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A renewable energy company founded by billionaire T. Boone Pickens says it's buying 667 wind turbines from General Electric.
Sen. John McCain took his weeklong environmental tour to Washington state Tuesday, addressing the need for reducing the nation's dependency on foreign oil and sparking investment in environmentally friendly technology.
Of all the power supplies in the energy mix, nuclear has historically been the most criticized and controversial. But this most unpopular of power sources has recently resurfaced in political and economic dialogue.
Despite all the hype for electric cars and hydrogen fuel cells, experts say we'd better get used to pumping gas, but we can look forward to much better fuel economy down the road.
The British government on Saturday urged drivers not to hoard gasoline, saying there was plenty to go around despite a looming strike at a Scottish oil refinery that has raised fears of fuel rationing.
Gerri Willis answers reader's questions.
David Crane is a man who isn't afraid of a challenge. When he took the helm at NRG Energy in the winter of 2003, the company was mired in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings -- just one of many companies caught in the meltdown of the U.S. power generation industry, instigated by the scandalous collapse of Texan power giant Enron in 2001.
Sandwiched between two nondescript commercial buildings in a vacant lot squats what looks like a long, plastic-shrouded greenhouse. Hanging nearby is a cluster of five-foot-long plastic sacks bulging with green slime that resemble intravenous drip bags for the Jolly Green Giant. It doesn't look like groundbreaking technology, but these scum bags in Cambridge, Mass., just might help save the planet.
Jeff Immelt, chairman and CEO of General Electric, said Monday much of the technology to make energy generation cleaner and more efficient is available now. The challenge, however, is deploying it and making it cheaper.
Steve Vassallo spends his days looking for the next Steve Jobs. Not for the computer industry, it has its already, but for the clean-tech world in which Vassallo, a venture capitalist, invests. "I haven't found him or her yet," says Vassallo, a principal with Silicon Valley-based Foundation Capital. "They are probably still in their cubicles some place doing their IT job, or in a garage with an idea."
A renewable energy company founded by billionaire T. Boone Pickens says it's buying 667 wind turbines from General Electric.
Sen. John McCain took his weeklong environmental tour to Washington state Tuesday, addressing the need for reducing the nation's dependency on foreign oil and sparking investment in environmentally friendly technology.
Of all the power supplies in the energy mix, nuclear has historically been the most criticized and controversial. But this most unpopular of power sources has recently resurfaced in political and economic dialogue.
Despite all the hype for electric cars and hydrogen fuel cells, experts say we'd better get used to pumping gas, but we can look forward to much better fuel economy down the road.
The British government on Saturday urged drivers not to hoard gasoline, saying there was plenty to go around despite a looming strike at a Scottish oil refinery that has raised fears of fuel rationing.
Gerri Willis answers reader's questions.
David Crane is a man who isn't afraid of a challenge. When he took the helm at NRG Energy in the winter of 2003, the company was mired in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings -- just one of many companies caught in the meltdown of the U.S. power generation industry, instigated by the scandalous collapse of Texan power giant Enron in 2001.
Sandwiched between two nondescript commercial buildings in a vacant lot squats what looks like a long, plastic-shrouded greenhouse. Hanging nearby is a cluster of five-foot-long plastic sacks bulging with green slime that resemble intravenous drip bags for the Jolly Green Giant. It doesn't look like groundbreaking technology, but these scum bags in Cambridge, Mass., just might help save the planet.
Jeff Immelt, chairman and CEO of General Electric, said Monday much of the technology to make energy generation cleaner and more efficient is available now. The challenge, however, is deploying it and making it cheaper.
Steve Vassallo spends his days looking for the next Steve Jobs. Not for the computer industry, it has its already, but for the clean-tech world in which Vassallo, a venture capitalist, invests. "I haven't found him or her yet," says Vassallo, a principal with Silicon Valley-based Foundation Capital. "They are probably still in their cubicles some place doing their IT job, or in a garage with an idea."
