The 112th Congress recessed for the 2012 elections in late September and is expected to return for official business on November 13 for the remainder of the year. Several energy- related issues that have been contested during the presidential campaign will be affected by lawmaker action — or inaction — when Congress reconvenes. During this…
On August 29, 2012 the Department of Energy (DOE) announced new investments for two university-led solar projects over a five-year period, under its SunShot Initiative. The investments amounting to $10 million are aimed at enhancing innovative technologies in concentrating solar power (CSP) systems. Such innovations can make solar power a practical energy option by increasing…
By 2025, U.S. vehicles will get 54.5 miles per gallon (mpg), attaining nearly twice the fuel efficiency of current vehicles, providing fuel economy for consumers and setting carbon pollution standards, according to the finalized auto-efficiency standards announced by the Obama administration on August 28, 2012. Auto manufacturers have welcomed the rules, calling it a single…
According to a report released by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on August 27, 2012, applying a carbon tax at the rate of $20 per ton in 2013 and increasing it by four percent per year can raise $1.5 trillion over a span of 10 years. The report, which comes at a time when Congress…
