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August 30, 2006
700,000+ alt-fuel autos sold in U.S. in 1st half of ´06, alliance reports
More than 700,000 alternative fuel vehicles were sold in the United States during the first half of this year, according to the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, a trade group.
Acid Rain Affects Large Swathes of China - Report
Acid rain caused by sulphur dioxide spewed from factories and power plants affected a third of China's vast land mass last year, posing a threat to food safety, Xinhua news agency said citing a parliamentary report.
AES Announces Start of Construction of 233 MW Wind Project in Texas
The AES Corporation (NYSE:AES) today announced it has begun construction of a 233 MW wind generation project near Abilene, Texas, and has signed a 10-year power purchase agreement (PPA) to sell all of the electricity the project produces at fixed prices to Texas retail electric provider Direct Energy.
American Water Initiates New Jersey’s First Residential Application of Reclaimed Water
Argentina Moves to Clean Up its Dirtiest River
A government cleanup scheme has inspired new hope for the 5 million people living in Argentina's Matanza-Riachuelo river basin, where raw sewage, industrial waste and empty promises have created a toxic cesspool.
Argentina oil exports plunge; domestic refining output surges
Argentina's oil exports plummeted 59% in the first half of 2006, heightening concerns that the country is on track to become a net oil importer, analysts said Monday.
Boeing hydrogen plane set to lift off
BOEING is developing a light aircraft powered by fuel cells and electric motors, making it potentially the greenest plane ever to fly.
Clarity to the Clean Air Act may soon come. In November, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case involving older coal-fired power plants and whether they have intentionally upgraded their plants under the ruse of doing routine maintenance.
Climate Change a Threat to Development - World Bank
Climate change may be one of the biggest threats to attempts to cutting poverty in the world's most deprived nations and has forced the World Bank to reassess its development projects, the bank said on Tuesday.
Clinton Nuclear Plant Shuts Down
Officials at Clinton Power Station are investigating a malfunction in the power supply that caused the plant to automatically shut down Sunday night.
Community Uses Duck for Storm Water Education
New York’s Suffolk County will use a duck to help educate the public about storm water issues.
Consortium breaks ground on New Mexico uranium enrichment plant
In a move that was hailed as evidence of the resurgent nuclear power industry, Louisiana Energy Services, a consortium of US and European power companies, broke ground Tuesday on a $1.5-billion uranium-enrichment plant in southeastern New Mexico.
Dark Matter Proof Found, Scientists Say
A team of researchers has found the first direct proof for the existence of dark matter, the mysterious and almost invisible substance thought to make up almost a quarter of the universe.
Deadly Floods in India Turn Desert Area Into 'Sea'
Monsoon rains and flooding have killed at least 130 people in India's western state of Rajasthan, officials said on Monday, with huge swathes of desert underwater.
Disaster-Prone China Takes Heed of Global Warming
Storms, floods, heat and drought that have killed more than 2,000 people in China this year are a prelude to weather patterns likely to become more extreme due to global warming, the head of the Beijing Climate Centre said.
DOE says Power plant is important to U.S., world
Klara underscored the importance of the FutureGen project and why the federal government is investing so heavily in it. "Coal is our largest energy resource," he said. "It's cheap as dirt, literally. Coal is so important to the United States economy."
Douglas, Dubie divided on wind power
When it comes to wind power, Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas and Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie don't always agree.
Energy Ministers' Conference Focuses on Energy Collaboration
Canada's energy ministers concluded their annual meeting yesterday by confirming their ongoing commitment to improving collaboration between jurisdictions to better address energy issues of concern to Canadians.
Energy rebate program closes Oct. 1
Time is running out for Coloradans wanting to take advantage of Xcel Energy's Solar Rewards program.
EPA Concerned Over Colorado’s Carter Lake
EPA-- Ohio coal company filled streams with waste
Buckingham Coal Co. will pay a $73,500 penalty for filling in streams with waste from its Monroe Township, Ohio, coal mining operations without obtaining the necessary federal permits.