The United States is close to finalizing a deal with North Korea over its nuclear program, senior State Department officials tell CNN.
Curt Mann's neighbors are livid, accusing him of erecting an ugly wind turbine among their historic homes for no other reason than to show off his environmental "bling."
Iceland may be best known for world-famous musical export Bjork but there's a new star quickly gaining this island nation worldwide acclaim -- clean energy.
Since it became a viable energy resource around 20 years ago, wind power has emerged as a leading renewable technology.
This is where we publish your general comments about the Eco Solutions show and website. We welcome all constructive comments. If you want to write in with comments and suggestions, please remember to include your name and country of residence.
Texas may be best known for "Big Oil." But the oil that could some day make a dent in the country's use of fossil fuels is small. Microscopic, in fact: algae. Literally and figuratively, this is green fuel.
It sounds like a tall order for a high-tech startup, but Seth Grae's two-man firm in a Washington, D.C., suburb might just save the world from nuclear annihilation.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British leader Gordon Brown Thursday called for an early warning system to alert international markets to further turmoil in the wake of recent banking scandals fueled by the U.S. credit crunch.
The clock is chasing down 1 A.M. It's late for dinner - or for interviews - in Almaty, Kazakhstan's former capital. But self-made Kazakh uranium czar Moukhtar Dzhakishev is just hitting his stride. Between spoonfuls of Beluga caviar and bites of ruby-colored tuna flown in from Dubai, he is explaining that his small state-owned company, Kazatomprom, will soon rule the global nuclear energy industry. "I don't think there will be any competitors," he says softly. "I will eat them."
Some Florida amusement park visitors may enjoy space-themed roller-coasters, but the first vehicle they board at Orlando International Airport may be the most futuristic ride of their vacation.
What if you could provide the world with an endless supply of virtually carbon-free electricity; ensure a constant source of drinkable water to the world's most vulnerable areas; avert some of the world's future humanitarian crises; and save billions of dollars in the process? Certain concentrated solar power (CSP) proponents say there is no "could" about it -- it's more a case of "can."
Tree-hugging goes only so far. The modern-day breed of environmentalist has bigger, better, higher-tech solutions for fixing global climate change
As the lighting dims in the auditorium of California's Computer History Museum, a four-foot-tall robot, Asimo, strolls onto the stage. "Hello, Tiffany," Asimo greets its human assistant, in a voice slightly too flat to be human. "It's nice to see you." After a little more chitchat - Asimo, a polite sort, is thrilled to be in San Jose - the robot shows off some tricks. It balances on one foot, kicks a soccer ball, sidesteps in two directions, and climbs up and down stairs. For its final stunt, Asimo jogs around the stage, legs churning and arms pumping, leaving the ground between each stride - just the way a human would.
As the world spends more to meet growing energy needs, nations seeking cleaner alternatives to fuel their expanding economies will have to spend much more.
Top executives of BP and General Motors Corp., two of the world's largest corporations, outlined on Tuesday their visions for the future of renewable energy.
The biggest investment Key Largo, Florida, homeowners John Hammerstrom and Diane Marshall made toward energy efficiency in their eco-friendly home is the 2.8-kilowatt Kyocera solar panel system that adorns their rooftop.
Acciona Energy doesn't just capture the sun's light to generate energy -- it corrals the sun's heat. Now the Spanish renewable power company has placed its first American operation in the desert flanking Las Vegas
Florida authorities are investigating how a small fire and a switch failure at an electrical substation outside Miami triggered a power failure that affected millions of people.
Power was restored Tuesday for most of Florida after a failed switch and fire at an electrical substation outside Miami triggered widespread blackouts across the state.
If Congress passes legislation to roll back nearly $18 billion in tax breaks for large oil companies, advisers to President Bush will recommend a veto, the White House said Tuesday.
Can the traditional power industry meet skyrocketing energy demand and reduce pollution by embracing green energy?
Whisky is for drinkin', water is for fightin'.
Most people who travel to Florida in winter visit the beach or Disney World. I spent a day looking at garbage.
