Latest Articles

An interview with Dennis Kucinich about his presidential platform on energy and the environment

This is part of a series of interviews with presidential candidates produced jointly by Grist and Outside. Update: Dennis Kucinich dropped out of the presidential race on Jan. 25, 2008. Dennis Kucinich. Photo: SEIU via flickr He may be eating the front-runners’ dust in the polls, but among deep-green voters, Dennis Kucinich is considered a […]

No surprises here, please

The electricity grid doesn't like surprises. Sudden voltage spikes or sags do not a healthy grid make. So proponents of large-scale solar and wind are working to create tools to smooth over volatility issues, so these generating resources can be integrated seamlessly onto the grid. If we're going to be in a position to rely on more solar and wind power and use these to replace significant amounts of power generated from coal, the grid planning and dispatch issues must be addressed.

Which brings us to yesterday's announcement by Tucson Electric Power (TEP) that they have received a $100,000 federal grant to study the problem as it relates specifically to solar power. Under the grant, they will "evaluate how effectively solar energy systems can replace traditional utility generating resources."

TEP will also evaluate "the true costs and benefits" of the almost 400 photovoltaic (PV) systems their customers have already installed in their service area through their SunShare program.

Read more here: "TEP Wins Federal Grant to Evaluate Solar Energy Systems."

Having survived Biosphere, she’s ready to enter the offset debate

A summary overview / intro to offsets by a woman who was one of the Biospherians.

They might be coming sooner than you think

From a NASA's Earth Observatory:

Hurricanes need two basic ingredients to develop: warm, moist air and a relatively calm atmosphere. Late summer over the Atlantic Ocean provides both things. Ocean waters above about 27 degrees Celsius (80 Fahrenheit) give rise to the warm, moist air that fuels tropical storms, and winds that could tear a storm apart are light during the summer. Typically, the Atlantic is primed for hurricanes by early August, and the height of the hurricane season comes in September, though the official hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30.

They have a great figure showing that the Gulf of Mexico is now warm and hurricane-ready. Get ready. It might be an interesting August.

The most trusted name in news

Eric Boehlert wonders why, when anchors and hosts with better ratings get fired for … poor ratings, CNN continues to promote Glenn Beck, who has, among other things, spoken glowingly of the John Birch Society and compared Al Gore to Hitler.

Come catch the hotness!

As you may or may not know, this weekend the progressive website Daily Kos is holding its annual convention — YearlyKos — in Chicago. According to noted advocate of moderation and compassion Bill O’Reilly, Daily Kos — which has over 50,000 registered members and on the order of 600,000 visits a day — is a […]

Wrong

From here:

Fencing Match

Mexico may file complaint over U.S. border fence plans Mexican environmental officials are the latest to get peeved over the U.S. government’s plan to build a 700-mile fence along the countries’ shared border. The barrier, intended to stem illegal immigration, would “place at risk the various ecosystems that we share,” says Environment Minister Juan Rafael […]

Spaghetti Midwestern

Citizens, politicians, EPA face off over BP refinery discharges Good old-fashioned fury continues to build over Indiana’s decision to grant oil giant BP permission to increase discharges of ammonia and sludge into Lake Michigan. A group of eight shoreline mayors has formed a task force to fight the plan. Tens of thousands of residents have […]

One Swamp Forward, Two Swamps Back

Everglades, stripped of U.N. endangered status, may see federal funding The Florida Everglades may get a budgetary boost from the U.S. government, a month after being removed from the U.N. World Heritage Committee’s list of endangered sites. The nearly $2 billion is part of a $21 billion national water bill expected to be passed by […]