Green Car Reports -- A new study released today by the Coordinating Research Council says that E15 gasoline, which contains 15 percent ethanol, could damage the engines of certain high-volume car and truck models.

The two-year study was conducted on eight different engines from the 2001 through 2009 model years, with a pair of vehicles for each engine tested--one on conventional gasoline, one on E15.

Two of the eight engines running on E15 suffered lower performance, misfiring, reduced fuel economy, and damaged valves and valve seats. A third showed tailpipe emissions that increased above the legal limit.  (read more)

Technology Review -- Delphi, a major parts supplier to automakers, is developing an engine technology that could improve the fuel economy of gas-powered cars by 50 percent, potentially rivaling the performance of hybrid vehicles while costing less.

Delphi's approach, is called gasoline-direct-injection compression ignition, that makes use of advanced fuel injection and air intake and exhaust controls, many of which are available on advanced engines today.

...researchers found that if they injected the gasoline in three precisely timed bursts, they could avoid the too-rapid combustion that's made some previous experimental engines too noisy. At the same time, they could burn the fuel faster than in conventional gasoline engines,...  (read more)

The Miami Herald -- Cheaper gas won’t be enough to get many more Americans on the road this summer. They’re still too worried about their jobs and the economy.
Economists and tourism experts are expecting only a small uptick in summer travelers. Gas prices are lower, but still high enough to keep some Americans off the road. The job market is improving, but still shaky. And household debt remains high.
Those who do travel won’t feel free to splurge. The bulk of road trippers, experts say, will take shorter trips and reduce food and entertainment spending to conserve cash.
“Travel is about security,” said John Larson, vice president for IHS Global Insight, the firm that analyzed the AAA study. “If you feel less secure about your future, you may be less willing to take this trip.”  (read more)

The Miami Herald -- Cheaper gas won’t be enough to get many more Americans on the road this summer. They’re still too worried about their jobs and the economy.

Economists and tourism experts are expecting only a small uptick in summer travelers. Gas prices are lower, but still high enough to keep some Americans off the road. The job market is improving, but still shaky. And household debt remains high.

Those who do travel won’t feel free to splurge. The bulk of road trippers, experts say, will take shorter trips and reduce food and entertainment spending to conserve cash.

“Travel is about security,” said John Larson, vice president for IHS Global Insight, the firm that analyzed the AAA study. “If you feel less secure about your future, you may be less willing to take this trip.”

For Memorial Day weekend,  (read more)

Huffington Post -- The current market for the renewable energy sector in the United States and around the world is a mix of challenge and opportunity. However, the long-term future of clean energy is bright.

According to our recent report, "Who's Winning the Clean Energy Race? 2011 Edition," last year saw record private investments globally. And the United States received more investments for clean energy than any other nation. These investments resulted in record deployment levels -- 83.5 gig watts of clean generating capacity overall, including an unprecedented 30 gig watts of solar.

But like other emerging high-technology industries before it, the clean-energy sector is going through a period of profound transition. The industry faces powerful financial and policy cross currents.

The most important  (read more)

CBS News -- (CBS News) - The price of gas continues to fall. AAA says the national average for regular has fallen to $3.73, down 21 cents in the past six weeks. But if you pay at the pump, thieves may be waiting for you, ready to skim the information off your bank card and siphon the money out of your account.

It's a scam called "skimming" and it costs the financial industry more than $350,000 a day, as CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports.

Volunteer fireman Mark Young recently got out of the hospital after neck surgery, only to be dealt another blow when he checked his bank balance.

"I had $2,300 in the bank, and it said I only had $1,000 in there," Young said.

Surveillance video shows a man that police say is suspected of stealing Young's debit card number and going on a ...  (read more)

Huffington Post -- Gas prices may feel high in the U.S., but they are much higher in the rest of the world.

We have the 12th lowest gas prices on a list of 55 countries compiled by Bloomberg, cited by blogger Barry Ritholtz. Most other wealthy nations have significantly higher gas prices.

In the U.S., gas prices average $4.19 per gallon, according to Bloomberg. In contrast, gas prices are $5.75 per gallon in Canada, $6.75 per gallon in Australia, $8.84 per gallon in the United Kingdom, and $9.35 per gallon in Italy.