Fast-growing trees could take root as future energy source
A tree that can reach 90 feet in six years and be grown as a row crop on fallow farmland could represent a major replacement for fossil fuels. Purdue University researchers are using genetic tools in an effort to design trees that readily and inexpensively can yield the substances needed to produce alternative transportation fuel.
Germany orders E.ON to reduce grid access charges by 16%
The federal network agency, Germany's energy regulator, has ordered
E.ON's network arm to cut its grid access charges by 16%, thereby completing
its investigation into the charges of Germany's four transmission system
operators, it said Wednesday.
Global Environment Fund Hears Warnings on Climate Change
Climate change risks devastating South Africa's wine and fruit industries, the country's deputy president warned Tuesday at the opening of an international environment conference.
Green vs. green in wind farm debate
When the Clean Air Act became law 36 years ago, ushering in an age of increasing environmental sensitivity, ecological controversies had a bracing simplicity: There were the good guy environmentalists trying to protect the air and the water from bad guy big businessmen who wanted to keep dumping whatever the heck they wanted.
Greenpeace visits Philippines oil spill
The Greenpeace ship Esperanza has arrived at the oil spill in the Guimaras Strait of the central Philippines, to examine the environmental impact of the devastating accident. The 350,000 litre oil slick is located 7.3 nautical miles southwest of Unisan Island, and has spread across the strait.
Imagine the year is 2009.You attend a game at the new USC baseball stadium, where both the scoreboard and outfield lights are operated by hydrogen powered fuel cells.
Hundreds Gather to Celebrate Return of Big Rock Point Nuclear Plant Site to Green Field Status
More than 700 former and current workers, elected officials, and business and nuclear industry leaders gathered today to celebrate the return of the Big Rock Point nuclear plant site to a green field.
Last year's Atlantic-Caribbean hurricane season rewrote the record books. And when meteorologists got a chance to thoroughly review the data, they discovered several storms were stronger than they initially thought. Here are some of the records set in 2005, according to post-season reviews by the U.S. National Hurricane Center.
Hydrogen Power System Unveiled in Maine
A $250,000 demonstration project that produces hydrogen energy to provide backup lighting and warmth at the Chewonki Foundation's environmental education center was hailed at its unveiling Monday as the first of its kind in the nation.
MENTION "hydrogen" and tragic images come to mind, namely the ill-fated Hindenburg airship and the H-bomb. But for all its potential in causing death and destruction, hydrogen is far more beneficial than it is cracked up to be.
Ice Age Gives Clues to Global Warming - Study
Ice Age evidence confirms that a doubling of greenhouse gases could drive up world temperatures by about 3 Celsius (5.4 Fahrenheit), causing havoc with the climate, a study showed on Friday.
ICE Brent futures back above $70 barrel on expected crude draw
ICE Brent futures in London rose over half a dollar on Wednesday in anticipation of a draw in crude stocks in the US later in the day and a slight fall in gasoline stocks, brokers said.
British Bins Bugged--United Press International reports that half a million British garbage bins have been fitted with electronic devices designed by two German firms to gather information about people´s waste disposal habits, the ultimate aim being to help government officials improve recycling rates and collect fines from recalcitrants.
Injunction may shut Murray's 5 million-st yr Powhatan No. 6 mine
Buckeye Forest Council has fired another shot in its long-running battle against mining under Dysart Woods, an old-growth forest in southeastern Ohio, this time seeking an injunction against Ohio Valley Coal's Powhatan No. 6 underground mine.
Irish energy-- wind in its sails
On the back of a recent expansion of wind power in the Irish Republic, the government has announced an increased renewables target of 15% of total generated output by 2010.
Japan Makes Plans for Greener Cars, Batteries
Japan has drawn up an action plan to spearhead efforts to develop the next generation of more environmentally friendly vehicles and batteries to help reduce its reliance on oil.
