News & Articles on Renewable Energy
My specialty is wind energy, but I have worked with all forms of renewable energy. Over the years I’ve written about a number of renewable technologies, including solar and geothermal energy. In recent years I’ve focused on comprehensive renewable energy policies that develop a mix of renewable resources. I’ve also written about our use of fossil fuels and nuclear power.
The world is at an energy policy crossroads: The European Union must choose between the poles of the USA and China – or pursue its own model
By
Stefan Gsänger
Europe should seek constructive cooperation with China on energy policy. Even though the two regions are developing very differently in socio-political terms, cooperation in the field of energy and climate policy offers enormous opportunities for the whole world. Europe and China can play a key role in the global energy transformation and in the global fight against climate change by using their resources for this purpose. This naturally requires constructive dialogue on an equal footing, in which both blocs formulate their own and shared interests and develop their relations on a clear basis. This also means that Europe and China can and should work together to convince numerous other countries that the path of renewable energies is the path to a good future for all people, a prosperous and more peaceful world that successfully overcomes the climate crisis.
Beyond Baseload Power: A New Paradigm of Power System Operation
By
Toby Couture
With the rise of low-cost wind and solar power, this baseload paradigm has come under strain. Utilities and regulators interested in keeping electricity prices low are starting to introduce variable renewables like wind and solar at scale instead: since the latter have zero marginal costs, they typically get dispatched first, making them by default the new foundation of the power system. In the process, other generating units are having to ramp and flex around them.
10 Quick Responses to Common Electric Car & Renewable Energy Myths
By
Zachary Shahan
Solar power and wind power are now the cheapest options for new electricity on the market. For this reason, solar and wind actually dominate new power plant capacity around the world. (Myth: Solar and wind power are expensive.)
Beyond Baseload Power: Toward a New Paradigm of Power System Operation
By
Toby Couture
But today, in a world with abundant and inexpensive solar and wind power, the economics have shifted – variable renewables are becoming the new foundation of the system, and other resources are starting to flex and ramp around them. This shift represents one of the most fundamental changes to the way power systems are designed and operated since Tesla and Edison waged battles over AC vs. DC.
Two stories: 1) How SMRs may curb nuclear development and… 2) Why Reform can’t cancel UK’s renewable energy projects
By
David Toke
All in all the anti-renewable forces of Trumpism on both sides of the Atlantic, are, in effect, puffing up the prospects of SMRs to obscure their vandalism of renewable energy programmes. However, whilst large renewable deployments will continue, there will be meagre results from the SMR programmes. These will constitute a much lower amount of total capacity compared to the programmes for building conventional reactors.
Capitalism at a Crossroads: Profit & Public Purpose in Clean Energy
By
Michael Barnard
The conclusion is straightforward. Addressing Christophers’ challenges does not require abandoning capitalism. It requires writing rules that make clean, reliable power profitable to build and cheap to buy. Capitalism will not save the planet on autopilot, but it can be harnessed if governments are willing to set the terms. The measure of success is not ideology but delivered clean terawatt-hours at stable prices. The faster policymakers align markets with that outcome, the faster the transition will proceed.
