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| Headline |
Author |
Published |
Section |
Restating the obvious: Coal isn't renewable
Alaska state legislature proposes fund to support alternative energy including coal |
Sean Casten |
10 Jul 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Alaska has proposed a $21 billion fund (Greenwire, $ub. req'd), which uses oil surpluses to support alternative energy projects, including: wind, solar, geothermal, hydroelectric, tidal, biomass and a plant that 'produces ultraclean fuels from coal.' State Rep. Les Gara (D-Anchorage) responds: Coal is not renewable energy and by any fair definition it's not really alternative energy Sounds controversial! |
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| Topics: Alaska, energy, politics, renewable energy, state politics (all these topics) |
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The Window to the Sol
Your windows could collect solar energy, says study |
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10 Jul 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 3:49 PM on 10 Jul 2008 Have windows? Then you could collect solar energy, says a new study published in the journal Science. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a light-absorbing dye that, when painted on a window, transfers energy via the glass into solar cells at the window's edges (through a process we don't pretend to understand). If the dye-coated glass is placed atop a s ... |
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| Topics: energy, innovation, news, renewable energy, scientific research, solar voltaic power (all these topics) |
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A convenient truth
Al Gore to speak at free event in D.C. |
Kate Sheppard |
10 Jul 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Of interest to our D.C. area readers: Former Vice President Al Gore will be speaking at noon on July 17 at the DAR Constitution Hall (1776 D Street NW). Tickets are free, but space is limited. See here to reserve a spot. Gore 'will be issuing an unprecedented challenge to policymakers and entrepreneurs,' according to the WE Campaign's invite.'He'll push the 'reset' button on how we think about energy and climate, and how we create American prosperity. |
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| Topics: Al Gore, climate, energy, Washington DC (all these topics) |
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Oil hysteria, part 3
Congress scrambles for short-term solutions to counter oil prices |
Jon Rynn |
10 Jul 2008 |
Gristmill |
| I was afraid of this. The irrationality being exhibited about the price of gasoline is on prominent display this week in Congress. According to the New York Times article 'Congress feeling pressure for action on oil prices,' some of the things being considered are 1) drilling, of course, 2) anti-speculation legislation, and 3) 'incentives for renewable fuels,' ergo, corn ethanol. The most ironic idea, to me anyway, was Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) suggesting that voter ... |
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| Topics: Congress, energy, gas prices, oil, politics (all these topics) |
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Forbes on utility objections to combined heat and power
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Sean Casten |
09 Jul 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Forbes has a nice story about the historic barriers that electric utilities have thrown up to block efficient power generation. This is nothing new to those of us 'in the trenches,' but it is nice to see this topic aired from more visible podiums. It's worth the time to read for anyone who thinks that the only barrier to low-carbon generation is technological development. |
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| Topics: energy, energy efficiency, cogeneration (all these topics) |
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Mine's lighter than yours
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David Roberts |
09 Jul 2008 |
Gristmill |
| When society embraces vehicle fuel efficiency as a goal, hordes of smart people converge on it and try to outdo each other. The same thing will happen when we seriously go after electrical efficiency -- a wave of precocious, egotistical young people that haven't been told what can't be done will chase after it trying to make their mark. I bet we're going to proceed faster than people think. |
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| Topics: cars, energy, energy efficiency, fuel efficiency (all these topics) |
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Coal money talks, public ignores
Poll shows 86 percent of public wants a five-year halt on new coal plants |
Ted Nace |
09 Jul 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Shortly before the July 4 holiday, Opinion Research Corporation released a poll entitled 'Opinions About Gas Prices and U.S. Energy Independence' [PDF] which shows -- drum roll please -- that the public, by a three-to-one margin, is either 'very angry' or 'somewhat angry' about gasoline prices. While gas prices grabbed the headlines, the poll also happened to ask a number of questions about coal, and the answers were both interesting and surprising: The percentage of ... |
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| Topics: coal, advertising, renewable energy, energy (all these topics) |
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Your city council could save the world
How local building codes can be adapted to meet the 2030 Challenge right now |
Edward Mazria |
09 Jul 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Compared to cutting-edge technologies -- nanotechnology, coal with carbon capture and sequestration, biomimicry -- building codes seem downright stodgy and, dare I say it?, boring. Yet, much to the surprise of many, building codes are fast becoming the Titans in the battle against climate change. Able to fell with a single blow the giants on the other side of the battlefield -- out-of-control greenhouse-gas emissions, thoughtless energy consumption, and gross energy in ... |
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| Topics: energy, green building, legislation, placemaking, urban planning (all these topics) |
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Slowly But Offshorely, the Drills are Gonna Turn
Top Dems in Congress open to possible compromise deal on offshore drilling |
