January 05, 2017 John Moore Part of NRDC’s Year-End Series Reviewing 2016 Energy Developments As 2016 fades away in the rear-view mirror, we reflect on a year of increasing tensions between the wholesale electricity markets – where utilities and other power suppliers purchase, sell, and trade energy to meet our energy needs – and our ever-growing appetite for cleaner, carbon-free …

  Virtual power plant: that sounds like part of a video game like “SimCity” or “Cities: Skylines” — but it’s not. The virtual power plant (VPP) is a real, up-and-coming energy source. It’s a widespread collection of modest power systems with one control site that runs them like a single power plant. The control room increases or decreases production or …

This post originally appeared on Modernize.com where you can find comprehensive solar information from industry experts.   America’s energy policy has been the subject of much recent debate: From the Pope’s public advocacy of environmental stewardship to the EPA’s toughened regulations on pollution from petroleum refineries, the sources that power our society have rarely been so widely scrutinized. Once regarded as a subject …

Denmark’s cumulative installed capacity is expected to expand from 13.5 Gigawatts (GW) in 2014 to reach 16.1 GW by 2025, rising at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 1.7%, says research and consulting firm GlobalData. The company’s latest report* states that more than half of the total power generation will come from renewables (excluding hydropower) by 2020, as Denmark …

A massive grid cyberattack may sound like the stuff of an apocalyptic movie. But for insurance giant Lloyd’s the prospect carries enough probability to carefully weigh the financial risk. The cost? As much as $1 trillion if hackers take down just 50 generators out of 700 in 15 states within the Eastern Interconnection, according to a new study by Lloyd’s …

Many US states are struggling to figure out where they stand with regard to renewable energy. A history of oil and coal development hamstrings many states who feel beholden to the companies who have built huge infrastructure around oil and coal. Other states wonder how much to lean on renewable energy in their development planning. But one state has jumped …

Though the first official assessment that climate change was caused by human activity came in 1988, with NASA scientist James Hansen’s famous testimony to the U.S. Congress, the “carbon neutral” concept, which refers to achieving net zero carbon emissions, is a relatively new one. The non-profit Climate Neutral Network, which developed the Climate Neutral Certification, was incorporated in 1999; the …

Californians consume the least electricity per-person of any state in the country, according to new 2014 state energy rankings from EnergyTrends.org. Behind California, Hawaii, Rhode Island and New York used the least electricity per person. Meanwhile, Californians consumed the fifth-lowest total energy per person of any state. This ranking has remained unchanged in recent years – and shows California’s residential …

The next big opportunity for growth in the global solar business lies in small, emerging markets where photovoltaic (PV) installations are forecast to rise at about triple the global average during the period from 2012 through 2017. Annual installations in these emerging countries are expected to increase to 10.9 gigawatts (GW) in 2017, expanding at a compound annual growth rate …

The global energy industry must play a greater role in the transition to sustainable energy systems if United Nations development goals are to be met, warns a report launched today by the World Energy Council (WEC). The potential for billions of people benefiting from sustainable energy systems in future decades hangs in the balance without increased private sector support, it …

New Worldwatch Institute study examines the global market for solar and wind energy production 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. Although hydropower remains the world’s leading renewable energy, solar …

Looming on the horizon is a future of high gas prices and disuse for most cars on the road today. More and more drivers are getting on board with alternatively-powered vehicles, and thus, more manufacturers are offering vehicle models outfitted with alternative engines to feed the demand. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, in 2010, vehicle dealers in the U.S. …

Although hydro power technology had been developed quite a long time ago, it took years to get something that is efficient and cost-effective. Energy By Water is one of the innovations. Hydro power generation has come a long way since its inception. Modern researches have shaped giant, mountain-like hydro power systems into small portable solutions. Today, the system has become …

Sometimes energy makes headlines, sometimes it doesn’t.  But it almost always has important implications for the global economy, the environment, and our day-to-day lives. Here are 10 energy statistics from 2012 that capture some of the most noteworthy trends of the year, and that will shape the energy world in the years to come. Natural gas, one of the three key fossil …

The EPA reports that 36 percent of total energy use and 65 percent of electricity consumption comes from buildings. When these numbers approach 0, mankind will have taken a major step towards fossil fuel independence. Exciting new green energy technologies are leading us towards a promising future at a more rapid pace than many have imagined. Recent developments in solar …

Solar power is one of the most eco-friendly forms of energy available to consumers. Solar technology draws energy from sunlight, which is converted to electricity by exterior-mounted solar panels. One of the disadvantages of solar panels is that a large field of these panels is required to provide the power necessary to fuel a single home, let alone a neighborhood …

When power plants begin capturing their carbon emissions to reduce greenhouse gases – and to most in the electric power industry, it’s a question of when, not if – it will be an expensive undertaking. Current technologies would use about one-third of the energy generated by the plants – what’s called “parasitic energy” – and, as a result, substantially drive …

Mix of GIS, technical and financing advice helps countries shift from high-carbon imports to low-carbon domestic energy By embracing an integrated mix of renewable energy, energy efficiency, and grid technologies, countries can put their energy systems on a more sustainable path while developing economically, according to a new report from the Worldwatch Institute. The report, Sustainable Energy Roadmaps: Guiding the …

ACEEE REPORT: U.S. BETTER OFF “THINKING BIG” ABOUT ENERGY EFFICIENCY INSTEAD OF FOCUSING FIRST ON DEVELOPMENT OF NEW ENERGY SOURCES How Lack of Emphasis on Major Energy Efficiency Investments Leaves “3 Jokers in the U.S. Economic Deck”; Slashing Energy Use 60% Could Generate 2 Million Jobs & Save the Equivalent of $2600 Per Household Annually. WASHINGTON, D.C.///January 12, 2012///America is …

Not only big corporations are now shifting to the use of solar power electricity systems. Attracted to its various benefits, corporations, non-profit organizations, schools and even small businesses are investing for their installation. Along with their benefits, rewards from the state, solar rebates from local utility companies, inflating rates of electricity and effects of global warming contribute to the desire …