Ellen Y. Chang

Posts by Ellen Y. Chang


In the quest to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the renewables sector, companies are seeking solutions to capture the waste.

Chromatin, a venture-backed biotechnology Chicago-based company, believes it has found the solution by using sorghum to fuel electricity, which it touts itself as an even more commercially viable alternative than other feedstocks such as algae. Keep reading →


In the time it takes to brew coffee, GE promises it can fire up its newest gas turbine and power a small city or university.

Within five minutes, GE’s new FlexAero LM 6000-PH can be ready to produce power to the grid, demonstrating flexibility if wind or solar energy is being used. Keep reading →


Texas legislators balanced the state budget this year by diverting money from a fund to help the poor pay for electricity.

Temperatures are still soaring past the century mark and refusing to subside, many Texans are trying to find ways to lower their electric bills. One option that some low-income residents relied on is no longer available. Keep reading →


Much like alchemists toiling away in their medieval labs, contemporary firms are trying to find oil out of every other substance that might contain carbon. The challenges are manifold, but the potential prize is huge.

Accelergy, a Houston, Texas-based alternative fuels startup, is trying to commercialize its technology to convert various combinations of coal, natural gas and biomass into a liquid fuel. Keep reading →


Biocrude could soon be cheaper and more efficient than traditional crude oil.

One of the challenges for fuel derived from biological materials is the impact it can have on machinery and pipelines, leading to competing technical fights over the proportion of fuels like ethanol that can be shipped or used in the US transportation industry. Keep reading →


Oil companies using steam-driven enhanced oil recovery now have a cheaper and greener option.

Instead of using natural gas to generate the steam that is injected into reservoirs to force oil to the surface, GlassPoint Solar, a Fremont, California-based company has developed a new technology that utilizes solar power. Keep reading →


Record heat waves across the US this summer could force businesses and homes to use more electricity, potentially straining power grids.

But state electricity grid operators ranging from California to Texas said they have enough power on hand to meet the demands of peak usage during the summer months. Keep reading →