Union of Concerned Scientists

JULY 22, 2022

Minnesotans are facing concurrent crises of climate change, high energy prices and inflation, and the inequitable public health impacts of fossil fuel air pollution. Renewable energy will help with all of that—but we need a grid that is designed for wind and solar instead of having to rely on expensive coal and gas plants.

Renewable Energy 363

Renewable Energy Fossil Fuels Solar Power Electricity 363

Environment + Energy Leader

JANUARY 4, 2023

According to International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the ILO's Renewable Energy and Jobs Annual Review 2022, the number of renewable energy jobs increased by around 700,000 globally between 2020 and 2021.

Renewable Energy 246

Renewable Energy 2020 2021 2022 246

Law Columbia

JUNE 11, 2024

Local opposition has proven to be a significant barrier to the rapid expansion of renewable energy facilities across the United States. The report also identifies 395 local restrictions across 41 states, along with 19 state-level restrictions, that are so severe that they could have the effect of blocking a renewable energy project.

Renewable Energy 111

Renewable Energy 2023 Government Natural Resources 111

PA Environment Daily

MARCH 15, 2025

In 2011, Tregs Independent Brewing worked with Solar Renewable Energy to install a rooftop solar array large enough to produce 15-20 percent of its annual electricity usage. The 1,628 panels, partnered with a new white roof membrane and added insulation, make the brewery more energy efficient while saving on their electricity bills.

Electricity 112

Electricity Renewable Energy Clean Energy Solar Power 112

Law and Environment

JULY 2, 2021

On June 29, 2021, a cohort of New York local governments (including many where large-scale solar projects are currently proposed), community organizations, and avian interest groups filed a lawsuit in the New York State Supreme Court (the State’s trial-level court) against the Office of Renewable Energy Siting (“ORES”).

Renewable Energy 130

Renewable Energy Regulations Law 2021 130

Union of Concerned Scientists

JULY 25, 2022

These estimates come from quantifying the benefits of a more efficient grid that enables lower cost energy, greater system resilience, and more rapid decarbonization. According to Clean Grid Alliance, these projects will also enable more than 7,800 MW of new renewable energy resources developed in the state.

Renewable Energy 264

Renewable Energy Fossil Fuels Clean Energy Electricity 264

Union of Concerned Scientists

DECEMBER 5, 2022

Today’s high energy prices are the result of recent events and long-term strategies. Reliance on fossil natural gas and the slow adoption of renewable energy contributed to electricity bills in New England in the first nine months of 2022 that are $5 billion higher than the prior year. Prices elsewhere in the country doubled.

Natural Gas 278

Natural Gas Renewable Energy Electricity 2022 278

Union of Concerned Scientists

APRIL 16, 2024

The law authorized the creation of new transmission to serve “renewable energy zones” and a process to identify and select such zones. That became a model used in the Illinois Clean Energy Jobs Act ( CEJA ), which also combined new clean energy goals and state designation of renewable energy zones and related transmission.

Electricity 299

Electricity Renewable Energy Clean Energy Law 299

Law and Environment

JUNE 11, 2021

In January 2021, Heritage Wind opted into the Section 94-c permitting process by filing a Transfer Application with ORES, thereby subjecting the request to a different standard.

Renewable Energy 130

Renewable Energy Law Regulations Clean Energy 130

Union of Concerned Scientists

APRIL 24, 2023

There’s good news in the recently released official data on electricity generation in the United States in 2022: renewable energy has continued to grow, coal power has continued to drop, and renewables are now firmly ahead of coal for the first time ever. They offer a lot of good news about clean energy progress.

Clean Energy 306

Clean Energy Fossil Fuels Renewable Energy Solar Power 306

Environment + Energy Leader

MAY 13, 2022

And in January 2021, it said it would source 100% renewable energy to power GM facilities in the U.S. The post GM Has Become an ‘Energy Star’ with Efficiency and Circular Programs appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader. In 2010, GM committed to a 20% reduction in carbon intensity by 2020.

2010 246

2010 Renewable Energy 2017 2030 246

Union of Concerned Scientists

DECEMBER 8, 2021

Legislative and policy victories in Illinois, Michigan, and Minnesota bode well for the future.

Clean Energy 264

Clean Energy 2021 Renewable Energy 264

Inhabitant

SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

Energy Information Administration (EIA), it was determined that America was slowly shifting towards renewables. The domestic production and use of renewable energy hit an all-time high between January and June 2021.

