Talkin' To Me And You
What are the right words for engaging people in climate action?
July 31, 2014
An Electrifying Prediction
Germany: Grid Stabilization Super-Payments
German power utilities receive fees 400 times higher than wholesale prices for providing standby power
Exxon Trending Down
Exxon, the world's largest energy company loses stock market value as its output drops
Crystal Ball Gazing For Indian Point
What does the state proposal to shut Indian Point 3 months a year mean for the future of nuclear power in NY?
Denmark: Closed Loops, No Waste
Starting with combined heat & power systems Kalundborg, Denmark has created a near zero-waste city
Parks Need Pals
Want to show NYC parks some love? Start here
7 Is First, 2 Is Last
The 7 line is the top-rated NYC subway line, the 2 rates last
Unpaved Path To A Carbon Price
No consensus yet among carbon pricing advocates
July 30, 2014
Germany: Renewable Energy Defeat
Plans to build transmission lines for renewable energy in Germany are withdrawn in the face of public opposition
Utility Regulators' Climate Role
State energy utility regulators can play a key role in cutting the nation's carbon footprint
France: $13.4 Billion New Energy Direction
To advance energy efficiency & renewables France will mobilize #13.4 billion in new investments
Carbon Tax: Part 3
Why political decisions on what to do with a carbon tax revenue are so important
Cambridge Benchmarks
Cambridge, MA joins the urban A-list with its new building energy & water benchmarking law
Flood Maps Are All Wet
Now's the time to revise outdated federal flood plain maps for NYC
Actionable Fiction
Can books or movies about climate change move people's climate change dial?
De Blasio's Eco-Skeptics
NYC environmentalists raise questions about the level of Mayor De Blasio's climate and sustainability commitments
July 29, 2014
Japan: Fuel-Cells In Motion
Japan takes the lead in advancing fuel-cell powered vehicles
London: Low-Pollution Zones
To cut urban air pollution London considers a fee for driving diesel-burning cars
Deep Decarbonization
Why Jeffrey Sachs believes in the prospect for decarbonizing the world's economies
Who's Who In Electric Cars
The US electric car market is dominated by just 4 models—Tesla, Volt, Nissan Leaf, Prius PHEV: http://t.co/yXGXaCB0TP pic.twitter.com/UcwRgk6v1a
— brad plumer (@bradplumer) July 29, 2014$3.3 Million For NY Energy Research
New York supports smart grid innovation with $3.3 million in grants for seven projects
Not Your Grandma's Utility
Utilities seek new opportunities in response to lower energy deamnd & invest in edgy fuel cell projects
Now, For A Limited Time Only
Republicans should support climate action now because it will cost 40% more in another decade and think of what that will do to government deficits
Australia: Coal Mining For India
Australia approves a $15.5 billion coal mining/rail freight project for export to India
Making Corporate Sustainabilty Work
McKinsey finds that corporations must make sustainability integral to their strategy to capture its full value
July 28, 2014
China: PV Prices Should Rise
Domestic prices for solar panels in China could start to rise, anticipating more local demand
Natural Gas Price Plunge
Natural gas prices sink to $4 as power plant output hits a 13 year low
Pre-Fab Nuke Plants Fall Short
The promise of prefabrication to make nuclear power plant construction faster & cheaper has not been met
Know Your Window's Carbon Footprint
What makes best energy sense for new windows or replacements?
Shrinking Apple's Carbon Footprint
Apple's solar farmspower its data centers & will soon help make device components in the US
Securing A Liveable Future
Watch Ed Mazria, founder of Architecture 2030, present his blueprint for a carbon-free and just built environment by 2050
Moving Electrons To EVs
Are electric vehicles a huge, but overlooked, economic opportunity for power utilities?
July 26, 2014
NJ: Resiliency Bank
With $200 million New Jersey launches its energy resiliency bank with a focus on vital infrastructure facilities
July 25, 2014
Germany: Renewables And Risks
Germany grapples with a high stakes balancing act on its path toward renewable energy
Another Way To Stay Plugged In
Buildings with fuel cells, which are energy efficient efficient and run on natural gas, can keep the power on, regardless of the weather 24/7
Climate Change, A Clear and Present Danger
Former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin wants climate change risks baked into in economic policy, fiscal & business decisions because of their potential magnitude
Improving Urban Mobility
China: Coal-Capping
Urban anger over filthy air could weigh China toward cappinng coal burning rather than cutting carbon emissions
Mass Transit Payments - KISS
A single payment system will attract more riders to multi-modal mass transit
Singapore: Decongestion Pricing
Early morning rush hour commuters ride for free in Singapore
Science At Work: Climate Impact Of Global Chimney
Research begins on the climate implications of how atmospheric temperature and gases get circulated from the Earth's surface to the upper atmosphere
July 24, 2014
Holland: Home Heating, Surprising Source
How the ocean heats homes of low-income residents in Duindorp, Holland
Carbon Tax: More Than Economics Part 2
Deciding how carbon tax revenues should be used will be as important as the rate they're set at
ID'ing A Smart City
Smart city promises deliver when citizens become makers and crowd-source manufacturing for the needs of their neighborhood
Time To Go Now
The 64-year old Port Authority Bus Terminal gets $90 million for a makeover, but not for a replacement facility
White Knight For Citi Bike
A top-tier real estate developer could be the new investor to expand the Citi Bike program
TX: Wind Power Lab
With Texas building transmission lines for its wind power bonanza, what are the lessons for the other 49 states?
