Archive for the ‘Policy, Regulatory and Legal Trends’ Category

DARPA Does Biofuels . . . Algae Too

Monday, November 17th, 2008

DARPA is funding research devoted to the affordable production of a surrogate for petroleum based military jet fuel (JP-8) from agricultural or aquacultural crops that are non-competitive with food material. The current solicitation expands the scope of the BioFuels program described in BAA06-43 to additionally focus on: (1) processes for ...

Gulf Oil Opens 285 Station in Massachusetts

Wednesday, November 12th, 2008

Gulf Oil recently opened its first e85 fueling station in New England to service commuters with Flex Fuel Vehicles. This station is an important milestone to expand Massachusetts and New England’s fuel resources, providing greater access to affordable and environmentally friendly alternative fuels. This new station makes it easier for Massachusetts’ ...

Boone Gets A Boondoggle

Tuesday, November 11th, 2008

T. Boone Pickens, the proverbial man with a plan, says Obama made the right call by choosing Rahm Emanuel to be his chief of staff.Congressman Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) is a "BIG supporter" of shifting America's energy economy from oil to natural gas. Emanuel has apparently met with Boone on at ...

California Braces for Thirsty Years Ahead

Monday, November 10th, 2008

For the first time in a more than a decade, California plans to reinstate the drought bank. Over 740 million cubic meters of water could change hands next year. In September, the California Department of Water Resources announced the creation of a 2009 Drought Water Bank. The drought water bank ...

Problems to Be Faced

Friday, November 7th, 2008

The Problem: "Four-fifths of the growth in energy production through 1990 is expected to come from Siberia. In the European part of the USSR, the cost of producing coal is extremely high and reserves will continue to be concentrated in the European part of the USSR and in the Urals, the ...

T. Boone Gets Blown Out of the Water

Tuesday, November 4th, 2008

T. Boone Pickens has delayed work on a state permit to build 170 miles of transmission lines carrying enough wind energy to power 300,000 homes, raising concerns that the much heralded Pickens plan may not pan out as planned. Earlier this year, Pickens ordered nearly 670 turbines for the ...

Building Better Batteries in Colorado

Tuesday, November 4th, 2008

Porous Power Technologies, a Colorado-based lithium ion battery company, has solved a major battery design dilemma by developing a new form of laminatable microporous battery separators. Here is a breakdown of the batteries more compelling attributes: Twice the life and high-draw capacity of lithium-ion batteries Minimal heat output Batteries charge 50% faster ...

Does the Price of Oil Matter?

Sunday, November 2nd, 2008



Transit Agencies Could Be Next Casualty of Credit Crisis

Sunday, November 2nd, 2008

Transit agencies across the United States may need to find billions of dollars to repay investors as long-term financing deals disintegrate, a result of the global credit crisis that could eventually affect millions of commuters. The recent collapse of insurance giant American International Group, which facilitated major financing deals between ...