Tag: United States

US may not be able to meet its renewable energy goals by 2050

Stephen Vagus
Renewable Energy Goals - US

Study suggests that the country may miss its renewable energy targets due to narrow focus The United States may need to expand its energy focus if it intends to become carbon neutral in the future. A new study from a group of 21 academic and private energy researchers argues that the country’s focus on renewable energy is too narrow. As such, the U.S. may not be able to meet its environmental goals of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. Moreover, the country may not even be able to significantly reduce its…

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Solar energy may strike a blow against coal industry by 2040

Stephen Vagus
Solar Energy - Coal

Inexpensive solar energy may prove to be a problem for the coal industry By 2040, inexpensive solar energy may deal a grievous blow to the coal industry, according to a new study from Bloomberg New Energy Finance. The study highlights the rapidly falling cost of solar power and its associated technologies. As prices continue to drop, it is becoming easier to embrace solar energy. Bloomberg predicts that solar power will actually be less expensive than coal in most parts of the world by 2021, which may trigger a major shift…

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DOE to invest $15.8 million in support for projects focused on fuel cells

John Max
Fuel Cells Investment

Federal agency aims to support 30 new projects that seek to improve fuel cells The U.S. Department of Energy has announced some $15.8 million in investments for 30 new projects throughout the country. These projects will be focused on fuel cell technology, hydrogen production, and storage. The federal agency is still in the process of selecting projects that will receive funding. Selected projects will be able to take advantage of a coalition of the country’s national laboratory, which was brought together through the agency’s Energy Materials Network. Projects will take…

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Solar energy industry is leading job growth in Montana

Bret Williams
Solar Energy Industry - Montana Landscap at Sunset

Montana is experiencing a surge in its solar energy industry Solar energy has had a successful year so far in 2017. Last year, the state ranked 40th in the country in terms of renewable energy job growth. Now, however, the growth of the solar energy industry during the first half of this year has set the state on course to reaching 22nd in clean job growth. The solar energy industry has powered job growth in the state, creating new economic opportunities and allowing the state to become more energy independent.…

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Solar energy to power all of Tesla’s charging stations

Alicia Moore
Solar Energy - Tesla Charging Station

Tesla has plans to use solar energy to power all of its charging stations Tesla Motors has plans to disconnect all of its charging stations from established energy grids. The automaker is looking to power its charging stations with solar energy systems and batteries. Notably, Tesla has become heavily involved in the solar energy space; largely due to its recent acquisition of sister company SolarCity. Tesla has been adding solar energy systems to its charging stations for several years, but now the company has committed much of its focus to…

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California and China agree to work together on renewable energy and clean technology

Angie Bergenson
Renewable Energy Partnership

Governor Brown negotiates renewable energy deal between California and China California has signed a memorandum of understanding with China. Governor Jerry Brown met with Chinese representatives earlier this week and established a new partnership focused on renewable energy and clean technology. The partnership between California and China comes a week after the United States withdrew from the Paris Agreement in a controversial and heavily criticized move by President Donald Trump. California is among several states that have committed themselves to maintaining support of the Paris Agreement despite lack of federal…

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Paris Agreement gathers support from technology companies

Alicia Moore
Paris Agreement -Technology Companies - Computer Tech

Tech companies have come together to support the Paris Agreement Many of the world’s largest technology companies have come together to declare their continued support of the Paris Agreement. Several companies, including Apple, Amazon, Google, Lyft, and Spotify, have launched a coalition dubbed “We Are Still In.” The coalition is meant to show strong support for the Paris Agreement, which the United States recently removed itself from. The decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement was something that has been champion by President Donald Trump since before the election in…

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Toyota and Tesla end clean transportation collaboration

Tami Hood
Clean Transportation Collaboration Ended

Toyota divests from Tesla in order to focus on its own clean transportation plans Toyota has announced that it has fully divested from Tesla Motors, marking the end of the collaboration between the two companies. The Japanese company was one of the first investors into Tesla and has worked with the American company for some time. The collaboration was meant to produce new technologies that could be used to make vehicles more efficient and environmentally friendly. The technical partnership ended, however, after the production of Toyota’s 2014 RAV4 electric vehicle.…

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United States set to abandon the Paris Agreement

