Energy
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Study: There exists enough already-disturbed land in the U.S. suitable for wind to produce 3,500 gigawatts of power – more power than is consumed by the entire U.S. A new study is confirming what many have been suggesting all along; We don’t need to sacrifice wild-lands and pristine wildlife habitat to facilitate renewable energy, it’s…
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The Ivanpah solar thermal project consists of 5.4 square miles of high quality habitat for the Endangered Species Act protected desert tortoise, a fact that developers (and some investors) underestimated resulting in the temporary suspension of activities on phases 2 and 3 of the project site due to construction activities exceeding the incidental take limit…
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It’s a dirty and marginal source of fossil fuel energy- Oil sands of Alberta are bad enough, but they look good compared to Western oil shale. Its development will produce little, if any, net energy, while leaving much waste and giant pits. It takes a lot of water too, and the deposits are in the…
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Four day hearing on the future of the tar sands equipment megaloads are underway in Idaho’s capital city- Residents on Highway 12 and recreation businesses are rallying against the megaloads. Fate of ExxonMobil megaloads at stake in Boise hearings. By John Miller. AP in the Missoulian.
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Threshold Number of ESA Protected Desert Tortoise Killed In Construction of Solar Thermal Plant We just received notice that the BLM has suspended construction of some of the the Ivanpah Solar Thermal Power Plant due to the project reaching its upper limit number of tortoise killed for the Biological Opinion and incidental take limits established…
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Project already blading Mojave desert habitat Google announces its private investment in Brightsource Energy, the proponent of the controversial Ivanpah Solar Thermal Project: Google Solar Project: Google Invests $168 Million In Mojave Power Plant – Huffington Post The commitment announced Monday is part of the financing that BrightSource Energy needs to build a solar power…
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Despite predictions to the contrary, the wind farms did well- Battle-proof Wind Farms Survive Japan’s Trial by Fire. By Kelly Rigg. Huffington Post.
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Wyoming folks love the Wyoming Range and fear fracking- An unprecedented number of comments came in on the Plains Exploration & Production Co.’s (PXP) plan for up to 136 gas wells south of Bondurant near Noble Basin. Most of the Wyoming and adjacent Salt River Range has been withdrawn from oil and gas leasing/drilling by…