All Environment
Clean energy in big business: How to make it happenMajor companies more than ever before are driving the transition to renewable energy, but that effort is not without hurdles. Seif and Baker offer lessons learned from overcoming the challenges of making big business go green.
Senators raise alarm over Asian carp invasion in Great LakesNew research finds evidence that Asian carp may already have made it through to the Great Lakes. Midwest senators want a quicker, more comprehensive response from the Army Corps of Engineers.
'Pandora's Promise': why greens are warming to nuclear power'Pandora's Promise,' a documentary on environmentalists' shifting attitude toward nuclear power, airs on CNN tonight at 9 p.m. ET. Even if you are skeptical about nuclear energy, Adams writes, you owe it to yourself to consider the point of view put forth in 'Pandora's Promise.'
Solar power sings 'I love rock 'n' roll,' study findsPop and rock music boosted the efficiency of solar cells used to produce electricity by 40 percent, according to a study by scientists in London. Rock on, solar power.
Tesla fire: 3rd Model S crashes, burns. Tesla Motors (TSLA) stock follows suit.Tesla Motors (TSLA) had avoided major battery complications until this fall, when three Model S cars crashed and their batteries caught fire. Tesla Motors officials are scrambling to assure investors and the public that these Tesla fires are not spontaneous eruptions that have plagued other battery-powered vehicles.
Should the US export oil?The US should lift its limitations on oil exports, according to a growing chorus of those in the oil and gas industry. But exporting US oil will be a tough case to make to politicians and consumers, who still see high prices at the gas pump and worry about the environmental consequences of more drilling.
Fuel cell technology: has its moment finally arrived?Fuel cells were left by the wayside as solar power and wind power grew in popularity. But now it seems as though fuel cells are beginning to establish themselves in niches that show promise for the future, Kennedy writes.
Climate change: Global emissions hit record high, UN saysCarbon dioxide pollution levels in Earth's atmosphere hit a record high in 2012, according a UN report released Wednesday. The concentration of carbon dioxide, a primary contributor to global warming, is far beyond the level some scientists and environmental groups say is the upper limit for a safe level.
Election day 2013: Fossil fuels take hits from Virginia to Washington StateFrom Virginia to Colorado to Washington, voters on election day 2013 threw their weight behind politicians and policies that limited the use of coal, oil, or natural gas. Bans on fracking, coal exports, and tar sands were on the ballot in a handful of states, and in most cases, the election day 2013 results did not favor fossil fuels.
Tesla Motors (TSLA) hits sales record. Investors hit sell button.Tesla Motors' (TSLA) third-quarter sales numbers came in under most analysts' expectations late Tuesday, and the electric carmaker's stock price plunged, triggering a 'circuit breaker' on the Nasdaq. But the fundamentals of Tesla Motors appear to remain strong, and the California-based company has plans for expansion.
Virginia governor's race: EPA supporter narrowly beats 'war on coal' messengerVoters in Virginia narrowly elected Democrat Terry McAuliffe for governor over Republican Ken Cuccinelli II, who differed among other things on the future of the state's coal industry. Mr. McAuliffe supported new EPA regulations on power plants that will make it difficult for new coal plants to be bought.
How 'smart' street lights save energyAn intelligent streetlight system, designed by Dutch Delft University of Technology, uses motion sensing technology that automatically dim streetlights when no pedestrians or vehicles are in the vicinity, Kennedy writes, and the idea is ready to go commercial.
India Mars mission: How much fuel do you need to get to Mars?India launched its first spacecraft to Mars Tuesday at a price tag of $72 million. It takes less fuel to propel India's Mars orbiter 485 million miles to the Red Planet than you think.
Your thermostat is about to get 'smart'A new generation of 'smart' thermostats leverage cheap sensors, data analytics, and other bells and whistles of the IT world to take the guesswork out of programming your thermostat. It's an emerging field that is expected to grow as users demand more from their everyday devices.
In Britain, to frack, or not to frack?With the British shale story in its infancy, a new report downplays the risk of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, leading to groundwater contamination. Will Britain follow in the US footsteps towards a shale gas boom?
Good news on global warming? Emissions going up, but more slowly.A new study suggests that carbon-dioxide emissions last year – while still a record high – grew more slowly than over the past 10 years on average. That could signal an important change.
Coloradans weigh fracking bans. A litmus test for oil and gas?Residents of four Colorado towns will vote on fracking bans Tuesday. Oil and gas production is growing in the western states, and what happens in Colorado is being closely watched in other shale-rich states.
- Alligator at O'Hare airport. Really.
Alligator at O'Hare airport: A two-foot long alligator was discovered under an escalator at Terminal 3 of O'Hare International Airport.
Tropical Storm Sonia gains strength, takes aim at MexicoTropical Storm Sonia is expected to make landfall early Monday, according to the National Hurricane Center. The Mexican states of Sinaloa and Durango are expecting heavy rainfall and high winds.
Five myths about Al Gore's 'carbon bubble'The carbon bubble idea is an interesting hypothesis, Styles writes, but there are some flaws in the arguments Al Gore makes in its support. Carbon bubble or no, there's nothing wrong with investors wanting to track their carbon exposure, consider shadow carbon prices, or ensure they are properly diversified.
