Power Hungry: Reinventing The U.S. Electric Grid Young Workers Find Opportunity In Power Industry April 30, 2009 • A large sector of the work force that runs the electrical system in the U.S. is expected to retire soon, depleting the supply of workers to maintain the grid and keep the lights on. So power companies find themselves training new workers to repair and maintain some very antiquated equipment.
World Rain Forest Residents, Texaco Face Off In Ecuador April 30, 2009 • A judge is preparing to render a decision in a lawsuit filed in 1993 by residents of Ecuador's Amazonian rain forest against Chevron, owner of Texaco, for fouling their land. A court-appointed expert agrees with many of the plaintiffs' charges and has assessed damages at $27 billion.
Research News Parrots Join Humans On The Dance Floor April 30, 2009 • So you think you can dance? Maybe. But Snowball, a Backstreet Boys-loving cockatoo, certainly can, scientists say. Parrots are perhaps one of only three kinds of animals that can truly move to a beat.
Reporter's Notebook Power Structures Shape Northwest Landscape April 30, 2009 • Across the Pacific Northwest, large pieces of electrical infrastructure, both old and new, speckle the landscape. From gigantic cooling towers to dams along the Columbia River to the new wind farms sprouting up on hillsides, electricity has worked its way into the fabric of the land.
Power Hungry: Reinventing The U.S. Electric Grid Power Industry Sees New Phase In Energy Use April 30, 2009 • As plans are made to revamp the U.S. electric grid, many in the electric industry see their job as a simple one: to keep the lights on. But others, including Xcel Energy, are bringing smart grid technology — and new business challenges — to entire cities.
Benchmarking Obama: President's First 100 Days Obama's Energy Plans Remain Works In Progress April 29, 2009 • The Obama administration has taken initial steps toward addressing energy and climate issues, like weatherizing homes and speeding up loans to energy research projects. But, there's no "magic switch" to changing to cleaner energy, officials say. Bigger projects and changes — like designing a new electricity grid for renewable energy — are still in the planning stages.
Swine Flu Hits Pandemic Level Antiviral Drugs Discounted For Government April 29, 2009 • The threat of a flu pandemic means more demand for antiviral drugs. The two European companies that make them — Roche and GlaxoSmithKline — stand to gain monetarily. But it's not likely to be a profit bonanza.
Power Hungry: Reinventing The U.S. Electric Grid The Challenge: Constant Current From Fickle Winds April 29, 2009 • In many remote areas of the country where wind is plentiful, no power is harnessed from the land because there aren't enough transmission lines to carry the electricity. And though the Plains offer untapped electrical potential, grid managers worry that the erratic nature of wind could make the grid unreliable.
Power Hungry: Reinventing The U.S. Electric Grid The Grid May Be Smart, But Will It Also Be Green? April 29, 2009 • The push is on to make the nation's aging electricity grid smarter, so it can handle our growing demand for electricity. Many assume that a smart grid will also be a green grid — delivering clean electricity and helping to address climate change. But that's not necessarily so.
Swine Flu Hits Pandemic Level Companies Fear Repeat Of 'SARS Effect' With Flu April 28, 2009 • The 2003 SARS outbreak caused fewer than 800 deaths but cost global businesses more than $30 billion. Now, there are concerns that the outbreak of swine flu could hit businesses in the same way.
Power Hungry: Reinventing The U.S. Electric Grid Smart Meter Saves Big Bucks For Pa. Family April 28, 2009 • By installing a smart meter on her Pennsylvania home, Tammy Yeakel and her family are able to save nearly 20 percent on their electric bill each month. They can track their energy consumption in real time on a Web site provided by her power company, PPL. Learn about NPR's series on the U.S. electric grid Toggle more options Embed Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/103437607/103423426" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
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Environment 'Major Emitters' Meet To Tackle Climate Change April 27, 2009 • Just 16 nations are responsible for a whopping 80 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. These 'major emitters' are convening Monday and Tuesday in Washington, D.C., to develop a plan to deal with climate change. Representatives from these nations are hopeful that they'll have the political force needed to reduce emissions.
Power Hungry: Reinventing The U.S. Electric Grid An Aged Electric Grid Looks To A Brighter Future April 27, 2009 • The nation's electricity grid is facing a crisis — it's outdated and unprepared for increasing demand and a future that includes more renewable sources of energy. A new digital smart grid is part of the picture envisioned by advocates, as is building new electricity infrastructure. Learn about NPR's series on the U.S. electric grid Toggle more options Embed Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/103327321/103423426" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
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Power Hungry: Reinventing The U.S. Electric Grid A Green Challenge: Make Renewables Reliable April 27, 2009 • Bringing renewable energies like wind and solar power onto the electric grid is the first step toward making the grid both green and smart, but engineers and power companies must also find solutions to the challenges of renewable energies, which don't produce consistent, reliable power.
Power Hungry: Reinventing The U.S. Electric Grid Putting A Price On Smart Power April 27, 2009 • An improved electric grid could potentially make electricity more reliable, more efficient, cleaner and perhaps even cheaper. But what would it cost to actually build it, and how much would it save?