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Heating Oil to Contain Biofuel by 2010
At the recent national oilheat industry policy summit, leaders called for all heating oil to include at least 2 percent biofuel by July 2010, and aimed to increase that percentage in the future. This initiative is part of a statement approved by the leadership that would move the industry in a green and sustainable direction.
Biofuels—which [...]
Fuel of The Future: Pee Power!
90 miles per gallon with no emissions? Science fiction? No—urine. Cow urine, specifically, though any urine will do. Ohio University scientists have discovered a way to turn urine into a potent, if pungent, fuel by separating out its hydrogen component, Discovery.com reported last week.
Let’s take a step back—what is hydrogen, why do we want it, [...]
Exxon Makes Big Investment in Algae Biofuels
The world’s largest publicly traded oil company, Exxon Mobile, is investing $600 million in the world’s smallest plants, the AP reported today. Exxon just announced a partnership with biotech company Synthetic Genomics to develop transportation fuels from algae.
Fossil fuels, such as coal, natural gas, and petroleum, as well as their many derivatives, such as gasoline, [...]
Inadequate Electrical Grid Forces Pickens to Indefinitely Delay Massive Wind Project
Forbes reported last Wednesday that Texas oilman, T. Boone Pickens, has announced that he will delay, or perhaps cancel, plans for a giant wind energy project in the Texas panhandle.
Pickens’ project was supposed to be the largest wind power field in the world at a rated generating capacity of 1,000 megawatts per hour — about [...]
Commercial Real Estate Cashing in on Advantages of Green Upgrades
It’s normally considered a “cool” color, but right now, green is the hottest trend in commercial real estate. New buildings are being constructed with energy-saving and environmentally friendly features, and famous old skyscrapers are being retrofitted that way as well.
The Empire State Building, New York’s and probably America’s most instantly recognizable skyscraper (even without a [...]
Renewable Energy Industries Face Halt in Growth When Stimulus Funds Run Out
The massive government stimulus package, a.k.a. the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), contains billions for renewable energy development. Among the hoped-for results are reduced dependence on fossil fuels, cleaner air, and millions of jobs in new, green industries. The money is already flowing, but much remains to be distributed to companies developing solar and [...]
Read More »Algae Will Eat CO2, Produce Ethanol at Pilot Plant in Texas
The New York Times Green, Inc. blog reported on Monday that Algenol Biofuels and Dow Chemical Company are planning to build a pilot plant to produce low-cost, non-feedstock ethanol from algae on the site of a Dow plant in Freeport, Texas.
The plant already produces carbon dioxide (CO2), a key ingredient in the photosynthesis-based production [...]
Fuel of the Future: Bio-Butanol from Wood as Renewable Gasoline
We have known for centuries how valuable trees are: they help us breathe, provide us with wood for shelter and can even be turned into a variety of products, like paper. But now, some investors are developing ways to turn trees into bio-butanol to help wean America off its usage of petroleum.
According to a Reuters [...]
New Tools Boost Energy Conservation, But Will Growing Demand Wipe Out Savings?
We recently looked at the nation’s aging electrical grid and the challenges involved in upgrading it to meet America’s surging power needs, now and into the future.
That post was based on a series presented on National Public Radio in April. The 10-part series also considered these questions: If we used electricity more prudently, could we [...]
Green Jobs Update: Where Are they and What do They Pay?
A significant portion of the Obama stimulus package has been earmarked for clean energy development. Along with the obvious goals of reducing fossil fuel dependence and the resulting greenhouse gas emissions, it’s hoped that millions of new jobs will be created in green industries. How much money will go where and how much good can [...]
Read More »Gov’t Study: New Energy Bill Will Raise Energy Costs Just $175 Per Year
The New York Times Greenwire reported on Monday that climate legislation pending in the House is predicted to cost an average of about $175 per household per year by 2020, according to a just-released study by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The price tag would be somewhat larger for wealthier Americans, while the poorest could [...]
Read More »Federal Stimulus Funds for Weatherizing Arrive in Long Island
Out with the good air, in with the bad air…wait, that’s not right.
No, it’s not. However, it’s exactly what happens in many homes, especially older, more poorly insulated ones: warm air escapes in winter, drawing in cold air and raising heating bills. In the summer, the opposite happens. In either case, the homeowner spends more [...]
Wind-Generated Renewable Energy: the Sky’s the Limit
Considerable attention has been paid to wind power as a clean and green solution to our nation’s energy needs. Wind offers several advantages: it’s the very definition of a renewable source, since we are not going to run out of wind; and it’s completely non-polluting. But it also has some problems, in particular:
• Variability: the [...]
MA Company to Build State’s First Biofuel Terminal
Sleepy North Andover, MA dates back to the earliest days of American history. But today, it stands at the forefront of the “going green” movement, as it will soon be the new home of a biodiesel fuel terminal, Biodiesel magazine reports.
Biodiesel is a renewable energy source growing in popularity. Animal or vegetable oils are mixed [...]
Clean Coal Gets Big Boost from Obama Admin’s Financial Commitment
In terms of greenhouse emissions, coal is one of the dirtiest sources of energy around. However, coal can be a clean source of energy, though technically, “clean coal” should probably be called “cleaned up after itself” coal, since the main source of its cleanliness is that its primary pollutant is safely buried away before it [...]
Read More »Green Job Growth Outpacing Other Industries
The renewable energy industry has grown steadily over much of the past decade, adding jobs at more than twice the national rate, according to a new study by Pew Charitable Trusts.
Reporting on the study, the Associated Press said that while the entire energy sector, including fossil fuels, has experienced growth, the most dramatic increases were [...]
Nation’s Largest Solar Energy Plant Planned in New Mexico
New Mexico will soon be home to the nation’s largest solar plant, currently being constructed by NRG Energy, a New Jersey based wholesale energy producer, the Boston Globe reported on Friday. The facility will be large enough to power 74,000 homes.
The facility, nicknamed The Suntower, will be located near El Paso, Texas. El Paso Electric, [...]
The Future of Green Lighting Could be LEDs
Normally, the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace is a much bigger deal than the changing of the light bulbs.
However, in late May, light bulbs took center stage, at least for a little bit. Workers replaced the light bulbs illuminating the Palace’s grand stairwell with light-emitting diodes (LEDs).
The New York Times describes LEDs as [...]
Google Says Major Renewable Energy Adancements Could be Around the Corner
Reuters reported this week that search engine giant Google is expecting to be able to produce renewable energy at a price cheaper than coal within just a few years.
Bill Weihl, Google’s director of Energy Strategy, said, “In three years, we could have multiple megawatts of plants out there.” Google has cast the move as a [...]
More Green Energy Blowin’ in the Winds of the Midwest
When you think of game-changing technology—especially green technology—you usually think of the Pacific Northwest, particularly the Seattle area. But when it comes to green-energy technology, you should be thinking of the American heartland, especially Iowa.
Green energy technology—biofuels? No. The hot “new” energy source in the heartland is one of mankind’s first sources of mechanical energy, [...]
