California Governor Jerry Brown signed more than a dozen bills aimed at improving access to water in the state, where drought is common and tension is high over the competing needs of residents, agriculture and the environment.
The new laws attempt to address some of the most immediate concerns, including the difficulty faced by small […]
With so much focus on carbon emitted from the nation’s power plants, another environmental challenge related to electricity generation is sometimes overlooked: the enormous amount of water needed to cool the power-producing equipment.
In the U.S. almost all electric power plants, 90 percent, are thermoelectric plants, which essentially create steam to generate electricity. To cool […]
Renting an apartment can seem like a compact, environmentally-efficient way of living, but when it comes to energy use, that’s not always the case. University of California, Berkeley economists Lucas Davis and David Levine recently found that renters are significantly less likely than homeowners to report having efficient Energy Star appliances.
What’s going on here? Davis and Levine think it’s the so-called “landlord-tenant problem.” […]
The U.S. electricity industry is struggling to figure out how to finance smart grid investments, a survey by the engineering firm Black & Veatch finds.
Investment in the so-called smart grid—where communications and computer technology more tightly tie and manage energy from the power plant to the home—aren’t easily captured in the rate structures most investor-owned utilities rely upon.
B&V surveyed […]
When they flick off light switches or ease off the gas pedal, many Americans feel they are doing their part to save energy. But the authors of a new survey say that consumers consistently ignore larger changes—more efficient appliances or vehicles, or the level of insulation in their apartment—that would cut fuel consumption far more dramatically.
The research from Columbia University is […]
New research suggests that fewer buy energy-efficient light bulbs when they’re labeled as being good for the environment, largely because the issue of carbon emission reductions is so politically polarizing in the U.S.
“I think we’ve shown the negative consequences of environmental messaging,” explained Dena Gromet, of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, lead author of a study. […]
A team of researchers from the University of Texas at Austin released a report on the level of energy use in water delivery to citizens of the U.S., finding that no less than 12.6 percent of the nation’s total annual energy consumption is devoted to the task.
The team traced water from its source […]
Northwest power utilities have been pushing for energy conservation. It’s a way they can keep up with their customers’ future demand for electricity. There are plenty of incentives if you buy an energy efficient appliance. But these days, utilities are finding more inventive ways to promote awareness.
Keith McIndoo and ten of his family […]
Across the U.S., the Green Building Council has helped thousands of developers win tax breaks and grants, charge higher rents, exceed local building restrictions and get expedited permitting by certifying them as “green” under a system that often rewards minor, low-cost steps that have little, or no, proven environmental benefit.
The council has certified […]
The American Council for Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), with the support of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, is undertaking a multi-year project to improve and expand utility programs to improve the energy efficiency of multifamily housing.
The goal of the project is to expand the number of utilities offering multifamily energy-efficiency programs, […]