Energy

Power Plant

How Green Is Your Electric Vehicle?

Check the fuel source before making any assumptions.

March 21, 2018 - World Economic Forum

Utility-Scale Solar

U.S. Solar Continues to Grow Despite Headwinds from Federal Government

Industry experts say that the Trump Administration has slowed and will continue to slow the expansion of U.S. solar, but expect solar to grow nevertheless.

March 19, 2018 - Washington Post

Congress Asks that USGS Nominee 'Protect the Scientists'

After recent resignations, there's a new part of the job description: "maintain a sort of firewall between their scientific work and any political agendas."

March 16, 2018 - Pacific Standard

Oil Pump in Los Angeles

Study: L.A. County's Urban Oil Wells Are Too Close to Homes and Schools

The Department of Public Health recommends taking action to better protect residents from oil operations that are sometimes only a few feet from where people live, work, eat, play and study.

March 7, 2018 - KPCC

Renewable Energy

How We Can Better Integrate the Energy Industry into Eco-Friendly Planning

There are plenty of opportunities to green the world's energy production and consumption infrastructure, but it will take good planning.

February 27, 2018 - Kayla Matthews

Traffic

EPA Releases Draft Greenhouse Gas Inventory, 1990 to 2016

The inventory, a requirement from a 1992 U.N. treaty, shows emissions from most sectors are either decreasing or holding steady. The major exception: transportation.

February 21, 2018 - Climatewire

Trees and People

Report Details the Long-Term Financial Benefits of Green Design

This report estimates that U.S. cities could save half a trillion dollars by investing in "smart surface technologies." The study takes into account obvious factors like energy use and less intuitive ones like tourism revenues.

February 20, 2018 - Next City

oil spill

Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund Reenacted

Unlike Trump's suggested quarter-per-gallon gas tax, this 9-cents-per-barrel tax is real. Like the gas tax, it goes to a trust fund, to respond to oil spills rather than build and maintains roads. While small, it brings in $500 million annually.

February 19, 2018 - Washington Examiner

Chevy Bolt

Where's the Interest in Electric Vehicles?

Policymakers, auto manufacturers, and especially advocates are very engaged in transitioning from fossil fuel-powered vehicles to electric vehicles. The problem is that interest isn't shared by the general public, according to research by UC Davis.

February 17, 2018 - UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies

Rooftop Solar

It's Rural vs. Urban in Kentucky's Anti-Solar Energy Bill

A bill that would cut back on the feed-in tariffs paid by utilities to solar panel owners in Kentucky.

February 10, 2018 - Louisville Courier Journal

Alaskan Way Seawall Construction

When the U.S. Economy Is 'Too Strong' to Spend on Infrastructure

A low unemployment rate means major investments by the federal government could ultimately harm the economy.

February 6, 2018 - FiveThirtyEight

Palm Springs

Federal Plan for Renewable Energy Development in the California Desert on Trump's Cutting Board

The issue of wind and solar energy development has always been a hot button in the California desert, and the Trump Administration just pressed it.

February 3, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

Mallorca

Rental Cars Will Be 100% Electric by 2030 in Spain's Balearic Islands

The government of the Balearic Islands drafts new law that requires rental car companies to phase out fossil fuel vehicles and to switch to a 100% electric fleet by 2030.

February 2, 2018 - Cities of the Future

Oil and Gas Extraction

Will Anybody Drill for Oil in the Pacific Northwest, Now That They Can?

Now that the Trump Administration has reopened the U.S. coastlines to oil and gas extraction, it's unclear whether anyone will take up the opportunity in the Pacific Northwest.

January 28, 2018 - EarthFix

Nuclear Power

South Carolinians Still on the Hook for Failed Nuclear Plants

“It has to be one of the greatest wastes of money in any state’s history,” Alan Greenblatt writes.

January 27, 2018 - Governing

Silicon Valley

New Tariffs Will Shake Up the Solar Industry

The first protectionist policies implemented by the Trump Administration, a key part of the president's campaign platform, will affect the renewable energy industry.

January 26, 2018 - New York Times

Electric Car Charging

Energy Transformation Predicted in 12 Years

By 2030, the world's consumption of oil will drop due to increasing electric vehicle sales, according to a report by Bank of America. Other researchers disagree on the timeframe. The report is useful for highlighting the term, "peak oil demand."

January 26, 2018 - Bloomberg News

A private club located in Florida

Why Zinke Gave Florida a Break on Drilling

After announcing the coast of almost all states would be open for oil and gas production, the Secretary of the Interior changed his mind on one after meeting with Trump’s favored candidate for Senate.

January 19, 2018 - The New Yorker

Solar Powered City

Residents Move Into America's First Solar Powered Town

Residents will live in solar powered homes and ride around the community in self-driving, solar-powered shuttles. Babcock Ranch outside of Fort Myers, Florida, has been in the making since 2005. A city of 50,000 is forecasted.

January 18, 2018 - CBS This Morning

Skyline and Beach

Largest Desalinated Water Reserve Ever Unveiled in Abu Dhabi

The UAE has created a storage facility under the desert that can provide up to 100 million liters per day in the event of an emergency.

January 17, 2018 - Quartz

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.