China's world leadership on clean energy investment a "Sputnik moment" for U.S.

U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu has described China's world leadership on clean energy development as a "Sputnik moment" for the United States. Chu said "America still has the opportunity to lead in a world that will need essentially a new industrial revolution to give us the energy we want inexpensively but carbon-free...[b]ut I think time is running out." Of course, nuclear power is anything but inexpensive or quick to deploy -- and just as important as a carbon-free energy future, is a nuclear-free one.

World's largest solar energy project destined for California

The U.S. Department of the Interior has announced approval of what would become the world's largest solar energy project, to be built in Blythe, Southern California. The four massive plants costing $1 billion each would, when completed, generate up to 1,000 megawatts of energy, enough electricity to power up to 750,000 average American homes. The 1,000 megawatt output is equivalent to one nuclear power plant but at a considerably cheaper construction price tag with single nuclear reactor units potentially costing between $9 billion and $12 billion each at minimum.

French "nuclear miracle" plagued by fast-rising reactor costs and "crowding out" of renewables

A new study by Dr. Mark Cooper of Vermont Law School, released today, warns "it is highly unlikely that the problems of the nuclear industry will be solved by an infusion of federal loan guarantees and other subsidies to get the first plants in a new building cycle completed. U.S. policymakers should resist efforts to force the government into making large loans on terms that put taxpayers at risk in order to ‘save' a project or an industry that may not be salvageable." The press release contains a link to the executive summary and the full report. Steven Thomas of Greenwich University in London, expert on Electricite de France and Areva economic woes, joined Dr. Cooper for the press conference, a full audio recording of which can be found at www.nuclearbailout.org after 6 p.m. today.

The warm power of the sun at a Connecticut vineyard

Smart vineyard owners in Connecticut are powering their wine growing business entirely from solar energy. Watch the video.

Why nuclear power is not green

Even if nothing goes wrong, the best we can do with the byproducts of our nuclear industry is dump it in containers - most only guaranteed to endure for fifty years - and then dig a hole in the ground, erect a fence and instruct people not to go there, while time breaks down what we cannot. This is not green. Justmeans.com.