Green Energy
Clean energy might help deal with emissions, but it does nothing to reverse deforestation, overfishing, soil depletion and mass extinction. A growth-obsessed economy powered by clean energy will still tip us into ecological disaster - Jason Hickel
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Does ‘green energy’ have hidden health and environmental costs?
There are a number of available low-carbon technologies to generate electricity. But are they really better than fossil fuels and nuclear power?
To answer that question, one needs to compare not just the emissions of different power sources but also the health benefits and the threats to ecosystems of green energy.
Production of electricity is responsible for about a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions, and demand is poised to rise as underserved populations connect to the grid, and electronics and electric vehicles proliferate. So stopping global warming will require a transformation of electricity production. But it is important to avoid various environmental pitfalls…
Resources
Green energy: our best bet to curb the climate crisis
From saving the oceans to preserving biodiversity, now is the time for global action.
As Demand for Green Energy Grows, Solar Farms Face Local Resistance
Developers say industrial-scale farms are needed to meet the nation’s climate goals, but locals are fighting back against what they see as an encroachment on their pastoral settings.
California’s Green-Energy Subsidies Spur a Gold Rush in Cow Manure
A lucrative state incentive to make natural gas from dairy waste is attracting companies from Amazon to Chevron.
Gravity Could Solve Clean Energy’s One Major Drawback
Finding green energy when the winds are calm and the skies are cloudy has been a challenge. Storing it in giant concrete blocks could be the answer.
Green energy: What it is and how it works
Green energy comes from sources that cause little-to-no impact on the world’s carbon footprint.
Green energy: Which sources are the most sustainable?
Energy use accounts for almost 75% of global greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions. Global energy demand is projected to more than double by 2050 as the population grows and economies shift. Transitioning to clean energy is essential to meeting global climate goals. How do we move away from so-called "dirty" energy towards a green energy revolution? The Economist answers your key questions.
How might the world meet its clean energy needs
With the world attempting to reach net zero by the middle of this century, what sources of energy could feasibly replace fossil fuels?
The global transition to clean energy, explained in 12 charts
Despite all the progress, we’re still struggling to hit the climate emergency brake.
Why the US isn’t ready for clean energy
Making clean energy isn’t enough. We also have to move it.
With Much of the World’s Economy Slowed Down, Green Energy Powers On
The fallout from the coronavirus pandemic has many businesses reeling, and the oil and gas industry in particular has been rocked by plummeting prices that have forced it to drastically cut production and lay off workers. But producers of clean energy are pushing hard to get their projects up and running.
America’s green energy industry takes on the fossil-fuel lobby
Renewable energy is growing fastest in conservative states. So why don’t Republicans love it?
Green Energy Needs to be Cheaper
So let’s invest in R&D instead of subsidies.
Green Smoke Screen
Supporters of “green energy” like to say it will create more jobs. They’re wrong.
How nuclear power figures into a green energy future
NPR's David Folkenflik speaks with former Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz about the role of nuclear power in a green energy future.
Maybe Green Energy Needs ‘Information Batteries' Too
This is a new idea, so it hasn’t been deployed in the real world, but it has plenty of potential use cases.
This Dam Simple Trick Is a Big Green Energy Win
Only a small fraction of dams actually produce electricity. Transforming them into hydropower plants might stop new ones from being built.
What is green energy?
And what’s the difference between green energy, renewable energy and clean energy? Often these terms are used interchangeably, but there are some differences. Here’s our simple guide.
What Would It Take to Run a City on 100 Percent Clean Energy?
Most claims of running on “clean” electricity come with caveats, and many technologies required for round-the-clock renewable energy aren’t quite ready yet.
Why the Energy Transition Will Be So Complicated
The degree to which the world depends on oil and gas is not well understood.
Does ‘green energy’ have hidden health and environmental costs?
Our study emphatically confirms that fossil fuels – mainly coal – place a heavy burden on the environment and that most renewable power projects have lower pollution-related impacts on ecosystems and human health. Nonetheless, no energy source is without adverse environmental side effects.
Green Energy Futures
Green Energy Futures is a multi-media storytelling project that is documenting the clean energy revolution that’s already underway. It tells the stories of green energy pioneers who are moving forward in their homes, businesses and communities.
Just Energy
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), green energy provides the highest environmental benefit and includes power produced by solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, low-impact hydroelectric, and certain eligible biomass sources.
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