News Coverage of RMI

Conversations with History
RMI cofounder, Chief Scientist and Chairman Amory Lovins is the guest on 'Conversations with History', produced out of the University of California at Berkeley. Speaking with host Harry Kreisler, Lovins discusses 'Natural Capitalism', the origins and mission of RMI and the opportunities and benefits of using the profit motive to redesign the relationship between the environment and capitalism.

Reading Up on Nuclear Energy
For a responsibly skeptical look at nuclear power's rapidly rising costs in comparison to available low carbon alternatives, see "The Nuclear Illusion" by RMI's Chief Scientist Amory Lovins.

Battle over the Bailout
RMI's Chief Scientist Amory Lovins offers his suggestions on tax credits on more efficient autos.

Obama to Meet McCain: Will he, Should he, Ask McCain to be Energy Secretary?
Author Paul Abrams would like to see RMI's Chief Scientist Amory Lovins as Energy Secretary.

MU Joins Partnership to Fight Climate Change
Rocky Mountain Institute's Campus Climate Initiative helped MU identify and overcome barriers to slow climate change.

Climate change: How your city thinks globally
Michael Kinsley, an energy efficiency authority for Rocky Mountain Institute, said taking "green" action is a political necessity these days for city officials.

Last call on registration and first call on presentations for xconomy forum on energy innovation
RMI's Chief Scientist Amory Lovins will participate in a keynote chat at the Xconomy Forum on Energy Innovation on December 2.

Challenges to Create New Energy-Efficiency, Low Cost Air Conditioner Is Solved
Kendra Tupper, a member of the panel of judges and a Senior Consultant with the Built Environment Team at RMI talks about new technologies that could save consumers money in the future.

Expert advises businesses on low-carbon buildings
RMI's Greg Franta recently spoke at a Carbon Trust Wales breakfast at the Park Plaza hotel, Cardiff offering insight into sustainable design and high performance buildings.

Nuclear Power's Prohibitive Costs
In the "Nuclear Illusion," RMI's Chief Scientist Amory Lovins points out that nuclear power is a bad deal any way you look at it.

Green Car Experts Meet in Novi: Conference Focuses on New Auto Technologies
Some of the sharpest minds in the auto industry, including RMI's MOVE VP Michael Brylawski, met today in Novi to talk about making cars more environmentally friendly.

Shifting gears: Changing focus from competition and resources to regeneration
Speaking at the Green Car Conference, focused on furthering green vehicle innovation and advancement, in Novi, Mich., MOVE VP Michael Brylawski discussed the four transformation shifts undertaken by the automotive industry.

Save Money on Your Heating Bills
Regardless of how old your home is, there are some things you can do to save energy, according to BET's Allison Rutter on Green Yahoo.

Conserve, Baby, Conserve
RMI's Chief Scientist Amory Lovins notes that just a 2.7-miles-per-gallon gain in the fuel economy could displace Persian Gulf imports entirely.

Green-Collar Stimulus 4: Two Bigger Plans
Amory Lovins' Winning the Oil Endgame provides a sophisticated and detailed plan to get the US off foreign oil.

The Smart Garage: Crossroads of the New Green Economy
RMI's MOVE team discusses the concept of the smart garage as the nexus of the three major sectors of the new green economy.

Nuclear Power Bad on So Many Levels
RMI's Chief Scientist Amory Lovins explains that including expenses for facilities, infrastructure and operations, power produced from wind costs half as much as nuclear.

A Waste of Energy: The Flawed Economics of Nuclear Power
There is little evidence of private capital investing in nuclear plants in competitive electricity markets. The reason is simple: nuclear power is uneconomical according to Amory Lovins.

Campuses find that going green can be tough
RMI's Sally DeLeon, a fellow for the Built Environment Team, discusses the challenges that college campuses face with climate action strategies.

After the Oil: The Future of Energy
RMI's Chief Scientist Amory Lovins believes that the potential for energy efficiency far outweighs the potential for new energy sources.

Plug-in Hybrids Economic Impact
Laura Schewel from RMI's MOVE Team talks about the promising future of Electric Cars.

Go Green.ae Launches Green Heroes Program
Go green announced the launch of the "green heroes" program to recognize people who are making a difference in greening the lives of local and global communities. RMI's Chief Scientist Amory Lovins is the first to be showcased.

Sustainable Living sage talks in Portola Valley
On October 13, RMI's Chief Scientist Amory Lovins spoke in Portola Valley about the importance of a sustainable lifestyle.

