Blog
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Technology
Move Over Lithium-Ion—There’s a New E-Bike Battery in Town
Remember dial-up internet service? How would you like to go back to waiting for minutes on end to connect to the internet? Short answer: you wouldn’t. Once you taste the ever-increasing internet connection speeds, you never want to go back to slower connections. It’s the evolution of technology. The same is about to happen for […]
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Legal & Regulatory
Litigation Is Not the Right Path for Climate Solutions
In late January, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit in Richmond, Virginia, took up a case that could play an important role in deciding the future of climate change lawsuits in the U.S. The immediate issue is a dry question of procedure—the grounds for removal of a case from state court to federal court. But […]
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Commentary
Microgrids Can Save America’s Carbon-Zero Commitments and Electrified Future
On Friday, November 5, Congress passed a landmark infrastructure bill that apportions $65 billion to rebuilding our aging electric grid. Although we should applaud this long overdue measure, we need to be realistic about its impact. $65 billion is not nearly enough to modernize the U.S. electric grid, nor is it enough to protect against weather-related outages and cyberattacks. We continue […]
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Commentary
Former Nuclear Leaders: Say ‘No’ to New Reactors
The former heads of nuclear power regulation in the U.S., Germany, and France, along with the former secretary to the UK’s government radiation protection committee, have issued a joint statement that in part says, “Nuclear is just not part of any feasible strategy that could counter climate change.” COMMENTARY The statement issued Jan. 25 notes […]
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O&M
Keeping Critical Facilities Running in the Aftermath of a Storm: Lessons Learned from Hurricane Ida
Hurricanes are the leading cause of power outages in the U.S. Power outages can make storms exponentially more dangerous for local populations, especially if they affect critical facilities like hospitals, fire stations, and police departments, which are vital in times of crisis. But what can utilities and municipalities do to prepare for natural disasters? How […]
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Hydrogen
Hydrogen Prices Skyrocket Over 2021 Amid Tight Power and Gas Supply
Hydrogen prices across key European countries rose over the course of 2021, primarily driven by gas and power price spikes amid tight supply, while record carbon prices lifted grey hydrogen close to parity with low-carbon hydrogen, analysis from market data and intelligence group ICIS shows. Near-Curve The hydrogen near curve posted the largest gains, as […]
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Commentary
The Infrastructure Law Can Help America Catch China in the Clean Energy Race
President Biden’s signature infrastructure law aims to, among other objectives, propel America forward in transitioning to a clean energy economy. If its proposals are executed properly, I’m confident that it will succeed in that goal. The new law will help the U.S. catch up to countries like China, who have been beating America in the race […]
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Wind
Tapping the Power of Wind: The Opportunity of Offshore Wind Farms in Ireland
A modern-day gold rush has emerged off the Irish coast that is unlike other resource grabs in Earth’s history—for petroleum, minerals, coal, metals, etc.—because this particular resource is limitless. Harvesting wind energy is in its early days on this breeze-abundant island that boasts 900 miles of coastline and a sea area seven times larger than […]
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Cybersecurity
The Urgency of Protecting the Electric Grid from Cyberattacks
The clock is ticking to protect the electric grid from cyberattacks. Adversarial nations, terrorists, and criminal groups have been refining their techniques since before Dan Coats, director of National Intelligence, warned of America’s vulnerability to major electric grid attacks in January 2019. This followed an earlier report from Lloyd’s that a successful, coordinated intrusion could cost $1 trillion. […]
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Commentary
California’s Global Warming Approach a Big Waste of Time
Just as Jerry Brown did before him, California Gov. Gavin Newsom had plans to travel overseas to talk about fighting global warming. And like Brown’s venture before him, the trip would have been a waste. COMMENTARY Four years ago, Brown, in his next-to-last year as governor, made a trip to Hamburg, Germany. There he addressed […]
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