The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy announced the launch of the State Energy Efficiency Action Network last week, which aims to accelerate deployment of energy efficiency policies and programs at the state level.
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The domestic wind-power industry in the United States shattered all previous records by adding nearly 10,000 megawatts of generating capacity last year, according to a recent report by the American Wind Energy Association. Wind power is now competing closely with natural gas as the leading source of new electricity generation for the country. Collectively, wind...
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Maputo, Mozambique Population: 1.1 million Land: Coastal lowlands bordering the Indian Ocean Climate: Tropical humid with an annual rainfall of 900 millimetres (mm) Major concerns: Cyclones which cause flooding, a rise in sea level and coastal erosion Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania Population: 2.1 million Land: Contains the watersheds of four major rivers; some woodland, coastal swamps, coastal shrubs and...
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Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) are asteroids and comets that orbit the sun and approach or cross Earth’s orbit. An asteroid or comet about 10 kilometers in diameter struck the Yucatan peninsula 65 million years ago and caused global devastation, probably wiping out large numbers of plant and animal species including the dinosaurs. Objects...
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Measuring the greenhouse gas emissions from a city, state, or country requires comprehensive tabulations of energy use, land-use changes, industrial emissions and many other factors. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has recently explored new methods for managing carbon emissions inventories.  Using NASA’s Terra satellite, the agency surveyed the “greenness” of California’s vegetation and...
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General Motors made the first battery pack for its upcoming extended-range electric vehicle, the Chevy Volt, on January 7. The advanced lithium-ion battery pack rolled off the line at GM’s Brownstown Battery Pack Assembly Plant just five months after GM invested $43 million in the facility to prepare for the manufacturing of the Volt...
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The findings of a two-and-a-half year technical study of future high-penetration wind scenarios were released today by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) .  The study assessed the economic, operational, and technical implications of shifting 20 percent or more of the Eastern Interconnection’s electrical load to wind energy by the...
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The United States Senate is planning to consider legislation raising the United States debt limit tomorrow.  As part of the agreement to bring this issue to a vote, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) has promised to propose an amendment that would strip the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of its authority to regulate the emissions of...
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Biofuels present both opportunity and costs. They offer the opportunity to reduce imported oil dependence and improve the environment.  On the other hand, the costs include high food prices, indirect carbon emissions and biodiversity loss. In many tropical developing countries, biofuels represent an opportunity to progress toward industrialization and export-led growth. Policies adopted by...
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