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…)
Posts Tagged ‘Solar’
The Human Toll of Fossil Fuel Use
Tuesday, June 30th, 2009Deutsche Bank leader: Renewable Energy Ready, Clean Coal Years Away
Monday, June 29th, 2009
One of the most compelling speakers at our last day of REFF Wall Street was Deutsche Bank’s Global Head of Asset Management, Kevin Parker.
The focus of his talk was the importance for the finance community to respond to resource scarcity amidst a (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…)
Renewables Analyst Calls 1Q 09 The Bottom
Friday, June 26th, 2009
New Energy Finance CEO Michael Liebreich gave Renewable Energy Financial Forum (REFF) participants an informative presentation to the hundreds of financial leaders filling New York City’s Waldorf-Astoria.
Based on his firm’s research, he called the (more…)
Green Wall Street gets together
Wednesday, June 24th, 2009
The barons of Wall Street have been blamed for the global financial crisis. They have been the target of Main Street ire and the butt of talk show jokes. But as I walk the halls of New York City’s Waldorf-Astoria today, it is clear that the hundreds of suits filling the conference space want to change that. (more…)
More solar progress this summer: laptops
Monday, May 18th, 2009
photo from PC World
I mentioned back in April that solar-powered cell phones are coming out this summer. Well, now there’s talk of solar netbooks emerging as well. Spanish producer iUnika will begin to sell its first solar model, Gyy, in (more…)
May report: US emissions expected to fall further
Tuesday, May 12th, 2009
The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) released its monthly Short Term Energy Outlook today. And their projection for 2009 US carbon dioxide emissions from energy fell even further than last month’s. The drop was led by (more…)
Oil & Gas Prices Back on the Rise
Thursday, May 7th, 2009
The prices of oil and natural gas appear to have bottomed now. But with inventories near record levels, a quick price spike much higher doesn’t seem sustainable in the short-term. Yesterday, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) weekly petroleum report clearly showed that recessionary low demand continues to dominate (more…)
Wind conference gets record attendance, calls for federal Renewable Electricity Standard
Wednesday, May 6th, 2009
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…)
Transition from Coal- to Solar-powered cell phones this summer
Tuesday, April 21st, 2009
iPhones and Blackberries are becoming the gateway to the world for millions of people now. And of course these tech devices take a chunk of electricity to perform. So any chance to provide that power from solar electricity could be a big step in the Sustainable Energy Transition. Sharp just announced that its first solar-powered cell phone will be released (more…)