Business

As we race to decarbonize by electrifying everything, solar panels—now cheaper per square meter than marine-grade plywood—will do much of the heavy lifting. But if we don’t rethink how our rooftop panels plug into the grid, the transition will be unfair and costly—for both people who own solar panels (and electric cars and smart appliances) and people who don’t.

Rolling blackouts are costing South Africa dearly. The electricity crisis is a barrier to growth, destroys investor confidence and handicaps almost every economic activity. It has raised input costs for producers and retailers, and has triggered a new round of inflation and interest rate increases.

The race to net zero is accelerating. Just last week, United States President Joe Biden and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese unveiled a climate pact to boost cooperation. The move signifies Australia is becoming a global leader in the renewable energy roll-out and critical mineral supply.

How can U.S. states with aggressive decarbonization goals coupled with federal decarbonization goals have energy when they need it? Long-duration energy storage (LDES) is a likely candidate. LDES systems are large energy storage installations that can store renewable energy until needed and can provide a much-needed solution for a reliable and decarbonized grid. But planning needs to start now, according to new research from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL).

France on Tuesday formally banned domestic flights on short routes that can be covered by train in less than two-and-a-half hours—a move aimed at reducing airline emissions that has also irked the industry.

Cryptocurrency transactions may be costing more than just transaction fees. The electricity used for these transactions is more than what some countries, like Argentina and Australia, use in an entire year.

A team of researchers has created a new supply chain model that could empower the international hydrogen renewable energy industry.

Developers seeking to deploy advanced nuclear reactors can find high market potential in states with energy-intensive industries, nuclear-friendly laws, and widespread social acceptance—factors outlined in a new report by researchers at Idaho National Laboratory (INL).

UK businesses have criticized the government for the lack of a clear industrial policy. Industry body Make UK has warned the country “risks being squeezed” by US and EU green subsidy packages.

An “unprecedented ramp-up of production capacity” over the next two decades is needed to provide enough solar power to completely decarbonize the global electrical system, but that goal can be achieved, according to an analysis led by researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).