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09 Jul 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 7:43 AM on 09 Jul 2008 Some key Democrats in Congress have said they're willing to work out a compromise deal to open some offshore areas in U.S. waters to oil and gas drilling. On Tuesday, Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said he's "open to drilling and responsible production." He also said that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid might also sup ... |
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| Topics: energy, gas prices, news, oil and gas drilling, politics, United States (all these topics) |
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Notable quotable
Oil in the ocean: light as a feather! |
David Roberts |
09 Jul 2008 |
Gristmill |
| 'These [oil] firms have learned a lot over the past two decades and three decades about their ability to go out and put a platform in water and extract oil and do it in a way that they're not causing any environmental harm at all.' -- White House deputy press secretary Tony Fratto |
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| Topics: dumbassery, energy, insanity, oil, politics, quotables, video (all these topics) |
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Memo to T. Boone Pickens
His energy plan is half brilliant, half dumb |
Joseph Romm |
08 Jul 2008 |
Gristmill |
| The Phone Call based on a true story Major cable network: What do you think of T. Boone Pickens' latest energy plan? Me: Half of it is great -- the big push on wind power. Heck, even the Bush administration says wind power could be 20 percent of U.S. electricity. But the notion that we would use the wind power to free up natural gas in order to fuel a transition to natural gas vehicles makes no sense. Why would we go to the trouble of switching our vehicle fleet f ... |
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| Topics: cars, climate, energy, natural gas, wind power (all these topics) |
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We Said What We Parliament
E.U. committee vote signals backstep from biofuels |
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08 Jul 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 5:11 PM on 08 Jul 2008 The European Union took another step back from biofuels late Monday, as the Parliament's environment committee approved 36-0 a proposal to lower the E.U.'s original target for biofueled transportation. The committee's proposal would have the E.U. source just 4 percent of transportation fuels from biomass by 2015, then do a major review before jumping to the current target of 10 percent ... |
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| Topics: biofuels, energy, European Union, international politics, legislation, news, politics (all these topics) |
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Energy ad wars begin
New Obama ad knocks McCain's energy policy |
Kate Sheppard |
08 Jul 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Barack Obama's campaign has released a new ad to counter those from the Republican National Committee criticizing his energy plan. Obama's ad, called 'New Energy,' accuses opponent John McCain of being 'part of the problem' and hits on his support of drilling and tax breaks for oil companies. The ad says that energy independence is an 'urgent priority' for the Democratic candidate, and notes his plans to invest in alternative energy and tax cuts for the middle class ... |
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| Topics: advertising, Barack Obama, energy, John McCain, Muckraker, news, politics, presidential race 08, video (all these topics) |
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RNC: 'balance' = a climate in crisis; Senate GOP: 'balance' = climate-destroying shale
Republican leaders advocate domestic shale development |
Joseph Romm |
08 Jul 2008 |
Gristmill |
| 'When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, 'it means just what I choose it to mean -- neither more nor less.' The Republican National Committee just launched an ad called, 'Balance' claiming we have 'a climate in crisis.' Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) introduced the Climate Destruction Gas Price Reduction Act of 2008 late last month that would repeal the congressional moratorium on shale development. In a press release ... |
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| Topics: energy, oil, oil and gas drilling, politics (all these topics) |
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Pickens Choose
Texas oilman unveils Pickens Plan to avert U.S. energy crisis |
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08 Jul 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 12:48 PM on 08 Jul 2008 T. Boone Pickens. Photo: University of Texas America has a problem, and T. Boone Pickens has a solution. "U.S. dependency on foreign oil has reached an economic crisis point," says the infamous Texas oilman, who in response has unveiled The Pickens Plan. The 80-year-old billionaire proposes that private investors fund the construction of thousands of wind turbines from Texas n ... |
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| Topics: energy, innovation, natural gas, news, renewable energy, United States, wind power (all these topics) |
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Toil Conservation
How to green your day job |
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08 Jul 2008 |
From A to Green |
| Simple steps are the key to a greener office. Hi-ho, hi-ho, it's off to waste we go. Nope, those aren't the lyrics the Disney dwarves belted out en route to the daily grind, but in today's world they're right on the money. Most skyscrapers, offices, and cubicles are eco disaster areas, squandering massive amounts of energy, water, and paper while spewing out toxins and trash. It's enough to make a person downright weepy (not to mention g ... |
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| Topics: business, climate, energy, green jobs, green living, greening biz operations (all these topics) |
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TGIT
State workers in Utah will enjoy mandatory three-day weekends |
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07 Jul 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 3:16 PM on 07 Jul 2008 Starting in August, thousands of Utahns will begin enjoying mandatory three-day weekends. Some 17,000 government employees will switch to a compressed workweek -- four days a week, 10 hours a day -- as the state undergoes a yearlong experiment aimed at reducing energy and fuel costs as well as greenhouse-gas emissions. While employees of various U.S. counties and cities mandate a shortened week, ... |
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| Topics: business, climate, energy, greenhouse-gas emissions, innovation, news, progress, Utah (all these topics) |
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Oil prices will go ... up?
