Clean energy

Clean energy

ARPA-E’s new focus: Bridging the valleys of death for cleantech R&D

The nation's top energy research agency wants to scale up “high-risk and potentially disruptive” tech to meet urgent decarbonization goals.

By Jeff St. John . 1 June 2021
Clean energy

Newsletter: How many renewables does it take to replace a nuclear plant?

Does California have the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time?

By Julian Spector . 27 May 2021
Clean energy

California may build 11.5GW of almost all carbon-free resources to replace its last nuclear plant

Regulators have decided that adding 7.5 GW by 2026 won’t be enough after the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant closes. Can California build so much clean and reliable grid capacity in time?

By Jeff St. John . 26 May 2021
Opinion

Net zero no more: We are entering the era of honest electricity

The future of zero-carbon electricity relies on matching consumption with generation on a 24/7/365 basis. Call it "true zero."

By Steve Hoy . 26 May 2021
Clean energy

Arizona may resurrect efforts to commit to 100 percent carbon-free electricity

Arizona's failed clean electricity proposal could live to see another day.

By Emma Foehringer Merchant . 20 May 2021
Guest essay

The US must ally with Canada to tackle climate change

A plan to replace "Buy American" with "Buy North American" provisions to strengthen cross-border collaboration.

By Jayson Myers . 12 May 2021
Policy & regulation

PJM moves to curtail compliance with FERC policy that hinders state-subsidized clean energy

A long-running policy battle over the country’s biggest capacity market appears to be nearing an end. What the replacement policy will look like remains an open question.

By Jeff St. John . 29 April 2021
Solar

Instant permits for home solar? There's a SolarApp for that

A DOE-funded app aims to ease solar permitting to cut costs, and it's spreading to more cities and counties.

By Emma Foehringer Merchant . 29 April 2021
Transmission

Biden administration boosts support for transmission jobs and clean energy benefits

An ACEG report finds that interstate transmission projects could drive 1.2 million jobs and increase wind and solar capacity by 50 percent. A new $8.25 billion federal loan commitment could help.

By Jeff St. John . 28 April 2021
Climate crisis

The best time to reduce emissions is now

2030 is the new 2050.

By Julian Spector . 28 April 2021