New Scientist

By Colin Barras

Published: January 29, 2009

 

Incandescent tungsten-filament light bulbs face a global switch-off as governments push for energy efficient fluorescent lamps to become the standard. But the light could soon go out on those lamps too, now that UK materials scientists have discovered a cheaper way to produce LED bulbs, which are three times as efficient as fluorescent lamps.

Time

By Tim Padgett

Published: January 29, 2009

 

Renewable energy, it turns out, does grow on trees. The fruit pods plucked from jatropha trees have seeds that produce clean-burning diesel fuel. But unlike corn and other biofuel sources, the jatropha doesn't have to compete with food crops for arable land. Even in the worst of soils, it grows like weeds. Sound too good to be true? That's why brothers Paul and Mark Dalton chose to name their Florida jatropha company My Dream Fuel.

The Christian Science Monitor

By Dan Murphy

Published: January 29, 2009

 

After a decade working in the lighting industry in Singapore and the United States, Govi Rao decided to strike out on his own. His idea? To turn LEDs, those funny glowing lights in video games and digital watches, into a mainstream, environmentally friendly alternative to traditional lighting. In 2007, he bought four LED (light-emitting diode) manufacturers in quick succession and set up his new outfit, Lighting Science, with the help of California investors. But with the economy tumbling since, his timing looked awful.

The New York Times

By Kate Galbraith

Published: January 29, 2009

 

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a carbon-trading system established by 10 Northeastern states and aimed at limiting carbon dioxide emissions from power plants, is the subject of a lawsuit filed Thursday in a county court in New York. The suit, brought by Indeck Energy, names Gov. David Paterson of New York, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, and the New York State Public Service Commission as defendants.

The Economist

Published: January 29, 2009

 

As a senator, during his campaign for the presidency and in his inaugural address, Barack Obama repeatedly pledged to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil and to tackle global warming. On January 26th he made what he called “a down-payment” on those pledges, signing two executive orders concerning greenhouse-gas emissions. The move signalled a break with George Bush’s foot-dragging and hinted at grander things to come.

The Oregonian

By Harry Esteve

Published: January 29, 2009

 

Shortly after he took office back in 2003, Gov. Ted Kulongoski was having trouble with his computer printer, so he called the state techies for help. Here's how it went: "Hi, this is Gov. Kulongoski."

Biomass Magazine

By Ryan C. Christiansen

Published: January 29, 2009

 

The U.S. electric power industry is increasing its capacity using renewable energy sources more than any other resource, according to the Energy Information Administration in its latest report titled “Electric Power Industry 2007: Year in Review.” In addition, the report, which is based on the most recently available data, states that wood and wood-derived fuels continue to be the largest source of renewable generation.

The Boston Globe

By Erin Ailworth

Published: January 29, 2009

 

Shortly after taking office in January 2007, Governor Deval Patrick made Massachusetts part of a landmark regional coalition to reduce greenhouse gases from area power plants. That April, he released a 13-page directive outlining some of his environmental policies. And in the nearly two years since, the state has produced a flood of green bills, mandates, orders, fledgling programs, and other goals.

Center for American Progress

By Daniel Weiss and Alexandra Kougentakis

Published: January 29, 2009

 

On January 28, the House of Representatives passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, H.R. 1, by a vote of 244 to 188. The $819 billion recovery bill includes $72 billion for clean energy programs, and another $20 billion for clean energy tax incentives. This huge investment in weatherization, efficiency, transmission, transit, and clean vehicles programs will create at least 459,000 jobs by the end of 2010, as well as reduce oil consumption and global warming pollution.

Reuters

By Nichola Groom

Published: January 29, 2009

 

A major solar thermal power plant planned for California could be delayed if the U.S. government's economic stimulus package does not provide incentives to unlock financing for renewable energy projects. BrightSource Energy Inc, which last year signed contracts with California utility PG&E Corp to provide up to 900 megawatts of solar thermal power, still needs to secure financing for the project, which is scheduled to begin delivering power at the end of 2011.

