Energy Crisis: Mathew S. Miller looks at market speculation and the energy crisis.

Ten writers reflect on the high price of oil in the New York Times‘ op-ed pages.

A former Bush Administration energy adviser says that as oil production decreases, there will have to be a turn toward more local economies.

Climate Strategies warns that rising oil prices may trigger an unexpected upsurge in dirty fuel use.

Bill Moyers recently interviewed California Sen. Barbara Boxer about the Lieberman-Warner Climate Bill.

The White House is trying to prevent the EPA from releasing a document that outlines how the federal government could regulate greenhouse gas emissions.

Today, oil futures surged passed Friday’s record setting high.

A Denver Post op-ed calls for permanent renewable energy subsidies.

Green Business: Rising corn prices may spur an interest in cellulosic ethanol.

DuPont and BP are working to develop biobutanol as an ethanol alternative.

A $350 million wood ethanol plant is being built on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

The Dallas Morning News reports on the rise of the CGO or Chief Green Officer.

Researchers are looking into developing a biofuel made from an invasive weed.

Some unexpected roadblocks are interfering with the DNC’s plan to make this year’s convention the greenest event of its kind to date.

Campaign Watch: The Christian Science Monitor takes a look at the differing energy strategies of Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama.

–Christopher Greenspan

Citing the need for a thorough environmental impact study, the federal government has halted all new solar projects on public land.

An offshore wind farm off of Delaware’s coast should be up and running by 2012.

Two out of three energy and environment bills were passed in the House of Representatives yesterday.

Nearly all new homes in Hawaii must be equipped with solar water heaters.

CIBC World Markets is forecasting $7 per gallon gas in the United States by 2010.

The House passed a $1.7 billion dollar bill that allocates money to public transit nationwide.

Gas and Oil Party vs. Obamanomics: Unable to supply the American people with a quick fix for high fuel prices, Congress tossed blame back-and-forth across the aisle on Thursday.

Possibly jeopardizing Congressional holiday weekend plans, Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) has stalled a bill that would help cash-strapped home loan borrowers by tacking on tax breaks for renewable energy investment.

Campaign Watch: Though Sen. John McCain is working hard to distance himself from the Bush Administration’s energy policies, Joe Conason finds that his ideas look a lot like the vice president’s industry-backed agenda. Sen. Barack Obama proposes to charge big oil for sitting on unused land. Below is a new McCain campaign ad:

Regarding the new television spot, Gristmill’s Kate Sheppard wrote, “As with previous ads, this one shows footage of windmills and solar panels, but I don’t see any nuclear reactors. Odd, considering[...]his plan to build 45 new nuclear reactors by 2030.”

The McKinsey Global Institute argues that implementing low-carbon infrastructures may actually increase the GDP in the countries that put them in place.

–Christopher Greenspan

Green Collars, Grass Roots, Good Jobs: BeyondtheChron puts green collar jobs in historical context.

Steel workers marched “hand-in-hand” with environmentalists in Illinois to demand investment in renewable resources and green jobs.

Also in Illinois, a meeting hosted by the Blue Green Alliance looked at how to bring green manufacturing jobs to the state.

The United Steelworkers Union is fighting to have its members trained for the 20,000 jobs it says a green economy could produce in Ohio.

A technical training center in Oakland is graduating students with green credentials, but it needs more funding.

A town hall meeting today in Vassar, Michigan will look at how the green economy can produce 30,000 new manufacturing jobs for the state.

A public meeting in Dutchess County, NY will look into creating a local Green Collar Jobs Task Force.

Campaign Watch: The focus on energy in this year’s election cycle continued to grow as Sen. John McCain introduced his Lexington Plan, which he claims would help the United States achieve strategic energy independence by 2025 and “break the power of OPEC over the United States.” Sen. Barack Obama responded by saying McCain’s energy plan consisted of “meaningless gimmicks designed to get politicians through the next election.” At a campaign stop in Las Vegas, Obama said that the “green, renewable energy economy[...]is now. It’s creating jobs now. It is providing cheap alternatives to $140-a-barrel oil now. And it can create millions of additional jobs, entire industries, if we act now.”

Two new studies find that coal and oil use are growing at nearly the same pace as wind and solar and foresee climate-related political turmoil in Asia and Africa.

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist invoked the Apollo Mission in a speech that opened a two-day climate summit in Miami.

A federal court has rejected an auto industry plea to delay the implementation of stringent emissions regulations in California.

–Christopher Greenspan

Campaign Watch: Asserting that the effects of Senator John McCain’s offshore oil drilling plan would merely be “psychological,” Senator Barack Obama said yesterday that “the American people don’t need psychological relief or meaningless gimmicks … they need real relief that will help them fill up their tanks and put food on the table.” Plus: The McCain camp has a new name for Obama.

Local Green: Massachusetts is considering a substantial energy reform bill.

