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Fossil Fuels vs. Renewables: A Price on Reliability?

Union of Concerned Scientists

What happens when promise of electricity reliability fails in bad weather? How can gas power plant owners claim to be reliable but fail to make adequate efforts to purchase fuel? We know that consumers pay for electricity reliability and bear the cost when supplies are tight.

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

Union of Concerned Scientists

With the clean energy transition already under way, the US electricity mix is set to continue changing this year. Solar power is expected to make up about half of all additions of US electric generating capacity in 2023, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). I’ll start off with the good.

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5 Powerful Facts for Global Wind Day

Union of Concerned Scientists

We at the Union of Concerned Scientists think a lot about wind power. In honor of Global Wind Day , here’s a roundup of what we’re seeing and what we’ve been thinking—five facts about wind energy to keep in mind as you celebrate, or at least make note, on June 15. Wind power is big, and getting bigger.

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COP27 hosts Egypt to build major wind power project

A Greener Life

The country recently announced that its Egyptian New and Renewable Energy Authority and the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company have approved a major wind power project, developed by a company based in a country hostile to phasing out fossil fuels; Saudi Arabia. GW of wind power installed, the 1.1

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Renewables already beat fossil fuels in the European Union

Edouard Stenger

During the month of May, solar and wind power generated more electricity (30.6%) than fossil fuels (27.3%) in the European Union for the first time in history. In the meantime, fossil fuels went from 40-50 percent to less than 30 percent. Now here is the latest piece of evidence, from Ember.

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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

Nearly all of the alliance members have a renewable electricity standard (RES), which requires utilities in their jurisdiction to increase their use of renewable energy to a particular percentage by a specific year. From 2020 to 2040, solar generation in these states jumps nearly ninefold and wind generation more than sevenfold.

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Illinois Has No Time to Waste in Building Its Carbon-Free Electricity Future

Union of Concerned Scientists

Illinois’ Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) sets a bold goal for the state—no carbon pollution from electricity generation by 2045, which means zero global warming emissions from coal- and gas-fired power plants. PowerGEM , an independent consulting firm, conducted the analysis for us, using the same data and process PJM uses.