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In the Race for Clean Energy, the United States is Both a Leader and a Laggard—Here’s How

Union of Concerned Scientists

Announcing recently that the world broke a record by generating 30 percent of all electricity from renewable sources in 2023, the British think tank Ember said the data proves we are in a “new era” of energy in which a permanent decline in fossil fuels is “inevitable.” More on that shortly. But first, the undeniably good news.

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Good News—and Bad—about Fossil Fuel Power Plants in 2023 

Union of Concerned Scientists

And fossil fuel power plants may not stick to their retirement schedules for a variety of reasons. In 2021 alone, the plants slated for retirement emitted more than 28,000 tonnes of nitrogen oxides (NO x ), 32,000 tonnes of sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), and 51 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), according to EIA data.

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How Much Land Would it Require to Get Most of Our Electricity from Wind and Solar?

Union of Concerned Scientists

A recent National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) study shows that it would take less than 1 percent of the land in the Lower 48—that’s an area comparable to or even smaller than the fossil fuel industry’s current footprint.

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Ask a Scientist: Two Dozen States Can Meet 100 Percent of Electricity Demand with Renewables by 2035

Union of Concerned Scientists

From 2020 to 2040, solar generation in these states jumps nearly ninefold and wind generation more than sevenfold. Our analysis also demonstrates renewables’ power. Emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides from power plants in alliance states drop 88 percent and 77 percent respectively by 2040.

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Realizing Maine’s Tremendous Offshore Wind Potential

Union of Concerned Scientists

A proposed offshore wind procurement bill in Maine would go a long way to enable the state to meet its climate and clean energy targets and become a national leader in floating offshore wind technology. NREL and DNV expect floating offshore wind costs to dip to $60 to $80/MWh by 2030 and $45 to $50/MWh by 2035.

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Unraveling LA’s Hydrogen Combustion Experiment

Legal Planet

But with the recent influx of government incentives for hydrogen production, new and improving production and storage technologies, and greater political will than ever before, H 2 ’s reputation is gaining favor. Hydrogen can be used for medium-to-long-term energy storage, heat and power generation, and transportation.

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Bay Journal: As Federal Support Emerges, PA Wants To Be A Carbon Capture Hub

PA Environment Daily

By Ad Crable, Chesapeake Bay Journal Pennsylvania is ideally suited to help the nation fight global warming by becoming a leader in the effort to capture and store emissions of carbon dioxide, state officials say. In the battle to slow global warming, carbon dioxide is the chief target. Studies by the U.S. from 1990–2019.