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An Electric Car Revolution Will Require Perpetual Subsidies

April 9, 2018 by Schalk Cloete 61 Comments

An Electric Car Revolution Will Require Perpetual Subsidies

Highlights: Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) can be economically attractive as commuter cars in city traffic. Attractiveness fades for longer-distance travelling due to larger battery packs, a smaller efficiency advantage, and more fast charging at on-peak rates. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Efficiency, Electricity, Energy and Economy, Transportation Tagged With: autonomous vehicles, battery electric vehicles, efficiency, electric cars, hybrids

The Energy Savings Case for Leaving the Lights On at Night at the Tesla Store

March 23, 2018 by Matt Chester

The Energy Savings Case for Leaving the Lights On at Night at the Tesla Store

Tesla is a company that’s gone out of its way to make sustainability and green energy practices cool and mainstream. Through their trend-setting electric cars (one of which was launched into space by Tesla owner Elon Musk’s other enterprise, SpaceX), record-setting installations of energy storage, or the residential and commercial solar rooftop panels they sell. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cleantech, Efficiency, Electricity, Electricity Grid, Energy, Energy and Economy, Energy Security, Fuels, Green Building, News, Renewables, Storage, Sustainability, Transportation, Utilities Tagged With: efficiency, energy efficiency, energy savings, tesla

This Midwestern State is the Surprising Standout on Cutting Carbon Pollution

January 5, 2018 by EDF Energy Exchange

This Midwestern State is the Surprising Standout on Cutting Carbon Pollution

One state surprisingly stands out for reducing carbon emissions from electricity. Ohio saw an impressive 37.7 percent drop in its power sector’s carbon emissions from 2005 to 2015. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Carbon and De-carbonization, Cleantech, Climate, Communications and Messaging, Efficiency, Electricity, Energy, Energy and Economy, Energy Security, Environment, Environmental Policy, Finance, Fuels, Green Business, International Climate Conferences, News, Politics & Legislation, Public Health, Risk Management, Sustainability, Tech, Utilities Tagged With: carbon emissions, carbon pollution, decarbonization, efficiency, Energy decarbonization, midwest, ohio, pollution

Does “Efficiency First” Mean “Renewables Last”?

October 19, 2017 by Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP)

Does “Efficiency First” Mean “Renewables Last”?

The European Commission’s “Clean Energy for All Europeans” package of legislation puts “Efficiency First.” Generally praised by energy efficiency advocates, this principle evokes fear in the renewable energy sector. Does Efficiency First mean that renewable energy takes the back seat? Will Efficiency First slow down the remarkable expansion of renewable energy in recent years? … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cleantech, Efficiency, Electricity, Energy, Energy and Economy, Energy Security, Environment, Environmental Policy, Finance, Fuels, Green Business, Politics & Legislation, Renewables, Risk Management, Storage, Sustainability, Utilities Tagged With: clean energy, efficiency, energy choices, energy competition, energy policy, green energy, renewables

How Important is Baseload Generation Capacity to U.S. Power Grids’ Reliability?

October 2, 2017 by John Miller

How Important is Baseload Generation Capacity to U.S. Power Grids’ Reliability?

Recently a number of Politicians and Special Interests have advocated that the U.S. Power Sector’s ‘Baseload’ power generation capacity is outdated and rapidly becoming less important to maintaining Power Grids’ reliabilities and efficiencies. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Biofuels, Cleantech, Coal, Communications and Messaging, Energy Collective Exclusive, Energy Security, Environment, Environmental Policy, Fuels, Geothermal Energy, Green Building, Hydro Power, Natural Gas, News, Nuclear Power, Oil, Politics & Legislation, Renewables, Solar Power, Storage, Tech, Wind Tagged With: baseload, baseload generation, capacity, efficiency, electrical grid, Energy and Policy Developments, energy grid, reliability

Finding Efficiency: Between Electric Customers and Utilities

August 15, 2017 by Malcolm Metcalfe

Finding Efficiency: Between Electric Customers and Utilities

I have posted several blogs in the past few weeks, focused on the potential to improve the operation of the electric power grid, reducing losses, and driving the overall efficiency up. Some of the thoughtful comments that have been posted by readers have provided food for thought. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cleantech, Efficiency, Electricity, Electricity Grid, Energy, Energy and Economy, Energy Security, Environment, Environmental Policy, Finance, Fuels, Green Business, News, Politics & Legislation, Risk Management, Smart Grid, Tech, Utilities Tagged With: DERMs, efficiency, power grid, VPP

Rethinking ESS Certification: Is There a Better Way?

September 21, 2015 by James Greenberger Leave a Comment

Rethinking ESS Certification: Is There a Better Way?

This past week, I spoke at The Battery Show in Novi, Michigan on the subject of electricity stationary storage (ESS) safety.  One of the panels on which I participated discussed the development of testing and certification procedures for ESS systems.  My fellow panelists were Serena Lee of ConEdison, Ibrahim Jilani of UL LLC and Dan Gorham of the National Fire Protection Association.  The consensus of the panel was that significant … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cleantech, Electricity, Electricity Grid, Environmental Policy, Green Business, Politics & Legislation, Public Health, Risk Management, Smart Grid, Storage Tagged With: certification, efficiency, ESS

Moving America Beyond Oil: A Brief Year-End Progress Report

January 7, 2014 by NRDC Switchboard 4 Comments

Moving America Beyond Oil: A Brief Year-End Progress Report

Deron Lovaas, Federal Transportation Policy Director, Washington, D.C.Note: This entry is cross-posted on the Transport Beyond Oil blog.Five years ago I was defending a new report sponsored by NRDC, EDF, various government agencies and foundations, as well as the American Public Transportation Association, the Intelligent Transportation Society of America, Shell Oil and the Urban Land Institute. This report – Moving Cooler: An Analysis of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Carbon and De-carbonization, Climate, Communications and Messaging, Efficiency, Energy, Energy and Economy, Energy Security, Environment, Environmental Policy, Fuels, News, Oil, Politics & Legislation, Public Health, Renewables, Tech, Transportation Tagged With: efficiency, oil dependence, traffic reduction

Could Weather Forecasting Be the Secret to Energy Management?

