Clean energy is a wedge issue that favors Democrats

Clean energy is a wedge issue that favors Democrats

 Great post from David Roberts at Grist. The reaction from independents to Obama’s clean energy messages in the State of the Union speech is encouraging. Big Oil is the 1%. Clean energy translates into jobs that Americans can support. It’s time for all involved to press the advantage. We cross post here with thanks to … Read More

End “the Century of Subsidy”?  Maybe next year…

End “the Century of Subsidy”? Maybe next year…

Slowly but surely the battle lines are being drawn for the upcoming Presidential election.  President Obama built his State of the Union address on one of fairness. In doing so Obama reminded Americans that there is a clear choice when it comes to the next election. There is also a choice with energy. Before we … Read More

A Road Map to Renewal or Ruin?

A Road Map to Renewal or Ruin?

The oil boys from Houston must be wriggling with delight after President Obama’s official jobs council called for an “all-in approach” to energy policy that includes expanded oil-and-gas drilling as well as more pipelines. “We should allow more access to oil, natural gas and coal opportunities on federal lands,” argued the President’s Council on Jobs … Read More

Big Oil Threatens President Obama

Big Oil Threatens President Obama

 By Brendan Demelle, DeSmogBlog American Petroleum Institute President Jack Gerard today announced the oil and gas industry’s latest election-year scare campaign to threaten the demise of the U.S. economy unless Big Oil gets its every wish in Washington. This year the wish list includes approval of the Keystone XL pipeline, expanded offshore drilling on both … Read More

Oil Change International Accomplishments 2011

Every year, the fossil fuel industry pumps more money into Congress, local governments, and advertising.  They’re upping the ante to get what they want. But this year, they hit a roadblock.  This year, the many stood in the way of the money and said no.  From the Keystone XL pipeline to the communities that have … Read More

Shale Gas “Will Wreck Climate Commitments”

Shale Gas “Will Wreck Climate Commitments”

Further to my blog earlier in the week criticising the Financial Times’ new “let’s happily drill the land of plenty” philosophy to oil shale and gas, of course there is downside to these new found reserves of oil. The big fat elephant in the room missed by the FT and ignored by the oil industry … Read More

Don’t Look Away Now

Don’t Look Away Now

Love it or loath it as the voice of business, you can say one thing about the Financial Times, it normally covers the energy beat with a reasonable degree of accuracy. That’s why is was so disappointing to read the latest misguided comment piece by the paper’s Washington columnist Edward Luce, in an article “Look … Read More

Shale Oil Jobs “Vastly Exaggerated”

Shale Oil Jobs “Vastly Exaggerated”

The headline in yesterday’s Financial Times said it all “Surge in shale oil output fuels US jobs bonanza”. According to the FT: “The boom in shale oil and gas production has created one bright spot in the otherwise grim US labour market.” “The rate of job growth is noteworthy,” Brian Davidson, an economist with the … Read More

The Downsides of “Extreme Energy”

The Downsides of “Extreme Energy”

So its official: fracking causes earthquakes. Just minutes ago, a report published by the oil company Cuadrilla as to whether its drilling operations caused two “earthquakes” back in April and May, concluded that fracking was the “highly probable” cause of the small seismic events. Cuadrilla suspended fracking operations in June, over fears of a link … Read More

Rick Perry’s predictable energy plan

Rick Perry’s predictable energy plan

I wasn’t bowled over with surprise to hear news of Rick Perry’s energy plan today. I could have written it myself. The plan is a fossil fuel industry wish list. Open everything up and dismantle any regulation that might get in the way of digging, drilling, fracking and burning. It’s not really news. It wasn’t … Read More