Here at Scaling Green, we live and breath energy issues.  Presumably, the same is true of people who read blogs like Scaling Green. Yet in the nation as a whole, that's most certainly not the case.  For instance, take the controversial, "hot" topic of natural gas fracking. A new study by Yale and George Mason University has some findings those of us who follow energy issues closely might find surprising. For instance:

According to Politico, advocates of action on climate change are growing increasingly frustrated and warning that we're running out of time.  The frustration boils down to the following:

From the Solar Impulse YouTube Channel:

Courtesy of DeSmogBlog, which "partnered with Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Mark Fiore to produce this spoof video in the vein of Francis Ford Coppola's 'Apocalypse Now.'" Spot-on satire, nice job!

A recent New York Times article graphically demonstrates how absurd it is to claim that tar sands (not "oil sands," as this article calls it) can be mined and transported "responsible" - certainly not with this sort of waste pile!

According to Raw Story:

A new report by the Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy ("a national, non-partisan clean energy network and information hub for local chambers of commerce") highlights several clean energy success stories across the country.

We wanted to highlight an excellent editorial by the Sioux City Journal on why wind power is "good for Iowa, good for America." The editorial follows last Wednesday's announcement of "plans for the largest economic development investment in state history: A $1.9 billion wind-energy project involving the addition of 656 new wind turbines."

The rapid decline in the price of solar panels has been impacting the industry in paradoxical ways.  As this Reuters article explains:

By Brian Mahar, Senior Vice President

Over at DeSmogBlog, they have an interesting interview with energy investor Bill Powers, author of the new book "Cold, Hungry and in the Dark: Exploding the Natural Gas Supply Myth." Here's an excerpt from the DeSmogBlog article:

So, let's say you're planning a new coal-fired power plant, like the Prairie State Plant in Illinois. Now, let's say that coal-fired power plant is "projected to produce 3.6 million to 4.8 million tons of toxic ash, which must be disposed," and that this ash could "ultimately contain a 250-foot high pile of coal ash sitting on flat farmland." Finally, how about we throw tornadoes into the mix?

Not that it's any secret to many of us, but it's great to hear a respected organization like the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) conclude that Renewable Energy Standards are "working effectively all over the country; affordably driving new renewable energy development and delivering substantial economic benefits to states and local communities in the process."  To flesh this out a bit, here are a few key points from the UCS' newly released review of state RES policies.

Don't believe us that clean energy is under assault by well-heeled fossil fuel interests? Well, then, take a Republican governor's word for it.

In part 1 of our series on smart grid marketing expert Judith Schwartz's recent Scaling Green Communicating Energy lecture, we focused on the importance of effectively introducing the smart grid to specific consumer market segments and individuals.  In part 2, we turned to the benefits of the smart grid for businesses and the general public. In part 3, we focused on the importance of energy literacy in maximizing the benefits of the smart grid.  Today, we turn our focus to the future - where the smart grid will hopefully take us in the coming years.

According to the Solar Impulse YouTube channel:

After months of preparations, the moment we've all been waiting for passed in a heartbeat! In the midst of the Bay Area rush hour traffic, the graceful solar airplane silently lifted its wings soaring high above Moffett Airfield towards the rising sun.

Piloted by Bertrand Piccard, the 6:12 am PDT (UTC-7) take off marks the launching of 2013 Across America mission and with it, the kickoff of the "Clean Generation" initiative. Solar Impulse will cross the continental United States in 5 stopovers in hopes of raising awareness about the potential of clean technologies. Thousands of Solar Impulse Supporters are already taking part in this global movement of pioneers by having their names virtually carried across the country on a USB key.

Very cool, we wish Solar Impulse godspeed in its journey!

UPDATE Saturday 3:50 pm: Here's video of the plane landing in Phoenix after completing the first leg of its journey.

In its groundbreaking report, Fossil Fuel Front Groups on the Front Page, the Checks and Balances Project identified 10  "Think Tanks" which specialize in "promot[ing] fossil fuels, attackp[ing] clean energy policy support, or undermin[ing] the seriousness of global climate disruption." One of those groups is the Institute for Energy Research (IER), which SourceWatch says received more than $300,000 from ExxonMobil between 2003 and 2007 and $175,000 from the Koch brothers.  In addition, SourceWatch notes, "In 2009 IER run a campaign on 'green jobs' attacking the expansion of renewables energies."

This is fascinating, although in an exasperating sort of way.

The New York Times reports on yet another important  reason why the logic behind oil and gas fracking is highly questionable.

Kudos to Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commissioners Ryan Lance and Tom Drean, who voted to slow down the mad rush "for an oil and gas company to inject produced water into a part of the Madison formation that, by all accounts, contains relatively clean water." This little- noticed story deserves more attention, given that these types of battles are playing out all over the country, and also given that fracking poses major environmental risks.

Want to see what "environmentally responsible" tar sands looks like? Here it is (photo by Getty Images):

For a bit more background on this environmental disaster, click here.