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We Need to Change Our Assumptions About Gas Plant Reliability

Union of Concerned Scientists

Gas plants failed at a scale that jeopardized grid reliability for large regions of the United States during severe winter storms in 2011 , 2014 , 2018 , 2021 , and 2022. Even with the clean energy transition well underway, gas plants will be around for a while as we phase out fossil fuels.

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Fossil Fuels vs. Renewables: A Price on Reliability?

Union of Concerned Scientists

The same scenario has played out with the power plants that use fossil fuels, predominantly methane (“natural”) gas, delivered by pipelines. This system worked so well in the past that gas plants totally dominated new power plant investment from 1990 through 2014. It’s a vicious feedback loop.

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Don’t Believe the Lies: Five Facts to Consider as the UN’s COP27 Comes to a Close

Union of Concerned Scientists

Union of Concerned Scientists’ (UCS) research shows that top fossil fuel producers’ emissions are responsible for as much as half of global surface temperature increase. Data on the major carbon producers’ emissions have been published since 2014. The best solution: Replace fossil fuels with renewable energy.

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We Need Large-Scale Solar. A New Agreement Points the Way Forward

Union of Concerned Scientists

That’s a really good thing given the central role we expect and need solar to play in a just transition away from fossil fuels. This graph depicts actual growth in solar installations since 2014 and projections for further growth in the next five years. (GW

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Reevaluating the Role of Fossil Gas in a Decarbonizing Grid

Union of Concerned Scientists

However, as we replace fossil fuels with clean electricity for heating and transportation to meet our climate goals, these peak demands will increasingly shift to the winter in many parts of the country. Decarbonizing the power sector also plays a critical long-term role by replacing fossil fuels in other sectors.

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The Carbon Capture Boondoggle Begins To Unwind 

Enviromental Defense

CCS is a multi-billion dollar boondoggle that doesn’t come close to the hype, has significant safety risks, and is a substantial distraction from real climate solutions, such as building more renewable energy, increasing electricity transmission infrastructure, and developing and using storage technology. Want proof?

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This Leap Year, Some Clean Energy Leaps to Watch For

Union of Concerned Scientists

For wind, that would be two and a half times as much electricity as it produced in the United States in 2014, and would increase its generation to 11 percent of the US supply. For solar, the decade will have brought it from well below one percent of US electricity supply in 2014 to 7.5 percent in 2024 (again, with rooftop solar).