Hawaii is the most oil-dependent state in the nation, with more than 95% of its energy supplied by imported fossil fuels. Gas and electricity prices in Hawaii are also far above the national average. To increase its energy independence, Hawaii is revving up its state electric vehicle program, "EV Ready," thanks to $4.5 million in funding from the DOE's State Energy Program and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

n a shocking turn of events, Republicans have turned on the very man they chose to speak for them this week in response to Obama’s State of the Union address — Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels. He is taking a drubbing in the conservosphere, but what’s most peculiar about the scandal that threatens to engulf him is that Republicans don’t seem aware that they’re attacking him

Energy independence, two words that evoke all sorts of questions: What’s "clean"? What’s safe? What’s cheap? What’s sustainable?

By Josh Sternberg

(Reuters) - Nebraska lawmakers debated on Tuesday tightening eminent domain rules for procuring land during the second day of a special session to discuss bills related to the proposed $7 billion Keystone XL oil pipeline.

In a move that could be called anything but conservative, Republican lawmakers are set to bring a bill to the House floor next week that will repeal state and municipal rights to set efficiency standards for light bulbs. 

By Stephen Lacey

The Department of Energy just issued this news release:

U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today that the U.S. and its partners in the International Energy Agency have decided to release a total of 60 million barrels of oil onto the world market over the next 30 days to offset the disruption in the oil supply caused by unrest in the Middle East.  As part of this effort, the U.S. will release 30 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR).  The SPR is currently at a historically high level with 727 million barrels.

Every day, the United States spends about $1 billion to import foreign oil, money that we could be investing in American energy and the American economy.

Humpback Whales Inspire New Ocean Tidal Energy Turbine

The next generation of ocean tidal energy turbines could be based on humpback whale flippers, and we may have the U.S. Naval Academy to thank for that. The new design is being developed by Ensign Timothy Gruber, who is pursuing a graduate degree at MIT, with guidance from Naval Academy engineering professors. If it proves successful, the new design could give a major boost to efforts by the U.S. Department of Defense to ditch risky, out-of-date fossil fuels in favor of renewable energy.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized the 2011 percentage standards for the four categories of fuel under the agency's renewable fuel standard program, known as RFS2.

The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) amended the Clean Air Act to greatly increase the total required volume of renewable fuels each year, reaching a level of 36 billion gallons in 2022. To achieve these volumes, EPA calculates percentage-based standards for the following year. Based on the standards, each producer and importer of gasoline and diesel determines the minimum volume of renewable fuel that it must ensure is used in its transportation fuel.