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What Everyone Should Know About Energy
- What is a cap-and-trade program and how does it work?A cap-and-trade program is designed to reduce emissions of a pollutant by placing a limit (or cap) on the total amount of emissions. The cap is implemented through a system of allowances that can be traded to minimize costs to affected sources. Cap-and-trade programs for greenhouse gas emissions would increase the costs of using fossil fuels. […]
- What is the status of the U.S. nuclear industry?There are currently 104 commercial nuclear reactors at 65 nuclear power plants in 31 States. Since 1990, the share of the Nation's total electricity supply provided by nuclear power generation has averaged about 20%, with the level of nuclear generation growing at roughly the same rate as overall electricity use. Between 1985 and 1996, 34 new reactors w […]
- How can we compare or add up our energy consumption?To compare or aggregate energy consumption across different energy sources like oil, natural gas, and electricity, we must use a common unit of measure. This is similar to calculating your food energy intake by adding up the calories in whatever you eat. […]
- What is a cap-and-trade program and how does it work?
Invasive Species
- The Secret Life of Smoke in Fostering Rebirth and Renewal of Burned Landscape (Jan 27, 2010) February 1, 2010The Secret Life of Smoke in Fostering Rebirth and Renewal... […]
- Deadly Fish Virus Now Found in all Great Lakes (Jan 27, 2010) February 1, 2010Deadly Fish Virus Now Found in all Great Lakes (Jan... […]
- The Secret Life of Smoke in Fostering Rebirth and Renewal of Burned Landscape (Jan 27, 2010) February 1, 2010
Get Charged: $1.4 Billion Loan to Nissan
The U.S. Department of Energy announced January 28 that it has closed its $1.4 billion loan with Nissan North America, Inc. to build an advanced battery manufacturing facility in Smyrna, Tennessee, and to retool the automaker’s existing Smyrna factory so it can build electric automobiles. Nissan plans to use the loan to produce its all-electric vehicle, the LEAF, at the retooled Smyrna plant. Nissan will offer electric vehicles to fleet and retail customers, and the automaker plans to ramp up production capacity in Smyrna so that it can build 150,000 vehicles and 200,000 battery packs annually. The two projects are expected to create up to 1,300 U.S. jobs and to conserve up to 65.4 million gallons of gasoline per year.
The Nissan announcement marks the third loan agreement signed by DOE with an advanced technology vehicle manufacturer, following a $5.9 billion agreement with Ford Motor Company in September 2009 and a $465 million loan agreement with Tesla Motors, Inc. on January 21. DOE has also signed a conditional commitment with Fisker Automotive to build plug-in hybrid electric vehicles by reopening a shuttered auto plant in Wilmington, Delaware. Tenneco, Inc. became the first advanced technology component manufacturer to obtain a conditional commitment from DOE in October of last year.
Congress appropriated $7.5 billion to DOE to support up to $25 billion in loans to companies using U.S. factories to make cars and components that increase fuel economy at least 25% above 2005 fuel economy levels. DOE plans to make additional loans over the next several months to large and small auto manufacturers and parts suppliers up and down the production chain.