The Ten Essential Renewable Energy News Stories This Week

By Nathanael Baker on July 23, 2010

Well, well, well. Once again, here we stand on the eve of another journey.

But first a little prelude, if I may.

Just as BP began to exit stage right after stopping the flow of oil spilling into the Gulf of Mexico, another oil disaster took center stage -- this one off the coast of China.

The oil industry's reputation and image is taking a thorough beating; perhaps one of the positives from the catastrophe in the Gulf is increased awareness of the environmental dangers posed by oil and other fossil fuels. If so, is this new consciousness enough to make changes? Apparently not right this second.

However, this discussion is better suited for a different time and different forum because right now we are about to leap head-first into the dizzying worlds of renewable energy and clean technologies. Strap those helmets on, you're going to need them.

Here are the Top 10 Renewable Energy News Stories You May Have Missed This Week:

1. Caught in the Act: BP Publishes Fake Image of Oil Spill Command Center - The atrociousness of BP's handling of the black tide it has pumped into the Gulf becomes more audacious by the day. This week it was revealed the company published a fake photo of its crisis response center on the BP website.

2. China's Massive Oil Spill: Tragedy Unfolds in Pictures - Greenpeace China has captured incredible images of the oil spill which has devastated the country's northeast coast.

3. China Oil Spill Doubles In Size as Clean-Up Efforts Continue - The oil spill off the northeast coast of China has doubled since it began last Friday. Crude oil now covers roughly 165 square miles of water.

4. U.S. Department of Defense Sitting on a Geothermal Gold Mine? - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has identified hundreds of Department of Defense-owned sites that could generate an impressive amount of geothermal energy.

5. Germany's Energy Could Be 100% Renewable by 2050 - A new study by Germany's Federal Environment Agency outlines the country's potential to achieve 100% of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2050.

6. US Geothermal Inc. Enters $30 Million Agreement to Construct 8 Megawatt Power Station - US Geothermal Inc. has announced a US$30 million agreement with TAS Energy Inc., to build a 8.6 net megawatt geothermal power plant in Northern Nevada.

7. Using Magnets to Cool Your Refrigerator - If you’re not a physicist you’ve probably never heard of the magnetocaloric effect. But scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Lab think the phenomenon could someday be used to keep food cold – using a large magnet like a block of ice.

8. Is BP Paying Scientists to Stay Silent About the Gulf Oil Catastrophe? - The details of BP's oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico have been murky at the best of times, and it appears they will remain this way as BP is trying to control scientific research of the oil leak's ecological impact.

9. EBOOM CAPITAL: Big Companies Pursue Different Next-Gen Biofuel Technologies - While the ethanol subsidy debate rages in Washington, D.C., the big oil and chemical companies continue their small experiments into next-generation biofuels. Check out what technologies the "Bigs" are supporting.

10. Exactly How Big is a Solar Panel's Carbon Footprint? - People are quick to point out that solar panels have a carbon footprint which enthusiasts often tend to forget about. Even though this is true, research shows a solar panel's carbon footprint is at least 20 times smaller than that of coal.

Voila. C'est fini. Don't forget, you can get up-to-the-second cleantech updates by following EnergyBoom on Twitter and Facebook.

Nathanael Baker is the Managing Editor of EnergyBoom. He has researched and reported on the issues of renewable energy, sustainability, and climate change for over two years. He has provided research to the New York Times and The Economist, as well as being published on different media outlets including, The Energy Collective.