A new tax credit is being offered to New York City property owners who install green rooftops.

San Jose, California hopes to generate 100 percent of its electrical power from clean renewable sources by the year 2023.

A new study finds that the U.S. needs to make a huge investment in developing technology if 25 percent of its energy will be generated by renewable resources by the year 2025.

The Economist thinks that the next technology boom may be linked with “alternative energy.”

The Green Jobs Act would invest $125 million in green-collar job training programs.

The Apollo Energy Independence Act: Two Republican lawmakers have a plan to “lower gas costs, boost alternative energies, and improve energy efficiency.”

Twenty years ago, James Hansen became the first climate scientist to testify before Congress about the greenhouse effect. On Monday, Hansen warned that the world was one or two years away from a “tipping point” beyond which “major consequences to the global climate” would be unavoidable. Dot Earth’s Andy Revkin interviewed Hansen recently:

EcoGeek looks at three companies that are working to make solar cheaper than coal.

Over at Yale E360, Carole Bass explores the potential benefits and hazards of nanotechnology.

–Christopher Greenspan

Mongabay.com talks with Van Jones about green collar jobs.

Solar Richmond is an organization that seeks to promote solar power and train a green-collar workforce in the city of Richmond, California.

Campaign Watch: A USA Today-Gallup Poll finds that for 9 out of 10 likely voters, energy issues would be “very or extremely important” in their decision.

Sen. John McCain is in California this week, touting his plans for American energy independence. His visit coincides with the release of his Energy Security Ad:

The Wall Street Journal says McCain is putting his category-defying energy plan at the center of his campaign.

Some in Congress contend that investors’ speculation is driving up oil prices and are seeking to tighten regulations.

The Washington Post reports that the White House is refusing to turn over documents concerning greenhouse-gas emissions to a Congressional investigation.

Green Business Roundup: ReGen is developing a Sterling engine that transforms industrial waste heat into electricity, and Siemens Energy and Automation is opening a second wind turbine plant in Illinois that will create over 355 jobs.

CleanLoop is a job search website that helps people find employment in clean energy industries.

–Christopher Greenspan

In an attempt to get to the bottom of America’s energy crisis, Michael T. Klare takes a look at eight years of energy and foreign policy under the Bush Administration.

This week, the California Air Resources Board will unveil a plan that may put the state at the forefront of the nation’s fight against global warming.

A “fraudulent, pathetic excuse for an energy policy”: Thomas L. Friedman weighs in on President Bush’s oil addiction.

Local Green: The Herald News contends that 116,00 jobs in the solar and wind energy sectors are at stake in the Congressional battle over renewable energy tax credits.

The Casper Star-Tribune says that Congress would help create hundreds of jobs in Wyoming by renewing the tax credits.

Campaign Watch: Sen. Barack Obama and ethanol.

Sen. John McCain backs a $300 million prize for the development of an efficient auto battery.

Obama yet again criticized McCain’s plan to lift an offshore oil drilling ban, arguing that it would offer no relief from high energy prices and that the idea was merely a “potent cudgel against Democrats.”

A piece in National Journal Magazine argues that when it comes to energy and environmental policy, McCain wants to have it both ways.

Obama criticized McCain for voting against infrastructure improvements that could have limited flood damage in the Midwest.

Ethanol: As floods in the Midwest have wiped out 4 million acres of farmland, federal agencies consider reducing ethanol production and allowing farmers to plant on conservation land.

The Detroit News reports that despite the destruction of the Midwestern corn crop, Congress seems unlikely to slacken the mandate for ethanol production adopted back in December.

The Aspen Skiing Company considers using wind turbines to generate snow on the slopes.

Sungevity offers a rooftop solar panel system that costs only $2,000 out-the-door.

Elephant Journal posted this video discussion with the founder of Lighthouse Solar on the basics of “solarizing” a home:

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–Christopher Greenspan

A comprehensive new federal report finds that increased extreme weather is on the horizon as green house gas emissions rise. According to Andrew Revkin, the report is the “first thorough federal review of research on how global warming may affect extreme climate events in North America.”

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said yesterday that he opposed lifting an offshore oil drilling ban. Breaking with President Bush and Sen. John McCain, Schwarzenegger argued that the ban was not to blame for the current energy crisis and that technological innovation would ultimately solve the problem.

350.org is an organization dedicated to getting the word out about safe target levels of CO2 emissions (350 ppm) and putting pressure on international leaders to adopt this number as a target. A simple and direct new video disseminates the group’s core message:

Renewable Energy ITC: As the Senate continues to debate how to pay for renewable energy tax credits, General Electric asserts that they would pay for themselves.

Finance and Commerce reports that if the Senate does not extend the tax credit, some $280 million in Minnesota wind energy projects would be killed or substantially delayed.

Business Roundup: Gulf Ethanol Corporation has introduced a preprocessing system it says allows for a more efficiently produced ethanol.

