Search results for fracking – The Green Optimistic

Little-Known Treaty Could Delay Catastrophic Climate Warming

Matthew Fiala — Thu, 11 Oct 2018 06:05:50 +0000

Beginning in 2019, a new global pact takes effect that could stave off some of the worst impact of climate warming predicted by the IPCC. The little known treaty, the Kigali amendment, was agreed on October 15, 2016 and comes into force on January 1, 2019. The Kigali amendment will drastically reduce hydroflurocarbons (HFCs), which […]

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Natural Gas Harnessing Could Help Harvest Clean Atmospheric Water

Guest Contributor — Wed, 11 Jul 2018 20:39:54 +0000

Scientists from the University of Texas, Austin, may have figured out a way to kill two environmental birds with one stone. Using waste products in the form natural gas from fracking to collect water stored in the atmosphere could help to reduce environmental pollution and provide clean water as sources become scarcer. So, where can […]

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Ecotricity’s Biogas from Grass Plan Seems Plausible

Jose Aguilar — Tue, 06 Mar 2018 20:22:42 +0000

When considering biogas as a replacement for fossil-fuel-derived natural gas, or a source of fuel for power or heat, there are the arguments of suitability and efficiency. Some dispute vegetation cover conversion into biofuel deprives the biosphere of its C02 filtering capability, and some others think using biomass from land areas with potential for food […]

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7 Reasons Why New Cell-Inspired Membrane Revolutionizes Water Treatment and Metal Recovery

Janina Lazo-Cruz — Fri, 16 Feb 2018 07:54:48 +0000

Gecko’s feet for adhesion, lotus leaf for hydrophobicity, moth’s eyes for reduction of reflectivity in solar cells, and electric eels for power generation – these are just a few examples of how we can study nature and apply them in improving current technologies. This technique is called biomimicry. Researchers in Australia, led by Benny Freeman, […]

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Fracking Could Get Banned in Scotland, Following Public Protests

Guest Contributor — Fri, 06 Oct 2017 08:04:27 +0000

The Scottish government has recently stated that it plans to permanently ban fracking due to the massive desire of the public to outlaw this process. While England has permitted companies to use fracking, Scotland has decided to make a permanent decision and to ban the method, as a result of a prolonged public consultation process […]

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Energy-saving Microfilter for Fracking Water Removes Over 90% Impurities

Janina Lazo-Cruz — Wed, 27 Sep 2017 05:12:38 +0000

An average of more than five million gallons of water are used in a hydraulically fractured well, and only a small portion, around 10 to 15 percent of this water is recoverable during the backflow process. “This makes it very important to be able to re-use this water,” Rice University chemist Andrew Barron said. Researchers […]

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Wind Power Cost vs Fossil Fuels: Who Just Won?

Nicholas Say — Sun, 02 Jul 2017 13:59:23 +0000

For a very long time people have been stuck using fuels that have some serious drawbacks. Coal is dreadful; mining it is dangerous, burning it is toxic and the leftovers are radioactive. The other options aren’t much better. Our best contender for a decent fossil fuel source is natural gas, but moving it around isn’t […]

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Paris Pull Out Meets Fierce Resistance While Southwest US Melts

Nicholas Say — Wed, 28 Jun 2017 19:30:52 +0000

When President Trump decided to pull out of the Paris Accords, the public screamed in opposition to a poorly conceived move. But now, it would appear that state and local officials from across the USA are committing to follow the Paris Guidelines, even if it isn’t official US policy. The Paris Accords were designed to […]

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Quake-Producing Fracking In Pennsylvania Stopped by Company Itself

Ece Polat — Fri, 24 Feb 2017 21:11:24 +0000

The fracking operation of a natural gas company in Pennsylvania was found to cause earthquakes in the western part of the state. The owner of the operation, Hilcorp Energy Co., had the facility very near the earthquakes; however, no damage was reported. Regardless, fracking is known to be a method that can cause earthquakes. During […]

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Why Fracking and Cracking Create Risks to Human Life and so Much More

Nicholas Say — Fri, 24 Feb 2017 19:16:14 +0000

The fracking boom in the USA has received a lot of well founded criticism; it pollutes in just about every conceivable way, and has given rise to dangerous earthquakes in many areas. In addition to all of of that, fracking is engendering a toxic boom of plastic production. The shale gas bodies that fracking targets […]

