Energy
Transitioning to a world powered by renewable energy is key to tackling climate change. Here you can find the latest good news related to our clean energy transition, covering wind, solar, green hydrogen, hydropower, and more.
The humble ski-lift could lead us to clean energy that’s available on demand
What do you see when you imagine a zero-carbon future? Electric buses zipping by? Rolling hills covered with solar panels? Offshore wind farms towering over the sea? If batteries are part of your vision, good thinking. But there’s a promising if whimsical, piece of the renewable energy puzzle Read More...
Mirror-based solar panels could finally decarbonize steel production
A typical large steel mill might burn through 1.5 million metric tons of coal in its furnaces in a year. It hasn’t been possible to run that type of industrial process on renewable energy, because of the extremely hot temperatures required, making nearly a quarter of global emissions hard to Read More...
Two of America’s biggest coal plants are closing this month
Coal is still America’s third most important energy source, but that won’t last long as two of America’s biggest coal plants are set to cease operations this month. The reason? Slowing electricity demand for coal, climate regulations, and consumers having cheaper alternatives for Read More...
Superconductors are about to make wind turbines ultra-efficient
Wind turbines are set to become a whole lot better at turning wind into energy after a team of Danish scientists tested a superconducting rotor on a turbine. So, you might be asking: what on Earth is a superconductor and how does it improve wind turbines? A superconductor is a material capable Read More...
After the nuclear disaster, Fukushima is being transformed into a clean energy hub
Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Japan’s northeastern prefecture of Fukushima is recovering awesomely from the nuclear disaster that struck in 2011. The disaster, which was triggered by an earthquake, wreaked havoc on the energy hub and created toxic conditions in the wider area. But, Read More...
No state is more prepared for a transition to 100% clean energy than Colorado
At the moment, Colorado only generates a fraction of its electricity using clean energy sources. Despite this, there’s perhaps no state that is better poised for a full-scale transition to clean energy. For one thing, thanks to its bountiful sunlight and wind, Colorado has enormous potential Read More...
These artificial sunflowers move like real flowers to harvest solar energy
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: nature is the best source of inspiration for the design. In that light, scientists from UCLA have designed tiny solar panels disguised as sunflowers that mimic the behavior in plants known as phototropism, which is what plants do when they bend to Read More...
Air conditioners could become more sustainable thanks to novel refrigerant
Last year, Americans used a mind-boggling 377 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity to stay cool. In layman's terms, that’s about 9 percent of the nation’s total electricity use, spent primarily on air conditioners. Enter Bluon, a startup that makes a new refrigerant for air conditioners, Read More...
Long distance electric buses could change the way we travel
In Europe, everyone knows the sight of the big green Flixbus that takes people on long-distance trips from city to city. In the US, this sight is virtually unknown, but you might start seeing Flixbus operating on the great roadways of America very soon. This past week, a bright green electric bus Read More...
California wildfires prove there’s never been a better time for microgrids
Motivating people to switch to new technologies can be nearly impossible if old technologies work just fine. It’s much easier if people can see for themselves that those new technologies are a far better solution. This is certainly the case in California right now. For years the Optimist has Read More...