Previous Renewable Energy News 2015-2020

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2020

Inside Clean Energy: The Solar Boom Arrives in Ohio 12-17-20

Overwhelming demand is turning the state into a solar hotbed, despite a decade of policies hostile toward renewables. Read more at Inside Climate News

New York’s $226 Billion Pension Fund Is Dropping Fossil Fuel Stocks 12-09-20

The fund will divest from many fossil fuels in the next five years and sell its shares in other companies that contribute to global warming by 2040. Read more at The New York Times 

US Exported Natural Gas Could Worsen Climate Change 12-09-20

While natural gas has been touted as a solution to the world’s fossil fuel problem, a new analysis by NRDC shows that the U.S’ exports of liquified natural gas (LNG) will only worsen global warming. Read more at Our Daily Planet

San Jose To Become Largest City to Ban Natural Gas for New Construction 12-01-20

The city of San Jose, CA will become the largest city in the United States to ban natural gas from all new construction. Read more at Our Daily Planet

DC spreads solar energy benefits through ‘Solar for All’ 12-02-20

The District has pledged to see that 100% of electricity sold in the city will come from renewable sources by 2050, with 10% of that coming from solar. Currently, solar provides just 1% to 2% of the District’s power.Read more at Bay Journal

He’s bringing solar power to Puerto Rico — and political power to its people 11-22-20

Arturo Massol-Deyá believes solar panels will bring power to the people of Puerto Rico — in more ways than one. Read more at Grist 

Solar companies ask Biden to reverse Trump’s biggest blow to the industry 11-20-20

In January 2018, President Donald Trump slapped tariffs on imported solar panels despite protests from much of the industry, sending jobs in one of the nation’s fastest-growing employment engines tumbling for the following two years. Read more at Grist

Ørsted Works to Bring More Union Labor to Offshore Wind 11-20-20

On Wednesday, Danish energy company Ørsted joined with North America’s Building Trades Unions (formerly known as the AFL-CIO’s Building and Construction Trades Department) to create a program that trains wind energy workers in hopes of deploying more offshore wind along the East Coast. Read more at Our Daily Planet 

Bob Marshall: Louisiana will still be an energy state even without oil. Here’s why. 11-15-20

This new economy will be a state-directed initiative to develop the huge wind energy potential offering tens of thousands of jobs. Read more at The New Orleans Advocate

Inside Clean Energy: Not a Great Election Year for Renewable Energy, but There’s Reason for Optimism 11-05-20

The pandemic and the presidential race were, as one advocate put it, the “giant elephants in your face.” Read more at Inside Climate News

Make America Green Again 10-21-20

How the U.S. could go from climate laggard to climate leader — in 8 simple steps. Read more at Grist

The Largest Solar Array Of Its Kind In The U.S. Now Sits Atop A Former Pittsburgh Steel Mill 08-24-20

A 133,000-square-foot solar array is now functional at Hazelwood Green’s Mill 19. Read more at WESA 

Renewables didn’t cause California’s blackouts. So what did? 08-20-20

Energy grids are straining under the weight of millions of air conditioners as heat has engulfed the western United States. In California, which might have just recorded the highest temperature ever on earth, the strain was too much last weekend. Read more at Grist

House Democrats push aid for wind and solar in new infrastructure bill 06-23-20

House Democrats are trying to throw a lifeline to wind and solar developers struck hard by the coronavirus pandemic. Read more at The Washington Post

New Jersey aims to lead nation in offshore wind. So it’s building the biggest turbine port in the country. 06-16-20

Gov. Phil Murphy (D) said his state will build the country’s first port dedicated to assembling the turbines that will go up not just in New Jersey but across the Eastern Seaboard. Read more at The Washington Post

Ohio approves nation’s 1st freshwater offshore wind project 05-22-20

Ohio yesterday unanimously approved the Icebreaker wind farm, North America’s first offshore freshwater project, planned for just off the Cleveland shore in Lake Erie. Read more at E&E News 

Focusing the Recovery on Green Infrastructure Could Create Millions of Jobs 05-14-20

A $1 million investment in energy efficiency creates around eight full-time jobs, nearly three times as many as an investment in fossil fuels. Read more at Fast Company

Renewables Beat Coal in U.S. for Record 40 Days 05-06-20

Renewable energy in the U.S. has beaten coal as the country’s leading electricity source for a record 40 days. Read more at EcoWatch

