Saudi Arabia Turns To Plan B As Low Oil Prices Rattle Economy
Planet Money tries to find out how low oil prices will change Saudi Arabia economically and culturally.
Energy
Will California Gas Leak Mark A Turning Point In Energy Debate?
A massive methane leak may soon end, but its environmental impact is still being weighed. A scientist says it won't have a big effect globally, but it's a setback in efforts to curb greenhouse gases.
Coal Country Reacts To Supreme Court Stay On Obama Clean Power Plan
The U.S. Supreme Court has put a hold on the Obama administration's Clean Power Plan, which would significantly regulate coal, after 27 states sued over the proposal. Among them was Wyoming, which produces more coal than any other state. NPR reports on how the court's stay is being received in coal producing states.
Supreme Court Puts White House's Carbon Pollution Limits On Hold
A decision on the Clean Power Plan could be long in coming — meaning that the rules' fate might not be determined before a new presidential administration comes into power in 2017.
Calif. Official Says Leaking Gas Well Might Be Sealed As Soon As Next Week
An adviser to Gov. Jerry Brown says the well that has been leaking since October could be capped in days — sooner than the end-of-February target that had been set by the utility that owns the well.
Morocco Unveils A Massive Solar Power Plant In The Sahara
The Noor I solar thermal power plant is the first phase of a project that's projected to provide more than a million Moroccans with electricity — even once the sun has gone down.
Why Cheap Gas Might Not Be Good For The U.S. Economy
A drop in global oil prices saved U.S. drivers $100 billion last year. Good news, right? Not so, say some economists. The energy industry is now so big that cheap oil may actually hurt the economy.
Drop In Oil Prices Complicates Effort To Combat Climate Change
Replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy to combat climate change will require trillions of dollars in investment. Cheap prices for fossil fuels are making that transition a bit more complicated.
NPR Contest: Send Us Your Stories Of Happy Accidents In Science
Scientists need curiosity, determination — and luck. We're especially interested in that last bit, so tell us your stories of mistakes and surprises that led to discoveries in the past few years.
Air Regulators Sue Calif. Utility Over Massive Gas Leak
A local regulatory body has filed a civil suit against the Southern California Gas Co. alleging negligence over the ongoing natural gas leak near Porter Ranch in Los Angeles.