Department of Energy
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There's a lot of good data to be found in public reports from national labs and other government research papers, but it's not always easy to find or easy to parse. For years, federal Department of Energy collected and published that information—but it has eliminated that effort under the Trump Administration. So the Natural Resources Defense Council has stepped into the breach, releasing a new tool to track the reduction in cost and increase in adoption of solar and wind power, electric-vehicle batteries, and LED lightbulbs. READ MORE: Trump to slash clean-energy funding 72 percent...
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U.S. regulator rejects coal, nuclear bailout, says renewable energy may double by 2020
For much of last year, U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry pursued a plan that, in essence, would prop up the financially challenged U.S. coal and nuclear industries. His proposal, submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission last fall, provided financial subsidies to electric-generation...
John Voelcker -
These six states have the highest electric-car adoption rates in the country
By now, many people would likely produce the correct answer when asked, Where in the U.S. are electric cars most popular? That would be California, which last year had almost seven battery-electric and plug-in hybrid cars registered per 1,000 people. But five other states have more than two plug-in...
John Voelcker -
U.S. energy sources and uses: everything you need to know in one lovely chart
One of the interesting side effects of plug-in electric cars turns out to be a greater awareness of energy sources and uses. A 2012 California study, for instance, showed roughly four out of 10 electric-car drivers either had or were considering solar panels to provide electricity to their home...
John Voelcker -
Energy Dept to award $15 million for very fast electric-car charging
The United States Department of Energy has announced a new funding initiative to accelerate the development of what it calls "Extreme Fast Charging" (XFC) systems. In total, the DoE will award $15 million for the development of electric-car charging systems as well as batteries capable of very fast...
Sean Szymkowski -
Fossil-fuel lobbyists join renewable peers against DoE coal, nuclear support plans
Pity Energy Secretary Rick Perry, the man now running the cabinet department he couldn't remember that he wanted to eliminate altogether during a notorious 2011 presidential debate. He has pulled off an unusual feat, by uniting lobbyists for fossil-fuel interests with their counterparts advocating...
John Voelcker -
The Trump administration hasn't been coy about trying to champion traditional fossil fuels while downplaying the importance and falling costs of renewable energy. Earlier this year, Department of Energy secretary Rick Perry, previously governor of fossil-fuel producer Texas, called for a 60-day review of the United States' energy grid. The stated goal was to understand why traditional fuels such as coal and nuclear power were falling out of favor—and what that might mean for grid stability. DON'T MISS: Trump DoE to critique renewables against coal for grid reliability The department's...
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Energy Dept disappoints US coal industry: no order keeping plants open
The Trump administration has reneged on one aspect of a promise widely discussed throughout the 2016 presidential campaign: reviving the coal industry. President Donald Trump declared the United States coal industry would thrive under his watch, but the Trump administration and the Energy...
Sean Szymkowski -
Senate panel rejects clean-energy cuts, boosts DoE funding instead
The Senate Committee on Appropriations recently exhibited a quality somewhat rare in U.S. politics these days: bipartisanship. The committee released a lengthy report on the 2018 fiscal year budget for the Department of Energy that walks away from the Trump Administration's efforts to defund clean...
Sean Szymkowski -
Trump DoE to critique renewables against coal for grid reliability
It is widely accepted in the energy industry that U.S. coal production will fall as a percentage of the total electric grid mix. That has little to do with its high carbon footprint per kilowatt-hour generated; it is largely due to far greater supplies of much cheaper fracked natural gas. It is...
John Voelcker -
SimpleFuel home hydrogen fuel dispenser wins $1 million DoE prize
Last week, the U.S. Department of Energy awarded a $1 million prize to a little-known team for what you might call a new garage appliance. The SimpleFuel team—actually a collaboration of three separate companies—won the prize, first offered in November 2014, for its hydrogen...
John Voelcker -
Trump: Rick Perry to lead Energy Department he vowed to eliminate
Former Texas Governor Rick Perry is President-elect Donald Trump's pick for Secretary of Energy.
Stephen Edelstein -
At least in North America, ethanol is a contentious fuel. A decade ago, it was seen as a homegrown and carbon-neutral way to use less gasoline—and federal legislation mandated that increasing volumes be blended into U.S. fuel supplies. Much debate followed over using "food for fuel," its supposed carbon neutrality and the footprint of the agriculture required to produce it, its impact on older engines, and other issues. DON'T MISS: EPA proposes to add more ethanol blends to 'Flex Fuel' category But suppose it were possible to produce ethanol chemically, using as a feedstock a substance...
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DoE energy-loan program (notorious for Solyndra) now turning a profit
The Department of Energy loan program that funded Solyndra is now turning a profit.
Stephen Edelstein -
Know what a 'baller' is? Wanna be one for clean energy?
A new Energy Department campaign promotes electric cars in a questionable way.
Stephen Edelstein -
Electric cars can be 'contagious,' DoE says (solar panels too), but why?
A new study notes that consumers are more likely to buy electric cars if they have access to workplace charging.
Stephen Edelstein -
Federal funds to back Portland storefront for electric-car marketing, pop-up roadshows
The U.S. Department of Energy announced Monday that it would award almost $1 million to Drive Oregon over three years, to fund a regional marketing campaign that will promote the benefits of electric cars to regional consumers. The advocacy group plans to set up a permanent storefront in downtown...
John Voelcker -
Colorado Megachurch Goes Electric: BMW i3, Charging Stations, And More
Electric cars and organized religion aren't necessarily seen as fellow travelers, but one megachurch is bridging the two in pursuit of its mission. The Resurrection Fellowship Church in Loveland, Colorado, has installed a charging station in its parking lot--and its pastor, Jonathan Wiggins, has...
John Voelcker -
Elio Motos hopes a U.S. Department of Energy loan will provide the funding it needs.
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Renewable Energy Doing So Well That Subsidies Could End: Energy Secretary Moniz
Renewable-energy costs are dropping rapidly, U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz says.
Stephen Edelstein -
How Much Do Plug-In Hybrids Plug In? Volt Has Most Electric Miles, Data Shows
It's one of the big unknowns about plug-in hybrids: How much do they actually get plugged in? Battery-electric cars have to plug in to remain usable, but plug-in hybrids and range-extended electric vehicles don't. And while some makers--most notably Chevrolet and Ford--happily release data showing...
John Voelcker -
How A Chevy Camaro Gets Greener: Student Competition In EcoCar 3
All cars are getting more fuel-efficient under the rising requirements for corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) from now through 2025. Still, if you thought about the category of cars with good gas mileage, the Chevrolet Camaro muscle car likely wouldn't be high on your list. DON'T MISS: How Do...
John Voelcker -
Aging Electric-Car Batteries Can Still Offer Useful Range: Report
A new study finds that even degraded electric-car batteries may be able to meet drivers' needs.
Stephen Edelstein -
Will Oil Price Collapse Because We're Out Of Room To Store It?
Oil storage tanks may soon run out of room, triggering a major price drop.
Stephen Edelstein