Ed. note: This is a new weekly column by Elie Mystal, Managing Editor of Above the Law Redline. This space will focus on the laws that exist, should exist, and should be put out of their misery. OVER-REGULATED Gag Orders: Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship is under criminal indictment for his role in the death… Keep reading →
The ensuing Republican majority in both Houses of Congress following the 2014 Mid-Term election leaves President Obama in a precarious position regarding healthcare reform, foreign policy and economic recovery. But it is U.S. energy policy that could have the most tangible long-term effect on American society. Since securing re-election in 2012, Obama has taken significant… Keep reading →
This is the first installment in our Energy Startup Series that gives executives at cutting-edge energy firms an opportunity to share insights and experiences about the energy industry, their careers and their companies. Ohmconnect’s CMO and co-founder Curtis Tongue was drawn to energy after starting his career in advertising and design. He combined his consumer engagement… Keep reading →
The amount of electricity generated by U.S. utility-scale solar photovoltaic power plants is up more than 100 percent in 2014 over the same period in 2013, thanks to big projects, many of them highly productive, that have been coming online. Four major factors have made the solar surge possible: The eight-year extension of the Investment… Keep reading →
In recent months, spot prices for uranium have rebounded. It’s a welcome relief to uranium miners, who have dealt with plunging prices since 2007 (and again after the tsunami and subsequent nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Japan). The rise in prices hasn’t been enough to propel a renaissance in the uranium mining industry, but some companies… Keep reading →
Power prices for electricity generated from wind and solar technology have dramatically decreased over the past 5 years to the point where wind and solar are cheaper than gas or coal in parts of the US. In some places it also appears renewable energy sources can beat fossil fuels on price without subsidies, although renewable… Keep reading →
Supercritical CO2 power cycles are gaining increasing attention in the engineering world. sCO2 is an ideal working fluid for use in power generating turbines because it offers high efficiency in a compact footprint and can be matched to many different heat sources. sCO2 power turbines could potentially replace steam cycles in a wide variety of… Keep reading →
Controversy is brewing as utilities consider “repowering” old coal-fired power plants across the US with natural gas. Several environmental groups initiated lawsuits to stop these plants from converting from coal to gas. Environmentalists want to shut the plants and replace the power they generate with renewables. Utilities argue this is not always possible, particularly in… Keep reading →
Notoriously complex global energy issues encompass science, economics, politics, the environment, demographics and social dynamics. And sometimes it seems nothing is more complicated than charting a course that effectively mitigates the worst impacts of climate change. One of the most stubborn problems is finding a way to simultaneously address energy poverty while reducing global carbon… Keep reading →
The energy poverty issue is being drawn into stark relief in India, where the government is pursuing an aggressive coal expansion strategy as it seeks to bring electricity to the over 300 million people without. The New York Times reports air quality in cities is worse than China, rising seas will impact the country disproportionately… Keep reading →
