Energy Archives - Page 10 of 58 - InfrastructureUSA: Citizen Dialogue About Civil Infrastructure InfrastructureUSA: Citizen Dialogue About Civil Infrastructure

Archive for the ‘Energy’ Category

Opportunities to Increase Corporate Access to Clean Energy

Friday, August 12th, 2016

Table 1 – States ranked among the top 5 states for one or more of the identified policies, based on potential to increase corporate access to advanced energy

Advanced energy sources that use little or no fuel, such as wind, solar, hydropower, fuel cells, and energy storage create opportunities for corporations to capture savings and hedge against energy price volatility. The price of advanced energy sources has decreased dramatically during the past decade, and companies are increasingly seeking to purchase power from these resources in order to increase competitiveness and achieve corporate responsibility targets. A growing number of corporations have set formal goals for purchasing renewable energy, which they are integrating into their operations and decision making.

View this complete post...

Tags: Advanced Energy Economy, AEE, Clean Energy, Coporations, Renewable Energy, Renewables
Posted in Energy, Environment, Infra Views, National, Policy, Private Investment, Smart Growth, Sustainability, Technology

Comments Off on Opportunities to Increase Corporate Access to Clean Energy

Natural Gas and Global Warming: A Review of Evidence Finds that Methane Leaks Undercut the Climate Benefits of Natural Gas

Friday, August 5th, 2016

Figure 1. Avoiding Climate Tipping Points Requires Immediate Reductions in Methane Emissions

In recent years, a number of studies have challenged that assumption, finding that natural gas production, transportation and storage results in major leaks of methane to the atmosphere that erode or nullify the climate benefits of shifting to natural gas. These findings should lead policymakers to reject natural gas as a “bridge fuel” and instead lead them to redouble America’s efforts to repower with truly clean energy from the sun, the wind and other renewable sources of energy.

View this complete post...

Tags: Carbon, Emissions, Environment America, Frontier Group, Global Warming, Natural Gas, Renewables, Toxics Action Center
Posted in Climate Change, Energy, Environment, Infra Views, National, Policy

Comments Off on Natural Gas and Global Warming: A Review of Evidence Finds that Methane Leaks Undercut the Climate Benefits of Natural Gas

What are the health and climate benefits of offshore wind farms?

Friday, August 5th, 2016

This Harvard researcher created a model in which an offshore wind farm that could power most of Washington D.C. could also save 50 lives per year and generate $690 million per year in climate and health benefits. Dr. Jonathan Buonocore, Program Leader of our Climate, Energy, and Health Program, talks about the science behind “Health and Climate Benefits of Offshore Wind Facilities in the Mid-Atlantic United States,” a paper he and colleagues from Synapse Energy Economics, University of Delaware, and Boston University published in Environmental Research Letters.

View this complete post...

Tags: CHGEHarvard, Harvard University, Jonathan Buonocore, Renewables, Video, Vimeo, Wind Energy
Posted in Energy, Environment, Pollution, Show Us Your Infra, Sustainability, Technology

Comments Off on What are the health and climate benefits of offshore wind farms?

Guest on The Infra Blog: Richard Heinberg, Senior Fellow, Post Carbon Institute

Tuesday, August 2nd, 2016

“Fossil fuels, which provide 85% of our current energy, suffer from two fatal drawbacks. One of which is the fact that they produce greenhouse gasses that are undermining the viability of our climate and therefore our future of industrial society…The other drawback of fossil fuels is that fact that these are depleting, non-renewable resources…So one way or another we will be moving away from fossil fuels as time goes on, it’s just a question of whether we do it in a planned and organized way, or just wait until we can no longer afford to extract the stuff that’s left.”

View this complete post...

