Voices

For Virtual Prospectors, Life in the Bitcoin Mines Gets Real

Temperatures and electric bills rise as enthusiasts hunt for Web currency.

Nest, Now Working With Utility Companies, Will Pay You to Meter the A/C This Summer

Resist cranking up the air conditioning this summer and you’ll get a check. You just have to have a Nest. And sign up with certain utility companies. And stuff like that.

As the Power Returns, E-Commerce Sites Turn Their Attention to the Holidays

Superstorm Sandy proved that even virtual organizations have their kryptonite, but today, it’s largely work as usual.

IBM Predicts Home Electricity From Your Bike, Mind-Reading Computers

Big Blue marks the end of the year by rolling out its crystal ball.

Hurricane Irene Is Over; Power Still Out for Many

Hurricane Irene is now a memory, but the mess it left will take days if not weeks to clean up.

Voices

Wind Power Hits a Trough

After years of blustery growth, wind power is facing a blow-back in some of its major markets. It is reeling from lackluster electricity demand in many mature economies, rock-bottom prices for competing natural gas in the U.S. and uncertainty throughout much of the world about government subsidies. Companies that make wind turbines are slashing production at some plants and reconsidering previous expansion.

It’s Hard to Cut the Charging Cords

A pad to charge all your mobile devices sounds like a great idea, and yet most people are still fumbling with jumbles of power cords. Katie looks at the different technologies involved and why charging pads aren’t more commonplace.

Voices

Looking to Cellphones to Deliver Aid in Africa

After a crisis, aid workers have found that giving a limited amount of money to the poorest people can help them buy food and weather the storm. But especially in remote or unstable places, doling out cash can be a logistical challenge. Enter the mobile phone.

The Summer to Go on a Power Diet

Katie runs down ways to keep your energy bills down this summer.

Voices

Foreigners Vie to Upgrade China Grid

China’s plan to upgrade its electricity network has sparked intense competition among General Electric Co., Siemens AG and other foreign companies seeking a foothold in what will soon be one of the world’s biggest markets for advanced power transmission and distribution systems.

Google’s Ad Platform Update

Google: Beyond Thunderdome

Earth, Air, Firewater