Community solar: A ray of hope in the gloom? 04-23-20

As energy companies of every stripe cope with the novel coronavirus distress, there’s one small segment that has a compelling pitch: solar power at home, no visit required. Read more at E&E News

Can a town go fossil fuel-free? Takoma Park is about to see. 04-02-20

Gina Mathias has what many would consider a dream job. Read more at The Christian Science Monitor 

Inside Clean Energy: 7 Questions (and Answers) About How Covid-19 is Affecting the Clean Energy Transition 04-02-20

From EV sales to the solar market to states’ commitments to clean energy, the coronavirus pandemic is turning everything on its head. Read more at Inside Climate News

Blue Energy Revolution Comes of Age 03-31-20

The amount of energy generated by tides and waves in the last decade has increased tenfold. Now governments around the world are planning to scale up these ventures to tap into the oceans‘ vast store of blue energy. Read more at EcoWatch

Solar power has been growing for decades. Then coronavirus rocked the market. 03-16-20

As the coronavirus outbreak rages on, renewable energy is taking a hit. Factory shutdowns in China have disrupted global supply chains for wind turbines and solar panels, with consequences for clean energy progress this year around the world. Read more at Grist

Does This Tiny Island Off the Coast of Maine Hold the Answer to the Future of Electricity? 03-10-20

Integrating time-tested technology with emerging innovations, remote Isle au Haut could be a renewable energy model for the rest of the world. Read more at Ensia

As The World Turns To Solar Power, Black Chicagoans Jump On The Bandwagon 03-08-20

When Cheryl Johnson was a child, her mother would cover the kitchen table with index cards showing all the people who had died in Altgeld Gardens, their Chicago public housing complex. Read more at Forbes 

Renewable Energy Could Power the World by 2050 02-20-20

Virtually all the world’s demand for electricity to run transport and to heat and cool homes and offices, as well as to provide the power demanded by industry, could be met by renewable energy by mid-century. Read more at EcoWatch

No land, no problem. Floating solar panels might be the next big thing. 12-02-19

A blue lagoon sits outside of Sayreville, New Jersey, inside a lush preserve of spruce, maple, and oak trees. The 35-acre basin holds some of the town’s water supply, which requires enormous amounts of electricity to pump and treat. Read more at Grist

The Trouble With Biofuels 11-15-19

The Trump administration has promised to expand their use, which would make farmers happy. But are consumers aware of biofuels’ potential consequences? Read more at The Revelator

The world’s energy report card just came out. We failed 3 subjects 11-14-19

The world just got its energy report card … and at best, its grades are mixed. Every year, the International Energy Agency releases a mammoth report detailing the world’s progress toward providing clean energy to all. Read more at Grist

Colorado’s cleanest energy options are also its cheapest 11-07-19

New modeling shows the state can decarbonize — at a savings. Of all the states in the US, Colorado may be the best prepared for a genuine, large-scale energy transition. Read more at Vox

Offshore Wind Energy Could Generate Enough Electricity to Power the World. Will the U.S. Get on Board? 10-30-19

The International Energy Agency predicted offshore wind will be a $1 trillion industry by 2040. Read more at Rolling Stone

From the Rooftops, Big Box Stores Are Embracing Solar 10-07-19

Target and Walmart are trying to out-green each other in proving to customers they are environmentally responsible businesses. Read more at The New York Times

First U.S. Gas Station to Switch to All-Electric Charging Opens in Maryland 10-02-19

A gas station in Maryland has ditched fossil fuels to set up the first fully electric recharging service station for electric vehicles. The electric car charging station opened last week with four charging bays. Read more at EcoWatch

Global renewable energy has quadrupled over past decade 09-06-19

With solar leading the way, clean energy capacity growth is helping the planet avoid billions of tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year. Read more at The Daily Climate 

The all-electric home: Tackling air pollution by cutting off natural gas 08-27-19

The apartment complex rising on the southwestern edge of Salt Lake County looks like any other forming on empty lots, former farmland and razed scrub oak seemingly everywhere in Utah. Read more at The Salt Lake Tribune

Low on water, California farmers turn to solar farming 08-06-19

If California is to meet its goal of running on 100-percent clean electricity by 2045, fields that once grew hay are going to have to start producing electrons. Read more at Grist