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An Open Letter to Scott Pruitt, the New Head of EPA

Nicholas Say — Wed, 22 Feb 2017 15:16:56 +0000

Scott Pruitt is no stranger to the EPA, he made it his mission as Attorney General of Oklahoma to sue the federal agency repeatedly for what he calls an, “activist agenda”. Today he took the helm of the EPA, and to say that he faced doubts would be wildly misleading. More than 800 employees at […]

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Methane Emissions From Oil Production Much Higher Than Previously Estimated

Nicholas Say — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 12:38:22 +0000

Lena Höglund-Isaksson has some bad news: it turns out that global oil production released a lot more methane into the atmosphere than previously thought. A study she was the lead author of has just been published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, and in that study she blows the top off a decades old formula […]

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Why does Donald Trump hate the environment?

Nicholas Say — Wed, 18 Jan 2017 20:12:33 +0000

Donald Trump is a worst case scenario for environmentalism, among other things. He is openly advocating for more fossil fuels, more coal, more drilling and more of everything that is absolutely horrible for our planet. The vast majority of the American people don’t want Trump to destroy the environment, castrate the EPA and open up public […]

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Agricultural Soil Impacted by Fracking Chemical Spills

Courtney Lepping — Sat, 04 Jun 2016 20:19:24 +0000

Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) chemicals sometimes end up where they’re not supposed to be: in agricultural soil. Toxic biocides, surfactants, corrosion inhibitors, and slicking agents are some of many types of chemicals used to extract oil and gas from shale and rock. The chemicals aid in extraction, but what happens after a spill? Scientists from Colorado […]

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5 Things Green Energy Can Learn from Shale Fracking

Annika Tostengard — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 19:05:29 +0000

Renewable energy is becoming more mainstream by the day, but the industry still faces great challenges when it comes to actually integrating newer, cleaner technologies. In the United States, the shale fracking industry has long loomed large as a primary source of energy for the last decade or more, in part thanks to assistance from […]

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Hydrogen From Ammonia to Power Fuel Cell Cars

Mila Luleva — Fri, 08 May 2015 19:40:29 +0000

In their search for cheap methods to produce hydrogen to power fuel cell cars, British scientists proposed to derive the precious element from readily available ammonia. The race for becoming the first car manufacturer to start selling fuel cell vehicles is more fierce than ever, with engineers and mechanics at Toyota, Honda, Hyundai and others working […]

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Microbial Battery Cleans Wastewater, Generates Energy

Mila Luleva — Tue, 03 Mar 2015 13:34:08 +0000

A team of US researchers have found a cost effective way to use a microbial battery for cleaning up wastewater discarded during oil and gas operations. With fresh water scarcity becoming more and more of a problem as we speak, any industry that pollutes the “liquid gold” or wastes it in any way, is the […]

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Natural Gas Myths – Natural Gas is “Cleaner”

Benji Jerew — Thu, 20 Nov 2014 22:14:07 +0000

Compared to gasoline and diesel fuel, natural gas is definitely cleaner, and it’s fairly convenient to use in the same engines that fun liquid fuels, but what about lifecycle emissions? Thanks to hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and quick-and-dirty business practices, not to mention the near-absence of regulation, natural gas is booming in many parts of the […]

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Scientists Use Chemical Tracers to Catch Fracking Offenders

Mila Luleva — Thu, 23 Oct 2014 09:28:21 +0000

Scientists developed a new method for detecting contamination that has leaked into the groundwater during fracking. The technique uses chemical tracers, which can lead directly to the source of pollution. Hydraulic fracturing, now already very commonly known as fracking, is a process that continuously loses supporters in the faces of environmentalists and the general public. […]

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Side Effect of a Side Effect – Fracking Sand Mining and Human Health

Benji Jerew — Thu, 02 Oct 2014 17:21:32 +0000

Fracking, colloquial for hydraulic fracturing, has led to a great boom in natural gas production, and therefore prices. Unfortunately, fracking has also led to a similar “boom” in side effects. Natural gas emits slightly less carbon dioxide than petroleum does, and far less than coal, but is still a fossil fuel. One might hale the […]

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Solar Power vs Natural Gas – H1 2014 Numbers are Surprising

