This year will see the largest ever drop globally in both investment and consumer spending on energy as the coronavirus pandemic hits every major sector, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). The crisis is accelerating the shutdown of older fossil-fuelled power plants and refineries, with the agency saying it could provide an opportunity to push […]
Australia’s relative success in stopping the spread of COVID-19 is largely due governments taking expert advice on a complex problem. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of decisions on projects that threaten the environment – most notably, Adani’s Carmichael coal mine. Our research published today in Nature Sustainability documents how state and federal governments repeatedly ignored […]
The Republic of Korea’s response to COVID-19 has been among the most effective in the world. By combining aggressive testing with early isolation and treatment of those who test positive, Korea has lowered its infection rate while avoiding the need to lock down entire cities. The government reorganized hospitals to prevent infection, effectively distributed face masks and will cover […]
The combustion of coal is the single most important source of climate-warming CO2 emissions. As a result, phasing out coal is one of the most commonly discussed ways to help combat climate change – particularly in Europe, but increasingly globally as well. Yet, if we look at the research on the subject, it usually only focuses on the costs and benefits for […]
Everybody knows that coal is on the way out, but the latest electricity report from BloombergNEF is something of a shocker. It casts a shadow of gloom over natural gas, too. Low-cost renewables are creeping into gas territory, helped along by falling costs for energy storage. In fact, according to BNEF, energy storage is now a cheaper […]
South Dakota was once a quiet backwater for solar activity in the US, but no more. A major electricity wholesaler just inked its first ever solar energy deal to create the largest ever solar farm in South Dakota, and the ripple effect could spill out into 8 other states in the region. That includes neighboring […]
A new report published this week by the International Renewable Energy Agency has found that 77% of onshore wind projects and 83% of utility-scale solar PV projects set to be commissioned in 2020 will be cheaper than the lowest fossil fuel-fired generation prices. The news has been heralded across the internet as a death-blow for […]
It’s impossible to talk about infrastructure without talking about the Green New Deal. For the purpose of these diaries, we will refer to the version(1) of the Green New Deal put out by Rep. Ocasio-Cortez in H.Res. 109. This bill calls for the United States to convert to 100% renewable energy within 10 years through a massive mobilization on the order […]
The iconic Appalachian coal producing state of West Virginia has soldiered through the most intense series of bombings in US history. The dust has not settled yet, but the winner is…maybe solar power? That’s a mighty big maybe, but state policy makers are finally beginning to realize that mining for coal by flattening hundreds of […]
The European Union’s southeastern neighbours pay around €2.4bn ($2.72bn) a year in subsidies for coal-fired power – contradicting the EU rules they’re supposed to follow, according to findings published in March. By Sara Stefanini Climate Home News The Energy Community aims to extend EU energy market rules to its “contracting parties” – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, North […]
America has officially entered the “coal cost crossover,” according to a new report by environmental firm Energy Innovation, which finds that local wind and solar could replace approximately 74% of the United States’ current fleet of coal-fired power plants at an immediate cost savings to consumers — a figure which is expected to grow to […]
On Thursday, March 21, the Naa’bik’iyati’ Committee (Committee of the Whole) of the Navajo Council voted down a resolution to support Navajo Transitional Energy Co.’s proposal to buy and operate Navajo Generating Station and Peabody Energy’s Kayenta coal mine, which supplies the power plant with fuel. The 11–9 defeat of the resolution led today to an […]
Finland has brought forward its coal phase-out date by one year, according to reports, with the new deadline set for May 1, 2029, after which coal will be banned from use as an energy source except in an emergency. By Joshua S Hill Cleantechnica Reuters reported last Friday that the Finnish Parliament approved on Wednesday a […]
No one expects sustainable energy and lifestyle businesses to completely replace the fossil fuel jobs that have been lost. But advocates in both areas are hoping that sustainability career paths can assist displaced workers and the next generation to find satisfying employment and create more diversified, robust local economies. Sustainable businesses with an emphasis on […]
A damning report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has found that, while Australia has made some progress, the country nevertheless remains one of the most carbon-intensive OECD countries and one of the few where greenhouse gas emissions have increased over the past decade. By Joshua S Hill Cleantechnica Therefore, the OECD’s third Environmental Performance Review of […]