Nuclear reactors across the Southeast could be forced to throttle back or temporarily shut down later this year because drought is drying up the rivers and lakes that supply them
Abu Dhabi has lots of oil and an enormous carbon footprint, but the capital of the United Arab Emirates is putting huge resources into alternative energy. Why?
The Small Business Administration (SBA) and other government agencies are currently at work fleshing out plans for the new small-business training and grant programs mandated by the sweeping, years-in-the-making energy bill signed into law last month by President Bush.
While the Bush Administration continues to drags its feet on climate change, Montana has figured out 54 economy-boosting ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Despite the astronomical jump in clean-energy stocks in 2007, investors say 2008 will also be be a good year for most stocks in emerging energy technology.
Dear FSB: I have a small agribusiness in Senegal and would like to take advantage of solar power for my enterprise, due to the high cost of oil. How can I get in touch with solar companies to help my business and create a working relationship spread solar power in Senegal?
Iran's first nuclear power plant will be operational within three months, providing electricity to Iran's national power grid by the summer, according to Iranian Energy Minister Parviz Fattah.
Andy Karsner was in an ebullient mood the other day, and for good reason. Congress had just approved an energy bill, which, despite serious flaws, puts the country on a path that will promote renewable energy, reduce our dependence on oil, dramatically increase energy efficiency and curb the growth in greenhouse gas emissions.
Russia started delivering nuclear fuel to Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant this week as part of a compromise effort to alleviate concerns over Iran's nuclear intentions while supporting Iran's right to a nuclear energy program.
Widespread anxiety about the damaging effects of burning fossil fuels, coupled with a genuine fear that oil and gas will become scarce before the century ends are fueling a renewed interest in renewable energy and, in particular, solar power solutions.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday called a U.S. intelligence report that downgraded his country as a nuclear threat "a declaration of victory" for the Iranian nuclear program.
Iran halted work toward a nuclear weapon under international scrutiny in 2003 and is unlikely to be able to produce enough enriched uranium for a bomb until 2010 to 2015, a U.S. intelligence report says.
The United States could reduce its projected greenhouse gas emissions by up to half in the next 20 or so years at a "manageable cost" to the economy, according to the most comprehensive report to date of the steps needed to curb global warming.
The head of one of the nation's largest utilities called Thursday for a surcharge on electric bills to fund research into clean energy sources, saying that such a scheme is more equitable than others Congress is contemplating.
Venture investment in energy technology firms reached new highs this year, more than tripling the investment recorded for 2005, according to data released Wednesday by Thomson Financial and the National Venture Capital Association.
What is the future of transport? What role will cars play? What will we use to get around? Send us your thoughts and we'll print the best ones here.
What is the future for energy? Where will our power come from by 2020? Send us your thoughts and we'll print the best ones here.
The sun, we are frequently told, is the best source of energy there is -- so much so that in just one hour it can provide the earth with all the energy its inhabitants demand in a year. Not only can the sun provide us with all of our energy needs (10,000 times over in fact, according to Greenpeace) but it can also apparently do this without any of those unpleasant side effects that you get from fossil fuels such as air pollution or ozone depletion. And best of all, this resource will never run out -- or at least, not in the next 5 billion years or so.
Environmental author Alan Weisman has fielded questions exclusively from CNN.com users on the environmental matters that concern you most. These are his answers.
A typical exchange about wind farms tends to go like this: 'Are you in favor of wind farms?' 'Yes, of course I am...so long as they're nowhere near my house'. Nevertheless, wind turbines are fast-becoming an important piece in the energy puzzle, contributing a growing percentage to our overall energy needs.
There's no place like home -- especially when it comes to affecting the environment, it seems.
In our lifetime we will witness the age of 100 mile-per gallon cars, lifetime headlights and taillights, streaming entertainment and information content, and cars that drive themselves. Actually, all this will be here a lot sooner than you think -- within the next few years.
Dear FSB: My family owns property in a rural area of West Central Minnesota. We would like to install wind turbines there. Do you know of any company that would be interested in partnering with us?
