Secretary Chu Announces U.S. Centers for U.S.-China Clean Energy Research

U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today that two consortia will receive a total of $25 million over the next five years under the U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center (CERC).

200,000 Homes Weatherized in Recovery Act Milestone: Vice President

Vice President Biden has announced that 200,000 low-income homes have been weatherized under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, saving families money, conserving energy, and helping put thousands to work.

DOE Announces Two Million Smart Meters Installed in the U.S.

DOE has announced that two million smart meters have been installed in the United States with support from Recovery Act funding.

Peace Corps to Tackle Grassroots Energy Issues

The U.S. State Department has provided the Peace Corps with $1 million to tackle energy and climate issues by incorporating renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies in Central and South America.

EPA, DOT Propose New Fuel Economy Labels

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are proposing new fuel economy labels for new vehicles and are seeking public comment on the overhauled vehicle stickers.

California Licenses First Solar Thermal Power Plant in 20 Years

The California Energy Commission has approved construction of the Beacon Solar Energy Project, the first solar thermal project in the state to win approval in 20 years. It was part of the state's 2,800 megawatts of solar approved in August.

Speeding Bullet EV from Ohio State Claims World Speed Record

A battery-powered electric vehicle (EV) built by Ohio State University engineering students has claimed a world speed record on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.

United States Used Less Energy, More Renewables in 2009: Report

The United States used more wind power and less fossil fuel in 2009 than 2008, according to a new report from DOE's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Ormazabal will supply more than 3000 distribution transformers for Polish utility Energa

Avoid Asthma - Use Solar Energy

Schneider Electric to showcase solutions at the 25th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition

Schneider Electric announced today its participation at the 25th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC), the world's largest international conference for solar technology, in Valencia, Spain, from September 6-9, 2010. Schneider Electric will display its global solutions for a wide array of photovoltaic (PV) markets including solar farms, large commercial, residential, off-grid and backup power. These solutions range from inverters, switchgear, and monitoring to security products from Schneider Electric's vast offering of electrical and energy management solutions.

Best states for energy efficiency

2010-2011 Hydrogen Student Design Contest Theme Announced

Asia Making Gains on Germany's Inverter Market Leadership

Photon International is reporting that similar to German module manufactures, German inverter manufacturers are feeling the heat from China as well. Even though 6 of the top 10 inverters solar worldwide are manufactured in Germany, the organization says component costs in Germany are much higher than those in China.

Intertek Announces Free Webinar on "Cost of Wind Integration"

The tremendous growth of wind power in the United States is the result of several factors including state Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) as well as the nation's Smart Grid implementation, which requires the electric grid to accommodate and encourage increasing renewable resources.

Growth Energy Gains Four New Producing Members

Growth Energy, the coalition of U.S. ethanol supporters, today welcomed four new producing plants to its membership. The four new producers bring total plant membership up to 64 and will join Growth Energy's 41 Associate Members and more than 18,000 individual Growth Force Members. Growth Energy is the largest coalition of ethanol producing plants in the United States.

France Mulls FiTs, Analysts Mull Impact

Reports indicate France is mulling a 12% reduction in its feed-in tariffs. Analysts break down the reasons (not unexpected) and possible impact to regional solar efforts and individual vendors.

The Best Peak Oil Investments: PTRP

Many investors find the prospect of selecting individual stocks simply too daunting. For those investors interested in investing in peak oil, but uncomfortable with the risks and moral dilemmas inherent in oil company stocks, there is another option: Powershares Global Progressive Transportation Portfolio (PTRP).

Role of key genetic catalyst for human diversity discovered

One of the key drivers of human evolution and diversity, accounting for changes that occur between different generations of people, is explained by new research.

Talented bacteria make food poisoning unpredictable

While we are often exposed to bacteria in our food which could cause food poisoning, we don't always become ill -- why should this be so? New research sheds light on how bacteria use different tricks to aid their survival inside the body, helping to explain why food poisoning can be so unpredictable.

Increase in Cambodia's vultures gives hope to imperiled scavengers

While vultures across Asia teeter on the brink of extinction, the vultures of Cambodia are increasing in number, providing a beacon of hope for these threatened scavengers, according wildlife conservation experts.

Satellite data reveals why migrating birds have a small window to spread bird flu

In 2005 an outbreak of the H5N1 'bird flu' virus in South East Asia led to widespread fear with predictions that the intercontinental migration of wild birds could lead to global pandemic. Such fears were never realised, and now new research reveals why the global spread of bird flu by direct migration of wildfowl is unlikely, while also providing a new framework for quantifying the risk of avian-borne diseases.

Breaking up phosphorus with ultraviolet light may offer a safer, simpler way to build many industrial and household chemicals

Phosphorus, a mineral element found in rocks and bone, is a critical ingredient in fertilizers, pesticides, detergents and other industrial and household chemicals. Now chemists have developed a new way to attach phosphorus to organic compounds by first splitting the phosphorus with ultraviolet light. Their method eliminates the need for chlorine, which is usually required for such reactions and poses health risks to workers handling the chemicals.

Non-invasive therapy significantly improves depression, researchers say

A unique new therapy that applies electrical stimulation to a major nerve emanating from the brain is showing promise for major depression. In a recently completed clinical trial, trigeminal nerve stimulation achieved an average of a 70 percent reduction in symptom severity over an 8-week study.

New self-assembling photovoltaic technology repairs itself

Scientists have created a novel set of self-assembling molecules that can turn sunlight into electricity; the molecules can be repeatedly broken down and then reassembled quickly, just by adding or removing an additional solution.

Backstabbing bacteria: A new treatment for infection?

Selfish bacterial cells that act in their own interests and do not cooperate with their infection-causing colleagues can actually reduce the severity of infection. The selfish behaviour of these uncooperative bacteria could be exploited to treat antibiotic-resistant infections, according to new research.

Lake Michigan ecosystem may crash: 'Doughnut' of phytoplankton disappearing

In 1998, Charlie Kerfoot discovered a "doughnut" of phytoplankton circulating in Lake Michigan, helping to feed the lake's famous fishery. Just 12 later, the doughnut is disappearing, and Kerfoot fears that the lake's ecosystem will crash, taking with it much of the fish biomass.

Induced pluripotent stem cell retain an inactivated X chromosome, study finds

Female induced pluripotent stem cells, reprogrammed from human skin cells into cells that have the embryonic-like potential to become any cell in the body, retain an inactive X chromosome, stem cell researchers have found.

Palin's author neighbor packing up

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Sept. 6 (UPI) -- Author Joe McGinniss, Sarah Palin's next-door neighbor in Alaska since May, says he's heading back East to write the book about her he's been researching.

Little Rock integration figure dies

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 6 (UPI) -- Jefferson Thomas, one of the nine who integrated all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Ark., in 1957, has died, a fellow Little Rock Nine member said.

MLB: Oakland 6, Seattle 2

OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 6 (UPI) -- Coco Crisp collected a pair of RBI and Brett Anderson allowed one run over seven-plus innings Monday in the Oakland Athletics' 6-2 victory over Seattle.


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Wozniacki wins, Kuznetsova bounced in N.Y.

NEW YORK, Sept. 6 (UPI) -- Caroline Wozniacki defeated Maria Sharapova and Svetlana Kuznetsova made an unexpected exit from the U.S. Open in fourth-round action Monday.