Tag Archives: Washington

When you replace a 175-foot-long wind turbine blade, what do you do with the old one?   Until recently, the only thing you could do was bury it, using close to 45 cubic yards of landfill space for each retired turbine blade.  Typically made out of a composite fiberglass material to withstand hurricane-force winds, the blades don’t break down in the …

by Lacey Shaver – January 23, 2020 At the start of this new decade, American cities, states and businesses have already come a long way on the road to cutting greenhouse gas emissions to help tackle the climate crisis: 155 cities have committed to 100% community-wide renewable energy; 15 states plus Washington, DC and Puerto Rico have official targets to get over 50% of their …

Wind turbines near White Deer in Texas. Photograph: Shutterstock By Michael Tobias Wind power in the U.S. has more than tripled over the past 10 years making it the largest source of renewable power-generation capacity. Furthermore, it has effectively reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 151M metric tons since 2009, and in 2018 this reduction was equivalent to the emissions of …

University scientists highlight carbon benefits of renewable wood energy; Call for policymakers to look at key science fundamentals More than 100 university scientists emphasize: “The carbon benefits of sustainable forest biomass are well established” The US Industrial Pellet Association (USIPA) today lauded a recent letter signed by more than 100 scientists from more than 50 colleges and universities citing the …

Energy-efficiency and renewable energy are buzz words that are gaining importance daily. But for them to be meaningful, we all need to identify what we can do to make our houses and apartments sustainable whether we are building from scratch or renovating an older structure.  Generally, a new build is easier in terms of compliance with regulations, codes, and even …

Today, the US Department of Energy (DOE) released two rules that continue the administration’s assault on common sense light bulb energy efficiency standards. The standards, scheduled to take effect in January 2020, would require most everyday light bulbs to achieve LED levels of energy efficiency, would save consumers billions of dollars, and would avoid millions of tons of carbon dioxide …

COAL AND RENEWABLE ENERGY INSTALLED CAPACITY NOW VIRTUALLY TIED   OVER NEXT THREE YEARS, FERC PROJECTS NET NEW RENEWABLE ENERGY CAPACITY ADDITIONS TO BE 100x THOSE OF FOSSIL FUELS + NUCLEAR COMBINED                            Washington DC – According to an analysis by the SUN DAY Campaign of data just released by the Federal Energy …

Americans sure do love to drink beer. The U.S. beer market reached $111.4 billion in sales in 2017, and regional facilities and craft breweries alike produced 25 million barrels during the same year. These impressive figures are leading more breweries to make the move toward sustainability in an effort to offset energy production costs and reduce their overall environmental impact. …

by Lacey Shaver – March 26, 2019 When a city decides to transition from fossil fuels to clean energy, headlines follow. But the work has only just begun. Cities have many options for generating and purchasing renewable electricity, each of which comes with distinct benefits and challenges. Large, off-site projects tend to offer scale and help make a measurable difference towards locally-defined renewable energy …

National Battery Day is February 18; Capitol Hill Briefing, New Video, Infographics Highlight Great Need for Batteries in Green Energy, Low-Carbon Transportation Getting charged up about National Battery Day February 18, requires no batteries at all. Around the world, the need has never been greater for innovative storage solutions, especially advanced lead batteries. They have a 150-year proven track record …

Clean Electric Heating Already Cost-Effective for Many A new report bolsters the case for widespread electrification of heat and hot water in buildings. The report by the nonprofit Rocky Mountain Institute finds that replacing onsite use of fossil fuels in buildings by efficient and flexible electric heating is a key component of the deep decarbonization necessary to limit global average temperature increase to …

‘Solar Spring Break’ Helps College Students Provide Clean Power To Low-Income Families, Connect With Solar Industry Careers GRID Alternatives hosts 18 teams across U.S. in national alternative break program OAKLAND, CA; February 26, 2018 – Nearly 200 college students from 19 schools across the country will spend their school break installing no-cost solar for low-income families, gaining hands-on workforce training, and connecting …

AS COAL AND NUCLEAR EXPERIENCE SHARP DECLINES Washington DC – In the latest issue of its “Energy Infrastructure Update” (with data through November 30, 2017), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) notes that proposed net additions to generating capacity by utility-scale wind and solar could total 115,984 megawatts (MW) by December 2020 – effectively doubling their current installed capacity of 115,520 MW. …

RENEWABLES GROW 16.3% IN FIRST HALF 2017 AS NUCLEAR POWER FALLS 3.3%   SOLAR BALLOONS BY 45.1%; NOW OUTPACING BIOMASS, GEOTHERMAL, AND OIL   Washington DC – The latest issue of the U.S. Energy Information’s (EIA) “Electric Power Monthly” (with data through June 30, 2017) reveals that renewable energy sources (i.e., biomass, geothermal, hydropower, solar – inc. small-scale PV, and wind) remain in a …

ATLANTA, August 17, 2017 – The Home Depot® today announced the addition of solar installations at 50 stores as it continues to expand its alternative energy portfolio, essentially creating mini solar farms out of unused rooftops. The project will reduce electricity grid demand by an estimated 30 to 35 percent annually at each Home Depot store; the equivalent of powering …

New Study: Americans Want to Use More Renewable Energy WASHINGTON— A new study by University of Washington researchers has found that a majority of Americans would prefer to use renewable energy at home if given the option. Individuals surveyed in the project, published in June by the journal Energy Policy, indicated they would shift electricity use to cut fossil fuel consumption and carbon …

JUNE 5, 2017 Spotlight One Way To Improve Southern California Air Quality; Benefits Of Natural Gas-Fueled Trucks And Cars Are Being Demonstrated Through A 4,825-Mile Cross-Country Rally Sponsored By NGVAmerica LONG BEACH, Calif., – Several heavy-duty trucks and other vehicles powered by natural gas began a coast-to-coast road trip today that will span from Long Beach to Washington, D.C.  Locally, the …

WIND + SOLAR PROVIDE MAJORITY OF NEW GENERATING CAPACITY IN FIRST QUARTER 2017   Washington DC – According to the latest issue of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) monthly “Energy Infrastructure Update” (with data through March 31, 2017), wind and solar provided 50.84% of the new electrical generating capacity added to the U.S. grid during the first quarter of 2017. …

WASHINGTON (Feb. 7, 2017) – Though market forces and external regulatory factors have combined to retire roughly 10 percent of the American nuclear power fleet, the facts don’t justify subsidies or other policy interventions specifically to save the energy source, according to a new policy study by R Street Electricity Policy Manager Devin Hartman. Hartman cites “increased capital investment requirements, …

 TeraFlex’s 140 KWh solar power panel system performing so well company plans to expand   Washington, Utah, Jan. 18, 2017—Legend Solar, the fastest-growing solar power company in Utah, is saving TeraFlex approximately $30,000 per year in energy costs with a 140 KWh solar power system installed by the company. The new system offsets almost all of TeraFlex’s energy costs for …