Jeff Stephens
exploring the confluence of energy, water, and people. More →
Water Accounting in California
Last week, the California Legislature reached an agreement to overhaul California’s water system. The plan is comprised of four policy bills and an $11.14 billion bond. After the all-night negotiating session, Governor Schwarzenegger held a press conference announcing the legislation. He later signed several of the bills. On Monday, he signed SBX7-2 at a ceremony [...]
Trees Succumbing to Climate Change
Last month, the media reported extensively on the die-off of aspen trees in the West linked to climate change. Called sudden aspen decline or SAD, the phenomenon is characterized by the death of mature over story with an absence of subsequent regeneration. Open stands at lower elevations, with south to west aspects, are more vulnerable. [...]
Stimulus Money Flows to Hydropower
Following in the wake of the $3.4 billion smart grid stimulus funding, the Department of Energy yesterday announced roughly $30 million in grants to seven hydroelectric facilities nationwide. The projects will produce about 187,000 MWh/year, enough to power more than 12,000 homes. An important theme of the announcement was the incremental generation potential of the [...]
Will Fleet Electrification Save the Postal Service?
With a projected net loss of $7 billion for fiscal year 2009, the Postal Service needs to find ways to cut costs. While the Postmaster General’s request to cut Saturday delivery will save $3.5 billion, it’s not nearly enough. Electrification of delivery vehicles is one area that holds promise as it could deliver savings of [...]
Next-generation Hybrid Trucks Hold Promise
Hybrid truck manufacturers and suppliers wrapped up a 3-day conference in Atlanta on Thursday. The Hybrid Truck Users Forum (HTUF) showed off the latest medium- and heavy-duty hybrid-electric, hybrid-hydraulic, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles for commercial and military use. Governor Sonny Perdue even declared this past week Hybrid Truck Week in the state of Georgia. [...]
Government Focused on Advanced Energy Storage
Earlier this week, the Dept of Energy announced the recipients of $151 million in funding from the Advanced Research Project Agency – Energy (ARPA-E). In August 2007, Congress established the ARPA-E within the Dept of Energy to help “overcome the long-term and high-risk technological barriers in the development of energy technologies.” In April, President Obama [...]
Obama Announces Smart Grid Grants
UPDATE: Grant awards (pdf) by category, state, or map-overlay. The White House held a press briefing on Monday evening to announce that President Obama would be awarding $3.4 billion in Smart Grid grants. Administration officials included Carol Browner, Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change; Jared Bernstein, Chief Economist and Economic Policy Adviser [...]
Laying the Table for Climate Negotiations
Leading up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, there’s much speculation about the roles that both the United States and China will play on the world stage. China and the US together account for 40 percent of greenhouse gases. The goal of the conference is to reach an international agreement to cut [...]
‘Fifth Fuel’ Creates Jobs
According to the newly released Clean Tech Job Trends 2009 report issued by research firm Clean Edge, energy efficiency provides the most bang (i.e., jobs) for your buck. The report attributes stimulus dollars and increased recognition by companies, utilities, and governments that energy efficiency is a cost effective method for dealing with volatile energy prices [...]
Zero Net Energy Policies
Similar to many states, California is addressing climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with energy production and use. The state’s Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (i.e., Assembly Bill 32) established the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. One approach to meeting this climate change goal is by [...]
BloggingStream by 