Natural gas production gains spurred by the unconventional revolution upended long-held beliefs about resource scarcity in the US, leading to calls for exports. And the rise in US unconventional crude production has led to similar calls for exporting oil. “Federal lawmakers should overturn the ban on exporting crude oil produced in the United States,” said Blake… Keep reading →
Interesting analysis on energy independence in the Wall Street Journal by Columbia University’s Jason Bordoff, a former energy adviser to President Obama. It’s a good thing the United States isn’t energy independent, Bordoff writes. That’ll get your attention, right? As Bordoff explains, “energy independence” is a dusty concept from the 1970s and 80s, after policymakers made… Keep reading →
The US made significant energy efficiency inroads following the 1973 oil embargo, but fresh supplies of cheap energy hit markets in the mid-1980’s, bringing renewed complacency that caused lawmakers to backslide on efficiency measures. Famed innovator and energy researcher Amory Lovins sets the stage for a new energy efficiency surge in his latest blog post:… Keep reading →
The Strategic Petroleum Reserve, or SPR, is a complex of four locations that stockpile emergency oil in deep underground storage caverns created in salt domes along the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coasts. Although the idea of stockpiling emergency oil arose as early as 1944, it took the oil embargo of 1973-74 to spur the creation… Keep reading →
Apple, Inc has finalized an historic $850 million agreement to purchase solar power from First Solar, the largest solar developer in the United States. “The deal will supply enough electricity to power all of Apple’s California stores, offices, headquarters and a data center, Cook said Tuesday at the Goldman Sachs technology conference in San Francisco.… Keep reading →
Introduced more than 100 years ago, electric cars are seeing a rise in popularity today for many of the same reasons they were first popular. Whether it’s a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or all-electric, the demand for electric drive vehicles will continue to climb as prices drop and consumers look for ways to save money at… Keep reading →
Recently I was attempting to help my six-year old assemble a puzzle. I suggested that he start with pieces that have smooth edges and work from the outside, in. As usual, he ignored me and promptly began force-fitting pieces into places where they were not going to fit without the help of a sharp instrument.
Our society takes a similar approach when it tackles complicated problems like the energy puzzle facing the nation. We start with our minds made up as to what the completed picture should look like and we coax and argue the pieces of the puzzle into place–usually with the same outcome as my son who, after repeated failed attempts to get a meaningful picture, gives up in frustration with a partially solved puzzle. Keep reading →