Benji Jerew — Wed, 17 Sep 2014 13:39:59 +0000

As American energy-needs continue to increase, new energy sources are required to fill in the gap, among them solar power, wind power, natural gas, and coal, to name a few. Looking at the last fifty years of renewable energy in the United States, however, renewable energy, such as wind power and solar power, really only […]

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Undersea Methane Plumes – No Effect on Climate Change, Yet

Benji Jerew — Tue, 26 Aug 2014 22:18:03 +0000

There are a number of greenhouse gases (GHG) tied to climate change, and finding new sources of them is somewhat of a concern. We’re most familiar with carbon dioxide (CO2), but there are others, including methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and ozone (O3), as well as a number of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC). Many of these are […]

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Fracking Operations Self-Police About as Well as Meth Labs

Benji Jerew — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 17:09:47 +0000

Who watches fracking operations? Not the regulators, apparently! So, apparently there’s this new method to extract natural gas from deep underground, bringing to the surface sweet fossil fuels. Depending on who you listen to, hydraulic fracturing, known as “fracking” for short, is either an extension of mankind’s ability to make money using fossil fuels, or […]

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Fuel Cell Vehicle Myth Eight – Hydrogen Fuel IS Emissions Intensive

Benji Jerew — Fri, 01 Aug 2014 17:31:35 +0000

Some have pointed at fuel cell vehicles as yet another in a slew of “greenwashed” vehicles, but a careful consideration of the facts should help to dispel some of the myths surrounding this new technology. Part of the problem is that, in spite of the fact that hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, much like battery electric […]

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Fracking, “Done Right,” says UK Business and Energy Minister

Benji Jerew — Tue, 29 Jul 2014 14:45:42 +0000

Three years ago, unusual seismic activity forced fracking operations to cease operation in many parts of the UK, but that ruling is being overturned. Starting today, oil companies can bid on shale gas exploration rights, vis-à-vis, fracking, which is short for hydraulic fracturing. On the one hand, allowing for oil exploration seems to be a […]

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Solar Powered Hydrogen Fuel – The Rebellion

Benji Jerew — Wed, 18 Jun 2014 16:07:25 +0000

Hydrogen fuel cell and battery electric vehicles have one very important thing in common: they’re both emissions-free sort of. While it’s true that hydrogen fuel cell and battery electric vehicles do not generate any emissions in themselves, their upstream emissions cannot be ignored. Really, it all depends on where the power grid gets its electricity […]

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How Environment vs Economy Could be a Win-Win Situation

Benji Jerew — Wed, 04 Jun 2014 15:31:23 +0000

Every time someone, whether it be scientists, the federal government, or environment activists, suggest that we need to cut emissions and reduce pollution, the other side of the argument is always, “but it’ll ruin the economy!” The short answer to that retort is, perhaps reflected best in the words of Elon Musk (regarding hydrogen fuel […]

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Revealing Fracking Chemistry Could be a Felony in North Carolina

Benji Jerew — Fri, 23 May 2014 16:45:39 +0000

If there is anything to make it clear who fracking companies have in their pockets, it has to be the latest bill introduced in North Carolina. Fracking, short for hydraulic fracturing, refers to a process used to extract petroleum products from deep underground, mostly natural gas. Natural gas, as a fuel, emits less carbon dioxide […]

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Anti-Fracking Politician Called “Terrorist”

Leigh Hutchens — Wed, 07 May 2014 20:33:24 +0000

Rep. Jared Polis (Democrat-Colorado) thinks local communities should be able to decide how fracking is regulated in their area – if it’s permitted at all. According to the chair of the Colorado Republican Committee, Ryan Call, this makes Jared Polis a terrorist. Polis is among backers of an initiative proposed for November that would increase […]

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Renewable Energy has Always Been Favorable, but Reasons Keep Changing

Benji Jerew — Fri, 02 May 2014 17:40:10 +0000

According to research don’t by a think tank in Europe, renewable energy technologies have always found a soft spot in our hearts, but the reasons keep evolving. Depending on who you ask, and when you ask, you might get very different reasons for people’s support of renewable energy technologies, such as wind power, solar power, […]

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UK Wind Power vs Fracking, Conservatives Withdraw Promise of Green Government

Benji Jerew — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 15:08:34 +0000

With the energy future, mainly wind power vs hydraulic fracturing (fracking), of the United Kingdom in play, the same game between the politicians (read: big money) and the public good is being played out. Wind power is overwhelmingly and consistently popular with the public, while fracking is, unsurprisingly, not on anyone’s “A”-list, unless you’re a […]

