Climate Energy

Tar-sands pipeline gets support from fake Twitter accounts

What do Astroturf and the Canadian tar sands have in common? They're both made of petroleum, and now they've both got fake grassroots. An employee of the American Petroleum Institute, which supports the Keystone XL tar-sands pipeline, has apparently been setting up multiple fake Twitter accounts to give the illusion of public support.

Michele Bachmann seriously believes in a lightbulb conspiracy

So what is it with Michele Bachmann and hating on energy-efficient lightbulbs? She's like a lightbulb crusader. Mother Jones has done some digging, and it turns out this is because she basically believes that a science fiction parody of environmentalism is going to ruin America.

Debt and (carbon) taxes: Obama's last chance for climate redemption

Just into Obama's hypothetical second term, when the Bush tax cuts are poised to expire, could be the best time to enact a carbon tax.

Swede finds out why nuclear, unlike renewables, can never be DIY

Blog your experience building a nuclear reactor in your kitchen, go to jail. Them's the laws in Sweden, where the no nerd's supervillain-esque childhood fantasy fulfillment goes unpunished.

Fossil-fuel industries push for a Great Outdoors Giveaway

More than 70 million acres of public land would lose protection under a bill in the U.S. House. Who's behind it? Oil, gas, and coal companies.

EIA releases skewed energy subsidies report to Congress

The EIA admits its data is limited and doesn't give a full picture of the subsidies landscape, but released the report anyway.

Impact of EPA regs on power industry may be even milder than typically projected

The EPA's new pollution regulations will drive the retirement of some older coal plants. But how many? And will it affect rates or reliability?

Tokyo is cutting electricity use by 15 percent

Japanese people are already kicking Americans' butts when it comes to energy efficiency: they use half as much energy as we do already, despite their proclivity for gadgets like automatic toilets. But since the Fukushima meltdown, they've gotten even more hyper-aware of the need to save energy.

In Tokyo, the government is hoping to cut electricity use during work hours by 15 percent compared to last year, and they're on track to do it.

We can save $78 billion by ending oil and gas subsidies

We could save $78 billion by ending oil and gas subsidies.

Obama fuel efficiency deal could leave loophole for Detroit

New fuel efficiency standards, expected to be announced tomorrow, give auto manufacturers a chance to re-negotiate after 2021.