Evolution of Energy

As thousands meet in Bali for the UN Climate Change conferfence, rain-forest-rich countries are hoping to cash in on the billion dollar global carbon credit market. Countries, like Indonesia and Brazil, are making their case for why preventing deforestation should count as a carbon credit. If so, protecting these lands would likely be far less expensive then much more complicated carbon sequestration projects. Interesting quote: “The key for us, with respect to carbon trading and offset projects, is that they have to be verifiable. They have to be real, and they have to be long-lasting.” Nancy McFadden, PG&E. Read more here.

Everybody’s doing it… NREL, major Universities, Chevron.. everybody is researching the potential for algae to be the next feedstock and a means to get double the bang for your carbon output. Interesting stat: The Defense Department estimates that it costs $20 a gallon to convert algae to biodiesel or a useable fuel. Read more here.

Formed in Nov. 2006, MIT’s Energy Initiative announced a five-year collaboration with Ford Motor Company and British Petroleum. Ford’s funded research will obviously focus on automotive technologies. Read more HERE. British Petroleum’s funds will support research in feedstock conversion and decarbonization. BP committed up to $5 million for five years. Read more HERE.