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Green Car Rankings, an Overview

Benji Jerew — Fri, 25 Apr 2014 17:00:41 +0000

Wait, don’t jump the gun and says, “solar electric” is the green car with the best carbon dioxide emissions. Well, you’re right, but bear with me, it’s a little more complicated than that. Lifecycle emissions, even for green cars, include manufacturing, recycling, as well as fuel extraction and refining. For electric vehicles, you’d have to […]

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Court Ruling Could Set “Bad” Precedent for Fracking Operations

Benji Jerew — Thu, 24 Apr 2014 16:48:39 +0000

Fracking companies have consistently asserted their operations are clean, and some courts have even held up “company rights,” but a new court ruling could end all of the bickering. Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is perhaps the latest, “greatest,” innovation in natural gas extraction. Increased use of natural gas could be the key in stepping over […]

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Carbon Dioxide Emissions of Various Energy Sources

Benji Jerew — Wed, 16 Apr 2014 16:14:46 +0000

According to climate change scientists, reduction of carbon dioxide emissions is an absolute necessity to address the source of the problem, if it isn’t too late to do anything about it. According to the EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency) about one third of US carbon dioxide emissions are generated in industry and power production. Considering […]

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Fracking Methane Emissions Much Higher than Estimated

Benji Jerew — Wed, 16 Apr 2014 14:52:52 +0000

Hydraulic fracturing, also known as “fracking,” has been hailed by some as the key to reducing carbon dioxide emissions, but condemned by others because the practice can be highly polluting. Could it be, as well, that fracking is actually responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than the natural gas reduces? Theoretically, because natural gas in […]

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Could Fracking Actually Be Good for Climate Change?

Benji Jerew — Mon, 14 Apr 2014 14:59:56 +0000

I’m having a hard time seeing how this is possible, but could fracking for natural gas actually be good for climate change? According to all research on the subject, climate change is being effected by a drastic increase in carbon dioxide emissions, specifically since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution was fired, […]

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Carbon Dioxide Replaces Water In Fracking, Potentially Making The Process “Greener”

Mila Luleva — Tue, 08 Apr 2014 19:27:11 +0000

Regardless of what governmental officials say, hydraulic fracturing, most commonly referred to as fracking, is not green. Not only that it leads to ground water contamination, denigrated air quality, and raised CO2 levels, the process also uses up as much as 2 million gallons of water per year. New research conducted by General Electric Co. brings […]

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Republican Frank McNulty Against Colorado Fracking Health Risk Study

Benji Jerew — Tue, 25 Mar 2014 15:01:09 +0000

Big money and politics are at work again, and Colorado drinking water is at more risk than ever, thanks to a blocked health risk study proposed regarding hydraulic fracturing (fracking). Last week, Colorado House Bill 1297 was proposed, sponsored by Democrat Joann Ginal, who said, “There is lack of data on health risks” related to […]

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Scientists Produce Cheap Liquid Fuel From Natural Gas, Replacing Petroleum

Mila Luleva — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 17:24:42 +0000

It is often that we hear of the latest super-method to produce cheap and clean fuel using cheap materials, but it is not too often that Reuters tells us about it after the technology has been just revealed in the journal Science. Now, this sounds big, and it definitely deserves some attention. The news comes […]

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Survey Says Young People Approve of Wind Power but Not Fracking

Benji Jerew — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 17:05:59 +0000

With all the problems associated with fracking, it should come as no surprise that the polls are heavily against the practice. A recent survey conducted in the UK, “Public Attitudes to Science 2014,” asked a total of 1,749 adults their attitudes on science in their lives. Topics included how much science they hear about on […]

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Ohio Earthquakes Trigger Cease-Fracking Order

Benji Jerew — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 22:16:03 +0000

In the last week, eleven earthquakes have been felt in Northeastern Ohio, prompting authorities to order local fracking operations to halt. Fracking (colloquial for hydraulic fracturing, a controversial method to extract natural gas) companies insist they’re not causing any problems. With regards to possible water contamination, for example, companies insist the witches-brew of chemicals they pump […]

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Fracking Company Secrets: 1, Wyoming Residents’ Health: 0

Benji Jerew — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 14:24:55 +0000

