Stephen Lacey, Author at CleanTechnica

About Stephen Lacey

Stephen Lacey is a reporter/blogger for Climate Progress, where he writes on clean energy policy, technologies, and finance. Before joining CP, he was an editor/producer with RenewableEnergyWorld.com. He received his B.A. in journalism from Franklin Pierce University.

68% Of US Voters See Global Warming As ‘Serious Problem’

Posted on November 14, 2012 by Stephen Lacey

This article was originally published on Climate Progress. It has been reposted with full permission (image added). Polls have consistently shown that Americans’ understanding of global warming grows with an increase in extreme weather events. In the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, that number continues to grow. According to a new Rasmussen poll conducted a day before the election and released this morning, 68 percent of American voters said that global warming is either a “very serious” … Read More

Michael Bloomberg (NYC Mayor) Endorses Obama (Main Reason — Climate Change)

Posted on November 1, 2012 by Stephen Lacey

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg says that climate change is his top consideration this election season. As Bloomberg helps his city recover from Superstorm Sandy — one of nearly two dozen extreme weather events costing more than $1 billion since last year — he says that it has influenced his decision to vote for Barack Obama: [...]

Proposal 3 in Michigan (for Renewable Energy) Gets Bill Clinton Support

Posted on October 31, 2012 by Stephen Lacey

Backers of Proposal 3 might not have the spending power of the state’s largest utilities. But they now have a major heavy hitter on their side: Bill Clinton. “Proposal 3 is Michigan’s best opportunity this year to jumpstart the state’s economy by creating 94,000 jobs and increasing the use of renewable energy,” Clinton said in a statement. “Proposal 3 invests in Michigan’s future so that it won’t get left behind by the 30 other states that are already creating new clean energy jobs and lowering consumers’ electricity costs. That’s why I’m so proud to endorse Proposal 3.” [...]

You Can’t Ignore Climate Change in a Presidential Foreign Policy Debate

Posted on October 22, 2012 by Stephen Lacey

Barack Obama and Mitt Romney face each other for the final presidential debate tonight. The conversation will focus exclusively on foreign policy — potentially opening up numerous opportunities to talk about climate and energy issues. If the last two debates are any guide, the candidates and moderator may ignore the issue of climate altogether. [...]

A123 Systems Bankruptcy Is an Opportunity for Obama to Stand Up for Clean Energy Investments

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Stephen Lacey

Reposted in full with permission from Climate Progress: This morning brought a piece of news that some in the press will label an “October surprise” for the Obama campaign. A123 Systems, a manufacturer of lithium ion batteries used for electric vehicles and grid storage, has filed for bankruptcy protection and reached an agreement to sell two U.S. manufacturing plants to competitor Johnson Controls. The company received $129 million in grants to build its facilities. Let the … Read More

“The Greener the Industry, the Higher the Job Growth Rate over the Last Decade,” Report Finds

Posted on October 12, 2012 by Stephen Lacey

Editor’s note: this repost from Climate Progress is a follow-up to Andrew’s post yesterday on this same report. There’s a lot of good info in this report, and we might have even one more article on it in the coming days. Industries that support a higher number of “green” workers who are making goods and services more environmentally friendly have experienced a higher rate of growth over the last decade than industries with fewer … Read More

Majority of Michigan Voters Support 25% Renewable Energy Target

Posted on October 1, 2012 by Stephen Lacey

This election season, Michigan may turn out to be one of the most important states for renewable energy in the U.S. In November, voters will have the chance to vote on a constitutional amendment that will increase Michigan’s renewable electricity targets from 10 percent by 2015 to 25 percent by 2025. [...]

Decades of Federal Government Support Spurred Natural Gas Boom

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Stephen Lacey

Love it or hate it, there’s no denying that the U.S. is in the midst of a shale gas boom. Armed with a horizontal drilling technique that allows companies to access natural gas trapped in shale formations, the industry’s production has surged and prices have fallen to historic lows. [...]

$20/Ton Carbon Tax Could Reduce US Deficit by $1.2 Trillion in 10 Years