Gas prices are lower in the U.S. to a large extent because the U.S. subsidizes oil production and levies relatively low gas taxes. Other countries tax gas consumption more heavily, according to Bloomberg. Gas prices are highest in Norway at $9.69 per gallon, where ...  (read more)

USA Today -- Williamsport, Pa., used to be celebrated for its past — as the 1938 birthplace of Little League Baseball, which still plays its annual World Series nearby. Then natural gas was found.

Now this once-sleepy chunk of north-central Pennsylvania is a star on the map of an emerging national energy rush. Six hotels are new or being built, and about 100 companies have moved to town, sometimes so fast that the head of the local Chamber of Commerce has told executives wanting guided tours to wait.
"I've said, 'Look sir, get in line,' " says Vince Matteo, chief executive of the Williamsport/Lycoming chamber. "Now I know people in their 20s with high school (diplomas) making $120,000 a year."

Much of Wall Street and Washington is seized by the hope that the U.S.'s energy future will be as bright ..  (read more)

EGM CarTech -- Automakers have been working hard to try to meet tightening government fuel economy regulations, and designer Michael Arbaugh has proposed a controversial way to help reduce weight, a big factor with fuel economy.
The year 2016 is rapidly approaching, and automakers are being forced to improve their U.S. fleet’s mpg ratings, from 27.5 mpg to 341 mpg for passenger cars, with a 23.5 mpg target for light trucks. This is difficult for a number of reasons, and the new requirement fights for automaker’s attention along with rapidly advancing technology and higher safety standards
Arbaugh’s vision is to do away with CD players in automobiles as a way to save an average of 5-lbs in weight, which is a big deal for automakers. Not only does it lighten the load but it also opens up some highly ....  (read more)

GasBuddy Blog -- The Energy Information Administration released its weekly report on the condition of petroleum inventories in the United States today.

Here are some highlights:

CRUDE INVENTORIES:
Crude oil inventories increased by 2.1 million barrels to a total of 381.6 million barrels. At 381.6 million barrels, inventories are 11.3 million barrels above last year (3.1%) and are above the upper limit of the average range.

GASOLINE INVENTORIES:
Gasoline inventories decreased by 2.8 million barrels to 204.3 million barrels. At 204.3 million barrels, inventories are down 1.6 million barrels, or 0.8% lower than last year. Here's how individual regions and their gasoline inventory fared last week: East Coast (N/C); Midwest...  (read more)

Reuters -- The collapse in oil prices since the start of May is posing a severe test for oil market bulls who must meet big margin calls to maintain their positions -- or close them out and accept their losses.
The price collapse has already prompted many hedge funds and commodity trading advisers to pull out of WTI.

TO CLING ON OR QUIT?

In April and especially May, plunging Brent and WTI prices are likely to have inflicted significant pain on many hedge funds. Month-end performance letters are likely to reveal some big casualties.

With Brent languishing, and bulging stockpiles around the NYMEX delivery point at Cushing, Oklahoma, WTI prices may struggle to rally much.

Many must now be more focused on minimising losses than maximising gains.  (read more)

GasBuddy Blog --
Until recently, this feature was something that hadn't received much attention but Nissan has developed a way to help motorists maintain optimum tire pressure and it comes standard in all 2013 Nissan models.

It's Nissan's "Easy Fill Tire Alert" system that eliminates the guesswork as well as the significant margin of error that exists between one tire pressure gauge and another. With this system, when your tire pressure goes low it alerts you to the specific tire and gives you an exact reading on the current tire pressure that tire has instead of simply lighting up a bulb in the dashboard. So there's no need to guess where the problem is and you don't even need a tire gauge.

As you fill the tire the car's four-way...  (read more)

Oilprice.com -- To hear Carlos Pascual, the U.S. State Department’s special envoy on international energy tell it, “The United States values Canada as its most important energy partner. There has never been a doubt about that. It is true now and it will continue to be true in the future.”

