Quick Take: Utilities are already saddled with myriad mandates ranging from renewables to energy efficiency to cybersecurity to coal plant standards and many more. But they should have a few years respite from the prospects of a carbon tax or other climate change legislation. This despite an about-to-be-released report with additional evidence that fossil fuels are… Keep reading →
As consensus builds around climate change, with new evidence seeming to emerge daily, many questions remain about the degree to which human activity contributes, the rate at which carbon dioxide levels are increasing, the severity of and speed at which the changing climate will impact modern society. New research into the planet’s most recent warming… Keep reading →
Global energy demands are at an unprecedented high and still growing. Global demand for electricity is projected to grow over 70 percent by 2035. And here in the US, the demand for electricity is projected to grow 22 percent by 2035. Finding energy sources to power our growing population and economy and meet that demand cleanly and responsibly… Keep reading →
Fracking-related earthquakes are back in the news, with a new study suggesting large overseas quakes triggered seismic activity in parts of the US where oil & gas drilling wastewater is disposed in deep injection wells. The findings, published in the Journal Science, are not limited to fracking, but appear to include any oil and gas… Keep reading →
There’s always a risk in being the first – in forging ahead without following someone else’s footsteps. California took on that challenge six years ago, adopting the country’s first low carbon fuel standard (LCFS). Today, however, the risks are receding and the rewards are becoming increasingly clear – for consumers, businesses, and the climate. That… Keep reading →
President Obama’s wide-ranging climate change action plan announced today starts the clock on formulating long-awaited regulations restricting emissions from existing US coal-fired plants. Given a lack of congressional appetite for such measures, the president released a 21-page action plan designed to address climate change with domestic and international actions. Building on the carbon pollution standard… Keep reading →
Air pollution increased rapidly along with industrial growth during the last century. Major pollutants include SO2, NOX, suspended particulate matter, and carbon. Recently, CO2 has been suspected of being a major greenhouse gas that may contribute to what some call the climate change phenomenon. The relationship between CO2 and climate change remains unclear. Fossil-fuel burning… Keep reading →
Even as Canada withdrew from the Kyoto Protocol this month–during the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa–the European Union set an aggressive energy roadmap to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 80%-95% below 1990 levels by 2050.
The transformation will make Europe less dependent on external energy supplies. Keep reading →