You’ve got to hand it to the lawyers on this one. In spite of pretty much everyone’s stance on good health, fracking companies don’t have to disclose what’s getting into the water. Aside from being linked to earthquakes, which are becoming more frequent in areas that have never had them before, fracking is also linked […]

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Recycling – Human Waste to Hydrogen Fuel

Benji Jerew — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 17:23:16 +0000

As hydrogen fuel cell vehicles get closer to production, refueling stations are going to be needed. For fueling stations, of course, a fuel source is necessary. While the gasoline and natural gas infrastructure is fairly ubiquitous, hydrogen fuel infrastructure is still somewhat behind. Some suggest that the existing natural gas network could be used, while […]

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Explosion at Chevron Fracking Site Wins Residents ‘Free’ Pizza

Mila Luleva — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 05:29:43 +0000

How much would you pay to compensate people living around a fracking site that has just had a big explosion, leading to one death and making hundreds of residents scared as hell? You give them all a free pizza! Apparently, this is what people deserve for being exposed to all sorts of environmental threats that […]

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Obama Announces Push to Address Climate Change

Benji Jerew — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 19:16:04 +0000

Many people recognize that climate change is happening, and that it’s our fault, but not everyone agrees which direction we need to go. Here, in the United States, President Obama is fighting to maintain a delicate balance between clean energy, addressing climate change, and energy independence, addressing national sovereignty. In his annual State of the […]

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Is Pope Francis an Environmentalist?

Leigh Hutchens — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 08:04:11 +0000

Pope Francis gave us all a big clue when he chose to name himself after Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and the environment. He also hates fracking and likes public transportation. Could the new pope be a hippie? Since Pope Francis’ election in March 2013, he has made many statements in defense […]

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MoveOn Recruits “FrackingFighters” to Combat Climate Change

Leigh Hutchens — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 08:38:08 +0000

The online, left-leaning, progressive organization Move On plans to recruit FrackingFighters to support anti-fracking movements across the US and will provide funding and training to 100 activists to do so. The initiative seeks to slow down the fracking boom that is anticipated to occur across the U.S. in 2014 and beyond. MoveOn has been inspired […]

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Anti-Frackers Use Wind Turbine Blade to Block Drill Site

Leigh Hutchens — Wed, 18 Dec 2013 04:59:27 +0000

In a dramatic protest on Monday in Manchester, 50 British fracking protesters delivered a 56-foot wind turbine blade to a test drilling site at 5:30 a.m. to block the entrance before police arrived. The British government is working in tandem with big energy companies to build more gas-fired power stations across the U.K. Activist Sandra […]

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Fracking Protesters Could Be Treated as Terrorists

Danny Harper — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 13:39:02 +0000

On November 13th, the COO of Eagleridge Inc. came to a Homeowners Association meeting in Mansfield, Texas with an armed security escort in tow. He confidently took the podium and told the residents in attendance that anyone who protested his company’s gas wells, many of which are less than 200 feet from homes and schools, will end up […]

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Wind Power is More Cost Effective Than Fossil Fuels

Benji Jerew — Mon, 09 Dec 2013 20:58:06 +0000

Looking at a wind farm, including land purchases, wind turbines, and transmission gear, one might come to the conclusion that wind power isn’t all that cost-effective, but not once you figure in the ongoing costs. What ongoing costs? Exactly none, is the point that Stephen Byrd made in the November Columbia Energy Symposium. Mr. Byrd […]

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California Fires Warning Shot in the Battle Against Fracking Waste

Leigh Hutchens — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 10:35:51 +0000

On November 15th, Vintage Productions of Kern County, a southern California oil company, was fined $60,000 after being caught on camera dumping fracking waste into an open well site. An area farmer, Tom Frantz, caught workers from the company dumping a black liquid discharge into an unlined, open pit on the well site in Shafter, […]

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New York City “Benefits” from Cheap Pennsylvania Natural Gas

Benji Jerew — Thu, 28 Nov 2013 17:55:04 +0000

Those who use natural gas for heating, cooking, and even transportation, generate fewer greenhouse gas emissions than traditional propane, gasoline, or diesel fuel. Thanks to the abundance of natural gas, these user also spend much less on fuel for the same tasks. Building owners in New York City, for example, have been upgrading their systems […]

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Could Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles Really Be the Future?

