the fourth-biggest by installed electricity generating capacity, is nearing a significant milestone. By next year -- unless the global recession continues to dampen demand -- it should again reach the level of electricity consumption it had in 1990, all of 20 years ago.

Is the Environment Making Us Fat and Sick?

Conventional wisdom says that the meteoric rise in obesity and related health conditions - the early stages of which are now called metabolic syndrome - is due to the West having a bad case of "couch potato syndrome." That is, over the past few decades, we have been eating too much and not exercising enough.

While poor diet and inactivity play an undeniable role in fostering metabolic syndrome, that's not the whole story. Clinical and epidemiological evidence increasingly implicates another culprit: the environment.

Mexican company creates oxo-biodegradable packaging

Multinational baking giant Grupo Bimbo SAB de CV of Mexico City has unveiled what it claims are the world´s first oxo-biodegradable metalized polypropylene snack bags.

Michigan Scientist, Ethicist Urge Scientists to Speak Out on Environment

Should environmental scientists be advocates for environmental policy? To a population biologist from Michigan Technological University and an environmental ethicist from Michigan State University, the answer is a resounding yes.

Michigan university researchers call for greenhouse gas cuts

“We are convinced that immediate action is necessary to avoid the worst consequences of global warming on Michigan’s economy and environment, including the Great Lakes,” the group of more than 170 wrote.

Modest Recovery for US Leveraged Finance Despite Tight Credit Conditions

The U.S. high yield and leveraged loan markets recovered modestly in the first quarter of 2009 (1Q'09) following the steepest declines in the history of either market, according to Fitch Ratings Leveraged Finance Quarterly. The improvements in performance and issuance came, however, as default rates continued to rise and credit quality worsened.

New Organic Initiative available to farmers, ranchers

The Natural Resources Conservation Service is accepting applications until May 29 for a new initiative under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program.

Obama approves US-UAE nuclear cooperation agreement

President Barack Obama has approved a US-United Arab Emirates agreement
on civilian nuclear cooperation and authorized Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton to carry out its implementation.

OPEC exports for four weeks to Jun 6 to rise 200,000 bd; analyst

OPEC crude exports, excluding those from Angola and Ecuador, are expected to average 22.44 million b/d in the four weeks ending June 6, up 200,000 b/d from the previous four-week period, UK-based tanker tracker Oil Movements said Friday.

Over 11 mln Displaced In Central, East Africa - UN

The number of people displaced by conflict and natural disaster in Central and East Africa is now more than 11 million, the United Nations said on Monday.

Owls replace pesticides in Israel

In Israel, where there is a drive to reduce the use of toxic chemical pesticides, this has been turned into a government-funded national programme.

Scientists and conservation charities from Jordan and Palestine have joined the scheme.

Pollution Can Change Your DNA in 3 Days, Study Suggests

Breathing in polluted air may wreak havoc on our DNA, reprogramming genes in as few as three days and causing increased rates of cancer and other diseases.

So says a new study that tracked DNA damage...

President Obama Announces National Fuel Efficiency Policy

President Obama today – for the first time in history – set in motion a new national policy aimed at both increasing fuel economy and reducing greenhouse gas pollution for all new cars and trucks sold in the United States.

Pumping Green Power from Fake Plastic Trees

With all the potential good wind power could do for the carbon economy, one of the objections hindering its implementation is aesthetic; people simply don't want massive turbines dotting the landscape and marring their views. The Dutch founder of London's Solar Botanic Ltd. was wrestling with that very issue in 2002 when the idea began to blossom: why not redesign the technology to blend into the natural world?

Rentech to build biodiesel production plant in California

Rentech Inc. plans to build a biodiesel production plant in Rialto, Calif., that will use waste biomass as a feedstock.

Residential Energy Efficiency; It's the Behavior, Stupid

As utilities, regulators and other market actors face increasing pressure to dramatically ratchet up energy efficiency and demand response programs, a new buzzword, behavior, is fundamentally changing the approach to energy efficiency. Behavior strategies, often grouped with close cousins marketing, education, outreach, conservation and market transformation, offer the promise of dramatically increasing the reach, cost-effectiveness and verifiability of energy efficiency investments.

Russian President calls for EU to help Ukraine gas loan

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev called for the European Union to take part in a syndicated loan to help Ukraine pay for natural gas supplies, as he said the country was having solvency problems.

Secretary Chu Announces $2.4 Billion in Funding for Carbon Capture and Storage Projects

U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu today announced at the National Coal Council that $2.4 billion from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be used to expand and accelerate the commercial deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology.

Shellfish reefs are 'most imperilled sea habitat'

Globally, 85 per cent of reefs have been lost. Destructive fishing practices, disease and coastal development threaten many of the survivors. What sounds like an apocalyptic vision of the future for the world's tropical corals is in fact a chilling assessment of the current state of reefs built in cooler waters by oysters and other bivalve shellfish.

Solar Shootout in the San Joaquin Valley

Side-by-side crystalline and thin-film photovoltaic installations at a water treatment plant in California's Central Valley should provide a clear indication of which provides the best energy production and cost benefit performance over varying climatic conditions within a year.

Solar Takes a Backseat in National Climate and Energy Bill

For the past eight years solar advocates throughout the United States lamented the lack of federal leadership on renewable energy issues. If only we had a President who fully realized the economic, environmental, and moral obligation to stem global warming and increase our domestic clean energy supply, we said. If only we had a filibuster-proof majority in the U.S. Senate promising sweeping clean energy legislation. If only we had a fervent renewable energy advocate chairing the House's Energy and Commerce (E&C) Committee. Well, that dream checklist is done, done and done.

Sweeteners Linger in Groundwater

After tickling the tongue, artificial sweeteners pass through our bodies and end up in wastewater virtually unchanged. Some sweeteners are particularly widespread in the environment, according to a new study, making them ideal markers for following pollution from treatment plants and other sources into the environment.

The Evolution Of Laundry Detergent

People are very entrenched in the way they do their laundry," says Adam Lowry, the co-founder and chief "greenskeeper" at Method. And that's a problem, as we'll explain in a moment.

The Real Options Monster, TARP and the US Taxpayer

Would someone please put the SEC out of its post-Madoff misery?

It would save the more than $900 million that it costs to annually fund an agency that missed the self-confessed (that’s English for “the SEC had no idea”) $50+ billion Ponzi scheme.

U.S. Carbon Emissions Fall by Most Since '82

U.S. emissions of carbon dioxide related to energy use fell 2.8 percent last year, according to an estimate by the Energy Information Administration, driven down by high oil prices and the sagging economy. The drop in carbon dioxide emissions was the steepest since 1982.

U.S. Lawmakers Reject Nuclear In Renewable Power Goal

U.S. lawmakers pushing to include greater recognition for existing nuclear power in a national renewable energy standard failed to win new breaks for the industry when a U.S. congressional panel on Wednesday voted down an amendment to a controversial climate change bill.

U.S. To Rely More On Scientists For Air Rules; EPA

The U.S. government will reverse a Bush administration policy and increase the role of scientists in setting air standards for criteria pollutants harmful to human health, Lisa Jackson, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, said on Thursday.

University to use landfill gas for school´s heat, electricity

The University of New Hampshire expects to use landfill gas to provide up to 85% of the school´s electricity and heat.

Uranium Production Boost

Demand for enriched uranium is escalating. Three facilities in the works will help fill a gap that will hit in 2013, when an agreement with Russia to supply the material for U.S. nuclear power plants expires.

US DOE to issue three CCS requests for proposals by end of May

The US Department of Energy said Thursday it plans to speed up ways to capture carbon emissions from coal plants, sequester it, and even reuse it on a commercial scale by using $3.4 billion from its $40 billion in stimulus funding.

US Fed Downgrades 2009 Growth Forecast, But Cites Signs of Improvement in Recent Data

The minutes of the April 28-29 FOMC meeting presented a modestly more upbeat assessment on the current state of the economy. Consumer spending activity was noted to have picked up and the housing market "remained depressed but seemed to have leveled off". Business spending and labour market conditions however continued to deteriorate.

US House committee votes 33-25 to advance carbon cap, RES bill

A US House committee debating a carbon cap-and-trade bill late Wednesday voted to extend cease and desist authority to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission over any entities participating in the natural gas market and the new carbon dioxide emissions market.

US Mortgage Rates Flat this Week Thanks Mainly to Actions by Treasury and the Fed

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 4.82 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending May 21, 2009, downfrom last week when it averaged 4.86 percent.  Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 5.98 percent. 

Washington governor orders state to stay course on climate change

Washington Governor Chris Gregoire ordered the state late Thursday to develop carbon emission reduction strategies and to remain involved in regional cap-and-trade program, the Western Climate Initiative.

Waste_Inbox 051909

Today brings lousy news about city recycling programs from St. Louis and Honolulu.

May 19, 2009

Advancing Carbon-Free Generation

Congress is moving steadily toward carbon constraints. Such emissions are likely to be controlled through a free market system in which carbon credits are traded. In such a world, some utility researchers are saying that a place exists for both new coal generation and older units that can be economically retrofitted to better the environment.

AEP’s Endeavor

Wide-scale deployment is at least five years away. But the architects behind the first-ever power plant to attempt to capture and store carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions will fire up a pilot project in September in a test that could last up to three years.

An Easily Understandable Explanation of Derivative Markets  -Humor

Heidi is the proprietor of a bar in Detroit. She realizes that virtually all of her customers are unemployed alcoholics and, as such, can no longer afford to patronize her bar. To solve this problem, she comes up with new marketing plan that allows her customers to drink now, but pay later.

APCO VP; Company remains 'committed to coal'

Carson said a key issue in the cap-and-trade debate is establishing how the limited number of greenhouse gas emission allowances will be allocated. That will determine its impact upon AEP customers and the local economy.

While what impact this will have on the coal industry is still to be determined, Carson said Appalachian Power remains committed to coal.

APS Helps the Grand Canyon Go Solar

Arizona Public Service (APS) is bringing together two of the state's most recognizable features - the Grand Canyon and the sun - as the Grand Canyon National Park goes solar.

As Alaska Glaciers Melt, It’s Land That’s Rising

Global warming conjures images of rising seas that threaten coastal areas. But in Juneau, as almost nowhere else in the world, climate change is having the opposite effect: As the glaciers here melt, the land is rising, causing the sea to retreat.

Asia Coral Protection Pact Seen As Important Step

A commitment by six Asia-Pacific nations to protect a huge swathe of ecologically rich coral reef is an important step, although the pact is non-binding and key details still need to thrashed out, conservationists said.

Australia To Build World's Largest Solar Energy Plant - PM

Australia plans to build the world's largest solar power station with an output of 1000 megawatts in a A$1.4 billion (US$1.05 billion) investment, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said on Sunday.

Brazil Hopes To Team Up With China In Biofuel

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will focus on renewable fuels during his visit to Beijing this week, hoping to team up with China to develop bio-fuels, the Caijing Magazine has reported.

Car Scrappage Incentive Scheme Begins

LONDON - A scheme to give motorists 2,000 pounds to trade in their old banger for a new car comes into force on Monday.

China Biggest Offshore Wind Power Set Rolled off

Chinese aerogenerator manufacturer Sinovel Windtec Co., Ltd. yesterday rolled out the 3MW offshore power generation set, the biggest one of its likes in China, which signified a great breakthrough in the country's wind power development.

China biodiesel giant Gushan sees worst times behind it

Gushan Environmental Energy is starting to see business conditions improve in China's biodiesel market, and is cautiously optimistic the worst could be behind it after posting two successive quarters of financial losses...

Chrysler, GM and the New Industrial Policy

"While President Hoover had some understanding of the political implication of the crisis, he lacked any clear comprehension of the economic realities that underlay it. He accepted the views of most monopolists and of the conservative economists who advised them. He had been completely seduced by the prosperity myth...

Crude futures strengthen on bullish fundamentals, equities

Global crude futures continued to rally in European morning trading Tuesday, extending Monday's late rally which saw both NYMEX and ICE Brent crude futures gain around $3/barrel in intra-day trading on the back of a mixture of bullish news and equities markets, sources said Tuesday.

Emerging Economies Face Acute Disaster Risks - UN

Natural disasters threaten to trigger widespread damage and distress in emerging economies, many of which are already on the brink because of the global recession, a United Nations body said on Sunday.

Energy Department to expand carbon capture technology

The U.S. Energy Department will use $2.4 billion from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to expand and accelerate the commercial deployment of carbon capture and storage technology.

EPA Extends the Public Comment Period on E15 Application

The current limit on the amount of ethanol that can be blended into a gallon of gasoline is at ten volume percent ethanol (E10) for conventional (non flex-fuel) vehicles. Growth Energy and 54 ethanol manufacturers submitted the E15 waiver application on March 6, 2009. The statutory provision calls for EPA to make a decision within 270 days of receipt, which is December 1, 2009. The comment period extension will not change this timeframe.

