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Archive for energy development

The marriage of Solar and Natural Gas

Solar and natural gas combined for more efficient nat gas power generationLadies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to witness the union of two nobody ever thought would join.  By the powers vested in me, I give you: Solar Energy and Natural Gas.

The Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has developed a method of combining solar energy into the natural gas production process to produce cleaner energy output with the same fossil fuel input.  Put simply, natural gas power plants will soon be able to produce more electricity while using the same amount of natural gas.

What’s more, the process reduces greenhouse gas emissions from natural gas power plants at a cost that is competitive with traditional fossil fuels, creating a win-win-win scenario.

Natural gas is the next oil or gold rush. As production skyrockets, Americans are demanding natural gas as a cheap, slightly cleaner alternative to other energy sources.  As demand rises, natural gas power plants are being constructed at an alarming rate to take advantage of low cost fuels.  With this new method, scientists have sweetened the taste of natural gas even further.

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Renewable Sources Provide All New Generating Capacity in January – Three-Fold Increase From Same Period Last Year

Renewable generating capacity in the US provides all new power for January 2013The latest Energy Infrastructure Update released yesterday by the Office of Energy Projects at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission reports that the US had 1,231 megawatts (MW) of new in-service generating capacity come online in January of 2013 – all of it from renewable sources including wind, solar and biomass. The new capacity for January represents a three-fold increase from the 431 MW of new renewable generating capacity that came online in January of 2012.

Wind energy led the pack with six new units providing 958 MW, followed by 16 new solar units generating 267 MW of electricity and six new biomass units for 6 MW of new generation. Nuclear, hydro and all fossil fuel sources, including coal, oil, and natural gas offered no new electrical generating capacity last month.  Read More→

IRENA Taking Applications for Initial $50 MM Renewable Energy Project funding from UAE

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is accepting online applications with project summaries for renewable energy projects in developing countries in an initial, $50 million round of funding from the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD). The first of seven anticipated funding cycles, ADFD expects to make concessional loans of $350 million in total.

The announcement was made in advance of energy ministers and a wide range of participants from the climate science, environmental and NGO sectors around the world gathering this week for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 18th Conference of Parties (COP 18) in Doha, Qatar.

“Mobilizing finance is one of the greatest challenges for scaling up renewable energy. Providing financial support to projects that are innovative, replicable and broaden energy access is crucial,” IRENA states in a press release. Read More→

Electrical Generation Capacity from Renewable Sources Surges Under Obama

Electrical generating capacity and net output has grown significantly under the Obama administrationElectrical generation from renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and geothermal has grown dramatically under the Obama administration says Ken Bossong, Executive Director of the SUN DAY Campaign.

Bossong cites two new government studies that show a near doubling of non-hydro renewable energy sources contributing to U.S. electrical generation since president Obama took office.

The latest issue of the Electric Power Monthly from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) analyzes data through June 2012. The report shows that from January 1 to June 30, 2012 non-hydro renewable energy sources (geothermal, biomass, solar, and wind) provided 5.76 percent of net electrical generation, an increase of 10.97 percent for the same period last year. Utility scale solar increased 97.2 percent from one year ago, wind generation grew 16.3 percent and geothermal by 0.2 percent. Biomass declined by 0.8 percent.

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Mitt Romney’s Love Affair with the Fossil Fuel Industry

Romney's energy plan is made by and for the fossil energy industryRepublican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s “new” energy plan, relies on 19th century fossil fuel technology. It is but the latest incarnation of a longstanding Republican obsession with oil and gas. Romney’s energy strategy is reliant on Canada’s environmentally disastrous tar sands. He wants to expedite the Keystone XL pipeline, reduce regulations on hydraulic fracturing and ease the permitting process for offshore oil and gas. Romney wants to take regulatory power away from the federal government and give it to individual states. He wants to amend the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act and weaken the EPA’s ability to regulate pollution.

While Romney is pushing for more oil and gas, his plan does not advocate either conservation or efficiency. Instead he would end subsidies for renewable sources of energy like solar and wind.

The Republican convention in Florida was delayed due to concerns about Hurricane Isaac. The timing of Isaac is ironic given that GOP appears oblivious to the relationship between global warming and extreme weather. They do not see the powerful symbolism of four hurricanes, Andrew, Katrina, Irene and now Isaac, all landing at roughly the same time and in the same place.

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