January 20, 2012
Geologic Column: Saving the World? Or Just Saving Money?
It all started with a reporter. I had just signed the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment, which pledges that my …
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16 articles · Page 1 of 1
January 5, 2012
Wal-Mart to use wind energy
Wal-Mart’s reputation for cheap prices precedes it, but recently the retailer showed its greener side when it announced plans to supply 15 …
January 5, 2012
Sea sprawl: Into the blue frontier of ocean development
Picture it: Dozens of kilometers off the coast of Texas, a giant polygon-shaped cage constructed of steel ribs and mesh netting floats 30 or so …
January 5, 2012
Raising bees and capturing rainwater: U.S. prisons go green
The flagging economy may complicate federal aspirations for a green revolution, but at least one government entity has adopted the movement in …
January 5, 2012
Making electric grids smarter
How information technology will make America's electrical system cleaner, more efficient and more reliable. Val and Bud Peterson are passionate …
January 5, 2012
Highlights of 2010: Offshore wind in Texas and the curious case of Massachusetts
Humans have harnessed wind energy throughout history for milling, pumping and transportation — in a way you could say it’s the “original” form of …
January 5, 2012
GSA meeting: Biofuels vs. food - developing countries suffer most
HOUSTON – Perhaps it’s because the Geological Society of America’s annual meeting is being held in conjunction with the Soil Science Society of …
January 5, 2012
Energy's the hot topic this week on the Hill
UPDATE: The House energy bill, which will allow offshore drilling and gives states incentives by sharing the revenues from drilling leases with …
January 5, 2012
Energy mission: "Kilowatt Ours"
“What if every time you flipped a light switch, a mountain exploded in West Virginia?” In the new documentary “Kilowatt Ours,” filmmaker Jeff …
January 5, 2012
Dye-ing for efficient solar power
Solar energy is an abundant resource, but so far, solar panels have tended to be relatively expensive and less efficient than desired. Now …
January 5, 2012
Dry dock to wet tap: Old ships become floating desalination plants
Last year’s hurricane season was not kind to Haiti. First, tropical storms Fay, Gustav and Hanna hit the Caribbean nation; then Hurricane Ike …
January 5, 2012
Biofuels and food: Mutually exclusive?
Global energy demand is forecast to double by 2025. Fossil fuel supplies are finite and increasingly politicized and insecure. Yet viable …
January 5, 2012
Bailout bill passes, extends renewable energy tax credits
The new legislation extends the production tax credit for wind energy for one year, and for solar, biomass and hydropower for two years. It also …
January 5, 2012
As Green As It Gets: Algae Biofuels
It’s hard to think of a humbler organism than algae, or a less-likely prospect to become savior of our energy future. “Algae fuel” does not …
January 5, 2012
Around the world in the Solar Taxi
We can build it. We have the technology. One thing you can say about the Solar Taxi is that it’s eye-catching. I showed pictures of it from a …
January 5, 2012
A whale of a wind turbine
According to conventional wisdom, things that need to move efficiently through air or water should be sleek and streamlined. Dolphins, jets and …