All Energy Voices
Why oil companies are leaving the Gulf of MexicoNew drilling technologies have contributed to exponential production gains for onshore oil and natural gas in the United States. The Gulf of Mexico is still giving up substantial amounts of oil, but some companies seem to be betting the biggest bonanza will be onshore.
State department approves pipeline to Canada. No, it's not Keystone XL.A 430-mile-long pipeline from North Dakota to Alberta was approved by the US State Department Wednesday. The so-called Vantage Pipeline, not to be confused with Keystone XL, will mark the first time that liquids from North Dakota's reservoirs will flow into existing Albertan infrastructure.
Two years after Fukushima, Japan eyes return to nuclear powerNew safety regulations are clearing the way for a return to nuclear power in Japan, two years after an earthquake and tsunami caused a meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
NYC to LA in 45 minutes? Tesla Motors CEO says 'Hyperloop' could do it.Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk is throwing his weight behind a 'Hyperloop' network of pneumatic tubes that could transport travelers at high speeds along a magnetic-levitation track. The 'Hyperloop' could take someone from New York to Los Angeles in 45 minutes and New York to Beijing in just 2 hours, according to the Tesla CEO.
The dirty coal behind Germany's clean energyGermany's energy portfolio may not be as green as you think, Grealy writes. Coal-fired power plants made up 52 percent of Germany's electricity demand in the first half of 2013, while output from natural gas and wind turbines is falling.
Gas prices: why $2 gas isn't happening anytime soonGas prices rose 4 percent in the US this week, according to AAA. Despite a boom in North American oil production, gas prices won't be approaching $2 anytime soon.
Fukushima nuclear plant likely leaking contaminated water into oceanThe nuclear power plant at Fukushima has been leaking contaminated water into the ocean for the two years since the accident that saw three of the plants six reactors suffer a meltdown, according to the head of the Nuclear Regulation Authority in Japan.
Fracking at the corner of energy abundance and water scarcityFracking for oil and gas amid water scarcity has created a public-private crossroads, with both sides attempting to further their goals, Warren writes. Nowhere is the water-energy nexus so apparent as it is in the fracking (hydraulic fracturing) for oil and gas.
Gas prices expected to soar. What gives?Gas prices will rise dramatically in the near term, analysts predict. Many attribute it to a rise in oil prices, but the gas prices spike has more to do with gasoline fundamentals, writes Styles.
Lac-Megantic train crash: How it will change Canadian oilThe Lac-Megantic train crash, among other recent oil mishaps, is making it difficult for Canada to put a good face on their oil resources. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said parts of Quebec look like a 'war zone' following last weekend's Lac-Megantic train crash.
Nuclear power tries its sea legsRussia has announced plans to build a floating nuclear power plant by 2016.
Climate change threatens nation's energy, DOE report warnsClimate change and extreme weather are disrupting the ways we generate, distribute, and consume energy, according to a report released Thursday by the US Department of Energy. It's part of a growing acknowledgement among officials for a need to adapt to the planet's changing climate.
Fracking in Pennsylvania: What goes on behind the scenes?Fracking has revolutionized the US energy landscape, but the technique is controversial. One energy blogger takes a tour of a fracking site for himself, to see what all the fuss is about.
NTSB warned of rail car used in Quebec train fireUS and Canadian regulators have been warning for years that the type of rail car involved in the fatal derailment and explosion in Quebec is far more prone to rupturing in accidents than other models available.
- Nuclear energy: climate change solution? Former opponents say yes.
'Pandora's Promise' movie documents how five antinuclear activists struggle between their beliefs and the potential for nuclear power to help curb climate change.
Quebec train fire: Will train derailment bolster case for oil pipelines?Oil deliveries by rail have increased along with North American crude oil production. In a tit-for-tat season of pipeline and rail incidents, including the recent Quebec train fire, it's becoming clear there are no clear-cut winners for crude oil transit.
Fracking ban halts first shale gas project in SpainA ban on fracking in a northern region of Spain has crimped Repsol SA's plans to begin drilling for shale gas in the north of Spain. Repsol had planned to begin seismic studies, with a view to drilling, in July, but the Cantabrian fracking ban, which prevents all hydraulic fracturing activities within the region’s borders, has put a hold on plans.
The Keystone XL pipeline is irrelevantThe Keystone XL pipeline will make no measurable contribution one way or another to global climate change, Rapier writes. The arguments against it convey a false impression of the most important drivers of global carbon emissions.
The world's thinnest solar cell, just a nanometer thickResearchers at MIT have developed a technique for creating solar cells that are only two molecules thick. The resulting solar cell can only offer a conversion efficiency of 1 - 2 percent, but by placing multiple cells one on top of the other the overall generation capacity can be far greater than conventional cells.
A surprising source of demand for US natural gasThe US natural gas market is on the verge of a big swing, Forest writes, but it doesn't have to do with liquid natural gas. Instead, there's an interesting and unexpected source of demand for US natural gas.
