Emissions reduction

Clean fleets

The country’s biggest electric school-bus fleet will also feed the grid

San Francisco-based startup Zum wants to turn electric school-bus fleets into grid batteries. This 74-bus depot in Oakland is testing the idea at large scale.

By Jeff St. John . 3 September 2024

Electric school buses and bidirectional chargers at the depot operated by startup Zum for the Oakland Unified School District (Jeff St. John)

Green steel

Chart: Steelmaking is starting to go electric

The majority of newly announced steel capacity in 2023 planned to use lower-emissions electric arc furnaces, but the dirty industry has a way to go to clean up.

By Dan McCarthy, Carrie Klein . 26 July 2024
Food and farms

Meati is turning fungi into climate-friendly steaks. Will diners bite?

The sustainable food startup just raised another $100 million to try and break through a tough market for alternative meats.

By Julian Spector . 27 June 2024
Fossil fuels

Just how bad are gas appliances for your health?

It's not all about the climate. There are loads of reasons to ditch gas stoves and appliances — and health concerns may be at the top of the list.

By Alison F. Takemura . 26 June 2024
Policy & regulation

Missed deadlines pile up as New York’s climate law turns five

New York’s clean energy rollout is not moving fast enough to meet the ambitious emissions-cutting targets the state adopted in 2019.

By Colin Kinniburgh . 26 June 2024
Heat pumps

This NYC high-rise is using heat pumps and waste heat to cut fossil fuels

The cutting-edge, state-backed project at 345 Hudson could be a model for other big buildings sprinting to comply with the city’s building decarbonization law.

By Alison F. Takemura . 19 June 2024
Clean industry

Southern California adopts landmark rule to electrify industrial heat

The effort will slash emissions from more than 1 million boilers and water heaters over the next decade. Advocates hope other regions will follow suit.

By Maria Gallucci . 7 June 2024
Electrification

Electric lawn equipment, solar could be home-electrification ‘gateways’

People with firsthand home electrification experience are much more interested in cutting fossil fuels from other areas of their lives, per a new survey.

By Alison F. Takemura . 6 June 2024
Carbon capture

CO2-removal leader Climeworks says new tech can halve costs, energy use

Direct air capture is expensive and energy-intensive. Climeworks, which operates the world’s largest DAC plant, says it’s making progress tackling both challenges.

By Maria Gallucci . 4 June 2024
$Flares burning off gas at Belridge Oil Field and hydraulic fracking site which is the fourth largest oil field in California$

Fossil fuels

The US oil and gas industry is emitting less carbon than it used to

American oil and gas companies have cut back on methane emissions even as production reached record heights, a new analysis shows.

By Julian Spector . 3 June 2024
Batteries

Is adding a battery to your rooftop solar worth it? Here’s how to decide

Although expensive upfront, batteries can help you get through power outages and lower your utility bills. Federal and local incentives can sweeten the deal.

By Alison F. Takemura . 30 May 2024