The year ahead appears poised to be another wild ride for the energy sector. A recovering US economy combined with continued strength in China and India will send oil and coal prices toward highs not seen since 2008. Meanwhile, solar and wind power will become increasingly attractive investments and grow their share of Continue reading
This month brought another exciting piece of news for those of us hoping the US will transition to renewable energy in the years ahead. Not only did the US add a record amount of wind capacity in 2009, but new data show that the potential supply of wind power is almost infinite relative to our electricity consumption. The US government agency that deals with renewables, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), finally updated their study of onshore wind resources (since the last comprehensive study in 1993). They now estimate that wind power Continue reading
The recession was supposed to slow down white-hot renewable energy growth. A lack of financing and tax equity was to reduce the wind and solar markets as much as 50% in 2009. Instead, last year brought new records in capacity additions. Wind power in the US grew Continue reading
US wind capacity continued its impressive growth in the second quarter while fossil fuel consumption continued to fall. The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) just released their second quarter report, and it’s full of surprisingly upbeat news for a sector hard-hit by the recession. The resilience of wind power as a low-cost, carbon-free source of electricity is made clear by the Continue reading
A new wind power report just came out of the US Department Of Energy that bodes very well for future wind power growth. After a difficult year in 2009, record growth is expected to continue 2010-12. In fact, wind power is expected to be the biggest source of new electricity supply during Continue reading
Rising sea levels are something small island nations like Tuvalu and the Maldives cannot ignore. That is why the Pacific state of Tuvalu just joined the Maldives as a leader in renewable electricity generation. They committed to get all of their electricity from renewables like wind and solar by the year Continue reading
As I wrote last month would probably happen, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) lowered its estimate for fossil fuel energy demand in 2009, translating into a huge drop in greenhouse gas emissions. Emissions projections for coal, oil, and natural gas were all lowered in its July Short Term Energy Outlook — meaning, by my calculations, that US emissions are expected to fall Continue reading
The recent oil price rally has taken a break due to the persistence of recessionary low demand. While lower prices may finally translate into lower crude oil and natural gas output in July 2009 than in 2008, US demand numbers show little sign of recovery. This reality makes it tough for renewable energy to compete currently, but is a relief to Continue reading
Mother Nature News celebrated the renewable energy efforts of Austin, TX, the recycling of San Francisco, the green roofs of Chicago, and the bikeways of Portland, OR. But they left our fair city of New York out of their list of top 10 green US cities. Now it’s up to all of us in NYC to work hard to get our green mojo back. Continue reading
Most of my posts have focused on the environmental and public health impacts of burning fossil fuels due to their greenhouse gas emissions. But the 16 deaths from a liquefied petroleum gas explosion on an Italian train today are an important reminder that reduced emissions are not the only benefit from efficiency and Continue reading