Energy Efficiency

FY 2014 Budget Proposal: Significant Investment in Clean Energy Development

In his FY 2014 budget proposal, President Obama increases spending on clean energy development, seeking to expedite R&D and boost cost-competitiveness and deployment of clean energy technologies.   President Barack Obama’s FY2014 budget plan released on April 10, 2013, proposes increases in spending for clean energy production and deployment.  The budget aims to support cost-competitiveness…...

President Obama Proposes $2 Billion Energy Security Trust

President Obama’s proposed Energy Security Trust would divert revenue from federal oil and gas development to fund research and development of alternative transportation fuel technologies. During a speech at the Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois on March 15, President Barack Obama revealed a proposal to set aside $2 billion for the Energy Security Trust, a…...

Bill Richardson on Science and Politics in the US

In his Saturday Keynote speech at the 2013 MIT Energy Conference, Bill Richardson, former Governor of New Mexico, stressed the importance of connecting science and politics to fill the climate change knowledge gap, and proposed a macro-regional American collaboration to promote energy innovation and renewable energy diffusion. In the presence of recently appointed energy secretary Dr. Ernest Moniz, MIT…...

NRG CEO David Crane Offers Top Priorities to Incoming DOE Secretary

On Friday, March 1st, 2013, NRG Energy President & CEO David Crane took the stage at the MIT Energy Conference to offer the Friday Keynote Address to a packed theater.  MIT Energy Initiative Executive Director Melanie Kenderdine moderated the Friday Keynote in a one-on-one Davos-style conversational interview.  In it, she asked Crane to offer his…...

MIT Conference Panelists Ponder the Utility’s Place in our Energy Future

Panelists: Lena Hansen, Principal at Next Generation Electricity Initiative, Rocky Mountain Institute; Bruce Braine, VP, Strategic Policy Analysis at American Electric Power; Terry Boston, President and CEO at PJM; Brendan Endicott, Director of Advanced Demand Response at EnerNOC. Moderated by Dr. Richard Schmalensee, Howard W. Johnson Professor of Management, Emeritus, MIT Professor of Economics At…...

Emerging Markets: Opportunities for Energy Innovation

In the last 20 years, energy innovation has become a global process in terms of education, finance, technology, and markets.  At the 2013 MIT Energy Conference a panel of experts discussed pros and cons of innovative energy solutions in emerging markets. Emerging markets provide attractive opportunities for innovative energy systems.  The competitive advantage of renewable…...

Opportunities in Thermal Efficiency: Combined Heat and Power

On March 2nd, at the 2013 MIT Energy Conference, experts gathered from academia, government, and the business community for a lively discussion about CHP.  Below, we highlight key takeaways from both technology and regulatory perspectives. Combined heat and power (CHP) systems are 30% more efficient than conventional separate heat and power (SHP), thus representing major efficiency opportunities to commercial…...

Bipartisan Policy Center Releases Energy Policy Recommendations Report

A recent report from the Bipartisan Policy Center outlines common ground energy policy recommendations that build on energy abundance and efficiency accomplishments of the U.S.    On February 27, 2013, the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) released a report proposing a set of recommendations intended to serve as a blueprint for establishing strong and diverse energy resource portfolios…....

Business Roundtable Releases Report Outlining Recommendations for Energy Policy

Chief executives of leading U.S. companies released a report outlining recommendations for a comprehensive energy policy framework that would capitalize on the nation’s strengths to enhance self-sufficiency, economic growth, and environmental stewardship. On February 25, 2013, Business Roundtable, a national association of corporate executives, released a report outlining recommendations to devise a comprehensive energy policy…...

SOTU 2013: President Obama Pushes For Climate Change Action

President Obama outlined bold actions to combat climate change, elaborating on his inaugural vow to address the issue.  Obama further pledged to use his executive power to tackle climate change challenges if Congress denied action. At his State of the Union (SOTU) speech on February 12, 2013, President Obama cast a bold vision on climate change…...