News from November 2006

SK: Expert wants more research in sustainable development

The Korean government should increase incentives to businesses for environmental protection and invest more in technological research for sustainable development, an expert said yesterday. Chung Hyun-sik, professor of economics at Sungkyunkwan University, told a forum that Korea has made progress in harmonizing economic development and environmental protection, but still has much room to improve.The four-day [...]

The Revolution Will Be Solarized

But Travis Bradford is no hippie idealist. The author of Solar Revolution: The Economic Transformation of the Global Energy Industry spent the early years of his career in corporate acquisitions and private equity funds — not fields that reward irrational exuberance. His book is based on research and analyses done at his Massachusetts think tank, [...]

Greenhouse Gas Is Ramping Up Fast

The latest real-world measurements of carbon dioxide levels in Earth’s atmosphere show that it’s increasing at breakneck speed, despite some preliminary efforts in some parts of the world to rein in fossil fuel burning discovery

Britain could face winter gas shortages

Britain could face a repeat of last winter’s gas shortages and soaring energy prices if a prolonged period of colder-than-average weather sets in this winter, independent analysts Global Insight said on Thursday. reuters

Coal to oil independence becoming a fading dream

With the Democrats taking center stage in policy making, and crude oil prices stuck in the low 60s range, the possibility of a major synthetic fuel alternative development is fading fast. thedesertsun

Costly fuel puts brakes on U.S. drivers

High gasoline prices not only slowed fuel demand growth and cut sales of gas-guzzling vehicles in 2005, they also prompted Americans to drive less for the first time in 25 years, a consulting group said in a report Thursday. msnbc

Gazprom tries to reassure customers ‘there’s enough for everyone’

Gazprom said today that it would have to import increasing volumes of Central Asian gas to meet its commitments to European customers, but denied that it would struggle to meet growing foreign and domestic demand because of shortfalls in supply. guardian

Saudis may use oil market to crush Iran’s funding of militias

Using money, weapons or its oil power, Saudi Arabia will intervene to prevent Iranian-backed Shiite militias from massacring Iraqi Sunni Muslims once the United States begins pulling out of Iraq, a senior security adviser to the Saudi government said yesterday. Interesting comments at end. scotsman

Thorium poised to meet world’s energy needs

At a forum held today at the National Press Club, a group of leading nuclear scientists examined the potential of thorium, a substance similar to uranium but environmentally safer and more plentiful, which could help meet the entire world’s growing energy needs. “A tremendous growth in energy supply will be needed to even come close [...]

GM Boldly Promises Plug-In Hybrid SUV To Deliver 70 MPG

General Motors on Wednesday pledged to roll out the first hybrid vehicle that can be recharged using a standard electrical outlet as it tries to catch up and pass green rivals such as Toyota. CEO Rick Wagoner said at the Los Angeles Auto Show that the world’s biggest automaker is dedicated to developing alternative-fuel, hybrid, [...]