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Cornhuskers Go Green

Legal Planet

During the 2010s, wind power went from 1% of generation to 20%. There may be hope that the politics of climate change is beginning to detoxify. This is a holdover from the 1930s, when Nebraska was a highly progressive state. That has changed quite quickly. That would be a very promising sign for future climate action.

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Climate Policy and the Audacity of Hope

Legal Planet

Wind power costs fell by half from 2008 to 2021. The resulting economic growth also helps create a stronger political base for aggressive expansion of clean energy. Climate policy has been boosted by dramatic changes in the economics of clean energy. Rooftop solar costs in 2020 were a third of what they had been in 2010.

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The Texas Paradox

Legal Planet

I sometimes ask students to guess what state produces the most wind power. It’s not as if the state’s extensive use of wind power is just a historical fluke, either. The state will soon get more power from renewables than natural gas. They’re always shocked to find out the right answer: Texas.

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France targets huge offshore wind power expansion

A Greener Life

By Anders Lorenzen The Economy Minister of France has targeted a huge offshore wind development capacity expansion. Bruno Le Maire outlined the French government’s strategy for deploying 45 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind power by 2050. This is an increase of 5 GW from the 40 GW target unveiled last year.

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Building a Better Power Grid for Minnesota

Union of Concerned Scientists

Southwest Minnesota and the Dakotas have a lot of wind power—and the potential for even more. Minnesota Power’s vision is to provide 100 percent carbon-free energy by 2050, achieve 70 percent renewable electricity by 2030, and eliminate coal burning by 2035. Source: MISO LRTP Report.

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The EIA Just Released a 30 Year Energy Outlook. It’s… Not Great

Union of Concerned Scientists

EIA is also projecting continued cost reductions and low prices for solar and wind power, such that natural gas and renewable energy are price competitive. From their thinking in November 2021, EIA projects that wholesale gas prices will remain less than $4.00/ million BTU through 2050, lower than gas prices in 2021.

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Good News—and Bad—about Fossil Fuel Power Plants in 2023 

Union of Concerned Scientists

GW of gas capacity set to retire, but also slightly outpacing the planned additions of wind power. With all that said, there are many ways policymakers at virtually every level of government can bring more certainty and speed to the retirement of fossil fuel power plants and the installation of clean energy capacity to replace them.