EPA releases first Energy Star requirements for servers

For the first time, EPA announced Energy Star requirements for computer servers that will protect the environment and result in significant energy savings. On average, computer servers that earn the Energy Star label will be 30 percent more energy efficient than standard servers.

Find a green job today

You'll find green jobs in engineering, sales, environmental health and safety, wind and solar energy, business development, and more. You can search jobs, post your resume and set up email alerts to send jobs directly to you.

Gardeners Pedal To Keep Water Flowing At Chelsea

An experimental garden that uses exercise bikes to water plants is about to make the gentle art of gardening much sweatier, its designers said on Monday.

The water-recycling garden, on display at Britain's Chelsea Flower Show, features two static training bikes that pump water to plants -- as long as someone is there to do the pedalling.

GE Energy Calls for Acceleration of Smart Grid Standards

"Standardizing technology is vital to ensure cyber-security, interoperability, reliability and safety for consumers and utilities as the nation begins implementation of a smarter electrical infrastructure," said Gilligan. "Unambiguous standards will help speed up innovation as engineers follow a clear direction for product development and technology advances."

House committee begins cap-and-trade, utilities debate

The House Energy and Commerce Committee begins debate today on House Resolution 2454, comprehensive energy legislation that would include a cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gas emissions and requirements for electric utilities to use renewable resources in generating power.

Humans Seem Hell Bent on Committing Mass Suicide - But There's Still Hope

Nobel laureate Doris Lessing's 1971 novel, Briefing for a Descent Into Hell, imagines other planets sending volunteers to try and save Earth because its death would threaten them all. The volunteers are first informed of the scope of their mission and nature of the planet's inhabitants during a "briefing" session.

In Chile, the birds are dying, and no one knows why

Chilean scientists are investigating three mysterious ecological disasters that have caused the deaths of hundreds of penguins, millions of sardines and about 2,000 baby flamingos in the past few months.

Iraqi parliament committee summons oil minister over 'failures'

Iraq's parliamentary oil and gas committee has asked the speaker of parliament to summon oil minister Hussein al-Shahristani to answer what it says are policy failures by the ministry under his stewardship.

Labor Exploitation; The Ugly Truth Behind Organic Food

Plenty of people, including me, prefer organic produce because it is healthier and safer. But this certification does nothing to ensure that it was produced with sustainable agricultural practices.

Low Carbon-Footprint Sewage System Is 'The Future'

The Aero-Fac system offers a low carbon footprint solution both for construction and the long term operational costs. The system has no odour during normal operation and the earth banks around the cells give a visual aspect which is in keeping with the rural environment."

Lower demand, more resources boost US power reserve margins; NERC

Peak demand for electric power in North America in summer 2009 is expected to be 15 GW (1.8%) lower than a year ago due to the recession, North American Electric Reliability Corp. said Tuesday in its annual summer outlook, which put the August 2009 peak at 850,433 MW.

'Made In Germany' Not Enough For Solars To Prosper

German solar companies that have not yet set up US and Chinese production plants are likely to lose out on significant subsidies and will struggle to bring down their production costs to the levels of their Asian peers.

Monitoring Water Through A Snake's Eyes

Although most Americans take the safety of their drinking water for granted, that ordinary tap water could become deadly within minutes, says Prof. Abraham Katzir of Tel Aviv University's School of Physics and Astronomy.

New biofuel feedstocks will take 7-10 years to develop; Neste Oil

It will still take 7-10 years before new feedstocks for biodiesel are developed to commercial scale, even as biofuel producers look to diversify their feedstock base away from vegetable oils, Simo Honkanen, Neste Oil's senior vice president for sustainability said over the weekend.

Nigerian militants threaten to blockade oil tankers

Nigeria's main militant group threatened Monday to blockade key access channels for fuel tankers as tension in the oil-rich Niger Delta continued to escalate.

NREL Releases Analysis of Renewable Electricity Standards

The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory has completed a study comparing three proposed national renewable electricity standards, also known as renewable portfolio standards.

Oil Refiners To Get Break Under US Climate Bill

Oil refiners would be given 2 percent of greenhouse gas emission permits under a proposed climate change bill that Democrats in the US House of Representatives are writing, according to a document describing that legislation.

Organic Foods Provide Significant Health Benefits

Organic foods can be considered to be better and healthier not only for the consumer but also for the environment. Organic foods are considered to be more nutrient dense than their counterparts produced via modern farming practices.

Particles Found in High Clouds Help Predict Climate Changes

Flying through clouds in the skies over Wyoming, a team of atmospheric chemists has moved closer to what one of them calls the "holy grail" of climate change science - the first direct detections of biological particles within ice clouds.

Plan for 'cleanest' power plant abandoned near Los Angeles

A plan to build the "cleanest and greenest" power plant near Los Angeles has been abandoned due to opposition by environmentalists, according to a newspaper report on Monday.

Rep. Waxman Predicts Climate Bill Success

A leading US lawmaker behind efforts to tackle global warming predicted on Monday that his climate change bill will advance this week in the House of Representatives, even as Republicans warned it will ruin the ailing US economy.

S&P Earnings Chart

While the stock market is up sharply since early March, the economy as well as corporate earnings continue to suffer.

Saudi Arabia Evacuates Five Villages In Volcano Scare

Saudi authorities evacuated five western villages on Monday after tremors hit a volcanic region in the past weeks raising concerns of possible eruptions.

Security, business drive small farm revival

Older farms, survivors of a long-gone pastoral era, are also facing a fresh future as new markets and policies support their operations. And a new generation of farmers dedicated to environmentally-friendly practices and equitable distribution of fresh foods are starting new endeavors with colorful names.

Sen. committee passes Water Infrastructure Financing Act

The U.S. Senate environment committee has passed the Water Infrastructure Financing Act, which will provide additional funding for wastewater and drinking water projects across the country.

The bill passed with bipartisan support and provides additional money for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. The measure would increase the Clean Water fund to $20 billion over five years and the Drinking Water fund to $14.7 billion over five years.

Six Nations Pledge to Safeguard Coral Triangle

The leaders of six countries today signed a declaration that officially launches the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security. The leaders pledged "accelerated and collaborative action" in protecting the 1.6 billion acre Coral Triangle region - considered the world's epicenter for marine life.

Solar vendors see potential in U. S.

Vendors at Solar 2009 -- some from as far away as China and Germany -- spoke optimistically Friday about the potential of green energy in the United States.

The Shadow Banking System, Loopholes Rule

Let’s begin by taking a look at the historical incidence of US banking failures.  A chart of bank failures looks something like this:

U.S. Southeast Well Positioned for Clean-Energy Economic and Job Growth

When it comes to clean energy resources in the United States, many often assume four things: the Northwest has hydro, the Southwest has solar, the Midwest has wind, and the Southeast has nothing. The first three hold true, but our research suggests that rumors about a lack of clean energy in the Southeast have been greatly exaggerated.

US Climate Bill Outlines 15% Sale Of Permits

Fifteen percent of emissions permits would be sold to polluters each year under a climate change bill moving through the US House of Representatives, according to a document circulated on Friday describing the legislation.

The proceeds from those sales would be distributed to low-income and moderate-income families in the United States to help offset possible energy price increases as a result of the legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to the document.

US To Unveil New Policy On Auto Fuel Standards

The White House will unveil an auto fuel efficiency proposal on Tuesday to resolve a dispute between California and the US government over emissions and accelerate the timeframe for sharply improving mileage performance, industry and other sources said.

White House set to make biggest changes to auto rules in decades

The White House is set to unveil a major compromise on auto efficiency Tuesday that would see fuel economy standards rise to 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016, four years before Congress had mandated, a senior administration official told reporters Monday.

Why has Environmental Market Development Been So Slow?

The realization? This is a slow process of change, antithetical to the reality that climate change is accelerating. We are continuing to dither while the planet burns. What is wrong with this picture?

Work to Upgrade Texas Water Quality Paying Off

Elevated levels of bacteria, which impair the contact recreation use of water bodies, cause 53 percent of the listed impairments, the report shows. Many of these bacteria impairments are the result of urban and agricultural nonpoint source pollution.

Low dissolved oxygen, impairing many of the same water bodies, results in an unhealthy environment for aquatic life.

May 15, 2009

Anaconda rubber tube produces wave energy

A snake-like 200 m rubber tube with a hydraulic turbine driving an electric generator could produce 1 MW of wave energy, according to British Checkmate Seaenergy.

Arctic Explorers Find More Evidence Of Global Thaw

A team of British adventurers measuring ice conditions in the Canadian Arctic said on Wednesday they did not find the thicker, older ice that scientists expected to be there.

Instead they found only the thinner, predominantly first-year ice that is likely to melt in summer months, in what could be another sign of the impact climate change is having on the Arctic ice sheets.

Better Water Use Could Reduce Future Food Crises

The challenge of meeting future water needs under the impacts of climate change and rapidly growing human demands for water may be less bleak than widely portrayed...

Bioelectricity Promises More 'Miles Per Acre' than Ethanol

Biofuels such as ethanol offer an alternative to petroleum for powering our cars, but growing energy crops to produce them can compete with food crops for farmland and clearing forests to expand farmland will aggravate the climate change problem. How can we maximize our "miles per acre" from biomass?

Birds More At Risk; World Failing In Conservation

The list of birds threatened with extinction has grown fractionally; a new sign that governments are failing to meet a 2010 global conservation goal, an annual review of birds showed on Thursday.

Building tribal capacity to manage wildlife resources

Despite being in the middle of troubled economic times, millions of federal dollars have been made available to help wildlife and habitat.

Canada Scolded Over Greenhouse Gas Estimates

Canada has overstated how effective its efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions will be, the country's top environmental watchdog said Tuesday.

Carbon Geography Of The United States; John Kemp

Unless advocates of a cap-and-trade emissions scheme can design a credible and well-funded compensation mechanism to compensate the losers (including coal miners, heavy industrial workers, and their communities) carbon control policy risks becoming mired in the same controversy as trade liberalisation.

Chicago Bans Baby Bottles With BPA Plastic

The Chicago City Council on Wednesday unanimously adopted a measure making Chicago the nation’s first city to ban the sale of baby bottles and sippy cups manufactured with a chemical that some studies have linked to disease.

Passage was driven by what officials here call federal regulators’ failure to take action on a grave public health issue.

China To Focus on Renewable Energy

China is battling air pollution and high costs for imported energy with an aggressive focus on renewable energy. The Chinese government says it will have 100 gigawatts of wind-power capacity by 2020 — enough to power more than 60 million homes. That figure is more than three times the target the government laid out just 18 months ago.

"The main driving force is that China is not rich in any fossil fuel except for coal and coal is a heck of a lousy way to fuel an economy."

Commercial use of oil shale at least 10 years off; US Interior

The commercial use of oil from US oil shale deposits is likely at least 10 years away and will require technological advances to get past hurdles standing in the way of its commercial use, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Wednesday.

Concentrating Solar Energy Technologies Explained

What are the different types of concentrating solar energy technologies? Why are they limited to the southwestern United States?

Coral Triangle At Risk From Climate Change - WWF

Southeast Asia's biologically diverse coral reefs will disappear by the end of this century, wiping out coastal economies and sparking civil unrest if climate change isn't addressed, conservation group WWF said on Wednesday.

The Coral Triangle, a reef network that spans Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and East Timor, has more than 76 percent of the world's reef-building coral species and 35 percent of its coral reef fish species.

Could 'Solar power plants' spring up at landfill sites?

The largest commercial solar installation east of Arizona next to a Waste Management landfill in Bucks County, PA, could provide a model for similar projects around the country.

DC Distribution Set to Take Off

You have heard that there is a growing push to develop and implement dc power distribution in buildings. The interest in dc power spans both low-voltage (e.g. 24 Vdc) systems for use in commercial, industrial and residential buildings and high-voltage (e.g. 380Vdc) systems for use in data centers and other critical facilities. These developments will have major implications...

Desalination plant clears final California hurdle

The biggest seawater desalination plant in the Western Hemisphere, north of San Diego, can begin construction by year's end after a six-year effort to win regulators' approval, the developer said on Thursday.

EPA to oversee coal ash removal at Tennessee plant

The U.S. EPA will oversee removal of coal ash at the Tennessee Valley Authority´s Kingston Fossil Fuel Plant in Roane County, Tenn., according to an agreement signed between the two agencies May 11.

EU CO2 emissions down 3% in 2008 from 2007; EC

Final verified CO2 emissions from across the EU fell by 3.06% in 2008 from 2007 levels, the European Commission said Friday.

EU passes €5bn Economic Recovery Plan – includes renewables and energy infrastructure

The European Parliament passed the €5 billion European Union (EU) Economic Recovery Plan on 6 May 2009, which will see investment in energy projects, broadband internet infrastructure and rural development.

