All Energy Voices

Energy is a rare bright spot amid otherwise tense relations between the US and China ahead of an annual summit between the two superpowers this week. US officials say climate change and clean energy offer room for collaboration with their Chinese counterparts.

Climate change requires a rapid and dramatic decarbonization of the global energy supply, according to a new report. It comes as world leaders aim to learn from past failures in forging an international pact on climate change at international talks next year in Paris.

Researchers have presented an alternative nuclear reactor – one that floats on water. Although floating nuclear reactors at sea have some benefits, there are concerns with surrounding marine life and terrorism threats in the context of a post-Fukushima world.

Terrorists would like nothing better than to bring down Silicon Valley in one fell swoop. One way is to cut off its electric power. But PG&E is arming itself, too.

The Obama administration issued new support for offshore wind power projects this week as part of the president's Climate Action Plan. While land-based wind power has expanded in recent years, the renewable energy source has struggled to gain hold off the coasts.   

The US oil boom has led a rise in oil and gas production. But, the US oil boom has also brought on several problems for local environments and economies, including possible contamination of drinking water.

Now that fracking bans are left for New York cities and towns to decide, the shale industry sees the state's court ruling as a missed opportunity for energy and investment. More than 75 towns in New York already ban fracking, which may make companies hesitant to invest.

North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple wants to expand his state's oil pipeline capacity, after the state's oil production reached the 1 million barrels per day mark. But, many worry about the potential environmental consequences such as oil spills.

Fourteen percent of households on Native American reservations live without electricity. But several Native American reservations are now using renewable energy technology to access electricity and much needed income. 

Although North Dakota, Texas, and the Gulf of Mexico are known for producing much of the US's oil, other states are becoming bigger producers. Alaska and California are two states that are gaining footing in the oil industry.

Saudi Arabia, Russia, and the United States were the top oil producers in 2013, according to BP's latest report. At the same time, the US was also the biggest consumer of oil in the world, with China as the second-biggest oil consumer.

Some energy analysts may suggest the US is becoming an important source of energy supply for the world. But, the US's oil supply may not translate as a foreign policy tool, writes Daniel J. Graeber.

New US liquefied natural gas (LNG) suppliers are seeing a shrinking window of opportunity as new supplies come online and Japan considers restarting some of its nuclear reactors. What does this mean for new LNG suppliers and the difference in natural gas pricing in North America and Asia?

After Russia cut off gas for Ukraine, Russia says it won't negotiate with Ukraine until the country pays off its gas debt. Ukraine’s parliament is considering legislation that would allow its gas transit and storage facilities to be leased as joint ventures with the US or EU member countries.

Many states want electric car manufacturer Tesla Motors to build a 'gigafactory' in their states. But in more conservative Texas, Governor Rick Perry is working hard to market itself toward Tesla Motors, writes Jesse Morris.

Royal Dutch Shell says it stopped its shale projects in Ukraine because of air strikes, but there may be more economic reasons. The oil supermajor was disappointed with the economic viability of what it once thought was a large shale deposit, Alexeev writes, and was looking for a way out. 

Sunni jihadists battled with Iraqi government forces for control of the country's largest refinery. Loss of the Baiji refinery wouldn't directly impact global oil markets, but it would exacerbate the Iraq crisis and further destabilize a fragile regional situation. 

Global coal consumption rose 3 percent in 2013, despite efforts in some places to scale back use of the carbon-heavy fuel. Why is it hard to stop depending on coal for energy?

Both the US and China have been quickly working toward reducing the cost of solar energy. The US's solar energy quest has remained in the private sector, while China has taken a different approach. 

The notion that the world will never run out of oil is misleading, writes Kurt Cobb. The real issue is about the rate of oil production.