Road travelling horses being accustomised to motor cars, c. 1904

An Uncertain Energy Transition a Century Ago

When it came to the transport of goods within local areas, it took decades for the competition among horses, electric vehicles, and gas trucks to shake out.
Flaring off gas at the Flotta oil terminal on the Island of Flotta in the Orkney's Scotland

Marketed as Natural, this Gas is Complicated

The substitution of natural gas for coal is not a simple matter. The same concerns about climate and environment remain, along with new impacts.
A landfill with smoke in the background

The Lowdown on Municipal Trash Incinerators

Burning household trash in massive incinerators saves landfill space, but it also introduces a host of other waste management issues.
Crane lifting waste out of landfill

Waste-to-Energy: Sustainability Solution or Ponzi Scheme?

Waste-to-energy involves generating electricity by converting waste into gasses. Many are wondering: does it work? And is it scalable?
Husk Power Systems

Running On Rice Husks—How One Entrepreneur Brought Electricity to His Village

In the rural Indian province of Bihar, Husk Power Systems is converting leftover rice husks into biofuel. Now they're building mini-power plants around the country, and expanding into Tanzania.
Nuclear power plant

Nuclear Power Without the Meltdowns?

When it comes to nuclear power, one word in particular instills fear: meltdown. But what is a meltdown? Can one be avoided?
“It could be so light that you don’t even know it’s there, on your shirt or on your notebook,” Vladimir Bulović says. “These cells could simply be an add-on to existing structures.” Photo: Joel Jean and Anna Osherov

Solar Panels Get Small. Real Small.

Solar panels keep getting lighter and thinner. MIT researchers have created a solar panel so light and thin that it can rest on a soap bubble.
Refueling Car With Gasoline Pump Nozzle, Selective Focus on pump nozzle

Falling Oil Prices are Worse for Conservation than You Think

It's not just falling oil prices but any price volatility that makes conservation a harder sell.