Texas may be fabled for its oil wells, but it also produces more wind power than any other state.
In the two years since Stefano (Steve) Bertamini moved to Shanghai to become CEO of GE China, he has a sense that the days are less smoggy and more sunny.
The clean energy homes of tomorrow are on display all this week on America's Main Street, the national mall in Washington, D.C.- and they are generating excitement from the FORTUNE 500 companies, government advocates for renewable energy and even some venture capitalists.
In 1979, we helped organize five nights of concerts at Madison Square Garden and an anti-nuke rally that drew 200,000 people. These efforts and the ongoing work of many grassroots and national safe energy groups have helped to hold off the building of new nuclear reactors ever since.
In the largest environmental settlement in Justice Department history, American Electric Power has agreed to install $4.6 billion in equipment to sharply reduce emissions at coal-fired power plants in five states, sources said.
Ready to take advantage of the federal government? You have until December 31. That's when Washington puts the kibosh on consumer tax credits of up to $500 for energy-saving products such as high-efficiency furnaces, water heaters, windows and insulation.
To hear environmentalists tell it, investing in renewable energy won't just provide a clean source of power, it will create an explosion of new jobs.
Several years ago a solar-powered, propeller-driven unmanned aircraft named Helios took off on a test flight from the Hawaiian island of Kauai. NASA had designed Helios to be powered all day by sunlight and all night by fuel cells. The "eternal airplane," it was called.
Consider this: if all 19,700 members of the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) reduced their energy consumption by just 10 percent, they would save approximately $193 million in energy costs and eliminate more than one million tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year.
The first forays in solar technology began in the 19th century, yet today solar power remains on the fringes of society in terms of how much it serves our energy needs.
A 22-foot-long, neon-green banner hangs from the high-ceilinged lobby of the San Francisco headquarters of Pacific Gas & Electric, California's largest utility. "GREEN IS resisting the urge to drive to yoga," it declares. "GREEN IS saying no thanks to the daily disposable coffee cup."
Way back in 2006, John "Bish" Neuhauser was the poster child of the biodiesel business. The shaggy-looking snow groomer for the Canyons ski area near Park City, Utah, starred in the acclaimed Sundance Film Festival documentary on global warming, "Everything's Cool," in which he made his own biodiesel out of restaurant grease and converted all of the resort's vehicles to run on it. In 2007, however, Neuhauser no longer has to brew his own fuel - he just drives to nearby Salt Lake City, where manufactured soybean biodiesel is now available at seven pumps. "Making it is fun and liberating," he says, "but I'm just too busy."
Dalat Nuclear Research Institute stands on a mountaintop in Vietnam's southern highlands. The nuclear reactor is not what most Vietnamese think of when they think of Dalat. The town, nestled in pine woods, is Vietnam's favorite honeymoon spot.
Described as "possibly the greatest evolution in boats since the advent of steam," an ingenuously simple concept that combines sun and wind power with sophisticated computer systems is set to transform the future of navigation.
By now, you've probably heard that the solar energy business is booming. Wal-Mart and Tiffany's, Microsoft and Google, Estee Lauder and Target, Kohl's and Staples - all use or have announced plans to use solar photovoltaic panels on their rooftops to power their businesses.
California's Napa Valley, with its rolling hills, vineyards and prized terrain, produces some of America's finest wines. Here, tradition and craft are everything.
While officials from some of the world's biggest oil producers holed up in private meetings in Vienna Monday night, to decide whether to increase Opec's oil production, Iraq's Oil Minister Hussain Al-Shahristani retreated to his hotel suite, and watched television instead. Specifically, he tuned into the broadcast of Gen. Petraeus's testimony in Washington about the war.
The world's automakers will try to win customers over with more environmentally friendly cars at the Frankfurt Auto Show this week as they tout new vehicles with hybrid propulsion and more advanced, cleaner engines.
