Regulations in most states obligate utilities to derive some of their electricity generating capacity from renewable sources. Unsurprisingly, the most widely available options—wind and solar—dominate. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates […]
Trump’s Reported FERC Chair Pick Could Signal a More Utility-Friendly Stance
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) isn’t a big target of the Trump administration, in terms of major budget cuts or wholesale policy shifts away from climate change and clean energy. But […]
New President, New Electric Grid?
A new set of leaders today enter the White House. As they consider measures to enhance roads and bridges, they also should focus on America’s electricity infrastructure. By focusing on investment, efficiency, […]
Turning Point: Solar Cheaper Than Wind
Photo: Gerry Machen It was bound to happen, and apparently it has: utility-scale solar-generated power, certainly in sunny parts of the world, appears to be cheaper than wind and both are cheaper […]
Separating Fact From Fiction in the Newest U.S. Federal Ethanol Study
Debates about the merits of biofuels have been going on for at least a generation. My favorite clip from the early, oil-crisis era ethanol push was Nicholas Wade’s article, “Oil pinch stirs […]
Can Emissions Trading Produce Adequate Carbon Prices?
Prices under emissions trading schemes have been low to date. Sometimes this may be because systems are new, but the EUETS is long established and needs to demonstrate that it can now […]
Will Trump Negotiate a Better Coal Deal for Taxpayers?
Trump Digs Coal: Source It’s here. The first week of the Trump administration. And it promises to be a busy one. On the energy front, Trump has an ambitious agenda for […]
Power Sector Carbon Dioxide Emissions Fall Below Transportation Sector Emissions
U.S. carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the transportation sector reached 1,893 million metric tons (MMmt) from October 2015 through September 2016, exceeding electric power sector CO2 emissions of 1,803 MMmt over the […]
First Solar Proves That PV Plants Can Rival Frequency Response Services From Natural Gas Peakers
Last summer, First Solar and California grid operator CAISO ran a set of tests to show that utility-scale solar PV, instead of being a disruptive influence on the power grid, could actually […]
Mercedes, BMW, Toyota To Go On $10 Billion Hydrogen Fuel Binge
A group of car companies and hydrogen suppliers have pledged to invest $10 billion over the next 5 years to promote fuel cell research and hydrogen fueling infrastructure. But why? The post […]
Prometheus Institute 