Energy News From the Week

Here is the energy news that caught my eye this week.

If you read yesterday's post from Bruce and Mary Anne, then check out this good article from Grist about how the environmental groups are viewing the new administration. (Our own Greg Haegele will have a post up soon on Treehugger.com about our "what's next" post-election plans, too) And one more thing - clean energy was on Americans' minds as they voted this week - check out our polling info.

Looks like more Utah wilderness may be opened up to oil drilling - see this NY Times editorial on the issue.

CNN Money talked about why clean energy is still a good bet. Quotes of note:

"The world is industrializing, and with that comes a great demand for all natural resources - clean water, energy and materials," (Alan Salzman of Vantage Point Venture Partners) says. "A billion and a half people have no electricity. Do we really think that's going to continue?"

As for the shortage of capital that threatens some startups,  Salzman says: "Any addition to energy capacity takes capital. If you're going to put an offshore drilling rig on the continental shelf, that's expensive. If you are building a nuclear plant, your costs are in the billions. It's really a question of the choices that we as a society make."

And then finally - good and bad news on the coal front. First up, a coal-fired power plant in Iowa says its investing $30 million in emissions reductions. Unfortunately, though, we still have other coal-fired power plants moving through the approval process, which will negate emissions reductions - like this plant in Arkansas.

Comments

[UN]

I found it interesting that Obama said he would bankrupt the coal companies but gave no comment as to the massive unemployment this would cause. If he can replace them w/ green jobs that is great but as long as he is eating meat and ignoring the UN report he is part of the problem and the Sierra Club will proably continue to ignore it.

[Bill Witherspoon]

Does anyone know of any campaigns to direct part of the upcoming economic stimulus package to home energy audits and improvements?

The main thing one hears about for the package is "infrastructure" which I am afraid means pork.

A "home energy cost relief" package of EPA Energy Star-style home audits with modest subsidies for weatherstripping, programmable thermostats, and CFLs, etc. would create jobs, reduce energy prices by cutting demand, reduce imported oil and gas, and give participants a permanent energy cost cut, not to mention environmental benefits.

Why can I not find groups like the Sierra Club lobbying for this right now?