One Man's Coffee Grounds Are Another's Biodiesel

Beacon Power adds to Obama administration's post-Solyndra woes

(NEWSER) - More potential trouble for the Obama administration: On the heels of Solyndra, another federally-backed power company has gone bankrupt. A year ago, Beacon Power received a $43 million loan guarantee from the Department of Energy, Reuters reports. The company drew down $39 million of that loan for a $69 million energy storage plant in Stephentown, New York. But the Energy Department says Beacon Power's woes aren't quite as bad as Solyndra's: The New York plant is still running despite the bankruptcy, marking a contrast to Solyndra’s shutdown. More»

People without driveways or garages have nowhere to charge

(NEWSER) - If electric cars are ever going to put a meaningful dent in America's fuel habits, cities must start getting proactive now, writes Robert Gammon. Automakers are busy preparing plug-ins for the road, but the logistics of keeping them charged will leave many buyers out of the loop. Specifically, apartment and condo dwellers and urban homeowners without driveways or garages are largely out of luck—they have no place to park the car overnight and let it charge. More»

Executive order requires federal agencies to reduce waste, conserve energy

(NEWSER) - Federal agencies have until 2020 to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 28% under an executive order President Obama signed today. The order also calls for improvements in energy efficiency, water conservation, and waste reduction. "As the largest energy consumer in the United States, we have a responsibility to American citizens to reduce our energy use and become more efficient," Obama said before signing the order. More»

(NEWSER) - Once considered a win-win for the environment and energy independence, America’s biofuel industry is sputtering to a halt, the Wall Street Journal reports. Thanks to the recession, lower oil prices, and government delays, two-thirds of American biodiesel refineries—dozens of plants—are idle, and companies across the country are shutting down. The crisis could scare investors away from newer technologies more promising than much-maligned corn-based ethanol. 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»