Tag: energy independence

By Daniel J. Evans and Jorge Carrasco.  Daniel J. Evans is a former U.S. senator and former Washington state governor.  Jorge Carrasco is superintendent of Seattle City Light and a member of the Alliance’s Commission on National Energy and Efficiency Policy. The U.S. should pursue President Obama’s recommendation to double energy productivity in the next […]

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A WCTA White Paper: J. Thomas Ranken, Washington Clean Technology Alliance, May 2012. See part 1 here. What is Natural Gas? Natural gas is a fossil fuel in gaseous form.  It is not renewable, but relative to other fossil fuels, natural gas is cleaner and can be more efficient.  It has lower carbon intensity, emitting […]

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A WCTA White Paper: J. Thomas Ranken, Washington Clean Technology Alliance, May 2012. See part 1 here. …So Prices are Dropping This dramatic increase in natural gas supply has put great pressure on prices.  In early 2011, John Deutch of MIT noted that “In the United States today, oil is three times as costly as […]

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WCTA Breakfast: Keystone Pipeline Debate, May 3, 2012 Ross MacFarlane of Climate Solutions vs. Scott Farris of TransCanada Pipelines Ltd. “The Obama administration’s decision to reject TransCanada’s pipeline proposal – at least for now – represents an historic win for the environmental movement.” –Jeremy Brecher and Brendan Smith of Grist “I will build that pipeline […]

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A WCTA White Paper: J. Thomas Ranken, Washington Clean Technology Alliance, April 2012.   Is natural gas the new next big thing?  It is being called a revolution in energy and a” game-changer.”  Pulitzer-Prize winning energy researcher Dr. Daniel Yergin claims that “By the beginning of this decade, the rapidity and sheer scale of the […]

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Source:  John Cook, Geekwire, March 23, 2012. Bill Gates is a supporter of nuclear power and thinks we will likely see a nuclear reactor from TerraPower in2022.  Gates has funded the company with Intellectual Ventures founder Nathan Myhrvold.  The reactor will likely be built outside of the U.S. due to the difficulty in obtaining permits.  […]

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Is natural gas the next big thing?  Experts call gas revolutionary and a game-changer.  Pulitzer-Prize winner energy researcher Dr. Daniel Yergin claims that “by the beginning of this decade, the rapidity and sheer scale of the shale breakthrough and its effects on markets qualified it as the most significant innovation in energy so far since […]

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Source:  Kevin Bullis, Technology Review, March 5, 2012. There is bi-partisan support for the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy (ARPA-E).  Last year, Congress voted to increase the agency’s funding by 50 percent.  But the funding is modest:  The 2013 FY request is $350 million–up from $275 million in 2012. Read the […]

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Source: PNNL Press Release, March 1, 2012. Known for carrying green leaves as they march through tropical forests, leafcutter ants also cultivate underground gardens of fungi and bacteria. New PNNL research about the roles bacteria play in those gardens could eventually help scientists turn plants into biofuel. Read the press release here.

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Gubernatorial candidate Jay Inslee has released a 30-page jobs plan as part of his campaign for governor.  His priorities include clean energy, aerospace, the military, small business, information and communication tech, and agriculture.  Representative Inslee (D-WA) serves in the US Congress. Five pages are devoted to Clean Technology.  Read the cleantech portion of the plan […]

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