wind energy

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – News corporations think good news does not sell, which is why you see so little of it on television or on the front page of news web sites. Executives at for-profit news believe their corporations benefit, just as do social media platforms, from provoking your fight or flight reflexes– making […]

Climate Crisis

Revenge is a Dish best Served Green: Biden could get around Manchin with GOP Senators Supporting Wind, Solar, Battery

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Senator Joe Manchin has attempted completely to shoot down the Build Back Better bill, underlining the thin legislative margin with which President Biden has to work. With a 50/50 Senate, Biden’s legislative agenda going forward will need to be bipartisan. The successes this approach can garner are apparent in the […]

Drought

New German Chancellor Scholz Pledges Success in Ambitious Doubling of Renewables by 2030

Julian Wettengel

By Julian Wettengel | – ( Clean Energy Wire ) – The new German government’s plan to more than double power production from renewable sources by 2030 presents a “gigantic task” for the country, said Chancellor Olaf Scholz in his first government declaration in the Bundestag (national parliament). “However, I am firmly convinced that we […]

Climate Crisis

As last Coal Chimney Falls, Will Green Energy Issue in Scotland Break up the United Kingdom?

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon of the Scottish National Party, pushed the button last week that brought down the country’s tallest structure, the chimney of the massive coal plant at Fife. The plant was decommissioned in 2016, as Scotland replaced coal with renewables for electricity generation, but the demolition was […]

Climate Crisis

“Given me a Lever and I will Move the Earth:” Biden orders greening of Federal Gov’t, buying of EVs and Solar Panels

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes of Syracuse (d. 212 BC), speaking of the power of the lever, said, “Give me a place to stand on, and I will move the Earth” (δῶς μοι πᾶ στῶ καὶ τὰν γᾶν κινάσω). In the US economy there are few more powerful levers than […]

China

For first time, China now gets a Trillion Watts of Electricity from Wind-Water-Hydro

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – China reached a milestone this fall, of producing a terawatt of electricity from renewables — wind, water, hydro and a bit of biomass. A trillion watts is equivalent to 10 billion 100-watt light bulbs. This milestone is worth celebrating, though it is worth noting that wind and solar currently account […]

Climate Crisis

Will Germany’s New Climate Super Minister Robert Habeck Super Charge the Clean Energy Transition?

Clean Energy Wire

By Sören Amelang | – ( Clean Energy Wire) – As Germany’s first climate “super minister”, Green politician Robert Habeck will play a key role in fulfilling the future government’s promise to get the country on a path compatible with the 1.5°C global warming limit. The widely popular party co-leader must oversee the translation of […]

Climate Crisis

Startling Transformation: California has 1 mn. EVs on road, as they become state’s No. 1 Export

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – On, Monday, Juliet Eilperin, the environment editor at the Washington Post hosted a live event that included the Energy Commissioner of California, David Hochschild. Hochschild pointed out that electric cars are now California’s number one export. The state exports $156 billion of goods abroad annually, and is second only to […]

Climate Crisis

Good Climate News: US will increase Solar Power by nearly 50% in 2022, and add 29 Gigawatts of Wind

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Both at COP26 and in the U.S. Congress, a lot of attention is rightly focused on what governments are doing to confront the dire challenges of our climate emergency. Ultimately, governments are the only entities with sufficient reach and power to guarantee an energy transition away from fossil fuels. Nevertheless, […]