Bill Gates Was Right: Green Energy Wasn't Ready for Prime Time
Two years ago, Bill Gates famously dismissed green energy as too inefficient and expensive to make a dent in global warming. Today, investors are beginning to agree.
green energy
One State's Reverse Auction Flips the Script on Clean Energy Costs
Connecticut has driven down the costs that customers will incur for their public utilities' clean-energy purchases through an innovative reverse auction -- and this first-of-its-kind program could soon go nationwide.
Seeing 2 Kinds of Green Amid the Black Gold of Canada's Oil Sands
When it comes to energy, what we desire is a source that's cheap, reliable and clean -- but so far, there's no way to get all three attributes in one abundant source. And nowhere are the trade-offs that surround those competing desires more obvious than in Canada's oil sands.
Solar Power Is Getting Hotter -- and Cheaper: Should You Switch?
Solar power is no longer something only wealthy, eco-conscious homeowners can afford. It's now within reach for most electricity users in the U.S., and it may make financial sense for you to switch.
California's SolarCity Sees a Bright Market on the East Coast
The big solar panel installer has announced its second East Coast deal in a month: It's buying the residential solar business of Vermont-based groSolar, after picking up Maryland's Clean Currents. And SolarCity isn't the only West Coast solar player heading East for growth.
Americans Love Green Energy, but Will They Pay for It?
While more than three-quarters of Americans have a favorable impression of solar energy, very few have been willing to invest in the technology. Is this about to change?
What U.S. Energy Policy Needs: Less Coal, More Uranium
With cleaner air and energy self-sufficiency high on America's list of priorities, our irrational dislike of nuclear power looks increasingly imprudent. China, France and the U.K. have raced ahead safely on nuclear power: It's well past time for the U.S. to start catching up.
Can the U.S. Tap the Hot Geothermal Market?
American companies have a golden opportunity to expand the country's top spot globally. Industry leaders meeting in New York laid out the huge opportunity but also warned that red tape and a relative scarcity of skilled personnel threaten to stifle efforts to build this clean-energy source.
Ethanol, the Next Generation: Corn Is Out, Cellulose Is In
It has become clear to politicians and scientists that corn-based ethanol isn't the solution for creating a home-grown fuel source. Enter "cellulosic ethanol," made from wood chips, weeds or algae. Could it be the fuel of the future?
Google Invests in Offshore Wind Energy Network
Google is taking an investment stake in the construction of a major undersea power network off the mid-Atlantic coast, the company announced Tuesday. The project is designed to deliver enough energy to power 1.9 million households from offshore wind turbines to the Eastern Seaboard.
Delayed and Shrinking: Masdar City Scales Back Its Clean-Energy Plans
Masdar, the $22 billion green city that United Arab Emirates capital Abu Dhabi is building in the desert just outside its borders, has canceled its plans to generate all of its own clean energy and to emit zero carbon -- and says it's running at least four years behind schedule.
More Solar Power to Heat Up New York's Economy?
New York lawmakers are considering legislation to boost the state's solar power generation to 2.5% of overall electricity sales by 2025. This is part of a nationwide renewable energy trend driven by the new jobs and other economic benefits the switch will likely bring.
Green Power Goes Local in California
Counties in California can now set up their own energy authorities, and this month Marin County became the first to offer residents green energy. But what is green energy? As always, the devil is in the details.
