Community Microgrids: Where, Why and How? Microgrid Knowledge, June 28, 2016 In a Q&A interview, Hitachi’s Brian Levite describes the emergence of community microgrids. Where can they be found? Why are they good for the economy and at-risk populations? And how can we make more of them? What is the NY Prize and how will it be … Read more
‘Tesla Solar’ Wants to Be the Apple Store for Electricity Bloomberg Technology, June 29, 2016 Tesla Motors Inc.’s bid to buy the biggest U.S. rooftop solar installer has little to do with selling cars. Rather, it’s about solving two of the biggest problems standing in the way of the next solar boom. And perhaps a good deal more. [bctt … Read more
Apple, Home Depot Turn to Bloom Energy As Its Tech Advances Fortune, June 24, 2016 When Apple’s new massive campus, dubbed the Spaceship, opens for thousands of its employees next year in Cupertino, Calif., a small part of it will be powered by rows of big silver boxes containing fuel cells that generate energy through a … Read more
Driving Out Pollution: How Utilities Can Accelerate the Market for Electric Vehicles NRDC, June 16, 2016 The transportation sector accounts for one-third of U.S. carbon pollution. But with the right policies, electric vehicles could transform the way America travels—while saving us money and protecting our health, environment, and economy. Currently, the electric vehicle market is … Read more
California Goes Nuclear Free As Diablo Canyon Closes In Favor Of Renewables Cleantechnica, June 22, 2016 California, the world’s sixth largest economy, has announced it will go nuclear free as it replaces the Diablo Canyon nuclear reactors with renewable energy. Californian utility PG&E announced a Joint Proposal with labor and leading environmental organizations this week that … Read more
Jesse Remillard, ERS, for Zondits The Obama Administration showed its support for renewable energy, energy storage, and microgrids last Thursday, June 16, 2016, by hosting a Summit on Scaling Renewable Energy and Storage with Smart Markets. Both state and private sectors were represented at the Summit, and investment commitments totaling approximately $1 billion were made. The … Read more
German electricity transmission CEO: ‘80% renewables is no problem’ Euractiv, June 8, 2016 When it comes to Germany’s switch to renewables, the speed at which it is happening is often said to be too fast. Is that right? We see ourselves as the Energiewende‘s guinea pigs. Our network in the north-east covers about a third … Read more
Mathew Gard, ERS, for Zondits In March, Arizona-based solar panel manufacturer First Solar set a new efficiency record for cadmium telluride solar cells at 22.1%. What makes this such an achievement is that until recently silicon-based cells have been more efficient at converting light into electricity. But that’s not all. First Solar thinks that within … Read more
Scientists Can Recycle CO2 Using Gold ENERGY, May 27, 2016 Using sunlight and gold to change carbon dioxide (CO2) into fuel may sound like a task for a Hogwarts graduate, but it’s the kind of magic that researchers at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) are performing to make a positive impact on the world’s … Read more
3 ways the IoT is already making cities smarter GreenBiz, June 1, 2016 Smart city case studies Cities across the nation and the world are using sensors and smart devices to transform every sector of public service. 1. Transportation Smart traffic management will enable car drivers to face less traffic jams, and real-time data will … Read more