The Associated Press

By Dina Cappiello

Published: January 29, 2009

 

Former Vice President Al Gore presented lawmakers on Wednesday with a new inconvenient truth: Action on global warming cannot wait until the economy recovers. In three hours of testimony that at times looked like a sequel to the Oscar-winning documentary based on his book An Inconvenient Truth, Gore pressed Congress to pass President Barack Obama's economic stimulus plan as a first step to bringing greenhouse gases under control.

The Leaf Chronicle

Published: January 29, 2009

 

It can take time to get your mind around a really big deal. Five weeks after the announcement that Hemlock Semiconductor LLC will build a huge polysilicon manufacturing plant here, the magnitude of the project is still sinking into our collective heads. The project — an investment of at least $1.2 billion resulting in at least 500 new jobs — is astounding in its size and scope.

Nashville City Paper

Published: January 29, 2009

 

The Green Business and Living Summit and Expo will be held on the Lipscomb University campus, April 2-4, 2009. This event is hosted by Lipscomb’s Institute for Sustainable Practice, and focuses on growing green business opportunities in Tennessee such as green building, energy, transportation, home, office, electronics, waste elimination, and the environment.

Knoxville News Sentinel

By Frank Munger

Published: January 28, 2009

 

ORNL Director Thom Mason didn't want to specify how much money he thinks might be coming to the lab via the mega-sized economic stimulus package or how many jobs could be created in the process. But on Tuesday he outlined areas of likely impact and cited some things that could be accomplished with the accelerated spending plan. Mason said the stimulus could significantly boost the energy research agenda, as well as supplement the Oak Ridge lab's modernization program.

Congressional Quarterly

By Avery Palmer

Published: January 29, 2009

 

Former Vice President Al Gore told senators Wednesday he was skeptical of the roles nuclear power or advanced coal technology could play in addressing global warming. Gore’s remarks may put him at odds with lawmakers in both parties who want to provide incentives for traditional sources of energy, such as coal and nuclear, in future climate-change legislation.

The Washington Post

By Juliet Eilperin

Published: January 29, 2009

 

Former vice president Al Gore urged lawmakers yesterday to adopt a binding carbon cap and push for a new international climate pact by the end of this year in order to avert catastrophic global warming. Appearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Gore delivered a short slide show that amounted to an update of his Oscar-winning documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth," lecturing some of his former colleagues that even if the world halted greenhouse gas emissions now, the world could experience a temperature rise of 2.5 to 7.5 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100.

The Financial Times

By Jeff Immelt and Jonathan Lash

Published: January 29, 2009

 

In 2005, the two of us joined together on a quest for what we called “the courage to develop clean energy” in America. More than three years later, we have seen courage demonstrated in abundance – by scientists, entrepreneurs, elected officials, businesses and citizens. Clean technology has rapidly matured to the point where we see a stronger and more secure domestic energy future taking shape.

Renewable Energy World

By Michael Liebreich

Published: January 28, 2009

 

With Barack Obama now firmly installed in the White House – after a historic U.S. election that felt like it lasted decades – we can now declare that 2009 has truly begun. This is the time of year when we go out on a limb and predict what sort of year it is going to be. Some years are easy to call; this one is not.

Politico

By Erika Lovley

Published: January 28, 2009

 

Initially, the confirmation of Energy Secretary Steven Chu seemed to have brightened the future of both nuclear power and clean coal — two controversial energy lobbies vying for green stimulus funding. But for now, coal is emerging as the favorite. The most recent version of the House economic stimulus package, set for a floor vote on Wednesday, allots $2.4 billion for carbon capture technology but nothing for nuclear power.

Reuters

By Tom Doggett

Published: January 28, 2009

 

The Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday debated some $31 billion in tax credits and financial incentives to boost alternative energy supplies and promote energy-savings steps as part of the Obama administration's much bigger U.S. economic recovery plan. The tax breaks would, in part, help wind power and solar energy companies that are having a difficult time getting financing because of tight credit conditions. The incentives also come at time that sharply lower petroleum prices have made alternative energy projects less cost competitive.