The U.S. stands at an energy crossroads. With or without new direction from policymakers, huge sums will be invested in the electricity system as aging infrastructure is replaced and new infrastructure is built to meet our country’s growing energy needs. In the 11 states that comprise the Western (more…)

Three days ago, much of the American East Coast experienced a 5.8 magnitude earthquake. Fortunately there was not much damage, but the ghost of energy blackouts reared its ugly face when nuclear reactors in Virginia were powered off automatically by safety systems. Meanwhile, wind turbines continued to spin (more…)

In July, at the Association for Computing Machinery’s MobiSys conference, researchers from MIT and Princeton University took the best-paper award for a system that uses a network of smartphones mounted on car dashboards to collect information about traffic signals and tell drivers when slowing down could help (more…)

Japanese researchers are developing a new system that they say could ultimately power electric vehicles (EVs) for travel across “unlimited” distances without the hindrance of heavy batteries.

While based on railway infrastructure in which individual cars are powered through overhead wires, (more…)

As a forester, I have always believed that smart, common sense initiatives to conserve our lands and waters go hand-in-hand with growing our economy and creating jobs. Under President Obama's leadership, the health of our natural treasures and the communities and economies that they support has (more…)

Schools have been teaching energy conservation for decades. Now more of those schools are able to incorporate a little math into their lessons about the value of turning off the lights. The New York Times reports that one Long Island school district was able to achieve some $350,000 in annual utility savings (more…)

Am I average?

That’s the question that often hits me when someone quotes an ‘average’ statistic. The ‘average’ business or household seems almost mythological. Few of us fall right on that point on the line.

The same is true when it comes to often quoted (more…)

Hertz is turning over a new Leaf (or ten, to be exact) by expanding its rental fleet in San Francisco to include electric vehicles (EVs) from Nissan. The rental agency is adding ten of the cars to its fleet and has introduced an electric car sharing service that can take some of the hassle out of renting a car. (more…)

Muammar Gadhaffi’s 42 year-old regime is in its death rattle – maybe today, maybe tomorrow, his administration that has ruled Libya with a quixotic and brutal hand is about to pass, in Trotsky’s piquant phrase, “into the dustbin of history,” prompting the question “what next?” (more…)

The Global Cleantech Cluster Association (GCCA), known as the global voice of cleantech, announced today 185 companies have been nominated for the 2011 GCCA Later Stage Award by 30 cleantech clusters from around the world. Nominations in 10 categories ranging from renewable energy and (more…)