More Tropical Fish Sighted in Rhode Island Water
An unusually large number of tropical fish have been spotted this summer in Rhode Island waters by divers, fishermen and environmentalists.
Neighborhood fuel cells promise clean, quiet, reliable energy -- and security
What image does the term ``power plant'' conjure up in your mind? If you are like most Americans, probably a large, ugly building with dark smoke billowing out of a tall smokestack. It's definitely the last facility you want built in your neighborhood. However, when your home or business experiences a blackout or brownout, you are incensed.New York precious metals prices moving downward
Gold and its sister precious metals have been heading downward on the New York futures exchanges since the opening, as the stronger dollar continued to exert pressure on gold.
Nigeria's Daukoru calls on companies to maintain Niger Delta work
Nigerian Oil Minister Edmund Daukoru Monday called on multinational oil companies to maintain operations in the Niger Delta despite the on going violence and crude production disruptions there.
North Atlantic Hydrogen Association Founded
The North Atlantic Hydrogen Association (NAHA) was founded in Nuuk Greenland. Preparation for the start-up began in 2005 with the support of NORA (NORRØNT ATLANTS-SAMSTARV). The initial players from Iceland, Faroe Islands and Greenland with support from Norway decided to form this Association
Nuclear boss urges end to 'laborious' planning process
BRITAIN'S planning system must be overhauled to speed up the construction of new nuclear plants to prevent the country running out of electricity, the boss of the country's biggest nuclear generator has warned.
One Third of World Population Faces Water Scarcity Today
Pennsylvania Redoubling its Purchase of Green Electricity
Governor Edward G. Rendell today announced the commonwealth has redoubled its green electricity purchase to 20 percent from 10 percent, harnessing state resources to further develop markets for sustainable energy sources that will create jobs, enhance homeland security and provide significant environmental improvements in Pennsylvania.
Pentadyne VSS+DC Clean Energy Storage System Earns UL-Listing
Pentadyne claims that its flywheel power system improves UPS reliability by completely replacing or greatly extending the life of lead-acid batteries commonly used in most UPS configurations.
Pluto Not a Planet, Astronomers Rule
Pluto has been voted off the island.
The distant, ice-covered world is no longer a true planet, according to a new definition of the term voted on by scientists today.
Port may get shot at wind research site
The Port of Houston is among the sites the state may offer as a location for a national blade-testing facility that could attract wind turbine manufacturers to the state.
"There is a feeling that perhaps this market has run out
of steam which has overseen this steady fall in Brent as less bullish news hits
the headlines."
- A London-based broker
said Wednesday as there is a feeling in the broking community that perhaps the
bull run is over and crude prices fall. This comes as hurricane fear is receding
as Ernesto drifts up the US east coast; and Iran is to hold talks in Russia next
week to discuss a proposal over its controversial uranium enrichment program.
"Production of nuclear fuel is one of Iran's strategic
objectives. Any action to limit or deprive Iran could not force Iran to give up
this goal."
- Iran's chief nuclear
negotiator Ali Larijani said Sunday as Iran has made clear that it intends to
pursue uranium enrichment, which it began earlier this year. Enrichment makes
fuel for nuclear power reactors but can also produce the raw material for atom
bombs.
The DTI has launched a new web-based interactive map that shows the ongoing development of renewable energy across the UK country.
Report of Solar-Geophysical Activity 082806
The geomagnetic field was at quiet to minor storm levels. The solar wind speed increased to about 550 km/s over the past 24 hours due to the coronal hole high speed stream.
Report of Solar-Geophysical Activity 083006
During the past 24 hours region 905 (S08W35) has produced two C-class flares, a C1.4 and a C2.1. This region has shown signs of decay and is now a magnetic class Beta sunspot group. The geomagnetic field is expected to be mostly quiet for the forecast period (30 August - 1 September). Due to the currently geoeffective coronal hole high speed stream there may be isolated periods where the geomagnetic field is unsettled for day one of the forecast period.
