The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) is in Chicago this week, hosting its largest conference ever. Over 20,000 people are filling the McCormick Place Convention Center, representing a 60% growth from last year’s attendance. And they are sending a clear message too: we need to ensure continued US wind power leadership by passing a (more…)
Posts Tagged ‘China’
Wind conference gets record attendance, calls for federal Renewable Electricity Standard
Wednesday, May 6th, 2009China Begins Energy Leapfrog
Tuesday, April 7th, 2009
Canadian Solar announced yesterday that they won a rural electrification bid for 80,000 homes in China’s western province of Sichuan. At 1.6 MW in total, the systems will provide 20 watts for each house or enough to power some lighting or very efficient appliance. Potentially coupled with China’s leading solar thermal water-heating systems, this translates into an example of (more…)
China Poised to be Global Solar Leader?
Monday, March 30th, 2009
Last year, China was nowhere to be seen on the top ten solar PV market list. Major players Spain, Germany, the US, South Korea, and Japan were joined by small European countries like Belgium, Portugal, and the Czech Republic as biggest global installers. But a new Chinese initiative may rearrange the global picture soon. Late last week, (more…)
In reversal, 4th quarter China carbon emissions fall
Friday, January 9th, 2009
Driven by white-hot economic growth, China carbon dioxide emissions have been increasing at a rate that put fear in the hearts of most climate scientists. But the export-oriented growth of the past several years has imploded on a crash in demand for Chinese products from recession-hit consumers in Japan, the US, and Europe. After years of almost double-digit energy demand growth, (more…)
Happy Holidays & a few energy tidbits…
Monday, December 29th, 2008
I’m back from another amazing trip down to North Carolina to be with family! I ate enough to bicycle back to New York City, but of course we took the rental car and train with our Christmas presents and luggage 
There have been some major energy developments that I’d like to begin discussing today… For instance, China is reported to have much slower coal consumption growth in 2008 than years past. (more…)
China power generation falls record amount, keeping climate hope alive
Friday, December 5th, 2008
Globalcoal.com reported today that Chinese power generation fell 7% in November from last year! Huge cuts in energy-intensive manufacturing (of aluminum, steel, etc.) and warmer than usual weather resulted in this record contraction in electricity production. The reduction in thermal plant output (mostly coal) fell an even more dramatic 14% from 2007. Thus greenhouse gas emissions in the 4th quarter of 2008 will probably be significantly below the year-ago level. This development brings hope that China, the world’s largest carbon dioxide emitter, may be able to (more…)
US Fuel Inventories Healthy for Thanksgiving Holiday
Wednesday, November 26th, 2008
In our trip down to North Carolina from New York, we loaded up with $1.65 per gallon gasoline in northwestern Virginia. Amazing. The national average price is now below $1.90 and is probably near the bottom if the higher wholesale prices of the last couple of days hold any sway. But there is some downside potential on today’s EIA petroleum report’s finding that our consumption of gasoline and distillates remains significantly below last year’s levels. Even with prices more than a dollar per gallon below last year (more…)
US coal stabilizes, China oil demand questioned
Monday, August 11th, 2008The EIA weekly coal report showed a stable price from most basins. The change occurred in the most expensive coal, Northern Appalachian, which fell 2% to $146 per short ton, and Illinois Basin coal, which rose 33.8% to $95. Prices are double to triple the level they were just last year, pressuring utilities to raise electricity prices in the months ahead to recover the higher costs.
In oil, crude oil imports by China in July were actually lower than their year ago level. There are different rationales put forward like (more…)
Seeing the energy big picture during oil’s correction
Thursday, July 24th, 2008Without remembering history, we walk blindly from day to day. While we all have moments of blindness, like forgetting to bring water to summer hoops games in the park, I want to make sure that we don’t lose sight of the energy big picture unfolding in 2008. Quick price corrections like the last two weeks for oil and natural gas can sometimes allow policymakers to lose sight of the forest for the trees.
Even if the price of oil does fall to $90 per barrel early next year as Lehman Brothers predicts, such a price would (more…)
Daily Recap: Wind accelerates in China, oil climbs to record & more
Thursday, June 26th, 2008First I want to talk about some good news: China is accomplishing its wind power goals ahead of schedule. After doubling their wind capacity each of the last two years, many predict another doubling in 2008 that brings the country close to 10 GW or into the top four countries in cumulative capacity. Just a few years ago, China set a 5 GW by 2010 goal. Having achieved that early, they doubled it to 10 GW. Now they are aiming for 100 GW by 2020. Even those goal posts may change if fossil energy prices remain high as many believe they will. In the larger energy picture, wind growth is still a small fraction of the enormous coal annual capacity growth which has hovered around 100 GW the last couple of years. But it remains a hopeful sign of progress toward the sustainable energy transition ahead. (more…)