Commentary
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Commentary
Don’t Neglect Round-Trip Efficiency and Cost of Charging When Considering Levelized Cost of Storage
The world is moving toward renewable sources for electricity generation in an attempt to reduce fossil-fuel reliance. But wind and solar can’t provide a consistent flow of power 24/7, and grid operators have realized that new electricity generation needs to be paired with storage to manage periods with no sun or wind. The decreasing cost […]
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Commentary
Clean Energy Is Not Cheap—but the Payoff Is Worth It
Electricity costs are rising across America—and a big part of it is due to our efforts to make it “cleaner.” Some states have contorted themselves into a pretzel to make it happen, leading to occasional mass outages and other issues. Even in Georgia, electricity generation is no longer the leading source of carbon emissions according […]
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Solar
Powered Up—Taking Financial Viability of Solar to Next Level with Carbon Credits
Despite recent economic slowdowns, the global voluntary carbon credit market has nearly quadrupled since 2020, reaching a value of about $2 billion. COMMENTARY California, leading the way in the U.S. market, is again pushing for more action to combat climate change by implementing a grant program of $200 million for remote and disadvantaged communities to […]
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Commentary
What Happens When We Fail to Build Enough Transmission?
Large wind and solar farms are widely viewed as the core building blocks of the energy transition; however, all building blocks need a foundation. For wind and solar power, that foundation is electric transmission, and we aren’t on track to build sufficient additional transmission capacity to realize the full potential of low-cost renewables. COMMENTARY Much […]
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Commentary
Investment, Innovation, Job Creation—Why Solar’s U.S. Growth Drivers Will Suffer if Tariff Moratorium Isn’t Restored
Solar power is having a moment. While rooftop solar technologies have been around for decades, consumer demand, urgent climate change concerns, and competitive price points have coalesced, creating historical interest in solar power, including 700,000 homeowners installing solar panels in 2022 alone. COMMENTARY The industry is expected to grow by up to 30% this year, […]
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Commentary
Patent Filings Provide Clues to Future of EV Batteries
We are in the preliminary stages of an historic transition from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to battery electric vehicles (BEVs). The transition will be expensive and difficult in many ways. Innovation should ease this transition. Recently filed patent applications may provide clues about the direction of BEV innovation. COMMENTARY Most U.S. patent applications are […]
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Commentary
Our Carbon-Neutral Future Demands Disparate Renewable Energy Technologies
Our global marketplace is certainly a competitive one but there is no reason why renewable energy technologies, whether they emanate from energy metals including lithium, uranium, zinc, cobalt, etc., or from the sun and wind or hydropower, should be competing for market dominance. Why shouldn’t renewable energy technologies compete for market dominance in the manner […]
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Commentary
How Utilities Can Power Up the Customer Experience
In today’s rapidly changing world, utility providers play an increasingly important role in ensuring that people have access to the vital resources they need to power their homes, businesses, and communities. From electricity and gas to water and internet services, these providers are responsible for delivering critical resources that are essential to our daily lives. […]
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Commentary
Latest Anti-Nuclear Lawsuit Threatens Progress on California’s Clean Energy Goals
An agreement to pull the plug on the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant in San Luis Obispo County was settled in 2016. But plans to close it in 2025 were delayed last year when California was hit in the mouth with an extreme heat wave that threatened the power grid. The realists, or rather near-realists, felt […]
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Commentary
Hydrogen Horizon: The Need for Responsible Production as Demand Rises
As we witness global energy demands becoming progressively complex and decentralized, decarbonization stands as one of the biggest challenges of the current generation. Addressing the issues surrounding the