“We hold DOE’s feet to a not-so-decorative fire.” Continue reading
Category Archives: Energy efficiency
UK energy efficieny program slammed for rip-off interest rates
“The reality for most people will be that the Green Deal [i.e., a UK energy efficiency program] ends up costing them more than they save.” Continue reading
Posted in Energy efficiency
Cameron pushes energy efficiency as motor of green growth
Energy efficiency on a large-scale and on anything more than a temporary basis is a road to economic stagnation. Continue reading
Posted in Energy efficiency
Obama Admin: Super Bowl City Leads on Energy Efficient Forefront
“While the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers compete to hoist the Vince Lombardi trophy this weekend, eco-friendly fans and city leaders in New Orleans are competing to maximize sustainability practices to the fullest.” Continue reading
Posted in Energy efficiency
“Energy transformation”
For only 99 BILLION Euros, the Energy Evolution Report promises almost carbon-free energy… Continue reading
Posted in Energy efficiency
Andrew Holland: Energy Policy Needs to Look at Both Supply and Demand
Last week, Governor Romney released his plan for “Energy Independence” that promises to “increase domestic energy production and increase partnership with Mexico and Canada to gain energy independence by 2020.” Briefly, the plan proposes to increase domestic fossil fuel production by opening new areas to exploration and by reducing regulatory barriers to the building of new power plants. Continue reading
Posted in Baseload Energy, Development, Economics, Energy efficiency
The Burst Pipe-Dream Of Energy Saving
Policy-makers are calling for oil and electricity to be used ever more efficiently. But scientists say that measures like banning light bulbs and home insulation are as good as useless to help reduce energy consumption. Continue reading
Posted in Baseload Energy, Energy efficiency
New Computer Memory Material Goes Easy on the Juice
Multitasking has a price: Your computer is sucking up a lot of electricity keeping track of work you haven’t yet saved to the hard drive. Americans spend $6 billion a year on electricity to keep that data stored in a computer’s memory during operation. But that figure could drop sharply, scientists report this week, thanks to a new type of material than can permanently store such data—without needing a continuous trickle of electricity to do it. Continue reading
Ah yes, those wonderful poorly ventilated [read: energy efficient] buildings
New device monitors schoolroom air for carbon dioxide levels that may make kids drowsy Continue reading
Posted in Education, Energy efficiency, Health
Brian McGraw: Consumer Preferences Versus Energy Efficiency Regulations
The Mercatus Center released a paper (PDF) this month co-authored by Ted Gayer (an economist at the Brooking Institution) and W. Kip Viscusi (an economics professor at Vanderbilt), titled “Overriding Consumer Preferences with Energy Regulations” which questions the economic justification for various government schemes implemented to force energy efficiency improvements in consumer household products, automobiles, lightbulbs, etc. Continue reading
Posted in Consumer products, Energy efficiency, EPA, Green hell
Tagged government mandates, rogue agency
Robert Michaels: Energy ‘Rebounds’ and ‘Backfires’: An Introduction and Literature Overview
Much of today’s energy policy assumes that regulations mandating greater energy efficiency will reduce energy use. But that isn’t always the case, and energy efficiency improvements are seldom as large as promised by engineering calculations because of “rebounds.” Continue reading
Posted in Baseload Energy, Energy efficiency
Ben Pile: “It’s the Stupid Economy”
Bill Clinton: cutting use of natural resources would help US economy – Former president says US would recover faster from financial crises if more effort was made to use resources sustainably Continue reading
Appliance, vehicle standards stifle consumer choice — Brookings economist
The United States should shift away from setting standards that require new vehicles, electronics and household appliances to consume less energy because those rules rely on a “paternalistic” assumption that buyers can’t decide how to save themselves money, a prominent economist from the Brookings Institution and a Vanderbilt University professor of law, economics and management say in a new paper. Continue reading
Travis Fisher: Economic Efficiency, Not ‘Energy Efficiency’ (Economist Cordato parses a sacred cow)
Energy efficiency and energy savings are considered to be intrinsically good. Politicians of all stripes sing the praises of less-is-more. Only one problem: this view is simplistic and wrong from the economic point of view. Continue reading
Posted in Clean energy, Economics, Energy efficiency
Chemical makers bristle at building standards, say new rules will cost jobs
Chemical makers are bristling at proposed green building standards that they feel unfairly target their products. Continue reading
Posted in Energy efficiency, Green building/LEED, LEED
Tagged poor ventilation, sick buildings
Steven Chu Thinks He’s Smarter Than You
When he’s not busy picking “winners” like Solyndra, Energy Secretary Steven Chu has time to engage in original, peer-reviewed research. Continue reading
Posted in Economics, Energy efficiency, Environmentalism
Tagged energy secretary, federal mandates, steven chu
Energy efficiency: the deal is done
On Wednesday night EU policymakers thrashed out the final details of the first-ever EU energy efficiency law. It was subsequently rubber-stamped by member state representatives on Thursday night. EU energy ministers meeting in Brussels on Friday are expected to do the same and the European Parliament should follow in July. Continue reading
UK government waters down EU energy efficiency deal
Green campaigners angered by UK’s opposition to a binding target in the Energy Efficiency Directive Continue reading
Posted in Energy efficiency, Green hell
EU set to seal deal on energy efficiency
“The EU looks set to agree on a first-ever energy efficiency law in Brussels this week.“
They still don’t seem to have learned they need to work on availability, reliability and affordability. Dumb bastards. Continue reading
Posted in Energy efficiency
Your kitchen could have worse air pollution than a city centre street: research
Slaving over a gas cooker in a stuffy modern kitchen could expose you to higher levels of toxic pollutants than walking through a smog-filled city centre, new research suggests. Continue reading