When Failure Is Not An Option
Lessons learned from the failure of today's climate movements
July 23, 2014
Take The G Train Ferry
With the G train off-line for repairs Greenpoint get another mass transit option
Watch The Renewable Energy Revolution
Charting the choreography of reliable renewable electric power
Dawn Of the Green Bond Era
Valued at just $4 billion in 2012 $18.35 billion in green bonds have already been issued this year
Global Economies: Scoring Energy Efficiency
Germany & Italy score high, the US scores low on energy efficient economies, surprised?
Managing A Power Revolution
Does the future of renewable energy lie in new management modalities or new technology?
EU: The Dirty 30
Germany, the UK & Poland top the list of EU countries with dirty coal-burning power plants
Utility Industry Group Supports EVs
The Edison Electric Institute endorses the purchase of electric vehicles for utility fleet use
India: More Coal Tax, More Renewables
India doubles its coal tax to $1.67/metric ton, revenue will help develop fossil-free energy
Needy Urban Infratructure
Getting New York's mass transit, water supply & other infrastructure systems into a state of good repair won't be cheap & dedicated funding is a must
July 22, 2014
Anti-Science Stance Is Unbalanced
Routinely citing climate deniers is not journalism, it's just wrong
Sustainable Park In Bushwick
Summer is the time to check out NYC's award-winning sustainable park at Bushwick Inlet
Help Wanted: Greening NYC
Senior policy advisor positions open in the NYC Office of Long Term Planning & Sustainability
Rhode Island: 85x50
The nation's smallest state has the biggest carbon cutting goals, 85% below 1990 level by 2050
Australia: Clean/Efficient Energy Finance Lives
Showing survival skills, a government program that also deploys private investments for $3 billion in clean energy efficiency projects hangs on
Solar Finance Lessons
Can energy efficiency upgrades be financed like third-party rooftop solar projects?
Carbon Tax: More Than Economics
Taxation is always a political decision, never just economics
July 21, 2014
Sustainable Hockey
The National Hockey League scores big with its sustainability report
Australia: Cyclists In Danger
Why are bike fatalities at a 16-year high in Australia
Hot June
Total global & sea temperatures for June are the highest ever, especially at sea
Lifelike Climate Models
Today's scientific climate models prove to be good predictors of change
Legal Eagles: Demand Response Ruling
While a federal appeals court shot down FERC Order 745 that gave robust market value to demand response energy saving, all is not lost
Energy Star Label Truth
If Whirlpool gets its way consumers who bought underperforming Energy Star consumer products will lose the right to bring class-action suits
Light-Rail Likers
Denver, Los Angeles, Phoenix & Salt Lake City all get taxpayer approval to build light rail systems
EPA Questions NY Bridge Loan
The $255.7 million NY took from an environmental clean up fund to pay for the new Tappan Zee Bridge bothers the EPA
Enter To Win
An invitation to change everything Needed: one design to plaster the NYC subway for the month leading up to the September People's Climate March
July 20, 2014
Australia: The Fatal Carbon Tax Flaw
The lack of revenue neutrality helped doom Australia's politically fraught carbon tax
July 18, 2014
Take Back The Asphalt
Paint the pavement to make urban neighborhoods safer & more beautiful
10 Renewable Power Surprises
Surprise #1, "this stuff is really cheap",
EC: Urban Eco-Optimist
Dominique Ristori, Director General for Energy at the European Commission believes in chances for creating sustainable cities
UK: Climate Skeptic Comes Out
After stepping down as the UK Environment Minister, Owen Paterson keynotes at a climate skeptics' conference
Ghana: Solar U
Ghana proposes to fund solar power installations at 10 universities
Save The Fish
NY proposes an Indian Point nuke plant shutdown in the summer to protect Hudson River fist
How to Spend $2.2 Billion
New York could get $2.2 billion from a settlement with a French bank and the NY Post says it should go into the state's capital budget
EPA Urban Waterway Grants
EPA award $2.1 million to 37 organizations for urban waterway cleanups
July 17, 2014
State Of the Climate 2013
This annual report offers cold comfort for the climate anxious
Wind Turbines: Fire Risk
Until now, who thought lightning & mechanical failures could be setting wind turbines afire?
