All Energy/Environment
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Light bulbs and the pitfalls of 'green' marketing
A recent study on the effect of 'green' marketing on light bulb purchases underscores the role ideology plays in energy efficiency. To sell more energy efficient products, companies should rethink eco-advertising.
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China: World's largest polluter also leads clean-energy push
China remains the world’s largest polluting nation while leading the fight against climate change, according to a new study. China has made such efforts to reduce its emissions, and reduce growth in electricity demand, that it is far ahead of any targets it set itself, Kennedy writes.
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US oil and gas workers see pay fall. Sign of trouble for energy?
Average compensation for oil and gas professionals in the US fell 4 percent last year, according to a new study. The decline in pay coincides with a slowdown in the energy's industry's growth, but the industry may simply be catching its breath.
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Hurricane Sandy released billions of gallons of sewage
Hurricane Sandy released 11 billion gallons of sewage from East Coast treatment plants into bodies of water from Washington, D.C., to Connecticut. The sewage released by Hurricane Sandy spilled into surrounding waters and even some city streets.
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Prague blast: How big a threat are natural gas explosions? (+video)
An explosion in Prague follows by a day a blast in France, both thought to linked to natural gas. Big natural gas blasts like the one in Prague are rare in the US, but more could be done to avoid them, experts say.
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Better fuel economy matters to more US consumers, survey finds
US consumers appear to be latching onto the drive for fuel economy, with almost 3 in 5 saying it will be a 'very important' factor in the next vehicle they buy, a survey shows.
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Sally Jewell: How 'green' is the new Interior secretary?
Sally Jewell's first moves as secretary of the US Interior Department show so far that she's embracing her dual legacy as an environmental steward with rare ties to the oil industry, Graeber writes.
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Want a solar home? Consider batteries.
Most solar homes are still dependent on the grid, so when the grid fails, they lose power. But that's beginning to change as the solar industry begins to focus on battery storage as the next 'green' frontier.
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Oil by train runs out of track
Shipping oil by rail used to be the answer to tight pipeline capacity and cheap Canadian crude, Schaeffer writes, but the question now is: Has that train left the station?
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Fuel barge explosions underscore risks of fuel transportation
Alabama's fuel barge explosions were nothing more than an unfortunate accident, reports suggest. But the fuel barge explosions serve as a reminder that the distribution of often volatile energy resources comes with certain risks.
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Would a carbon tax boost clean energy?
The carbon tax can be a useful tool for nudging near-competitive low-carbon technologies into the market and spurring modest carbon cuts, Stepp writes, but it’s at best a complementary climate policy. That changes if we use a carbon tax as a revenue-raiser to support additional policies aimed at making clean energy cost and performance competitive with fossil fuels.
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Hope for US-China collaboration on climate change, clean energy
China and the United States are the largest emitters of greenhouse gases in the world, Holland writes. A recent agreement between the two countries bodes well for promoting clean energy and addressing climate change globally.
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Pressure mounting on US to export natural gas
As US gas supplies grow, companies are eager to export natural gas. Should US let the market operate or continue preserving natural gas for domestic use only?
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Green flights? NASA explores biofuel use in planes.
Commercial jets could fly safely with a blend of jet fuel that includes a plant oil, NASA researchers said Thursday. NASA is one of several government agencies examining the use of renewable biofuels to reduce dependency on foreign oil while reducing carbon emissions.
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Energy efficiency means lower utility bills, less mortgage risk
The risk of mortgage default is one-third lower for people with energy efficient homes, according to a recent study. Energy efficient homes can save up to $250 per month, Alic writes, an amount that for many households could be the difference between foreclosure and mortgage repayment.
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Exxon Mobil earnings up despite drop in oil, gas production
Exxon Mobil announced a rise in earnings in the first quarter despite a decline in production of oil and gas. Profits from chemicals production and lower taxes helped Exxon Mobil offset the drop in oil and gas production.
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What does Fisker Automotive tell us about clean energy?
Fisker Automotive's failure to repay a Department of Energy loan Monday is a blemish on the department's push to promote clean energy through public-private partnerships. Is it a sign of a broader policy failure, or do individual shortcomings distract from broader success?
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Trump ad slamming wind farms is banned
Trump ad banned by British regulator, who calls it unsubstantiated and 'misleading.' Trump ad warned that wind farms would hurt Scotland tourism.
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Statoil eyes major new North Sea oil discovery
Statoil could be sitting on between 40 million and 150 million recoverable barrels of oil equivalent in the North Sea, the company announced last week. The 40-150 million recoverable barrels estimate is still under a “high degree of uncertainty”, Statoil said, with additional appraisals ongoing to confirm the findings.
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BP delays $10 billion Gulf of Mexico project due to rising costs
BP's largest new oil project in the Gulf, called Mad Dog Phase 2, sits atop a 4 billion barrel oil field. BP blames 'market conditions and industry inflation' for delay.
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