BOSTON - When the sun sets or the wind dies down, renewable energy sources get a lot less reliable. That's why large-scale electricity storage technologies are being pursued by a number of energy technology companies. Although none of these technologies are commonplace, they could fill a niche in the booming solar and wind industries and
LANSING ? Michigan House Great Lakes and Environment Committee Chair Rep. Rebekah Warren (D-Ann Arbor) said Tuesday that she intends to begin voting at the committee's regular meeting Wednesday on a package of bills to implement the Great Lakes Compact. So far the House package has drawn fire from business groups as placing too many
LANSING - On the eve of Consumers Energy getting granted local tax abatements to build a new coal-fired power plant in Bay County, a coalition of environmental groups is trying to persuade Michigan residents and lawmakers that coal should not be part of the mix of new power facilities in the state. The Hampton Township
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Ca. - Search giant Google on Tuesday pledged to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to make renewable energy cheaper than coal. The effort, dubbed RE>
DETROIT ? Miller Canfield is among the first law firms in the Midwest to assemble an interdisciplinary team dedicated to climate change-related law. Climate change is emerging as a critical policy area around the world, affecting everything from business and industry to consumers and government and regulatory authorities. Earlier this year, President Bush announced the
LANSING - Former Michigan Public Service Commission members Laura Chappelle and David Svanda have joined 36 of their counterparts from across the nation calling on state and federal lawmakers and regulators not to return monopoly control of power markets to the utilities. The letter, noting a number of reports showing customers saving money or power
LANSING - If Michigan lawmakers can beat other Midwest states in the race to approve renewable energy portfolio standards, it can provide the incentive for alternative energy manufacturers to set up shop in the state, bringing up to 35,000 jobs with them, said a report released on Wednesday from the Blue Green Alliance, a partnership
BEIJING, China - Suntech Power Holdings, an aggressive, rising star in the solar world, said in a conference call yesterday that it hopes to build plants in the U.S. to help it break into the market here. "We are currently in discussion with the governors of three different states who have been recruiting us to
LANSING ? Gov. Jennifer Granholm and her economic team will tour the state this week to talk to alternative energy companies about their expansion plans and needs. But she also pushed the Legislature to adopt a renewable energy portfolio to give those alternative energy companies a big boost. Michigan hopes to put alternative energy manufacturing
ADELAIDE, Australia - The University of Michigan solar car team finished 7th in the World Solar Challenge after losing 10 racing hours to a race accident. Just seven kilometers into the Challenge, the U-M lead vehicle was cut off by the Stanford Solar Car Team and forced to break quickly. The U-M solar car, Continuum,