Renewable Energy 99

Renewable Energy 2021 99

Union of Concerned Scientists

MARCH 16, 2022

It’s widely viewed as the “gold standard” for energy projections, even though there’s much debate in the energy community about the validity of the assumptions behind these projections. Source: US Energy Information Administration, Annual Energy Outlook 2022 (AEO2022). This year’s projections are a bit grim.

Natural Gas 290

Natural Gas Renewable Energy Climate Change Electricity 290

Union of Concerned Scientists

DECEMBER 22, 2022

The renewable energy transition involves harnessing epic forces of nature. Sleek solar panels forged from silver and silica from the depths of the Earth translate the sun’s blindingly fiery light energy into electricity. Once the battery looks up to code, it is off to the grid to power our renewable energy future!

Wind Power 290

Wind Power Renewable Energy Electricity Clean Energy 290

Environmental Leader

AUGUST 16, 2022

In 2021, Lowe's cut its scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gases by 42% over the last five years beating its goal of cutting those emissions by 40% by 2025. The post Lowe’s Cuts Greenhouse Gases by 42% Using Renewables, Energy Efficiency appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

Renewable Energy 92

Renewable Energy Greenhouse 2025 2021 92

Union of Concerned Scientists

MAY 19, 2022

A recent Union of Concerned Scientists analysis found that Minnesota could meet its electricity demands with 100-percent renewable energy by 2035, which would provide significant economic and health benefits. With such a wide gulf to cross, Minnesota could miss another opportunity to advance many key clean energy programs.

Clean Energy 264

Clean Energy Fossil Fuels Renewable Energy Electricity 264

Enviromental Defense

JANUARY 20, 2025

Thats why Prime Minister Trudeaus 2021 promise to deliver a net-zero electricity grid by 2035 was important. To deliver on this goal, the federal government made important investments in renewable energy projects. The world is rapidly moving towards renewable energy, and Canada should too. GW in 2023.

Electricity 88

Electricity Regulations Renewable Energy Fossil Fuels 88

Circle of Blue

AUGUST 3, 2021

energy policy has done little to incentivize the growth of these technologies, relying on a patchwork of energy credit programs, tax breaks, and development spending to promote renewable energy production. But as the market grows, some urge caution before using wastewater to create renewable natural gas.

Carbon Emissions 317

Carbon Emissions Waste Renewable Energy Carbon Dioxide 317

Union of Concerned Scientists

APRIL 27, 2023

But for states like California, with large populations, an ambitious and necessary clean energy timeline , and ongoing natural resource issues , where to actually build these projects will require thoughtful planning. Source: 2021 SB 100 Joint Agency Report, California Energy Commission.

Solar Power 312

Solar Power Clean Energy Renewable Energy Electricity 312

Environmental News Bits

FEBRUARY 1, 2022

The 2021 City Clean Energy Scorecard analyzes the efforts of 100 major U.S. cities to make buildings and transportation more energy efficient and scale up the use of renewable energy—and do so equitably. Read more →

Clean Energy 97

Clean Energy 2021 Renewable Energy Government 97

Legal Planet

APRIL 29, 2024

Climate policy has been boosted by dramatic changes in the economics of clean energy. Perhaps the most important development of the past decade has been the dramatic decline in the cost of renewables. Wind power costs fell by half from 2008 to 2021. Rooftop solar costs in 2020 were a third of what they had been in 2010.

Fossil Fuels 279

Fossil Fuels 2008 2010 Clean Energy 279

Union of Concerned Scientists

OCTOBER 19, 2022

The US solar industry was valued at $33 billion in 2021, employed more than 230,000 people, and continued to grow in power capacity at an average rate of 33 percent per year. Solar panels generated almost 4 percent of electricity in the US in 2021, up from less than 1 percent in 2015.

Carbon Monoxide 317

Carbon Monoxide Electricity Carbon Dioxide Renewable Energy 317

Legal Planet

JULY 29, 2021

Here are a few details about the four bills: House Bill 2021 creates the emission reduction mandate. The law also contains provisions addressing wages and benefits for workers on renewable energy projects. Over a hundred Oregonians were killed during the late June heatwave. The cuts are measured from a 2010-2012 baseline.

Fossil Fuels 264

Fossil Fuels Clean Energy Renewable Energy 2010 264

Union of Concerned Scientists

NOVEMBER 13, 2024

Other work commissioned by clean energy developers found substantial savings result from energy storage investment, including billions of dollars in consumer cost savings, increased grid reliability, and additional economic activity.

