Energy

Wind turbines twirl above farmland on the outskirts of Madison, Wis. Not all locals are pleased.

Slashing Fossil Fuel Consumption Comes With A Price

8:56am December 03, 2013

by Richard Harris

The U.S. aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 80 percent by 2050. Wind and solar power can help. But folks doing the math say other pricey, controversial technologies — such as burying carbon gas underground, and expanding nuclear power — are also likely to be part of a low-carbon future.

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Andres Quiroz, an installer for Stellar Solar, carries a solar panel during installation at a home in Encinitas, Calif.

Tech Leaders, Economists Split Over Clean Energy's Prospects

1:17pm November 30, 2013

by Richard Harris

Renewable energy has become a $220 billion a year industry. But to significantly slow climate change, the power of wind, solar and other renewable sources must vastly expand. Some say the tech breakthroughs needed are on the horizon, though a top economist sees a tougher road ahead.

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John Brown, the head of Zion Oil & Gas, believes the Bible will help him find oil in Israel. The company, which is listed on Nasdaq, has so far spent $130 million and drilled four dry holes. Brown is shown here at one of the company's drilling rigs in Isr

Drilling For Oil, Based On The Bible: Do Oil And Religion Mix?

12:44pm November 27, 2013

by John Burnett

The born-again head of Zion Oil believes the Old Testament and an office full of geologists will lead him to oil deposits in Israel. So far, the company has spent $130 million and only hit dry holes.

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Colo. Fracking Votes Put Pressure On Energy Companies

8:45pm November 26, 2013

by Grace Hood

Voters in three Colorado communities passed measures this month limiting the practice of hydraulic fracturing. A close vote in a fourth community means a recount next week. Companies say the measures are creating an uncertain business environment.

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The EPA tries to keep track of all sorts of methane producers — including herds of methane-belching cattle.

U.S. May Be Producing 50 Percent More Methane Than EPA Thinks

7:59pm November 25, 2013

by Christopher Joyce

Previous estimates of the climate-warming gas were based on the rough number of methane-emitting sources on the ground — such as factories, refineries, stoves, swamps, landfills and cattle herds. But by directly measuring levels of methane in the air instead, a new study puts the total much higher.

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Is Running Your Car On Rubbish The Future Of Fuels?

8:07pm November 15, 2013

by Elizabeth Shogren

The EPA proposed a new standard on Friday for how much biofuel must be mixed into the nation's gasoline. The portion of vehicle fuel that comes from plants has increased dramatically over recent years to about 10 percent. But most of it comes from corn. Congress hoped that, by now, a billion gallons would be coming from advanced biofuels, which have much smaller greenhouse gas footprints. That hasn't happened. But the nascent cellulosic fuel industry says don't count it out. Several plants are on the verge of opening and more will be on the way.

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A prototype of a flexible battery from Imprint Energy, one of 40 companies working on battery technology in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Electric Cars Drive Demand For Cheaper, More Powerful Batteries

7:29pm November 14, 2013

by Lauren Sommer

Unlike the technologies in laptops, smartphones and electric cars, the batteries inside them have been slow to evolve. In Silicon Valley, more than 40 companies are working on finding a battery breakthrough. And they're facing international competition.

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People gather in the central square of Rjukan, Norway, on Wednesday to bask in the sun reflected by mirrors on a nearby mountainside.

As Mirrors Beam Light To Town, Norwegians Share Patch Of Sun

5:07pm November 03, 2013

by NPR Staff

Rjukan lies in the shadow of surrounding mountains for nearly six months every year. But the town recently installed a system of mirrors to bring sunlight to its central square. Not everyone can bask in the glow at the same time, but the project is bringing residents together.

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At more than 400 square miles, the Rim Fire is the largest Sierra Nevada fire in recorded history.

Fuel In The Fire: Burn Wood For Power Or Leave It To Nature

12:59pm October 16, 2013

by Lauren Sommer

The record-breaking wildfire in Yosemite National Park is calling attention to a problem found across the West: Forests are overloaded with fuel after a century of putting out fires. What to do about that is fueling its own heated debate.

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President Obama speaks at the southern site of the Keystone XL pipeline in Cushing, Okla., in March 2012.

One Thing Obama Can Do: Decide The Fate Of The Keystone Pipeline

3:58pm October 09, 2013

The president alone can approve or reject construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, which is designed to take crude oil extracted from Alberta, Canada, through America's heartland to refineries on the Gulf Coast. New Yorker journalist Ryan Lizza says Obama could use the decision as a "symbolic turning point in the kind of energy future he wants America to have."

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