Here’s one sign that ‘peak oil’ is dead
Google Inc. searches for the idea that once helped propel oil prices to nearly $150 per barrel have dwindled to almost nothing, according to a Sanford C. Bernstein analysis.
Archive for month: September, 2016
Biofuels present solution to harmful airborne chemicals
Ethanol and other biofuels are nontoxic alternatives made from plants that can readily replace the most dangerous petroleum-based additives in gasoline like benzene, toluene and xylene.
Haunted by past oil spikes, commercial and public fleets try alternatives
Fuel-dependent companies like UPS and transit agencies have not forgotten the pain of $4-plus diesel prices. Aided by government grants and other incentives, commercial and municipal fleets are adopting alternative fuels — like propane, compressed natural gas and electricity — more quickly than the general public, say industry experts.
Ethanol: our once and future fuel
As a former General Motors engineer with 34 years of experience in powertrain design and environmental policy, I know how important common sense fuel standards are for the automotive industry.
New CAFE standards help consumers save big
Since 2012 when the current fuel economy rules were put into place, new cars and trucks have made great progress in boosting fuel efficiency. Now, federal and state officials are hoping to build on this progress by finalizing new standards for model years 2022-2025.
Biggest draw in crude stocks this century sees oil prices spike
U.S. commercial crude oil inventories declined by 14.5 million barrels during the week ending on September 2nd, according to the Energy Information Administration’s latest report.
Elon Musk’s solar vision, up for a dicey vote
Tesla Motors’ proposed acquisition of SolarCity is most likely to come down to whether shareholders support Elon Musk in his vision of creating a solar power juggernaut. Yet the deal also raises broader issues of how and when shareholders should vote to approve acquisitions.
Biofuels take flight
Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the fight to bring alternative fuels to our cars and trucks that we forget about another mainstream vehicle that is trapped by dependence on oil — planes.
Fuel subsidies are the world’s dumbest policy
Many things have gotten harder as the world settles into a protracted spell of low oil prices and sluggish growth — from avoiding deflation to creating jobs. One thing has gotten easier, as well as more urgent: eliminating fossil-fuel subsidies.
Fulcrum works to convert trash into biofuel
Fulcrum BioEnergy, a company based out of Pleasanton, Calif., has developed a process to convert household trash into biofuel. The company pioneered a technology that transforms municipal solid waste into low-carbon transportation fuels such as jet fuel and diesel.
