Scotland will vote on a referendum to secede from the UK this September. A major component of that decision involves the future of the massive Grangemouth refining and petrochemical complex and oil reserves located in the Scottish portion of the North Sea. “Mr. Salmond, Scotland’s first minister, is banking on North Sea oil to underpin… Keep reading →
At universities all across the country, students are transforming the way we design and build homes — developing affordable housing solutions that save money by saving energy. From installing solar panels to using energy efficient devices, like washing machines and LED lights, a clean technology future means more comfort and savings at home. And this is… Keep reading →
It’s that time of year when people look back at their behavior of the past year and wonder what they can change in the coming months. They set goals and try to put in place new practices as part of their New Year’s Resolutions. The energy industry has had a busy, transformative decade. Technology innovation… Keep reading →
Editor’s Note: It’s a new year, and that means new resolutions. Whether this is the first year you’re looking for ways to save energy or you want to lower your energy bills even more than last year, check out our eight strategies for saving energy. We first released these tips in 2013, and while a… Keep reading →
With a $210M initial funding approval, NY Green Bank is poised to begin operations in early 2014. On December 19, 2013, New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced $210M initial capitalization for the $1B New York Green Bank, a market-based clean energy funding initiative launched in September. The funding includes $165M Public Service Commission… Keep reading →
Ethanol requirements for U.S. gasoline appear to be losing friends and influencing the wrong people, with calls growing to reform or scrap the government mandates altogether. The Environmental Protection Agency in November proposed reducing the amount of renewable fuels, including corn-based ethanol, that oil refiners must blend with gasoline. The rule is a centerpiece of… Keep reading →
From climate change to energy efficiency to zombie cells, 2013 was an exciting year for energy and the Energy Department. Look back at the year that was with the Top 10 blog posts from Energy.gov: Solar, Wind, Hydropower: Home Renewable Energy Installations Homeowners ready to take a major step forward in their home energy-saving strategy… Keep reading →
Editor’s Note: Below is an edited version of a Q&A with ARPA-E Program Director Dr. Ramon Gonzalez, who focuses on using microorganisms to convert natural gas into liquid fuel. For more on Dr. Gonzalez’s thoughts on how ARPA-E is working to transform the fuels we use to drive, check out the full transcript on ARPA-E’s site.… Keep reading →
Natural gas might be eating coal’s lunch, but natural gas always has a friend in coal. Coal forever makes gas – even when obtained by fracking – look good. Take the new study out of the University of Texas, announced with the headline, “Natural Gas Saves Water and Reduces Drought Vulnerability, Even When Factoring in… Keep reading →
Both! The National Ignition Facility (NIF) is a large research device located at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The NIF uses powerful lasers to heat and compress hydrogen fuel to the point where nuclear fusion reactions take place. It is currently the largest and most energetic inertial confinement fusion device in the world. Researchers use the… Keep reading →
