Solar Energy

Green Energy as answer to Ukraine Crisis: Turning to Nuclear would make us hostage to Moscow’s Uranium

By Tatyana Novikova | – ( Foreign Policy in Focus ) – In March 2022, Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) introduced several bills calling for a ban on Russian uranium as a way to cut off funds for the war in Ukraine and also boost domestic uranium production. Although environmentalists applaud the Russian uranium ban, they […]

European Union

Russia’s Weaponization of Natural Gas could backfire by Destroying Demand for It

The Conversation

By Michael E. Webber, University of Texas at Austin | – In December 2006, The Economist magazine published a cover drawing of Russian president Vladimir Putin, dressed like a 1930s gangster in a dark suit and fedora hat, under the headline “Don’t Mess with Russia.” Putin held a gasoline nozzle, gripping it like a machine […]

Australia

Biggest Solar-and-Battery Installation in World, at Darwin, Australia, to Power Singapore 3,000 miles Away

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Moving the world to renewable energy can’t be done purely on the basis of the nation-state. The challenge of the climate crisis requires cross-border cooperation among nations. Sun Cable‘s plans for an enormous 20 gigawatt (GW) solar farm outside Darwin, Australia, along with 42 GW of battery storage, which will […]

Climate Crisis

45% of New Cars in Germany Non-Gasoline Vehicles, 25% EVs

Clean Energy Wire

By Sören Amelang | – ( Clean Energy Wire ) – Almost half of all new cars registered in Germany earlier this year were equipped with alternative fuel engines. The share of newly registered battery electric, hybrid, fuel cell, gas and hydrogen cars rose to 44.5 percent in the first quarter, an increase of more […]

Batteries

California Briefly Runs on 97% Renewable Energy, Showing a Future in which Oil and Gas Dictators like Putin are defunded

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – California’s energy mix was powered 97% by renewable energy on Sunday, April 3 at 3:39 p.m., the highest contribution of renewables to the state’s grid on record, according to David Knowles at Yahoo News. Although the milestone lasted only for a brief time, it points to a future in which […]

Climate Crisis

France’s Macron: “I am combating the Project of the extreme Right … which is to put an End to Renewable Energy”

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The two frontrunners in France’s presidential election who now face a run-off election against one another, Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen, have diametrically opposed stances on the climate emergency and renewable energy. Le Pen, the far right demagogue known for ugly hate speech and having a soft corner for […]

Germany

How Renewable Energy can Enable Germany’s Energy Independence of Russia

Benjamin Wehrmann

( Clean Energy Wire ) – Russia’s attack on Ukraine has added a new dimension to Germany’s ambitious aims for ramping up the share of renewables in its energy system. Marking a “historic turning point,” the fast elimination of fossil fuel imports for Germany practically overnight shifted from being a moral obligation and long-term environmental […]

Climate Crisis

Germany boosts renewables with “biggest energy policy reform in decades”

Julian Wettengel

By Kerstine Appunn and Julian Wettengel | – ( Clean Energy Wire ) – Germany wants to fight the climate crisis and its heavy dependence on fossil fuel imports by speeding up the rollout of renewables with a massive overhaul of key energy legislation. In the “biggest energy policy reform in decades,” the coalition of […]

Featured

Wind generation for First Time Outstrips both Coal and Nuclear in US

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Ben Storrow of Climate Wire tweeted this week that “Last Tuesday, total U.S. wind generation exceeded 2,000 GWh, making wind the second largest producer of electricity in the United States after natural gas for that 24-hour period. Did a quick look at EIA’s numbers going back to 2018. Don’t think […]