A group of business leaders called on the world’s developing countries to ensure that global greenhouse gas emissions are halved by 2050.

The Beaverton Valley Times welcomes Intel’s decision to locate SpectraWatt–its solar energy venture–in Oregon, saying that “green collar industries” will be good for the state’s economy.

The Climate Group has released a report detailing how telecommunications and computers could be used to help reduce carbon-dioxide emissions. Read the press release here.

–Christopher Greenspan

Ethanol Producer Magazine reports on the impact of Iowa’s flooding on ethanol production. Reuters reports that the price of corn ethanol has jumped 20 percent in the last two weeks and gas prices are likely to rise by 10 cents per gallon due to an ethanol shortage. Plus: Despite the flooding, the closure of processing plants, and the price of corn nearing $8 per bushel, U.S. ethanol production is still booming, according to this piece.

Campaign Watch: At an energy panel at Missouri State University, Sen. John McCain put his support behind so-called clean coal and nuclear power, calling for the creation of 45 new nuclear reactors by 2030.

Responding to the call of President Bush and John McCain who have thrown support behind lifting an offshore oil drilling ban, a New York Times editorial says this is “worse than a dumb idea.” Plus: How high are the stakes in McCain’s offshore drilling gamble?

Smart Grid City: Boulder, Colorado is set to integrate high-speed digital communication technology into the electrical grid.

Hull, Massachusetts is a blue collar town of 11,000 that believes it can build an offshore wind farm to supply all of its energy.

Business Round Up: Common Cents Solar is a small-scale, cooperative initiative that helps “facilitate neighborhood solar energy projects.”

Forbes reports on a new computer program that helps businesses choose an appropriate renewable energy source.

Intel is set to invest $50 million in spin-off solar technology it has developed.

The We Campaign is a coalition of organizations and individuals collected under the umbrella of The Alliance For Climate Protection. The coalition is attempting to drum up support for (among other things) clean energy job initiatives. The We Campaign’s first television spot (below) features a voice over by William H. Macy.

Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius will be the keynote speaker at a clean energy forum entitled “Out of Kansas — A National Clean Energy Agenda.” Sebelius gained national attention when she helped stop the expansion of a coal powered electricity plant in her home state. The forum is sponsored by Earthjustice.

–Christopher Greenspan

Clean Energy Tax Credits: As the Senate blocks debate of clean energy tax credits, a piece in the San Francisco Chronicle argues that a Congressional stalemate on renewable energy would jeopardize an emerging business boom. Plus: A new report released by Clean Edge and Co-op America finds that under the right circumstances, 10 percent of America’s electricity could be produced by solar power by the year 2025.

Campaign Watch: President Bush and Senator John McCain called for lifting the ban on new offshore oil drilling, arguing that it would be a step toward energy independence. “With gasoline running at more than four dollars a gallon, many do not have the luxury of waiting on the far-off plans of futurists and politicians,” said McCain. He did, however, reiterate his stance against opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling. Barack Obama responded by calling McCain’s position “politically expedient,” saying that offshore drilling would not significantly affect oil prices. Plus: A new ABC/Washington Post poll finds that when it comes to gas prices, global warming, and energy policy, a slim majority trusts Obama over McCain.

The fight over a Colorado Senate seat revolves largely around energy.

Local Green: The Tennessean and Tallahassee.com look at green collar jobs and a clean energy economy.

Midwest Flooding Continues: The Mississippi River overflows 19 levees and 29 others are at risk.

WindLift LLC is trying to develop kites that harness wind energy.

–Christopher Greenspan

Why Is Labor Going Green?: In Wisconsin, the United Steelworkers Union and the Sierra Club talk about the green economy and good jobs. A Steelworker’s local teams up with Save the Dunes Council to protect Lake Michigan. The Minnesota Blue-Green Alliance convened a roundtable to discuss “environmental principles and good-paying jobs.”

Campaign Watch:In the New York Times today, Elisabeth Bumiller writes that when it comes to the environment, John Mccain and President Bush have “strikingly different views,” but David Roberts over at Grist is not so sure. McCain discussed target greenhouse gas reductions at a press conference yesterday morning.

Al Gore endorsed Barack Obama for president yesterday. Taking the stage with Gore at a public appearance in Detroit, Obama said, ““I will be counting on Al Gore to help me lead the fight for a clean energy future.” Below is footage from Gore’s endorsement speech:

The End of Suburbia?: Will rising fuel prices kill suburbia while McMansions “become the new multi-family homes for the poor?” Plus: Over at World Changing, Claude Lewenz asserts that “before suburbia, adults were called Citizens, and they prided themselves in being well informed participants in the greatest democracy the world had every seen. With this new historic age of suburbs, they were rebranded Consumers.”

Addressing the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Senator Harry Reid (D-Nevada) talked about renewable energy and new jobs.

IBM is working to develop cheaper solar cells.

–Christopher Greenspan