March 18, 2010 - The village of Pinckney has approved a $50,000 energy contract with a Michigan nonprofit organization that will provide 475 residents with energy kits to both improve their energy efficiencies and track their energy savings.

The contract with the Michigan Group for a Renewable Energy Efficient Nation will be reimbursed through a block grant issued by a state agency, meaning the actual cost to the village of Pinckney is zero.

Village President Rebecca Foster said energy kits will likely be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, with the likely target date being Earth Day, which is April 22.

March 17, 2010

Biomass energy generation seems poised to compete with solar, wind, and even hydro in some regions as a source of renewable energy.

Currently, biomass energy accounts for only a small percent of the total electricity produced in the United States. But with Department of Energy prodding and funding, its use is expected to double each year for the foreseeable future. And some believe biomass might supply anywhere from 5 to 15 percent of U.S. power needs by 2030.

March 15, 2010

It's an election year and the Obama administration's record is fair game.

A cornerstone of the president's agenda has been making investments in the latest energy technologies -- money that underscores the transformation to the green economy and the creation of jobs and cleaner air. Toward that end, the administration spearheaded a $787 billion stimulus plan that has allocated hundreds of billions of dollars into such things as the intelligent utility, green energy development -- and even subsidies for futuristic nuclear and coal facilities.

March 12, 2010

Getting power generation projects permitted is a headache. That includes wind and solar. But a clever idea is now making headway -- to place such green facilities on land that is now contaminated.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory are now evaluating just how feasible it is to build renewable generation on dirtied lands. The thinking is that these disturbed properties are abundant and located in all 50 states -- typically with the infrastructure already in place and near the population centers that must be served by the electricity. And obviously, the opposition to building in these places would be far less than in unspoiled areas.

March 10, 2010

Both the European Union and Russia are planning for more nuclear energy. It's part of their effort to reduce carbon emission levels. With the two powerhouses dependent on each other to accomplish their respective goals, they have agreed to enter into a "nuclear partnership agreement" to assist in nuclear trade and safety-oriented transactions.

Russian nuclear technology is now considered to be advanced. As such, it has become a leading global supplier of nuclear fuels as well as materials and equipment to Europe. With the exception of a few European nations such as Austria, Germany and Sweden that have expressed opposition to more internal nuclear development, the continent as a whole is working to expand the technology. Member states are free to pursue their own policy, although they are obligated to abide by international carbon treaties.