U.S. wind power faces an uncertain future as lawmakers grapple over whether to extend a key tax credit that has for years helped the business compete financially with fossil fuels. The Production Tax Credit (PTC) is set to expire at the end of this year, and the American Wind Energy Association estimates that more than Continue reading →
fossil fuels
2011 saw huge advances in solar, wind and other renewable energy sources, and these advancements will continue into 2012. In fact 2012 could be the year that renewable energy sources start to seriously compete with traditional fossil fuels, at least that is the hope in the battle to reduce carbon emissions and our dependence on Continue reading →
Shanghai may require a total investment of 18 billion yuan (US$2.85 billion) by 2015 to increase its capacity of clean energy, mainly wind power, according to the city government. The spending will play a key role in Shanghai’s target of having 1 percent of its primary energy use from non-fossil fuels that are locally developed Continue reading →
I READ BILL GATES’ OBSERVATION about batteries in a book review of Daniel Yergin’s new opus, The Quest. Gates has pointed out that all the batteries in the world can store no more than 10 minutes of the world’s energy needs. Increase that capacity exponentially and renewables will become pervasive – and a source of Continue reading →
Emerson Process Management’s new Smart Energy Initiative is a global program designed to combine its industrial energy expertise with advanced energy management technologies to enable customers to leverage more renewable fuels, lower energy costs, and reduce emissions. Emerson is focused on an estimated US$2 billion market that is poised for strong growth as refineries, manufacturers, Continue reading →
We usually think of fossil fuels as energy sources. Fuels of all kinds are not sources of energy, but actually are storage devices for energy. Think of them as a kind of battery. This may, at first, seem like a very small distinction without a difference. via Energy from a different perspective.
The Business Spectator has a look at some of Google’s initiatives to transform the way we produce energy – Google’s search for smart power. Most people expect there to be a transformation of the energy industry, but what if it turns out to be a total revolution? Most talk focuses on a possible move to Continue reading →
It is a criticism frequently leveled at those promoting wind or solar power as an alternative to fossil fuels: what happens when the wind doesn’t blow or the sun doesn’t shine? Well, now there is a smart answer, at least in Europe — we’ll simply and instantly switch to another source of clean, green power. Continue reading →
