Energy
Warren versus Brown on Energy and Environment
At the debate between Elizabeth Warren and Scott Brown last night, there was a brief discussion of energy issues. Brown defended subsidies for oil companies but criticized Warren for trying to tie him to Jim Inhofe. Unlike Inhofe, Brown does believe in climate change (at least right now — he seems to have waffled over …
Continue reading “Warren versus Brown on Energy and Environment”
CONTINUE READINGSubsidizing Fossil Fuels While the Wind Sector Bleeds Jobs
Yesterday, Jonathan Zasloff wrote a post on Senator Alexander and Representative Mike Pompeo’s Wall Street Journal op-ed opposing the wind energy tax credit, which is set to expire at the end of 2012 barring Congressional action. Yesterday’s post raised the question of how traditional fossil fuel subsidies compare to renewable energy subsidies. A 2009 Environmental …
Continue reading “Subsidizing Fossil Fuels While the Wind Sector Bleeds Jobs”
CONTINUE READINGMore Idiocy from the Wall Street Journal Op-ed Page
A few years ago, a friend of mine suggested starting a blog entitled something like, “Why The Wall Street Journal Editorial Page Was Idiotic Today.” You’d never run out of material for posts! Certainly that was the case today, as Senator Lamar Alexander and Representative Mike Pompeo, both Republicans, make a case against the wind …
Continue reading “More Idiocy from the Wall Street Journal Op-ed Page”
CONTINUE READINGGreen Tradeoffs
The NY Times reports that Japan and France are phasing out their reliance on nuclear power. As an environmentalist, should this make me happy? It doesn’t. How confident are you that renewables such as wind and solar can replace nuclear power at roughly the same cost? In the short run, GHG emissions in …
Continue reading “Green Tradeoffs”
CONTINUE READINGSetting the Record Straight on Obama and the Environment
We shouldn’t underestimate Obama’s environmental achievements.
CONTINUE READINGOcean-based renewable power starts to get real
As drilling for oil in the Arctic begins to pick up, and while each of the U.S. presidential candidates tries to convince voters that he is the one who could approve more offshore oil permits, what has become of the dream of mining our vast offshore renewable energy resources — wind, waves, and tides? According …
Continue reading “Ocean-based renewable power starts to get real”
CONTINUE READINGGolden Rules for Fracking
Well, this is embarrassing. Kevin Drum, one of the best bloggers out there, posted a few days ago on the issue of whether hydraulic fracturing is good or bad for the environment. Kevin covers the ground that we have here before, namely: Yes, natural gas is better than coal or other fossil fuels in terms …
Continue reading “Golden Rules for Fracking”
CONTINUE READINGComments on FHFA’s Proposed Rule on Enterprise Writing Standards for PACE Programs
As we have chronicled earlier on this blog, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA)’s court-ordered rulemaking on Enterprise Writing Standards for Property-Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs resulted in thousands of public comments in response to the Agency’s Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR)—the overwhelming majority in support of PACE. Today is the deadline for submitting …
CONTINUE READINGWhat Is the Future Role of Fossil Fuels in the Electricity System?
If you put aside their environmental impacts, fossil fuels are wonderful for generating electricity. They are cheap, reliable, and currently in abundant supply. But the environmental drawbacks are considerable, and the most serious one is their contribution to climate change. To deal with climate change, do we need to adopt an attitude of unremitting hostility …
Continue reading “What Is the Future Role of Fossil Fuels in the Electricity System?”
CONTINUE READINGNew Report on Electric Vehicle Policies & Capitol Hill Briefing Today at Noon ET (webcast available)
The environmental law centers at UCLA and UC Berkeley Schools of Law today released a new report on industry actions and federal, state, and local policies needed to stimulate long-term, mass adoption of electric vehicles. “Electric Drive by ’25” (available from either UCLA Law or Berkeley Law) is the tenth report in our Climate Change …
CONTINUE READINGJoin Our Mailing List
Climate policy is changing rapidly. Stay in the loop with expert analysis via email Monday - Friday.
