Are we on the cusp of a solar energy boom?

May 22 -- The total solar energy hitting Earth each year is equivalent to 12.2 trillion watt-hours. That's over 20,000 times more than the total energy all of humanity consumes each year.  >> View Article

Berkshire east goes renewable

May 22 -- Now that it's almost summer, snow might be a diminishing thought on most people's minds, but as Jeremy Jones recently pointed out to the U.S. Senate and President Barack Obama, the state of winter isn't anything to sleep on. A recent study co-commissioned by the Natural Resources Defense Council and Protect Our Winters found that there is $12 billion in economic value at stake. >>View Article

Clean energy means more jobs, not less

May 21 -- The Arizona Republican Party recently issued a press release stating that I want to “eliminate 1,000 coal jobs” on Navajo land. That statement is so far removed from reality that it warrants a direct response. >>View Article

Protecting Eagles While Working to Guide Wind Development

May 21 -- Recent reports of eagles being killed by wind turbines have stirred up a lot of emotion and controversy and understandably so.  On the one hand, more wind energy will get the U.S. on the right side of the climate fight and help curb our greenhouse gas emissions, which are a huge threat to wildlife, including eagles.  On the other, the majestic bald eagle is the symbol of our nation and the golden eagle is a much loved and ecologically important species, which is why the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act singled them both out for federal protection by the 1960’s. >>View Article

Electric vehicles get a charge in Chicago

May 21 -- Last week, Nissan announced that its electric vehicle, the Leaf, surpassed 25,000 in sales in the U.S. The industry-leading Chevy Volt reached that milestone last year. Over the weekend, John Voelcker, writing for Green Car Reports, estimated that more than 100,000 modern plug-in electric cars have been "delivered to a buyer somewhere in the U.S." >>View Article

How to Give Ugly Landfills a Second Life

May 21 -- Many states and cities have long been turning trash into treasure by burning garbage to create heat and electricity, or by harvesting the methane gas that is released as junk decomposes. But in a new twist on this theme, several cities and municipalities are transforming capped landfills—the ultimate waste of space—into solar-power plants. >>View Article

Musk Says Tesla Probably Will Pay Off U.S. Loan Wednesday

May 21 -- Elon Musk, Tesla Motors Inc. (TSLA)’s chief executive officer and co-founder, said in a Twitter post the electric-car maker will “probably” repay its Energy Department loan as early as tomorrow.

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Ratepayers save under Ohio’s green-energy law, group says

May 21 -- The “green” energy provisions of a 2008 state energy law have saved consumers $170 million, according to Ohio State University findings that run counter to the argument that the law’s requirements have contributed to an increase in bills.  View Article >>

Many benefits of energy efficiency

May 20 -- NV Energy has demonstrated that it can help its customers cut energy waste. NV Energy spent $267 million on energy efficiency programs during 2007-12 — programs that have enabled households and businesses to lower their electricity use by 1.9 billion kilowatt-hours per year. This amount of savings is equivalent to the electricity use of 34,000 typical Nevada households. >>View Article

Goldman Sachs Bets Big on Solar

May 20 -- Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS  ) is investing in a $500 million fund from SolarCity (NASDAQ: SCTY  ) that will in help the company install 110 MW of solar. This is the latest in a growing trend of big banks betting on solar power. Erin Miller sat down with solar analyst Travis Hoium to see whether this is a big deal or business as usual. >>View Article