Benji Jerew — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 15:19:39 +0000

Given that many automakers are putting a lot of R&D [Research and Development] money into hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, can we be certain that they ARE coming, but will they be the future? Right now, the only hydrogen fuel cell vehicle in production is made by Honda Motor Company, and still in very small numbers. […]

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Science Textbooks Not Safe from Oil and Gas Industry

Leigh Hutchens — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 11:36:36 +0000

A Texas watchdog group is calling out supporters of the oil and gas industry for attempting to disrupt the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) vote on which science textbooks will be used in the state’s schools. The SBOE has been painstakingly deciding what textbooks to approve. Much of the debate, and news focusing on […]

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U.S House Bills Propose Major Oil and Gas Deregulation

Danny Harper — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 08:21:31 +0000

The Federal Lands Jobs and Energy Security Act is a controversial series of oil & gas deregulation bills currently being proposed by the Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives. Here is a quick run-down of the key points within the Act: $5,000 fee to file an official protest for proposed drilling projects Directs the Department of […]

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Elon Musk Calls “Bull5h17!” on Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles, Munich, Germany [VIDEO]

Benji Jerew — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 16:33:02 +0000

Word Association: Hydrogen Fuel Cell → Platinum, Compressed, Electric, Expensive, Electrolysis. This were the first words that came to my mind when I wrote “Hydrogen Fuel Cell,” but the first word that comes to the mind of Elon Musk, South-African billionaire entrepreneur and CEO of electric vehicle startup Tesla Motors, is “Bull5h17!” Granted, this is […]

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Two New Nuclear Reactors Contracted in the UK, the First in Decades!

Benji Jerew — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 20:29:04 +0000

The 1970s and 1980s were good years for nuclear reactor construction in the UK, but most of them are going to retire in the next decade. The UK’s sixteen nuclear reactors currently provide some 19% of the energy, 70TWh [terawatt-hours], used in the country, which doesn’t including the 12TWh imported from France, which is mostly […]

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Diesel-Natural Gas Hybrid Engines, Going the Distance

Benji Jerew — Wed, 09 Oct 2013 17:48:15 +0000

With the recent boom in natural gas production in the United States and other parts of the world, it is no wonder that engineers are looking to use the new fuel in expanded capacity. It’s not as if natural gas is new, as it’s been in use for at least a couple centuries, but production […]

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Fracking Wastewater Found to be Polluted, Even Radioactive – Duke University

Benji Jerew — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 18:23:51 +0000

The recent boom in fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, to extract natural gas, has led to low natural gas prices, which is a good thing, supposedly, for the economy, but it seems like we’re going to have to pay for those low prices in other ways. Fracking, in principal, is easily explained. A well is drilled […]

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Methane Worse Than CO2 as Greenhouse Gas – Fracking Makes it Even Worse

Leigh Hutchens — Sat, 05 Oct 2013 01:41:14 +0000

Methane (CH4) is a far more dangerous greenhouse gas than CO2, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The IPCC’s latest report, released this past Monday, reports that methane is 34 times stronger a heat-trapping gas than CO2 over a 100-year time scale. Methane’s current global-warming potential (GWP) is 34, nearly 40% increase […]

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Lawsuits Filed Over Fracking-Related Earthquake Damage in Arkansas

Leigh Hutchens — Fri, 20 Sep 2013 03:58:35 +0000

Hydraulic fracturing, or the forcing open of fissures in underground rocks by injecting liquid at high pressure in order to extract oil and gas, is extremely controversial and environmentalists have always argued that the risks of fracking are not worth the rewards. In what is probably a first, residents in Arkansas are suing Chesapeake Energy […]

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Tesla Motors Patents a Dual-Battery Electric Vehicle Design for More Range

Benji Jerew — Thu, 19 Sep 2013 20:10:42 +0000

Take a quick peek through the Tesla Motors archives, and I’m fairly certain you won’t find anything resembling an electric vehicle range extender like Fisker Karma or Chevy Volt. Go ahead, I’ll wait… Wait, gasoline, in an electric vehicle? What kind of craziness would that be? Still, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk isn’t above range […]

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Exxon Mobile Busted Again for Environmental Infractions

