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Twenty ideas that could save the world
Ask Chris Rapley, the ebullient physicist and director of the Science Museum in London, why he seems more sanguine about our prospects of taming climate change than many of his peers, and he’ll tell you about the day he first toured the museum’s library and archives. Surrounded by the thousands of designs and patent applications […]
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West Virginia redefines dirty energy as “alternative”
When you hear the phrase “alternative energy,” what comes to mind? Solar power? Wind? Hydroelectric? Not for West Virginia’s political leaders. They think a little differently. In the recent legislative session, Gov. Joe Manchin (D) championed and state lawmakers approved an energy portfolio standard bill requiring 25% of generation to come from “alternative and renewable” […]
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If you want a revolution, start with a clean energy one
It was about five years ago. I was talking with a radical friend about my then-recent personal decision to prioritize work on the climate crisis. I had done so after the European heat wave in the summer of 2003 that led to 30,000 or more deaths. This catastrophe jolted me into serious study about the […]
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The Climate Post: L’Aquila, the Senate, and shrinking sheep
First Things First: Conflicting early reports obscured events at a major international summit in L’Aquila, Italy. The Group of Eight has apparently resolved to cut greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050, but disagreed on thorny “mid-term targets,” to be reached by 2020 or so. And key players, such as the United States, have no […]
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On the legality of feed-in tariffs in the US
For the past year we’ve been involved in a proceeding before the California Public Utilities Commission on an effort to establish a feed-in tariff, or standard offer contracting program for renewables. We believe it can be a healthy complement to the state’s other renewable energy programs—i.e. the California Solar Incentive for behind-the-meter generation, and the […]
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So what is carbon anyway?
This is an excerpt from the book The Carbon Age: How Life’s Core Element Has Become Civilization’s Greatest Threat, newly released in paperback. Carbon is all over the news, but what is it?“You will be astonished when I tell you what this curious play of carbon amounts to.” — Michael Faraday Welcome to the Carbon […]
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The Carbon Logic Problem Statement
An acclaimed mountaineer, a Baptist minister and a distinguished economist were stuck in a pit. The mountain climber said, “Stand back boys, I’ll have us out in a jiffy,” but the walls of the pit were loose shale and she couldn’t gain purchase. Then the minster raised his arms high and in a deep sonorous […]
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A milestone: 100th coal plant stopped
As of today, 100 coal plants have been defeated or abandoned since the beginning of the coal rush. Late yesterday, news came down that Utah-based Intermountain Power Agency is abandoning plans for a third coal-fired generator in the state. This news comes as President Obama is at the G8 summit in Italy discussing action on […]
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Climate and energy sections of G8 statement
Below is the energy and climate section of the official G8 statement released on July 8, 2009. The full statement is online here (PDF). Sustainable use of natural resources: climate change, clean energy and technology 60. The interlinked challenges of climate change, energy security and the sustainable and efficient use of natural resources are amongst […]
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Opening remarks from Chu, Jackson, Vilsack, Salazar and Barbour
Prepared remarks submitted in advance to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Statement of Steven Chu, Secretary of Energy, July 7, 2009 Chairman Boxer, Ranking Member Inhofe, and Members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify on moving America toward a clean energy economy. We face many serious and immediate […]
