Prairie - CC BY 2.0 Joshua Mayer
* A new study from researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison shows that corn and soy, two crops commonly used for biofuels, are expanding into previously un-farmed prairie. Ethanol has driven up the domestic demand for corn. In 2014, over 40% of corn grown in the U.S. was used to make ethanol. [Treehugger]
* The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis estimates that the share of coal-generated electricity in China will decline from 72.5% in 2014 to 60% in 2020. While last year's drop in coal use may have been a technical blip, Chinese coal consumption is expected to peak very soon, probably next year. [Journal of Turkish Weekly]
* The sharp drop off of drilling activity in the offshore oil and gas industry, including the UK's North Sea, means offshore services contractors are now seriously under-employed. Day rates have been dramatically reduced. And industry experts predict the capital expenditures savings could be in the order of 15-20%. [Proactive Investors UK]
* Since President Obama took office, solar electricity generation has increased 20 fold, doubling last year alone. The solar industry is adding good-paying jobs 10 times faster than the rest of the economy. The Administration intends to drive growth in the solar industry further while also supporting our veterans. [Imperial Valley News]
* New wind turbine technology is a game changer for clean energy opportunities. Taller turbines and longer blades are capable of capturing more wind, which results in generating more electricity and reducing costs. In just five years, wind turbines have greatly evolved and are now more suitable for the South. [Clean Energy News]
For more news, please visit GEOHARVEY - DAILY NEWS ABOUT ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE.
Reference: make-planet-clean.blogspot.com
