All posts

New report encourages energy innovation as Defense Department priority

July 30, 2010 by TerynNorris
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The 14 MW solar farm at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada demonstrates the potential for further energy innovation opportunities within the Department of Defense. With Congress demurring once again on comprehensive energy innovation reform, creative and practical thinking will be necessary to build America’s clean energy economy. One... [read more]

A Lost Opportunity?

July 30, 2010 by DavidHone
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As governments retreat from cap-and-trade, the underlying emissions issue remains and the question turns to "What now?". If we don’t implement cap-and-trade, the alternative is potentially a long way shy of a true market based approach. It could include all manner of arbitrary policies, patched together in an effort to cover all the main bases but at the same time possibly missing many of the much easier abatement opportunities that a market may uncover. [read more]

Licensing small nuclear reactors

July 29, 2010 by Dan Yurman
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American Nuclear Society committee white papers are out A special committee of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) will publish this week a series of white papers on licensing issues for small modular reactors (SMRs). The committee, which is composed of representatives from nearly 40 organizations, believes that fundamental changes are... [read more]

The Incredible Shrinking Energy Bill

July 29, 2010 by Geoffrey Styles
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When legislation is introduced in the US Congress, most of the discussion typically concerns its specific provisions. Sometimes, as in the case of the "public option" absent from the final healthcare bill, notable omissions vie for attention. However, in the case of this year's greatly-diminished energy bill released this week by Senator... [read more]

Another Spill: EPA: 1M gallons of oil may be in Mich. river

July 29, 2010 by MattDernoga
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It appears an 800,000 gallon oil spill from Tuesday in Kalamazoo is not being contained, has swollen to over a million gallons, and is at risk of devastating Lake Michigan if it reaches it.  This is just another example of why we need to get off of oil, accidents that devastate the ecosystem and local economy will continue to happen... [read more]

22 Smarter Cities Put Clean Energy on the Map

July 29, 2010 by FrancesBeinecke
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This week, NRDC released the “2010 Smarter Cities” list of 22 municipalities that are leading the way in green power, energy efficiency, and conservation. These cities are already testing out the solutions that will launch America into the 21st century clean energy future. I have long viewed cities as incubators of environmental... [read more]

Wind Energy Opponents Might Soon Be Able to Say - "Wall Street Won't Finance Wind"

July 29, 2010 by RodAdams
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Scale of 1.5 MWe Turbines at Cefn Croes During the first six months of 2010, the installation rate for wind turbines in the US has dropped by 71% compared to the same period in 2009. Though there are 5,000 MW (peak capacity) still under construction, there are few projects in the planning phases with expected start dates after... [read more]

Germany’s love hate relationship with nuclear energy

July 28, 2010 by Dan Yurman
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Greens want to close them. Government wants to tax them. In 1988 the German government in a fit of political myopia agreed to a truly dumb plan to close its 17 nuclear reactors which provide about 25% of all the nation’s electricity.  The agreement was presented as a victory for green groups which promised renewable energy source... [read more]

Following the Oil Money: How ‘Slick’ are Your Representatives?

July 28, 2010 by TaylenPeterson
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I recently wrote a post about the BP Republicans in Congress. Those are the no-brainers like Joe Barton who apologized to the now infamous oil (spilling) company because President Obama took some semblance of leadership on the issue by forcing BP to set aside billions for the relief effort. The actual list of BP Republicans was put... [read more]

If insulation is sexy, Arizona is totally hot

July 28, 2010 by OshaDavidson
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While the national media are focused on Arizona because of the state’s controversial immigration law, there was virtually no coverage of a momentous leap in an area President Obama himself has declared “sexy.” I’m talking about Arizona’s adoption, Tuesday, of a toughest-in-the-nation rule on energy efficiency. Hot hot hot The new rules... [read more]

Volt vs. Leaf: Choosing your green drive

July 28, 2010 by ToddWoody
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Are you a Volt kind of gal or a Leaf guy? With General Motors and Nissan revving up to put the first mass-produced electric cars in showrooms in a few months, the shape of the nascent market is starting to emerge as the engineers complete their work and the marketers begin theirs. The cars, the Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf, take... [read more]

Reid Unveils Weak Energy Bill

July 28, 2010 by MattDernoga
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Harry Reid has unveiled his weak energy bill that can muster the 60 votes to break the filibuster.  Absent from it is a price on carbon, climate provisions, and a Renewable Energy Standard.  Here is the 24 page summary. Now that there aren’t some good provisions, it’s just they feel like baby steps compared to the problem we’re... [read more]