According to the most recent Today in Energy published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the mix of fuels used to generate the electricity in homes, factories and businesses across the U.S. has changed over the past few years. While coal remains in the lead, with all the grassroots efforts around ending coal use and as a result the …
Energy Entrepreneurs Present Ideas in Africa
West African entrepreneurs and companies presented 10 clean energy projects totaling over USD $80 million to invest in Accra during the West Africa Forum for Clean Energy Financing (WAFCEF). The projects ranged from biofuels to solar, to biomass and hydropower. More than 100 financiers, clean energy experts and representatives of financial institutions from Africa and around the world took place …
Report: Renewable Energy Gains Market Share
Renewable energy sources, particularly solar, wind, and biofuels, continue to make gains when it comes to the share of energy produced and used in this country. According to SUN DAY Campaign, a non-profit research and educational organization, the latest numbers from U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows through the first half of this year, renewable energy made up 10 percent …
Renewables Top 14% of Electrical Generation
According to the latest issue of the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) “Electric Power Monthly” renewable energy sources provided 14.20 percent of the country’s net electric generation during the first half of the year (through June 30, 2013). During the same period in 2012, renewables accounted for 13.57 percent of net electrical generation. In addition, the report found that non-hydro …
Obama Signs Legislation to Expand Hydropower
President Obama has signed into law the Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act and the Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act. The hydropower legislation is designed to expand hydropower production in the U.S. by improving and streamlining the licensing process. “President Obama’s signature on hydropower legislation is terrific news for expanding renewable energy and creating jobs across …
Wind & Solar to Growth Significantly
According to a recent report by Worldwatch Institute, global use of solar and wind energy continued to grow significantly in 2012. Solar power consumption increased by 58 percent, to 93 terrawatt-hours (TWh), and the use of wind power increased by 18 percent, to 521 TWh. Although hydropower remains the world’s leading renewable energy, solar and wind continue to dominate investment …
Obama Launches Power for Africa Initiative
President Obama made his first official trip to Africa last week and while there announced his Power Africa initiative, an effort to bring reliable, safe and affordable energy to the country. One Sunrise, Florida-based company has already been working to provide Africans innovative energy solutions: SKYei – formerly SKY Energy International. The company has recently completely a U.S. $5 million …
Hydropower May Cause Unintended Consequences
Findings from scientists from Oregon State University (OSU) conclude that small hydropower projects, supported by various nations and also the Kyoto Protocol to reduce GHG emissions, may cause unintended and potentially significant losses of habitat and biodiversity. The findings were reported in the journal Water Resources Research, in work supported by the National Science Foundation. An underlying assumption that small …
Renewable Energy Roadmap for Central America
According to a new report, The Way Forward for Renewable Energy in Central America, authored by the Worldwatch Institute, Central America is far from harvesting its enormous renewable energy resources to their fullest potential. The region is a worldwide leader in hydropower and geothermal and is developing wind energy, yet has room to expand. “Central America is at a crossroads,” …
Africa Mecca for Clean Energy
According to a recent study by the United Nations, less than 1 percent of all patent applications relating to clean energy technology have been filed in Africa, with the majority of this 1 percent filed in South Africa. The study find that Africa is a mecca for clean energy and has the ability to leapfrog existing fossil-fuel energy sources. “Patents …