Fears of collapse as coral reefs feel the heat

THE most spectacular stretch of coral reefs on the planet is in danger of collapse from climate change, overfishing and pollution, according to a report being presented today at the World Oceans Conference in Indonesia.

Scientists consider the region known as the "coral triangle" to be the centre of marine life on Earth, teeming with fish and almost one-third of the world's coral reefs. Covering 1 per cent of the planet from South-East Asia to the Pacific, the area also supports about 100 million people.

First Ocean Acidification Lawsuit Filed Against EPA

The nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity today filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Administrator Lisa Jackson over the agency's failure to recognize the impacts of ocean acidification on waters off the state of Washington.

Geothermal Development Expands Globally

Tapping a long, successful track record and a growing urgency to increase renewables generation worldwide, geothermal project activity is escalating significantly after relatively slow growth over the past two decades. Attractive for its unique combination of baseload power, cost-competitiveness and zero-emissions, geothermal power is gaining increased attention from governments and the private sector as a renewable generation technology with scaling potential.

Global CSP market to reach 25 GW by 2020

The global concentrating solar power (CSP) market could reach 25 GW by 2020 as the CSP markets are entering a new growth phase led by Spain and potential in the USA despite the global economic crisis, according to analyst Emerging Energy Research (EER).

Grand Rapids Hits 20 Percent Renewable Energy, Wins Consumers Award

Grand Rapids is enrolled as the largest single participant in Consumers Energy's Green Generation program and is helping to drive significant investment in Michigan-based wind power. Today's award adds to national recognition Grand Rapids has received for reaching its goal of 20 percent renewable energy supply.

Growing power demand in Southeast threatens water supply; study

Growing energy demand in the US Southeast is putting pressure on water supplies as many parts of the region remain in a drought and power production continues to rely heavily on the dwindling resource.

"The Southeast is presently facing both energy and water resource challenges," the World Resource Institute said in a report Wednesday.

Growth of Renewables Transforms Global Energy Picture

In 2008 for the first time, more renewable energy than conventional power capacity was added in both the European Union and United States, showing a "fundamental transition" of the world's energy markets towards renewable energy, finds a report released today by REN21, a global renewable energy policy network based in Paris.

Household Chemicals May Show Up in Blood

Up to 48 toxic chemicals commonly used in everyday consumer products have shown up in blood and urine samples of five prominent women environmental activists, according to a study by the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit organization devoted to protecting human health and the environment.

Humor at Risk - The Banking Problem Explained

Young Chuck moved to Texas and bought a donkey from a farmer for $100.00.
The farmer agreed to deliver the donkey the next day.

If They Can Do It, Then Why Can't We?

Most U.S. energy practitioners readily agree that a successful nationwide energy program for the next few decades consists of a combination of conservation, fossil fuels, clean coal, and multiple forms of renewable energy. While many experts are deeply compassionate in this debate, there are some lessons to be learned from other parts of the world. Take for example Brazil's 30-year ethanol success story.

Iraq Parliament Demands More Water From Neighbours

Iraq's parliament voted on Tuesday to force the government to demand on a greater share of water resources from neighbours upstream of its vital rivers, Turkey, Iran and Syria, in any bilateral deals with them.

In a resolution, Iraqi lawmakers agreed to block any agreement signed with the three nations that does not include a clause granting Iraq a fairer share of water resources.

Italian Senate passes proposed law to reintroduce nuclear power

Nuclear reintroduction was part of the election manifesto of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and the government has said it is working to a target of 25% of energy to be provided by nuclear power by 2030.
 

Low Flying Planes, Cheerios, and Monetary Policy - We’re from the Government and We’re Here to Help You

So you may have missed the May 12^th critique suggesting that inept government policies threaten to disrupt more than tall buildings or your breakfast morn. 

As hard as it is to believe, the government is also screwing up monetary policy.

Marine Renewable Energy Promotion Act introduced in US Congress

The Act could authorise US$250 million for marine renewable research, development, demonstration and deployment; a device verification programme; and an adaptive management programme to fund environmental studies associated with marine renewable energy projects.

Most Americans Angry at Banks, Research Shows

Nearly 60% of Americans said they are angry at the banking industry according to a recent nationwide survey conducted by Resultant Research, the research arm of brand development firm Stealing Share, Inc.

Not Much Change in US Fixed Rate Mortgage Rates, but ARM Rates are Lower

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 4.86 percent with an average 0.6 point for the week ending May 14, 2009, up from last week when it averaged 4.84 percent.  Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.01 percent. 

NYMEX crude opens lower at $57.94/barrel on strong dollar

The June NYMEX light sweet crude contract opened lower in the US trading session Friday, as a stronger dollar and weaker equity markets continued to impact sentiment in the oil market, sources said.

OPEC compliance with output cuts falls to 78% in April; IEA

OPEC crude production averaged 28.21 million b/d in April, breaking a seven-month falling trend as it increased by 270,000 b/d from 27.94 million b/d in March, the International Energy Agency said Thursday.

Ormat Combines For 330 MW Geothermal Plant

The Pacific Rim is about to become a major clean energy success story, just as much as the Persian Gulf's oil traps were for the fossil fuel industry....With 27,000 MW in potential geothermal resources, PT PLN (Persero) and the government shouldn't have to nudge Medco into a deal - it's a lifeline to future viability for the aging oil and gas firm.

Penn State Center To Investigate Plant Cells for Better Biomass Fuels

"The biggest solar collectors on Earth are plants, which use sunlight to convert atmospheric carbon dioxide into complex structural materials like cellulose and lignin," said Cosgrove. "These make up wood, paper, cotton and many other everyday materials and globally represent a huge untapped reserve of biorenewable energy. Our new center will try to pry loose the secrets of how these molecules interact to form these substances that have so many practical uses as an energy source and a material."

PG&E drops local wave power plans

After four years of meetings and three years of controversy in Fort Bragg, Pacific Gas and Electric Company has announced it will abandon its local plans for an offshore wave energy power plant.

PG&E Expands Deal With BrightSource

California utility Pacific Gas and Electric Co on Wednesday announced an expanded agreement with solar thermal power company BrightSource Energy Inc for more than 1.3 gigawatts (GW) of clean, solar energy.

Publisher Rodale commits to lowering GHG emissions

Publisher Rodale Inc. is committing to lowering the company´s greenhouse gas emissions by joining the Climate Leaders program operated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Safeguarding Energy Data Amid The Rise In Consumption Calculation

To manage it, you must measure it. That's the mantra behind both consumer and enterprise carbon accounting initiatives. But to measure their eco-footprint, individuals often must share details about their lifestyles - everything from how often they run their heat or how much water they consume to what personal items they purchase - with service providers.

San Francisco achieves 72% recycling rate in 2007

"By requiring builders to recycle debris from construction projects, we were able to divert tens of thousands of new tons of material away from the landfill," Newsom said. "Clearly, mandatory recycling measures pay off."

Senators Introduce Bill To Alert Communities Of Sewage Overflows

"The public has a right to know about potentially harmful pollution in their water. My bill will require sewer systems to be monitored regularly for sewage overflows and ensure that our neighborhoods are alerted quickly if public health is at risk," said Sen. Lautenberg.

Solar conference sees largest crowd in 38-year history

The nation´s longest-running solar conference has seen the largest crowd in its 38-year history, despite the struggling economy.

Solar water heating programme in Ottawa

The limited-time offer gives homeowners in the Enbridge Gas Distribution franchise area the opportunity to save up to 50% on their own solar water heating systems. They may also reduce their ongoing water heating energy costs by up to 60% and financing for the installation is available from C$56 dollars a month, according to Bullfrog Power.

Solving the Energy Crisis and Ending Bailouts; Municipally Owned Utilities

Let's create our own energy. And in doing so, we shall energize our economy, our neighborhoods, and ourselves. Let's take back our power, literally!   

Stimulating Results

With the worst part likely over and key aspects of the stimulus program about to begin, a sense of economic confidence is in the air. Yet, green energy developers are starved, not just for seed money but also for political and regulatory certainty.

Stimulus funds earmarked for Arizona forests

Arizona received nearly $8 million in stimulus funds from the U.S. Forest Service for hazardous fuels reduction and biomass projects.

Structure of Clean Energy Act Takes Shape in Congress

The shape of the American Clean Energy and Security Act began to emerge today as the House Energy and Commerce Committee released key details of agreements reached on three major sections of the bill.

Temporary turbine shutdown reduces bat mortality 70%

The first year of a study of the interaction between bats and wind turbines shows shutting down turbines during low wind periods reduced bat mortality by more than 70%, and with little energy loss.

The Truth Behind WIC; Organic is NOT an Option!

In February 2009, Washington State decided to remove organic milk from its list of ‘approved foods’ reimbursable by the Women, Infant and Children Program (WIC). Though this decision led to serious backlash from organic consumers and supporters nationwide, what may be a little known fact to many is that slashing organic produce from WIC approved food lists for ‘reasons related to cost’ is currently being practiced in almost every single state. Forbidding organic products from WIC is frighteningly nothing out of the ordinary!

Thinking About a Home Wind Turbine 'Not So Fast'

Residential wind turbines are an appealing option for renewable energy at home. Per rated unit of output they seem to be cost-effective, somewhat less than solar PV panels. Each successive new product is more attractive than its predecessors, with many as suitable for a sculpture garden as for your rooftop. And, there’s something primal and satisfying about the thought of a spinning turbine in the yard, perhaps harkening back to the pinwheels of our youth.

Top 100 U.S. Infrastructure Projects Announced

CG/LA Infrastructure LLC, the world leader in infrastructure project identification and development, announced recently the release of the Top 100 US Strategic Infrastructure Projects. The total estimated value of the projects is nearly $465B, the investments for which will be spread over an average of five years. Total direct and indirect job creation over the period will be nearly 10 million full-time employment positions.

True Confessions of the Crisis, Up-Close and Top-Down

We are a very long way from having a broadly agreed-upon story of the crisis that quietly commenced on the afternoon of June 20, 2007.  That was when  two Bear Stearns real estate hedge funds began to come apart, ushering in a long period of nervous waiting for fear eventually to subside (it didn’t) or panic to break out (it did).

UM, MSU study; Climate change drives Michigan mammals north

Some Michigan mammal species are rapidly expanding their ranges northward, apparently in response to climate change, a new study shows. In the process, these historically southern species are replacing their northern counterparts.

Urge NRC to Better Protect Stored Nuclear Waste

Today, thousands of tons of nuclear waste—in the form of highly radioactive “spent” nuclear fuel rods—are stored at nuclear power plants throughout the country. These nuclear fuel rods remain vulnerable to a terrorist attack or accident.

US DOE to put $25 million into first wind turbine facility

The US Department of Energy said Tuesday it would invest $25 million of its $39 billion in stimulus funds into the first commercial large wind turbine blade facility in the US.

US energy mix to favor natural gas in coming years; Williams CEO

Natural gas will become an increasingly important part of the US supply picture in the coming years, which is good news for gas-oriented companies such as Tulsa, Oklahoma-based Williams, its CEO said Tuesday.

US FERC chairman says markets will decide fate of coal, nuclear

During a press conference in Washington April 22, Wellinghoff said he believes renewable energy resources coupled with demand-side management might eliminate the need for new conventional power plants.

US House climate bill would give utilities up to $100 bil for CCS

...Boucher said the modified bill would make available $1 billion a year to fund the development and deployment of carbon sequestration and capture technologies at coal-fired power plants and would provide up to $100-billion-worth of "bonus allowances" to generators to encourage the deployment of CCS technologies.

US House Democrats agree to trim 2020 CO2 cuts to 17%

US House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman on Tuesday said negotiations with moderate Democrats on the panel have led to an agreement that would reduce the percentage of CO2 reductions the US would have to make by 2020 to 17% from the 20% envisioned in his draft proposal.

US House Democrats Near Agreement On Climate Bill

Democrats on the full committee compromised on emission of greenhouse gases, which scientists have blamed for global warming.

Many had initially sought a 20 percent reduction of emissions below 2005 levels by they year 2020, but agreed to a reduced target of 17 percent, said House Energy Committee chairman Henry Waxman, a California Democrat.

US refiners would get 2% of CO2 allowances under House bill

Although the 35% allocation to the power sector was released earlier this week, the latest summary said 30% of all allowances would be earmarked for local electric distribution utilities, with 5% given to coal-fired power plants with long-term power purchase agreements.

Waste_Inbox 051209

There´s a movement afoot in the horticulture industry to "green up" the way plastics are used, the Chicago Tribune reports. The problem is that too many of the pots, trays and such that plants are sold in can´t be readily recycled:

What's the Evidence for Climate Change?

The National Science Foundation funds thousands of researchers at 1,900 universities and institutions with a budget of $9.5 billion for fiscal 2009 (including $3.0 billion provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act).

Just a fraction of that goes directly to climate research, but that fraction is growing. President Obama's fiscal year 2010 budget for NSF doubles funds for climate research to about $500 million.

