In the race to transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy and avoid runaway climate change, wind has opened a wide lead on both solar and geothermal energy. Solar panels, with a capacity totaling 70,000 megawatts, and geothermal power plants, with a capacity of some 11,000 megawatts, are generating electricity around the world. […] … learn more→
Tag Archives: solar
The Great Transition, Part II: Building a wind-centered economy
On the road to clean energy in Germany: Lessons for the United States – part 2
Last fall, I participated in a clean energy/green jobs tour of Germany as part of a delegation sponsored by the Heinrich Böll Foundation and the Blue-Green Alliance. In the second leg of our trip (read my blog about part 1 of the tour), we left Berlin behind and headed north to the state of Schlesswig-Holstein—the […] … learn more→
On the road to clean energy in Germany: Lessons for the United States – part 1
In the effort to transition the United States to a clean energy economy, comparisons are frequently made with Germany – a nation that is successfully shifting away from fossil fuels and nuclear power while creating a thriving renewable energy industry and maintaining a strong economy. So when invited this past fall to participate in a […] … learn more→
Clean energy prices (not the sky) falling in California
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) released a report this month on the costs of California’s progress in generating more electricity from renewable power, and there was good news. Prices of new contract bids submitted to utilities last year were about 30 percent lower than in 2009, according to the report, signaling a more competitive […] … learn more→
Harnessing the sun\’s energy for water and space heating
The pace of solar energy development is accelerating as the installation of rooftop solar water heaters takes off. Unlike solar photovoltaic (PV) panels that convert solar radiation into electricity, these \”solar thermal collectors\” use the sun\’s energy to heat water, space, or both. … learn more→
U.S. Carbon emissions down 7 percent in four years: Even bigger drops are coming
Between 2007 and 2011, carbon emissions from coal use in the United States dropped 10 percent. During the same period, emissions from oil use dropped 11 percent. In contrast, carbon emissions from natural gas use increased by 6 percent. The net effect of these trends was that U.S. carbon emissions dropped 7 percent in four […] … learn more→