A year ago at the Gas & Oil Expo and Conference North America 2011 the U.S. Ambassador to Canada, David Jacobson, told his audience, “The United States and Canada have the closest energy relationship in the world. And the U.S. sees Canada as a pillar of our energy security. We will continue to work closely with Canada to address environmental concerns while securing reliable energy supply for the North American continent - something to which Canada - and specifically Alberta - contributes mightily.”  (read more)

Oil and Gas Journal --
The US Bureau of Land Management didn't have to wait long for comments about its proposed hydraulic fracturing regulations. Oil and gas groups and environmental organizations quickly found problems with the May 4 proposal.
Industry groups pointed out that many states already have effective regulations. "Each state has unique geologic and surface conditions that are more effectively regulated and managed at the state level," American Exploration & Production Council Pres. Bruce Thompson said.
"This proposed rule is a solution looking for a problem and is another effort to federalize the regulation of the production of our nation's energy resources," he continued. "The result of the imposition of this proposed rule would be higher energy costs, fewer jobs, lower revenue to the US Treasury,  (read more)

King 5 TV -- SEATTLE - The Spear family drove the 800 miles from Idaho Falls, but what caught their eye long before arriving at Snoqualmie Falls was how much more expensive gas is here. They said it’s probably a good 60 cents per gallon more.

Gas prices in Western Washington are up more than 60 cents over the past 3 months - jumping a nickel a day at times.

Nationally, gas prices dropped a nickel since last week - sitting at $3.73 a gallon today. But in Western Washington, we're at least 50 cents higher. Seattle, Bellevue and Everett are up 13 cents in a week - at $4.23 and Tacoma is up 17 cents to $4.24 a gallon.
A National Gas Price Heat Map by www.gasbuddy.com illustrates gas prices across the country.  (read more)

Reuters --
Natural wind tunnel feeds electric grid

* 26-storey turbines blossom across region

By David Alire Garcia

LA VENTOSA, Mexico, May 14 (Reuters) - On an arid plain where sudden gusts of wind can rip roofs off buildings and knock over tractor trailers, Mexico is building a new engine for its energy future.

Surrounded by towering turbines in every direction, the town of La Ventosa - which means "the windy place" in Spanish - is at the heart of a wind power boom in the country.

Mexico, the world's 14th biggest economy, still punches well below its weight in terms of wind energy, ranking 24th on the planet in installed capacity last year, according to the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC).

But the market is growing fast. By the end of this year, the national wind energy association expect  (read more)

Bloomberg -- The temperature hovers around 120 degrees at the Arsenal of Democracy. Michael Reid keeps up the heat in the laboratory as he tests a Bradley fighting vehicle commonly used under extreme conditions.

Reid, director of vehicle-testing labs at the Tank Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center in Warren, Michigan, leads a staff that also is testing a system to turn exhaust heat into electricity to power a tank’s computer. In time, consumers might see similar fuel-saving technology -- currently consumers’ No. 1 concern -- in a Chevy Malibu or Jeep Grand Cherokee.

The auto industry has a long tradition of adapting military technology to improve passenger cars for civilians, said John Wolkonowicz, an independent auto analyst in Boston who specializes in automotive history.

“Just  (read more)

The Express Tribune -- SWAT: While the country witnesses its worst energy crisis, a 37-year-old self-taught mechanical engineer from Swat claims to have a solution.

After 20 years of research, Rehan Aziz Farooqi, has invented a unique power generator that runs solely on water, and, wait for it, the design can be used to allow any engine that runs on petrol, diesel or green gas to use water as fuel. He estimates that if the government applies his idea on a large-scale, Pakistan’s current electricity crisis can be resolved in three years time.

Explaining the workings of the power generator that he built from scratch, Farooqi said that water is first filled into a unit where it is split into hydrogen and oxygen gases through the process of electrolysis. The hydrogen gas is channelled to a reservoir, and then to  (read more)

Forbes -- Public backing of green energy in some corners has a red mark on its back. But the White House has no problem putting those projects right in the bull’s eye, noting that its policies have untangled important wind and solar ventures.

It’s been a multi-tiered strategy that includes streamlining the permitting processes and placing green facilities on land that is now contaminated. And while the administration’s critics will say that renewable energy is not viable without lucrative tax breaks, the president’s team is plowing forth.

