Al Gore Teams Up with Tea Party to Fight Solar-Hating Utilities
If you go far enough left or right on the American political spectrum, you end up in the same place: trashing utilities for trying to kill the solar-power revolution.
Read MoreAssuring Solar Modules Will Last for Decades
The Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is co-leading an international push to assure the reliability of solar panels — an assurance demanded by customers, manufacturers, lenders, and utilities.
Australian Clean Energy Deadlock Spurs Companies to Focus Abroad
Political deadlock over Australia’s clean energy future is prompting companies such as Vestas Wind Systems A/S and Acciona SA to increasingly turn to rival markets for growth.
Oncor Launches Paradigm-Breaking Microgrid in Texas
The nature, shape and form of an emerging 21st century model for U.S. electric utilities is now on display outside the town of Lancaster, Texas. It’s there, in a comparatively remote area of southwestern Dallas County that Texas electric utility Oncor and smart grid specialists S&C Electric and Schneider Electric have assembled a “proof of concept” version of what they contend is “one of the most advanced microgrids in North America.
Stall on Takeoff: NYSERDA Program Re-Emerges, Still Without Upstate Rooftop Opportunities
When NYSERDA announced on March 26 that they were withdrawing their >200-kW Megawatt Block program from launch for significant revision, we confess that we were optimistic. Reportedly, April 7 would reveal a radically revised program. Perhaps they read our blog! Maybe they would listen to the many hard-working policy stakeholders, and replace th
Bridging the Clean Energy Divide
When you live on a fixed income, reducing monthly electricity bills can make a big difference in your daily life. Lower energy costs mean more money for food, health care and other important parts of raising a family.
Read MoreListen Up: Can We Get To 100 Percent Renewables?
We’ve made great progress with renewable energy — but from an almost zero base we still have a long way to go. Fortunately, the path is clear. California is already over 12 percent with a combination of hydroelectric, wind and solar (unfortunately not much hydro this year). Getting to 50 percent only requires the deployment of existing technology. But can we get to 100 percent?
Clean Energy Spending Drops 15 Percent to Reach Lowest Level Since 2013
Global investment in clean energy slumped 15 percent in the first quarter to the lowest level in two years because of a decline in wind and utility-scale projects.
Read MoreYale Students Cited at Fossil Fuel-Divestment Protest
Yale University police cited 19 students after they staged a sit-in outside President Peter Salovey’s office to push for divestment from fossil-fuel companies.
A Partial Solution To California’s Water Problems
A new report, Clean Energy Opportunities in California’s Water Sector, offers what could be a partial solution to California’s water problems. The authors, Juliet Christian-Smith and Laura Wisland from the Union of Concerned scientists, primarily focus on the 20 percent of California’s electricity that is consumed by the water sector. They point out that most water and wastewater utilities own assets (land, reservoirs, ponds etc) that could be used to produce renewable energy.