March 31, 2010

Utilities and environmental groups are coming together to help modernize the transmission system. It's arduous job, though, requiring conciliation and patience.

Together, they seek to improve the grid's capabilities so as to allow it to carry more green electrons as well as provide customers with the information they need to make better energy choices. With Congress now considering national renewable mandates and at least half the states with similar laws on their books, electric companies must have a way to deliver the expected use of such power.

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 01, 2010

When you think of the southeast United States, you don't usually think of renewables. NC GreenPower is working to change that, specifically in North Carolina.

NC GreenPower focuses on engaging the consumer and even supporting economic development in the renewables arena. Despite its renewables focus, NC GreenPower's approach could serve as a model for organizations tasked with engaging consumers in smart grid efforts and developing a more robust workforce to support smarter technologies. The group also shows that consumer engagement with energy doesn't always have to come from a utility.

February 05, 2010

American energy policy is a bit stop and go. While it's now centered on going green, the signals coming from Washington are always yellow and continually making participants hesitant to commit to long-term projects.

Relatively inexpensive hydrocarbons have fueled this country for decades. But spiraling prices along with concerns over air quality and dependence on foreign governments have forced policymakers to rethink this situation. That is what has propelled the renewable energy movement forward -- a condition that has led to the development of better and cheaper technologies, permitting those sustainable fuels a foothold in markets.

January 25, 2010

The Obama administration is bucking up and funding research into biofuels, which can be used as power for electric generators or fuel for automobiles. Altogether, it is placing $800 million into such projects under the federal stimulus plan.

It's all part of a broader effort by the White House to foster a variety of green energy forms. Biofuels are not without controversy. But experts generally agree that advanced technologies that involve the use of algae, waste or wood chips can produce cleaner electricity supplies while also eroding the country's dependence on foreign oil.