“At the beginning of 2009, not a single, large-scale solar energy project had been approved for construction,” says Secretary of the U.S. Department of Interior Ken Salazar, at a recent speech before the National Press Club.  (read more)

biofuelschat.com -- The U.S. wind power industry posted one of its busiest quarters ever in the first quarter of 2012, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). The United States saw 1,695 megawatts (MW) of wind capacity installed in that period, with 788 new turbines producing power in 17 states. No other first quarter has been as strong for the American wind power industry, AWEA reported. The wind energy industry installed 52% more MW in the first quarter than it did in the same quarter last year.

During the first quarter, California (370 MW), Oregon (308 MW) and Texas (254 MW) led all states for adding the most wind power. Rounding out the top five were Washington (127 MW) and Pennsylvania (121 MW).  (read more)

GasBuddy Blog -- The Prime Minister's Office tried to cut funding of a registered intervenor in the Enbridge Pipeline Review, calling ForestEthics Canada an, "Enemy of the Government of Canada" and an, "Enemy of the People of Canada", according to a press release by whistleblower Andrew Frank, former Senior Communications Manager with ForestEthics Canada.

How far will the Canadian government go to silence its own citizens, worried about what a massive new pipeline that runs through the country? Apparently, pretty far.

According to the press release, an affidavit alleges the Prime Minister's Office has made an attempt to influence the charitable funding of ForestEthics Canada, a registered intervenor in the National Energy Board's federal...  (read more)

NPR -- After spending much of the year on the rise, gas prices are now falling. The average price for a gallon of regular gas nationwide is $3.73, according to AAA. That's a drop of nearly 20 cents in one month. Industry analysts expect the price to keep falling.

You can get in a lot trouble trying to predict commodity prices, though. Phil Flynn, a market analyst at futures brokerage PFGBEST in Chicago, says there is one thing you can predict.

"I always kind of kid around that the first sign of spring in this country is when politicians start complaining about high gas prices," he says.

Sure enough, the political commentary began in early spring.

"It's as simple as this: The emperor has no clothes," House Speaker John Boehner said. "And they can't talk about their record on gas prices  (read more)

Townhall Finance -- The wind energy industry has been having a hard time. The taxpayer funding that has kept it alive for the last twenty years is coming to an end, and those promoting the industry are panicking.

Perhaps this current wave started when one of wind energy’s most noted supporters, T. Boone Pickens, “Mr. Wind,” in an April 12 interview on MSNBC said, “I’m in the wind business…I lost my ass in the business.”

The industry’s fortunes didn’t get any better when on May 4, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) wrote an editorial titled, “Gouged by the wind,” in which they stated: “With natural gases not far from $2 per million BTU, the competitiveness of wind power is highly suspect.” Citing a study on renewable energy mandates, the WSJ says: “The states with mandates paid 31.9% more for electricity than  (read more)

USA Today -- PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – For the past 30 years, the windmills of the San Gorgonio Pass in Southern California's low desert have spun out a living history of the wind industry's increasingly efficient and skyscraping abilities to turn the region's brisk breezes into electricity.

Today, vintage 65-kilowatt machines from the early 1980s — blades still turning on spindly, lattice-work towers — bump up against 3-megawatt giants topping out at more than 400 feet.

The desert-landscaped area off Interstate 10 that greets visitors driving from Los Angeles to Palm Springs is also dotted with rows of towers now bare and bladeless — the sign of a wind farm no longer in operation but not yet replaced.

And they may not be.

The end of a key federal tax incentive for the wind industry could put  (read more)

State Journal -- BECKER, Minn. (AP) — Sherburne County Generating Station, better known as Sherco, is a power-producing workhorse. But even good workhorses head to the glue factory eventually.The 2,400 megawatt coal-fired plant in Becker, 45 miles northwest of the Twin Cities, has generated the bulk of Xcel Energy's electricity for Minnesota for more than three decades.In the next year, Xcel will have to decide what to do about Sherco as it takes what regional vice president Laura McCarten calls "a deep dive analysis" of its power needs. As part of the analysis required of all regulated utilities by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, Minneapolis-based Xcel will look at all its alternatives for the next 20 years, making decisions on which plants it will upgrade and keep and which it may retire  (read more)