After over a decade of fracking, oversight of the industry's radioactive waste is still lacking, reports Sharon Kelly. Over half of the 280 billion gallons a year of radioactive waste water from fracking ends up in rivers and streams.
Fracking's radwaste - supervision remains inadequate Sharon Kelly DeSmogBlog | 22nd April 2014 News Fossil Fuels USA Radiation Health strange-woods.jpg After over a decade of fracking, oversight of …
California and Texas continue to break new ground in making electricity generation from renewable sources, writes Mike G. Solar PV in particular has become a vital part of the US' energy mix, accounting for half of new generation capacity.
California and Texas are mainstreaming renewable energy Mike G DeSmogBlog | 20th July 2014 News Energy Renewables USA Solar Wind austin-tx-solar-sunflowers-cut.jpg California and Texas continue to …
Climate change and tar sands activists opposing Keystone XL need to wake up to a new reality - the pipeline has already been eclipsed by rail transport which is both cheaper and more flexible, writes Justin Mikulka. The expanded production and export of tar sands oil just got a whole lot more likely.
Keystone XL - who needs it? We got a railroad! Justin Mikulka DeSmogBlog | 25th August 2014 News Oil USA Canada Trade Energy Transport oil-by-train-alaska-cut.jpg Climate change and tar sands …
Gas flaring of natural at shale oil wells is carried out on such a scale in North Dakota and Texas that 'phantom cities' show up at night in satellite photos, writes Sharon Kelly. Billions of dollars worth of gas are going up in smoke, adding to CO2 emissions - but far worse for the climate is when the gas is 'vented'. Regulators are doing too little, too late.
US shale oil drillers flaring and venting billions of dollars in natural gas Sharon Kelly DesmogBlog | 20th September 2014 News USA Oil Fracking Gas Regulation Fossil Fuels gas-flaring-nd.jpg Gas …
King Coal's reign is coming to an end, writes Chris Rose, at least as a fuel for generating electricity. Following a price collapse half of all production is being sold at a loss - and major coal users like China are still moving away from the high-carbon fuel.
Tide turning against global coal industry Chris Rose DeSmogBlog | 2nd October 2014 News Coal Fossil Fuels Climate Change China Australia Canada USA Indonesia anglesea-coal-mine-aus-cut-cut.jpg King …
Solar power could be producing over a quarter of the world's electricity within 35 years, according to the International Energy Agency. But in the US, Congress's failure to extend solar tax credits is causing projects to be withdrawn.
IEA: Solar could be world's biggest power source by 2050 Mike G DeSmogBlog | 10th October 2014 News Energy Renewables USA Solar solucar-seville-cut.jpg Solar power could be producing over a quarter …
Oil majors are gearing up to exploit Arctic oil, writes Mike G. But they don't want to carry the costs of all the safety equipment the US Government is demanding to protect the fragile Arctic environment from spills. And they're reluctant to give up the use of toxic chemical dispersants.
… is crucial According to Fuel Fix , "The six Chukchi Sea wells Shell wants to drill have … , while Shell's oil response plan for the Chukchi Sea lists only 9 ships. BP's use of … but was forced to call them off after its Kulluk drilling rig ran aground, costing the …
Floating over the US Southwest is a cloud of methane the size of Delaware, writes Mike G - reflecting the release of almost 600,000 tonnes of the powerful greenhouse gas every year. Its origins? Coalbed gas production, fracking and horizontal drilling.
NASA confirms US's 2,500-square-mile methane cloud Mike G DeSmogBlog | 18th October 2014 News Climate Change USA Fossil Fuels Gas Coal Oil gas-flaring-nd.jpg Floating over the US Southwest is a cloud …
The Walton family, owners of Walmart and Asda, project a 'public environmentalism', writes Mike Gaworecki. But their real agenda is to advance a monopolistic corporate economic model that is threatened by decentralised energy solutions like rooftop solar. The answer? Exterminate!
… international retail colossus Walmart and the UK's Asda supermarket chain - as well as a …
State action on solar power can make a big difference, writes Aaron Viles. Driven by ambitious renewable energy targets and the need to generate local growth industries of the future, five states stand out for their trend-setting policies that are accelerating the US's clean energy transition.
Five US states are leading the way in solar power initiatives Aaron Viles DeSmogBlog | 3rd March 2016 Comment Energy Solar Renewables Finance USA solar-nyc-cut.jpg State action on solar power can …
President-elect Trump's widely anticipated appointment of Exxon's CEO Rex Tillerson as new US Secretary of State is creating a government of, by, and for the oil and gas industry, writes Steve Horn.
Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson new US Secretary of State? Steve Horn DeSmogBlog | 12th December 2016 News Politics Oil Gas Energy Climate Change USA tillerson-putin-cut.jpg President-elect Trump's widely …
Natural gas is meant to be a far lower carbon fuel than coal, writes Steve Horn. But a new study shows that methane leaks from gas power plants and oil refineries are 20-120 times higher than thought. And with methane a greenhouse gas almost 100 times stronger than CO2 over 20 years, the leaks are equivalent to about a tenth of the US's CO2 emissions.
Natural gas leaks from power plants, refineries, 100 times greater than thought Steve Horn DeSmogBlog | 22nd March 2017 News Climate Change Energy Emissions Science USA coyote-springs-cut.jpg Natural …