All Environment
Cleantech in 2014: reasons to be optimistic for wind, solarCleantech聽industry-watchers should take heart, Kachan writes. A quiet recovery is already underway in cleantech, a process that should gain even more momentum through 2014.
Grizzly bear comeback? Feds move to delist as a 'threatened' speciesGovernment scientists have recommended that grizzly bears in the Yellowstone area no longer need listing under the Endangered Species Act. But environmentalists warn of a potentially declining bear population tied to climate change.
Budget deal opens new swaths of Gulf for oil, gas drillingThe budget deal working its way through Congress聽includes provisions that will open up vast new territories in the western Gulf of Mexico for oil and gas drilling.聽The budget deal allows for the development of oil and gas reserves that cross national boundaries, and sets up a framework for their joint development.聽
Is the world ready for Iran's oil?Changing energy portfolios are factoring into oil supply and demand equations in the future. The potential for Iran to return to oil markets could particularly shake up OPEC and the global outlook.
Green crude oil from algae gets a boostPhillips 66 and green crude oil pioneer Sapphire Energy, Inc., have agreed to work together to develop crude oil derived from algae to the commercial level. The project offers the promise of a renewable form of domestic oil, but development will take decades.聽
In Ukraine, an energy balancing actUkraine's recent natural gas deals show that Ukraine will continue to flirt with both East and West, Belinksi writes, and, most of all, move toward energy independence.
Clean energy's rise fuels push for better batteriesAs the use of intermittent energy sources like sun and wind continues to rise, battery storage is increasingly entering the conversation about the nation's electrical grid. A new energy storage mandate in California is pushing the issue further.
Clock is ticking on Midwest coalTrouble for coal is playing out across the country, Cunningham writes, but the results will be particularly important in the Midwest, which will be ground zero for the fight over the changing electricity mix in the coming years.
How much can one state pollute another's skies? Supreme Court to hear case.In a landmark case, the Supreme Court will hear arguments Tuesday from downwind Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states who want Southern and Midwestern power plants to cut coal-plant emissions.
Russia eyes a shale oil boom of its ownRussia hopes to mimic the success of shale oil in the US with the development of its own hard-to-reach oil reserves. Russia holds the largest deposits of technically recoverable shale oil at around 75 billion barrels of oil.
Nuclear energy: buying local and creating jobsNuclear energy creates onsite jobs and brings millions of dollars into local communities each year, Tuller writes. AREVA TN, a subsidiary of nuclear energy company AREVA North America, has a philosophy of buying and sourcing locally whenever possible.
Can US solar energy compete with Germany's low prices?The growth of the US solar energy industry is impressive, Calhoun and Morris write, but so-called 'soft costs' keep solar prices high in the US, compared to countries like Germany, a champion of solar development.
Shanghai smog hits extremely dangerous levelsShanghai smog closed schools and halted construction Friday as China's financial hub suffered one of its worst bouts of air pollution. The Shanghai smog is attributed to coal burning, car exhaust, factory pollution and weather patterns.聽聽
Energy firms push deeper, farther offshore in search of oilMore than three years after 2010's Gulf of Mexico oil spill, energy companies are pushing into deeper waters offshore in search of oil. Consistently high oil prices, the decline of conventional oil fields and new drilling technologies have fostered big investments in ultra-deep-water drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.
Eagle deaths: US to let wind energy kill eaglesEagle deaths from some wind farms will get a federal pass for up to 30 years in an effort to foster clean energy growth. Wind power is a pollution-free energy intended to ease global warming, but turbines have caused at least 67 eagle deaths since 2008, according to a federal study.
Wind energy tax credit: Is it worth the money?Wind energy faces yet another scheduled expiration of the wind Production Tax Credit that has promoted growth in the industry for two decades. Replacing it with a smarter policy emphasizing innovation, Styles writes, would be beneficial for taxpayers, the environment, and even the US wind energy industry.
Amid Ukraine protests, energy sector tilts toward RussiaUkraine's energy company has agreed with Russia gas giant Gazprom to hold of on settling natural gas debts for imports since October. With Ukraine embroiled in protests, the move signals a tilt by Kiev back to its former Kremlin patrons, Graeber writes.
Obama wants to clean up Washington ... energyPresident Obama has ordered federal agencies to rely on clean energy for 20 percent of its energy use by 2020, nearly triple its current level of renewable consumption. Mr. Obama's directive is no small order: The federal government is the country's largest energy consumer and spends billions on fuel each year.聽
Tesla Motors batteries aren't just for electric cars anymoreTesla Motors has teamed with SolarCity on a solar-powered battery system for businesses. By bundling SolarCity solar panels with Tesla Motors batteries, the companies aim to offer businesses onsite electricity during power outages or peak demand when energy is expensive.
Florida bear attack injures woman walking dogFlorida bear attack leaves a woman injured but alive in central Florida. The Florida bear attack came Monday evening as the woman was walking her dog in the Orlando suburb of Longwood.