Panel Envisions Power Grid of the Future
RMI convened a panel of experts at the Smart Garage Charrette to discuss the infrastructure overhall needed to reap the environmental and economic benefits of electric vehicles.

Using energy more efficiently: An interview with the Rocky Mountain Institute's Amory Lovins
RMI's Chief Scientist Amory Lovins argues that market forces, not regulation, will play the key role in promoting more efficient energy consumption.

Smart Garage Sessions Examines How to Develop Vehicle-To-Grid Technology
RMI's Smart Garage Charrette held earlier this month brought together more than 20 organizations to collaborate and discuss the technical and financial obstacles to PHEV and grid integration

Nuclear Power is NOT the Solution to Our Global Warming Woes
Rocky Mountain Institute's published studies on nuclear power help make sense of many of the assumptions that underly proposals to increase nuclear energy.

12 Colleges Chosen to Fight Climate Change
After receiving a slew of applications, the Rocky Mountain Institute has chosen 12 colleges to participate in a collaborative search for breakthroughs in the fight against climate change.

Amory Lovins on Energy
Amory Lovins, Chief Scientist at Rocky Mountain Institute talks about the soft energy path and his views on energy efficiency.

Rocky Mountain Institute, AASHE, Colleges Seek Best Weapons to Battle Climate Change
Rocky Mountain Institute and the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education are partnering with a dozen colleges to study best practices in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other strategies to battle climate change.

CSU Selected for Greenhouse-gas Study
Rocky Mountain Institute has selected Colorado State University for a national study on best practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on college and university campuses.

Humdinger's Wind Power Alternative
RMI's James Brew describes the potential impact of smartly designed micro-installations to harness wind power.

Tax Credits for Plug-Ins Favor Big Batteries
Rocky Mountain Institute's Chief Scientist Amory Lovins, and MOVE Team VP Michael Brylawski welcome a tax credit for PHEVs, but stress the need for investment in efficient platforms and lighter materials for automobiles.

V2G: All Roads Lead Through Batteries
Writer John Gartner who is currently covering RMI's Smart Garage Charrette, summarizes discussion on the benefits of integrating PHEV's and the grid.

Obama Hits Hard on Efficiency Themes
Rocky Mountain Institute and Chief Scientist Amory Lovins have long advocated energy efficiency. Last night, this solution was discussed during the Presidential Debate.

Plug-In Hybrids Rev up Demand for Smart Grid
RMI's Smart Garage Charrette brings together leaders from the automotive, energy, battery, and power management sectors to discuss the steps needed to maximize vehicle to grid benefits.

Grid Recharges for Plug-in Hybrids
Rocky Mountain Institute's Smart Garage Charrette, held currently in Portland Oregon, is exploring how integrating plug-in hybrid electric cars and the grid will be the critical next step in determining ultimate efficiency.

Toyota, Experts See Plug-in Car Trouble: Electric Reality Check
RMI's MOVE team VP Michael Brylawski points out the consumer appeal of electric cars and the challenges that remain for PHEV technology to reach the mainstream

Industry Confronts Vehicle-to-Grid Roadblocks
RMI is bringing together two industries to tackle the challenges PHEV's through their Smart Garage Charette, October 8-10 in Portland Oregon.

Amory Lovins to Speak in Portola Valley
On October 13, Portola Valley, CA: RMI's chief scientist Amory Lovins's talk will inaugurate "Pioneers of Sustainability," the town's new green speaker series.

2008 R&D Innovator of the Year & Scientist of the Year Finalists Announced
RMI's Chief Scientist Amory Lovins was announced as a finalist for the 2008 Scientist of the Year, which recognizes substantial advancements in the pursuit of science.

ReGeneration Road Trip: Cold Beer and Hot Showers at the Rocky Mountain Insitute
This is a blog that resulted from a recent visit from the writer to RMI to speak with several staff members about the organization and their current projects.

Changing the grid: We're all part of the solution
The grid. For most of us it’s more of a weird idea than a real thing -- a huge labyrinth of long wires, lumbering power plants, and ancient technology.

But speakers at Rocky Mountain Institute’s Quest For Solutions lecture in Denver said despite that abstraction -- that weird place the big, bad grid holds in our lives --consumers are ultimately in control: via the products they buy,  the people the vote for and way they conduct their day-to-day lives.

Deep Green Thinking
RMI's Chief Scientist Amory Lovins speaks at the seventh annual Leadership Summit on Sustainable Design on the subject of the economics of energy.