How American Cities Score on Clean Energy 08-01-19

The good news: More American cities are taking action. The bad news: There’s a lot left to be done. Read more at City Lab

Energy audit inspires Virginia yogis to ‘stand up for something that’s important’ 07-08-19

Yogaville leaders hope their investments in solar power send a message about opposing the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Read more at Energy News Network 

For the first time ever renewables beat coal in the US 06-26-19

n a remarkable sign of the shifting fortunes of dirty energy and clean energy, more renewable power was generated in April than coal power — something that’s never happened before in the United States. Read more at Think Progress

L.A. Mayor Garcetti’s ‘Green New Deal’ would phase out gas-fueled cars 04-29-19

Mayor Eric Garcetti unveiled a sweeping plan for a more sustainable Los Angeles on Monday, calling for dramatic changes to the car culture, buildings and air quality of America’s second-largest city. Read more at the Los Angeles Times

Offshore Wind Farms are Spinning up in the US—At Last 04-17-19

The Pilgrim nuclear plant in Massachusetts will shut down, a victim of rising costs and a technology that is struggling to remain economically viable in the United States. Read more at Wired

Energy Equity: Bringing Solar Power to Low-Income Communities 04-04-19

Millions of Americans lack access to solar energy because they cannot afford the steep upfront costs. Now, more than a dozen states are adopting “community solar” programs that are bringing solar power and lower energy bills to low-income households from New York to California. Read more at Yale Environment 360

They Grew Up Around Fossil Fuels. Now, Their Jobs Are in Renewables. 03-26-19

His Great-Grandfather, Grandfather and Father Mined Coal. He Wants to Replace It. Read more at The New York Times

New Wind and Solar Power Is Cheaper Than Existing Coal in Much of the U.S., Analysis Finds 03-25-19

Coal-fired power plants in the Southeast and Ohio Valley stand out. In all, 74% of coal plants cost more to run than building new wind or solar, analysts found. Read more at EcoWatch

Why The Green New Deal Cuts Consumer Energy Costs & Unemployment 03-9-19

By focusing on renewable energy that is both clean and zero-emission, the Green New Deal reduces, in one fell swoop, energy insecurity due to the fossil fuel and nuclear industries. Read more at Clean Technica

Europe’s renewable energy policy is built on burning American trees 03-04-19

Biomass energy, in the form of wood pellets, is inadvertently making the climate crisis worse. Read more at Vox

Putting the sun in Sunshine State? Florida’s about-face on solar power 02-11-19

Solar power has long been a pet issue for progressives and environmentalists. But in Florida, utilities are starting to embrace the technology for economic reasons. Read more at The Christian Science Monitor 

Agrivoltaics: Solar Panels on Farms Could Be a Win-Win 01-22-19

Massachusetts is leading the charge in dual-use solar installations, making it possible to grow some crops and pasture animals while generating clean energy. Read more at Civil Eats

In Minneapolis, low-income neighborhoods see influx of clean energy investment 01-18-19

The city’s “green zones” program aims to encourage solar and energy efficiency projects while preventing gentrification. Read more at Energy News Network

World’s Largest Solar + Battery Plant Unveiled in Hawaii 01-09-19

Hawaii has a new, game-changing tool in its renewable energy arsenal. Power producer AES Corporation and the not-for-profit Kaua’i island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) unveiled what’s claimed to be the world’s largest solar-plus-storage peaker on the island of Kauai.

World’s Largest Offshore Wind Developer to Invest $30 Billion in Green Energy 11-28-18

To save the world from climate catastrophe, the world needs to urgently phase out the use of fossil fuels. Read more at EcoWatch

Rugeley coal plant to be transformed into a sustainable village 11-19-18

Energy firm plans to build 2,000 homes powered by solar panels on the Staffordshire site

An old coal power station is set to be transformed into a “sustainable village” of 2,000 homes powered by solar panels, in the biggest redevelopment yet of a former UK power plant. Read more at The Guardian

Solar is here to stay, but where are the boats? 10-22-18

There’s nothing novel about vehicles using alternatives to the internal combustion engine, but solar and battery-powered boats are rarely in the conversation.