So what have all those climate researchers learned with the hundreds of millions already spent?

Who Do You Trust? US and UK Financial Consumers Grapple with the Global Economic Crisis

More than half of United States and United Kingdom based financial services consumers say their household income has been adversely impacted by the current economic crisis, and 40 percent feel their personal financial situation is profoundly on the “wrong track,” according to a new Market Strategies International study that addresses a broad spectrum of financial services issues in both countries.

In addition, 46 percent of consumers in the U.K. and 26 percent in the U.S. no longer believe their money is safe anywhere.

Wind Turbine Technology Gets Bigger and Better

Enercon is rumored to be testing an 8-MW version of the E-126 (onshore) giant. The German market leader now manufactures one 6-MW E-126 onshore turbine a month and this number will expand gradually to meet growing international demand, said a company representative in Hannover.

May 12, 2009

Administration cuts Yucca Mountain repository budget

The Obama administration´s proposed 2010 budget unveiled May 7 calls for the smallest budget in the history of the decades old Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository project.

The budget calls for the Energy Department to spend less than $197 million on the Yucca Mountain project in 2010, a reduction of more than $90 million from last year.

Administration increases EPA´s budget by 34% for 2010

The Obama administration´s proposed budget for fiscal year 2010 includes $10.5 billion in funding for the Environmental Protection Agency, a 34% increase compared with 2009 funding. The agency is receiving $7.8 billion for the current fiscal year.

Algeria's Khelil, Kuwait do not expect OPEC output cut

Algerian oil minister Chakib Khelil said late Saturday that it would be difficult for OPEC to cut production at current price levels and while two or three of its members had not complied fully with previous supply cuts.

Beijing To Raise Water Prices This Year - Report

The Chinese capital of Beijing will raise water prices this year as it tries to conserve precious supplies, China News Service reported, citing a local official.

Changes In The Sun Are Not Causing Global Warming

Despite remaining questions, Adams and Pierce feel confident that this hypothesis should be laid to rest. "No computer simulation of something as complex as the atmosphere will ever be perfect," Adams said. "Proponents of the cosmic ray hypothesis will probably try to question these results, but the effect is so weak in our model that it is hard for us to see this basic result changing."

China Outpaces U.S. in Cleaner Coal-Fired Plants

China’s frenetic construction of coal-fired power plants has raised worries around the world about the effect on climate change. China now uses more coal than the United States, Europe and Japan combined, making it the world’s largest emitter of gases that are warming the planet.

China's crude imports rise 13.6% on year in April

China imported 16.17 million mt (3.96 million b/d) of crude oil in April, up 13.6% from 14.24 million mt imported in the same month of 2008, preliminary data from the country's General Administration of Customs showed Tuesday.

Crude Oil; Global Industry Guide

Dow In Gold

...it currently takes 9.2 ounces of gold to “buy the Dow.” This is considerably less that the 44.8 ounces it took back in 1999.

Energy Department to give $8.5M to wind energy projects

The Energy Department´s ·20% Wind Energy by 2030ö report found that the nation possesses affordable wind energy resources in excess of those needed to generate 20% of the United States´ electricity needs. The report also identified major challenges ...

EnviroMission (USA), Inc. Open for Business

The southwest region of the US, specifically Arizona, has been identified as an ideal Solar Tower development destination based on meteorological data and regional market conditions that include strong mandates and incentives for renewable energy generation.

EPA Announces $82M In Recovery Act Funds For Water Projects In Arizona

In a move that stands to create jobs, boost local economies, improve aging water and wastewater infrastructure and protect human health and the environment, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $82M to the State of Arizona.

EPA Budget Aims to Create Jobs, Protect Human Health and the Environment

“These investments demonstrate that it is possible to work towards both a green economy and a green environment by positioning EPA to lead the way in green jobs, in innovation and technology, and in action on global climate change.”

EPA Offers Tips to Save Energy and Fight Climate Change this Summer

EPA is offering advice to help Americans reduce both energy bills and greenhouse gas emissions by one third through Energy Star. The energy used in an average home costs more than $2,200 a year and contributes more greenhouse gas emissions than a typical car.

EPA to Reconsider Treatment of Hazardous Waste

In response to a petition by the Sierra Club over the EPA's definition of hazardous waste and how to dispose of it, the agency will hold a public meeting on June 30 to address possible revisions and their environmental impact

Former Oklahoma Water Treatment Supervisor Pleads Guilty For Falsifying Drinking Water Safety Reports

Gauntt admitted that he recorded levels in the monthly operating report submitted to Oklahoma DEQ that indicated the turbidity and chlorine levels were in compliance with required standards when he knew in fact they were not.

France Injects Money Into Renewable Energy

Ninety percent of the (Ethiopa')s population uses biomass energy such as the burning of wood, crop waste, and animal dung which has led to the continuing destruction of forests, shortages of fuel-wood, and degradation of rural ecosystems.

Funds to help homeowners weatherize their homes

The Northern Arizona Council of Governments expects to receive federal stimulus funds to weatherize homes and save energy and money for low-income homeowners and renters in Apache and Navajo counties.

High human impact ocean areas along US West Coast revealed

In a two-year study to document the way humans are affecting the oceans in this region, Halpern and colleagues overlaid data on the location and intensity of 25 human-derived sources of ecological stress, including climate change, commercial and recreational fishing, land-based sources of pollution and ocean-based commercial activities.

In the Antarctic, a Huge Iceberg is About to Break off Glacier

A large crack has formed about half way along the Mertz Glacier, which means it is going to drop a very large iceberg....

The iceberg contains enough fresh water to fill Sydney Harbour 135 times - that is 30 per cent of the world's annual water consumption.

When it breaks off, the iceberg won't melt straight away because it could take up to 30 years for the currents to move it to water that is warm enough to melt the ice.

Industry downturn to get worse before it improves; Texas group

The current oil and gas industry downturn, which some analysts call the worst since the 1980s, is likely to get worse before it gets better, the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers said Monday in unveiling its latest Texas PetroIndex.

Iran calls for new OPEC oil cut, Algeria urges discipline

Iran Tuesday called for a new cut in OPEC oil production when the cartel meets later this month in Vienna, saying rising consumer stockpiles made a new supply cut necessary despite recent oil price increases. But Algeria said OPEC should enforce stricter discipline before considering any new cuts.

Mortgage Duration Risk, the Banks are No Longer the Problem

Washington has indeed fixed the solvency problems of the large zombie banks -- not with additional capital or stress tests, as many of us seem to think. Rather, the banks have been stabilized by turning them into GSEs via FDIC guarantees on their debt. Those banks which can end their dependence on federal guarantees will be the visible winners in the post stress test market, and valuations and spreads will reflect this divergence between zombies and viable private banks.

Native American Apology Resolution legislation re-introduced

“The resolution seeks reconciliation and offers an official apology to Native peoples for the poor choices the federal government made in the past,” Brownback said. “I firmly believe that in order to move forward and have a true reconciliation, the federal government needs to formally apologize.”

Nine Dangerous Chemicals Added To Global Banned List

Nine dangerous chemicals used in farming and industry will be added to a list of banned substances whose presence in the environment causes serious health risks, more than 160 government agreed on Saturday.

No Evidence to Support Carbon Dioxide Causing Global Warming!

In the early nineties, some scientists were saying that carbon dioxide (CO2 ) emissions were causing global warming. This was disturbing to the author; a chemical engineer who has worked on coal conversion processes his whole life

NRC licensing boards admit parties, contentions in Yucca case

The budget proposal seeks a minimum amount of funds for licensing activities next fiscal year, a move that some believe is aimed at averting a total breach of the spent fuel disposal contracts that DOE signed with nuclear utilities in 1983.

Obama’s Stress Tests are Designed to Help Banks Raise Capital

Most critics of the Stress Test have missed the point of the tests and underestimate the Obama Administration’s cleverness in helping banks raise capital. The Stress Tests weren’t about regulatory supervision and certainly weren’t an excuse for the Obama Administration to nationalize the banks. The tests were designed to provide standardized benchmarks, assumptions and projections for private investors to evaluate banks and decide whether or not to participate in recapitalization transactions.

Oil companies pay fine for Clean Water Act violations

Anadarko, Howell Corp. and Howell Petroleum Corp. will pay $1.05 million and develop facility response plans and revise spill prevention as well as containment plans at a cost of more than $8 million, according to the consent decree filed in U.S. District Court in Cheyenne, Wyo.

Peru Amazon Natives fight for their land

The remaining Amazon Native nations in Peru – some 350,000 people who depend on fishing and hunting in mostly clean rainforest areas they held for centuries – appeared set May 7 for more uneven confrontations after the Peru Navy rammed and destroyed the river barricades they had set up April 9 to protest laws that Natives say threaten their survival.

Pay to Play

Lobbyists are traipsing to Washington as U.S. lawmakers debate how the nation sets about to reduce carbon emissions by 20 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050, all from 1990 levels. The turn of events is fascinating, given that five years ago neither the House nor the Senate could muster the votes. Today, however, the issue has consumed key committees and is clearly on the minds of American business.

Pouring on Coal Waste

TVA, the nation's largest wholesale provider of electricity, is still battling the disaster and it is projected that it will spend at least $850 million cleaning it up. But now Congress and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are also examining the issue to determine if coal ash should be federally regulated under hazardous waste laws or if those rules should continue to be left to the states.

Report of Solar-Geophysical Activity 051109

Solar activity was very low. No spots and no flares were observed on the visible disk.  Solar activity is expected to be very low, with a slight chance of an isolated C-class flare.

Researchers Eye Better Use For Biomass Than Ethanol

Using switchgrass and other biomass to power electric cars is three times more efficient and more environmentally friendly than using ethanol to power traditional gasoline cars, US scientists have found.

Risk Management Strategies for Individual Investors

One of the ironies of the current credit crisis is the bruhaha about conflicts of interest of the rating agencies--ignoring the fact that nearly every single financial advisor to individual investors on investment strategy has a serious conflict of interest. Something's wrong when the only source of advice for an individual investor is someone on commission for the sale of financial products.

Secretary Vilsack; Support Organics, Not Genetic Engineering

While the Obama Administration has certainly made several positive inroads during the first 100 days of office, from appointing organic champion Kathleen Merrigan to Undersecretary of Agriculutre and planting organic gardens at both the White House and USDA headquarters, the Administration has chosen to champion genetically engineered crops at home and abroad.

Testimony of Lisa P. Jackson

The President requests $10.5 billion for FY 2010 to carry out EPA’s mission to protect human health and safeguard and improve the environment. This budget represents a 37 percent increase over our FY 2009 Budget -- the highest level ever for EPA. It reflects both the challenges and promise we face in an era of higher energy costs, global climate change, and economic crisis. We recognize that now is the time to make the environmental investments to support a cleaner energy economy and a more sustainable future.

The Century of The Rights of Mother Earth

«If the XX Century is recognized as the century of human rights; individual, social, economic, political and cultural, the XXI Century will be known as the Century of the Rights of Mother Earth, of the animals, plants, all living creatures and all beings, whose rights must also be respected and protected.»

We now stand before a new paradigm, centered in the Earth and in life.

UM Research Says Bacteria Create 'Superbugs' in Waste Treatment Plants

For bacteria in wastewater treatment plants, the stars align perfectly to create a hedonistic mating ground for antibiotic-resistant superbugs eventually discharged into streams and lakes.

US FERC issues permit for 100-MW ocean wave power project

In a delegated order Thursday, Mark Robinson, director of FERC's Office of Energy Projects, issued a preliminary permit for the 100-MW Green Wave San Luis Obispo project but revised the northwest and southwest boundary markers so the site would span state waters only.

US must cut oil imports to boost national security; RAND Corp

The United States must drastically lower its foreign crude imports and increase its own fossil fuels production to boost American economic and national security, according to a RAND Corporation report released Monday.

Venezuela Soldiers Seize Oil Service Companies

Venezuelan soldiers on Thursday took control of boatyards and other assets belonging to oil service companies in the latest step by socialist President Hugo Chavez to tighten his grip on the industry.

Earlier in the day, Venezuela's legislature approved a law allowing the nationalization of a group of oil service companies.

We Need Food and Farming Regulation Now!

Taxpayers are demanding that government enforce existing regulations and create more stringent rules to limit the excess and greed in banking, insurance, housing, and on Wall Street. But, in the rush to regulate, we can't forget to oversee industrial agriculture. It is one of our most polluting and dangerous industries.

Who Exactly was the Stress Testing of US Banks Intended For?

Most people are familiar with the notion that marketers believe that in marketing perception is reality. If people think they get healthier by taking a multivitamin tablet every day, even though most scientific studies prove that most, if not, all over the counter vitamin tablets have pretty much no effect, then that’s just great. You can keep on marketing these kinds of tablets to those consumers who refuse to accept scientific fact.