Salinas OKs contract with 'green' consultant
The Salinas City Council recently approved a contract with the Rocky Mountain Institute. RMI will act as an environmental development consultant to guide this Northern California city toward their goal of becoming a leader in "green" economic development.

The Frugal Cornucopian
“Amory Lovins began making the case for resource efficiency decades ago, long before it became fashionable. Now things are going his way."

Less costly ways to go green
Though Al Gore and T. Boone Pickens advocate for gargantuan investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency remains the cheapest, most benign, least visible, and most neglected way to provide energy.

A Vacation with A Purpose
Amory Lovins, Chief Scientist at Rocky Mountain Institute, traveled to Borneo on his vacation to visit a world-class organization working to protect orangutans. What he found was an inspiring story about rainforest rehabilitation and sustainable economic development.

Optimism Prevails
Amory Lovins discusses the potential for transportation markets to outpace regulation at a recent seminar held by the Center for Automotive Research in Traverse City.

Loving those lower gas prices?
With oil prices down, and gasoline under $4 a gallon, can we assume the crisis is over? Not at all, says Michael Brylawski, head of the RMI's Mobility and Vehicle Efficiency practice, which focuses on efficient transportation.

Mission Unnecessary
Using resources efficiently to create real, lasting security is at the core of RMI's mission. A number of the Institute's landmark studies have questioned what energy security really means and advanced "end-use/least-cost" thinking in military affairs.

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Charting a Course for the Future
Making sense of the recent national debates over offshore drilling, biofuels, and nuclear power can be a challenge.

RMI cofounder and Chief Scientist Amory Lovins speaks with Charlie Rose on PBS about all these debates, the future of the transportation industry, U.S. energy policy, and how to chart a profitable course forward.

“I don’t think that an Apollo or a Manhattan style crash program is what we need. We have plenty of technology to solve this problem cost effectively; we need to apply it,” Lovins says.

To watch the full interview, click here.

Investing Judiciously in Energy Solutions
RMI cofounder and Chief Scientist Amory Lovins explained to Democracy Now!’s Amy Goodman why nuclear power is a bad buy, compared to faster, cheaper options like energy efficiency, renewables, and cogeneration.

To listen to the full interview, click here
Full transcript

Big Bucks for Best Battery?
Milwaukee Journal Sentinal: In response to GOP presidential nominee John McCain's $300M Green Car Challenge prize proposal, RMI's Amory Lovins says the plan should be expanded.

Media coverage of ‘The Nuclear Illusion’ -- a study by RMI Cofounder and Chief Scientist Amory Lovins and Imran Sheikh.

Time: Is Nuclear Power Viable?
The Star Phoenix: Nuclear industry spins new mythology
Reuters: Nuclear renaissance or nuclear illusion?
Bloomberg: Lovins: Nuclear Power Can't Solve Global Warming
Rocky Mountain News: Nuke interest resurges in state
Grist: Rebuklear - The latest sorties in the war over nuclear power
Matter Network: Lovins Weighs in on Nuclear Power
U.S. and World Report: Energy "Manhattan Project"?

Memo to Obama or McCain: Pick Amory Lovins As Energy Czar
Whoever wins in November, Barack Obama or John McCain, needs to make radical moves to reduce our oil addiction. Our next president could help safeguard America's future by inviting energy guru Amory Lovins to be Secretary of Energy, rather than giving the job to a political ally.