No easy explanation for continued price increases in the oil markets |
Jason D Scorse |
07 Jul 2008 |
Gristmill |
| At the end of last year I predicted that the price of oil would go down; so far I have been terribly wrong. My prediction, shared by many other economists and energy experts, was premised on a reasonable assumption: Since the world was headed for an economic slowdown, brought about the housing bubble and the financial crisis, global demand for energy would likely moderate, putting downward pressure on prices. While it was a sensible prediction, I am happy that no one ... |
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| Topics: renewable energy, gas prices, oil sands, oil, economy, energy (all these topics) |
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CCS: Environmental whack-a-mole
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Sean Casten |
07 Jul 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Carbon capture and sequestration gets heralded as a great way to lower CO2 emissions and keep burning coal. Unfortuantely, it also kills the efficiency of the coal plant, meaning that every other environmental externality associated with coal-fired generation -- from mountaintop removal to power plant siting -- is exacerbated by CCS. Planet Ark puts it succinctly: The process called carbon capture and sequestration requires as much as 20 percent of the electricity ... |
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| Topics: carbon sequestration, coal, energy, greenhouse-gas emissions (all these topics) |
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The Iraqi Oil Ministry's new fave five
All the oil news that's fit to print |
Guest author |
07 Jul 2008 |
Gristmill |
| This is a guest essay from Nick Turse, author of The Complex: How the Military Invades Our Everyday Lives. It was originally published on TomDispatch and is republished here with Tom's kind permission. ----- On June 19, the New York Times broke the story in an article headlined 'Deals with Iraq Are Set to Bring Oil Giants Back: Rare No-Bid Contracts, A Foothold for Western Companies Seeking Future Rewards.' Finally, after a long five years-plus, there was ... |
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| Topics: Big Oil, energy, Iraq, mainstream media, oil, oil and gas drilling, politics, White House (all these topics) |
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The hare and the tortoise
Costs for utilities rise faster than politically palatable rate changes can keep up |
Sean Casten |
07 Jul 2008 |
Gristmill |
| This is one for the 'Things No One is Talking About But Should' file. Greenwire has this report ($ub. req'd) from Standard & Poor's noting that the credit risk of our utilities depends in large part on their ability to recover rising fuel costs, and this ability is diminished due to the fact that: High fuel costs translate directly to higher customer rates, but instituting constant and often significant increases is politically and socially unpalatable. Th ... |
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| Topics: electricity grid, gas prices, economy, energy (all these topics) |
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Voters' Voices: Oregon II
A chat with Portland's Charlie Stephens about petrodollars and oil wars |
Melinda Henneberger |
07 Jul 2008 |
Gristmill |
| This is part of a series of dispatches from Melinda Henneberger, who's talking to voters around the U.S. about their views on the environment and the election. One thing I learned traveling around the country a couple of years ago, talking to voters for a political book I was working on, is that Americans tend to give their elected officials a super-size helping of benefit of the doubt. One night, I was in Suffolk, Va., having dinner with some active-duty ... |
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| Topics: Iraq, energy, Voters Voices, oil, politics, economy, Oregon (all these topics) |
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On a Clear Day, You Can AC Forever
Toyota may put solar panels on new Prius to power air conditioning |
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07 Jul 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 8:47 AM on 07 Jul 2008 A Japanese newspaper is reporting that Toyota plans to install solar panels on its next model of the popular Prius hybrid. If the company follows through, it would be the first major automaker to incorporate solar power into its vehicles. Even with the panels, though, the pimped-out Prius wouldn't actually run on solar power (it's still a gasoline-electric hybri ... |
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| Topics: business, cars, energy, news, Prius, solar voltaic power (all these topics) |
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Ad lib
RNC drops $3 million to promote McCain's energy plan |
Kate Sheppard |
07 Jul 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Over the weekend, the Republican National Committee launched their 10-day, $3 million campaign to tout John McCain's energy policy with this ad: 'Record gas prices, a climate in crisis. John McCain says solve it now,' says the ad. 'With a balanced plan -- alternative energy, conservation, suspending the gas tax and more production here at home. He's pushing his own party to face climate change.' It goes on to hit Barack Obama for not supporting McCain's 'gas- ... |
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| Topics: elections, energy, John McCain, Muckraker, news, politics, presidential race 08, video (all these topics) |
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When Ads Attack!
Presidential campaign ads go on attack over energy issues |
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07 Jul 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 8:00 AM on 07 Jul 2008 The first major ad buy this year from a major party aired over the weekend, a TV spot courtesy of the Republican National Committee attacking Democratic candidate Barack Obama for a lack of creativity on the energy scene. While John McCain is "pushing his own party to face climate change," the ad says that Obama isn't pushing the boundaries like his rival. The ad points out that ... |
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| Topics: elections, energy, John McCain, news, politics, presidential campaign 08 (all these topics) |
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