With oil prices soaring on the region's turmoil, alternative energy such as wind is again gaining attention. But wind technology hasn't been standing still: Its power output worldwide jumped by 22% last year. However, it's still nowhere near ready to compete with oil.
In a sign that large fossil-fuel power plants may be falling out of favor, French engineering company Alstom on Monday announced plans to cut 4,000 jobs in the next 17 months. Alstom cited low demand for its coal and natural-gas plants. Its renewable-energy operations won't be affected by the cuts.
The Energy Department is funneling $120 million into financing and installing a variety of energy-efficient technologies to help low-income families cut energy use and save money.
