Renewable Energy

Why ALEC’s Attacks on Renewable Energy Failed Nationwide

Why ALEC’s Attacks on Renewable Energy Failed Nationwide

Though nonprofit organizations and educators have recently touted clean energy as an alternative to carbon-polluting fossil fuels, a new report shows the lengths others have gone to prevent the growth of renewables. The latest report from ProgressNow details how the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) attempted to curtail renewable portfolio standards (RPS) in states across the country […]

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    Solar Heating and Cooling Could Save $61B, Create 50,250 Jobs By 2050

    Solar Heating and Cooling Could Save $61B, Create 50,250 Jobs By 2050

    Brandon Baker The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) believes the nation could save $61 billion in energy costs by 2050, creating 50,250 jobs along the way. The Solar Energy Industries Association released a comprehensive new report this month outlining ways to create 50,250 new American jobs and save more than $61 billion in future energy […]

    The Future of Offshore Wind in the U.S.

    The Future of Offshore Wind in the U.S.

    Yale Environment 360 By Dave Levitan In June, after years of offshore wind power projects being thwarted in the U.S., the first offshore wind turbine began spinning off the U.S. coast. The turbine was not a multi-megawatt, 400-foot behemoth off of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, or Texas—all places where projects had long been proposed. […]

    Greentown Labs: Helping Entrepreneurs Solve Big Energy Problems

    Greentown Labs: Helping Entrepreneurs Solve Big Energy Problems

    Stefanie Spear I had the opportunity earlier this month to meet the people behind Greentown Labs and many of the entrepreneurs growing their business ideas at this Boston, MA-based cleantech incubator. Greentown Labs enables entrepreneurs to create game-changing energy technologies that will transform the way people live, work and play. With a focus on creating […]

    Solar Crowdfunding a Solution to Energy Poverty

    Solar Crowdfunding a Solution to Energy Poverty

    Sierra Club By Justin Guay We have two broken systems—energy and finance—which conspire to support a coal fired centralized grid that never reaches the poor while driving dangerous climate change. That means 1.3 billion people around the world won’t escape the dark, and we’ll fry the climate, unless we disrupt these systems and deploy distributed […]

    Fossil Fuel Industry Continues to Squash Renewable Energy Age

    Fossil Fuel Industry Continues to Squash Renewable Energy Age

    TomDispatch By Michael T. Klare When it comes to energy and economics in the climate-change era, nothing is what it seems. Most of us believe (or want to believe) that the second carbon era, the Age of Oil, will soon be superseded by the Age of Renewables, just as oil had long since superseded the […]

    ALEC Reinstates Attack On Renewable Energy Policies

    ALEC Reinstates Attack On Renewable Energy Policies

    Union of Concerned Scientists By Jeff Deyette Having failed completely in its attempt to repeal state renewable electricity standards (RES) during the spring 2013 legislative season, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is shifting gears. Their new strategy is more nuanced, but the goal remains the same: support their fossil fuel cronies by rolling back […]

    Growth of Global Solar and Wind Energy Continues to Outpace Other Technologies

    Growth of Global Solar and Wind Energy Continues to Outpace Other Technologies

    Worldwatch Institute Global use of solar and wind energy continued to grow significantly in 2012. Solar power consumption increased by 58 percent, to 93 terrawatt-hours (TWh), and the use of wind power increased by 18 percent, to 521 TWh. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock Although hydropower remains the world’s leading renewable energy, solar and wind continue […]