WTI crude tests $60b on soft dollar, bullish technical signs

Global crude futures continued their advance Tuesday, pulled higher by the weakness of the US dollar and bullish technical signs on expectations that the world economy could be braced for a recovery, sources said.

"Technically, the market is bullish. Each drop [in crude prices] is seen as an opportunity to re-enter the market," said a crude trader

May 8, 2009

A Brief Look Ahead- Innovation in Solar Energy Continues Despite Slowing Economy

Solar industry buffs likely spent the first weeks of April eagerly waiting earnings reports from the publically traded solar giants. But on April 14 the team over at Abound Solar had other priorities in mind. The Fort Collins, Colo.-based startup was celebrating the official opening of the company’s first full-scale production facility for its thin-film solar panels.

Afghanistan's Only Pig Quarantined In Flu Fear

Afghanistan's only known pig has been locked in a room, away from visitors to Kabul zoo where it normally grazes beside deer and goats, because people are worried it could infect them with the virus popularly known as swine flu.

All There is To Know About the Smart Grid and Renewables

If demand on today's electrical grid looks like a rough landscape of high peaks and low valleys, demand on tomorrow's "smart grid" will look more like a series of rolling hills.

Australia Announces New Target for Reducing Climate Change Pollution

Australia has given a vital and strategic boost to international efforts for an effective global climate agreement by committing to reduce Australia's carbon pollution 25% by 2020 if other countries join in, said the Southern Cross Climate Coalition of environment, union, welfare and research groups in a statement today.

Biofuels Get a Boost

The Obama Administration established a Biofuels Interagency Working Group this week in a move that carries implications for the industry on several fronts, including regulatory and research and development.

Biomass Possibilities

...what if biomass could be directly linked to onsite power with the intent of creating a localized, distributed energy system? After all, biomass does not just involve biofuel crops, but mill wastes, urban wastes, forest residues, and agricultural residues. And throughout the country, waste-to-fuel options continue to remain significantly under-utilized.

California submits plan for $226 mil in DOE stimulus funding

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday said his state was the first to submit a formal plan to the US Department of Energy on how it wants to spend $226 million in economic stimulus funding aimed at energy efficiency measures.

Clean Coal; Here Now!

Since every ton of coal burned produces 3.7 tons of CO2, this is an almost impossible task that will take at least ten years to develop and will almost double the cost of coal power. Coal is no longer cheap when you consider these extra costs.

Dry Lake Wind Project ahead of schedule

From a distance, the windmills look like garden ornaments, something to add a little whimsy to the backyard.

Duke Energy loses appeal on solar panels

The N.C. Utilities Commission today rejected Duke Energy's appeal of an earlier ruling on its $50 million plan to reap power from solar panels mounted on rooftops.

Duke Energy to Build up to 400 'Mini' Solar Power Plants in North Carolina

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) will build between 100 and 400 electricity-generating mini solar power plants throughout North Carolina over the next two years in one of the first large-scale initiatives of its kind in the U.S., CEO Jim Rogers said today.

"Solar and wind are both going to be key parts of our strategy going forward," Rogers told reporters...

Economic Decline to Continue Throughout 2009

Economic decline to continue in the United States throughout the remainder of 2009, say the nation's purchasing and supply executives in their spring 2009 Semiannual Economic Forecast. Expectations for the remainder of 2009 have weakened in both the manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors.

EIA ANALYSIS; US oil demand hits seven-and-half-year low

Total US oil demand dropped 410,000 b/d week-over-week to 18.019 million b/d in the week ended May 1, the lowest level since the week ending September 21, 2001, an analysis of the weekly petroleum data from the Energy Information Administration showed Wednesday.

Energy-efficiency steps on hold

Businesses are holding back from investing in energy efficiency because of a lack of capital, the uncertainty about global warming legislation and the direction of energy prices.

ENSO-neutral conditions are expected to continue into the Northern Hemisphere Summer

During April 2009, the equatorial Pacific Ocean transitioned from La Niña to ENSO-neutral conditions, ending the 2008-09 La Niña.

EPA Announces Next Steps on Two Hazardous Waste Rules

EPA is announcing next steps on two hazardous waste rules to respond to concerns raised by stakeholders: the Definition of Solid Waste rule and the Emission Comparable Fuels rule.

EPA biofuels rule proposal gets bipartisan scorn at House hearing

The Environmental Protection Agency's plan to assess the "indirect effects" of production of biofuels under a proposed rule drew bipartisan condemnation from House Republicans and Democrats from farm states, who fear the EPA's standard could end corn-based ethanol production.

EPA Celebrates May as Sustainability Month

EPA scientists will celebrate Sustainability Month, part of the Year of Science 2009, by connecting with the public through blogs, podcasts and demonstrations of the importance of sustainability in our communities.

EPA Lays out a Plan for the Nation’s Increase in Renewable fuels

“As we work towards energy independence, using more homegrown biofuels reduces our vulnerability to oil price spikes that everyone feels at the pump,” EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson said. “Energy independence also puts billions of dollars back into our economy, creates green jobs, and protects the planet from climate change in the bargain.”

Fermi 3 nuclear plant would create pollution

Environmental groups told federal regulators today that a new Fermi 3 nuclear plant is not needed and would cause new air and water pollution. That includes warm water and phosphorus that could add to algae blooms already happening in recent summers in western Lake Erie.

First Commercially Viable Microwave Technology For Conversion Of Scrap Tires Into High Value Hydrocarbons

The demonstration, conducted on May 4, 2009 in Global Resource's Rockford, IL research facility, successfully transformed large amounts of scrap tires into diesel fuel, methane, pentane, butane, propane as well as combustible gases, and carbon ash.

Fished Out; Caribbean Sea's Big Fish Nearly Gone

Sharks and barracuda disappear on Caribbean coral reefs as human populations rise, endangering the region's marine food web, its reefs and its fisheries, finds a new study by researcher Chris Stallings of the Florida State University Coastal and Marine Laboratory.

Global crude futures surge, ICE Brent nears 6-month high

Global crude futures continued to surge Thursday, smashing technical resistance levels in its path. The upward momentum comes following positive news in the equities markets, a weak dollar and improved sentiment sources said.

High-Enriched Uranium Traces Found In Egypt; IAEA

The U.N. nuclear watchdog is investigating the discovery of traces of highly enriched uranium at a nuclear research site in Egypt, according to a restricted International Atomic Energy Agency report obtained by Reuters.

Home Sales in the Rear View, Does it Work?

As a result, everyone discusses home sales on a seasonally-adjusted-and-annualized basis.  But foreclosure figures are not (yet!) annualized when announced.  This understates the magnitude and impact of foreclosures.  Foreclosures should be annualized, just like home sales, to put each on an equivalent basis.

House passes bill to coordinate water research, ensure supply

The bill is intended to coordinate national research and development efforts on water and provide a clear path forward to ensure adequate water supplies for generations to come.

Hydrogen Fuel Made Using Green Energy

In what may be the ultimate bid for clean energy, a NASA-backed group is designing a wind- and sun-powered fueling system for city buses -- and possibly other machines -- that run on hydrogen.

The demonstration is intended to not only showcase a fuel with zero carbon emissions, but to produce the hydrogen in similar fashion.

Ice Flood in Alaska

An ice jam that suddenly gave way on Alaska's mighty Yukon River sent floating ice chunks the size of homes into the town of Eagle, knocking some buildings off their foundations and damaging others.

JatrophaBioJet and Abundant Biofuels sign jatropha aviation jet biofuel contract

“We believe this is by far the world’s largest source contract dedicated exclusively to aviation bio-jet fuel and is a milestone in the process of providing bio-jet fuel to the aviation industry. It also represents a major step for our company in achieving our goal of providing 30 million barrels of bio-jet fuel annually.”

Joint Statement by Federal Reserve, Treasury, FDIC, and OCC on Treasury Capital Assistance Program and Supervisory Capital Assessment Program (SCAP)

The Treasury Capital Assistance Program and the Supervisory Capital Assessment Program

During this period of extraordinary economic uncertainty, the U.S. federal banking supervisors believe it to be important for the largest U.S. bank holding companies (BHCs) to have a capital buffer...

King touts $300 million tax break for clean-coal technology

The House tentatively approved legislation Monday by Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford to grant up to $300 million in tax breaks to companies developing clean-coal technology to generate electricity.

Kyrgyzstan Drafts Plan to Address Soviet-Era Uranium Waste

Radioactive dust, contaminated groundwater and toxic landslides and floods threaten more than a million people in Central Asia, warned experts at a conference last week.

The radioactive threat stems from 92 toxic waste sites in Kyrgyzstan that contain tailings, or waste, from uranium mining during the Soviet era.

Massachusetts Energy Efficiency Providers Unveil Unprecedented $4 Billion Savings Plan

"Never before has there been such a coordinated effort to achieve this level of energy savings in a three-year period," said Tom May, NSTAR Chairman, President and CEO. "Aggressive goals require aggressive action and this plan puts us on a path to making significant progress in reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in Massachusetts."

Moab Uranium Tailings Pile Starts Moving At Last

The process of removing 16 million tons of radioactive waste that has been piled on the Colorado River bank for decades began on Monday in the southeastern Utah city of Moab.

The uranium tailings are being moved to a permanent disposal site 30 miles north, near the town of Crescent Junction.

Needed; A Copernican Shift by Lester Brown

Today we need a similar shift in our worldview, in how we think about the relationship between the earth and the economy. The issue now is not which celestial sphere revolves around the other but whether the environment is part of the economy or the economy is part of the environment. Economists see the environment as a subset of the economy. Ecologists, on the other hand, see the economy as a subset of the environment.

Net metering; The civil rights movement for solar energy

The California State Legislature has just begun consideration of a little-noticed piece of legislation that figures prominently in the future of solar power in America. California's current net-metering legislation limits the total amount of rooftop solar power that can be connected to the electric grid to no more than 2.5% of the state's total electric load.

New Legal Challenge Seeks to Stop Duke Power Plant

Environmentalists today called on the NC Utilities Commission to stop construction of Duke Energy’s Cliffside coal-fired power plant, saying several factors – individually – eliminate the need for the plant, and that 2007 state legislation requires the Commission to revoke permission to build it. They said lawsuits, rising costs, state clean energy requirements, and dynamic national trends all threaten the viability of the four-year construction project, already delayed by one year, and that any further spending should not be charged to ratepayers.

Obama Budget Seeks End To Yucca Nuclear Waste Dump

The Obama administration said Thursday it wanted to officially terminate the Yucca Mountain nuclear storage waste site and instead spend $197 million to phase out the project and "explore alternatives" for nuclear waste disposal.

Obama Gives Biofuels a Presidential Jumpstart

To spur biofuels research and commercialization, President Barack Obama today signed a Presidential Directive establishing a Biofuels Interagency Working Group. He announced his administration's notice of a proposed rulemaking on a national Renewable Fuels Standard and announced $786.5 million in additional Recovery Act funds for renewable fuel projects.

Obama proposes eliminating US DOE oil drilling research programs

The Obama administration said Thursday it intends to cancel $55 million in oil drilling research and technology programs, saying the federal efforts should instead be funded by the companies that benefit directly from the projects.

Pesticides blamed for some childhood brain cancers

A new study finds that children who live in homes where their parents use pesticides are twice as likely to develop brain cancer versus those that live in residences in which no pesticides are used. Herbicide use appeared to cause a particularly elevated risk for a certain type of cancer.

Poverty and Food Insecurity in the Developing World; For Us, Tolls the Bell

‘The bill was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.’ Although it seems to have a humanitarian purpose, GFSA is as sinister as the two pending bills HR875 and S425. I say this because not one US regulatory authority has successfully regulated industries in the interest of the people at least in the last ninety-odd years.

Relativistic Electron  Repetition

“If only studying a plasma that is derived from LHC of CERN or RHIC , it’s the truly understand modern physics.  I strongly believe that to study the  Absolute Plasmon Model   which also generated from plasma  will give you  a deeper understanding of  modern physics  and other  sciences.  Eventually,  this will lead us to  Theory of Everything,”   said Mr.Tepparat Songkraw.

Replenishing the Ranks

If green energy is to launch the nation into a new economic realm, then modern technologies and skilled engineers must be the catalyst. But a flood of retirements may thwart that promise, prompting industry, academia and government to collaborate and offer tangible ways to ensure progress.

Residents worried about fly ash project

"My opinion is we don't want fly ash here," said Sherrill, a former mayor and alderman of the town.

In January, the Crab Orchard Board of Aldermen voted against allowing a landfill at the Crab Orchard quarry. At that time, the council was acting under the Jackson Law, which requires landfill applicants to get local approval for solid waste facilities.

Review of Nuke Plant Design to Run Longer

Federal review of a new nuclear reactor design will take 15 months longer than expected, although the impact on planned nuclear projects is expected to be minimal, according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Sea Salt Holds Clues To Climate Change

By comparing the data to climate models that correct for naturally occurring salinity variations in the ocean, Stott has found that man-made global warming -- over and above any possible natural sources of global warming, such as carbon dioxide given off by volcanoes or increases in the heat output of the sun -- may be responsible for making parts of the North Atlantic Ocean more salty.

