U.S. energy policy

renewable energy/shutterstock

In what is the second bill introduced recently to reinforce the idea of energy efficiency in the last few weeks, a major financial breakthrough could clear a path towards substantial renewable energy growth in the US.[read more]

US CO2 emissions

The policy lesson is obvious—real and lasting reductions in CO2 come from economy-wide policy effects, not from the current transient boom in the US natural gas market.[read more]

energy policy/shutterstock

Shaheen and Portman took the past bill, made some adjustments and went through the due process of negotiating with over 200 groups and organizations this time around to gain a wide swath of approval within industry.[read more]

US carbon emissions

Besides further increasing renewable energy supplies and increasing energy efficiency, can U.S. total carbon emissions be substantially reduced without increased lower carbon natural gas?[read more]

Subsidies via Shutterstock

Now that the presidential election is over, perhaps we’ll see some reality injected into our energy policy.  The existing energy policy professes to encourage “energy independence”.  That policy in action embeds permanent subsidies, tax credits, and tax breaks in the US federal tax code for highly profitable fossil fuel...[read more]

Election 2012 via Shutterstock

Now that the election is in full swing it's time to ask - is anything these candidates are promising realistic?[read more]

Photo by joiseyshowaa via Flickr

Despite all the political rhetoric, the bottom line hasn't changed: Carbon emissions are increasing in every corner of the planet. This is largely due to the fact that the global economy is so unequivocally tied to fossil fuel consumption.In 2009, a drop in emissions left casual observers optimistic that the transition from a carbon-...[read more]

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) administrator in the South and Southwest region (Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Louisiana, and Arkansas), Al Armendariz, has resigned after Republicans took aim at comments he made two years ago regarding how the EPA would "crucify" corporations that broke environmental laws.An...[read more]

Speaking in front of college students in Maryland on Thursday, President Barack Obama blasted the "drill baby, drill" calls that are starting to resurface across the country, especially in Republican circles.Using simple arithmetic, the President debunked the idea that drilling for more oil will not only lower gas prices, but also solve...[read more]

Samuel Johnson once observed that nothing concentrates the mind like a hanging. If Dr. Johnson were alive today he would undoubtedly add the corollary that nothing concentrates the mind on the tenuous nature of oil supplies like political turmoil in the Middle East.[read more]

After a new report showed 2010 was tied for the hottest year on record, several key members within the U.S. Democratic party stated it was time for the country to pass comprehensive climate and energy legislation. In its latest report, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found that global temperatures last year...[read more]

The U.S. Senate is preparing to propose new tax legislation that would include a one year extension of the renewable energy cash grant program and the subsidies for the ethanol industry. The new bill is set to be introduced on the Senate floor on Monday.  The renewable energy industry has been working furiously to lobby for the...[read more]

Rep. John Shimkus

U.S. House Representative John Shimkus (Republican-Illinois), who has opposed cap and trade legislation because he believes God will not allow the earth to be destroyed by global warming, is running to become the House Energy and Commerce Committee chairman. In 2009, at a congressional hearing on cap and trade legislation, Rep. Shimkus...[read more]

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy's 2010 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard shows the United States took major strides in energy efficiency this year, despite failing to pass new energy policy. Some advances in energy efficiency highlighted in the 2010 Scorecard include: nearly a two-fold increase of state budgets for...[read more]