Unlike Diamonds, Fossil Fuels Are Not Forever

Joanna Schroeder

Plymouth Rock Energy has released an interesting graphic with the theme, “unlike diamonds, fossil fuels are not forever”. The infographic describes the acceleration of fossil fuels consumption and its ultimate depletion as a viable energy resource. It further states the potentially catastrophic outcomes for contemporary society while, at the same time, offers optimism for charting a new energy conservation course. …

biofuels, Clean Energy, Electricity, Hydro, Natural Gas, Solar, Wind

API’s State of American Energy Same Old, Same Old

Joanna Schroeder

Yesterday American Petroleum Institute (API) President and CEO Jack Gerard outlined “The State of American Energy” and the role the oil and natural gas industry in economic growth, job creation and energy security. During his speech, Gerard stressed the role that oil and natural gas would play in the country’s energy policy but he cautioned that the country must “get …

biofuels, Ethanol, Growth Energy, Natural Gas, Oil, RFS

Consumer Attitude About Renewable Energy Rebounds

Joanna Schroeder

According to a new consumer survey from Navigant Research, favorable attitudes toward a number of clean and renewable energy concepts, particularly solar energy, wind energy, hybrid vehicles and electric cars, have rebounded significantly from their 2012 levels. The survey finds the average favorability rating for 10 concepts, which fall under the categories of clean energy, clean transportation, smart grid, and …

biofuels, Clean Energy, Electric Vehicles, Natural Gas, Nuclear Energy, Research, Solar, Wind

World Energy Center Heeds Call for Renewable Energy

Joanna Schroeder

The Southern California-based World Energy Center is reporting that it has heeded and exceeded President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden’s call for the use of renewable electricity. The administration has called, as part of its “new energy plan” for America, to develop and use 25 percent renewable electricity by 2025. This will spur clean energy jobs, says the Obama …

Alternative energy, Clean Energy, Geothermal, Natural Gas, Solar, Wind

Project Aims to Convert Natural Gas to Butanol

Joanna Schroeder

A new project spearheaded by researchers at Sandia National Laboratories are using their expertise in protein expression, enzyme engineering and high-throughput assays to develop biocatalyst technologies that can convert natural gas to liquid fuel or methane to butanol for transportation. The $34 million project by the Advanced Research Project Agency Energy (ARPA-E) is one of a set of 15 Reducing …

Alternative energy, biobutanol, Natural Gas, Research

LNG To Fuel Locomotives

Joanna Schroeder

CSX Corporation and GE Transportation, a division of GE, has announced an agreement to explore emissions-cutting and efficiency breakthroughs in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) technology for locomotives beginning with a pilot program in 2014. “LNG technology has the potential to offer one of the most significant developments in railroading since the transition from steam to diesel in the 1950s,” said …

Natural Gas

November 2013 Short-Term Energy Outlook

Joanna Schroeder

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has released its November 2013 Short-Term Energy Outlook and Winter Fuels Outlook. The report comes at the same time the 2013 World Energy Outlook was released by the International Energy Agency. Here are some highlights from the report: The weekly U.S. average regular gasoline retail price has fallen by more than 40 cents per …

biofuels, Electricity, Energy, Natural Gas, Oil, Renewable Energy, Solar, Wind

Houston VA Hospital to Get Biodiesel Generator

John Davis

Biodiesel is going to be part of care for our nation’s veterans at a Veterans Administration hospital in Houston. The Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center will use a Fairbanks Morse Engine for a 3 MW combined-heat-and-power (CHP) system to general contractor SpawGlass for a power plant expansion. The Fairbanks Morse dual-fuel, opposed-piston, engine-driven system is designed to operate on …

Biodiesel, Natural Gas

Primus Green Energy Achieves Production Milestone

Joanna Schroeder

Primus Green Energy, an alternative fuel company that converts natural gas and other feedstocks directly into drop-in transportation fuels, has announced that its natural gas-to-gasoline demonstration plant has achieved 720 hours of continuous operation, a milestone, they say, that confirms the reliability and stability of its STG+ technology. In addition, Primus has received independent verification of gasoline quality, process efficiency …

Alternative energy, Natural Gas

Alt Fuel Finder? Yep, There’s an App for That

John Davis

Finding the right place to fill up on alternative fuels might be as close as your iPhone. The Energy Department’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) developed a new, free mobile application for DOE’s Clean Cities program that helps users find a place to top off their tanks, whether it’s electricity, natural gas, biodiesel, e85 Ethanol, propane or hydrogen. The …

App, Biodiesel, E85, Electric Vehicles, Ethanol, Government, Hydrogen, Natural Gas, Propane