Wind Power Has its Limits, But It’s Not the Sky
Scientists have been thinking hard about the limits of wind power — and their thoughts have turned into a paper just published in Nature Climate Change. In principle, they argue, the very existence of wind turbines could slow the planet’s winds to the point where they couldn’t generate any more energy. In practice, fortunately, that… Read More
Heat and Drought Pose Risks for Nuclear Power Plants
Like coal-fired power plants, nuclear facilities use large amounts of water for cooling purposes. After water has cycled through the plant, it is discharged back into a nearby waterway, usually a lake or a river, at a higher temperature. … Read More
U.S. Falls Short in Global Energy Efficiency Rankings
The nonprofit American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) released a report this week ranking the top 12 global economies in terms of their energy efficiency. The U.S. was 9th, trailing not only the United Kingdom, which ranked 1st, but also behind the European Union and China.… Read More
Fukushima Disaster ‘Man-Made’ and ‘Avoidable’
Despite having knowledge of the damage an earthquake and tsunami could cause five years before the 2011 disaster, Tepco and nuclear regulators still did not take necessary precautions. The report said, “there were many opportunities for taking preventative measures before March 11. The accidents occurred because Tepco did not take these measuresĀ a… Read More
Arctic Off-shore Oil Exploration Could Be Imminent
According to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, off-shore oil exploration in Alaska could be imminent. According to the New York Times, Salazar indicated that Shell would most likely get to start off-shore exploration near Alaska’s North Slope this summer, once they jump a few more hurdles. “If Shell meets our standards and passes our inspections … Read More
Survey Says? Affordable Energy Top of Mind in U.S.
Recent polls suggest that Americans want to save money on energy and that New Yorkers are anti-drilling.… Read More
Image of the Day: Germany Sets Solar Power Record
German solar power plants set a world record in late May, producing 22 gigawatts of electricity per hour, meeting nearly 50 percent of the nation’s midday needs.… Read More
Buy an Electric Car, Keep Your Food from Spoiling
Fans of electric automobiles love the fact that they’re quiet, zippy and take far less maintenance than gasoline-powered cars (no oil changes, no ignition system, no radiator fluidĀ¦). In principle, electrics are also more climate-friendly — although until coal-fired power plants start capturing and storing CO2 to keep it out of the air, the climate… Read More
