AMERICA’S NATURAL GAS SYSTEM IS LEAKY AND IN NEED OF A FIX   The first thorough comparison of evidence for natural gas system leaks confirms that organizations including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have underestimated U.S. methane emissions generally, as well as those from the natural gas industry specifically. Natural gas consists predominantly of methane. Even small leaks from the natural gas system are …

UPS TO EXPAND NATURAL GAS FOOTPRINT Thirteen new LNG fueling stations to be operational by the end of 2014 UPS® (NYSE:UPS) announced today plans to invest approximately $50 million to build an additional nine liquefied natural gas (LNG) fueling stations, bringing the total number of stations to 13. Four were announced in April, and all should be operational by the …

In a simultaneous launch on three continents – North America, Europe and Asia – BMW Monday revealed its first all-electric series production vehicle, the i3. The three cities selected for the launch – New York, London and Beijing – indicate where the German automaker believes the best markets for electric cars are in the near future. The three events were …

Replacing synthetic fertilizers with organic ones could help reduce climate impacts and improve agricultural systems By Deirdre Lockwood In efforts to mitigate climate change, we’re more likely to think about changing how we power our cars than how we grow our food. But as University of Washington geologist David R. Montgomery likes to remind people, farming has a huge impact …

Electric cars have gotten all the attention lately, but they’re far from the only vehicles that run on electricity. In fact, the first electric motorcycle appeared in the pages of Popular Mechanics over 100 years ago. However, like early electric cars, they were basically forgotten once gasoline became cheap and easy to get. Now that gas is expensive and people …

Looming on the horizon is a future of high gas prices and disuse for most cars on the road today. More and more drivers are getting on board with alternatively-powered vehicles, and thus, more manufacturers are offering vehicle models outfitted with alternative engines to feed the demand. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, in 2010, vehicle dealers in the U.S. …

KYOCERA and ProVision Solar Help Auto Businesses in Hawai’i Say Aloha to Renewable Energy Four of eight total installations already utilizing sunshine power in Hilo, Kamuela and Captain Cook Kyocera Solar Inc. announced today that it supplied Kyocera solar modules to ProVision Solar that will power a total of eight auto businesses on the Big Island of Hawai’i, making it …

Environmental, Small Business and Farm Leaders Welcome President Obama’s Vow to Reduce Threat Sixty-five percent of Americans think that climate change is a serious problem and a substantial majority support President’s Obama using his authority to reduce its main cause, dangerous carbon pollution, according to a national poll of 1,218 registered voters conducted immediately after last night’s State of the …

Sometimes energy makes headlines, sometimes it doesn’t.  But it almost always has important implications for the global economy, the environment, and our day-to-day lives. Here are 10 energy statistics from 2012 that capture some of the most noteworthy trends of the year, and that will shape the energy world in the years to come. Natural gas, one of the three key fossil …

As Washington hunts ill-defined al-Qaeda groups in the Middle East and Africa, and concerns itself with Iran’s eventual nuclear potential, it has a much more pressing problem at home: Its energy grid is vulnerable to anyone with basic weapons and know-how. Forget about cyber warfare and highly organized terrorist attacks, a lack of basic physical security on the US power …

In the sprawling metropolis of Phoenix, Arizona, traveling via automobile is a hard reality. With gas prices remaining steady, new car buyers are looking for options that can save them money at the pump. Consumers are particularly curious about the Chevy Volt and hybrid vehicles in general. Phoenix Chevy dealers are not only pushing the environmental and fuel saving benefits …

When the idea of the electric car was proposed to minimize greenhouse gases and pollution, the two basic platforms were the hybrid platform and a pure electric platform. When it comes to the latter, the main issue is the low range of operation. While the breakthrough in battery technology is unlikely to happen, students, scientists, hobbyists and of course companies …

Electric Vehicles are popping up all over the automotive landscape as many car manufacturers are getting on board with producing hybrid or all EV cars to meet the growing demand of consumers who want to avoid the gas pump as much as they can or altogether in the case of plug in vehicles. This week in San Francisco EV Week …

The Phoenix International Auto Show promises to be electrifying in more ways than one, thanks to BMW’s continued commitment to hybrid vehicles. While the Motor Trend Auto Show’s website doesn’t reveal the exact BMW models that will be on hand Nov. 22- 25 at the Phoenix Convention Center, BMW may be considered remiss if it didn’t at least showcase a …

American wind power has blown through an historic milestone: 50 gigawatts of electric generating capacity, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). Denise Bode, CEO of AWEA, made the announcement at the recent National Clean Energy Summit in Las Vegas. The 50 gigawatts (GW) online means that U.S. wind turbines now power the equivalent of nearly 13 million American …

It’s not a difficult formula: the lighter a car is, the less fuel it needs to consume. So why aren’t all of our cars lighter and more fuel-efficient? The answer is a little more complicated. These days, drivers want a host of safety, entertainment and comfort features that ultimately make cars heavier. Lighter weight cars are more fuel-efficient, but they …

By Elisa Wood John Lennon wrote that life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans. Apparently, the same is true of energy efficiency. Energy savings happen when we’re busy doing other things – Internet-based things specifically. We use email, bank online and download music not to save energy, but to make life easier and more interesting. …

Drive Green: How Pay-As-You-Drive Insurance Helps the Planet When it comes to driving, going green usually means driving a fuel efficient car or – if you really want to save a few trees and don’t mind waiting for your car to charge – either buying one of those hybrid cars or a fully electric car. Pay-as-you-drive insurance is yet another …

Pretty much everyone wants to save the environment. At least no one is out there advocating that we have a free-for-all with toxins and pollutants. The problem occurs from the choices we have to make: do it green or do it cheaply? Or more easily? I wrestle with that every time I grab a paper towel off the roll. But …

Solar Energy World Brings Sustainability to Soccer Maryland-based solar energy systems provider helps reduce Soccer Dome’s energy footprint In recent years, sports arenas and stadiums have become champions of sustainability for both social and financial reasons. The STAPLES Center, home to the Los Angeles Lakers, has 5% of its total power provided by solar panels, while the Portland Trail Blazers’ …