Energy

Wind can supply more than one third of US energy demand by 2050. Renewables are surging in the US and the fastest growing is wind power. According to a Department of Energy (DoE) Wind Vision report, wind power currently supplies 4.5 percent of US energy by 2016 that will rise to 7 percent. Wind energy has declined in price by almost 60 percent in the last five years and the DoE report predicts that it will be "directly competitive" by 2025. The switch from coal to wind could help avoid 12.3 gigatonnes of emissions amounting to 400 billion in climate...

Related Expected and Unexpected Countries Using Renewables 2014 Year End Review: Renewable Energy Achievements 2014 Year End Review: Climate and Energy Miscalculations 2014 US State Energy Legislation Review State Renewable Energy: 2014 Business Facilities Rankings Report Bonaire Going 100 Percent Renewable Germany's Renewable Energy Leadership Clean Energy Can Replace Fossil Fuels Renewables Gaining on Fossil Fuels Despite Reports to the Contrary Canadian Clean Energy Grows Despite Ruling Conservatives Graphics - Renewable Energy: Economic Benefits and Scaling UK's Renewable Energy (Wind) Records in 2014 Why Oil Prices Matter for Renewable Energy

To download the full IRENA report, factsheets and other materials click here. Related UK's Renewable Energy (Wind) Records in 2014 Why Oil Prices Matter for Renewable Energy American Voters Want More Renewable Energy The Promise of Renewable Energy in the US Renewable Energy Is Our Only Hope President Clinton on What the American Public Needs to Know about Renewable Energy

While most environmentally concerned people are aware of the Keystone XL pipeline most have not heard of Cochin Reversal pipeline project that was quietly approved by the Obama administration just prior to Thanksgiving. The 1,900-mile pipeline project will carry gas condensate (ultra-light oil) from an Illinois terminal northwest to Alberta, where it will be used to thin tar-sands oil so it can travel through pipelines. The Canadian government's efforts to expand Alberta's tar sands have created a growing market for US producers of natural gas liquids, particularly those mined by fracking operations. The $260 million project is an expansion of...

Ford Motor Company is using SunPower Corp.’s panels for its solar electric vehicle charging system. The charging stations will fuel Ford's new EVs (Focus Electric and C-Max Energi). The system employs rooftop solar panels which feeds power to an electric vehicle charger. Under Ford’s “Drive Green for Life” program customers can get the 2.5-kilowatt solar-powered charging station for under $10,000. The price includes federal tax credits but not state or local rebates. Loans and leases to offset the cost of the solar roof are also available. The solar roof comes with a residential monitoring device that tracks the performance of the array...

Big Oil is increasingly under scrutiny as the world is seeking cleaner sources of energy. The Obama administration is working on several fronts to reduce emissions and provide much needed oversight and regulation. Important financial and chemical reforms are being sought by US lawmakers and the EPA has put forward new mileage guidelines.Although President Obama has denied any direct link, the SEC's fraud charges against Goldman Sachs are part of a new political climate and this is a reflection of the strength of the President's convictions.In the context of this environment, social media based efforts are also underway to help...

The world's oil supply is finite and many credible sources are counting down to the moment when demand exceeds supply.As indicated in the CNA report "Powering America's Defense," there is a strong relationship between climate change, energy dependence, and national security. The report clearly states that continued reliance on fossil fuels creates “an unacceptably high threat level from a series of converging risks.” These threats include conflicts over fuel resources, destabilization driven by ongoing climate change, and threats to critical infrastructure. According to the report, dependence on foreign oil weakens international leverage, jeopardizes the military, and entangles the US government...