Secretary Salazar Pledges to Open Four Renewable Energy Permitting Offices, Create Renewable Energy Teams

To expedite production of renewable energy on public lands while protecting land, water, and wildlife, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today pledged to create four Renewable Energy Coordination Offices, one each in California, Nevada, Wyoming, and Arizona, along with smaller renewable energy teams in New Mexico, Idaho, Utah, Colorado and Oregon.

'Show Me The Money;' A Guide to Economic Stimulus Funding

Titled "Show Me The Money," the guide reviews the various programs and potential sources of federal funding for clean energy companies and projects. The guide separately addresses funding opportunities under the ARRA for the following energy industry areas: wind, solar, biofuels, biomass, smart grid, transmission, geothermal, marine and hydrokinetic, green building, energy efficiency, advanced battery and fuel cell technology, clean energy equipment manufacturing, green vehicles and clean coal.

Smart Charger Controller Simplifies Electric Vehicle Recharging

Electric vehicle owners can plug in their cars and forget about them, knowing they'll get the cheapest electricity available and won't crash the grid - using a new technology called the Smart Charger Controller. Developed at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the controller automatically recharges electric vehicles during times of least cost to the consumer and lower demand for power.

Smart Turbine Blades Could Improve Wind Power Efficiency

"You want to be able to control the generator or the pitch of the blades to optimize energy capture by reducing forces on the components in the wind turbine during excessively high winds and increase the loads during low winds. In addition to improving efficiency, this should help improve reliability."

Soaring costs, weak demand stymie European biodiesel trade

High replacement costs and faltering demand are two of the factors inhibiting biodiesel trading activity in Northwest Europe, sources said Friday.

"People are waiting for feedstock prices to go down, because replacement costs are [high]," said one source.

Some Americans Clamor To Try Wind Power At Home

The idea of wind turbines churning out free electricity alongside every home and office building has appeal, judging by the throngs around "community wind" purveyors at a Chicago wind power convention this week.

Statement Regarding the Supervisory Capital Assessment Program (SCAP)

These examinations were not tests of solvency; we knew already that all these institutions meet regulatory capital standards. Rather, the assessment program was a forward-looking, "what-if" exercise intended to help supervisors gauge the extent of the additional capital buffer necessary to keep these institutions strongly capitalized and lending, even if the economy performs worse than expected between now and the end of next year.

Strengthened Cyber Security Standards Approved

Eight revised cyber security standards for the North American bulk power system were approved by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation's (NERC) independent Board of Trustees today. Today’s action represents the completion of phase one of NERC’s cyber security standards revision work plan which was launched in July 2008. Work continues on phase two of the revision plan, with version three standards already under development.

Swedish researchers double efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells

The efficiency of a dye-based solar energy device is claimed to have been more than doubled by researchers from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden.

U.S. submits first plan for new U.N. climate treaty

The United States said Tuesday it would be committed to joining the world on a climate treaty with "robust targets and ambitious actions" against heat-trapping greenhouse gases. But the formal U.S. submission to the United Nations on Tuesday offered no specifics for achieving a strategy for reducing emissions, which will be the topic of treaty talks in December in Copenhagen, Denmark.

U.S., Mexico celebrate completion of wastewater project in Tecate, Mexico

Once completed, the newly constructed wetlands will cleanse treated municipal and brewery wastewater that are discharged into the river, create areas for groundwater recharge, help reduce floods, and provide refuge and food for resident and migratory birds.

US DOE to fund 71 nuclear energy R&D projects

The funding will go to 31 universities and fund projects for the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative, the Next Generation Nuclear Plant, Light Water Reactor Sustainability, as well as Investigator-Initiated Research, according to DOE.

US Government Furthers Its Commitment To Invest in Renewable Energy R&D

ARPA-E's mission will be to develop new energy technologies that offer significant progress toward reducing imported energy; reducing energy-related emissions, including greenhouse gases; and improving energy efficiency.

US House Republicans, industry groups unite against CO2 caps

Republican members of the US House of Representatives united with several industry groups on Tuesday to oppose an energy and climate change bill House Democrats are hoping to move through the Energy and Commerce Committee by month's end. The Republicans and industry groups said the Democrats' measure would do little more than raise energy costs for Americans consumers and businesses and harm the nation's economy.

US Mortgage Rates Rise on Positive Economic News Reported During the Week

Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) yesterday released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.84 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending May 7, 2009, up from last week when it averaged 4.78 percent.  Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.05 percent. 

US refiners hike gasoline output for possible summer demand boost

US independent refiners appear to be reversing course, boosting gasoline output in plants they formerly crowed about rejigging to make more diesel on a long-term basis.

USDA; $50 Million In EQIP For Farmers Going Organic

Farmers will have three weeks to apply for $50 million in land stewardship funding to help pay the cost of converting to organic production, said the U.S. Agriculture Department on Tuesday.

Wave Energy Racing To Catch Up With Wind

Wave energy could catch up with commercially more advanced offshore wind power within five years, the head of pioneers Aquamarine Power Ltd told Reuters.

"What it took 25 years to do in the wind industry, we want to do in five years," Chief Executive Officer Martin McAdam said in an interview.

When Unhealthy Foods Hijack Your Brain

At issue is how the brain becomes primed by different stimuli.

Who Owns the Wind? An Emerging Public Policy Issue

To allow a resource as important as wind energy to develop to its fullest potential, legal certainty will be required for investors to continue to commit the enormous funds involved in development of a wind project. The state must define ownership of wind resources and the boundaries and limits of that ownership.

WINDPOWER 2009 -- Yes to RES

American Wind Energy Association CEO Denise Bode and legendary Texas oil and gas tycoon T. Boone Pickens were among those who called the RES critical for strengthening U.S. energy and economic security. Pickens is the creator of the "Pickens Plan," which calls for a change in our energy policy and provides a blueprint for reducing dependence on foreign oil.

Winnemem Wintu sues for destruction of cultural sites

“The change in Washington needs to include us – the good justice needs to reach all California Indians. What has happened to us is a repeat all over the state.”

“We have a new congress and a new administration and it’s time to start a new discussion,” said Huffman, the author of AJR 39, which supports the restoration of the Winnemem’s federal recognition that was inexplicably removed in the 1980s

May 5, 2009

Alternative energy in area making strides

Alternative energy sources accelerated by a push to move the nation past fossil fuels is gaining ground in the Cambria-Somerset region largely in response to the state's goal to get 20 percent of all energy from renewable sources by 2020.

Progress is being made on a wide variety of fronts.

Wind energy continues to lead in alternative energy while solar is generating increased interest. Methane production from area landfills is boasting success and a Richland Township company is developing fuel cells technology.

Americans Want to Limit Climate Gases, Even If It Raises Costs

Strong, comprehensive climate and energy legislation likely would reduce energy bills, not increase them, finds a new analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Analyst says energy prices likely to rebound

Although energy prices have dropped substantially over the past few months, they are likely to rise over the intermediate to long term because the resources are finite and the fundamental demand won't go away, according to an analyst with the Hilliard Lyons brokerage firm.

Arctic Thaw May Slow Crackdown On Toxic Chemicals

A thaw of the Arctic linked to global warming may slow a drive to get rid of industrial chemicals that are harming indigenous people and wildlife, an expert said on Monday.

Arizona State University Energizes West Campus with Solar Project

ASU energizes West campus with large solar project Arizona State University has begun an ambitious project to install 3.3 MW of renewable energy capacity via solar cells on its West campus.

Australia delays introduction of carbon emissions trading to 2011

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd Monday said the government would delay the introduction of its planned carbon emissions trading scheme by one year to July 1, 2011.

Bill to End Electric Choice Killed in Senate

Electric choice will survive another year.

A rift between the House and Senate co-chairmen of the state legislature's Energy and Technology Committee is expected to doom a proposal to end residential and small business consumers' ability to choose an alternate supplier for electricity.

Building Sector Can Reduce Energy Use 60% by 2050

A new study by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) shows how reducing energy use in buildings 60% by 2050 is essential to meeting global climate change targets.

The central message of the report, based on four years worth of research, is that immediate action is required to transform the building sector.

Carbon trading could hurt coal

When the Prairie State Energy Campus cranks out its first kilowatt hour of electricity -- which is scheduled for two years from now -- it could end up costing ratepayers way more than anyone had predicted.

That's because of recent efforts by the Obama White House and Democrats in Congress to begin the regulation of carbon dioxide, the chief greenhouse gas blamed for global warming. More than half the world's industrial CO2 comes from coal power plants.

Chinese Company To Finance $300 million In U.S. Wind Farms

Private U.S. company Tang Energy Group said on Friday a Chinese company has agreed to provide $300 million in financing for its wind power projects.

Climate chaos predicted by CO2 study

The world will overshoot its long-term target on greenhouse gas emissions within two decades. A study has found that the average global temperature will rise above the threshold that could cause dangerous climate change during that time.

Scientists have calculated that the world has already produced about a third of the total amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) that could be emitted between 2000 and 2050 and still keep within a 2C rise in global average temperatures.

Days of Swine and Poses, the Fed Goes Negative

The upper limit for Fed Funds has been stuck at 0.25% since Dec 2008.  What does the Fed do when the Fed Funds rate is zero, or close enough to zero for government work?

We don’t need to guess or speculate.  Depending upon where you sit (or sat, if you were the Chairman of Bank of America), the answers are not pretty.  During these days of swine, the Fed has posed as:

• An economist;
• A booster; and
• A thug.

Dirty Coal Plans Collapse; Mid-Michigan Cancels Plant

Mid-Michigan Energy announced the suspension of plans to build a 750-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Midland, Michigan today. The decision to drop the proposed plant continues a national trend away from coal due to economic and environmental liabilities. In the last three years, more than 75 conventional coal plant projects have been canceled.

Erosion of the Yucca Mountain Crest

The Yucca Mountain crest in Nevada, USA has been proposed as a permanent site for high level radioactive waste. But a new study, already published as an article in press by Elsevier’s journal Geomorphology and recently included in the Research Highlights of Nature, shows that there may be erosion of the crest.

Factory Farms & Swine Flu; A Food System that Kills

Mexico is in the midst of a hellish repeat of Asia's bird flu experience, though on a more deadly scale. Once again, the official response from public authorities has come too late and bungled in cover-ups. And once again, the global meat industry is at the centre of the story, ramping up denials as the weight of evidence about its role grows.

Farmers Fear Pigs May Get 'Swine' Flu From People

Humans have it. Pigs don't. At least not yet, and U.S. pork producers are doing everything they can to make sure that the new H1N1 virus, known around the world as the "swine flu," stays out of their herds.

"That is the biggest concern, that your herd could somehow contract this illness from an infected person,"..

Federal Reserve Announces Expansion of CMBS as Eligible Collateral Under TALF

The Federal Reserve Board on Friday announced that, starting in June, commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) and securities backed by insurance premium finance loans will be eligible collateral under the Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility (TALF).

Global crude futures rangebound, ICE Brent $54.40/ barrel

Global crude futures traded slightly lower Tuesday following a Monday rally that saw both ICE Brent and NYMEX WTI breach the $54/barrel mark.

"We saw some strength in the crude market yesterday coming from the housing statistics and equities markets," a London-based oil broker said.

Grey Wolf Taken Off Endangered List

"The populations are viable, they are in great shape, they have extreme genetic diversity and so the endangered species act did its job to bring wolves back."

History may not repeat but it often does rhyme

While there are significant differences (global economy, credit default swaps, TARP, FDIC, etc.) between the current environment and that what occurred in the early 1930s, there are also many similarities (bank failures, bankruptcies, severe market declines, etc.).

After all, history may not repeat but it often does rhyme.

IEEE kicks off smart grid effort in June

The IEEE will kick off an effort to define standards for a smart electric grid in a meeting hosted at Intel headquarters in Santa Clara, Calif. on June 3-5.

Job at Risk - Job Opportunity Index

MainStreet.com, the personal finance site from TheStreet.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSCM; http://www.thestreet.com), has unveiled the results of its first “Job Opportunity Index,” a new national survey that looks at number of job openings relative to population in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia in order to identify states that provide individuals with the best chance of landing a job.

Maximizing Performance

With rising energy prices, utilities are encouraging conservation while also holding down price increases. And with credit rating agencies more vigilant than ever, they are working to streamline operations. The dynamics are requiring utilities to try new ideas and technological innovations. Driving efficiency is therefore paramount. What gets measured gets managed.

Never before have so many of the issues we all care about been in motion at one time

Never before have so many of the issues we all care about been in motion at one time—renewable energy, climate change, efficient cars and cleaner fuels, scientific integrity, sustainable food, and nuclear weapons. These are critical times, not only because we have the opportunity for real change, but because we have such a small window of opportunity to get the job done well.