Electric vehicles are the talk of the town. Tesla has captured car drivers’ imaginations, delivering the speeds, distances, and style they desire. Battery-powered buses are increasingly in vogue, too. Even major cities—New York being one of the latest—are shifting to all-electric fleets. And the Solar Impulse is making the case for the sun’s might in aviation. Read more at National Geographic

‘A Pivotal Moment’: California One Step Closer to 100% Renewables 08-29-18

The California State Assembly on Tuesday voted 43-32 on a bill that aims for 100 percent renewable energy by 2045, one of the nation’s toughest clean energy. Read more at EcoWatch

Southern Discomfort 08-16-18

Solar panels could flood sunny Alabama with cheap, clean power. What stands in the way?

Chuck Jay worked as a coal miner for nearly three decades before he decided to start his own solar panel installation company just outside Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in 2012. He had put panels on his own home a few years before and got hooked by the technology — not to mention the money he saved on his electric bill. Read more at Grist

America’s First Large Offshore Wind Farm to Offer $1.4B in Savings 08-02-18

Renewable energy is truly getting cheaper every day. The 800-megawatt wind farm Vineyard Wind project, the first large-scale offshore wind farm in the U.S., has offered a total levelized price of $65 per megawatt-hour (MWh)—a record low. Read more at EcoWatch

House Republicans Deeply Confused About Why Puerto Rico Might Benefit From Wind and Solar Power 07-27-18

In the glory days of the House of Representatives, congressional hearings were a place where ideas were exchanged, where members would call in experts to help them craft legislation in the public interest. Read more at The Intercept

Few Southeast Cities Have Climate Targets, but That’s Slowly Changing 06-11-18

A new survey of Southeast cities also found about half expect to install or buy more renewable energy. West Palm Beach and Atlanta were among the leaders. Read more at Inside Climate News

How land under solar panels can contribute to food security 06-04-18

Beneath some solar arrays, pollinator-friendly plants, fruits, vegetables and forage are cropping up in place of turfgrass or gravel.
At a recent solar energy conference in Minneapolis, attendees unwound at happy hour tasting free pints of a local honey-based India Pale Ale called “Solarama Crush.” Read more at ENSIA

11 Turbines Successfully Installed at Wind Farm Trump Tried to Block 05-30-18

The world’s most powerful wind turbines have been successfully installed at the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC) off Aberdeen Bay in Scotland’s North Sea. Read more at EcoWatch

Our View: Maine PUC should not sink ocean wind project 04-29-18

Saving customers a few cents would not be worth further damaging the state’s credibility as a business partner.

The Maine Public Utilities Commission usually sets prices for electricity, natural gas, telecommunications and water systems. It’s not every day that it also regulates the state’s credibility. Read more at the Portland Press Herald

Solar power’s new look: more landscape-friendly siting 04-16-18

Will Annapolis landfill’s panels light the way to alternatives for rural farmland sites?

For decades, the old municipal landfill west of Annapolis, MD, sat — closed, capped and carefully monitored to ensure that the buried refuse wasn’t generating air or water pollution. Read more at the Bay Journal

Court sees if church solar panels break electricity monopoly 04-14-18

North Carolina’s highest court is taking up a case that could force new competition on the state’s electricity monopolies. Read more at Associated Press

This All-Electric Plane Could Change Everything About Regional Air Travel 04-09-18

Eviation’s Alice Commuter plane–the winner of the transportation category of Fast Company’s 2018 World Changing Ideas Awards–seats nine people and is entirely battery powered. Read more at Fast Company

Solar soars: Renewable energy, by the numbers 04-06-18

Global investment climbs to $280 billion in 2017—and the economies leading the charge may surprise you. Read more at The Daily Climate

Effort to build offshore wind industry in Maine may hinge on 73 cents 04-01-18

Pending action at the PUC could imperil a 2014 power contract for floating turbines off Monhegan Island that would raise electric bills less than $1 a month. Read more at Press Herald

Aging Wind Farms Are Repowering with Longer Blades, More Efficient Turbines 03-28-18

Jobs and a thriving industry are growing up around the ‘repowering’ of existing wind farms, as technology upgrades increase their renewable energy production.

