Renewable Energy Barriers Fall With New FERC Order

Energy storage fans are rejoicing all across the country on the heels of a new ruling by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which opens the floodgates to connecting more solar arrays and wind farms to the power grid. FERC adopted the new ruling, Order 792, in order to bring its existing rules for small generators...

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A Final Contribution From Warsaw

As most will have seen from various media reports, delegates to COP 19 in Warsaw continued negotiating the outcome until late Saturday night. The key sticking points were “loss and damage” and the shape of national actions that would ultimately form the foundation of the 2015 deal (for implementation post 2020).The agreement...

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Bridge Out: Study Finds Methane Emissions From Natural Gas Production Higher Than EPA Estimates

A major new study blows up the whole notion of natural gas as a short-term bridge fuel to a carbon-free economy.Natural gas is mostly methane (CH4), a potent heat-trapping gas. If, as now seems likely, natural gas production systems leak 2.7% (or more), then gas-fired power loses its near-term advantage over coal and becomes more...

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A Smart Grid Thanksgiving List

The Atlantic magazine had a recent article about the top 50 innovations in human history in the last 6000 years.  Number one on the list was the printing press.  It beat electricity (#2) as the most game-changing technology breakthrough.Will any current or future technology breakthroughs found in Smart Grid buildouts...

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The Explosive Growth of Steel Production in China: Why it Matters

There is no material more fundamental to industrial civilization than steel. Modern buildings, ships, cars, planes and bridges would all be unthinkable without steel, and as pointed out by Allwood and Cullen in their fine recent book on materials production we currently have no viable substitute materials that could...

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Sunset for Suntech as China Solar Target Rises

Doug Young  Sunset for Suntech. Photo by Tom Konrad More good news is coming for the rebounding solar sector with word that Beijing is accelerating its build-up of solar power plants in a bid to help the industry and also improve China’s dismal air quality. But that news is coming too late...

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Lower Threshold to End Filibusters in Senate Boosts Odds for Aggressive Emission Limits by Obama

There’s a real game-changer now afoot in Washington, DC that would make it even more difficult to build a coal-fired power plant in the U.S. The Obama administration’s efforts to stiffen limits on harmful carbon dioxide emissions got a big boost from the Democratic-controlled U.S. Senate, albeit not from any new legislation.The...

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Capstone Infrastructure: How Bad Is The Worst Case?

Tom Konrad CFA Disclosure: I have long positions in MCQPF and AQUNF. Capstone Infrastructure Corporation (TSX:CSE, OTC:MCQPF) has been trading at a significant discount to its peers because of a  power supply agreement which expires at the end of 2014.  Capstone is seeking a new agreement...

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Renewable Energy Barriers Fall With New Ferc Order

Batteries Published on November 25th, 2013 | by Tina Casey Energy storage fans are rejoicing all across the country on the heels of a...

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Electric Vehicles Approach Tipping Point

When the first hybrid cars hit the streets, people would point and stare, even stop owners on the street to ask questions. Was it a fad? A novelty? A toy for green enthusiasts?  Time has proven otherwise. In the first quarter of last year, the hybrid Toyota Prius was the third best-selling family car in the world. When the...

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Tesla Tussles With Chinese Squatter

Doug Young  US electric car maker Tesla Motors (Nasdaq: TSLA) has landed in the headlines with an escalating trademark dispute in China, casting a spotlight on Beijing’s ongoing efforts to bolster the country’s intellectual property (IP) protections. China has made great strides in its IP...

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Fuel Cell With Mystery Catalyst Aims To Conquer The World

Cars Published on November 21st, 2013 | by Tina Casey CleanTechnica came thisclose to unraveling the mystery behind CellEra’s new platinum...

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German Inventor solves permanent magnet motor puzzle - wants to 'give away' the discovery...

Thomas Engel is a successful German inventor with more than a hundred patented inventions to his credit. He - like many of his peers - does not look back at a successful school education, but evidently that is not necessary for success if you are smart and, as some say it might...

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