Tags: Fossil Fuels, Post Carbon Institute, Renewable Energy, Renewables, Richard Heinberg, Solar, Wind
Posted in Energy, Environment, Guests on The Infra Blog, Pollution, Sustainability, Technology, The Infra Blog

Comments Off on Guest on The Infra Blog: Richard Heinberg, Senior Fellow, Post Carbon Institute

2016 Report Card for Florida’s Infrastructure

Monday, July 25th, 2016

Florida state classifications of sandy shorelines

Florida’s economy relies heavily on its beaches, the state’s “invisible” coastal infrastructure that protects Florida’s communities. Most of the public view beaches as places where they can participate in outdoor recreational activities. Florida beaches represent its leading tourist destination with about 810 million “day visits” to its beaches annually. This number more than double the number of “day visits” made annually to all U.S. National Parks combined.

View this complete post...

Tags: American Society of Civil Engineers, ASCE, FL, Florida, Infrastructure Report Card, Report Card
Posted in Aging Infrastructure, Aviation, Bridges, Drinking Water, Energy, Infra Views, Local

Comments Off on 2016 Report Card for Florida’s Infrastructure

End-of-Life Management: Solar Photovoltaic Panels

Wednesday, July 13th, 2016

Overview of global PV panel waste projections, 2016-2050

INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY AGENCY (IRENA)
Growing PV panel waste presents a new environmental challenge, but also unprecedented opportunities to create value and pursue new economic avenues. These include recovery of raw material and the emergence of new solar PV end-of-life industries. Sectors like PV recycling will be essential in the world’s transition to a sustainable, economically viable and increasingly renewables-based energy future. To unlock the benefits of such industries, the institutional groundwork must be laid in time to meet the expected surge in panel waste.

View this complete post...

Tags: e-waste, International Renewable Energy Agency, IRENA, photovoltaic, PV, Solar Energy, Solar Panels, waste, Waste Disposal
Posted in Aging Infrastructure, Energy, Environment, Infra Views, Technology

Comments Off on End-of-Life Management: Solar Photovoltaic Panels

Blades of Glory: An Energy.gov Mini Doc

Monday, July 11th, 2016

In this short documentary, we follow three collegiate teams who are participating in this year’s U.S. Department of Energy Collegiate Wind Competition in New Orleans. Learn about their experiences and why the competition is important for America’s clean energy future.

View this complete post...

Tags: Collegiate Wind Competition, Competition, DOE, U.S. Department of Energy, Wind Energy
Posted in Energy, Environment, National, Show Us Your Infra

Comments Off on Blades of Glory: An Energy.gov Mini Doc

Exposed: How America’s Electric Grids Are Becoming Greener, Smarter — and More Vulnerable

Wednesday, July 6th, 2016

U.S. GDP Associated with America’s Transportation and Information Sectors

MANHATTAN INSTITUTE
Electric grids have always been vulnerable to natural hazards and malicious physical attacks. Now the U.S. faces a new risk—cyberattacks—that could threaten public safety and greatly disrupt daily life.

View this complete post...

Tags: Cyber Threats, electric grid, Hackers, Manhattan Institute, Mark P. Mills
Posted in Energy, Infra Views, Smart Grid, Technology

Comments Off on Exposed: How America’s Electric Grids Are Becoming Greener, Smarter — and More Vulnerable

New Energy Outlook 2016

Wednesday, June 22nd, 2016

Figure 1: Global installed capacity in 2012 and 2040 and projected capacity additions

BLOOMBERG NEW ENERGY FINANCE
Cheaper coal and cheaper gas will not derail the transformation and decarbonisation of the world’s power systems. By 2040, zero-emission energy sources will make up 60% of installed capacity. Wind and solar will account for 64% of the 8.6TW of new power generating capacity added worldwide over the next 25 years, and for almost 60% of the $11.4 trillion invested.

View this complete post...

Tags: Bloomberg, Bloomberg New Energy Finance, BNEF, Solar Energy, Wind Energy
Posted in Energy, Environment, Infra Views, National, Sustainability

Comments Off on New Energy Outlook 2016