Toyota, continuing a steady march towards a 2015 debut of its first production hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, plans to showcase at the Tokyo Motor Show later this month a concept version of what this new offering might look like. It is still a work in progress, however, showing evolution from the automaker’s earlier designs. The… Keep reading →
by Pete Danko Fuel cells are not a renewable energy source, of course, although they can be tied to renewable energy. But even using fossil fuels their ability to produce electricity through an electrochemical process – instead of combustion – can make them flexible, relatively clean and efficient energy producers. And quiet, too, the U.S.… Keep reading →
Public opinion is not the only factor policy makers must weigh when charting a course for the US energy sector, but it does play a role. And this can prove difficult when there is a mismatch between what the public favors and how well people understand the costs and challenges of implementing their preferred energy… Keep reading →
In efforts to transition to a new energy economy, the US federal government has been loaning money to solar and wind companies. It has also been pouring money into research and development.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Colorado has been around for over 30 years, but funding for the government-owned lab–dedicated exclusively to R&D, commercialization and deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies–has been boosted in recent years. In 2002, the lab received $215.8 million in federal funding. In 2010, the lab received $536.5 million. Keep reading →
