Imagine if there was a “global thermostat,” which could tune the atmosphere’s CO2 concentration as low or high as desired by parking CO2 in some retrievable form like ice or underground geological reservoirs. Researchers in multiple countries are currently investigation various CO2 capture strategies that focus on extracting CO2 from the air rather than capturing emissions at the point of release – e.g. coal-fired...
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The U.S. Congressional Budget Office released its final analysis of the impact pending clean energy and carbon-emissions regulations are likely to have on the federal budget and deficit for more than a decade. The bottom line is that the planned energy and environmental programs would increase federal revenues by about $846 billion and increase...
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A consortium of oil and gas drilling companies have identified the first offshore area in the United States with characteristics suitable for producing natural gas from methane hydrates, a substance comprised of natural gas and water Methane hydrates are located in seafloor sediments in deep-water oceans, inland lakes and polar sediment on continental shelves,...
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How much will the world need to spend on climate change mitigation technologies to stand any reasonable chance of success? Brace yourself, the estimated costs are nothing short of epic. The most widely cited estimates of additional financing needs for climate change mitigation technologies span a range of $262 and 670 billion annually for...
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Earth’s Ozone Layer captures the sun’s ultraviolet radiation as it streams into the atmosphere shielding us from the genetic ravages of radiation. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), commonly used as refrigerants and propellants since the late 19th Century, inflict severe damage on ozone. NASA researchers have recently developed a model of what would have happened to the ozone if...
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The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce approved the American Climate and Energy Security Act (H.R. 2454) today by a vote of 33 to 25. “This bill will create millions of new clean energy jobs, said Rep. Jay Inslee (D-Wash.), “ harness America’s innovative genius to break our country’s dependence on...
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Global oil demand for 2009 appears likely to be lower now than it seemed likely to be only a month ago, according to the EIA’s “Short-Term Energy Outlook” released yesterday. The EIA projects a fall in global oil consumption of 1.8 million barrels per day in 2009, a decline that is 0.4 million barrels...
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A leaked memorandum created by the Office of Management and Budget concludes that there may be “serious economic consequences” for the EPA’s recent decision to regulate carbon dioxide as a pollutant under the Clean Air Act. The leaked document surfaced today at a Congressional hearing before the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) when Senator...
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