Energy storage, such as big batteries, on the power grid is generally seen as ‘green’ technology but the reality is more complicated, an analysis finds.
What if the world really got serious about meeting global climate goals? Doing the math on current emissions and the pace of energy transitions shows how quickly fossil fuels need to be phased out.
The Department of Energy’s review of the electricity grid finds natural gas, rather than renewables, has hurt coal and nuclear power. But that’s only half the story of the changes underway.
On Q&A, an audience member said renewable energy is ‘now cheaper than coal’. Senator Matt Canavan disagreed, saying renewables are not ‘at the moment, cheaper than coal’. Let’s look at the numbers.
How fast can the US transition to clean energy and with what energy sources? Here’s why an impassioned debate among energy wonks matters to the rest of us.
Energy Secretary Rick Perry wants to know if wind and solar are compromising the reliability of the grid and hurting coal power. The answer lies in his home state of Texas.
Edgar Hertwich, Norwegian University of Science and Technology; Anders Arvesen, Norwegian University of Science and Technology; Sangwon Suh, University of California, Santa Barbara, and Thomas Gibon, Norwegian University of Science and Technology
No energy source is perfect, but solar and wind have a much lower health and environmental footprint than fossil fuels, a study finds. Biopower, though, is a mixed bag.
Presidential candidates need to talk more about energy and address a tough question: what does the government do well on energy policy and what it should stay out of?
American consumers just aren’t prioritizing fuel efficiency in a time of low gasoline prices. Is there a way to reverse the trend and make progress on climate change?
Ambuj D Sagar, The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
Developing countries need technical and financial aid to begin the transition to low-carbon energy now, not just pledges to invest in energy R&D with payoffs decades from now.
Dealing with climate change will require countries to ‘decarbonize’ their energy infrastructure. The history of infrastructure suggests this could happen quickly once the transition starts.
The Supreme Court hears a case that will decide whether homes and businesses can earn money from distributed energy technologies, including demand response and home battery systems.
Smoothing out variable wind and solar is a growing problem. Instead of storing energy with batteries, utilities can adjust the power of millions of devices in buildings and homes.