John Hennessy III,
P.E.
Solar power generation was the year’s top sector with more than 21,600 jobs announced. Other strong sectors included building efficiency (12,500) and public transportation (11,400). Job announcements were made in 46 states, with California’s roughly 15,400 jobs topping the list. California was followed by Texas, Hawaii, Maryland and Massachusetts.
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Computer simulations by Professor Mark Z. Jacobson have shown that offshore wind farms with thousands of wind turbines could have sapped the power of three real-life hurricanes, significantly decreasing their winds and accompanying storm surge, and possibly preventing billions of dollars in damages. –StanfordUniversity on YouTube
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ROCKY MOUNTAIN INSTITUTE
Distributed electricity generation, especially solar PV, is rapidly spreading and getting much cheaper. Distributed electricity storage is doing the same, thanks largely to mass production of batteries for electric vehicles. Solar power is already starting to erode some utilities’ sales and revenues. But what happens when solar and battery technologies are brought together? Together they can make the electric grid optional for many customers—without compromising reliability and increasingly at prices cheaper than utility retail electricity. Equipped with a solar-plus-battery system, customers can take or leave traditional utility service with what amounts to a “utility in a box.”
The new transit pass is a pilot program created through a partnership between Salt Lake City and UTA that will initially only be available to Salt Lake City residents. The one-year pass is good on all UTA TRAX, Frontrunner, bus and S-line Streetcar services and available for an up-front payment of $350 or for $360 in twelve monthly installments.
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A new “virtual pipeline” carries crude oil by train through Hudson Valley communities including Albany, Kingston, Newburgh, Haverstraw and West Nyack, New York.
Carrying crude oil by train risks “major loss of life, property damage, and environmental consequences,” the NTSB said in the wake of a series of accidents, derailments and explosions.
AMERICAN COUNCIL ON RENEWABLE ENERGY
As the single largest consumer of energy in the U.S., the Department of Defense (DoD) has embarked on an ambitious program of expanded renewable energy generation on bases and in the field, with a goal of producing 25% of its energy from renewable sources by 2025.
Renewable energy is not just a “policy objective” for the armed forces, but also an “operational imperative.” The deployable and decentralized energy production possibilities offered by renewable sources, and by enabling technologies like microgrids, have tremendous implications for the safety, security, and effectiveness of the military. Renewable energy and efficiency improvements can increase warfighter capability, enhance the energy security of its installations, and cut operational and military base energy costs.
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Considering an electric vehicle? Or just want to learn more about them? This short video describes how electric vehicles and different types of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles work. Learn where to find information on a vehicle’s driving range, how to charge your vehicle, and how driving an electric vehicle could save you money in fuel costs and reduce air pollution.
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This interactive infographic from The Solutions Project gives you a glimpse into the future of renewable energy. By analyzing each state’s renewable-energy potential, The Solutions Project was able to predict which types of renewable energy could contribute to meeting each state’s energy needs, in a future where fossil fuels and nuclear power are no longer options. Each state’s profile includes additional effects of switching to renewables, like reduced mortality and illness costs, and the percentage of land needed for wind, water and solar projects.
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The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) created this sleek, highly functional interactive map to illustrate the country’s vast network of wind turbines. Vital stats are available for each site, and you can filter results by unique parameters like total height, capacity and blade length. Wind energy aficionados, stakeholders and curious citizens couldn’t ask for a better visualization of our at-home wind farm network.
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