"After critical audits, the federal government said Wednesday that it would substantially tighten the certification process for products bearing the Energy Star label, its stamp of approval for an energy-efficient product."

"China Petrochemical Corporation will buy ConocoPhillips' stake in the Syncrude Canada oil sands project in Alberta for $4.65 billion."

"The Government Accountability Office concluded that the Energy Star program is susceptible to fraud and abuse, after investigators received certification for 15 phony appliances, including a gasoline-powered alarm clock."

"A deadly accident in the early hours of April 2 at the Tesoro  refinery 70 miles north of Seattle has focused attention on the petroleum industry’s plant practices and commitment to worker safety."

"Feb. 28, 2010, was a banner day for Texas wind to set the clouds -- and electrons -- flying. In the Panhandle, gusts reached 47 miles per hour and wind generators delivered a record 6,242 megawatts of power to Dallas, Austin and other population centers. At 1 p.m., 22 percent of all the electricity consumed in the Texas grid was coming from wind."

"The Minerals Management Service has withheld information from regional staff in Alaska and has not had sufficient guidelines in place to analyze offshore drilling risks in the region, a government audit shows."

"By trading oil for batteries, the struggling U.S. Postal Service could transform its fleet vehicles into overnight moneymakers that deliver much more than the daily mail. The cash-strapped agency has the potential to earn millions by storing and stabilizing some of the nation’s grid energy in mail trucks during off-peak hours."

"Oil prices hovered near 18-month highs above $86 a barrel Tuesday in Asia as traders mulled whether a recovering U.S. economy warranted further gains. ... Oil has jumped 24 percent since early February."

As the World Bank prepares to vote on to vote on a $3.75 billion loan to help South Africa build a 4,800-megawatt coal-fired power plant, the U.S. is under pressure to vote no.
 

"A federal advisory panel urged the U.S. Interior Department on Friday to block a $1 billion wind project off Cape Cod opposed by local business leaders and politicians but seen as helpful to the Obama administration's energy strategy."

"Oil consumption has fallen, demand from U.S. motorists for gasoline is flat at best and refiners that turn crude into fuel are operating well below capacity. Yet oil prices keep marching toward $90 a barrel, pushing gasoline toward $3 a gallon in many markets, and prompting American drivers to ask, 'What gives?'"

"The Transportation Department and EPA will roll out final rules Thursday that boost car and light truck fuel efficiency and create first-time auto emissions standards for carbon dioxide."

"Oil prices  rose above $84 a barrel Thursday in Asia, extending a two-month rally amid surging regional stock markets ahead of the Good Friday holiday."

"The city of Austin, Tex., [Thursday]  presented a wide-ranging list of recommendations for remaking its electricity system, including more energy efficiency measures and a change to the business model of the local utility."

"The Wampanoag Indians of southeastern Massachusetts welcomed the Pilgrims when they arrived on the Mayflower nearly 400 years ago. But now they're trying to stop another newcomer -- wind turbines."