Erin Kilgore
Paris Agreement - Map of Pairs

Paris Agreement may no longer be a part of the future of the United States The United States is poised to pull out of the Paris Agreement as changes to federal environmental policy seem to begin taking form. President Donald Trump has announced the government’s intent to exit the Paris Agreement despite significant opposition to the move. The agreement was approved by more than 190 countries throughout the world and was eventually ratified by 147 countries. It established a set of tools that are meant to help countries reduce greenhouse…

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FuelCell Energy to develop reversible fuel cells

Alicia Moore
Reversible Fuel Cells - project development

Reversible fuel cells to be developed through new project with ARPA-E support FuelCell Energy, a leading developer of hydrogen fuel cells, has announced that it has been awarded a promising new contract from the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). The agency is a division of the United States Department of Energy that is focused on the renewable energy field as well as the application of various types of technologies. The contract awarded to FuelCell Energy is valued at $3 million. New fuel cells can produce hydrogen and generate electricity The…

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Solar energy industry in the US is experiencing strong growth

Stephen Vagus
Solar Energy Industry Growth in US - Job Application

Solar energy industry has adding jobs faster than the US economy is growing The solar energy industry is having a major impact on employment in the United States. According to a new report from the International Renewable Energy Agency, solar jobs are growing 17 faster than the country’s economy. The report draws upon data from the Solar Foundation. The solar energy industry now has significant economic potential and will likely continue to experience growth despite potential changes to federal energy policies. More than 260,000 people now work in the solar…

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US officials to investigate tariffs on imported solar energy products

Angie Bergenson
Solar Energy Tarrif

Petition calls for safeguards to be placed for the sake of the US solar energy market The United States government is considering imposing tariffs on solar panels that are imported into the country. The International Trade Commission has announced that it has launched an investigation concerning the matter. The investigation is in response to a petition filed by Suniva, a solar manufacturer that has declared bankruptcy. The company suggests that China is responsible for flooding the U.S. market with photovoltaic products. This has caused the price of such products to…

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Offshore wind energy developers agree to terms issued by Maryland regulators

Stephen Vagus
Offshore wind energy - Wind Turbine and Sky

Developers agree to terms that will ensure the future of their offshore wind energy projects Developers of two major wind energy projects in Maryland have accepted terms offered by regulators that will allow these projects to continue taking form. Agreeing to these terms will allow the projects to collect subsidies from the state, which will help ensure that the wind energy projects produce electrical power when they are fully developed. Deepwater Wind and U.S. Wind are the companies that have agreed to the terms, which were laid out by Maryland’s…

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REC Solar begins production on its new solar panels

Bret Williams
Solar Panels - Solar Energy Panel

Company has begun production on its TwinPeak 2 solar panels REC Solar, a company specializing in the manufacture of photovoltaic products, has become the largest solar manufacturer of solar panels in Europe. The company has now begun production on its new TwinPeak 2 solar panels, each of which can produce a maximum of 350 watts of electrical power. The new panels could further bolster the company’s position in the solar energy market, which is expanding at a rapid pace, especially in European countries that are showing a strong interest in…

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Akamai Technologies invests in Texas wind energy project

Stephen Vagus
Wind Energy Investment

Company will be providing financial support for new wind energy system being built in Texas Akamai Technologies, a delivery network and cloud computing service provider, has announced that it is investing in a new wind farm being developed in Texas. The investment represents the company’s continuing efforts to embrace clean power. According to Akamai Technologies, it will derive half of its electrical power from renewable energy by 2020. Wind energy will play a role in accomplishing this goal, especially as wind farms become more efficient and capable of meeting the…

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Solar energy is seeing strong growth in Minnesota

Angie Bergenson
Solar Energy Strong Growth - Solar Panels and Sky

State’s solar energy sector is experiencing promising growth Minnesota’s solar energy sector is growing at a rapid pace. The state has been showing aggressive support for solar power in recent years in an effort to reduce reliance on fossil-fuels and become more environmentally friendly. Minnesota added nearly as much solar capacity during the first three months of this year as in the entirety of 2016. The state’s solar capacity was only one megawatt in 2009, and now Minnesota’s capacity has reached 447 megawatts. Solar power to continue expanding throughout 2017…

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