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 (more…)
Posts Tagged ‘climate change’
New report predicts huge wind power growth ahead
Tuesday, July 21st, 2009Tuvalu commits to 100% clean electricity by 2020
Monday, July 20th, 2009
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 (more…)
SET goes solar (starting with my cell phone)
Tuesday, July 14th, 2009
photo by Jerry Markatos
I’m happy to report that Sustainable Energy Transition (SET) is now getting the bulk of its cell phone’s energy needs from solar power! After 250 blog posts over the past year, it’s nice to look back at this piece of tangible progress for SET’s operations. Thanks to Connect2Earth.org, a green online community supported by WWF, IUCN and Nokia, who gave SET the solar charger – we are further walking our talk. (more…)
EIA: US emissions diving more than 4% in 2009
Tuesday, July 7th, 2009
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 (more…)
Solar quickly approaching grid parity
Monday, July 6th, 2009
Solar module prices are falling so fast that solar may be able to cost-effectively compete with fossil fuels within a matter of months. The latest bit of news confirming astounding price drops was from China’s LDK Solar. LDK is a producer of the main component of solar modules (wafers). While their second quarter guidance showed a boost in shipments, it also lowered their revenue expectations, translating into a cost per watt of (more…)
The Human Toll of Fossil Fuel Use
Tuesday, June 30th, 2009
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 (more…)
House Passes Climate Bill, Now for the Senate
Saturday, June 27th, 2009
Last night, the US House of Representatives passed climate legislation to get greenhouse gas emissions falling to 83% below 2005 levels in 2050. This step is huge, and needs to be followed by a similar bill passing the Senate in the weeks ahead to get the President’s signature and become law. Here are some details from the Solar Energy Industries Association: (more…)
Climate Bill up for House Passage Today
Friday, June 26th, 2009The world is watching as US federal leaders vote on climate legislation that would put US emissions on a downward trajectory in the decades ahead. While some organizations such as Greenpeace do not support the Waxman-Markey bill due to its large offsets provisions and its free allocation of many emission permits, most environmental organizations are supporting it and hoping to improve it in the years ahead. You can be a part of history! Here is an action alert from (more…)
Oil prices rise, but supply still high
Thursday, June 18th, 2009
Pump prices are about to hit $2.70 per gallon nationwide, and oil has remained above $70 per barrel for several days. Most of the increase has come on expectations of economic recovery – like today’s increase in projection for China’s 2009 growth to 7.2% rather than 6.5% by the World Bank. But even more positive economic news will struggle to increase prices much more unless fuel inventories fall from (more…)
EIA Report: US emissions to tank ~3.5% in ’09
Wednesday, June 10th, 2009The US Energy Information Agency (EIA) has further lowered its emissions projection for 2009 this month, as I said in May was likely. Lower coal consumption drives the reduction, based on the drop in industrial demand for fuel and the substitution by natural gas for coal for (more…)