Leigh Hutchens — Wed, 18 Sep 2013 04:24:31 +0000

Earlier this week, news came out that in 2010 XTO Energy, Inc., an Exxon Mobil Fracking company, received an unexpected visit from the Environmental Protection Agency and failed the surprise inspection. Very very badly. It’s only now that the gravity of the results are coming out. The violations the EPA discovered were vast, including illegally […]

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What is Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking), Anyways? [Video]

Benji Jerew — Thu, 12 Sep 2013 17:05:14 +0000

As petroleum reserves extracted by typical methods begin to run dry, many opportunistic petroleum companies have turned to hydraulic fracturing to extract natural gas located in more difficult locations. Natural gas hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, has become more common in the last decade or so, and a buzzword in political, economic, and environmental conversations, alike. […]

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Two Independent Studies Link Fracking To Increased Seismic Activity

Mila Luleva — Fri, 06 Sep 2013 14:28:04 +0000

New evidence that links hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, to increased seismic activity, has posed additional threats from water contamination and pollution to citizens living nearby drilling sites. Two independent research groups revealed that disposal of wastewater used in the process of gas extraction triggers shifts in earthquakes epicenters and initiates ground-shaking in areas, where it […]

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Studies Identify High Risks Of Groundwater Contamination Near Fracking Sites

Mila Luleva — Mon, 19 Aug 2013 16:26:04 +0000

As the number of fracking sites increases with numerous new planning permissions for drilling being issued almost every day, the concerns over safety and water contamination trigger even more protests and debates. Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking in short, is a technique of shale gas and oil extraction through injecting a mix of water, sand and […]

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Experts Say Fracking Accelerates Global Warming

Leigh Hutchens — Wed, 14 Aug 2013 02:21:15 +0000

It turns out, none of the hullabaloo about fracking being positive and slowing climate change is true. For some time, fracking has had a reputation for curbing global warming since burning gas emits half as much carbon dioxide as the same amount of coal. The numbers associated with fracking looked good, too. After initially embracing […]

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Natural Gas Fracking Linked to Increased Seismic Activity

Benji Jerew — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 16:34:17 +0000

Natural gas extraction techniques vary, but fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, has been linked to water pollution, methane emissions, and even increased seismic activity [read: Earthquakes]. Fracking has turned out to be very controversial. Fracking is an extraction process that involved injecting pressurized fluids into the shale layer of stone containing natural gas or petroleum. The […]

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DOE Announces Safeguards to Protect Energy from Climate Change

Leigh Hutchens — Sat, 13 Jul 2013 02:54:13 +0000

On Thursday, the US Department of Energy (DOE) released a report that stated that action must be taken to address the increasing number of blackouts and disruptions to power and fuel delivery across the nation. The droughts of 2013, coupled with hotter temperatures across the country and rising sea levels are impacting the ability of […]

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British Government Plans to Encourage Fracking, People Oppose

Mila Luleva — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 18:33:41 +0000

British governmental officials are about to announce the results from research conducted by the British Geological Survey on quantities of trapped gas in the rocks under Lancashire and Yorkshire. The estimated amounts are much greater than initially thought, with more than a trillion cubic feet of gas at each site. The UK government is also […]

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German Beer Purity Threatened by Fracking for Shale Gas, Brewers Protest

Ovidiu Sandru — Tue, 28 May 2013 07:31:15 +0000

You don’t mess with Germans when it comes to beer purity. Period. An official letter was sent to Berlin officials by brewers, stating their concern that fracking (to extract shale gas) could endanger the water supply that beer is made from, and change its composition. This will breach a 497-year-old law called “Reinheitsgebot” (Beer Purity […]

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Oil Production Surges with Technological Advances, Biofuel Interest Wanes

Leigh Hutchens — Thu, 16 May 2013 02:28:08 +0000

Oil production is taking off, much to the surprise and chagrin of proponents of biofuel. The United States could see a surge in oil production that could make it the world’s leading oil producer within the next 10 years, according to a new report from the International Energy Agency. Several years ago, experts posited that […]

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Impact of Methane Emissions On Climate Understated

Mila Luleva — Thu, 09 May 2013 19:13:20 +0000

The impact of methane as a greenhouse gas has been severely understated, as the amount that can be released through fracking has been projected for an 100-year period. Considering that emitted methane can last in the environment for just over eight years, governmental decisions about shale gas exploration have been highly criticised. Politicians are said […]

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Could Fracking Cut Carbon Emissions?

