Based on preliminary figures for 2017, electricity from renewables grew by a record amount. Coal power production also fell noticeably even as nuclear power fell – despite record exports. But one big news item may have been overlooked amidst all the new records. Craig Morris takes a look.
All posts tagged: Solar
Converting renewable power to other low-carbon products
With wind and solar booming, researchers are looking for ways to turn electricity into other products, to cut carbon and integrate renewables into the power grid. Power-to-X could go a long way towards these goals, says Ben Paulos.
Solar supports village livelihoods and spurs business in Fiji
Reliable solar-powered refrigerators are creating economic opportunities for remote, rural towns in Fiji. Something as cheap and easy as solar panels and batteries can change people’s lives, the IRENA newsroom reports.
Australia under new pressure to get serious about climate in 2018
The planet is at a crossroads, and Australia can no longer afford to support coal as it has been doing – even building a new coal-fired station. Giles Parkinson takes an in-depth look at Australian energy policies.
Tear down or leave up all the old wind turbines?
In the next few years, a large number of wind turbines will run out of eligibility for feed-in tariffs after twenty years. Even if they are still running well, they are likely to be dismantled for several reasons. Craig Morris investigates.
Truth to Power? India’s Renewable Energy Boom
With all of the noise around Trump and the US exit from the Paris Agreement, it’s easy to forget that other countries are taking their climate goals seriously. India has seen a huge solar boom, wind energy has been steadily increasing, and planned coal plants have been cancelled. Frances Beinecke explores India’s energy transition.
Solar comes to the trailer park
Solar power, once thought to be only for the wealthy, is now helping rural poor reduce their energy bills. Americans who live in mobile homes are particularly vulnerable to energy poverty. But a new program could get them clean energy and provide long-term savings, says Bentham Paulos.
How Trump could undermine the US solar boom
The US solar industry has been booming, employing far more people than coal and helping cut American emissions. But President Trump’s administration could end up slapping tariffs on imported solar cells and panels. Llewelyn Hughes describes how this will affect the industry.
The state of auctions in Germany
Germany has now conducted auctions for wind, solar, and biomass. But if the headlines are optimistic, the outcome is massively oversold. Craig Morris takes a closer look.
After two weeks without power, civilization collapses
And by the time you read this, Puerto Rico and several other Caribbean Islands will have been without electricity for that long. A German study from 2010 investigated the matter for Europe, just months before Fukushima. Craig Morris retells the tale.