President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees signal a sharp turn toward fossil fuel expansion and climate deregulation. Key figures, including fracking executive Chris Wright f
Clean energy is taking over the Texas grid. State officials are trying to stop it.
Wind, solar, and nuclear energy contributed over 40% of the Texas' power in 2022. Texas wind turbines and solar panels have strong "complementarity," meaning deficiencies in one source are generally compensated by gains in another, smoothing electricity supply and lowering the demand for additional generators facilitating grid integration of intermittent energy sources. Since 2006, Texas coal has lost almost half its share. Cheap natural gas from hydraulic fracturing was outcompeting coal, and coal power stations had to modify their equipment to meet tighter mercury restrictions, rising electricity production costs. Wind and solar, with low construction prices, fast build periods, and no fuel costs, dominate Texas's freewheeling energy sector. However, some politicians are now seeking to shift the balance back toward fossil fuels. Texas lawmakers banned fossil fuel boycotters from doing business with the state's retirement and investment funds last year. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick wants additional funding for natural gas-fired electricity. Wind and solar power are expanding, but they are intermittent, so regulators want adequate dispatchable electricity like natural gas to ramp up on overcast days. A new credit structure would encourage more dispatchable plants to come online and save some failing generators, but power generation costs would rise.
A $200 billion surge in liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects could release greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to the annual emissions of all global coal plants, raising significa
During his final overseas trip as president, Joe Biden highlighted the Lobito Corridor, an 800-mile U.S.-funded railway project in Angola connecting critical mineral-rich regions
Startups like Still Bright, Ceibo, and Jetti Resources are developing cleaner copper extraction technologies to meet surging demand driven by the energy transition. Innovations in
Long-duration energy storage (LDES) technologies, such as pumped hydropower and underground compressed air storage, are emerging as solutions to store renewable energy for extende
The Midwest Hydrogen Hub, spanning Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, and Michigan, has received $22.2 million as part of a $1 billion federal investment to expand clean hydrogen production
A new study reveals that air pollution from wildfires causes 1.5 million deaths annually, with over 90% of fatalities occurring in low- and middle-income countries, particularly i
A report from the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) reveals systemic racial bias in home appraisals has cost Black Americans $150 billion in home equity. Homes i
Community Church Atlanta transformed its Vicars Community Center into the city's first community-owned resilience hub, funded by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Equipped with
Michigan's Public Service Commission faces a lawsuit from about 80 townships and counties challenging its implementation of a new law, Public Act 233, which expedites permitting f
The fifth and potentially final round of U.N. plastic treaty negotiations (INC-5) in Busan, South Korea, centers on whether to impose global caps on plastic production. Advocates,
Highways in the Twin Cities have perpetuated environmental and social inequities, disproportionately affecting urban communities. Black residents were displaced during their const
Ahead of President-elect Trump’s inauguration, the Biden administration is fast-tracking clean energy investments. The Department of Energy announced nearly $12 billion in loans,
COP29 approved controversial rules for international carbon markets under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, enabling countries to trade emissions reductions. Critics argue the gui
COP29 concluded in Baku with a contentious climate finance agreement that left many nations dissatisfied. The deal commits wealthy countries to lead efforts to triple climate aid