The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Solar Decathlon 2013 has kicked off in Irvine, California and on display are solar houses designed and built by more than 1,000 college students from around the country. The best houses are one that are affordable, energy efficient, attractive and easy to live in. “These inspiring collegiate teams show our onsite visitors and online …
Climate Hearing Sparks Frenzied Debate
This week the Energy and Power subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee heard testimony from Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy about the President’s climate plan. This past June, President Obama unveiled his new action plan for climate change. Many of the opponents of the plan are criticizing the proposed regulations from EPA for …
20 Climate Change Steps for DOE
The Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change recently released a white paper recommending 20 steps the Department of Energy (DOE) should take in carrying out the President’s Climate Action Plan. The recommendations include strengthening specific energy efficiency standards, accelerating the development and deployment of low-carbon energy technologies, expanding the use of energy savings performance contracts to save energy at federal …
Vital Signs: Volume 20 Released
The Worldwatch Institute has released Vital Signs: Volume 20, the latest compilation from the Vital Signs project. The report finds that in 2012, global oil consumption reached an all-time high and physical water scarcity affected nearly 1.2 billion people. The Vital Signs report provides insight on many of the most critical global concern and provides data and analysis on significant …
EU Votes to Cap Biofuel “Food” Feedstock Use
This week the European Parliament Environment Committee voted for the European Union (EU) to cap the amount of food used as biofuels at 5.5 percent. Groups opposed to the measure want to see an end to biofuels created from “food” crops. The EU’s Renewable Energy Directive requires EU member states to use 10 percent of the road transport fuel from …
Small Biz Gives Thumbs up for Climate Plan
There have been several polls conducted in the wake of President Obama’s new plan to fight climate change. This week, a poll focused on small business owners shows that regardless of party affiliation, they support safe, cleaner, more efficient and renewable energy. The poll was commissioned by the American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC) and asked a range of energy and …
Groups Boo Obama’s Climate Plan
Not everyone is happy with President Obama’s new Climate Change Action Plan. The plan did many things including showed support for more renewable energy such as biofuels; tighter regulations on power plants, mandates to increase vehicle mileage; and increased subsidies for solar and wind projects on federal lands. Those not in favor say the plan calls for unnecessary restrictions and …
We Need to Act Now
“Americans are already paying the price of inaction,” said President Obama today during his speech on climate change at Georgetown University. After using the “facts of science” to prove that climate change is real, he asked, “So the question now is will we have the courage to act now before it’s too late. We need to act. “I refuse to …
Redrawing the Energy-Climate Map
Warning that the world is not on track to limit the global temperature increase to 2 degrees Celsius, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has urged governments to swiftly enact four energy policies that would keep climate goals alive without harming economic growth. “Climate change has quite frankly slipped to the back burner of policy priorities. But the problem is not …
EU Votes In Favor of Biofuels
A proposal from the European Commission that would limit the amount of food produced from biofuels made from food crops was amended today by the European Parliament industry, research and energy committee. The Committee voted to raise the proposed cap on biofuels from 5 percent to 6.5 percent and also voted not to implement indirect land use change (ILUC) factors. …