Because we haven’t made a transition to a new energy future
Regardless of the outcome of BP’s ‘top kill‘ process at stopping the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico, this disaster has probably already resulted in the largest spill in U.S. history. I say likely because, unlike an oil spill where a known volume of oil flows out of a tanker, at which point no more oil flows (the ship is empty), the Gulf oil leak is continuous. At a mile under the... Read More
‘Top Kill’ effort begins in the Gulf
BP started it’s ‘top kill’ procedure today as its latest efforts to stop the flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico after the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosionlast month. This procedure uses mud to slow the flow of oil into the ocean from the oil well and then pumps concrete unto the well, sealing-off the oil’s exit. BP says that they will know in the next few days if the procedure... Read More
Senate Republicans Try to Steal EPA’s Thunder
Yesterday, my blog post was on the EPA’s work in developing a structure under which they can regulate large stationary emitters of greenhouse gases. This work could provide an alternative method of reducing these emissions if congress is unable to pass proposed carbon cap and trade legislation into law. The EPA has recently issued their proposed rule for regulating greenhouse gas emissions and... Read More
Greenhouse Gases Going Down Under the Clean Air Act
Federal lawmakers have been working for over a year on the development of energy and climate legislation that would regulate the emission of greenhouse gases. This legislation currently sits in the Senate, where a proposal released last week by Senators Kerry and Lieberman has sparked significant discussion and debate. But the Obama Administration has not put all its eggs in this legislative basket.... Read More
We should be “leaning forward”
Great post by David Roberts in grist today – Why the American Power Act is Worth Fighting For “Right now, policy is being made out of fear: fear by the private sector that decarbonization will be a crushing burden; fear by consumers that their energy prices will skyrocket; fear by politicians that the project will prove electorally unpopular. Campaigners can organize marches, think tanks... Read More
Longhorns, Long Wires, and Big Ideas in Green Energy
Check out the guest post I wrote for Discover Magazine’s blog, The Intersection…. As the nation moves toward a green energy future, it has found a leader in Texas. While Washington debates federal clean energy policies, the Lone Star State has taken up the reins in the renewable energy sphere. Should we be surprised that this iconic leader in our nation’s energy history is now uniquely... Read More
Venezuelan Natural Gas Rig Sinks into Caribbean
Earlier today, a Venezuelan natural gas exploration rig sank in the Caribbean sea. According to Venezuela’s Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez, no gas escaped from the Aban Pearl rig site after the platform disappeared beneath the waves and sank of Venezuela’s northeast coast. This incident was announced by President Hugo Chavez via Twitter. He stated that all 95 workers on the rig had been... Read More
Better nuclear reactors with the iPhone
A new application available on the iPhone and the iPad can help researchers optimize current nuclear power plant operation and build better nuclear power plants in the future. This tool allows users to predict nuclear reactor performance by simulating reactor core activity, enabling researchers to evaluate new reactor designs with an interface that fits in their pocket (or purse). Sweet! Sad news... Read More
Greenest Universities: UCD ranked #4
My alma mater – the University of California, Davis - was just ranked #4 by the Princeton Review as one of the greenest colleges in the United States. Go Ags!! Bike racks on UCD campus The Princeton Review, in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council evaluated aspects of the campus including how much of their budget was spent on local or organic food, what campus transportation alternatives... Read More
Senate Bill Reveal Next Week?
Senator Barbara Boxer According to Senator Barbara Boxer (a Democrat from California) said that the Senate’s energy and climate bill may come out next week. It looks like Senators Kerry and Lieberman are planning to release the bill even if their former Republican partner does not choose to return to the table. This bill had a planned release on April 26, but its unveiling was postponed when... Read More