New Antarctic seabed sonar images reveal clues to sea-level rise

Using sonar technology from onboard ships, scientists from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and the German Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) captured the most extensive, continuous set of images of the seafloor around the Amundsen Sea embayment ever taken. This region is a major drain point of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) and considered by some scientists to be the most likely site for the initiation of major ice sheet collapse.

Obama To Form Interagency Biofuels Group

President Barack Obama will direct the heads of three US agencies to make the biofuels industry cleaner and encourage output of ethanol made from non-food crops, according to a draft memo obtained by Reuters on Monday.

Obama to meet with House Democrats Tuesday on broad energy bill

The meeting will feature all Democratic members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which is slated to vote on an expansive energy and carbon cap-and-trade bill over the coming weeks, the aides said. The meeting is to involve health care and other topics facing the committee, they said

Ocean Origin of Seafood Contaminant Methylmercury Identified

For the first time, scientists have documented how toxic methylmercury is formed in the ocean. Scientists have known that mercury deposited from the atmosphere to freshwater ecosystems can be transformed into methylmercury, but identifying the parallel cycles in marine ecosystems has remained elusive.

Ohio's wind turbine makes its debut today

It's been three years and $1.5 million in the making, but the creators of a new wind turbine say they are ready for their product to take the world by storm.

Oil, gas execs say US won't be energy independent before 2030

More than three-quarters of oil and natural gas executives surveyed by KPMG's Global Energy Institute said US energy independence is not attainable until 2030 or beyond, despite the emphasis on alternative energy sources in current and proposed government energy policies. The executives also said mass production of alternative energy is not viable in the short term.

Oregon part of wind energy's 'gigawatt club'

Oregon ranks sixth among states for the amount of installed wind power.

And the state is now one of nine with more than 1,000 megawatts of wind energy in place, according to the American Wind Energy Association. One megawatt of wind power is about enough to power 200 homes.

Report Finds that Electric Utilities Are Unprepared for Carbon Regulation

The urgency of a global transition to a low carbon economy is no longer in doubt, and companies that address the challenges of the transition are more likely to succeed over the long term. Sustainability investors whose portfolios are designed for long-term growth require clearly articulated disclosure of corporate strategies for addressing the risks and opportunities of climate change.

Report of Solar-Geophysical Activity 050409

Solar activity was very low. No flares were detected. The visible disk was spotless. Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at quiet levels on day one (05 May). Field activity is expected to increase to unsettled levels on days two and three (06 - 07 May) with a chance for active levels at high latitudes due to a recurrent coronal hole high-speed stream.

SDG&E Seeks to Stimulate Green Economy in Imperial County With Renewable Energy Center

The new center, opening tomorrow, will assist renewable energy developers in launching their projects in Imperial County. It will evolve into a facility where schools, businesses and anyone interested in a cleaner energy future can tap a wide range of resources to learn more about renewable energy.

Senators introduce legislation to monitor sewer overflows

Plant operators would need to notify the public, public health officials and other affected downstream entities, including drinking water suppliers, of any sewer overflows that endanger human health. They would also be required to notify state or U.S. EPA officials as soon as possible.

Small turbines to power individual homes gain attention

"Small wind" technology seems to be blowing across Iowa.

Wind power certainly seems to be energizing the political powers. Iowa Gov. Chet Culver, for example, recently signed two bills -- one of which utilizes unused tax credits to promote small wind energy projects in Iowa, and the other, which lays out economic incentives for wind-component manufacturers who are looking at building or expanding in Iowa -- designed to expand the state's wind energy industry.

Solar cell makers stake out turf in power plants

As power plants look to go green, Japan's solar cell panel developers are expanding their focus from residential applications to deployments on a grander scale, targeting 1-gigawatt-class production within a few years.

Solar panel lets Mother Nature do the work

Solar heat is trendy today, but 32 years ago Dean Finseth improvised a bulky but effective solar panel in his backyard that's saved him thousands over the years.

Substantial Improvement in Global Credit Quality in April

Kamakura Corporation reported Monday that the Kamakura index of troubled public companies showed dramatic improvement in April after reaching its worst point in the current recession in March. The Kamakura global index of troubled companies decreased by 2.2% to 22.1% of the public company universe.

Texas Moves to Foster Solar Power

The Texas state legislature is expected to soon approve one of the largest subsidy programs for solar-power in the U.S.

Long a leader in oil and natural gas-based energy, Texas embraced wind power years ago and generates more electricity from wind than any other state.

The Energy Evolution; An analysis of alternative vehicles and fuels to 2100

The Energy Evolution compares more than 15 of the most promising fuel and vehicle alternatives over a 100-year period, in scenarios where a mix of vehicles is used initially with one fuel and vehicle alternative becomes dominant in the vehicle mix over time. The scenarios evaluate the performance and viability of each alternative in terms of greenhouse gases, oil imports, urban air pollution and societal costs.

Total US Gulf output should top 1.6 mil bd within 10 years; MMS

US Gulf of Mexico oil production should exceed 1.6 million barrels/day within the next 10 years and could rise as high as 1.9 million b/d if industry-announced discoveries and undiscovered resources realize their full potential, the US Minerals Management Service said Monday.

Two New Renewable Energy Maps Hit the Web

The NRDC recently launched a new mapping tool called “Renewable Energy for America” that features a broad look at both existing and proposed clean energy facilities (wind, ethanol, and biodigester) across the country.

U.S. Bill To Create Clean Energy Investment Agency

The new agency would provide various forms of credit including loans and loan guarantees to support environmentally friendly technologies that diversify the nation's energy supply and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. A clean energy investment fund created from collected payments and fees would be used to start the agency.

US biodiesel makers cut output to estimated 15% of capacity

More than a month after the European Union slapped US biodiesel producers with duties to curb imports, some US producers are shutting down while others are enjoying a spike in demand as capacity utilization sinks to about 15%, according to marketwatchers.

US climate change denier James Inhofe joins Al Gore in fight against soot

In a surprise U-turn, the Republican senator has put forward a bill to review the dangers of black carbon to health and the environment

US coal stocks rise on Goldman rating

US coal company share prices rose sharply Monday on a report from Goldman Sachs that raised the industry's overall rating from "neutral" to "attractive" while warning that the price of coal itself was likely to remain weak both in the US and internationally well into 2010.

The report leaned heavily on the bank's revised outlook for Chinese economic growth...

US lawmakers to consider nuclear waste bill Wednesday

US lawmakers are set to consider legislation later this week that could significantly alter America's policy for disposing of spent fuel from nuclear power plants.

May 1, 2009

‘Green industry is what will take us out of the recession’

Gov. Jon S. Corzine, on March 31, signed a bill (A-1558) into law that requires home builders to offer solar panels before they start construction. “There are huge economic benefits with that because it’s way cheaper to install solar during construction than it is to go back and to retrofit a building,” said Matt Elliot, global warming and clean energy advocate at Environment New Jersey.

6 in 10 Americans live in highly polluted areas

Six out of 10 Americans, or 186.1 million people, live in areas where air pollution levels endanger lives, according to the 10th annual American Lung Association State of the Air Report.

The report, released April 29, concludes that country has made significant progress against air pollution in many areas of the country, yet nearly every major city still is burdened by air pollution.

"This should be a wakeup call," said Stephen Nolan, Lung Association board chairman. "We know that air pollution is a major threat to human health.

A Year On, Myanmar Cyclone Survivors Struggle To Rebuild

A year after Cyclone Nargis battered army-ruled Myanmar, killing nearly 140,000 people, paddy fields remain bare and tens of thousands of survivors live in makeshift shelters.

Advanced Anaerobic Digestion; More Gas from Sewage Sludge

At a time of heightened concerns about waste, climate change and the need for cleaner energy, it is worth pointing out that not all the news is bad. Technologies are redressing the balance -- and one of these is Advanced Anaerobic Digestion (AAD).

Almost Two Points Lower Than Peak in October, US 30-Year FRM Ties Record Low Reached Earlier In April

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 4.78 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending April 30, 2009, down from last week when it averaged 4.80 percent.  Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.06 percent.  The 30-year FRM now equals the record low that was set the week of April 7, 2009.  It has never been recorded lower in Freddie Mac’s survey, which goes back to 1970.

American Water Confirms Water Quality Is Not Impacted By Swine Flu

American Water Works Company, the largest investor-owned U.S. water and wastewater utility company, communicated to its customers today that influenza viruses, including swine flu, are effectively removed by filtration and disinfection.

An Open Letter to President Obama on Biofuels

...unless we do something different, we will fail to meet the renewable fuel standards (RFS) set forth in the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007.

Analysts see economic recovery looming, debate length of downturn

World economies will recover, analysts and economists said during a panel discussion at the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries in Las Vegas, but they differed on the ultimate length of the current downturn.

Arctic Nations Say Will Cut Soot That Helps Thaw Ice

Arctic nations agreed on Wednesday to crack down on soot that is darkening ice around the North Pole and hastening a thaw that they also blamed on global warming.

Arizona group pledges $4M to develop solar tech institute

Science Foundation Arizona announced five new solar investments totaling $4 million and the opening of the Solar Technology Institute (STI) to advance Arizona's renewable energy leadership.

Arizona lands $1 billion solar plant

The Arizona Department of Commerce and Albiasa Solar of Spain will announce Monday a $1 billion solar-thermal power plant will be built near Kingman next year, generating enough power for 50,000 homes at once when it opens in 2013.

Ban Gasoline Cars From 2015; Norway Finance Minister

A proposal to ban sales of new gasoline-powered cars in Norway from 2015 could help spur struggling carmakers to shift to greener models, Finance Minister Kristin Halvorsen said Saturday.

"This is much more realistic than people think when they first hear about this proposal," she told Reuters...

Bean Pushes Examination Of Pharmaceuticals In Drinking Water

Deeply concerned about the still-unknown effects that rising levels of pharmaceuticals and household chemicals in our drinking water have on people, Congresswoman Bean amended a nation water policy recently to require a comprehensive analysis by government scientists of this disturbing trend.

Bulgaria Lacks Funds to Build Nuke Plant

Bulgaria has to secure $5 billion to start building a nuclear power plant of two 1,000-megawatt reactors at Belene on the Danube River, an engineer said.

Canada Aims To End Traditional Coal Power; Report

The Canadian government plans new regulations that will effectively phase out traditional coal-fired power stations, Environment Minister Jim Prentice said in an interview published on Wednesday.

Carbon Dioxide In Atmosphere Can Now Be Measured From Space

INESC Porto developed a technology, together with ESA – European Space Agency, that enables a more effective measurement of gases in the atmosphere comparatively to the currently used techniques. With this technology, it will be possible to measure gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone – the gases responsible for global warming and greenhouse effects.

Clean Energy Future; Congress Passes Budget

Both the House and Senate passed the Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Resolution yesturday, which will be sent to President Obama for his signature.

Climate Change Means Shortfalls In Colorado River Water Deliveries

The Colorado River system supplies water to tens of millions of people and millions of acres of farmland, and has never experienced a delivery shortage. But if human-caused climate change continues to make the region drier, scheduled deliveries will be missed 60-90 percent of the time by the middle of this century, according to a pair of climate researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego.

Coal displacement will not prevent gas price falls; Barclays

Natural gas-fired generation could displace an average of 6,000 MW of coal-fired capacity this year thanks to falling gas prices, boosting daily US demand by about 750,000 Mcf, a Barclays Capital analyst said Wednesday.

Consumers start feeling higher costs of clean fuel

Clean energy has a dirty secret.

It isn't cheap.

Consumers already are starting to feel at least a modest pinch in their electric bills.

Deep Decline in US First-quarter GDP

The first, or advance, estimate of first-quarter U.S.GDP was weaker than expected, dropping an annualized 6.1%, not much better than the 6.3% drop in the fourth quarter of last year. Going into the report, expectations were centred around a more moderate drop of 4.7%.

EIA ANALYSIS; US gasoline stocks drop on lower inputs, imports

US gasoline inventories declined 4.695 million barrels to 212.612 million barrels last week, as a combination of falling output and a drop-off in imports sorely eroded the stock surplus against historical averages, an analysis of the weekly oil data from the US Energy Information Administration showed.

Exelon; Tritium leaks at Oyster Creek have been stopped

Tritium leaks have been located and stopped at Oyster Creek, Exelon Nuclear said in an April 30 statement. Two "small" leaks in underground pipes are "believed to be a main source" of water containing tritium that was discovered April 17 in monitoring wells at the plant.

Fusion Hybrid Gets 81.5 MPG, Record 1,445 Miles On One Tank

Drivers trained in mileage-maximizing techniques achieved 1,445 miles on a single tank of gas in a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid from Saturday through Tuesday, averaging 81.5 mpg in the Washington D.C. area, setting a world record for a gasoline-powered, midsize sedan.