October 12, 2013 by Katherine Tweed Leave a Comment

Could Weather Forecasting Be the Secret to Energy Management?

WeatherBug doesn’t want to just provide its weather data to energy management companies, it wants to be an energy management company.Last year, WeatherBug, which is owned by Earth Networks, launched its e5 program, which is similar to EcoFactor’s software-as-a-service offering. Like EcoFactor, WeatherBug is hardware agnostic and makes micro-adjustments to HVAC to save energy without homeonwers even noticing a difference.Earlier this year, e5 was … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Efficiency, Electricity, Energy and Economy, Energy Security, Environmental Policy, Green Business, Tech Tagged With: efficiency, home energy management, weather patterns, weatherbug

Carbon Markets Cut Emissions 17 Times Cheaper Than Subsidies

October 11, 2013 by Silvio Marcacci 4 Comments

Carbon Markets Cut Emissions 17 Times Cheaper Than Subsidies

The cornerstone appeal of carbon markets is their ability to cut emissions while creating clean energy investments – but it turns out they may be far more effective at the task than anyone could have ever imagined.Carbon markets reduce greenhouse gas emissions nearly 17 times cheaper than paying power generators renewable energy subsidies, according to new analysis of 15 nations by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cap-and-Trade, Carbon and De-carbonization, Climate, Energy and Economy, Energy Security, Environmental Policy, Fuels, Green Business, Risk Management, Subsidies, Sustainability, Tech Tagged With: carbon markets, efficiency

California Helps Drivers Plug-in and Replace Clunkers with Cleaner Cars

September 29, 2013 by Max Baumhefner Leave a Comment

California Helps Drivers Plug-in and Replace Clunkers with Cleaner Cars

To transform the vehicle fleet, you need to work on both ends — accelerating the purchase of cleaner new vehicles and the retirement of old clunkers. The California legislature is sending a package of bills to Governor Brown’s desk that does just that. Taken as a whole, these policies will ensure Californians at all income levels enjoy the environmental, public health, and financial benefits of cleaner, more efficient vehicles.Assembly Bill 8, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Carbon and De-carbonization, Cleantech, Climate, Environment, Environmental Policy, Fuels, Politics & Legislation, Public Health, Risk Management, Sustainability, Tech Tagged With: california, car culture, efficiency

How Efficient Can Toilets Become?

August 11, 2013 by Katherine Tweed 5 Comments

How Efficient Can Toilets Become?

The next time you have a moment alone with the porcelain throne, think of this: toilets still take the cake for the most water use of any indoor water appliance, despite significant water efficiency gains in the past few decades.Toilets used to use multiple gallons of water for every flush, but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has set the current limit at 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf).California, as usual, is already out in front of the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cleantech, Efficiency, Tech, Utilities, Water Tagged With: efficiency, energy and water, toilets

Nuclear Energy Plant Designed, Constructed, Tested in Less Than Two Years

July 30, 2013 by Rod Adams 2 Comments

Nuclear Energy Plant Designed, Constructed, Tested in Less Than Two Years

Under current rules and assumptions, anyone who claims that they can design and build a power-producing nuclear reactor in less than 10-15 years is considered to be naive or hopelessly unrealistic. However, there is no reason to believe that everyone with the technical capacity for completing the task will follow the same rules. Even in the United States, there was a time in which nuclear technology development moved much more quickly.One of my … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Efficiency, Electricity, Energy, Energy and Economy, Fuels, Green Building, Nuclear Power Tagged With: efficiency, nuclear plant construction

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The Energy Collective Columns

Full Spectrum: Energy Analysis and Commentary with Jesse JenkinsEnergy and Policy Developments with John Miller
Game Changers column badgeEnergy for Human Development Column
Seeking Consensus with Schalk CloeteGreen Growth with Silvio Marcacci
New Energy VoicesMore coming soon...

Latest comments

  • Bas Gresnigt on Why Nuclear Fusion is Gaining Steam – Again Thanks for your interesting background story. Yet the Energiewende scenario developed gradually d (April 19, 2018 at 11:32 AM)
  • Bas Gresnigt on Why Nuclear Fusion is Gaining Steam – Again Mark, Your Berkeley study states that solar needs 76 times more and wind needs 10 times more materia (April 19, 2018 at 11:14 AM)
  • Bas Gresnigt on Why Nuclear Fusion is Gaining Steam – Again EP, The software of the wind turbines can be adapted such that they cut out gradually and each at d (April 19, 2018 at 10:01 AM)
  • Bas Gresnigt on Why Nuclear Fusion is Gaining Steam – Again Mark, Wind is hardly curtailed. It is used to pump water in the upper reservoir of their pumped st (April 19, 2018 at 9:31 AM)

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