The first RGGI carbon credit auction under the new 2014 cap sold allowances at $4 each, the highest since RGGI began its cap-and-trade program in 2008. On March 7, 2014, Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) member states announced results of their 23rd carbon credit auction held on March 5. The auction was the first to… Keep reading →
We’ve increasingly seen celebrities voice their views on energy-related issues and recent Academy Award winner Jared Leto just joined the crowd when he signed an open letter to Secretary of State John Kerry urging him to recommend Keystone XL pipeline permit disapproval to President Obama. The dramatic letter compares Kerry’s Keystone decision to his 1971… Keep reading →
When you’re talking about trends, it’s usually the major cities in the U.S. that create them. From there, the smaller towns around the major city adopt the trend and it continues to spread onward. The green movement has done just that, with cities being the first to implement recycling programs and finding sustainable solutions to… Keep reading →
Buildings account for 40% of our nation’s electricity use. In 2012, power plants spewed about 2 gigatons of global warming pollution into our air, which was about one-third of total U.S. emissions. That’s why EDF and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) teamed up to launch the Demand Response Partnership Program (DRPP) aimed at increasing the participation from commercial buildings… Keep reading →
One of the biggest hurdles biofuels need to overcome is replicating the energy density of liquid transport fuels at lower cost. It’s been said that a scientist will never say something is impossible given unlimited funding. Unfortunately, the most brilliant theoretical energy innovations remain confined by economic realities. Breaking Energy recently covered the potential for… Keep reading →
The US Supreme Court heard oral arguments yesterday in a case regarding whether the Obama administration acted within its authority when it used the EPA to regulate greenhouse gas emissions – carbon dioxide specifically – as pollutants under the Clean Air Act. Unable to advance their climate change mitigation strategy in Congress, the administration has… Keep reading →
Shale gas revolution will result in cleaner electricity generation mix Coal is slowly retreating as natural gas and renewables gain market share in the electric power generation. That is old news. What is new is the accelerating speed in a sector not known for moving fast. The Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) latest Energy Outlook projections,… Keep reading →
No congressional approval required President Obama can’t get much done working with Congress, but he’s on a roll when it comes to fuel standards for medium- and heavy-duty trucks. Obama issued the first-ever heavy-duty fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas standards in August 2011, and will now draft a new set of standards to build on… Keep reading →
A huge coal ash spill was discovered on February 2 at the Duke Energy power plant in North Carolina that has caused significant damage to the Dan River. The spill was caused when a storm drain pipe that runs underneath the 27-acre containment pond sprung a leak and allowed 82,000 tons of ash mixed 27… Keep reading →
As the dust settles from the weeklong for the Chinese New Year, complete with fireworks, here are some of the top environmental issues to watch in the Year of the Horse. Provincial leadership Local governments combating rising rates of pollution and a dissatisfied populace are not waiting for Beijing to take action. Provinces are limiting… Keep reading →