Old wind farms that have towered over the same fields for more than a decade may be generating more power now than ever before. Read more at Inside Climate News

This College Could Become the First 100% Renewable Campus in U.S. 03-20-18

As a growing number of U.S. cities make pledges towards 100 percent renewables, it’s easy to forget that the entire state of Hawaii set this important benchmark three years ago when it mandated that all of its electricity must come from renewable sources no later than 2045. Read more at EcoWatch

Sustainable Cities Need More Than Parks, Cafes and a Riverwalk 03-15-18

There are many indexes that aim to rank how green cities are. But what does it actually mean for a city to be green or sustainable? Read more at EcoWatch

The Bright Future of Solar Power 03-09-18

Solar is booming. Solar power is now cheaper than coal in some parts of the world, and generating power from the sun is likely to be the lowest-cost energy option globally in less than ten years, according to Bloomberg. In many places around the world, solar is already the lowest-cost option. Read more at Green America

Changing Course: Coal Country Students Working For A Power Switch 03-09-18

“We were left with many unemployed miners,” eighth-grader Nicholas Sturgill said as he and two classmates gave a presentation to a small crowd of students and teachers at an education summit in Pikeville, Kentucky. Read more at Ohio Valley Resource

Nation’s Largest Wind Farm Coming to Oklahoma 02-22-18

The Wind Catcher Energy Connection project, which includes a massive 800-turbine wind farm under construction in the Oklahoma panhandle, is getting closer to lift-off. Read more at EcoWatch

Tesla solar kiosks coming to Home Depot 02-01-18

If you didn’t already know that Tesla desperately wants you to go solar, there’s a good bet you will soon. Read more at USA Today

North America’s largest transit system is the acid test for electric buses 01-18-18

Compared with other bus system’s in North America, New York City’s is gigantic. It daily serves over two million passengers across all five boroughs with 5,700 buses, 330 routes, and 16,000 stops, and it operates in a uniquely hostile environment of stop-and-go traffic. The average NYC bus travels only 7.4 miles per hour—one of the slowest bus speeds in the US. Read more at Quartz

Ford to invest $11bn and have 40 hybrid and fully electric vehicles by 2022 01-15-18

The planned investment is significantly higher than the previously announced target of $4.5bn by 2020

Ford Motor Co will significantly increase its planned investments in electric vehicles to $11bn by 2022 and have 40 hybrid and fully electric vehicles in its model line-up, the company’s chairman, Bill Ford, said on Sunday at the Detroit auto show. Read more at The Guardian

‘Clean Energy Is a Fundamental Civil Right’: Major Campaign to Expand Access to Solar 01-12-18

The NAACP is launching a major environmental justice campaign on Jan. 13 to mark the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service.

The “Solar Equity Initiative” aims to provide solar job skills training to 100 individuals, install solar panels on more than 30 homes and community centers in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color, and strengthen equity in solar access policies in at least five states. Read more at EcoWatch

After an Uncertain Start, U.S. Offshore Wind Is Powering Up 01-11-18

Norwegian energy company, Statoil, will send a vessel to survey a triangular slice of federal waters about 15 miles south of Long Island, where the company is planning to construct a wind farm that could generate up to 1.5 gigawatts of electricity for New York City and Long Island. Read more at Yale Environment 360

Oil Giants See a Future in Offshore Wind Power. Their Suppliers Are Investing, Too. 01-11-18

Transporting an offshore wind array from the factory floor to the ocean floor is no easy feat. Giant, specialized marine vessels must carry the blades and turbines—which sit atop rigs hundreds of feet tall—out miles from shore. Read more at Inside Climate News

North Carolina hopes to lure ‘EV tourists’ with rural charging stations 01-03-18

A train station put the tiny mountain town of West Jefferson, North Carolina on the map.

A century later, some hope electric-vehicle charging stations will help keep it there. Read more at Southeast Energy News

Carbon Loophole: Why Is Wood Burning Counted as Green Energy? 12-19-17

It was once one of Europe’s largest coal-burning power stations. Now, after replacing coal in its boilers with wood pellets shipped from the U.S. South, the Drax Power Station in Britain claims to be the largest carbon-saving project in Europe. Read more at Yale Environment 360

Hog waste-to-gas: Renewable energy or more hot air? 11-16-17

Biogas could clean up manure and mitigate methane; but economics and inconsistent regulations remain hurdles

On a school night in early spring, a rowdy collection of environmental activists, local residents, and Duke University faculty and students packed a public forum, railing against the school’s plan to build a new $55-million gas plant on campus. Read more at Environmental Health News

