Clean Energy Digest

As much as anyone I look forward to the day when I’ll be able to drive a car that doesn’t use gasoline as the primary fuel source. And when I use the word “car” I mean a car like the ones we’ve become accustomed to. In general most people want cars that are stylish, economic, [...]

The presentation below was created as the term project for my graduate level economics class. Our analysis explored the key factors contributing to the rapid growth of wind generation in the United States between 1997 and 2007.
Wind Power Growth In U.S.
View more presentations from robsafuto.

I think that one of the greatest threats to the clean energy movement is the myriad of misinformation and confusing rhetoric that is peddled by companies (large and small) who profess to be “green” or offer “green” solutions.
A web based service called CO2stats is a great case in point for illustrating both of those issues. [...]

The credit market freeze, stock market devaluations and commodities markets collapse are having a chilling effect on clean energy projects around the globe.
Pickens delays world’s biggest wind farm project
T Boone Pickens, a renowned Texan oilman who is raising the capital for the wind farm, told a US television station today that the twofold problem [...]

The San Jose Mercury News reports that the state Public Utilities Commission (PUC) in California has rejected a contract between PG&E and Finavera Renewables.
The chief reason given for the rejection was related to viability of the project. According to the story, “The commission noted that a prototype buoy deployed by Finavera off the Oregon coast [...]

Now that BMW has announced production of an electric version of their very popular Mini Cooper subcompact, interest in electric cars for urban use is likely to increase.
Popular Mechanics reports, “Dubbed the Mini E, it will be available for lease in three states—California, New York and New Jersey—and only to those companies and individuals participating [...]

The outlook for clean energy projects has started to change as a result of the current economic situation in the U.S. and around the world. A pair of news items underscore the wider issues that are likely to develop.
Wind-farm Workers Laid Off
Noble Environmental Power has stopped work at its Bellmont and Chateaugay wind-energy projects [...]

The latest Energy In Brief posting by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) is very instructive on the topic of U.S. government subsidies for energy. I consider it recommended reading for anyone who wants to understand the level of government investment and how it effects energy production in the U.S.
In total, renewable energies were subsidized to [...]

There is an opinion piece on the Weekly Standard today titled, “No Hope For A Sensible Energy Policy.” The article presents a very dim portrait of the chances for major changes in the U.S. energy landscape no matter who wins the race for the White House. The article makes points that touch on the real [...]

Last week Google.org announced their latest round of clean energy investments which are geared towards the development of unconventional geothermal technology. A total of about 11 million dollars will be invested across two companies and a university in order to lower the cost, improve the technical feasibility and expand research in the area of Enhanced [...]