The U.S. residential solar market is growing rapidly and undergoing a major transformation at the same time. A new acquisition, partnership, or project fund seems to be announced every week. But what is the underlying trend here? For a while, … Continue reading
The White House announced a wide-ranging plan Friday aimed at cutting methane emissions from oil and gas drilling, landfills and other sources, part of President Barack Obama's strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming. The White … Continue reading
This is a story about natural gas leakage, and we’re not talking about what happens after your grandfather says, “Pull my finger!” Recent reports in journals such as Science and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences have carried … Continue reading
Cheaper batteries will allow mainstream pricing of Tesla’s EVs in six years—and lots more. Tesla’s Giga factory aims to reduce the cost of lithium-ion batteries by 30 percent in three years and 50 percent by 2020. This big, bold move … Continue reading
The American energy system risks being the thing that time forgot. Our aging fossil-fuel-based system is decaying. And in the absence of a plan, the energy system chokingly chugs along without direction or a full understanding of the challenges ahead. … Continue reading
A breakthrough in battery technology could make large-scale energy storage practical. Researchers at Harvard University say their organic flow-battery would be affordable and efficient. Professor Michael Aziz tells host Steve Curwood how the technology works and why it could significantly … Continue reading
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is trying to awaken more Americans to the dangers of climate change, with a report Tuesday that focuses on a clear and accessible explanation of the evidence. It's a commendable and necessary … Continue reading
The German experience shows that there are some real challenges associated with renewables integration. But they're not technical — they are mostly related to rate structures, the high cost of legacy renewable energy subsidies and overlapping energy markets between countries. … Continue reading
On Wednesday, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission voted to become the first state in the nation to come up with a methodology for calculating the value of solar power generated by consumers — and not just how much that power … Continue reading
This is Aros, a Wi-Fi connected air conditioner aimed at energy-conscious consumers that Quirky and GE are launching today. It's by far the biggest and most complicated product that Quirky has ever built, and it aims to help solve truly … Continue reading
Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson may be the world's biggest fracker Exxon is the biggest natural gas producer in the U.S. but he isn't stupid. He'll frack my backyard and tell me it's good for me and he'll frack your place … Continue reading
In the past few years, net-zero buildings—those that produce as much (or more) clean energy on site as they use annually—have been gaining momentum. Once considered a crazy idea, they’re now coming of age as a realistic goal for a … Continue reading
More than 40 million people worldwide have been displaced from their homes and left to find shelter in strange lands. Maybe they find a tarp, or a tent, but their quality of life almost always remains dismal. To close this … Continue reading
By now, you have likely heard I am proposing a transition that will move San Antonio down a path toward becoming a litter-free community. Late last year, after multiple conversations with members of the Citizen’s Environmental Advisory Committee members are … Continue reading
The Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas is the site of one of the biggest energy booms in America, with oil and gas wells sprouting at an unprecedented rate. But local residents fear for their health – not from the … Continue reading
AUSTIN, TX – A new report from The Solar Foundation (TSF), a national non-profit research organization, finds more than 4,100 Texans are now working in the solar power industry, marking a 28 per cent increase in solar jobs in one … Continue reading
When Bill Sinkin first approached CPS Energy about promoting solar power, officials were amenable, said Joe Fulton, who was director of environmental planning and research at the time. A change in leadership delayed the agreement, but since it was inked … Continue reading
When SolarCity and Tesla last month announced they were teaming up to offer battery backup for residential solar PV systems, they generated much excitement … and a disproportionate amount of press. From Greentech Media to the New York Times, stories … Continue reading
The Grid Edge: How Will Utilities, Vendors and Energy Service Providers Adapt? The intersection of grid modernization and the rise of a new end-to-end energy system is already upon us. The term “smart grid” is getting a bit long in … Continue reading
Read This Retiring Utility Commissioner’s Candid Words About Energy Policy “I suspect that [utilities] would still dearly like to strangle rooftop solar if they could.” When public servants leave office, they sometimes offer up the most candid words of their … Continue reading
