Energy and Economy posts, articles, and infographics

A Closer Look at Cities As An Energy Solution

May 19, 2012 by Marianne Lavelle
with 176 views

/p>Hubert Klumpner, co-founder of the Urban Think Tank in Zurich, Switzerland and Sao Paulo, Brazil, discusses the challenge and promise of cities in addressing global resource stresses, at the Powering Progress business forum Wednesday in Rotterdam. [read more]

The Art of PV War

May 18, 2012 by Nigel Morris
with 299 views

Sasilssolutions/Shutterstock

The U.S. Department of Commerce today handed down it’s preliminary report on alleged dumping by Chinese solar manufacturers in the US market.The landmark findings handed down concluded that Chinese manufacturers were guilty of dumping solar cells and panels into the U.S. market, and imposed preliminary margins of 31.14 %... [read more]

Gamesa Ditches Virginia Offshore Wind Project

May 17, 2012 by Nino Marchetti
with 119 views

image via Gamesa

Spanish wind-power company Gamesa is pulling the plug on Virginia. Gamesa’s first offshore wind turbine prototype was planned for installation off Cape Charles, Va., but now the company says it will cite the turbine in Arinaga Quay in the Canary Islands.Gamesa said it expects to begin installation of the G128-5.0 megawatt (MW)... [read more]

Are Chesapeake's Problems A Red Flag For Shale Gas?

May 17, 2012 by Geoffrey Styles
with 486 views

David Gaylor /Shutterstock

Chesapeake Energy has been in the news a lot, lately, concerning both the significant challenges it faces in financing its ambitious development program, and its high-profile CEO, who was recently forced to relinquish his role as Chairman. The company's stock is trading for half its value one year ago and less than a fourth of its 2008 peak. [read more]

Rethinking the role of government in cleantech

May 17, 2012 by Dallas Kachan
with 126 views

Arkady/Shutterstock

Another year, another wringing of the hands over tax credits and incentives for clean technology. It’s time to end government handouts in clean technology, policymakers need to focus on setting mandates and standards and start ratcheting back subsidies and credits. [read more]

In an Election Year, Time to Talk Energy

May 17, 2012 by Mark Green
with 121 views

Just a thought, but how great would it be if one of this fall’s presidential debates focused solely on energy issues?Past presidential debates have discussed the economy and jobs, national security and foreign policy, and of course all of those are important. Yet, when you think about it, energy is the nexus where all come together.... [read more]

What does Measurement & Verification mean?

May 16, 2012 by Bruce Thomason
with 150 views

Victor Correia/Shutterstock

M&V protocols vary from each utility to the next. What’s required in TX may not be necessarily required in Massachusetts. M&V plans are customized to each project, based on the scope work of the project, the technology, and the confidence level established by the utility with respect to the anticipated savings for the... [read more]

The Opportunities And Pitfalls Of Managing Smart Grid Data

May 16, 2012 by Joseph Romm
with 143 views

At the advent of the Internet 30 years ago, having large amounts of personal information accessible on a shared network would have been unthinkable — even if that network would make our lives easier. But we found a way to navigate this privacy minefield with one straightforward idea: Entrust our personal information to certain entities... [read more]

Cleantech A Beacon In The California Gloom

May 15, 2012 by Nino Marchetti
with 264 views

image via Next 10

According to the 2012 California Green Innovation Index, compiled by Next 10, the state’s investment in the clean technology is doing more than innovation. It’s also helping California grow its economy and cut emissions after one of the worst recessions in history devastated the housing sector and reduced the real estate tax base of... [read more]

Assessing Arun Majumdar's Legacy at ARPA-E

May 15, 2012 by Clifton Yin
with 348 views

Flickr

Last week saw the unfortunate news that Dr. Arun Majumdar will resign – effective June 9 – from the U.S. Department of Energy, where he has served as the head of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) since October 2009. His departure is a “big hit for energy innovation policy,” ITIF’s Matt Stepp commented (... [read more]

Managing Peaks without Overbuilding the Electric Grid

May 15, 2012 by Christine Hertzog
with 341 views

3DDock/Shutterstock

The old wireline Bell telephone system was built for Mother’s Day. The Bell system network planners knew that this one day in May was the mother of all phone call traffic peaks in the USA. They designed their networks for that anticipated capacity. The network planners had an 11th Commandment that influenced their operations: “Thou shalt... [read more]

Clean Tech Headed for Stagnation

May 14, 2012 by Matthew Stepp
with 465 views

To be sure, the U.S. clean energy industry has been in a period of rapid growth, largely due to historic federal investments in the research, development, deployment, and manufacture of clean technologies. From 2009 through 2014, the federal government will invest a total of $150 billion, or the equivalent in magnitude to government... [read more]

Conservative Confidential Memo: Wind Power the Next Target

May 14, 2012 by Nathanael Baker
with 446 views

Nightman1965/Shutterstock

Conservative America's fight against the advancement of a new energy economy continues to evolve. The latest development is a concerted campaign to discredit the wind industry and shift public opinion against the technology.A confidential memo published by The Guardian highlights a proposal crafted by John Droz, a fellow at the... [read more]

Are solar subsidies unnatural but unavoidable?

May 14, 2012 by Alex Chapman
with 378 views

Wind energy has become the favourite whipping boy in the renewable energy world. However, solar energy has its critics as well. Wind energy opponents are usually current or prospective neighbours of turbine installations. Solar energy naysayers are typically actual or would-be economists. [read more]

Saudi Arabia to Unleash Solar by Investing $109 Billion

May 14, 2012 by Rhys Clay
with 825 views

cofkocof/Shutterstock

Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest exporter of crude oil plans to install a solar capacity of 41,000 megawatts by 2032. Critics have noted that to achieve this, Saudi Arabia would need to produce and export approximately half of the world’s total annual installed capacity of solar. Can the country achieve this ambitious target? [read more]