Category Archives: Energy

Keenan Shaw in Energy 3 days ago

Two decades have past since a solar thermal power plant has been approved in California and on Wednesday, the California Energy Commission approved a 250 mega-watt solar thermal plant. The Beacon Solar Energy Project will be a step forward for California coming closer to the law that was set out for investor-owned utility companies to… Read More…

Lane Jost in Corporate Social Responsibility 4 days ago

With corporate hiring returning to a deep freeze and the Dow hanging north of 10,000 by its fingertips, CSR programs focused on eco-efficiencies — LED lighting in…um…the freezer section — remain priorities for the retail market. This is particularly the case when companies open or renovate new facilities. A Sunday Chicago Tribune Business feature by… Read More…

Guest Contributor in Energy 8 days ago

In the guest post below, Tom Rooney, President and CEO of SPG Solar, in Novato, California, discusses how conservatives get it wrong on energy because they’re wrong on the costs of energy. by Tom Rooney Conservatives,  let’s talk about energy. And why so many conservatives are so wrong — so liberal, even — on wind… Read More…

Keenan Shaw in Energy 15 days ago

Energy efficiency service companies (ECOs) soon may be venturing abroad to take their businesses into regions where the demand for energy is growing tremendously. The most notable countries in need for energy efficiency technology and services are China, India, and countries in the Middle East. Although China’s solar energy industry is among the world’s largest,… Read More…

Keenan Shaw in Conservation 22 days ago

On Monday, the E.P.A. announced that over 100 cement kilns will have to reduce the pollution they emit. This will be very costly to the cement industry, with each producer estimated at having to spend around $1 billion a year to keep up with the E.P.A.’s regulations. A majority of the mercury and particulate matter… Read More…

Emily DeMasi in Energy 23 days ago

From local biking options in Pittsburgh to east coast travel via MegaBus and the future of nationwide travel possibilities on high-speed rail, I have written on varied modes of transportation that offer “greener” possibilities for my fellow wanderers.  However, sometimes cost, time and distance make air the best option for travel.  Somewhere between Chicago and… Read More…

Jonathan Banco in Energy 28 days ago

While BP has taken a hit financially as a result of the oil spill, mainly due to continuing and impending lawsuits and selling off assets, the company is also getting quite a bit of pro bono help. Who would help BP for free at this point you ask? Well, it turns out that a fair… Read More…

Emily DeMasi in Energy 31 days ago

The Obama Administration placed an emphasis on building high-speed and intercity passenger rail to connect communities and economic centers across the country, but will the strategic plan work the in the United States?

Emily DeMasi in Corporate Social Responsibility 36 days ago

I recently watched FUEL and thought:  Why have I not seen this before???  FUEL is a 2008 documentary on America’s dependence on foreign oil which explored a possible solution to the looming energy crisis.  I had three overwhelmingly strong and immediate responses from watching this film. First, we have some extremely intelligent and passionate people… Read More…

Jonathan Banco in Corporate Social Responsibility 38 days ago

Since 1997 the United States government has enforced economic sanctions on Sudan, by keeping American businesses from working with Khartoum and the al-Bashir government. This was due to the fact that Sudan was placed on the list of “state sponsors of terrorism”. Of course, this was a number of years before the genocide in Darfur… Read More…

Lane Jost in Corporate Social Responsibility 41 days ago

In a year where we’ve seen the largest oil spill in American history, the decimation of a tourist economy in the Gulf of Mexico, and oh yeah, and some of the most sweltering temperatures in cities from Chicago to Boston, the Democrats have scrapped any immediate plans to put a price on carbon emissions.

Emily DeMasi in Corporate Social Responsibility 41 days ago

The CSR community has been abuzz this week reacting to a recent article in the Washington Post regarding BP’s Corporate Social Responsibility, or lack thereof. In it author Chrystia Freeland purports “many of the business disasters of the past 24 months have been facilitated by the mini-industry of corporate social responsibility,” calling CSR a “fetish… Read More…

Lane Jost in Energy 42 days ago

Apega/WENN Today’s Chicago Tribune business section has a stunning report on the Republic of South Korea’s $25 million plan to reduce energy consumption at some of downtown Chicago’s largest skyscrapers. The operation will focus on retrofitting HVAC and lighting systems in up to 14 buildings. Joining Korea in the agreement are the Building Owners and… Read More…

Lane Jost in Energy 48 days ago

“Perfect is the enemy of the good.” – Voltaire [Dictionnaire Philosophique -- 1764] Yesterday’s news from the Gulf was better than it has been: BP has begun to make consequential strides at plugging the deep-water oil leak. Since the explosion, we’ve seen dramatic responses from the left (no more oil and gas exploration), the right… Read More…

Nathan Schock in Energy 51 days ago

The FIFA World Cup has come to an end with Spain crowned as the champions for the first time in their country’s history. The play in the final was less than inspiring, but the event was not without its interesting stories. One of those stories was about a Chinese solar company joining the ranks of… Read More…

David Anderson in Energy 77 days ago

There are innumerable bits of information floating around in the battle over the narrative of this national disaster. This one is particularly disturbing. From AOL’s Daily Finance just over a week before the spill: “…the days of independence have come to an end for Boots & Coots as the company has agreed to sell out… Read More…