All Environment
Energy secretary calls for review of US natural gas exportsErnest Moniz was officially sworn in as secretary of the Department of Energy Tuesday and called for a further review of the proposals before making any final decisions on liquefied natural gas exports. This has somewhat dampened the momentum following the Department of Energy鈥檚 (DOE) decision last Friday to conditionally approve a Texas liquefied natural gas export project, Alic writes.
Hurricane forecast: Three to six 'major' storms could emerge this yearWarm sea-surface temperatures and the long-reaching effect of conditions in the tropical Pacific are among the factors that could mean above-normal activity during the 2013 Atlantic hurricane season.
The race against time for liquefied natural gasDespite substantial gains in US oil and natural gas production, there are restrictions in place on how much of those reserves can reach foreign markets, Graeber writes. Some suggest聽the liquefied natural gas race is going to be a race against time.
Google kite? Tech giant buys 'flying windmill' firm Makani.Google X, the company's secretive research and development arm, has acquired Makani Power, a California-based developer of airborne wind power. Google's purchase of Makani Power reflects the company's interest in renewables and energy innovation.
Tesla repays $465 million loan. Will Energy Department lend to more firms?Tesla $465 million loan is no more. As the Department of Energy gets back its Tesla $465 million loan, the new Energy secretary will have to decide whether to make more such controversial clean-energy loans.聽
Keystone XL: Hot topic in D.C. Ho-hum in rest of US.The House of Representatives issued another symbolic vote Wednesday in favor of the Keystone XL pipeline. But after years of debate, a new poll shows half of Americans have never heard of it. Is anyone listening to the Keystone XL pipeline debate?
Are oil pipeline spills inevitable?Talking points over pipelines are focused on economic and energy security interests on one side of the argument versus emissions and cleanup on the other. Given the legacy of pipeline spills since the Keystone XL debate began more than four years ago, the "real" issue may be the lack of debate over just why so many of these pipelines have burst open in the first place.
Oklahoma tornado: Energy dodges a bulletA devastating Oklahoma tornado left a trail of destruction Monday. How and why did the state's vast oil and gas infrastructure emerge seemingly unscathed from the Oklahoma tornado?
When natural gas prices rise, who loses?Natural gas is an important feedstock for the chemicals and fertilizer industries, so higher prices could pressure those sectors, Rapier writes. Oil companies with significant chemical operations could also see this business segment take a hit.
When oil forecasts get it wrongOil forecasts fail so often that it's puzzling that the media, governments, corporations, and the public put so much faith in them, Cobb writes. Those whose plans were based on the IEA's 2000 oil forecast were completely blindsided by developments just a few years later.
Does the US need federal fracking regulations?Federal regulations on fracking barely apply because the states involved already have a say in the way drilling proceeds, Graeber writes. Perhaps, he adds, it's the energy industry that has a right to question why the government 'is moving forward with these requirements in the first place.'
Boeing 787 Dreamliner back in US skies. Battery questions linger.The Boeing 787 Dreamliner's return to US passenger flight is an important step for a company eager to demonstrate the potential for lithium-ion technology in aviation. Despite a preventative fix, the root of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner's battery problems remains unclear.
Water may reshape energy industryDemand for fresh water could exceed supply by an estimated 40 percent by 2030, pushing up prices for the water-intensive energy industry. Soaring water prices would help wind, solar, and natural gas, but hurt coal and nuclear plants.
US eases natural gas glut with second export terminalThe Energy Department authorizes a second US terminal to export liquefied natural gas (LNG), ending months of speculation. LNG exports boost the prospects for domestic natural gas drillers and should help key allies, but they're also likely to boost prices for US consumers and manufacturers and they raise environmental concerns.
Forget ExxonMobil. Chevron is new leader in oil.Although Chevron is smaller, it has eclipsed ExxonMobil as the best-managed international oil company. Chevron's stock has outperformed ExxonMobil's, it pays a higher dividend, and the company is reporting a slightly higher profit margin.
New fracking regulations upset just about everybodyEnvironmentalists and industry representatives are criticizing聽new draft regulations on hydraulic fracturing, a controversial drilling method that has helped spark an oil and gas boom. The shared discontent reflects the complexity of the debate surrounding hydraulic fracturing and natural gas use.
Canada boosts advertising budget for tar sands, Keystone XLCanada has increased their expenditure on advertising for tar sands and the Keystone XL pipeline from $9 million in 2012, to $16.5 million in 2013, Peixe writes. The聽advertising campaign is targeted at Obama administration officials, hoping to sway their opinion on Keystone XL.
Ernest Moniz confirmed unanimously as Energy secretaryErnest Moniz earned bipartisan approval Thursday as the Senate voted聽97-0 to confirm the nuclear physicist as the next secretary of the Department of Energy. The support for Ernest Moniz is in contrast to divided opinions over Gina McCarthy, President Obama's pick to head the EPA.
Tesla Motors: Could electric cars 'refuel' faster than gas cars?Tesla Motors has set its sights on 'battery-swapping' technology. In theory, that would mean drivers of Tesla Motors cars could recharge faster than the time it takes to fill up a tank of gas. It's a bit of a holy grail for an electric car industry eager to overcome 'range anxiety.'
How will the US capitalize on its oil boom?Oil production is surging in the US, sending supply shockwaves through world markets. The US could become the world leader in more ways than one, Graeber writes, but only if it opens its oil spigot.