Rocky Mountain Institute
Electricity Manager at the Rocky Mountain Institute, an energy think-tank in Boulder, Colorado; host of The Energy Transition Show; co-author of Profit from the Peak: The End of Oil and the Greatest Investment Event of the Century and Investing in Renewable Energy: Making Money on Green Chip Stocks; former columnist for SmartPlanet.com
Is Germany Leading the Way on Green Energy Transition? It didn't last long, but the fourth largest economy in the world set a kind of record this week for renewable energy. Wind farm in Lower Saxony, Germany Photo: Phillip May Sometime around noon this past Sunday, 90% of Germany's total electricity demand was powered by wind, solar, hydro and biomass . There was so much renewable energy that government had to pay people to use it. Chis Nelder is an energy futurist and electricity manager at the Rocky Mountain Institute in Boulder, Colorado. He's also host of a podcast called The Energy Transition Show.
Is $4 Gas the New Normal? A month ago, a gallon of regular gasoline cost an average of $3.30. Now it's $3.75 nationwide — and well over $4 in California. In the winter, gas prices generally go down. But for the past 34 days, the AAA Auto Club reports they've been going up -- faster than at any time since 2005. What's the answer, and why is the oil industry suggesting we ought to pay more? Chris Nelder is an independent energy analyst and columnist for SmartPlanet.com .
The Price of Gasoline and the Race for the White House Americans are suffering from increased pain at the gas pump, and Republicans are blaming President Obama. What are the real causes of increased gasoline prices? Can the President persuade voters it's not his fault and that he's doing all he can?
The Price of Gasoline and the Race for the White House A US president can't really do much to influence gasoline prices, but this year's Republican candidates insist that he can, and two-thirds of the voters believe them. So President Obama will devote three days this week to an energy tour of the country, emphasizing what he claims is solid energy policy . What are the major factors leading to recent increases in the price of gas at the pump? Are the oil companies exploiting opportunities for domestic drilling? Did the President blow it by delaying development of the Keystone XL Pipeline ?
Janesville and the American Dream Janesville, Wisconsin is the hometown of Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan. But he couldn’t prevent the closing of the General Motors factory after 100 years. On this Memorial Day rebroadcast of To the Point, we hear what’s happened to what once was a model of American middle-class unity.
What happens when America retreats from the world? Is President Trump taking his "America First" agenda to extremes, withdrawing the country from the international stage on trade and climate change, distancing America from its traditional allies across the Atlantic and even threatening to physically isolate the country through the building of a wall along its southern border? León Krauze guest hosts.
Human Rights in the era of Donald Trump President Trump’s UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley, said today the US might pull out of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Serious violators of human rights are members of the Council itself–and a US resignation could make things worse. Later on today’s show, now that he’s into his second term, comedian turned US Senator Al Franken is telling jokes again.
Who's to blame for the opioid crisis? Some of the lawyers who took on Big Tobacco are now going after Big Pharma. It’s all about the deadly epidemic of opioid use. Are the drug companies to blame? What about the users? Later, on today’s Talking Point: making sense of Britain’s upset election.