Energy Literacy Advocates Newsroom
Energy Literacy Advocates (ELA) is a non-partisan, non-profit, public education and advocacy group dedicated to improving the energy literacy of all sectors of our democracy in order to empower a comprehensive national energy policy that is responsible and sustainable. Stay tuned for updated energy news!
Friday, January 30, 2009
The Wall Street Journal Debates; What Is An American Car?
In an article released January 26, the Wall Street Journal debates what is - and is not - an American car, and what the ramifications of this decision are for legislation and funding.
To read the full article, click here.
Labels: automakers, energy policy, u.s. energy policy
posted by Amanda Voss at 9:35 AM
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Thursday, January 29, 2009
Energy Chair Speaks at National Clean Energy Conference
To watch the ten minute clip, click here.
Labels: election 2008, global warming, u.s. energy policy
posted by Amanda Voss at 8:14 AM
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Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Oil Prices Rise on Stimulus News
Traders on the New York Mercantile Exchange instead looked to Washington, where the House was expected to approve an $816 billion economic stimulus plan that could help jump-start the ailing economy.
Supporters of the massive stimulus bill say it would create up to 4 million jobs. The bill, which includes roughly $550 billion in spending and $275 billion in tax cuts, could be signed by President Barack Obama by mid-February. If so, it would lead to more energy spending by manufacturers as they ramp up production, and perhaps millions of Americans who have lost jobs since last year.
To read the full AP News Release, click here.
Labels: economy, oil price, oil supply/demand
posted by Amanda Voss at 3:36 PM
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Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Stimulus Plan Predicted to Bolster Green Energy
Short term projects include funds to "weatherize" 2 million homes by improving things such as insulation and leaky windows, while also improving the efficiency of 75 percent of federal buildings. Another provision would pay for 3,000 miles of transmission lines to move electricity from wind farms and solar installations, many in the West and Southwest, to consumers in the rest of the country.
Finally, additional funds channeled to green energy industry are expected to put 460,000 Americans to work on energy projects and double the amount of alternative energy produced over the next three years.
To read the full NPR article, click here.
Labels: efficiency, energy, energy sources, renewables, u.s. energy policy
posted by Amanda Voss at 9:27 AM
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Monday, January 26, 2009
Executive Order to Allow Tougher Emissions Standards
The ruling will effect 14 states, including California. California has been mired in attempts to raise emissions and efficiency standards for several years, a move that the Environmental Protection Agency rejected, as it was an alteration from the federal standard. Obama’s presidential memorandum is expected to reverse this stance.
Beyond acting on the California emissions law, officials predict that Obama will direct the Transportation Department to finalize interim nationwide regulations requiring the automobile industry to increase fuel efficiency standards to comply with a 2007 law.
To read the full article in the New York Times, click here.
Labels: automakers, efficiency, environment, u.s. energy policy
posted by Amanda Voss at 8:20 AM
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Friday, January 23, 2009
Energy Attachment to Stimulus Bill Clears House Panel
Other measures, like spending for power lines, efficiency projects, and a program to insulate low-income homes, are also included. Additionally, the measure would provide $8.4 billion in renewable energy loan guarantees, renewing and extending some existing programs.
The energy provision is a portion of the $825 billion economic stimulus measure. The broader legislation includes $550 billion in new government spending and $275 billion in tax cuts.
To read the full article, click here.
Labels: efficiency, energy policy, energy sources, environment, renewables, u.s. energy policy
posted by Amanda Voss at 8:25 AM
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Thursday, January 22, 2009
Mexico Inaugurates Renewable Energy Expansion
According to the Associated Press release, the winds that blow across the chosen site, a narrow isthmus between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, run between 25 to 36 kph (15 to 22 mph), a near-ideal rate for turbines.
One of the project partners, Spanish energy company Acciona Energia says the 2,500-hectare (6,180-acre) farm should generate 250 megawatts of electricity with 167 turbines, 25 of which are already operating.
To read the full article, click here.
Labels: renewables
posted by Amanda Voss at 2:24 PM
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Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Obama Reaffirms Commitment to Energy at Inaugural
President Barack Obama reaffirmed his commitment to revamping America's energy policy during his inaugural message. The newly elected president emphasized America's legacy of determination and responsibility in confronting a myriad of crises.
Obama cited energy as part of the current crisis, remarking that "each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet."
Citing the aggressive application of renewables in America's new energy portfolio, Obama said "We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories."
To access the full text of President Barack Obama's inaugural speech, courtesy of ABC News, please click here.