Building Fads To Avoid
Smart building mechanical systems cannot compensate for dumb building envelopes
Tanks Alot
It's a bird, it's a plane it's 2014 NYC water tank art
New Buildings Chief On Deck
Crain's reports Rick Chandler will be named Mayor De Blasio's new Buildings Department Commissioner
From Russia With Coal
Why did a New Hampshire power plant by coal from Russia?
Australia: Carbon Tax Killed
Australian conservatives prevail by repealing the nation's carbon tax on large emitters
Cities: Make Data Matter
For the first time, cities have a standardized matrix for gathering & making sense of performance data
Consider The Flush Toilet
July 16, 2014
Antwerp: Passive And Diverse Highrise
Imagine, an urban apartment building that's a super-energy sipper but not a mono-culture
Japan: Nuclear Revival
For the first time since the Fukushima disaster, Japan approves plans for re-opening a nuclear power plant
Australia: Carbon Tax Not Dead Yet
The Australian Senate still debating a carbon tax repeal
Science At Work: Dating The Anthopocene
Humans have a long history of altering ecosystems but exactly how & when?
Google-Mapping Methane
Google Street Maps finds methane that's leaking from under city streets to reduce its climate impacts
Loss, Grief and Climate Change
Atlanta: Green Building Biggie
Atlanta, GA has more green buildings than Milwaukee, WI, but Washington, DC still has the most
Honey For Clean Energy Bees
What factors attract clean energy start ups to locate in your state?
Legal Eagles: Patent Law For The Public Good
Amend US patent law and help save the planet
July 15, 2014
The Path To More Solar Power
China: Peak Carbon
China dots more i's for for imposing a ceiling on CO2 emissions
Switzerland: Cut GHG Emissions Or Else
Switzerland to raise its GHG tax by 40% if industry fails to meet emissions reduction goals this year
Just Do It
Are you electrifying? Take the energy industry pop quiz and find out
Switzerland: Green Bond Boom
Zurich Insurance likes green bonds, $2 billion worth
Tolling, Tolling....
High on the City's traffic to-do list are potholes, traffic safety & the bike program but tolling East River bridges isn't ruled out
A Crisis Is A Terrible Thing To Waste
Superstorm Sandy's devastation has made a compelling case for more distributed power
July 14, 2014
Solar Decathlon Winners
Italy wins the gold at the 2014 Solar Decathlon design competition, France rates silver & Holland gets the bronze
Arctic: Brick-By-Brick Destruction
Lego withdraws its objections to a Greenpeace parody video that targets oil industry devastation of the Arctic
Mayor's First Eco-Report Card
Six months into his Mayoralty the NY League of Conservation Voters gives Mayor De Blasio his first green grade
Climate Scientist Wins In Court
Climate scientists Michael Mann is awarded damages from a Virginia court in a FOIA case about his emails
Heat's The Killer
Extreme heat has replaced drought as the biggest climate-related global cause of death
Price That Carbon
Democrats & Republicans agree, we must put a price on carbon, but exactly how?
Natural Gas Price Predictions
With rising supplies & production natural gas price increases should ease off for the upcoming heating season
Climate Action: It's As Easy As 1, 2, 3
The three key policy actions we need to combat climate change
Japan: Save Power, Go Shop
To lure people from their air-conditioned homes, Japanese retailers team up with utilities to offer residents shopping coupons
Green Securitiziation: CT's Pathfinding For PACE
The Connecticut Green Bank pioneers on securitizing PACE bonds for energy efficiency projects in commercial buildings
July 10, 2014
Australia: Carbon Tax RIP...
Not just yet, it could be kept alive by a Labor-minority party coalition
Helsinki: Ending The Private Auto Era
Helsinki Finland's mobility plan for ridding itself of privately-owned cars in 10 years
Connecting Climate Change And Financial Necessity
Yes, indeed climate risks impact national economies & creditworthiness
Green Cart Woes In Crotona
What's ailing a program to foster fresh food street vendors in the South Bronx?
Science At Work: Carbon In The Ocean
While research finds acidification of top ocean waters to be underway, climate change may slow CO2 impacts down deep
Changing Of The Energy Guard
Meet the six new members of NYSERDA's Board of Directors
ICYMI: NY Grows Clean Energy Workforce
New York expands its training program for a clean energy workforce in 14 regions of the state
Summer In The City -- 2100
Trends With Benefits
July 09, 2014
The Next Big Solar Thing
A high-efficiency PV maker stakes its future on domestic production
Climate Change And Malaria
The analytic power to study local climate impacts can pinpoint malaria risks
Netherlands: Making Pre-Fab Cool
Prefab solar PV roof lands on new home in NL. Energy-neutral, built in 1 day, by @volkerwessels pic.twitter.com/NFsNyjdXnT
— Kees van der Leun (@Sustainable2050) July 9, 2014Bay Area: Plugs Into EVs
10 San Francisco Bay Area cities/government agencies link up to to add 90 electric vehicles to their fleets
It Takes A Lab
The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's new Flexlab uses real world conditions to pinpoint where buildings waste energy
EU: Fixing ETS Won't Be Easy
What will it take to fix the EU's deeply flawed carbon emissions market?
