Energy

Iowa Caucus Results: Cruz wins, Ethanol Mandate Loses

The only major candidate, Democrat or Republican, to call for an end to the contentious ethanol mandate won the Republican caucus, clearly beating Donald Trump. That could doom what many even in Iowa, among even some farmers, call a boondoggle.

February 3, 2016 - The New York Times - Politics

What's Wrong With the Ethanol Mandate?

A former EPA official makes the case in a New York Times op-ed that the ethanol mandate, a major issue in Monday's presidential caucus in Iowa, the nation's top corn producer, is implemented so poorly that it is not benefiting the environment.

February 2, 2016 - The New York Times - The Opinion Pages

How to Beat Extreme Heat

Louisville, Kentucky has recently been named the "most rapidly growing urban heat island" in the U.S., but what led to this title? Jeff Byles traces how cities are becoming increasingly warm through a number of different factors, including economic.

February 1, 2016 - Doggerel

Mapping the Best and Worst Places for Rooftop Solar

A new scorecard, called "Freeing the Grid," evaluates states on the incentives they offer homeowners and businesses to install rooftop solar.

January 29, 2016 - CityLab

Clean Energy

France to Pave 621 Miles of Roads With Solar Panels

The French government made a bombshell of an announcement last week, when it said it will pave 1,000 km of roads in the country with photovoltaic panels.

January 28, 2016 - Global Construction Review

Reports Ranks U.S. 26th for Environmental Performance

The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) ranks performance on environmental issues in two areas: protection of human health and protection of ecosystems. "The U.S. falls in between Canada and the Czech Republic."

January 27, 2016 - Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies

There's More Than One Way for Energy Efficiency Goals to Fail

A heated political battle over funding for the Washington State Building Code Council shows how legislated mandates for energy efficiency must also fund regulators to back them up.

January 26, 2016 - Crosscut

The Erosion of Public Trust

The damage caused by Michigan environmental agencies charged with protecting public health extend far beyond Flint. Residents suffering health effects from a huge natural gas leak in Southern California see parallels with the lead poisoning crisis.

January 26, 2016 - The New York Times

Solar Power Plant

Texas Solar Market Poised to Grow

Over the past decade, Texas has led on wind but lagged on solar power. That may soon change. Texas solar companies are now offering "all-solar" plans to take advantage of an improved market.

January 21, 2016 - Dallas News

Pollution 2

Op-Ed: Carbon Pricing on Track in North America

Despite continued dispute over their effectiveness, carbon taxes and cap-and-trade programs in the United States and Canada have raised billions of dollars. And China has now followed suit.

January 21, 2016 - New York Times

New York's Biggest Challenge for Emission Reduction Goals: Green Building

About 80 percent of New York City's greenhouse gas emissions come from its building stock, so the city's goal to cut emissions 80 percent by 2050 will hinge on aggressive retrofitting requirements in addition to new green building standards.

January 19, 2016 - Politico New York

Interior Department Halts New Coal Leases on Federal Lands

Following-up on the president's assertion in his State of the Union address to better manage coal and oil resources on federal lands to account for environmental and financial costs, the administration declared a 'pause' on issuing new coal leases.

January 18, 2016 - US News & World Report

Tiny House

Are Tiny Houses All They Are Cracked Up To Be?

Maybe not so much, according to an article in the Globe and Mail.

January 16, 2016 - The Globe and Mail

Cautious Optimism in the Wake of COP21

With the historic climate agreement reached in Paris at COP21, what implications will it have on the architecture, engineering and design industries? Doggerel spoke to U.S. Green Building Council Chair-elect Fiona Cousins for her perspective.

January 15, 2016 - Doggerel

How Low Will Oil Prices Go?

Oil prices are now at a 12-year low. Prices have been very consistent this year: they have dropped every day. As they slide to going below $30 a barrel, service stations could be selling gasoline at $1 per gallon, a price not seen since 1999.

January 14, 2016 - The New York Times

Lack of Congressional Support Kills Landmark Klamath River Deal

There might not be a drawing board to go back to after an agreement that would have removed four dams along the Klamath River died in Congress.

January 13, 2016 - Los Angeles Times

Struggling Coal Companies Might Stick States With Clean Up Costs

The practice of self-bonding, or allowing coal companies a "pass" on setting aside funding for mine clean up, is coming back to haunt some states as the coal industry struggles.

January 12, 2016 - Wyoming Public Radio

VW Scandal Obscures Diesel's Real Problem

It's easy to focus on the sensational headlines based on the fraud committed by Volkswagen, but doing so masks the deadly and ongoing problems of diesel emissions plaguing the world's densely populated cities.

January 7, 2016 - The New York Times

Imagining Oceanscrapers

Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut has released a series of futuristic and amazing drawings that envision what sustainable, floating cities could possibly look like.

January 3, 2016 - Huffpost Science

Saudi Arabia Reducing Gasoline Subsidies to Cope with Budget Deficit

The world's third cheapest gasoline will increase by 40 percent in order to deal with a record budget deficit of $98 billion this year. Plummeting oil prices have forced the world's largest oil exporter, Saudi Arabia, to reduce energy subsidies.

December 30, 2015 - AFP

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