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| Headline |
Author |
Published |
Section |
Let buildings heat and cool themselves
How to kill coal in 10 years |
Jon Rynn |
20 Feb 2008 |
Gristmill |
| We know that coal is the enemy of the human race, what with carbon emissions, deadly air pollution, and unsafe and destructive mining practices. The supply of coal is becoming more problematic as well: recently, a Wall Street Journal article described a 'coal-price surge,' and Richard Heinberg has warned that coal may peak much sooner than most people expect. So what's to like? Not much. But since coal-fired plants provide almost half of our electricity, we can't ge ... |
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| Topics: coal, energy, energy at home, energy efficiency, green building, placemaking, renewable energy, urban planning (all these topics) |
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A trillion here, a trillion there
Another day, another trillion dollars for the clean-tech industry |
Mark Pawlosky |
19 Feb 2008 |
Gristmill |
| It seems that a day doesn't slip by without someone raising the stakes in the alternative-energy poker game. The most recent bombshell wager: Cambridge Energy Research Associates report that alternative energy investments will -- hold on to your hats! -- top $7 trillion by 2030. That's an audacious number by any measure, and normally it would be enough to suck the oxygen right out of a convention of wind-farm enthusiasts. But that's not the half of it. The most sta ... |
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| Topics: business, economy, energy, investing, renewable energy, tech (all these topics) |
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Why solar?
The numbers add up for solar power, whether you're in Seattle or Albuquerque |
Edward Mazria |
19 Feb 2008 |
Gristmill |
| The New York Times published an article yesterday titled 'Silicon Valley Starts to Turn Its Face to the Sun': 'This is the biggest market Silicon Valley has ever looked at,' says T. J. Rogers, the chief executive of Cypress Semiconductor, which is part-owner of the SunPower Corporation, a maker of solar cells in San Jose, Calif.'The solar industry today is like the late 1970s when mainframe computers dominated, and then Steve Jobs and I.B.M. came out with personal c ... |
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| Topics: energy, renewable energy, solar voltaic power (all these topics) |
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The subsidy tease, part III
A solar grand plan |
Joseph Romm |
15 Feb 2008 |
Gristmill |
| This post is by ClimateProgress guest blogger Bill Becker, executive director of the Presidential Climate Action Project. ----- A recent issue of Scientific American featured a 'Solar Grand Plan.' Its authors described a way for the United States to obtain nearly 100 percent of its electricity and 90 percent of its total energy, including transportation, from solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal resources by end-of-century. Electricity would cost a comfortable 5 cen ... |
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| Topics: climate, energy, politics, renewable energy (all these topics) |
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The subsidy tease, part II
Renewable energy incentives were stripped from the energy bill; what should be done next? |
Joseph Romm |
14 Feb 2008 |
Gristmill |
| This post is by ClimateProgress guest blogger Bill Becker, executive director of the Presidential Climate Action Project. ----- The energy bill passed by Congress last December originally contained a beneficial, if temporary, set of financial incentives to spur the growth of renewable energy technologies in the United States. The bill included a renewable energy portfolio standard (RPS) that would require states to acquire part of their electric power from r ... |
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| Topics: climate, economy, energy, politics, renewable energy (all these topics) |
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Solutions
When 'hand wringing' isn't enough |
Adam Browning |
13 Feb 2008 |
Gristmill |
| If you are worried about Lake Mead drying up, think that reduced snowpack due to climate change might have something to do with it, and are looking for some answers, you could do a lot worse than listen to David Berry of the Western Resource Advocates. I always do, and he's never steered me wrong. See his timely 'Clean Electric Energy Strategy for Arizona' (PDF). |
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| Topics: Arizona, climate, energy, renewable energy (all these topics) |
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The subsidy tease, part I
Congress needs to stop flirting with the renewable energy industry |
Joseph Romm |
13 Feb 2008 |
Gristmill |
| This post is by ClimateProgress guest blogger Bill Becker, executive director of the Presidential Climate Action Project. ----- When it comes to relationships, Congress is a big tease. Or so it must seem to the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries. Just when they think they're about to go to the altar with the federal government, Congress becomes the runaway bride. Everyone who's anyone acknowledges that energy efficiency and renewable energy a ... |
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| Topics: business, climate, energy, innovation, legislation, politics, renewable energy, tech (all these topics) |
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Barack's economic policy speech in Wisconsin
Obama lauds green jobs and clean tech in economy speech |
Todd Hymas Samkara |
13 Feb 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Photo: Sam Graham-Felsen In a speech on Wednesday at a GM auto plant in Wisconsin, Barack Obama outlined his economic agenda for the country. He described his stimulus plan, promising to boost green jobs, help the middle class, dole out tax cuts, negotiate worker and environmental protections in upcoming free-trade agreements -- and, to help pay for much of it, end the costly war in Iraq. The environmental highlights of the speech are below (audio ... |
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| Topics: Barack Obama, climate, elections, energy, green jobs, politics, presidential race 08, renewable energy, tech (all these topics) |
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Credits Where Credits Are Due
House Democrats make another push for renewable-energy credits |
