Illustration by Abayomi Louard-Moore The Keys to the Future by Jerry Silberman Editor’s note: This is Part Four of a series that concludes this month. In the last three columns we have outlined the dynamics of energy use in our society. We know that the release of huge quantities of solar energy stored in carbon
MoreIllustration by Abayomi Louard-Moore The Energy Bottom Line by Jerry Silberman Editor’s note: This is Part Three of a series that concludes in July. Question: Which kind of energy is the most efficient?The Right Question: How much energy does it take to get energy? The most important aspect of energy that most people have never
MoreMayor Nutter takes Policy position with University of ChicagoAfter serving eight years as Philadelphia’s mayor and 14 years on City Council, Michael A. Nutter will bring his experience to the University of Chicago’s Urban Labs, which partners with policymakers from large cities to strategize improvements in the realms of crime, education, energy and environment, health,
MoreSwing State by Heather Shayne Blakeslee It was a heady time for the state’s environmental community eight years ago. As I worked to raise money for green buildings and as an advocate at the Delaware Valley Green Building Council, I was a firsthand witness as the environmental and business communities made progress together in Pennsylvania
MoreIllustration by Kathleen White Blowing in the Wind by Jerry Silberman Question: Is large-scale renewable electricity production sustainable? The Right Question: Is renewable energy the future for human society? The recognition that burning fossil fuels may burn us out of the planet’s ecosystem has made the abandonment of fossil fuel resources the right choice, regardless
More
Photo by Jeremy Blakeslee The Nuclear Option by Heather Shayne Blakeslee We’re not a major. We’re a minor,” says Chris Peters, 47, a nuclear scientist with the College of Engineering at Drexel University. He’s sitting in the unremarkable lab where his students will learn this year about nuclear science, as well as electrical and computer
More
Plugging Into Community by Justin Klugh Shopping for anything when you have too many choices can mean not making a choice at all. That’s one thing when you’re roaming the grocery store. But when it comes to energy for our homes, many of us are not yet used to having a choice, much less understanding
Morestory by Liz PachecoSince 2004, the PECO Wind program has allowed customers to purchase renewable electricity that supported wind projects in Pennsylvania. But as of December 31, the PECO Wind program ended, leaving 20,000 customers without service.
The good news for these 20,000 customers--as well as anyone interested in buying renewables--is that there are plenty of
story by Samantha Wittchen"Buy local” has long been the rallying cry of the food movement. Now the renewable energy movement has adopted the slogan to encourage residents and businesses to buy their electricity from in-state sources. And with good reason—the wind industry alone has a big impact on Pennsylvania’s economy. In 2010, it directly
More