A sampling of green-tech news with quick commentary.
- Goals for Ethanol Production Are in Peril - The New York Times
"The ethanol industry is on its back despite the billions of dollars they have gotten in taxpayer assistance, and a guaranteed market," according to one analyst. And the industry is unlikely to meet government production mandates. - Saudi Oil Min: Renewables Push Could Create Energy Havoc - Dow Jones
Saudi oil minister warns of a "nightmare scenario of diminishing energy supplies" if renewable energy is adopted too quickly. - How Better Place plans to revive the electric car - CNET Australia
Australia will be one of the first places to have Better Place's automated battery-swapping stations for electric cars. CNET Australia's Car Tech blog gets the lowdown. - Sequoia Backs Stealthy C12 To Capture Carbon - VentureWire
Boston-area start-up wants to make underground storage of carbon dioxide--of great interest to utilities--less expensive. Commercialization is years away, though. - Wind turbine 'broke due to mechanical failure not collision with flying object' - The Daily Telegraph
So much for the UFO theory. - Hybrids Powered by Air - Technology Review
Researchers look for a more efficient way to use stored compressed air to help power a (smaller) motor. - When Oil Rig Met Wind Turbine - Greentech Media
To do offshore wind, talk to people who know a bit about offshore oil. - Does a Big Economy Need Big Power Plants? - The New York Times
Guest post by energy maven Amory Lovins, who says that gigantic power plants no longer make sense and that distributed "micropower" is the way to grow. - Dell Announces Major Expansion of Free Computer Recycling Program - press release
You can recycle your Dell PC at 1,000 locations in the U.S. now.