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.
Three Myths About Renewable Energy and the Grid, Debunked
By
Amory B. Lovins and M. V. Ramana
As wind and solar power have become dramatically cheaper, and their share of electricity generation grows, skeptics of these technologies are propagating several myths about renewable energy and the electrical grid. The myths boil down to this: Relying on renewable sources of energy will make the electricity supply undependable.
Feed-in Tariffs Needed Now to Meet Paris Climate Targets Says Report
By
Paul Gipe
If we are to meet the Paris climate targets, feed-in tariffs for renewable energy are needed now more than ever says a report by Toby Couture and colleagues at Proseu, Prosumers for the Energy Union. The topic is timely as world leaders gather in Glasgow for COP 26 to discuss ways of drastically cutting carbon emissions.
Are coupled renewable-battery power plants more valuable than independently sited installations?
By
This result implies that renewable-battery power plants will play an increasing role in electricity systems if they can be built for $2–$13/MWh less than independent projects of comparable size.
Some say we can ‘solar-engineer’ ourselves out of the climate crisis. Don’t buy it
By
Ray Pierrehumbert and Michael Mann
So-called “solar geoengineering” doesn’t actually modify the sun itself. Instead, it reduces incoming sunlight by other means, such as putting chemicals in the atmosphere that reflect sunlight to space. It addresses a symptom of global heating, rather than the root cause, which is human-caused increase in the atmosphere’s burden of carbon dioxide.
U.S. Power Sector is Halfway to Zero Carbon Emissions
By
Ryan Wiser
Business-as-usual projections saw annual carbon dioxide emissions rising from 2,400 to 3,000 million metric tons (MMT) from 2005 to 2020,” said Berkeley Lab scientist Ryan Wiser, lead author of the study. “But actual 2020 emissions fell to only 1,450 MMT. The U.S. cut power sector emissions by 52% below projected levels – we are now ‘halfway to zero.”
Renewable energy growth must speed up to meet Paris goals, agency says
By
Jillian Ambrose
Renewable electricity production needs to grow eight times faster than the current rate to help limit global heating, according to a report.
