You may have heard a lot of buzz recently about the Smart Grid. But what exactly is this “grid”? Is it “dumb” now and growing “smarter”? (Short answer: yes.) And if so, should we be concerned that The Grid will become too smart for humanity’s own good at some point and try to take control…
Month: February 2013
Coming Soon: the very first ENERGY STAR clothes dryers
What is ENERGY STAR? ENERGY STARĀ® is a brand and certification program created by the EPA to give Americans a comfort level about buying products that would help conserve natural resources (electricity, natural gas, water). Since 1992 they have been attempting to give buyers credible, impartial information about how their purchasing decisions can help reduce…
“If they won’t, I will”
During the annual State of the Union Address on February 12, President Obama made it clear that the time has come to get serious on energy and the environment. In essence, he advised Congress: speak now or forever hold your peace. The President put them on notice that he won’t be shy about using his…
Threat of fiscal cliff spurred new wind energy installations
Wind power has been subsidized by the federal government for 20 years, with several expirations and renewals occurring along the way. The most recent expiration was scheduled to occur December 2012 along with many other federal programs bundled into the fiscal cliff. Many expected the wind subsidy to be renewed (and it was on January…