n California, utilities are struggling to meet the state's goal that they provide one-third of their power from renewable resources by 2020. The panel took a look at the most promising developments in the world of alternative energy -- and at some of the obstacles to large-scale adoption.Listen to the podcast at KQED.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood recently appointed Professor Severin Borenstein, co-director of the Energy Institute at Haas, to the newly established Future of Aviation Advisory Committee.The purpose of the committee is to identify the priorities of the aviation industry – competition, infrastructure, financing, workforce, and environmental and safety issues -- and offer innovative solutions to address the challenges.

BP sponsors the Energy Biosciences Institute at Cal, a buzzing lab of 300 researchers trying to make fuel out of plants. It may seem incongruous that an oil company responsible for such environmental devastation is funding this effort to find green fuels and reduce oil use. But the scientists here say what they're doing is more important than where they get the money.By Laurel Rosenhall.

Researchers at UC Berkeley have identified a two-step catalytic approach for nearly completely converting glucose (99% conversion) to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and further converting HMF to 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF), a promising high-energy content product that can be used as a fuel or fuel additive.

May 13th is bike to work day. Parking and Transportation and the Green Initiative Fund invites all members of the campus community to ride your bike or take a walk with Bike to Work Day and UC Walks events, both held this May. Participating in these events reinforces our campus's commitment to employee health, sustainability and the environment.

Cal’s Zimride community is a simple way to find friends and colleagues who are going the same way you are. Zimride makes it easy to share the seats in your car or catch a ride.

Symposium urges cautious approach, citing concerns over ridership, cost and environmental benefits.CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’: State high-speed rail planners hope to receive $4.7 billion in federal stimulus funding and break ground as early as 2011 on a system that will move trains at speeds of 200+ mph.

Planes, trains and automobiles have a bigger effect on the environment beyond the fumes they emit. Researchers have created a new framework to calculate the true environmental cost of travel that accounts for every process, from generating energy to keep train stations running to extracting ore to build a car.

Bay Area political leaders and transportation officials announced Thursday they have reached consensus on a plan to bring high-speed rail to the region as they seek state and federal support for the project.

The UC TV website has many programs and podcasts on Environmental topics. You can download them for free. Some of the available titles: Emerging Infectious Diseases and Global Health; Creating a Culture that Supports Innovation and Sustainable Change; The Challenges of Leading in a Rapidly Changing Economic Environment; Conversations With History: The Politics of Food.

Berkeley demonstrates green leadership not just in the UC system but among universities nationwide. Chancellor Robert Birgeneau has made it a top priority to reduce UC Berkeley's carbon footprint and cut green-house gas emissions. Initiatives are taking place on nine fronts.

When FRONTLINE first looked into climate change, nearly a decade ago, scientists were still divided on how large a part man played in global warming. Today, we've met the culprit, and he's us. The next, and equally contentious, phase of the debate on climate change is, namely, what are we going to do about it?

Cars, steam engines, alcohol-powered bikes-they're going to escape from Berkeley by any non-petroleum means necessary. The first-annual Escape from Berkeley relay started Saturday morning from Shipyard Labs in South Berkeley. Vehicles will weave through Yosemite National Park and Death Valley National Park before reaching their ultimate destination in Las Vegas on Monday.

DARPA had a Grand Challenge. . . the rednecks a Cannonball Run. . . and the hippies a bunch of WVO buses broken down on the side of the road. Now, NASA scientists and junkyard fabricators go head-to-head in a no holds barred battle of engineering prowess and creative excess. Hanging somewhat in the balance, are bragging rights for saving the world. That, and a grand prize of $5,000.

Biofuels like ethanol have been touted by nations such as Brazil as an answer to the world’s energy crisis, but research from CNR economists suggests that the costs of ethanol may outweigh the benefits of cheaper gas prices.