A unit at a Bulgarian nuclear power station on the Danube River underwent an emergency shutdown Saturday, facility operators said.
A survey released last week by the World Business Council on Sustainable Development found that key players in real estate and construction overstate the extra costs of green buildings by some 300 percent, "creating a major barrier to more energy efficiency in the building sector."
James Bond would be lost without them -- those madcap gadgets merging two technologies that help him beat the bad guys and save the planet. The underwater watch with a built-in Geiger counter, for example; or the car that doubles as a submarine; or the exploding bagpipes and missile-launching wheelchair.
Is green energy a realistic aim for the future? CNN spoke to Gerhard Knies, co-founder and coordinator of TREC, about the potential of solar power and a world based on renewable energies.
Dr. Gerhard Knies is the coordinator of TREC, the Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Cooperation, a network of around 50 experts in renewable energies and sustainability.
It rains year round in Germany. Clouds cover the skies for about two-thirds of all daylight hours. Yet the country has managed to become the world's leading solar power generator.
Big business fears that the fight against climate change will cost billions are now giving way to a different view: green can be the color of money.
Talk about a sun spot.
The U.S. House Saturday passed a Democratic rewrite of U.S. energy policy that strips $16 billion in tax incentives away from Big Oil and puts it toward renewable energy sources like wind and solar power.
One thing I've learned on my 7,000 mile journey through America's nuclear past and present is that when you're driving around scouting for a power plant -- any kind of power plant -- first locate the high-voltage transmission lines. (If you stand directly under those lines, sometimes you can hear the electricity cackle and spatter like rain drops on the roof.)
If the companies that supply nuclear power plants are ready for a revival, the utilities that will operate the plants are champing at the bit.
There is a remote valley in southeastern Idaho -- 890 square miles; desolate, dry and stunningly beautiful -- that is the place to go for atomic lore. It's the home of the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), where on December 20, 1951, scientists succeeded for the first time in converting nuclear power into electricity. They lit four 75-watt light bulbs. The next day they lit the whole lab.
"We were at heightened security - we were at red," recalls Al Griffith, spokesman for the utility that owns the Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant in New Hampshire.
In Gudda, a village with very little, residents are literally beaming. Just two years ago, villagers had never seen light after dark, unless it came from the moon. Then, solar light arrived and changed everything.
The United States and India announced Friday a landmark deal on nuclear cooperation for civil purposes that they said will benefit both countries and strengthen international non-proliferation efforts.
As the summer swelters on, skyscrapers and apartments around the city will crank up air conditioners and push the city's power grid to the limit -- but some have found a cool alternative
With fuel prices on the rise, concern over global warming growing and the 2008 presidential campaign heating up, CNN.com asked users if they thought the country was poised for major changes in energy and environmental policies. Here is a selection of responses, some of which have been edited for clarity.
There's something disconcerting about driving a high-speed oval for the first time, and it's easy to identify: As you approach either of the steeply banked turns, you don't slow down.
Everyone wants to know where to put their money in alternative energy.
A San Francisco company said Friday it plans to build the world's largest, solar power "farm" near Fresno, California.
By now, virtually every American supports the goal of national energy security and nearly two-thirds of us, according to a recent Harris Interactive poll, believe that human activity is responsible for climate change. So everyone agrees on the goal: to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels that must be imported and that are responsible for greenhouse gasses. But there is no consensus on how to get there.
OK, so you want to cut your energy bill and help save the planet. But how?
President Bush Thursday said U.S. utilities could build up to 30 new nuclear power plants and could start construction by 2010 in order to keep up with growing electricity demand without spurring more global warming.
General Motors is shifting about 500 engineers within the company with the aim of having the first fuel-cell-powered car on the market as soon as 2010, according to published reports.
Clouds hang low over the New Mexico desert, deep inside a military reservation a dozen miles south of Albuquerque. A breeze stirs the air; tumbleweeds roll by. Then the sun shines through and a low...
At last, solar energy is big enough and cheap enough to power electrical grids. Business 2.0 features the latest projects under the sun.
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