CBS is taking a close look at the Pickens Energy Plan this Sunday; Charlie Rose profiles Pickens on 60 Minutes, Oct. 26, at 7 p.m. ET/PT. Is it politics or truly an attempt to help us better understand how to end our dependence on foreign oil once and for all?  Although I consider 60-minutes a pseudo news program, often too one-sided for my journalistic tastes, a lot of people will be introduced to the rising tide of interest in alternative energy. I wonder how they’ll spin it.
One thing they …

Wind energy is a clean, renewable and cost competitive practical solution to help eliminate our dependence on foreign and domestic oil. And, today Clipper Windpower and BP Wind Energy announced a joint venture agreement for the “Titan Wind Project.” Clipper Windpower is in the business of providing advanced technologies and services for large-scale expansion of wind energy.  It is anticipated that the growth of the wind energy industry will be substantial given it is clearly a viable alternative to inefficient, costly and polluting carbon-based fuel generation.
The following is the press …

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have been around for a while but their manufacturing cost prohibited their practical use for consumer lighting applications. Since LEDs use about 85% less energy and last 30 times longer than conventional light bulbs, many companies have been interested in the technology. Phillips Lighting among them. According to the Wall Street Journal,
Philips Lighting, part of Netherlands-based Royal Philips Electronics, sees LEDs as the future. It has spent $4.2 billion in LED company acquisitions over the past two years. Philips has been one of the largest manufacturers of …

It is no longer uncommon for those using solar energy systems to sell excess electricity generated back to the power companies. It is, however, uncommon to see a local news story about a hardware store owner doing so.
The hardware store owner is located in an ideal area; St. Augustine, Florida. Will we see green shopping centers developed in the near future where all of the retail stores obtain electricity from alternative energy sources? The developer could generate cash flow while stores are temporarily vacant or sell the electricity to the …

On of the key issues facing the environment today is venture capital and funding support from large corporations. Oil Obit Energy News is interested in following the money and we will report on developments in the sector.
Recently, we learned that Shell is providing a $950,000 grant to enable Colorado State University (CSU) researchers to study how best to re-vegetate lands disturbed by energy development. According to Colorado Energy News:
The work will take place on one of Shell’s three federal research, development and demonstration oil shale leases in Rio Blanco County. …

Ardour Capital Investments, LLC and Baker & McKenzie LLP are hosting a energy technology conference on October 16, 2008, at the Baker & McKenzie Conference Center (New York). The following is their press release concerning the event:
Ardour Capital Investments, LLC, a leading research and investment bank focused on Energy Technology / Alternative Energy & Power / Clean & Renewable Technologies in conjunction with global law firm Baker & McKenzie LLP, announce the 6th Annual Energy Technology Conference to be held on Thursday October 16th, 2008. Thirteen companies in the sector …

The following is the MBUSA press release for the Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid
The Mercedes-Benz S400 bluehybrid includes a lithium-ion battery
Mercedes-Benz is launching its first passenger car model equipped with a hybrid drive system in summer 2009 - the S 400 BlueHYBRID. The combination of a modified V6 petrol engine and a compact hybrid module makes the S 400 BlueHYBRID the world’s most economical luxury saloon with a spark-ignition engine. The NEDC combined fuel consumption is a mere 7.9 litres per 100 kilometres. This makes for the world’s lowest CO2 emissions in …