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13 Feb 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 9:54 AM on 13 Feb 2008 Democrats in the House of Representatives have introduced legislation that would extend renewable-energy incentives, which were booted out of both the recent energy bill and the economic stimulus bill. The House legislation would provide tax breaks for investments in energy efficiency and solar, wind, and geothermal power, at an expected cost of $17.5 billion over 10 yea ... |
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| Topics: Big Oil, energy, legislation, news, politics, renewable energy, US House of Representatives (all these topics) |
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Power Walk
Knee-brace gadget harvests energy from walking |
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08 Feb 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 3:04 PM on 08 Feb 2008 Frustrated by your iPod batteries dying while you're on the treadmill? Keep an eye out for a new knee brace designed to harvest energy from a walker's stride. From only one minute of movement, the device outlined in the journal Science can generate enough energy to power a cell phone for half an hour. A lightweight version of the brace could be available within 18 months and "promises to have signifi ... |
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| Topics: energy, energy at home, green products, news, renewable energy (all these topics) |
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Boogie Woogie Google Boy
An interview with Google's green energy czar, Bill Weihl |
Amanda Griscom Little |
07 Feb 2008 |
Grist Feature |
| The phrase "to Google" has become synonymous with "to search." But soon it may connote something altogether different: "to green." That is, if the internet titan can successfully pull off its latest world-changing endeavor. Bill Weihl. In late 2007, the dot-com giant announced its intention to make renewable energy cheaper than coal. The RE<C pro ... |
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| Topics: business, carbon neutral, carbon offsets, coal, energy, energy efficiency, greening biz operations, greenish companies, interview, renewable energy, solar thermal power (all these topics) |
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Now We've Senate All
Clean-energy-boosting economic stimulus bill falls one vote short in Senate |
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06 Feb 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 4:43 PM on 06 Feb 2008 The Senate version of the economic stimulus bill, which included clean-energy incentives, was shot down in the chamber this evening. The loss was predicted, though the closeness of the vote perhaps wasn't -- had one more senator voted "aye," the package would have passed. Green group Friends of the Earth blames the loss on Sen. John McCain, who failed to sh ... |
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| Topics: energy, John McCain, legislation, news, politics, renewable energy, US Senate (all these topics) |
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Dead industries walking
Nuclear power and fossil fuels face water crises and other problems |
Joseph Romm |
06 Feb 2008 |
Gristmill |
| This post is by ClimateProgress guest blogger Bill Becker, executive director of the Presidential Climate Action Project. ----- It has not been a good year so far for King Coal, Big Oil, and whatever nickname we give to the nuclear energy industry. Two weeks ago, TIME reported that nuclear plants in the southeastern U.S. may be forced to cut power production or temporarily shut down later this year because the year-long drought has left too little water to cool the ... |
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| Topics: climate, energy, fossil fuels, nuclear power, renewable energy (all these topics) |
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Stimu-lie?
The green tax credits are good ideas, but not good stimulus ideas |
Guest author |
05 Feb 2008 |
Gristmill |
| The following is a guest post from Jim Barrett, an economist and Executive Director of Redefining Progress. ----- So, maybe you've heard: the economy looks like it might be headed for the tank. You may have also noticed that there's an election this year. That means it must be time for a stimulus package on Capitol Hill. No one up there wants to head into reelection with rising unemployment, a rash of foreclosures, and falling incomes on their hands, without at l ... |
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| Topics: economy, energy, green jobs, politics, renewable energy (all these topics) |
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The Check's in the Gale
Wind-power technicians are in high demand |
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05 Feb 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 2:54 PM on 05 Feb 2008 As the wind industry experiences a huge boom, trained technicians are in high demand. Wind techs must have smarts in mechanics, hydraulics, computers, and meteorology -- and, of course, not be afraid of heights. The relatively new industry's oldest independent training programs aren't even five years old, and the industry is hustling to support training programs at community and technical colleges ... |
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| Topics: business, energy, green jobs, news, renewable energy, wind power (all these topics) |
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Masdar
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David Roberts |
05 Feb 2008 |
Gristmill |
| I know you can never bank on these things until they're completed, but if this goes as planned it sure will be righteously cool: Groundbreaking is scheduled for Saturday for Masdar City, a nearly self-contained mini-municipality designed for up to 50,000 people rising from the desert next to Abu Dhabi's international airport and intended as a hub for academic and corporate research on nonpolluting energy technologies. The 2.3-square-mile community, set behin ... |
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| Topics: energy, international politics, politics, renewable energy, solar voltaic power, United Arab Emirates (all these topics) |
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Donkeys v. ponies
The latest on green tax breaks in the stimulus bill |
David Roberts |
05 Feb 2008 |
Gristmill |
