Solar Energy

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The Business Council for Sustainable Energy Factbook is out, and it has good news for the environment despite the dark shadow being cast by a climate denialist White House. The good news is that the incredible advance of solar power generation has boosted renewable sources of power to 24% of […]

Asia

As Trump Shutters US Offshore Wind, Asia’s Renewables Promise Cheaper Manufacturing, Trade Surpluses

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Trump has halted the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management from granting new offshore wind licenses. This move will gut the growing US offshore wind industry, though it does not necessarily affect already-granted licenses. Gavin Maguire at Reuters explains the outcome of this policy will be high energy costs for Americans, […]

China

China dominates Middle East Solar Sector as Trump hobbles Renewables in US

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Chinese firms dominate the manufacture of photovoltaic solar panels, accounting for 80% of the global market (along with most elements of the supply chain). Volumes in China’s solar sector, including panels, batteries and EVs, expanded by a third in 2024, even though panel prices had plummeted. The Chinese will, however, […]

Climate Crisis

China’s Wind and Solar Soar by 357 Gigawatts, as Trump Mires us in backward, Planet-Wrecking Fossil Fuels

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – President Trump’s attempt to derail the wind and solar industries in the United States in favor of dirty fossil fuels is a threat to the health of the planet, of course. But it is also a threat to the US economy. Fossil fuels are sources of short term profits. As […]

Featured

New Solar Installations double to 24.5 Gigawatts in 2024 in India — World’s 5th Largest Economy

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – India installed 24.5 new gigawatts of solar power in 2024, along with 3.4 gigawatts of new wind. That represented a doubling of solar installations over 2023. This surge in renewables installations is unprecedented in the country’s history. In all, India has roughly 100 gigawatts of installed solar capacity. The United […]

Featured

How Solar Power could save Fossil Gas Giant Iran from its Energy Crisis

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Iran has for weeks been in the midst of an energy crisis. It may seem paradoxical given that it has some of the biggest oil and gas fields in the world. Some 70% of Iran’s electricity is generated by fossil gas. Power blackouts have inflicted billions of dollars of losses […]

Climate Crisis

Egypt opens 500 MW Solar Plant, Plans Factory with Sweden to Manufacture Photovoltaic Panels

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Egypt is perfect for solar power, even though the country has not implemented much of it yet. The Egyptians had installed 1.8 gigawatts of solar by the beginning of this year, most of it at the Benban Solar Park some 400 miles south of Cairo in the Aswan Governorate. But […]

Featured

Türkiye reaches 18.7 GW Photovoltaic Capacity, shows how Solar can meet Growing Air Conditioning demand

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – One of the paradoxes of human-made climate change is that as we heat up the planet by burning gasoline, coal and fossil gas, it makes the summers hotter. These torrid months impel people to run the air conditioner nonstop, which requires burning more coal or fossil gas, which causes it […]

Climate Crisis

In Sunny Spain, cheap Solar Power set to overtake Wind Generation, backed by Socialist Government and Co-ops

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Spain’s photovoltaic electricity production is set to surpass its wind power, according to China’s Xinhua news agency. Spain is Europe’s champion at producing solar power, because some of its regions are especially sunny — think Seville. The Global Energy Monitor puts it this way: “The country has more utility-scale solar […]