A lot of the coal power that is used in Oregon actually comes from Wyoming and Montana. In order to accelerate the transition towards renewables and promote local job growth, the state legislature is currently considering two bills that would forbid imports of coal power. Elizabeth Hardee reports from Oregon.
All posts tagged: USA
How British biomass makes German coal look worse
At the beginning of April, British climate NGO Sandbag published a press release entitled “For the first time, 4 out of 5 largest EU emitters are German lignite producers.” A shift took place between the fifth and sixth positions because the British Drax coal plant increasingly runs on imported biomass. Craig Morris says paying more attention to producers and less to consumers would help us see the issue in a clearer light.
The most carbon-efficient year ever for America’s power industry?
It’s been 60 years in the making and it’s finally here: America’s power generation fleet has changed so much since the 1950s, and especially over the last decade, that the amount of carbon emitted per megawatt-hour of electricity produced has dropped to its lowest point in recorded history. Gavin Purchas reports.
Climate showdown: Has the US, UK or Germany done more to cut emissions?
The UK and Germany like to think of themselves as climate leaders. But how does their progress in cutting carbon stack up against the US, which has famously failed to pass climate laws? The Carbon Brief’s Simon Evans reports.
The Energiewende – made in the USA
To many people, both inside and outside Germany, the Energiewende seems special. Questions therefore often focus on where the Germans got the idea. Craig Morris says they stole it from an American.
“One power plant per company”
The 1985 book entitled The Energiewende is possible not only described the problems that the energy transition faces, but also proposed some solutions. Craig Morris describes them.
First in class, but not best in class – The EU’s proposal for the 2015 climate conference in Paris
The EU recently agreed on its contribution (INDC) to the global climate change agreement, which is due to be adopted in Paris in December. It is worth noting that the EU is the first of the major economies to present its offer for the Paris agreement. Nevertheless, the extent to which the offer paves the way to an ambitious climate deal in Paris is questionable indeed, as Silvia Brugger reports.
Germany is not burning US forests
In December, American citizens petitioned the European Commission to “stop cutting our forests.” It turns out that Germany plays only a marginal role. Craig Morris investigates.
Where is the energy transition headed in 2015?
In an overall successful year 2014, the German Energiewende saw a lot of changes. 2015 will be characterized by international developments like falling fossil fuel prices. To keep the Energiewende on track, Matthias Ruchser demands to finally tap potentials in the heating and transport sector.
The role of Latin America in global emissions
What is holding Latin American countries back from reducing carbon emissions? Sandra Guzman points to the central role that fossil fuels play in key economies of South America. With the discovery of non-conventional sources of fossil fuels in countries like Brazil and Mexico, tackling an energy transition might become even more challenging.