At nearly every electric vehicle or smart grid conference, someone in the audience asks the question about just how clean electric vehicles are given that they are probably fueled by coal power […]
Top Three Reasons Cheap Natural Gas Won’t Kill Renewable Energy
I’ll be the first to admit that cheap natural gas prices are one of the biggest short-term threats to deployment of renewable energy in the U.S. today. With a glut of gas […]
Negative prices in wholesale electricity markets indicate supply inflexibilities
Wholesale electricity markets sometimes result in prices below zero. That is, sellers pay buyers to take the power. This situation arises because certain types of generators, such as nuclear, hydroelectric, and wind, […]
NRC Approves Two New Georgia Plants: Is Nuclear Back?
For the first time in 34 years, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved the construction of new nuclear plants. Southern Co. and subsidiary Georgia Power have received approval to move forward with […]
The Quest for ‘Hydricity’
In the 1980s and ’90s, hydrogen fuel cell technology seemed like a strong candidate for use in cars and stationary applications, converting hydrogen to electricity with no emissions beyond a puff of […]
Renewable Energy Financing Mechanisms and Incentives: What Can We Expect?
While much attention has rightly been given to the expiration of the Section 1603 cash grant program at the end of 2011, there are other tax incentives for renewable energy that are […]
Munich Re Sees $658 Million in Renewable Energy Insurance Sales
Feb. 15 (Bloomberg) — Munich Re, the world’s largest reinsurer, may generate 500 million euros ($658 million) in annual revenue within five years from insuring renewable energy projects, including protecting against the […]
Hawaii Asks Some Big Questions About Solar Penetration
In an annual report to the Public Utilities Commission, Hawaii’s utility Hawaii Electric Company (HECO) noted there were increased costs to ratepayers as the result of a net metering policy put in […]
How Distributed Solar Can Reduce Electricity Prices
What if installing more solar could reduce electricity prices? It’s already happening in Germany, world leader in solar power, and it’s likely to happen in the U.S., too. Right now the idea […]
Lights Out for Some Coal Plants
First there were six. Now there’s three more. What’s going on in the coal-fired utility business? FirstEnergy of Ohio plans to close by September those 9 units, which supply as much as […]
Prometheus Institute 