The U.S. economy is healthier today than it has been in recent years, and it is now time to position the country for prosperity. One of the most promising opportunities we have to further bolster the country’s economic vitality is to push ahead with electric grid modernization investments that bring the smart grid to reality. Continue reading →
The automobile industry’s Holy Grail, the search for the alternative to the traditional internal combustion engine, is proving much more elusive than even a full-blown skeptic might had imagined. Electric vehicle sales have been a disaster. Hybrid sales, despite being 15 years on the market and with tons of positive publicity, account for less than Continue reading →
Increasing wind power shares enhances the need to integrate wind power into the energy system and to improve its economy. In this study we propose two ways of achieving this end. One is to increase the value of wind power by integrating the heat and power markets, and thus ensures that wind power is never Continue reading →
Companies and communities across the country announced more than 300 clean energy and clean transportation projects in 2012 that are expected to create 110,000 jobs, according a report released today by Environmental Entrepreneurs. “It’s now crystal-clear that clean energy and clean transportation are helping our economy recover,” said Judith Albert, executive director of Environmental Entrepreneurs Continue reading →
How can a car that requires no liquid fuel get 121 miles per gallon? That’s exactly the paradox you’ll encounter when looking at the window sticker of a 2013 Scion iQ EV which, in the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) fuel economy tests returned 121 MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent) combined. When the Chevrolet Volt and Continue reading →
Mark Twain famously said, “The report of my death was an exaggeration.” Today, we read similar reports concerning the demise of Colorado’s “new energy economy.” The fact is, due to comprehensive efforts toward regulatory, legislative and programmatic reform taken during the Ritter administration, Colorado’s new energy sector continues to thrive, serving a growing market here Continue reading →
By now, the novelty of electric vehicles has worn off as Chevy, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Tesla among other manufacturers are up and rolling. Now it’s time to focus on dollars and cents as well as the environment if the industry isn’t going to remain a marginal, barely significant blip in the sea of new autos Continue reading →
For the first time in four decades, spanning the last eight presidents, America is poised to break free of its energy crisis. The country finds itself suddenly awash in domestic energy, especially new supplies of natural gas. The economic windfall is already enormous. Economists at Bank of America calculate that the boom contributes nearly $1 Continue reading →
I’ve spent many years making the case that transitioning to a greener, more advanced energy economy will create jobs, spur economic growth and put America on a path toward global technological leadership. But lately, I’ve been thinking that I’ve placed too much emphasis on the stuff side of this equation — the need for investment Continue reading →
The Government of Aruba and the Carbon War Room (CWR), the global entrepreneur initiative founded by Sir Richard Branson and a group of entrepreneurs, have announced a partnership to transition the island to 100 percent renewable energy. The partnership would make Aruba the world’s first sustainable energy economy, with CWR and New America Foundation (NAF) Continue reading →
The clean power economy needs hardware of course — billions of dollars have gone into creating more efficient solar cells, meters with two-way communication features, and more powerful batteries for storing renewable energy and running electric cars. But software has been the key focus for investors lately, when it comes to new ways to deploy Continue reading →
Tens of millions of new jobs can be created around the world in the next two decades if green policies are put in place to switch the high-carbon economy to low-carbon, the UN has said. Between 15m and 60m additional jobs are likely, according to a new report from the United Nations Environment Programme (Unep). Continue reading →
As the “green” economy continues to expand, so do training programs for workers entering these fields. One of the newest educators, Ecotech Institute, Aurora, Colo., will see its first class of 40 green graduates prepare to enter the workforce in June. via Off to Renewable Energy College | Smart Energy Portal.
Investment advisors like Barron’s are apparently alarmed by a sudden drop in U.S. energy use, and believe that it indicates that our economy must now be in the deep freeze. Money guys—who always equate rise in GDP with rise in energy use—can imagine no other explanation for reduced energy use than that we are now experiencing Continue reading →
The energy revolution might not necessarily be televised, but it will increasingly be monitored, measured and automated to push “intelligent efficiency” up to once-unimaginable levels. For an idea of what that revolution could look like, consider a cluster of around 30 commercial and industrial buildings in an area west of London. Part of a £30-million Continue reading →
The widely shared objectives of energy security, reduced emissions and continued economic growth are dependent on the development of a smart grid capable of delivering energy efficiency and demand response, as well as integrating renewable and variable sources of energy, according to a new report from Oracle. via www.metering.com | Smart grid underpins energy revolution Continue reading →
The formation of a new advocacy organization for the province’s booming solar photovoltaic (PV) industry was announced today – at the Solar Power International conference – in the wake of Ontario election results that signal the province’s continued leadership in the global solar marketplace. The Solar Alliance of Ontario (SAO) was founded by a broad-based group of Continue reading →
A sagging economy is the latest threat to an aggressive smart grid rollout. With more uncertainty over utility revenues and growing concerns for utility customer pocketbooks, many utilities are reevaluating their smart grid strategies. via Which Utility Smart Grid Investments Make Sense in an Economic Slowdown? A Smart Grid Investment Model Provides Answers for Cooperatives Continue reading →
IT’S been more than two months since the high-level Economic Strategies Committee (ESC) report was launched, and while the buzz that followed the launch has mostly focused on how to raise Singapore’s productivity, there is a lower-profile but equally important aspect of the report that deserves more attention: Transforming Singapore into a smart energy economy. via Continue reading →
Senate Commerce Communications, Technology, and the Internet Subcommittee Chairman John Kerry, D-Mass., expressed “frustration” Tuesday that the Obama administration has not moved fast enough to build out the country’s electricity infrastructure. “I don’t often express frustrations publicly about things on the administration, but this is one … I don’t get it. I don’t understand … Continue reading →
