All Environment
King Coal is dead. Long live King Coal!Cheap natural gas and environmental regulations have threatened King Coal's US reign in recent years, but could 2014 be the year coal stages a comeback?
Rhino permit: Can you protect a species by selling permits to hunt it?The Dallas Safari Club sold a permit to hunt an endangered African black rhino for $350,000. Though the money will go toward protecting the species and the rhino designated for the hunt is old, wildlife and animal rights groups say the event sends the wrong message.
Energy disruption: Will fracking end Big Oil?The US shale gas and oil revolution has shown that hydrocarbons are almost everywhere, Grealy writes, and we no longer need to go to the ends of the earth or spend or spend a ton of capital to find them. The new energy paradigm is a world where the most attractive projects are those closest to markets.
West Virginia chemical spill: Does it threaten clean water gains?Rivers and streams are becoming cleaner thanks to industry advances and government regulation. But this week's chemical spill in West Virginia shows that threats to the environment and public water supplies remain.
Top 10 reasons 2013 was a good year for clean energyClean energy developments helped bring us closer to a clean, prosperous, and secure energy future in 2013,聽Guevara-Stone writes. Here's the Rocky Mountain Institute's pick for top 10 clean energy developments of 2013.
West Virginia chemical spill: What's 4-methylcyclohexane methanol?A West Virginia chemical spill, which has cut off water to hundreds of thousands of citizens across nine counties in the state, is used in the coal industry. The compound involved in the chemical spill into West Virginia's Elk River聽鈥撀�4-methylcyclohexane methanol 鈥� is used to clean coal.- Natural gas pipeline for N.J. Pinelands rejectedA 22-mile natural gas pipeline in New Jersey ignited a classic jobs-versus-the environment clash in one of the most ecologically sensitive areas of the nation's most densely populated state.
Gas prices in 2014: more relief at the pump?Gas prices averaged $3.49 per gallon in 2013, down about 12 cents from the record-high price in 2012. What's the outlook for gas prices in 2014?
Clean energy storage on the cheap in new flow batteryA new battery developed by Harvard scientists uses an inexpensive chemical and a unique structure to address the intermittent nature of wind and solar power.
Frozen Niagara Falls? OK, partially frozen.Frozen Niagara Falls came as a 'polar vortex' hit much of the US with extreme, low temperatures. Photographer Aaron Harris captured a partially frozen Niagara Falls for Reuters.
How a small town in Italy struck green goldTwo decades ago, Varese Ligure, Italy聽was fading away due to a lack of jobs, industry and essential services, Guevara-Stone writes. Today, it's a charming town with bustling markets and thriving tourism. How wind turbines and solar panels helped it get there.
Train derailment: Oil train catches fire in CanadaTrain derailment in Canada forces about 150 people from their homes, as聽oil and propane continued to burn. The train derailment is the latest in a series of accidents that have raised questions about the safety of transporting oil by rail.聽
Polar vortex: How will it affect your utility bill?The polar vortex gripping the nation is as unpleasant for utilities and grid operators as it is for you. What does the polar vortex mean for your next utility bill?
Polar vortex: Stressed about the cold? So is the power grid.The polar vortex that has swept much of the US in the past days is creating a headache for utilities struggling to keep up with increased demand and spiking prices. The impact of the polar vortex is particularly harsh on New England, where natural gas pipeline infrastructure is lacking.
Trade deficit down on US energy boom. Time to export oil?The US trade deficit fell to a four-year low in November, aided by growing US energy production. Some say lifting decades-old restrictions on oil and gas exports would close the gap further, but skeptics say more exports undermine energy security.
7 things you think you know about energyThere are many, many things that the public and policymakers know for sure about energy that just ain't so, Cobb writes. Here are seven alternative takes on conventional energy wisdom for 2014.
C-Max Solar Energi: Ford goes off-grid with new solar carFord's C-Max Solar Energi concept car uses rooftop solar panels and a large concentrating lens to run on the power of the sun alone. It won't be cruising down your street anytime soon, but聽the Ford C-Max Solar Energi hints at an automotive future powered directly by renewable energy.
La Ni帽a slowing Antarctic melt, suggests studyThe lower sea-surface temperatures brought by La Ni帽a could be slowing the rate at which one of Antarctica's largest glaciers is melting, say researchers. 聽
Volcanic eruptions hit western IndonesiaVolcanic eruptions from Mt. Sinabung spewed lava and gas in western Indonesia. On Tuesday alone, there were nine volcanic eruptions, although no casualties were reported.
Fukushima radiation cleanup: Send in the homeless?Fukushima radiation fallout in northern Japan requires a $35 billion cleanup that's behind schedule and lacks workers. Police say Japanese gangsters rounded up homeless men to clean up Fukushima radiation and paid them less than minimum wage.
