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Should Washington Extend Tax Credits for Wind Power?
As the Jan. 1, 2013, “fiscal cliff” approaches, one of the most divisive issues in Congress is whether to extend tax credits for wind power that are scheduled to expire at the end of 2012. The political battle lines among legislators are largely set...
Fuel Economy Standards: Is the Most Important Energy Policy of Obama’s Administration at Risk?
Yesterday, President Obama announced the most important energy policy of his administration, finalizing fuel economy standards through model year (MY) 2025 that should roughly double the efficiency of new vehicles as compared to when he took office...
Can Mexico's New President Achieve Energy Reform?
Most probably, on December 1st, Mr. Enrique Peña Nieto (EPN), the presidential candidate of PRI party, will become the new Mexican president for a six year term. The PRI was the dominant political party in Mexico from 1929 to 2000 although with...
Will the Drought Also Cause the Renewable Fuels Standard to Shrivel?
In the wake of the record drought affecting much of the country, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released on Friday an extremely pessimistic paper projecting much lower production of corn and soybeans this year. The report is sure to...
North Dakota Overtakes Alaska in Oil Production
While we’re in Alaska, we keep hearing the same joke that if Alaska were split in two, Texas would be the third largest state. It turns out that when it comes to oil production, there’s a new state that’s fallen to third place – Alaska.In March,...
Vehicle Emissions Standards: A Regulatory Success Story
Recent estimates from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) show that emissions of air pollutants that harm human health in the Houston region are falling dramatically. This excellent development is largely the result of very...
Smart Parking Solutions to Reduce Congestion and Oil Use
The days of free parking may be numbered. In a world where rapid urbanization and climate change are raising awareness of the high costs of traffic congestion, Citibank and IBM announced this week that they are joining forces to provide financing...
Young Americans Are Driving Dramatically Less – Will It Continue?
Americans under 40 are driving dramatically less, according to data from the National Household Travel Survey. The question is: Is car culture in America waning generationally or is this a temporary phenomenon linked to the recession?The recession...
Is It a Jungle Gym or an Electric Charging Station?
Public electric vehicle charging stations are starting to pop around Houston and other cities in a noticeable fashion. According to eVgo, nine are currently operational around town (six of which are in parking lots of Walgreens stores). Recently,...
Why Is the Nissan Leaf Selling Faster than the Chevy Volt?
With the high gas prices we are facing today, the popularity of the fuel-efficient car is seeing its inevitable increase. Two of the fiercer competitors of this type of car are the Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf, both released within days of...
Syrian Oil: To Sanction or Not To Sanction?
This post was written by Keily Miller, Research Associate at the Baker Institute Energy Forum. In response to the ongoing violence plaguing Syrian cities, the Obama administration is toying with a new plan to sanction Syria’s oil and gas industry...
What to do When the Next Oil Shock Hits
America has no plan for what to do when an oil shock hits. Not only that, few if any discuss what could be done. Yet with a high risk of future volatility in markets, America needs such a plan.Luckily, with the power of the Internet, policies can...