Who wants to kill the electric car again? 11-14-17

Senate Republicans rolled out their version of a tax reform bill last week, and unfortunately, it’s working from the same idea as the House version: Slash taxes for the rich and corporationsand attempt to pay for it by increasing the deficit and jacking up effective tax rates on middle-class families. Read more at Salon

The Bipartisan Roots of the Electric Vehicle Tax Credits 11-13-17

Regardless of the environmental and human health benefits of displacing gasoline and diesel combustion with plug-in electrics, thoughtful policymakers and legislators from both sides of the aisle have long understood the importance of EVs when it comes to promoting energy independence and security. Read more at EcoWatch

The Federal Electric Vehicle Tax Credit Is a Bipartisan Success Story, Which House Republicans Want to Undo 11-13-17

As the House and Senate develop their respective versions of a tax reform bill, the $7,500 federal electric vehicle(EV) tax credit is positioned to be a potential bargaining chip. The House’s version of the bill, the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,” includes a repeal of the EV tax credit. The Senate’s newly introduced version, at the moment, doesn’t kill the credit. Read more at EcoWatch

The Federal Electric Vehicle Tax Credit Is a Bipartisan Success Story, Which House Republicans Want to Undo 11-2-17

As the House and Senate develop their respective versions of a tax reform bill, the $7,500 federal electric vehicle (EV) tax credit is positioned to be a potential bargaining chip. The House’s version of the bill, the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,” includes a repeal of the EV tax credit. The Senate’s newly introduced version, at the moment, doesn’t kill the credit. Read more at Bloomberg News

Float On 10-19-17

The first floating wind turbines just came online, which is very good news, indeed.

Five giant turbines bobbing in the North Sea, 15 miles off the Scottish coast, are now producing electricity — at peak, enough power for 20,000 homes. Read more at Grist

Texas wind capacity could soon exceed coal after retirements 10-16-17

Recently-announced coal plant retirements, combined with the planned addition of nearly 4,000 MW of wind by 2018, means wind capacity could exceed coal as soon as next year. Read more at Utility Dive

‘This is the future’: solar-powered family car hailed by experts 10-15-17

As the annual solar race across Australia wraps up, a Dutch entry averaged 69kmh from Darwin to Adelaide and resupplied the grid.

A futuristic family car that not only uses the sun as power but supplies energy back to the grid has been hailed as “the future” as the annual World Solar Challenge wrapped up in Australia. Read more at The Guardian

This Bipartisan Senate Bill Could Enable US Offshore Wind to Take Off 09-25-17

Recently introduced legislation would create a 30% investment tax credit for the first 3 GW of offshore wind projects deployed in the U.S.

When the U.S. was ready to ramp up its solar industry, developers benefited from investments made in Germany, Spain and elsewhere in Europe that had funded gigawatt-scale annual deployments and pushed down costs. The same could happen with offshore wind. Read more at Green Tech Media

Stanford Scientists: Switch to Renewables Would Save 7 Million Lives Per Year, Create 24 Million Jobs 08-25-17

Californian scientists said a fossil fuel phase-out is achievable that would contain climate change, deliver energy entirely from wind, water and sunlight to 139 nations, and save up to 7 million lives each year. Read more at EcoWatch

America’s Most (and Least) Sustainable Cities, Ranked 08-10-17

When it comes to sustainability in urban centers, the West Coast is faring better than the rest of the country.

U.S. coastal cities are coming the closest to meeting sustainability goals set by the UN, according to the first analysis of 100 metropolitan cities by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN). But no U.S. city has yet managed to reach a score of even half of what is necessary to satisfy the Paris Climate Agreement. Read more at Citylab

Sun’s Up 07-31-17

The Navajo Nation is transitioning from coal to solar.

The coal-fired Navajo Generating Station is slated to close at the end of 2019, another victim of the boom in cheap natural gas. To fill the energy gap, the Navajo Nation has invested in clean-energy technology, specifically, the Kayenta Solar Project, a 27.3-megawatt farm in northeastern Arizona. Read more at Grist

Electric Vehicles Enter the Here and Now 07-28-17

The high level of confidence that automotive industry leaders have in the future of electric vehicles (EVs) has been on full display recently. A spurt of corporate announcements has been paired with a bevy of statements of international leadership. Read more at EcoWatch

Solar Battle Continues as Duke-Backed Energy Bill Passes North Carolina House 06-13-17

