SolarCity teams with Tesla on storing energy
Not content to blanket rooftops with solar panels, SolarCity is jumping into the energy storage market as well. And the company is teaming up with corporate cousin Tesla Motors to do it. SolarCity on...
View ArticleCA oil: the Monterey Shale’s high-profile skeptics
To hear the oil industry tell it, California stands poised for an economic boom. Development of the Monterey Shale, a vast geologic formation that could hold 15.4 billion barrels of oil, will flood the...
View ArticleChevron’s latest big-name board member
Chevron Corp. has a history of high-profile, politically connected board members. The oil company’s latest pick is no exception. Chevron reported Wednesday that it had elected Jon Huntsman, former GOP...
View ArticleTesla gets $34.7 million tax break to boost production
California will give Tesla Motors a $34.7 million tax break to expand the company’s production of electric cars and powertrains in the state, officials announced Tuesday. Tesla, based in Palo Alto,...
View ArticleTesla’s production jumps, stock surges
Tesla Motors blew past its own production forecast in the fourth quarter, building and delivering roughly 15 percent more cars than expected. The maker of luxury electric cars reported Tuesday that it...
View ArticleSaving mom-&-pop solar
The solar installation business used to belong to mom & pops. If you wanted to slap panels on your roof, you hunted around for a local installer. And while that’s still the way it works in much of...
View ArticleObama’s lonely road on energy
When it comes to America’s energy future, Pres. Obama seems determined to lead from the center. But is anyone following? In his State of the Union remarks last night, Obama touted the success of his...
View ArticlePG&E — fewer blackouts in ’13 than ever before
Blackouts used to be a particular problem for Pacific Gas and Electric Co. They strike all utility companies, of course. But for years, PG&E had a worse record on power outages than California’s...
View ArticleTesla’s cross-country road trip
Early Sunday morning, two Tesla Motors electric sedans drove into Manhattan at the end of a very long trip. They’d been on the road for more than 76 hours and 3,464 miles, driving clear across country...
View ArticleFracking California during a drought?
More than half of the oil and gas wells fracked across America since 2011 lie in places suffering through drought — including California. That’s one of the more eye-catching results of a hydraulic...
View ArticleTesla driver blames fatal crash on new-car smell
The distinctive scent of off-gassing plastic inside a new car can cause headaches, nausea and annoyance. But a car crash? A Santa Cruz resident has blamed the new-car smell of his Tesla Motors Model S...
View ArticleTesla Model S worth more used than new?
Some cars have a reputation for holding their value over time, fetching a decent resale price even after years of use. But not many see their resale value go up. A new analysis of used car listings...
View ArticleNew methane study could affect fracking debate
A major study released today on one of the most important issues in the fracking debate gives at least a little ammunition to both sides. The study concludes that the federal government has seriously...
View ArticleTrade war could threaten solar power
A simmering solar trade dispute heated up Friday, as U.S. officials agreed to consider slapping tariffs on PV panels and other gear from Taiwan. And the outcome could slow solar power’s rapid rise in...
View ArticleState senator wants 15-cent carbon tax on fuel
The idea of using a carbon tax to fight global warming appears dead in Washington, rejected by Pres. Obama and his Republican foes alike. But it’s alive and well in California. And many...
View ArticleStudy: Offshore wind farms could tame hurricanes
Offshore wind farms, touted as a carbon-free way to generate electricity, could have an odd, added benefit — taking the punch out of hurricanes. A study published today by a Stanford University...
View ArticleTesla: from the brink of bankruptcy to “auto-pilot” cars
If anyone needed a reminder of just how far Tesla Motors has come in very short period of time, CEO Elon Musk provided it Thursday. Speaking at a panel discussion in San Francisco, he told the audience...
View ArticleSolarCity reports accounting snafu
Wall Street’s favorite solar company, SolarCity, reported on Monday finding an accounting error that will delay the company’s 2013 earnings report and require restating its 2012 results. But investors...
View ArticleCrowd-funding solar for your home
Homeowners who want to go solar but don’t have the cash now have a new alternative, courtesy of Oakland startup Mosaic: Crowd-funding. The company announced Wednesday that it will offer homeowners a...
View ArticleSmells like fracking! Fake cologne ad targets Gov. Brown
The fight over fracking has an amazing way of turning allies against each other, particularly in California. To see just how personal that sniping can get, check out the new online ad for “Frack Water,...
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