QUICK NEWS, January 7: FRACKING BOOM LIKELY TO BE SHORT-LIVED – STUDY; THE FIGHT FOR SOLAR IN IOWA HEATS UP

CONSUMERS OVERWHELMINGLY LIKE SOLAR, WIND, AND PLUG-IN CARS Energy and Environment Consumer Survey; Consumer Attitudes and Awareness toward 10 Clean Energy Concepts

4Q 2013 (Navigant Research)

"The smart energy industry spans a wide range of technologies and products. In order to gain a better understanding of consumer attitudes about a variety of key issues, Navigant Research conducted a survey of more than 1,000 U.S. adults in the fall of 2013, asking respondents to provide their level of favorability for key concepts. The survey asked consumers to respond with their impressions of…Solar energy, Wind energy, Nuclear power, Hybrid vehicles, Electric cars, Natural gas vehicles, Biofuels, Smart grid, Smart meters, and LEED certification…[Close to 80% of respondents favored the concept of solar energy, which led all concepts in favorable responses, followed by wind energy (72%). Consumers also held favorable views of alternative fuel vehicles including hybrid vehicles (67%), electric cars (61%), and natural gas vehicles (56%). LEED certification showed the least level of favorability (22%), largely due to low awareness of the topic.]...” click here for more

click to enlarge

Tweet

FRACKING BOOM LIKELY TO BE SHORT-LIVED – STUDY Study: Energy boom's boon is temporary

Mark Wilcox, December 19, 2013 (Northern Colorado Business Report)

"A new study from regional nonprofit research group [Headwaters Economics] is questioning whether energy development does more long-term economic harm than good…The 31-year study [of Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota and Utah] stipulates that short-term development can have a strong positive impact on employment and income that breaks down over time…For counties that participated in the early 1980s oil and gas boom, per capita income declines with longer specialization…The longer the duration of oil and gas specialization, the higher the crime rate…For counties that participated in the early-1980s oil and gas boom, educational attainment declines with longer specialization…” click here for more

click to enlarge

Tweet

THE FIGHT FOR SOLAR IN IOWA HEATS UP Solar is a bankable investment for Iowa and the nation

Tim Dwight, January 1, 2014 (Press-Citizen)

“Solar power is happening in the state of Iowa…[I]nstallers on rooftops [are] bolting down record rates of solar modules…[and] the Iowa Department of Economic Development just recently received a $1.03 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to expand the adoption of solar…Over the next year, Iowa will be developing a simplified process to integrate PV technology across the state as well as modeling community solar programs for Iowans who don’t own a viable rooftop or don’t need to purchase a full solar system…[But] the Iowa Utilities Board agreed, by Alliant Energy’s request, to lower its energy efficiency goals and completely eliminate its “Solar Rewards” program…” click here for more

click to enlarge

Tweet