Gas 'a big winner' if US cap-and-trade passes; Caruso

The natural gas industry will emerge as a major winner in the next two decades if US President Barack Obama succeeds in pushing through cap-and-trade emissions legislation, a former US government energy official said Tuesday.

Global crude futures track equities lower in thin liquidity

Global crude futures moved lower during European trading hours Friday, echoing the overnight slide on equities markets. Trading volumes were thin, however, as financial markets in continental Europe were closed due to a public holiday.

Goal Of Eliminating Malaria In Sight; Experts

Fresh efforts and funding to tackle malaria in recent years have brought the goal of eradicating the deadly disease within sight, health experts said on Friday.

Wiping out malaria worldwide could take decades but many countries where it is endemic are on the brink of eliminating the disease...

Heating the Northeast with Renewable Biomass

Roughly 30 percent of the energy used in the U.S. is for heating and cooling and a large proportion of the energy used for heat comes from burning oil. While using renewables to generate electricity and solve transportation issues (the other 70 percent of the equation) receives the lion's share of attention from policymakers, the organizers of the first "Heating the Northeast with Renewable Biomass" conference that took place in Nashua, New Hampshire this week are hoping to change that.

Hey, Wired President. You Wouldn't Tax the Internet, the Cell Phone or the Tweet. Would You?

Check this, but the federal budget is now $3.5 trillion. Okay. But the deficit is … $1.7 trillion?

This means our federal government only pays for half of what it spends by taxing you and I for it. The rest has got to be borrowed.

High utility coal inventories sidelining more and more railcars

US power plant operators with record coal stockpiles are idling unit trains at rates rail industry veterans say are unprecedented.

Honeybee Collapse Strikes Japan, Up to Fifty Percent of Honeybees Gone

For the first time, Japan has been hit with a large-scale collapse of honeybee populations like that experienced in other countries around the world.

"There have been small-scale honeybee losses for many years, but a massive collapse like they had in the U.S. is very unusual," said Kiyoshi Kimura of the National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science. "We must investigate the situation in Japan."

Hood wants to delay plant

State Attorney General Jim Hood is asking the Public Service Commission to delay approval of Mississippi Power Company's $2 billion coal burning plant in Kemper County until several legal questions he raised about the project are answered.

Hurricane Season Forecasts

Hydropower not in new energy bill

Lawmakers are closing in on legislation that would largely leave out hydroelectric production as a renewable energy source, a move that would encourage less-established sources such as wind or solar but give New York and other states a steeper climb to meet new federal standards.

Impacts of a 25-Percent Renewable Electricity Standard as Proposed in the American Clean Energy and Security Act Discussion Draft

This report responds to requests from Chairman Edward Markey, for an analysis of a 25-percent Federal renewable electricity standard (RES). The RES proposal analyzed in this report is included in the discussion draft of broader legislation, the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACESA) of 2009

Iraq plans to boost oil output to 'at least 6 mil b/d'

Iraq will continue to seek foreign partners to help it boost its crude production to 6 million b/d in the next few years through oil bid rounds and direct negotiations, Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih said Thursday.

ISO New England Forecasts Adequate Resources to Meet Summer Electricity Demand

According to the region's power grid operator, New England should have adequate electricity resources to meet consumer demand this summer, with current economic conditions expected to keep peak demand for electricity relatively unchanged from 2008 levels.

Maryland Climate Legislation Strongest in U.S.

In what regional environmental advocates called the strongest piece of legislation of its kind in the country, the Maryland General Assembly passed a bill to cut emissions 25% from 2006 levels by 2020.

Melt From Andes To Arctic May Spur UN Climate Pact

A fast melt of ice from the Andes to the Arctic should be a wake-up call for governments to work out a strong new United Nations treaty this year to fight climate change, Norway said on Tuesday.

Military embraces green energy

A Mojave Desert Army base is full of plug-in cars, solar panels and new experiments. Liberal agenda? Nah, it's about saving money, even lives. But the Defense Department could cement a national trend.

National Boost for Renewable Energy

CANBERRA--The nation's leaders have ticked off on a plan to have 20 per cent of Australia's electricity generated from renewable sources by 2020, but many businesses won't have to pay the additional cost.

New York City-Sized Ice Collapses Off Antarctica

Humbert told Reuters about 700 sq km (270.3 sq mile) of ice -- bigger than Singapore or Bahrain and almost the size of New York City -- has broken off the Wilkins this month and shattered into a mass of icebergs.

She said 370 sq kms of ice had cracked up in recent days from the Shelf, the latest of about 10 shelves on the Antarctic Peninsula to retreat in a trend linked by the U.N. Climate Panel to global warming.

Nuclear rebirth hinges on Congress' actions

The nuclear industry's hope for a renaissance depends on whether Congress passes more of the financial risk of scheduled plants along to taxpayers or utility customers, according to a national expert on nuclear policy who served on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's governing board during the Three Mile Island crisis of 1979.

Obama 'not satisfied' with progress thus far on renewable energy

Renewable power is one of his signature energy proposals and he included more than $40 billion in his $787-billion economic stimulus bill to expand the energy resource in the US.

Oregon's climate change bill gets a downgrade

The latest legislative effort to require utilities, transportation and industry to meet Oregon's greenhouse gas reduction goals would let state agencies abandon the goals if they're considered not "economically feasible."

Portfolio of New EHV Transmission Projects Approved

The Southwest Power Pool, Inc. (SPP) Regional State Committee and Board of Directors/Members Committee approved a long-awaited group of extra high voltage economic transmission expansion upgrade projects totaling over $700 million...

Potentially harmful chemicals found in forest fire smoke

Researchers have detected common plant toxins that affect human health and ecosystems in smoke from forest fires. The results from the new study also suggest that smoldering fires may produce more toxins than wildfires - a reason to keep human exposures to a minimum during controlled burns.

Rallying to run Boulder's coal plant without the coal

Boulder is progressive, many say. Boulder is green. Boulder is striving to meet the Kyoto Protocol.

And Boulder has a coal plant within its city limits.

True, the Valmont power plant is owned by Xcel Energy, and true, the electricity feeds into the grid and doesn't necessarily power homes in Boulder. But still, the three tall smokestacks on the eastern side of town have, for a growing number of residents, become a symbol of the old energy economy where fossil fuels are king.

Renewables Challenge Utility Interconnections

Now that wind projects are measuring in the hundreds of megawatts in recent years, they are not only creating interconnection issues on their own, but are also occupying a more prominent place in the overall resource mix in large or multi-state regions.

Ripping Wind

It may be a lot hot air. But the Obama administration says that wind facilities placed offshore along the East Coast could replace most of the coal-fired power plants now in the United States. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar says that the technology to do so currently exists and that it would be a "very real possibility."

Rival scrappage bills dividing Democrats

Proponents call it a public policy “win-win”: Give drivers money to replace old cars with newer, more efficient ones and you boost struggling auto companies and at the same time reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Rushing to Expand Corn Ethanol Is Not Smart Bioenergy

The use of gasoline alternatives, such as ethanol, could play a key role in reducing pollution from fuels, but scientific findings show that biofuels can also increase pollution when done wrong. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is developing a comprehensive plan to move toward biofuels with reduced global warming emissions while protecting air quality and public health.

S. Korean scientists develop highly efficient plastic-based solar cell

South Korean scientists said Monday that they have created a highly efficient plastic-based power cell that can speed up commercial use of solar energy.

Saving Water In The Desert; GE Helps City Of Tempe Reuse An Additional 2.5 Billion Gallons A Year

GE Water, a business unit of GE Energy, has recognized the city of Tempe, Ariz. with an ecomagination leadership award. Using GE technology, the city has expanded its water reclamation program, resulting in the reuse of an additional 2.5 billion gallons a year of water for commercial and industrial applications.

Scientists put carbon ceiling at a trillion tonnes

Scientists hope a new approach to assessing carbon build-up in the atmosphere will simplify issues for policymakers and economists.

Two papers published in Nature today (29 April) show that the timings of carbon emissions are not relevant to the debate — it is the total amount of carbon dioxide emitted over hundreds of years that is the key issue.

Solar cell production spans 18 industries

Eighteen Japanese industries are now involved in solar-cell-related manufacturing accompanying the development of such varied product types as thin-film silicon and compound solar cells, according to a recent study by Teikoku Databank Ltd.

The study reveals that 27 companies in Japan produce solar cells or solar power generation equipment, while 221 make components and materials and 310 turn out manufacturing systems.

Spain's Iberdrola creates tech center in Mexico

The mission of the center, whose location and opening date have not yet been determined, will be to find ways to take advantage of Mexico's potential for generating electricity from the wind, the Mexican presidential press office said in a statement.

Swine Flu Source Spawns Wild Theories

Dead pigs in China, evil factory farms in Mexico and an Al Qaeda plot involving Mexican drug cartels are a few wild theories seeking to explain a deadly swine flu outbreak that has killed up to 176 people.

Nobody knows for sure but scientists say the origins are in fact far less sinister and are likely explained by the ability of viruses to mutate and jump from species to species as animals and people increasingly live closer to each other.

TC firm's study puts price of stolen laptops at $50,000 for biz

A new study from Traverse City's Ponemon Institute, sponsored by Intel Corp. revealed that the average cost of a lost or stolen laptop is nearly $50,000.

The Case-Shiller Home Price Index for Los Angeles, a Turn-Around is Near

Time For A Fair Discussion On Black Soot

A recent NY Times articles brings to fore the contribution of Soot, also known as Black Carbon, in the global warming. And how efforts are underway to reign in the global warming by replacing the mud-stoves in villages of India! On the Earth day, a legislation was introduced in US Senate for EPA to assess the options for reducing the black carbon pollution.

U.S. DOE Heats Up New Energy Standards for Home Furnaces

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit granted the Obama Administration’s request to reconsider weak efficiency standards of residential furnaces, one of the home’s biggest users of energy. The case was brought to the U.S. DOE by several states, and consumer and environmental groups, including the Natural Resources Defense Council.

U.S. Electric Utilities Increase Lobbying

The climate-change debate in Congress has resulted in juiced-up spending on lobbyists by U.S. electric utilities, a review of documents reveals.

The utilities, from Duke Energy to American Electric Power, together spent a total of $51 million on lobbying lawmakers during the last six months of 2008, which was 30 percent, or $12 million, higher than the same period of 2007, USA Today reported Monday.

U.S. Wind Energy Industry Installs over 2,800 MW in First Quarter

The wind energy industry installed over 2,800 megawatts (MW) of new generating capacity in the first quarter of 2009, with new projects completed in 15 states and powering the equivalent of 816,000 homes, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) announced today in its first quarter market report.

University of Minnesota Morris Partners with McKinstry to Reach Goal of Carbon Neutrality by 2010

The University of Minnesota Morris (UMM) has partnered with McKinstry, a leading design/build construction, engineering, energy services and facilities management firm, in order to realize its long-held ambition of becoming the first Carbon Neutral University in the Midwest.

Unusual Coalition Pushes Legislation to Cut Emissions

After fighting each other for decades, environmentalists and industrial businesses are working together in Congress to clear the air -- literally -- through a reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.

US Fed Leaves Rates Alone, Economic Outlook Has Improved

Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in March indicates that the economy has continued to contract, though the pace of contraction appears to be somewhat slower. Household spending has shown signs of stabilizing but remains constrained by ongoing job losses, lower housing wealth, and tight credit. Weak sales prospects and difficulties in obtaining credit have led businesses to cut back on inventories, fixed investment, and staffing.

US oil demand revised down 780,000 b/d February 2009; EIA

Total US petroleum demand in February was revised down 780,000 b/d to 18.706 million b/d, according to data released Thursday by the US Energy Information Administration in its Monthly Petroleum Supply Report.

Total US petroleum demand was originally estimated at 19.486 million b/d in preliminary data.

Utility Green Power Programs Grew 20%; NREL

According to the latest NREL analysis, more than 850 U.S. utilities now offer voluntary green power programs, which give consumers the option of supporting renewable energy such as wind and solar through their electricity purchases. Wind is the primary source of electricity generated for green energy programs nationwide.

Vestas still plans Portland expansion

Vestas Wind Systems' announced 1,900 layoffs in Northern Europe today and kicked up worries that the wind-turbine giant may be killing plans to expand its North American headquarters in Portland.

White House science adviser says new nuclear plants likely

In the past it has taken more than a decade to build a new nuclear power plant, and Holdren said that future plants should be built more quickly.

"We hope they will be characterized by shorter construction times," he said. Currently, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission are considering 15 applications for 25 nuclear units, but no companies have committed to building new plants, citing concerns over licensing and financing.

Wind Farm Construction, What Does it Take?

So, what is involved with building a wind farm? In this IssueAlert article, UtiliPoint International interviews Jesper Hensen, Director of Sales— USA for KR Wind, an international crane company that specializes in the installation of wind turbines.