Renewables posts, articles, and infographics

Study: E15 Could Put Some Engines at Risk

May 20, 2012 by Mark Green
with 202 views

More on the potential risk to America’s car and truck fleet posed by E15 – gasoline containing 15 percent ethanol that has EPA approval: Just-released research indicates that more than 5 million existing cars and light trucks, which EPA says are OK for E15 use, could develop engine problems as a result.Why this discrepancy? The... [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]

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]

Are solar subsidies unnatural but unavoidable?

May 14, 2012 by Alex Chapman
with 379 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 826 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]

Renewable Revolution: Don’t Worry, It’s Coming

May 9, 2012 by Nino Marchetti
with 2,014 views

image via Abengoa

California currently has just 524 solar projects over 1 megawatt (MW) — but an incredible 17,707 such solar projects will be on the grid by 2017 [PDF]. This is a huge change! And California is not the only state with such massive change coming.The U.S. is about to go through an incredible metamorphosis when it comes to energy... [read more]

Stanford On Renewables Policy: Get Real

May 8, 2012 by Nino Marchetti
with 276 views

Shutterstock

With the untimely demise of Fremont, Calif.-based Solyndra adding fuel to the fire of public debate on what, exactly, the federal government’s role should be in supporting the growth of renewables, two researchers from Stanford University says the U.S. and the world at large need a reality check on renewable energy policies.Jeffrey... [read more]

China's Dominance in Rare Earth Elements and Pyrolysis Oil

May 4, 2012 by Robert Rapier
with 229 views

In this week’s episode of R-Squared Energy TV, I talk about the significance of China’s dominance of rare earth element production, and the conversion of pyrolysis oil into fuel.The questions answered this week are:1. Can you discuss the uses of ‘rare earth’ elements in the production of renewable energies (i.e., wind and solar)?... [read more]

Fossil Fuel Subsidies Blocking Clean Energy?

May 4, 2012 by Nino Marchetti
with 321 views

Shutterstock

A study just published in the journal Nature Climate Change suggests that fossil fuel subsidies in some developing nations stand most in the way of clean energy. For a livable climate, developing nations must bypass the fossil age as they grow their 21st century economies.The paper, Assessing the costs of photovoltaic and wind... [read more]

After Fukushima, will a new feed in tarriff solve Japan's energy issues?

May 3, 2012 by André Semmler
with 472 views

Ko.Yo/Shutterstock

A quick update on the status of Japan's FIT talks and its possible implications for the expansion of renewables. [read more]

Backfilling Nuclear Shutdowns With Efficiency And Renewables In Japan, Germany And California?

April 30, 2012 by Joseph Romm
with 220 views

Electric utilities and policymakers in Japan and Germany have been scrambling for months to find ways to compensate for nuclear power plants shut down in the aftermath of Fukushima.In both instances, fossil fuels are part of the stopgap solution to offset the declines in nuclear generation in the short term, but longer-term energy... [read more]

Which is better for nuclear- Uranium or Thorium?

April 30, 2012 by Charles Barton
with 1,171 views

concept w/Shutterstock

My last post focused on the uranium as a renewable resource.This seemingly radical view, is supported by well known facts. The question then is, with the renewable nature of uranium, why should we need thorium?Although uranium is virtually infintly renewable in sea water, the amount of uranium that can be recovered from seawater may not... [read more]

The Latest Publication from the World Business Council for Sustainable Development: 'The Energy Mix'

April 28, 2012 by David Hone
with 574 views

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) held its annual company delegate conference in Switzerland this week. For the WBCSD Energy and Climate team the event marked the launch of the latest WBCSD publication “The Energy Mix”. This is a document that started life back in the middle of last year, originally as a response to the reaction from a number of governments to the events in Fukushima. The initial aim was to inform policy makers on the implication of sudden changes in energy policy, such as the decision by the German government to rapidly phase out the use of nuclear power. But as the work got going, the document took on a number of additional dimensions. [read more]

India's Solar Sector Has Grown Rapidly, Driving down Costs and Slashing Pollution

April 26, 2012 by Frances Beinecke
with 331 views

India has dramatically expanded its reliance on solar power over the past two years. Solar installations have sprouted across the nation and costs for this clean energy have dropped, according to a new report, Laying the Foundation for a Bright Future, released today by NRDC and our New Delhi-based partner Council on Energy, Environment... [read more]

Clean Energy Rides Bucking Economy To Growth

April 25, 2012 by Nino Marchetti
with 181 views

Reflecting on clean-energy performance in 2011, research firm Clean Edge released a report of the good, the bad and the not-too-ugly. Despite a turbulent economic year for most industries, combined revenue for the global solar, wind and biofuel industries rose 30 percent from $188 billion in 2010 to $246 billion... [read more]