Leigh Hutchens — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 03:48:54 +0000

US carbon emissions have fallen quite a bit as a result of fracking. Good news? There’s a catch 22. Energy companies across the country are in the process of extracting gas from shale rock using hydraulic fracturing techniques, otherwise known as fracking. Gas-fired power stations emit 50% less carbon dioxide per kilowatt-hour of electricity as […]

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Carbon Emissions More Likely to be Curbed during Obama’s Second Term

Leigh Hutchens — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 07:20:03 +0000

President Obama still has an uphill battle with Congress on limiting carbon emissions, but he may be able to achieve more progress on curbing emissions by using Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulation. Due to reelection and shifting political agendas and economic conditions, Obama may actually be in a better position now to endure the confrontation […]

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Wastewater from Hydraulic Fracturing Wells Much Less Than Thought

Mila Luleva — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 22:12:50 +0000

The process of hydraulic fracturing includes injecting of large volumes of water, sand and chemicals deep underground into gas wells at high pressure to crack open shale rock and extract its natural gas. Recently it has been established that the amount of wastewater from hydraulically fractured natural gas wells is much lower than this coming […]

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Graphene Oxide Offers New Hope for Water Decontamination

Benji Jerew — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 17:31:58 +0000

Water is the universal solvent on the planet, and without it, minerals and nutrients can’t be transported. Life would cease to exist. This property of water, though, means it also transports and disperses toxins just as easily, including radioactive materials. Cleanup around nuclear sites, such as the recent disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power […]

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Global Alternative Energy Sector in a Depression Due to Natural Gas

Leigh Hutchens — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 05:58:05 +0000

The global alternative energy sector is in a depression. Alternative energy investments aren’t looking so good, and the private and public sectors around the world have lost billions of dollars. According to experts, hydraulic fracturing, or fracking as it is called, is responsible for collapsing green energy initiatives globally because it has greatly reduced the price of […]

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Excess Greenhouse Gas Found Near Fracking Site in Queensland, Australia

Mila Luleva — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 14:58:11 +0000

Researchers from Southern Cross University found excess quantities of greenhouse gases in the area near Tara gas field in Queensland, Australia’s biggest coal seam gas field. Environmental scientists call for freezing the plans for hydraulic fracturing in the region until it is established whether this could contribute to climate change. The measured quantities are three […]

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MIT Scientists Scavenging the Power of Volcanoes… Safely, They Say

Ovidiu Sandru — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 17:02:24 +0000

An MIT report submitted to the DOE forwards the idea of scavenging the power of volcanoes for electricity, safely. In short, they want to inject water inside a dormant volcano in Oregon at pressures that could trigger earthquakes. However, MIT claims that the new technologies they use will not generate any crust movement. The MIT […]

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Possible Contamination of Drinking Water from Fracking Operations

Maria Reyes — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 05:58:52 +0000

Can fracking operations contaminate drinking water? Findings of recent geological studies generate many disputes on the safety claims of the hydraulic fracturing industry. Hydraulic fracturing involves directing pressurized fluid onto deep shale of rocks to break them open in order to release the trapped methane gas inside. Geologists guauuuurantee this process will not contaminate the […]

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Underground Carbon Storage Could Cause Earthquakes, Scientists Warn

Ovidiu Sandru — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 10:08:57 +0000

A part of the scientific community involved in plans for recovering the state of the climate change we’re transitioning has been relying for a while on large scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) as the most viable way to offset carbon emissions by burying carbon underground, in saline aquifers. Two Stanford researchers, Mark Zoback and […]

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Could Fracking for Methane Have Caused the Recent Italy Earthquakes?

Ovidiu Sandru — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 14:06:04 +0000

You probably heard about Italy’s recent earthquakes and their aftermath. While it’s highly possible that the event had natural causes, there is also the possibility that methane extraction facilities nearby the epicenter have something to do with it. They employ a method called “hydraulic fracking” to crack the rocks beneath the soil by means of […]

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Vitamin B12 Helps Scientists Build New Cheap Hydrogen Fuel Cells

Ovidiu Sandru — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 16:08:42 +0000

Vitamin B12 has recently been determined as one of the many solutions for cheaper hydrogen fuel cells, that convert hydrogen into electricity and have water as their only output. Because they currently use platinum, hydrogen fuel cells are being expensive – much over the price of lithium ion batteries, for example. The research, performed by […]

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