Alongside Highway 401 in northern North Carolina is a 21st-century twist on a classic rural scene. A few miles outside of Roxboro, sheep graze among 5,000 panels at the Person County Solar Park, keeping the grass tidy on the rural installation. Read more at EcoWatch

New Numbers Are In and EVs Are Cleaner Than Ever 05-31-17

One of the most common questions I’m asked about electric cars is, “how clean are they?” Read more at Union of Concerned Scientists

Wind Power Gives Oklahoma Schools a Lifeline During Budget Cuts 05-16-17

The Oklahoman recently took a look at what the Sooner State’s growing wind industry has meant for rural school districts. Its findings: Wind power has made a big difference. Read more at EcoWatch

Germany Breaks Record: 85% of Energy Comes From Renewables Last Weekend 05-04-17

Germany’s “Energiewende”—the country’s low-carbon energy revolution—turned another successful corner last weekend when renewable energy sources nearly stamped out coal and nuclear. Read more at EcoWatch

7-Eleven to Power 425 Texas Stores With Wind Energy 04-05-17

7-Eleven, Inc. will energize 425 stories in Texas with wind energy it will buy from TXU Energy. This initiative is expected to reduce 7-Eleven’s carbon footprint by 6.7 percent and reduce operating costs. Read more on EcoWatch

Green energy in a coal state: the struggle to bring solar jobs to West Virginia 03-19-17

Local entrepreneurs want to replace disappearing coal jobs with employment in solar – but that’s a tough move in a state that lacks the solar-friendly regulations of places like California. Read more at The Guardian

US Solar Market Grows 95% in 2016, Smashes Records 02-15-17

GTM Research and SEIA present data from the upcoming U.S. Solar Market Insight report. Read more at Green Tech Media

Tesla Flips Switch on Gigafactory to Accelerate World’s Transition to Renewable Energy 01-05-17

Elon Musk’s Master Plan to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy is becoming reality. Tesla and Panasonic have officially kicked off the mass production of lithium-ion battery cells at the massive Gigafactory outside Sparks, Nevada. Read more on EcoWatch

Earth to Donald Trump: If you really are a smart businessman, you’ll go green 11-14-16

Here are two facts about the man who will soon be President of the United States, only one of which can be true. Read more on CNBC

Six Wind Power FAQs That Will Make You a Major Fan 9-27-16

Wind power is flying high. Learn why this clean energy source is so popular with the public and growing rapidly – and how much we can do with it. Read more on The Climate Reality Project

Obama administration’s offshore wind plan would power 23 million homes 9-10-16

The federal government on Friday unveiled its vision for wind farms off of nearly every U.S. coastline by 2050, in an effort to generate 86 gigawatts of electricity from offshore wind — enough zero-carbon power for more than 23 million homes. Read more on Grist

Wind Farm Is Windfall for Counties, Farmers 8-3-16

Energy and food producers are not often so simpatico when sharing the same turf, nor are farmers always so pleased about big corporations co-opting their land. Read more on Coastal Review Online

10,000 March in Philly Calling for a Clean Energy Revolution 7-25-16

‘Wake up, humanity! Time is running out!’

At high Noon Sunday, with temperatures heading toward 95 degrees, I’m confident I was not the only one preparing to march through the streets of downtown Philadelphia who recalled that old elementary-school story about the wig-wearing drafters of the Declaration of Independence huddled inside of Independence Hall on a sweltering July day. Read more on EcoWatch

10 Incredible Photos of Solar Impulse 2’s Flight Around the World 6-24-16

Solar Impulse 2, a sun-powered aircraft, took off from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City at 2:30 a.m. on June 20. The flight to Seville, Spain, took approximately 90 hours to complete—traveling at 140 km/h (about 87 mph). Bertrand Piccard, a Swiss adventurer, piloted the airplane. Read more on EcoWatch

Job Losses Expected As Maryland Governor Stuns Solar Industry With Clean Energy Veto 5-31-16

Less than two months after Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan signed a bill in support of reducing the state’s greenhouse gas emissions, he vetoed a plan to increase a mandate on renewable energy use. …Full article

Renewable Energy Jobs Surpass Oil and Gas Sector for First Time in U.S. 5-26-16

The number of jobs in the solar business grew 12 times faster than overall job creation in the U.S. last year and outpaced those in the oil and gas sector.

