ExxonMobil Chairman and CEO Rex Tillerson
ExxonMobil, one of the world’s largest energy companies by operational size and market capitalization, is reaching into its wallet in a big way. Exxon sees significant global energy demand growth – even with the considerable efficiency gains that many expect – and is solidifying its position as a major global supplier of the both the raw commodities and finished products that will fuel global consumption. Keep reading →
Much like microwaves and satellites, the US military could serve as an incubator for hydrogen fuel cell vehicle technology, helping it advance to a point where it can stand on its own in the global marketplace. In one of the latest examples of the private sector collaborating with the military on new technologies, General Motors and the U.S. Army, Pacific recently launched a 16 hydrogen fuel cell vehicle fleet in Hawaii.
The US Army views this as a worthwhile investment because its desire to reduce fossil fuel reliance, which can be a security concern. The contract is for a fleet of administrative vehicles that will be driven on base and around Oahu. Keep reading →
Decade-low natural gas prices in the US are helping whet consumer appetite for natural gas vehicles, and Ryder Trucks is getting in on the action.
In addition to the immediate financial benefits, natural gas vehicles (NGVs) can also help companies achieve their corporate sustainability initiatives, says Scott Perry, Vice President, Supply Management at Ryder. Companies can benefit from decreased greenhouse gas emissions and advance their alternative fuel agendas by opting for trucks powered by natural gas. Keep reading →
Gas prices are rising fast, and companies are bracing for the impact — shedding old habits and adopting new technology.
In an effort to cut fuel costs, small businesses have turned to light trucks retrofitted to carry bigger loads and vehicles that can run on biodiesel. Some are even using special GPS devices that let bosses know when employees keep engines running hundreds of miles away. Keep reading →
London at night as viewed from the International Space Station
The fuel of the future is very different depending on where in the world you live. Keep reading →
A robotic arm moves a solar panel.
Another solar manufacturer has run aground on the shoals of the industry’s structural imbalance, with the Colorado thin-film company Abound Solar-recipient of a $400 million federal loan guarantee-announcing a retooling that will at least temporarily cost 180 people their jobs. Keep reading →
GE’s energy investment arm has more than doubled its global solar power investment commitments since early 2011. The company recently reached $1.4 billion in cumulative solar investment, and has enabled nearly $5 billion in solar project value.
“We continue to seek to invest in the best solar power projects – with solid partners, power contracts and proven technology,” says Kevin Walsh, Managing Director and leader of power and renewable energy at GE Energy Financial Services. Keep reading →
Alaska has a big vested interest in high oil and gas prices. Oil revenue accounts for 90% of the state’s tax haul. So its budget swells and oil royalties gush into a special state investment fund — the only one of its kind in the United States. And that can translate into windfalls for residents, who share in the oil bounty through annual dividends paid by the fund and, in boom times, direct payments from the state. For example, when oil and gas hit record highs in 2008, residents received $3,000 checks, twice what they normally get.
Power prices have been dipping around the country because of low natural gas prices, but some states could face the potential of higher prices for electricity as more renewable energy comes online and seeking to replace threatened baseload power could drive prices higher regardless.
The Manhattan Institute released a study on February 28 by Senior Fellow Robert Bryce concluding US renewable portfolio standards (RPS) for power generation appear to pose risks to a fragile economy — increasing electricity costs in many states at a time when consumers are struggling with high unemployment and discretionary spending constraints. Keep reading →
In 2010 and 2011, Smart Grid News participated in five separate “future of the smart grid” workshops organized by three different groups. We also conducted more than four dozen interviews with utility CEOs and CIOs. Those executives and experts made these nine predictions about the forces that will be driving the smart grid’s future:
1. Diverging demographics. We will have an increasingly diverse population with strong geographic, gender, generational, income and aspirational differences, with each segment expecting to “have it my way.” Keep reading →
