Climate bill cuts carbon emissions and inflation while boosting economy, studies say Energize Weekly, August 10, 2022 The climate, healthcare and budget bill passed by the U.S. Senate Aug. 7 will help curb both greenhouse gas emissions and inflation while providing a modest boost to the economy, according to three analyses of the legislation. The…
North American power grid faced extreme weather and cyberattack risks in 2021 Energize Weekly, July 27, 2022 The North American electric grid faced unprecedented challenges from severe weather, cyberattacks and problems with natural gas supplies in 2021, but with except one exception – in Texas – utilities and grid operators were able maintain reliability, according…
Waterloo becomes fourth city in the country to adopt carbon-free plan Jul 18, 2022 The city of Waterloo has vowed to run on carbon-free electricity by 2035, making it the fourth city in the U.S. to adopt the pledge. The City Council voted unanimously to adopt a carbon-free electricity goal Monday night. Mayor Quentin Hart…
U.S. Firms Enter into Partnership to Recycle Nuclear Fuel July 15, 2022 As the world moves away from the use of fossil fuels in favor of renewable energies in an effort to decrease carbon emissions, interest in the use of uranium as a nuclear fuel continues to grow. Uranium, which is a non-carbon-emitting fuel, is…
U.S. Supreme Court ruling won’t change coal’s downward trend in the power sector Energize Weekly, July 13, 2022 The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling limiting federal regulation of power plant greenhouse gas emissions will not do much to reverse the decline of coal-fired generation or greenhouse gas emissions, according to two analyses. “We find that the…
Fossil-fuel electric generation challenged in Texas heat wave, raising reliability questions Energize Weekly, July 6, 2022 An early season heat wave in May tested the Texas grid, raising questions about the relation of baseload, fossil-fuel generation to wind and solar, according to analysis by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). “Fossil-fuel proponents…
New York grid operator sees generating margins shrinking, increased reliability risks Energize Weekly, June 22, 2022 The buffer of extra generating capacity – the reserve or reliability margin – is shrinking in New York State as fossil-fuel plants retire faster than renewable sources are being added, according to an assessment by the state’s grid operator.…
West and Midwest U.S. face summer electricity shortfalls due to heat, drought, and fire Energize Weekly, May 25, 2022 The West and Midwest U.S. risk severe electricity shortfalls this summer due to high temperatures, drought, severe storms and wildfire – all driven by a changing climate, according to the North American Electric Reliability Corp.’s (NERC)…
U.S. and European EV sales climb but more chargers will be needed to sustain growth Energize Weekly, May 11, 2022 Electric vehicle (EV) sales in both the U.S. and Europe are posting strong gains, but to reach the market penetration governments are targeting – the Biden administration goal is 50 percent of all passenger vehicle…
Biden administration unveils $6 billion program to keep nuclear power plants from closing Energize Weekly, April 27, 2022 The federal government has launched a $6 billion program to support the operation and prevent the closure of any of the nation’s nuclear reactors – seen by the Biden administration as a key component in helping the…
Supply chain problems and rising prices are pinching the U.S. solar industry Energize Weekly, March 23, 2022 Facing supply chain problems and rising prices, the U.S. solar industry delayed about a third of its utility-scale capacity in the fourth quarter of 2021, and installations are projected to be down in 2022, according to an industry…
Global methane emissions seriously under reported, IEA analysis finds Energize Weekly, March 2, 2022 Global energy sector methane emissions are an estimated 70 percent higher than the figures reported by countries to the United Nations, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Nations report emissions to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC),…