Can a New Political Consensus be Found to Keep a 75-Year Supply of Natural...
In an April 12, 2012 article in the New York Times, Jad Mouwad wrote about the transformation in United States’ energy fortunes that is fundamentally changing much of what we thought we knew about...
View ArticleIn Defense(?) of the Initiative
A few years ago I adopted a personal policy that I always vote “no” on any initiative. It is satisfying, and it saves me a fair amount of time with the voters pamphlet. I’m part of the demographic...
View ArticleWhat Does Data Show About the Economics of Regional Cap-and-Trade?
Back before the recession, there was a major push in Washington State to adopt a state carbon cap-and-trade program as part of Washington’s membership in the Western Climate Initiative (WCI). The...
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A Traveler’s Observations about Energy Consumption in Spain
For my first blog post of the fall, I’m starting with my favorite back-to-school essay topic from when I was a kid: “what did you do on your summer vacation?” It’s easy. It doesn’t make you really...
View ArticleThe Blessing and Curse of Low BPA Electric Rates as the Northwest Moves...
BPA Administrator Steve Wright was in Seattle in early November as part of a victory lap prior to his announced retirement next February. The victory lap is well deserved. He is the longest-serving...
View ArticleThe Seattle 2012 Energy Code – Part 1
Grinding Out the Ground Game of Energy Efficiency Back in October of 2011 the Seattle City Council passed a resolution “committing” the City to become a zero-net greenhouse gas emitter by 2050....
View ArticleSeattle Energy Code — Part Two
Point/Counterpoint on Requiring Upgrades When Buildings Undergo Major Renovation In an earlier post (Part One) I described the broad outlines of the new City of Seattle Energy Code that is under...
View ArticleWhy Electric Cars Require Us to Get Electric Rates Right Now
I got gas a couple of weeks ago. Ok – mostly that wouldn’t be worth reporting. But it was the first time for my new Ford C-Max Energi plug-in hybrid. Kathleen Petrich reported on January 9 that I had...
View ArticleElectric Vehicles, Hybrids and Bicycles Need to Pay Their Share
I am a huge fan of plug-in hybrid and electric cars. I bought a plug-in hybrid in early January and have filled its tank twice now. The last time was a couple of weeks ago and since then I’ve driven...
View ArticleHope, Despair and the Challenges Going Forward: The IEA 2012 Report on World...
USA Today had an article last week with the worst good news for carbon emissions that I’ve read in a while. The good news was that U.S. emissions fell to the lowest rate since the mid-1990s, dropping...
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