Recovery from the dramatic supply-driven oil price slide of 1986 took 5 years. Will the current cycle follow the same pattern? This piece plays a bit of Monday morning quarterback and suggests that if Saudi/Opec did more to moderate prices over the past 6 years the current supply glut could have been avoided. [Bloomberg via… Keep reading →
Tesla and SolarCity’s Elon Musk told utility executives at the Detroit auto show that utilities and solar power can get along just fine. “Rive’s cousin and SolarCity investor Elon Musk sought to assuage such fears further at the Detroit auto show. Speaking about utilities’ role in the future of the energy mix, he said: ‘Long-term,… Keep reading →
The US Strategic Petroleum Reserve was established at a time when US refining configuration and oil production profile looked very different. Given new realities, Energy Secretary Moniz is calling for system modifications. “The Government Accountability Office warned in 2006 that in an emergency, refineries configured to use heavy crude would not be able to efficiently… Keep reading →
Businesses that want to go green often worry about whether they can recoup the expense of adopting new technology. In many cases, green tech is very affordable. Your business could even save money by adopting some of the following technologies. Thin-Film Solar Cells Many businesses would like to disconnect from the grid so they can… Keep reading →
Although the 30% business investment tax credit (ITC) for installing solar expires at the end of 2016, the window for taking advantage of the ITC is actually much sooner. Unless Congress extends the ITC – which is an open question at this time – business owners should begin planning now for solar projects to be… Keep reading →
A recent report from the advocacy group Environment America said U.S. solar power capacity would need to grow at an annual rate of 22 percent in order for solar to provide 10 percent of the nation’s electricity in 2030, from less than 1 percent now. So far, so good. Fresh industry data shows 1,354 megawatts of… Keep reading →
Climate hawks threw a punch at Walmart early Thursday afternoon – and before the day was over, the global retail behemoth had jabbed back. Sort of. Or so it might have appeared. The Institute for Local Self Reliance, with enviro heavyweights like 350.org founder Bill McKibben and Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune at its… Keep reading →
Does it cost a fortune to heat your home? If you said yes, it’s worth noting that there are cheaper options. Check out these different ways to heat your home and how to go about installing these options. Natural Gas Furnace A natural gas furnace is a great alternative to oil furnaces. In fact, when… Keep reading →
Did you know these iconic structures around the world installed solar panels? The following graphic details some of the world’s most famous solar-adorned architecture. Infographic courtesy of Half Price Shutters.
It appears investors were so eager to dip their toes in Brazil’s solar power market they were willing to compromise on total investment returns. The auctions held on Halloween resulted in the award of 890 MW of capacity. Prior to the Brazilian auctions, the world’s lowest unsubsidized solar contracts were reportedly found in Uruguay at… Keep reading →
