News from January 2006

Increasing Plant Enzyme Efficiency May Hold Key To Global Warming

Global warming just may have met its match. In research recently completed at Emory University School of Medicine, scientists have discovered a mutant enzyme that could enable plants to use and convert carbon dioxide more quickly, effectively removing more greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere. The findings were published online on January 19 and will appear [...]

Scottish & Southern Energy invests in energy fund

Scottish & Southern Energy Plc. said it is investing up to 2.4 million pounds in a fund to support renewable energy projects and technologies that are being developed by companies. The fund, Sigma Sustainable Energies Fund, launched by Edinburgh-based venture capital firm Sigma Technology Group, will also have investments from the European Regional Development Fund [...]

MEPs demand speedy legislation on renewable energy for heating and cooling

The Industry Committee called on the European Commission on Thursday to propose legislation by July to at least double by 2020 the share of renewable energies used in Europe for heating and cooling. Benefits would include more secure energy supplies, reduced demand for conventional energy, a cleaner environment and the creation of jobs in new [...]

NI ‘must point the way on renewable energy’

Northern Ireland must lead the way in developing an alternative energy strategy, Peter Hain insisted today. In a wide-ranging speech at Stormont on the challenges facing the province, the Northern Ireland Secretary confirmed the British government was planning a UTV

Iran to keep supplies up

Iranian Oil Minister Kazem Vaziri told reporters that it will not halt oil exports despite escalating concerns by the West over its nuclear programme. The lingering dispute has seen oil prices push back to near record levels, on the possibility of disruption of supplies from Opec’s second biggest producer ameinfo

Ethanol Fuel Growing in Importance

According to the editors of the Green Car Journal, ethanol motor fuel is picking up momentum and could be on its way to becoming a truly successful fuel alternative for millions of vehicles that otherwise run on gasoline. That’s saying a lot considering the challenges that have always faced alternative fuels, including higher cost than [...]

OPEC Keeps Crude Output Ceiling Unchanged at 28M b/d

OPEC ministers agreed Tuesday to keep their crude oil output ceiling unchanged at 28 million barrels a day, near maximum capacity, amid sky-high oil prices and geopolitical tension. Saudi Oil Minister Ali Naimi said the decision was unanimous. rigzone

Biocatalytic Desulfurization for Bitumen and Heavy Crude

Energy & Environmental Partners, a privately held technology company led by the former President and COO of Clean Diesel Technologies, has launched a new commercial licensing program for US and Canadian patents covering the use of microorganisms for the desulfurization of high-sulfur crude and bitumen petroleum products (biocatalytic desulfurization). greencarcongress

The Top Ten Hybrid Myths

Five years ago hybrid cars were an unknown commodity. Today vehicles powered by a combination of gasoline and electricity are all the rage. Like any new technology, until you get your hands on it — in this case, on the steering wheel — it’s hard to get your mind around it. Most industry analysts predict [...]

The State of Energy

President Bush devoted two minutes and 15 seconds of his State of the Union speech to energy independence. It was hardly the bold signal we’ve been waiting for through years of global warming and deadly struggles in the Middle East, where everything takes place in the context of what Mr. Bush rightly called our “addiction” [...]