Road blockade brings Latin America's largest gold mine to a halt
Minera Yanacocha has stopped production because the road to the mine remains blocked by protesters, the company said late Monday. Yanacocha is Latin America's largest gold producer.
Scientists Pinpoint Polar Cataclysm Date
A 30-mile maze canyons in Antarctica was carved out of bedrock by the catastrophic draining of subglacial lakes during global warming between 12 million and 14 million years ago, according to university researchers who warn a similar event today could have serious environmental consequences.
Steorn calls time on application process for scientists to test free energy technology
Steorn, a technology development company, has today announced a cut-off date for scientists to respond to its challenge to take part in a public validation of its free energy technology. The deadline has been set for 12 midnight, September 8th.
Scientists are urgently trying to forecast the next killer hurricanes. The stakes have never been higher. Population is burgeoning along vulnerable coasts in the U.S., Asia, and the Caribbean. In the southeastern U.S., for example, coastal populations grew more than 50 percent from 1980 to 2003. The North Atlantic hurricane nursery, responding to a natural climate cycle, is experiencing a baby boom that isn't expected to end for a decade or more. And behind it all lurks the grim possibility that global warming is making these storms stronger.
It's hard to read the news these days without seeing another story on climate. But the tenor of the coverage has changed markedly -- from "Is it real?" to "What do we do?" Indeed, finding a full-fledged debate about climate change's existence is rare these days. That's progress.
Texas ethanol plant to use corn, milo and manure
The facility will refine 40 million bushels of corn and milo per year into renewable fuel. It also annually will use more than 1 billion pounds of cattle manure to generate steam the plant will use to manufacture the ethanol.
The Birth of Hydrogen Energy in Maine
Nation’s first publicly accessible direct high-pressure hydrogen system unveiled
Maine’s first hydrogen fuel cell was activated today in Wiscasset beginning a new age of energy independence for the state.
Treatment Plant Closes Due to Lack of Carbon
TXU Corp. on Monday stepped up a campaign to win support for its plan to build 11 coal-powered generating plants by meeting with elected officials from dozens of cities across North Texas.
Typhoon Starts Long Sea Journey, Aims for East Asia
A typhoon forming in the Pacific Ocean about 5,000 km (3,100 miles) east of the Philippines is heading for East Asia and could hit in about a week, the Central Weather Bureau in Taiwan said on Tuesday.
US Economy Risks Recession if Oil Rises to $100
Oil prices at 100 dollars a barrel would push the US economy into recession, according to a survey of 195 economists. Terrorism is seen as the biggest threat to the world's largest economy, followed by high energy prices and inflation, said the twice-yearly survey by the National Association for Business Economics (NABE).
US Housing Market Experiencing Turbulence
A soaring housing market has buoyed the US economy, but a gradual descent may become a free fall. While we don’t (yet) expect the housing slump to push the economy into a recession in 2007, the risk is rising.
Wastewater groups ask Supreme Court to reverse D.C. decision
Two wastewater associations are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn an appeals court decision that could impact wastewater plants across the country.
What's Moving the Oil Markets 083006
•-ICE Brent futures in London rose over half a dollar on
Wednesday in anticipation of a draw in crude stocks in the US later in the day
and a slight fall in gasoline stocks, brokers said.
•-In Nigeria, the state security service arrested 15 persons suspected of
terrorizing the Niger Delta region following President Olusegun Obasanjo's
directive to hunt down militants responsible for a spate of kidnappings.
•- The hurricane premium on the crude complex has been neutered as it drifts
away from the oil producing areas off the coast of Louisiana and Texas.
Why the Fed Decided Not to Raise Interest Rates
The following is a meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee was held in the offices of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, August 8, 2006 at 8:30 a.m.
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