Fossil Fuels 162

Fossil Fuels 2030 Electricity Clean Energy 162

Union of Concerned Scientists

JUNE 15, 2022

In 2021, 9 percent of US electricity came from those graceful kinetic sculptures, up from less than 3 percent in 2011. Wind is now the largest source of renewable energy in the country. Wind power generation will continue to rise, including in the near term as a result of one of the US wind industry’s best years ever in 2021.

Wind Power 360

Wind Power Fossil Fuels Electricity Climate Change 360

Legal Planet

NOVEMBER 28, 2022

The energy transition offers tribes some important opportunities, but also some special challenges. According to a 2021 study , tribes were generally moved to lands that are more exposed to heat and have less water than their historical homelands. Renewable energy is much more available. The Navajos, the Seminoles.,

Climate Change 195

Climate Change Renewable Energy Fossil Fuels 2007 195

Union of Concerned Scientists

NOVEMBER 5, 2022

The 2021 Arctic Report Card noted the first time rain occurred at the Greenland summit of the ice sheet. Tereneh Idea, founder of Idia’Dega, collaborated with Olorgesailie Maasai Women Artisans of Kenya and Land Art Generator Initiative to create community designed renewable energy.

Climate Change 349

Climate Change Paris Agreement Renewable Energy Sea Level 349

Union of Concerned Scientists

APRIL 3, 2023

Along with interim goals and priorities for pollution reduction in environmental justice areas, the law provides authorization and resources for state agencies to enable the transition to clean, renewable energy. Illinois legislators and clean energy advocates celebrate CEJA’s signing in September 2021.

Electricity 246

Electricity Fossil Fuels Clean Energy Waste 246

Real Climate

AUGUST 17, 2022

This is an historic effort though it falls short of the broader ‘ Green New Deal ‘ goals that were proposed in 2019, and doesn’t include all of the elements that were in the proposed 2021 reconcilliation package (the American Jobs Plan in “ Build Back Better “) that ultimately floundered.

Paris Agreement 349

Paris Agreement Air Pollution Renewable Energy 2030 349

Union of Concerned Scientists

OCTOBER 3, 2022

The report charts continued progress in several important categories in 2021, including PV module efficiency, system costs, and the prevalence of batteries, which are a more and more important piece of the solar picture. percent in 2021—that’s a 48 percent increase, much of it in the last decade. Source: LBNL 2022.

2021 264

2021 2016 2002 Clean Energy 264

Union of Concerned Scientists

JULY 27, 2022

For stationary storage, companies such as RePurpose Energy and B2U Storage Solutions are repurposing these batteries to be used for renewable energy generation support. As the grid becomes cleaner, added grid storage becomes more necessary to support the generation variability of renewable sources. Slattery et al.

Recycling 362

Recycling Electricity Renewable Energy Technology 362

Legal Planet

OCTOBER 2, 2023

At the global level, however, Germany has its own claim to a leadership role, particularly in its early support for renewable energy. Although its track record has some complexities, this timeline of German actions shows just its early and sustained attention to clean energy policy: 1990. Renewables are 6% of power.

Nuclear Power 203

Nuclear Power Renewable Energy Carbon Emissions 2030 203

Union of Concerned Scientists

SEPTEMBER 12, 2022

The grid is well-equipped to supply energy to EVs at current adoption levels. million plug-in hybrid and full battery-electric cars and light trucks were sold in the United States by the end of 2021, with the majority of those still on the road. rooftop solar, battery storage, and electric vehicles). An EV is a battery on wheels.

Electricity 352

Electricity Renewable Energy Fossil Fuels Cooling 352

Environmental Progress

APRIL 20, 2021

Testimony before the United States House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce For a hearing on “Power Struggle: Examining the 2021 Texas Grid Failure” Written statement submitted by: Michael D. Some have argued that weather-dependent energies would, paradoxically, make electricity even more reliable. percent, 47.4

2021 108

2021 Renewable Energy Electricity Natural Gas 108

Union of Concerned Scientists

MARCH 12, 2024

Recent UCS modeling , conducted in partnership with Evolved Energy Research (EER), shows that, to reach these goals means completely phasing out US coal generation by 2030; in this scenario, gas generation would fall from about 40 percent of US electricity generation in 2021 to 25 percent in 2030, and 2 percent in 2050 (see figure 1).

Fossil Fuels 317

Fossil Fuels Electricity 2030 Clean Energy 317

Union of Concerned Scientists

AUGUST 31, 2022

It issued five Flex Alerts in 2020, eight in 2021, but there’s only been one so far this year. As California decarbonizes its economy, the state will build enormous amounts of renewable energy and energy storage to clean up the electricity sector. heat pumps !).

Solar Power 299

Solar Power Fossil Fuels Electricity 2020 299