energy independence

oil-free Sweden?

The oil crisis in the early 1970s forced Sweden to embark on a quest for alternative energy sources. In 1970, oil accounted for 77 percent of Sweden’s energy, but by 2003 that figure fell to 32 percent.[read more]

Oil Tanker via Shutterstock

According to Mitt Romney, the United States will become energy independent when it no longer imports oil from unfriendly and unstable countries such as Venezuela and Middle Eastern kingdoms; in a Romney presidency we will only import oil from Canada and Mexico. Presumably, that strategy will make the U.S. energy supply more secure.[read more]

Obama vs Romney via Shutterstock

When you think about ‘energy independence’ how do you define this concept? With the upcoming Presidential election we all have a choice to make on which candidate’s energy plan is most consistent with our personal view of ‘energy independence’.[read more]

We hear these terms used frequently, often interchangeably, when we here talk of energy - especially during political discourse. But what do they really get at?[read more]

Cincinnati is working on a new power aggregation deal right now that could lead to the entire city being powered from 100 percent renewable energy sources. The deal, city officials say, could be finalized within the coming months and be in place for consumers by summer 2012. Such a move would make Cincinnati the largest city in the...[read more]

An op-ed in this morning's Wall St. Journal by former CIA Director James Woolsey makes an interesting and seemingly pragmatic suggestion for improving America's energy security.[read more]

The first financial quarter of 2011 closed last week, and the early numbers suggest it was a record quarter for cleantech investment.[read more]

A confluence of recent events, both tragic and inspiring, have once again reminded us that America’s national security is inextricably linked to its energy posture. As a result, a new consensus is emerging within government and the private sector: the U.S. military can make the nation and its soldiers safer while simultaneously aiding in an economic transformation to a less carbon intensive economy.[read more]

  The following guest essay is by Kevin P. Kane. Kevin is an Oil & Gas analyst and cleantech business consultant living in South Korea. Kevin previously published two widely circulated essays: American Freedom from Oil: A Bipartisan Pipedream and Energy Security Populism: Oil Prices, American Leaders, and Media. In this essay...[read more]

There appears to be a growing consensus here that halting the increase of atmospheric CO2 concentration would require reducing global annual CO2 emissions to zero. There also appears to be a growing consensus that this emissions reduction should occur by 2050. There is no global plan to achieve this result. There is also no US plan to...[read more]

By Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger The long holiday weekend will undoubtedly bring the usual calls for energy independence. With a hole in the bottom of the ocean continuing to spew tens of thousands of gallons of oil daily into the Gulf and hundreds of thousands of American troops stationed around the world endeavoring, among...[read more]

The country is serious about energy independence and dealing with climate change The BBC reports Finland's parliament approved the construction of two new nuclear power stations by a vote of 120-72, which indicates the ruling coalition holds a majority on the issue in the 200 member chamber. The bill was opposed by Green League and the...[read more]

I have noted before that every president since Nixon has talked about the need to get the United States off of foreign oil and moving toward energy independence. Jon Stewart recently captured this theme in a very funny, but troubling segment: An Energy-Independent Future While Jon does a good job of demonstrating that this idea of...[read more]

In calling for a new "national mission" to achieve energy independence during his Oval Office address earlier this week, President Obama was clearly seeking inspiration from his predecessors, a number of whom actually achieved the big technological goals they'd pursued. At various inflection points in the nation's history, presidents...[read more]

What Will it Take to End Our Oil Addiction?      Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill     Peak Oil Coming Sooner Than Expected May 29, 2010 by Craig Severance It's time we moved on to something else, or this is going to kill us.  Not only are world oil supplies running out, but...[read more]