Singapore Calls on CEO
Singapore is encouraging CEOs in the city-state to invest in green buildings, Channel News Asia reports, with RMI cofounder Amory Lovins offering his views on the benefits of constructing energy-efficient buildings and retro-fitting.
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Rethinking the Reliability of Solar and Wind Power
The latest studies on the topic out of Rocky Mountain Institute contends that utility managers need to think about their renewable energy investments as a portfolio.
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Oil Shock 2?
With prices at $120+ a barrel, Americans are facing an oil adjustment, but what to do about it? RMI cofounder Amory Lovins gives his thoughts on why and how we should cut oil consumption in the Christian Science Monitor.
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Missing the Market Meltdown
Renewable energy is attracting Wall Street but nuclear power isn't. Why? Simple economics, writes RMI cofounder and chief scientist Amory Lovins in Newsweek.
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Building Green the 'New Black'
"Green" certified buildings outperform their conventional counterparts and can command more return for investors, a new study finds.
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Green Leases for Multi-Tenant Buildings
New research out of RMIs Built Environment Team finds common leasing structures for multi-occupant buildings create split incentives among tenants, landlords and owners.
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Daylighting Colorado's Seven Generations
Rocky Mountain Institute's work on the Seven Generations Office Park has helped the Fort Collins property become the first in North Colorado to receive the distinguished LEED platinum award.
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Beating the Energy Efficiency Paradox
Today's popularity of more efficient vehicles and green home retrofits means it is worth seriously considering if there is evidence for Jevons' Paradox -- or even a significant rebound effect -- that could dampen some of the enthusiasm for these technologies.
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No Place to Hide
Investments in greener operations can offer more payoff than expected, and some observers see large green-related market opportunities still sitting on the table for innovators to grab.
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GM Rethinks Engine with HCCI
Dismissed as a laboratory curiosity in the 1970s, homogeneous charge-compression ignition has now emerged as a more feasible alternative to alternative fuels.
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Car Lightweighting vs Safety
In an accident between a Hummer and a Chevy Aveo, common sense seems to indicate you'd be safer in the larger, heavier Hummer. But that doesn't have to be the case, according to a new study
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Buildings That Teach
What can the built environment teach us about ourselves, about the environment in which we live? What cultural values can buildings impart?
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The Green Summit
Coverage of the Green Summit in Northern Colorado that featured RMI’s Victor Olgyay.
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Will New Fuel Economy Standards Make Cars Less Safe?
Good engineering can let us have our cake and eat it too, says RMI's Laura Schewel in a MSN Autos editorial on the CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards.
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Beating the Economic Blues
Companies that cash in on the White House's new tax incentives by purchasing energy efficient equipment and investing in greener infrastructure will not only save money through tax breaks, but also on future utility bills.
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Easy Ways You Can Save the Earth Today
Forbes asks eight leading environmentalists: What is the single most important step "regular people" can take to help save the environment?
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Paying Lip Service to Earth Day
Op-ed calls for Canada to embrace the kind of innovation RMI has been creating over the past 25 years.
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Debunking Conventional Thought
Dow Jones Market Watch reports on "Triple Safety" -- a research paper by RMI's Laura Schewel that found that designing lighter cars can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase fuel efficiency without compromising safety
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How to Win the War on Global Warming
Time magazine feature on a step by step plan to curb climate change.
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Great Green Careers
Former RMI consultant Chris Page is featured in a Fortune Magazine special report, The Business of Green, that shows that earth friendly careers are not all about organic farming and installing solar panels.
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Big Power Goes Local
RMI’s Amory Lovins features in a Newsweek article about grass-roots movements to generate power in towns and basements that are challenging the energy industry's status quo.
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Xcel Energy and Boulder Transform the Electricity Industry
In a Guest Commentary piece published in the Denver Post, RMI's Energy Resource Team discuss U.S. utility Xcel Energy's Smart Grid initiative and how it relates to RMI's vision of the Next Generation Utility.
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Podcast: Creating Sustainable Cities
As part of a Renewable Energy World podcast, Michael Kinsley, from RMI's Sustainable Cities program talks about his work advising big and small cities and the economic opportunities energy efficiency and renewable energies pose.
Listen to the Podcast

Forcing Change Upon Us
RMI co-founder Amory Lovins is featured in Dow Jones' MarketWatch, which recapped insights by panelists at the recent Aspen Environment Forum.
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You Are How You Live
The Wall Street Journal looks at some of the approaches behind the green thinking at the core of thousands of new communities.
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GM Testing Volt's Battery
In a Popular Mechanics article, RMI's Michael Brylawski weighs in on the battery options for GM’s advanced electric hybrid vehicle.
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From Mega to Negawatts
In an interview on ‘Living on Earth’, RMI co-founder Amory Lovins explains what negawatts are and how they may help us power our future.
Interview transcript (www.loe.org)
Listen to the interview (mp3 audio)

This Much I Know
British newspaper 'The Observer' features some of the thoughts, ideas, challenges and quips from RMI Chief Scientist Amory Lovins.

Green building for a profitable future
In an era of escalating concern about climate change, boosting energy efficiency in the building sector will not only lower carbon emissions but can also provide substantial financial returns to businesses that implement ‘green designs and technology’ to their workplaces, Rocky Mountain Institute’s Greg Franta told the UK Carbon Trust in Edinburgh, Scotland.
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The Green Car - Unleash the Engineers
Automakers who view the U.S. government's CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) regulations not as a headache but as an opportunity stand to make big gains, writes Michael Brylawski, the head of Rocky Mountain Institute's transportation innovation group, in the Forbes.com Special Report, 'The Green Car'.