The extraordinary success of solar power in some pockets of the world that combine sunshine with high investment in the technology mean that governments and energy companies are having radically to rethink […]
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Drivers Behind Flattening CO2 Emissions
The International Energy Agency (IEA) recently reported that carbon dioxide emissions from energy use remained flat in 2016, the third year in a row. This is a noticeable departure from the 21st […]
As PACE Financing Grows Up, the Industry Grapples With Lending Standards and Consumer Protections
By many measures, the financing programs referred to as PACE — or property-assessed clean energy — are among the most successful energy-efficiency financing tools in U.S. history. The programs, which fund building […]
Is Elon Musk’s Model 3 Production Plan Too Ambitious?
Elon Musk, Silicon Valley’s automotive visionary, loves to wow the world with grandiose visions that serve primarily to reinforce his position at the top of the list of tech titans. That […]
Climate Change Policies Working: CO2 Emissions Flat For 2 Years In A Row
The International Energy Agency gave environmentalists cause for celebration earlier this month when it reported that carbon dioxide emissions in 2016 remained unchanged from the levels reached in 2014 and 2015. […]
Where have drilling costs dropped the most? Midland Basin, of course
The costs of producing oil in the major U.S. shale fields have dropped by almost half over the past two years, but none as much as West Texas’ Midland Basin, a part […]
The Lowdown on Hydrogen, Part 1: Transportation
After more than two decades of hype about the imminent arrival of a transformative “hydrogen economy”, many veteran technology watchers — myself included — had concluded that hype was pretty much all […]
Too Much of a Good Thing? An Illustrated Guide to Solar Curtailment on California’s Grid
The end of California’s drought is exposing the full effect of the state’s move to renewable energy. A wet winter has loaded up the hydroelectric system, while solar generation rose by 33 […]
Electricity Markets and Missing Money
If you work in electricity markets and someone mentions “missing money,” it doesn’t make you think of a lost wallet or a sticky-fingered bank teller. Instead it evokes regulatory policies that lower […]
Westinghouse’s Bankruptcy Threatens the Nuclear Revival
Westinghouse, of the most important players in nuclear, filed for bankruptcy protection last week. It’s a potential blow to the global industry. After all, half of the world’s nuclear reactors use Westinghouse […]