In a surprising announcement, the Department of Energy has suspended all small nuclear reactor work at the Savannah River Site. As with the production tax credit for wind, the federal government’s ability to finance energy projects has been hampered recently. Read More
More and more countries view a tax on carbon as the most effective way to encourage the innovation and adoption of carbon-free goods and services. Norway is the latest country to move boldly on this issue, announcing that it will double the carbon tax on its North Sea oil industry. Such taxes reduce greenhouse gas emissions responsible for climate change, but as in this case, they can also generate funds to help combat the…
California will become the first state in the nation to charge industries across the economy for the greenhouse gases they emit. Opponents and supporters alike say that the state’s emissions reduction program is ambitious and risky, but this isn’t the first time California has been at the forefront of an energy issue in the US. Read More
Despite a nationwide shutdown of its nuclear fleet following the Fukushima disaster last year, Japan still found the will to adopt a carbon tax on major emitters. The tax will come in three phases with the first increase adding between 12-31 percent on existing levies. Read More
Australia, a nation with enormous coal deposits and one of the world’s highest per capita carbon emissions, is implementing an aggressive tax on carbon in response to dramatic climate changes impacting the country. Soaring temperatures have amplified droughts, floods, and wildfires, while increased carbon uptake by the ocean has degraded the Great Barrier Reef. Read More
The SC Sea Grant Consortium’s summer newsletter includes an insightful article on the science of risk and choice. While the piece doesn’t address the energy sector, many of the author’s conclusions apply to our decision-making about fossil fuel consumption and climate change. Read More
The White House has issued an Executive Order to encourage efforts to achieve a national goal of deploying 40 gigawatts of new, cost effective industrial Combined Heat & Power (CHP) in the United States by the end of 2020. By producing both heat and electricity for consumption, CHP systems operate at elevated levels of efficiency. Read More
A new study paints a revealing picture about the true costs of our energy choices. Read More
Traditional energy resources have enjoyed a history of government support that continues to this day. Shouldn’t we expect the same for this generation of clean energy technologies? Read More
Here is a must read, sobering analysis of the future of oil supplies. Read More
