China to Top US in Energy Use, Pollution

First portable solar panels arrive in Afghanistan

(NEWSER) - The US military may be an unlikely poster child for green energy, but with its fuel supply convoys increasingly under attack in Afghanistan, it's working hard to ditch its dependence on fossil fuels—and source its energy from the sun. Last week saw the arrival of portable solar panels and chargers in Helmand Province, where 150 Marines will no longer run their encampment with diesel and kerosene. The reasons behind the shift are compelling: A recent study found that for every 24 fuel convoys that rumbled through Iraq and Afghanistan, one soldier or civilian involved was killed. More»

(NEWSER) - If the US wants to be, in Barack Obama’s words, the “world’s leading exporter of renewable energy,” it’s got a lot of catching up to do. China is the king of solar, and it’s moving aggressively on the US market, the New York Times reports. Chinese solar companies have cut the price of panels in half, with one company even selling them at a loss to Americans to build market share. More»

Country could be world's leader in clean energy by 2020

(NEWSER) - China is on course to obtain 20% of its energy from wind and solar sources by 2020—a transformation that would make the country the world leader in renewables. Beijing is ramping up its targets for clean energy, helped by the $590 billion stimulus package passed last year, a senior government official told the Guardian. "Due to the impact of global financial crisis, people are all talking about green and sustainable development," he said. More»

*If governments are smart with policies

(NEWSER) - Cutting greenhouse-gas emissions will put a dent in the world's bottom line, but the damage could be minimal with the right economic policies, the International Monetary Fund forecasts. A 60% reduction of 2002 emission levels will reduce global growth by 2.6% come 2040, but the world's economy would still double in size, the Wall Street Journal reports. More»

Shortage spreads to Beijing, Shanghai; government, which controls price, urges calm

(NEWSER) - China may be running on less-than-full tank again as gasoline and diesel shortages spread to Shanghai and Beijing, the AP reports. Long lines are a common sight outside filling stations, which have been plagued by erratic shipments. “We have no diesel available at all,” said one gas station worker. “Once it comes, it will soon run out.” More»