| I hope everyone saw Josh's Saturday update on the green tax breaks that may or may not end up in the stimulus package. The L.A. Times has another update today. There are quite a few Dem heavyweights behind Baucus' alternative stimulus bill, the one with green tax breaks, but its fate is unclear. The vote happens Wednesday. Two bits of the story are worth specifically calling out. First, this: ... the proposed benefits for green energy mark another advance for an ... |
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| Topics: economy, energy, legislation, politics, renewable energy (all these topics) |
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Jobs, jobs, jobs
Green energy projects bloom in California |
Adam Browning |
04 Feb 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Right on the heels of Tappergate, The New York Times comes out with a couple of articles exploring the economic benefits of fighting global warming. As is evident to anyone but a Taphole, the energy business is the largest business there ever is or was or will be, and therein lies not only enormous money-making opportunities but jobs, jobs, jobs. These things, we hear, are good for the economy. So, take California, which decided to get serious about developing a so ... |
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| Topics: California, economy, energy, green jobs, renewable energy, solar voltaic power (all these topics) |
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Brit's Eye View: Going nuclear
British government embraces a nuclear-powered future |
Ben Tuxworth |
01 Feb 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Ben Tuxworth, communications director at Forum for the Future, is the new author of Brit's Eye View, a monthly Gristmill column on sustainability in the U.K. and Europe. The column was previously written by Tuxworth's colleague Peter Madden. After much delay, the British government started the new year with an announcement on nuclear power generation. It seems they have finally succumbed to the prevailing industry logic, which says that we need big bits of power ... |
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| Topics: climate, energy, nuclear power, renewable energy, United Kingdom (all these topics) |
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Whither the alternative energy market?
Q&A with Eric Janszen on whether an alt-energy bubble is in the making |
Mark Pawlosky |
01 Feb 2008 |
Gristmill |
| Eric Janszen Eric Janszen, the founder and president of iTulip.com, recently argued in Harper's Magazine that the alternative energy segment is a prime candidate for a massive asset bubble, potentially dwarfing both the dot-com and housing bubbles. I wrote about Janszen's prediction last week. This week, Janszen joins us for a question-and-answer follow-up.Grist: You make a convincing argument that a financial bubble in the alternative energy industry ... |
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| Topics: business, economy, energy, interview, investing, renewable energy, tech (all these topics) |
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Here comes the sun
California and New Jersey have high numbers of PV installations |
Joseph Romm |
31 Jan 2008 |
Gristmill |
| The following essay is a guest post by Earl Killian. ----- Cooler Planet looked at the solar photovoltaic (PV) installation data from the California Energy Commission and made it visual to show just how it is growing. A static view of their data is at the right, but go to the site and move the slider to see the growth from only 1,675 grid-connected photovoltaic installations in 2002 to 29,628 installations in 2008. According to SolarBuzz: In 2006, 112 me ... |
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| Topics: California, energy, New Jersey, renewable energy, solar voltaic power (all these topics) |
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Solar to the electric car: You complete me
The electrification of transportation will also help green the grid |
Adam Browning |
30 Jan 2008 |
Gristmill |
| I promised more on the impact of Project Better Place's electric car plans -- and I deliver with an article here. |
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| Topics: cars, electric vehicles, electricity grid, energy, renewable energy, solar voltaic power (all these topics) |
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Stimulating Indeed
Senators include clean-energy incentives in economic stimulus bill |
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30 Jan 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 2:57 PM on 30 Jan 2008 More than 40 senators, of both the Democrat and Republican persuasion, got behind a successful effort to include green-job boosting and renewable-energy incentives in the Senate version of an economic stimulus package. The legislation passed markup in the Finance Committee today and now heads to the Senate floor for a final vote. source: Sierra Club F ... |
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| Topics: business, energy, green jobs, news, politics, renewable energy, US Senate (all these topics) |
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Chip and They're Bolder
Intel replaces PepsiCo as biggest U.S. buyer of alternative energy |
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28 Jan 2008 |
News |
| Posted at 3:45 PM on 28 Jan 2008 Tech giant Intel has announced that it will buy 1.3 billion kilowatt hours of renewable energy credits a year, making it the biggest U.S. buyer of alternative energy. Previous record-holder PepsiCo is bumped into second place with a purchase of 1.1 billion kilowatt hours annually -- but if Pepsi's advertising is to be believed, every sip gets them closer. sources: Financi ... |
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| Topics: business, energy, greenish companies, news, renewable energy, tech (all these topics) |
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Making the grade
The candidates on clean energy |
Guest author |
28 Jan 2008 |
Gristmill |
| The following is a guest essay by Tom Konrad, a financial analyst specializing in renewable energy and energy efficiency companies, a freelance writer, and a contributor to AltEnergyStocks.com. ----- Politicians will always have an influence on the stock market, through regulation, tax policy, incentives, and more. This truism is only more certain in energy policy, where electricity markets and transport are highly regulated and the next administration is widel ... |
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| Topics: elections, energy, energy efficiency, politics, presidential race 08, renewable energy (all these topics) |
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