The value and limits of Pope Francis’s call for action on global warming as a moral imperative. Original link Original author: ANDREW

April 10, 2015 The average U.S. household expenditure on motor gasoline in 2015 is expected to be about $1,817, the lowest level in more than a decade. This level is about $700 less than average household gasoline expenditures in 2014. Actual spending can vary based on driving-related factors (number of vehicles, annual distance driven), some of which depend on demographic considerations (location, income, size of household). As one might expect, households with more people tend to spend more on gasoline in a year. Through its Consumer Expenditure Survey (CES), the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) surveys spending of American consumer units , a term essentially equivalent to a household (i.e., people who live together and make joint expenditure decisions). Two-person households represent the highest portion of all households (about one-third in 2013) and have motor gasoline expenditures close to the average of all households. Historical data from this survey show that...

As a senior adviser on climate policy, Brian Deese is pushing the president’s environmental agenda to governors while under attack by Congress and a hostile coal industry. Original link Original author: CORAL

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a plan to install $100 million worth of alterations and improvements to make buildings in some 300 public housing developments more efficient. Original link Original author: MIREYA

A reader urges policy makers to take action on climate change. Original link

The Energy Department today announced $7 million in funding for the research and development of innovative technologies for low-impact hydropower systems. This funding will help advance hydropower drivetrains, which transfer rotational energy from turbines to generators, and structural foundations that will minimize environmental impacts and reduce the lifetime costs associated with operating and maintaining new hydropower projects. While hydropower already supplies roughly 7% of America’s electricity and is the leading source of renewable power, the nation still has significant untapped resources across the country where new hydropower generating capabilities could boost our supply of carbon-free energy. Recent Energy Department reports show that the United States has an additional 65 gigawatts of hydropower potential in undeveloped rivers and streams and more than 12 gigawatts of hydropower potential—if fully developed—at our nation’s non-powered dams. New and advanced hydropower technologies will help harness these major opportunities for clean, renewable energy that can help address...

April 9, 2015 Updated at 9:20 a.m. to include the most recent drought information from California, released this morning. Earlier this month, California Governor Jerry Brown enacted mandatory water restrictions for the first time in the state's history. While the executive order doesn't directly address hydropower generation and instead focuses on water use in cities and towns, the drought that began in 2011 has had a noticeable effect on hydropower . Furthermore, reduced levels of snowpack likely mean that hydropower output will be low throughout the summer. California's drought caused a state of emergency to be declared in January 2014. Since then, the drought has worsened, and, as of April 7, 2015 , 44% of the state is now classified as experiencing exceptional drought, the most intense drought category. The drought has limited the state's ability to generate electricity from its hydropower plants. For instance, the California Department of Water Resources...

EERE offers webinars to the public on a range of subjects, from adopting the latest energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies, to training for the clean energy workforce. Webinars are free; however, advanced registration is typically required. You can also watch archived webinars and browse previously aired videos, slides, and transcripts. Upcoming Webinars April 9:  Live Webinar on the ORNL Buildings Crowdsourcing Community Online Webinar Sponsor: Building Technologies Office The Energy Department and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) will present a live webinar titled "Getting the Most Benefit from Participating in the ORNL Buildings Crowdsourcing Community Online" on Thursday, April 9, from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.  This webinar will explain the vision for the ORNL buildings crowdsourcing website and how it's designed to serve as a centralized location—storing, referencing, and highlighting the increased support and adoption of energy-efficient building technologies.  Presenters will elaborate on the website's current...

Using standard assumptions, extracting and using all our reserves and resources would lead to a total temperature increase of 16.2 degrees. Original link Original author: MICHAEL

April 8, 2015 Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook U.S. drivers are projected to pay an average of $2.45/gallon (gal) for regular grade gasoline this summer (April through September), according to EIA's Short-Term Energy and Summer Fuels Outlook released yesterday. This year's projected average summer price is down from a $3.59/gal average during summer 2014. The lower retail price this summer reflects a significant drop in world crude oil prices from last summer. As the main input cost in the refining process, crude oil is the major driver of retail gasoline prices, and U.S. gasoline prices tend to follow prices of the international benchmark Brent crude. For summer 2015, the Brent crude oil spot price is projected to average $58/barrel (bbl), which translates to $1.38/gal for the crude oil portion of the gasoline price. This oil price is down from a summer 2014 average of $106/bbl ($2.52/gal...