Venezuela bans billboard lighting during crisis
CARACAS, VENEZUELA - Venezuela has banned illuminated billboards as the country struggles with severe electricity shortages.
It's the latest measure aimed at reducing power consumption, which has become a top priority for President Hugo Chavez.
Chavez blames the shortages on a months-long drought attributed to changed weather patterns due to the El Nino phenomenon in the Pacific.
Water levels have fallen to critical lows behind the Guri Dam, which supplies roughly 70 percent of Venezuela's electricity.
Government opponents accuse Chavez of failing to invest enough in electrical projects to meet growing demand over the last decade.
Related News
Energy Department Announces 20 New Competitors for the American-Made Solar Prize
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the 20 competitors who have been invited to advance to the next phase of the American-Made Solar Prize Round 3, a competition designed to incentivize the nation’s entrepreneurs to strengthen American leadership in solar energy innovation and domestic manufacturing.
The American-Made Solar Prize is designed to help more American entrepreneurs thrive in the competitive global energy market. Each round of the prize brings new technologies to pre-commercial readiness in less than a year, ensuring new ideas enter the marketplace. As part of the competition, teams will have access to a network of…