Labels: election 2008, energy policy, renewables, u.s. energy policy
posted by Amanda Voss at 11:43 AM
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Monday, January 19, 2009
Sign of the Times: UAE Takes a Green Stance
According to the Associate Press, the United Arab Emirates are making strong pledges toward renewable energy use. The head of a green-energy project in Abu Dhabi says the oil-rich emirate plans to generate 7 percent of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2020.
Sultan al-Jaber says the initiative will create a renewable energy market worth $6 billion to $8 billion in Abu Dhabi.
Most, if not all, of the energy will come from solar power, another official involved with the project says.
To read the Associated Press release, click here.
Labels: oil companies, oil price, oil supply/demand, renewables
posted by Amanda Voss at 9:23 AM
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Search for Automotive Energy Solutions Likened to Race to the Moon
"I will play a keystone role in helping to craft the energy agenda," Salazar told the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, according to Politico.com. "I would not have taken this job if I was not given the assignment to help craft the energy moon shot that we will take." While Salazar has conceded increased use of traditional fuels, including the expansion of oil shale and offshore drilling, he anticipates the era of the electric car and advanced hybrid batteries.
Meanwhile, Obama foresees change and sacrifice coming to the automotive industry. Obama met with the editorial board of the Washington Post and said the auto industry restructuring will require "everybody, from labor to management to creditors to shareholders, giving something up."
Policy watchers are anticipating a further unveiling of the new administration's energy plans during Obama's inaugural speech on Tuesday, January 20.
Labels: automakers, election 2008, energy policy, energy sources, u.s. energy policy
posted by Amanda Voss at 9:17 AM
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Friday, January 16, 2009
Nominee Salazar Touts Energy Agenda as Secretary of the Interior
Salazar emphasized the need for a balanced yet innovative approach to energy issues, promising to consider numerous options for energy independence, including offshore oil drilling and, under the right conditions, oil shale development on government lands.
While offering moderation on points like offshore drilling, Salazar emphasized his aggressive stance on energy independence for America. Renewable energy development -- a cause he championed as senator -- remains a main goal for Salazar, who also promised a balanced approach to energy and land-use policy.
Labels: election 2008, energy policy, energy sources, environment, renewables, u.s. energy policy
posted by Amanda Voss at 8:29 AM
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Plans for 'Green' Infrastructure Could Take a Backseat
To reduce America's dependence on foreign oil, Obama has pledged to invest in green infrastructure, including a national electric grid and high-speed rail lines. According to the LA Times, at a Senate confirmation hearing Tuesday, Obama's Energy secretary nominee, Nobel Prize-winning physicist Steven Chu, said a nationwide grid would be "in the national interest" and said the country needed a "new way of doing business" to get it built quickly.
Besides economic road blocks, the infrastructure package also faces a lack of pre-planning and conflict over land rights. Still, proponents are hopeful that the plans will reappear in a bill later this year.
To read more about Obama's green infrastructure proposal, click here.
Labels: economy, energy, renewables, u.s. energy policy
posted by Amanda Voss at 8:20 AM
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Thursday, January 15, 2009
Predicting Oil Futures
According to the Times, "The problem for the companies is not just that prices are lower, but that they have become volatile — historically, a sign of an unstable market whose direction is uncertain. Between Christmas and a week ago oil prices soared 40 percent, only to reverse course almost as sharply in recent days. Just last week, the price of a barrel of crude oil dropped by nearly 12 percent in one day alone."
New trends - unimaginable from the first half of 2008, when suppliers were trying to keep up with demand - include a boom in land and sea storage for excess oil. Investment in new drilling and oil exploration has halted.
To read more about predicitions for oil in 2009, and to access the full Times story, click here.
Labels: economy, oil price, oil supply/demand
posted by Amanda Voss at 8:48 AM
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Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Confirmation Hearings Offer Continued Insights Into New Administration's Energy Plans
Chu continued to stress the dire consequences of global warming, warning that "dramatic, disruptive changes to our climate system in the lifetimes of our children and grandchildren" could occur if we fail to speed up efforts to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. However, he softened his stance on using coal and nuclear power in America's future energy portfolio, and backed away from previous iterations on raising the gas tax.
To read the full Wall Street Journal report, click here.
Labels: election 2008, global warming, u.s. energy policy
posted by Amanda Voss at 8:17 AM
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Tuesday, January 13, 2009
USA Today Offers Peek at New Energy Secretary
Of prime concern in the energy picture is global warming. Chu began studying global warming a decade ago, and his since taught himself economics to understand various options to slow environmental degradation. Chu coauthored a 2007 report about energy that in part concluded: "What the world does in the coming decade will have enormous consequences that will last for centuries. It is imperative that we begin without further delay."
