Energy Policy

Hermann Scheer, German lawmaker and leading advocate for solar energy. dies at 66 (interview)

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Hermann Scheer, one of the world’s leading advocates for solar power, has died at the age of sixty-six. The German economist and politician helped make Germany a renewable energy powerhouse and inspired many across the world to expand the use of solar power. We met up with Herman Scheer last month in Bonn, Germany, for what turned out to be one of his final interviews. [video and rush transcript]

Review: When Oil Peaked by Ken Deffeyes

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For peak oil devotees, When Oil Peaked is a special treat, an eminently welcome update from a heavyweight within the field. For those who are new to peak oil or who just want a general overview, however, it’s a little more of a mixed bag. The sections on logistic versus Gaussian curves and other technical matters get awfully involved and esoteric, and casual readers may lack the fortitude to wade all the way through them. But the less involved parts on solutions, recommendations for policymakers and steps that each of us can take will hold the rapt attention of serious and casual readers alike.

The promise of fusion: energy miracle or mirage?

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The U.S. has invested billions of dollars trying to create a controlled form of nuclear fusion that could be the energy source for an endless supply of electricity. But as a federal laboratory prepares for a key test of the latest technology, even the project’s most enthusiastic supporters concede an actual pilot fusion plant is at least a decade away.