Most people find it tough to get excited about regulators. But President Obama’s nomination of Ron Binz to head the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is reason to sit up and take notice. FERC oversees the nation’s electricity and natural gas networks, and the grid is badly in need of upgrades—up to $2 trillion worth by… Keep reading →
This is refreshing: the Ivanpah solar facility in California has been given a delightful media makeover at Gizmodo, where it was dubbed “insane”. The article’s author describes it, as seen from the 15 freeway, as “a rippling, mirage-like, silvery blur that feels like it might sear your retinas if you look at it too long”…a bit more… Keep reading →
The operator of Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant has warned that makeshift tanks – which are vulnerable to leaks – hold more than 200,000 tons of radioactive water. “The latest disclosures add to a long list of recent accidents, leaks and breakdowns that have underscored grave vulnerabilities at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant site more… Keep reading →
Only a few short years ago the U.S. coal industry enjoyed a mini-renaissance with several new large power plants brought on line in 2010 and 2011, which at the time firmly entrenched coal as the dominant source of electric generation in the U.S. Since then, coal’s share of the electric market has contracted sharply, and… Keep reading →
The damage already done will take its toll US Department of Energy (DOE), like energy bureaucracies elsewhere, prefers to avoid unpleasant subjects whenever possible. But occasionally, the bad news cannot be avoided. A report released by the DOE in July 2013 warns that the nation’s entire energy system is vulnerable to increasingly severe and costly… Keep reading →
A crazy sounding, but apparently not-so-crazy, solution to prevent groundwater contamination at the damaged Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant involves constructing subterranean ice walls around the facility. This is reportedly a proven technology currently being piloted in Canada’s oil sands region. [Quartz] It’s been 10 years since a major blackout knocked out power to 50 million… Keep reading →
The House passed the 2013 Nuclear Iran Prevention Act by a 400-20 vote facilitating broader economic sanctions and increased oversight for enforcing existing Iran sanctions. On July 31, 2013, the House of Representatives passed the 2013 Nuclear Iran Prevention Act (H.R. 850) aimed to impose tougher sanctions against Iran’s petroleum sector and other industries, in… 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 →
By Javier E David One of the biggest contributors to the ongoing decline of the U.S. nuclear industry is booming natural gas development, according to a new study. In a study published in March, the Institute for Energy and Environment identified cost overruns, slowing demand and plunging natgas prices—which this week fell to a five… Keep reading →
Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz suggested a “new workable long-term goal” to manage nuclear waste at a hearing before the House Energy and Commerce Environment and the Economy Subcommittee on the grounds that disputes over Yucca Mountain – site of a proposed nuclear waste repository – are likely to persist for some time. “Moniz pushed back on the… Keep reading →
