wind energy

By Jacqueline Peel, The University of Melbourne; Annabelle Workman, The University of Melbourne; Kathryn Bowen, The University of Melbourne; and Rebekkah Markey-Towler, The University of Melbourne | – When the new federal parliament opened last week, a record number of female politicians took their seats: 38% in the House of Representatives and 57% in the […]

Climate Crisis

Sinema goes for Inflation Reduction Act as Princeton’s ZERO Labs deems it will boost Solar Energy 5-Fold

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) is reported to have signed on to the Schumer-Manchin energy bill, accurately termed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), on Thursday, after tinkering with a few of its revenue-raising features, writes Tony Romm at WaPo. A key piece of information in Romm’s report is that Sinema wants […]

Climate Crisis

Clean Energy Booming, Coal Plants Closing, despite Supreme Court ruling against EPA

Cronkite News Arizona PBS

By Morgan Fischer | – ( Cronkite News ) – WASHINGTON – When the Supreme Court ruled this summer that the EPA could not force power plants to move away from fossil fuels, advocates worried that the justices had removed the “most effective tool for regulating and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.” They’re still worried. But […]

Climate Crisis

Red States Turning Green: Louisiana Republicans Plan 5 Gigs of Offshore wind in Gulf of Mexico, with Interior Dept. Blessing

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The Biden administration’s attempt to get 30 gigawatts of offshore wind power by 2030 initially focused on the Atlantic coast, where New York has jumped in with both feet to plan ambitious such wind farms. One of them will come online in as early as two years from now, in […]

Climate Crisis

Germany: Löwenbräu, other Beer Brands to be Made with Wind and Solar as Russian Gas Turns Unreliable

Clean Energy Wire

By Hannah Naylor | – inFranken.de / Süddeutsche Zeitung ( Clean Energy Wire ) – Bavarian breweries concerned about possible gas shortages are developing contingency plans to avoid a complete halt of beer production, reports regional news website inFranken.de. Munich breweries are considering switching to other energy sources, such as oil or renewables, but these […]

Climate Crisis

Biden, Speaking of “Climate Emergency” and National Security, Pledges Executive Orders to Combat Global Heating

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday that he would use executive orders and appeal to emergency measures in addressing what he caled the “climate crisis,” deploying among other tools the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). He announced, “And in the coming weeks, I’m going to use the power I have […]

Germany

Germany’s renewables output climbs to 49% of power demand in first half of 2022

Benjamin Wehrmann

( Clean Energy Wire ) – Renewables provided nearly half of Germany’s electricity in the first six months of 2022, according to preliminary data released by energy industry association BDEW and research institute ZSW. Solar panels, wind turbines, biogas plants and other installations covered 49 percent of electricity demand, six percentage points more than during […]

Climate Crisis

In 13 Years, Gasoline will be as Illegal in Europe as Heroin for New Car Buyers

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Les Echos reports that after a marathon 16-hour negotiating session, the 27 European Union countries agreed to issue five new laws aimed reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 55% compared to 1990 levels by 2030 and at reaching carbon neutrality by 2050. Frans Timmermans, the chief EU Climate official, noted that […]

Batteries

As US Electric Vehicle Sales Double in One Year, Biden calls for Lowering their Price to Defeat Oil Tyrant Putin

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – President Joe Biden called last week for a vast expansion of green energy in the United States to offset what he calls the “Putin price hike” caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent Western sanctions. He pointed out that since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the assault on […]