Blogs
Climate Change Odds Much Worse Than Thought
June 8, 2009 7:54 am | CommentsThe most comprehensive modeling yet carried out on the likelihood of how much hotter the Earth's climate will get in this century shows that without rapid and massive action, the problem will be about twice as severe as previously estimated six years ago - and could be even worse than that.
Obama 'optimistic' US can lead on climate change
June 6, 2009 10:00 am | CommentsPresident Barack Obama said Friday he was increasingly hopeful that the United States can lead the way on climate change, six months before crunch global talks in Copenhagen. "I'm actually more optimistic than I was about America being able to take leadership on this issue, joining Europe, which over the last several years has been ahead of us on this issue," Obama said after talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel in Germany.
Toyota to start plug-in hybrid leasing
June 3, 2009 5:44 am | by YURI KAGEYAMA, AP Business Writer Yuri Kageyama, Ap Business Writer | CommentsToyota said Wednesday it will start leasing plug-in hybrid cars, that are even greener than its hit Prius, by the end of this year in the U.S., Japan and Europe.Toyota Motor Corp., the world's top automaker, will start leasing 200 plug-ins in Japan, 150 in the U.S. and 150 in Europe, mostly for rental, such as through special government-backed programs, it said in a release. Toyota will for the first time use lithium-ion batteries in the plug-ins. The batteries are already used in some cars but more common in laptops and other gadgets. Toyota hybrids now use nickel-metal hydride batteries. Using a lithium-ion battery will produce more energy, allowing the car to run more as an electric vehicle, but there have been some technological hurdles.
ECN Eye On Efficiency
June 1, 2009 1:16 pm | CommentsHere are a couple of articles on efficiency in flywheel and electro-optical systems from Douglas Electrical Components and Wavelength Electronics.
Sweden Helps South Korea Convert Food Waste Into Biogas
May 21, 2009 7:20 am | by KELLY OLSEN, AP Business Writer | CommentsThe South Korean city of Ulsan lets water generated from processing food waste run off into the ocean, which can generate methane gas harmful to the environment. Now, with the help of a Swedish company, it is going to start converting that waste water into biogas, a type of clean fuel that can be used as power to heat buildings and even power vehicles.
Obama to Implement Increased Automotive Regulation
May 19, 2009 4:10 am | by KEN THOMAS and PHILIP ELLIOTT, Associated Press | CommentsPresident Barack Obama wants drivers to go farther on a gallon of gas and cause less damage to the environment — and be willing to pick up the tab.
GE Partners with NY State to Create Next-Generation Batteries
May 13, 2009 6:07 am | CommentsGE announced today that it will open a new, state-of-the-art battery manufacturing plant in Upstate New York that will serve as the main manufacturing facility for GE’s newly formed battery business. The initial investment in the factory will be $100 million. It will be located in the Capital Region and will create 350 new manufacturing jobs at GE and thousands more in the supply chain.
Bioelectricity May Outperform Ethanol
May 8, 2009 6:16 am | CommentsCompared to ethanol used for internal combustion engines, researcher say that bioelectricity used for battery-powered vehicles would deliver an average of 80% more miles of transportation per acre of crops, while also providing double the greenhouse gas offsets to mitigate climate change.
Solid State Lighting Could Learn From Betamax
May 1, 2009 6:59 am | by by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | CommentsConventional wisdom says that “early adopters” eventually bring new technologies into the mainstream. Thus, the effort to promote solid state lighting (SSL) has ample historical precedence. Back in the late 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s an epic battle was waged between Video Home System (VHS) and Betamax (Beta). One can draw lessons from the eponymous “videotape format war”—specifically, why technologies catch on (while others fade away)
Republicans push nuclear energy to lower costs
April 28, 2009 6:34 am | CommentsThe U.S. should build 100 more nuclear plants rather than spend "billions in subsidies" for renewable energy if it is truly committed to lowering electric bills and having clean air, the Republicans say. In the party's weekly radio and Internet address, Sen. Lamar Alexander said the United States should follow the example of France, which promoted nuclear power decades ago
Gore: Congress must not bicker, act now on climate
April 24, 2009 9:47 am | by DINA CAPPIELLO, Associated Press Writer Dina Cappiello, Associated Press Writer | CommentsFormer Vice President Al Gore, a leading voice on climate change, urged lawmakers Friday to overcome partisan differences and pass legislation to curb greenhouse gases. Gore, who won a Nobel prize for his work on global warming, called the climate issue the most important ever before Congress. A Democratic bill limiting carbon dioxide and other pollution linked to a warming of the Earth will simultaneously solve the problems of the climate
US delivers message of urgency on climate change
April 23, 2009 12:39 pm | CommentsThe United States insisted Thursday that it had a common purpose and felt a sense of urgency over climate change, taking part in environment talks with other Group of Eight nations and developing countries. Delegates are holding three days of talks in this eastern Sicilian city amid high expectations over the extent of the U.S. commitment to tackle climate change
100 MPG Electric Hummer a Reality
April 23, 2009 9:23 am | by by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | CommentsRaser Technologies recently announced a 100 MPG version of the Hummer H3 at the 2009 SAE International World Congress. The idea of taking the most infamous gas guzzler and making it “greener than a Prius” sounds like a pipe dream. But Raser claims to have achieved it. The resultant vehicle is the best of both worlds: environmentally-friendly and attractive
Congress considers major global warming measure (AP)
April 20, 2009 7:36 am | CommentsThe last time Congress passed major environmental laws, acid rain was destroying lakes and forests, polluted rivers were on fire and smog was choking people in some cities. The fallout from global warming, while subtle now, could eventually be more dire. That prospect has Democrats pushing legislation that rivals in scope the nation's landmark anti-pollution laws.
Obama: Better trains foster energy independence (AP)
April 16, 2009 10:52 am | CommentsPresident Barack Obama is calling for the country to move swiftly to a system of high-speed rail travel, saying it will relieve congestion, help clean the air and save on energy. Appearing with Vice President Joe Biden and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Thursday, Obama said the country cannot afford not to invest in a major upgrade to rail travel. He said he understands it necessarily will be "a long-term project" but said the time to start is now
