September 21, 2010
 

The energy crisis of the 1970s never did pass. It's still here, although today it centers on feeding an ever-growing global population with cleaner fuels.

Ingenuity abounds, coming in the form of greener energy and new pollution controls. One such power source to make headway is nuclear fission, which has never gone anywhere but which has suffered more setbacks than any other. One country, though, never lost its trust in nuclear power: France, which generates three-quarters of its electricity from it.

September 17, 2010 

Congress may be stalemated when it comes to any new climate change policies. But some utilities think the writing is on the wall and have therefore decided to curtail their coal consumption.

Duke Energy is one of them. It just said it might close seven such facilities within five years. In a document filed with its state utility commission, it said that it expects Congress to eventually strengthen the nation's clean air laws. Therefore, it would be more economical to mothball them rather than retrofit them at a high cost.

September 18, 2010
 
U.S. Energy Secretary Stephen Chu is really an academic. But he's is learning the art of politics while on the job. The Nobel-prize winning scientist, who had once called coal his "worst nightmare," spoke to a largely pro-coal audience in West Virginia.

Chu, who was tapped by President Obama to serve, has never shied away from his belief that coal is largely responsible for creating climate change. His views have evolved, however, to the point where he realizes that the nation - indeed the world - is not going to just replace the preponderance of its generation supplies overnight.

September 03, 2010

New York knows the spotlight. But the heat it's now feeling is tied directly to keeping the lights on. Transmission system operators there say that the state's citizens consumed more electricity in July than ever before.

New York is not alone. Other regions of the country are also getting tested. It's about how well they are able to meet the energy needs in their areas when the demand for their services is at its pinnacle. To do so, they are asking folks to conserve power or to give their utility providers the leeway to help out.

August 13, 2010

If energy consumption is a major standard by which to judge economic prowess, then China has joined the big leagues. The International Energy Agency now reports that China has surpassed this country to become the world's biggest energy consumer.

The distinction carries with it two implications. The first is that China now possesses unfettered weight in global markets while the second is that it carries new-found obligations to reduce its air emissions. While the Chinese are destined to supply most of their energy needs with coal, natural gas and oil for decades to come, they are nonetheless committed to building out their renewable and nuclear energy programs.