The Power Is in the Data – reports reveal the status of global clean-energy transition
As any analyst will tell you, the power is in the data. To know where we are going, we first must know where we are. But, setting global energy baselines is anything but easy. This month, at the Clean Energy Ministerial meeting in New Delhi, the International Energy Agency released two reports – “Tracking Clean Energy Progress 2013” and the “Global EV Outlook.” The latter includes landmark... Read More
A (Dimming) City of Light
The French are taking a stand against light pollution. Starting this summer, most non-residential buildings in the country will have to shut off their lights at night in order to “reduce the print of artificial lighting on the nocturnal environment.” According to France’s environment minister, Delphine Batho, this shift will reduce total annual energy consumption by the equivalent of 750,000... Read More
Everything is (Old/New) Energy
The world’s energy is primarily rooted in fossil fuels – oil, natural gas, and coal. Add in nuclear power, and you have the fuels behind the vase majority of the world economy. And, we have not really changed the fundamentals of how we harness energy in over a century. But, according to Roger Duncan – the former general manager of one of Texas’s major utilities, Austin Energy... Read More
Aiming High – Secretary Chu Leaving Energy Department
United States Secretary of Energy Dr. Steven Chu will not serve a second term. Instead, he will leave the Forrestal building after this month’s ARPA-E Summit, giving President Obama additional time to pick his successor. Secretary Chu’s announcement officially came last month, with an e-mail to Department of Energy employees. In his letter, the latest outgoing member of President... Read More
Energy Technology Investments Face Funding Cliff
Funding for research and development in the U.S. is running up to a cliff. If sequestration kicks in on March 1, across-the-board cuts and a decade-long spending cap will go into effect. According to the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), this would mean an 8.2% ($4.6 billion) cut in the Department of Energy’s R&D budget between now and 2017. These cuts could impact... Read More
Joining Forces on Renewable Energy Development
A partnership between the Interior and Defense departments will reopen 16 million acres of land to renewable energy development. The goal? To help ensure reliable energy supplies for the nation’s military bases, while protecting the environment and saving taxpayer money. In a conference call earlier today, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding... Read More
Chinese Solar Tariffs Moving Forward
The U.S. Department of Commerce has released its final ruling on a new set of tariffs on Chinese solar panel imports. According to their announcement, most Chinese firms that sell solar cells or panels in the U.S. could face tariffs between 34% and 47%. But, some tariffs could top 250%. This ruling comes as the latest step in the saga that began when solar panel maker, Solyndra, announced that it would... Read More
2nd Round of Chinese Solar Tariffs Hits Hard
In May, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced that new tariffs being levied on Chinese solar panel imports will be almost 10 times high than previously announced – putting these new tariffs to around 35%. In March the U.S. Commerce Department announced that a 3-5% tariff would be imposed, but reserved the right to revise this figure before the final rule came into effect later this year. These... Read More
DOE FY13 Budget – National Security (Nuclear) on Top
Earlier this month, President Obama unveiled his $3.8 trillion 2013 budget proposal for the federal government. According to Mark Z. Barabak at the LA Times, this budget “is, at its hear, a political document, laying out [the President’s] priorities and, not incidentally, reflecting the strategy he plans to pursue in his reelection bid.” In the energy sphere, the message was clear – 1)... Read More
Technology Transfer – From Lab to Marketplace
The U.S. is currently home to a suite of national laboratories that conduct cutting-edge research. Throughout the country, this network of 17 labs (overseen by the Department of Energy) focuses on a wide array of basic science and engineering questions. The results of this research have spurred innovation and technology development for more than seven decades. And, through the technology transfer process,... Read More