Deep Decarbonization
EPA Steps On Up Climate Adaptation
The EPA's 2014 policy pronouncement on climate adaptation urges creation of a strong social infrastructure to cope with the inevitable
Cleveland: Sustainable GOP
Think the Republican Party chose Cleveland for the 2016 convention to get close with its climate action plan?
July 08, 2014
Australia: The New Sun King
Pluiging solar power costs in Australia could mean the end of coal
Australia: The New Sun King
Plunging solar power costs in Australia could mean the end of coal
New York Rates A Green B-
New York State's 2014 environmental legislation get a B- from the League of Conservation Voters
The Original Highline
An elevated public park opened at the Manhattan end of the Williamsburg Bridge 100 years ago
And The Winner Is...
Looks like coal is winning the 'war on coal'
UK: Green Office App
The resource for greening the workplace on your smartphone
Fast-Acting Climate Relief
Carbon black & other short-lived super climate warmers could be targeted by Congress
Dystopia
What would the future be like if global fossil energy use soars as some gloaters predict?
Kickstart Fusion
July 07, 2014
It's Not Easy Trading Green
Lowering trade barriers for green products may prove tough for international negotiators
India: Coal Imports Soar
With cheap coal prices & monsoon-delayed hydropower losses, India's Prime Minister's vow of universal electrification lights up coal imports
July 05, 2014
We Are The Problem
We have the perfect way to prevent summer power blackouts, but we just don't sign up for it
July 04, 2014
Save The Planet With Food Scraps
How compost made from urban food waste, when spread on grasslands, can be a super-sponge for soaking up CO2
July 03, 2014
Eco-Hackers
An electric grid that plugs in power from renewables could be more vulnerable to hacking
Versailles: From Sun King To Solar Decathlon
The 2014 Solar Decathlon Europe shines in Versailles
Dhaka: Swamped By Traffic
What are the lessons for today's megacities to be learned from the traffic nightmare that is Dhaka, Bangladesh?
It Is A Risky Business
Listen up, why CEO's Republicans & Democrats alike are calling for investment grade climate action now
Microgrids Come Of Age
First it was Connecticut, now it's Maryland that's trending microgrid
July 02, 2014
Buenos Aires Province Atlantis
Half of Argentina's coastal Buenos Aires province could go missing with climate-linked rising seas
World Bank: Climate And Growth
Focusing on Brazil, China, India, Mexico & the US, the global economy will grow with climate-friendly public policies says World Bank report
E-Gamers Waste More Than Time
Inefficient home electronic devices can waste $120 billion in energy every year
NYC: We'll Always Have Venice
Venetian-type canals could be NYC's best bet to survive climate change
Saying So Long
What will the Earth be like after the climate departs from the conditions we've ever known?
Let's Look At The Record
By spotlighting three policy areas — climate resiliency, infrastructure & housing — what can be learned about Mayor de Blasio's sustainability and resilience track record during his first six months in office?
A Tale Of Two Cities: Parks
What will it take to get some parks & playground equity in NYC?
Court OKs Gas Pipeline To NYC
A federal appellate court upholds FERC approval of a pipeline carrying natural gas into NYC
Needed: Big Biz Climate Pivot
With the reality of climate change becoming a mianstream business leader reality, what will they do about it?
July 01, 2014
Half-Way Through The Fourth Quarter
Bill McKibben's sports metaphor captures the urgent need for global climate action now
SCOTUS Rejects Clean Fuel Challenge
The Supreme Court won't hear a challenge by fuel makers to California's first-in-the-US clean fuel standard
US Military: Cut It And Clean It Up
The US military strategy for deploying energy efficiency and renewable power
Philadelphia: Where Green Collides WIth Cars
Why haven't Philadelphia's green plans made a dent in auto use?
Don't Be A Heat Victim
Russian Malware Threatens Global Power Supplies
Global energy suppliers have been infected with a virus believed to originate with the Russian government
Con Ed Asks For Customer Assistance
Brooklyn & Queens Con Ed customers will be asked to reduce energy use so the utility won't have to build a new $1 billion substation & raise rates
New, Improved, Faster Too
Explore this revamped building rating website and learn more about building energy benchmarking policies