According to the latest data by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the overall clean energy sector (excluding hydropower) employed 8.1 million people worldwide in 2015, up from 7.7 million in the previous year. IRENA expects worldwide jobs to reach 24 million by 2030 …Full article

Duke Energy vs. Solar Energy: Battle Over Solar Heats Up in North Carolina 3-13-16

Around the nation, big utility companies are successfully lobbying lawmakers and regulators to restrict individual and corporate access to solar power, denying people significan savings on electricity bill and the opportunity to take part in the growing green energy economy …Full article

Wind Industry Strives to Expand With Leased Turbines 12-24-15

Growing up on Lake Erie, Dennis Rak spent countless days bracing against the wind that whipped off the great lake and cut across his parents’ fruit and vegetable farm. Rak came to view it as one of life’s enduring regularities, and one of several cllimatic ingredients needed to grow Concord grapes …Full article

World’s First Solar-Hydrogen Residential Development is 100% Self-Sustaining 12-23-15

We’ve seen individual homes that are completely off-grid, but there are very few residential developments that have this distinction. Thailand-based development company CNX Construction is set to debut the world’s first 24-hour, solar-powered hydrogen storage multi-house complex …Full article

Ocean Tides to Power More Than 150,000 Homes 10-18-15

According to a Reconstruct reports, the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon will use the rise and fall of ocean tides to generate enough renewable electricituy to power 155,000 homes for 120 years …Full article

U.S. Navy Invests in World’s Largest Solar Farm 8-26-15

The U.S. Navy is building what will be the largest solar farm in the world in order to provide power for 14 of its bases. The Mesquite solar farm in Arizona, where two earlier phases of the project are already up and running, enjoys 300 days of sunshine a year. The solar farm is one of a growing number being installed across what is know as the American Sun Belt …Full article

A Hawaiian Clean Energy Plant Makes Electricity from Seawater and Ammonia 8-25-15

A 40-foot tall tower on the Big Island of Hawaii will harvest the oceans’ energy using a method that has renewable energy advocates drooling. This new research facility and demo power plant uses seawater of different temperatures to power a generator via turbine with no carbon output …Full article

Record-Breaking Solar Flight Lands in Hawaii Demonstrating Potential of Carbon-Free Travel 7-3-15

The “Solar Impulse” landed in Hawaii breaking the world records for the longest distance and duration for solar aviation, and the world record for the longest solo flight ever …Full article

The Future Is Here: Google Is Turning An Coal Plant Into A Clean Energy Powered Data Center 6-25-15

An old coal-burning power plant slated to close in October has been given new life thanks to Google, which recently announced plans to build its first U.S.-based data center in 8 years on the grounds of Alabama’s Widows Creek power plant …Full article

Catawba College Completes Phase I of Premier Solar Project 6-10-15

Phase I of Catawba College’s solar installation is complete. It will ultimately provide nearly one megwatt of solar electricity for the campus. The 8 new solar electric systems will produce more solar electricity than that produced by all the other colleges and universities in North Carolina combine ...Full article

Surge in Renewables Remakes California’s Energy Landscape 5-26-15

Thanks to favorable geography, innovative government policies, and businesses that see the benefits of clean energy investments, California is closing in on its goal of generating a third of its electricity from renewables by 2020. Solar farms are blooming across California’s deserts, wind turbines are climbing the Sierra and photovoltaic roofs are shimmering over suburbs as a clean energy rush is transforming the Golden State so quickly that nearly 25% of its electricity now comes from renewable sources with new facilities coming onlihne at a rapid rate …Full article

Construction Begins on Solar Farm at Elon University’s Loy Farm 3-11-15

An array of solar panels on university property will generate nearly 3 megawatts of electricity. Work is underway on a 15-acre solar farm at the Loy Farm area of Elon University. The solar farm is being developed by Suntuity, a NJ based company that focuses on large-scale solar power projects around the world, including 10 in the US …Full article

College Town Cuts Ties With TransCanada Over Keystone XL, Plans to go 100% Renewable 3-5-15

The battle over building the Keystone XL ppipelline is having an impart far from its proposed route. One of those places is the city of Cambridge, Massachusetts, home to Harvard University and MIT. the city currently purchased the electricity that powers its municiple buildings from TansCanada, Keystone XL’s parent company. But now it city council has passed a unanimous resolution advising city manager Richard Rossi not to do business witht the company once its current contract expires at the end of 2015 …Full article