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 …
Solar PV Breaks 10 GW Barrier
According to a new report by NPD Solarbuzz, solar photovoltaic (PV) installations in the U.S. have broken through the 10 gigawatt (GW) barrier. During the first half of 2013, more than 1.8 GW of new solar PV capacity was installed according to the North America PV Market Quarterly report. “The U.S. has now joined an elite group of maturing solar …
Vivergo Fuels Opens Bioethanol Plant
Vivergo Fuels Ltd has opened the United Kingdom’s (UK) largest bioethanol plant based on Praj technology and design. The greenfield biorefinery is operating on wheat produced in the UK and according to Praj, the feedstock is highly energy efficient due to the integration of the distillation, dehydration and evaporation processes that reduce energy consumption. The plant adheres to European Union …
House Passes Cuts to Renewable Energy Measures
A marathon session in the U.S. House concluded after Congress wrangled over several renewable energy measures and passed a $30 billion energy and water programs bill. Environment & Energy News reports that House Republicans, already making substantial cuts to some clean energy programs in the bill, have blocked Democrats’ attempts to restore those cuts. Despite those efforts, the overall bill …
OnStar & TimberRock Partner on EV Solar Charging
OnStar is partnering with TimberRock Energy Solutions to develop advanced EV solar charging technologies. TimberRock uses aggregation software and solar charging canopies with integrated storage to manage the flow of solar power to the electric grid. The project will be the first “real-world” use of OnStar’s Smart Grid solutions. As part of the project, TimberRock will monitor the output of …
State RPS’s Hold Steady
The Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University has released its most recent white paper, “State Renewable Portfolio Standards Hold Steady or Expand in 2013 Session,” as part of its series on legislative policy trends in advanced Energy. The white paper was based on data analyzed in the AEL Tracker dataset. According to the report, at the …
Fuel Evolution Since 1776
Tomorrow is Independence Day, or Fourth of July, for the United States and this week the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s “Today in Energy” brief took a look at how U.S. energy consumption by fuel source has changed since 1776. The brief notes that the country started off with renewable energy playing a dominant role in the U.S. energy picture as …
CSE to Build Geothermal Energy Plant
Cornerstone Sustainable Energy (CSE) has entered into an agreement with Warner Mountain Energy Corporation to begin the first phase of development of a geothermal energy plant to be located in the Surprise Valley Hot Springs, in Cedarville, California. This phase of development will include a feasibility analysis, conceptual design and budgeting to install CSE’s PwrCor engine that will generate electrical …
Geothermal Summit a Success
The Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) recently gathered in for its third annual National Geothermal Summit and the key topic was how to move geothermal forward. One way, as identified by Stacey Crowley, director, Nevada Governor’s Office of Energy and Karen Edson, vice president, policy and client services for California ISO, noted that as intermittent power grows, states have an urgent …
RFS Fact Check
True or False? Natural gas is an approved alternative fuel under the Renewable Fuel Standard. False. It’s questions like these that arise as the debate around the RFS heats up. But minus having your own personal RFS assistant at your beck and call, the next best option may just be the new Energy Fact Check site created by the American …