To read the full article, click here.
Labels: election 2008, energy policy, global warming, u.s. energy policy
posted by Amanda Voss at 8:44 AM
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Monday, January 12, 2009
Analyzing Popular Consumption of Renewable Energy: New York Times and NREL Reports
Among trends revealed in the report are that decisions to buy green power for homeowners are founded upon an “emotional” response or commitment, where corporate America opts for green power as a business decision. Additionally, green power may be more expensive than traditional utilities for now, but for businesses it offers a key advantage: the ability to predict the price of electricity.
To access the full NREL and Applied Materials report, click here.
To read the New York Times article and summary of these findings, click here.
Labels: economy, energy sources, renewables, u.s. energy policy
posted by Amanda Voss at 8:35 AM
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Friday, January 9, 2009
New Leader for House Subcommittee on Energy and Economy
Historically, Markey has fought against nuclear power and advocated for higher fuel-efficiency standards in automobiles.
To access the full article, click here.
Labels: energy policy, u.s. energy policy
posted by Amanda Voss at 8:20 AM
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Thursday, January 8, 2009
Venezuela Signals Compliance with OPEC Regulations
Venezuela, the biggest oil exporter in the Americas, is making the reductions as part of an agreement to cut 189,000 barrels under the OPEC deal reached Dec. 17 in Algeria to arrest a slide in prices.
To read the full article in Bloomberg, click here.
Labels: oil price, oil supply/demand, u.s. energy policy
posted by Amanda Voss at 8:45 AM
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Practical Applications in Our New Energy Future: Continental Runs Biofuel-Powered Flight
"HOUSTON (AP) - Continental Airlines is the first U.S. commercial carrier to conduct a demonstration flight powered in part by alternative fuels.
The Houston-based company, the nation's fourth-largest airline, made the flight Wednesday with a Boeing 737-800 that left from Bush Intercontinental Airport, its large hub. The flight was expected to last about two hours and return to the airport around 3 p.m. EST.
Continental chairman and chief executive Larry Kellner said the goal of Wednesday's flight was to analyze technical aspects of using biofuels, including effects on the plane's engines. But he and others acknowledged it's likely several years, a decade perhaps, before biofuels make up a significant percentage of the fuel used by Continental and other major carriers."
Labels: biofuels, renewables
posted by Amanda Voss at 8:41 AM
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Wednesday, January 7, 2009
New Creative Measures to Aid Energy Efficiency Projects
New projects, like the Sustainable Energy Financing District run by Berkley, California, designate neighborhoods and offer low-interest loans to complete efficiency or renewable energy projects.
Utility companies are also getting into the game. Through an addition to their utility or property tax bills, borrowers can repay loans over 20 or 30 years — typically with the money earned through energy savings or sales back to the grid.
To read the full New York Times feature, click here.
Labels: renewables
posted by Amanda Voss at 8:38 AM
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Tuesday, January 6, 2009
The Lost Generation: Are the Big Three Automakers Failing to Capture New Audience Share?
Attributing the bulk of that lost confidence to the failure of "The Big Three" to innovate and deliver alternative fuel and high efficiency products, the authors postulate that "To secure Millenials’ support, however, the domestic automobile industry needs to be seen as a contributor in ending America’s dependence on foreign oil and improving our environment. Not only would such an approach assure the industry’s future profitability, it would also remake its image in a way that will appeal to both their future customers and the politicians they support."
To access the article, click here.
Labels: automakers, economy, efficiency, oil price, renewables
posted by Amanda Voss at 10:10 AM
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Florida To Add Nuclear Power to Energy Mix
When completed, the reactors are projected to generate enough electricity to power more than 1.3 million Florida homes.
While proponents tout nuclear power as a reliable and clean energy source which lessens American dependence on foreign oil, the project has fallen under criticism due to security concerns, both from terrorism and from the hazardous nature of nuclear materials.
Labels: energy, energy sources, National Security
posted by Amanda Voss at 9:02 AM
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Monday, January 5, 2009
China, U.S. Racing to Stockpile Oil
According to the Wall Street Journal, the Chinese are not far behind. China recently completed a four-base strategic reserve complex, and plans to add 102 million barrels of oil during its first acquisition phase. When nonstate oil distributors and refiners are added into the picture, China may boast a total of a billion gallons of idle storage capacity.
While U.S. acquisitions are not expected to have a drastic impact on oil prices, industry experts are watching Chinese purchases carefully.
To read the full article in the Wall Street Journal, click here.
Labels: oil price, oil supply, oil supply/demand
posted by Amanda Voss at 7:48 AM
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