Alaska oil and gas lease sale is on because Joe Manchin insisted
The US Interior Department today announced that an oil and gas lease sale for Alaska’s Cook Inlet will take place on December 30 – a concession made to Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) so that he’d vote for the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
Expand Expanding CloseA quarter of US coal-fired power will retire by end of 2029 – and gas may have peaked
Nearly a quarter of the 200,568 megawatts (MW) of coal-fired capacity currently operating in the US has reported plans to retire by the end of 2029, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported today.
Expand Expanding CloseThis is what would happen if we stopped offshore drilling expansion
Halting offshore drilling expansion, along with the phase-down of existing production of fossil fuels as clean energy is adopted, would deliver up to 13% of the annual emission reductions needed to prevent the worst effects of the climate crisis, according to new analysis from ocean conservation nonprofit Oceana.
Expand Expanding CloseTwo-thirds of new renewables were cheaper than coal in 2021 – IRENA
In 2021, 163 gigawatts (GW) – nearly two-thirds – of new renewable power added was cheaper than the cheapest coal-fired power plants in G20 countries, according to a new report released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
Expand Expanding CloseOpinion: EVs will be supply constrained until ICE cars die out
Question: When does an internal-combustion-engined car become valueless?
Answer: When the cost of buying or leasing an electric vehicle along with paying for maintenance and miles becomes less expensive than using a free gas car.
Expand Expanding CloseThe US Supreme Court EPA ruling is really bad, but here’s why all is not lost
The US Supreme Court, in a 6-3 ruling this morning, “sharply curtailed” the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) options to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants – the second-largest source of emissions in the US. Greenhouse gas emissions cause climate change.
Expand Expanding CloseIt turns out humans are responsible for many more oil slicks than we realized
A team of scientists developed the first global map of chronic oil slicks in the world’s oceans, and found that more than 90% come from humans – significantly more than previously reported.
Expand Expanding CloseFirst turbine installed at world’s largest floating offshore wind farm – which will power oil and gas
The first of 11 8.6 megawatt (MW) turbines has been installed at the world’s largest floating wind farm, off the Norwegian coast. Hywind Tampen is also Norway’s first offshore wind farm – and it will power offshore oil and gas platforms.
Expand Expanding CloseHere’s where Big Oil stands on climate plans – and it’s not good
Major US and European oil and gas companies are failing to meet the bare minimum of their promises to reach net zero by 2050 in order to align with the Paris Agreement, according to a new study released today.
Expand Expanding CloseThe European Commission wants to label nuclear and gas as ‘green’ – and many say that’s greenwashing
The European Commission wants to label some natural gas and nuclear power plants as sustainable, calling them “transitional” sources of energy in rules proposed yesterday. But that label comes with strings attached, and many, from environmental groups to countries, call the proposal a greenwash.
Expand Expanding CloseNew clean energy is reducing US electricity generation from natural gas, coal
The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) has forecast in its January Short-Term Energy Outlook that rising electricity generation from clean energy such as solar and wind will reduce generation from fossil fuel-fired power plants over the next two years.
Expand Expanding CloseBP claims EV charging stations ‘on the cusp’ of being more profitable than gas pumps
Oil giant BP claims the use of its BP pulse electric vehicle chargers is “on the cusp” of being more profitable for the company than filling up an internal combustion-powered car with gas. Once that happens, it could mark a major turning point for EVs and “big oil”.
Expand Expanding CloseThese new, affordable electric heat pumps can easily replace gas boilers
Fossil fuel heating is bad for the environment and super expensive right now: Three Democratic legislators wrote a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission today asking them to protect consumers from unfairly high energy costs. Geothermal heating is fantastic, but it’s not yet widely available – and it’s still financially out of reach for many. Enter Swedish energy giant Vattenfall with high-temperature heat pumps that can easily replace gas boilers.
Expand Expanding CloseUS to boost current natural gas capacity 6% by 2025 – but why?
Between 2022 and 2025, 27.3 gigawatts (GW) of new natural gas-fired capacity is scheduled to come online in the US, boosting its existing capacity of 489.1 GW as of August 2021, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). Here’s where it’s headed.
Expand Expanding CloseWhy did a Gulf of Mexico oil drilling lease sale just happen under Biden?
The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) held a lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico yesterday for oil and gas drilling rights. Why did the Biden administration hold an auction for fossil fuel drilling, on the heels of COP26, where countries agreed to “phase down” fossil fuels?
Expand Expanding CloseCOP26 Daily Briefing: 3 big things that happened on November 12
The COP26, aka the United Nations Climate Change Conference UK 2021, has officially finished in Glasgow. But the final agreement has not yet been put in place, and that will likely come over the weekend. Here’s Electrek‘s daily roundup of the key happenings at the world’s most important summit ever.
Expand Expanding CloseOil giant TotalEnergies extends EV chargers in its French gas stations
The French oil mastodon TotalEnergies is making amends – and doubtless seeking to make a buck from renewables as well – by installing fast-charging stands for EV cars at its gas stations along France’s highway system.
Expand Expanding Close
Opinion: Joe Manchin wants the world to drive coal-fueled Model Ts
In case people to the left of, say, Mitt Romney (Republican, UT) or Susan Collins (Republican, ME) needed an additional reason to despise coal-addict Joe Manchin (For Rent, WV), the most dependably conservative-abetting senator gave it to them this week in comments mocking sustainable and clean air proposals while defending billionaires from higher taxes to fund those proposals.
Expand Expanding CloseEGEB: Oil and gas lobbyists are trying to stop clean energy with Facebook ads
In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):
- Fossil fuel lobbyists are using Facebook ads to try to thwart crucial climate-change initiatives.
- GM says it will source 100% clean energy for its US sites by 2025.
- SolarReviews launches a new solar calculator that doesn’t require you to sign up.
- UnderstandSolar is a free service that links you to top-rated solar installers in your region for personalized solar estimates. Tesla now offers price matching, so it’s important to shop for the best quotes. Click here to learn more and get your quotes. — *ad.
EGEB: China led as the world installed 6.1 GW of offshore wind in 2020
In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):
- 6.1 GW of global offshore wind was installed in 2020, down slightly from a record 6.24 GW in 2019.
- More than half of the world’s fossil fuels have to stay buried to slow global warming.
- UnderstandSolar is a free service that links you to top-rated solar installers in your region for personalized solar estimates. Tesla now offers price matching, so it’s important to shop for the best quotes. Click here to learn more and get your quotes. — *ad.
EGEB: How Hurricane Ida will impact EV and gas drivers, and power
In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):
- Hurricane Ida will affect the price of gas for ICE-car drivers across the US.
- Were widespread power outages from Hurricane Ida avoidable?
- UnderstandSolar is a free service that links you to top-rated solar installers in your region for personalized solar estimates. Tesla now offers price matching, so it’s important to shop for the best quotes. Click here to learn more and get your quotes. — *ad.
EGEB: The UN announces the official end of leaded gas worldwide
In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):
- The end of leaded gas use globally will prevent more than 1.2 million premature deaths.
- Electrifying transport could add $47 billion annually to the US Southeast’s economy.
- UnderstandSolar is a free service that links you to top-rated solar installers in your region for personalized solar estimates. Tesla now offers price matching, so it’s important to shop for the best quotes. Click here to learn more and get your quotes. — *ad.
EGEB: Petroleum use dropped a record 15% in the transport sector from 2019 to 2020
In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):
- From 2019 to 2020, petroleum consumption decreased in every energy-consuming sector.
- 25 fossil fuel giants used Facebook ads to fight President Joe Biden’s clean energy plan.
- UnderstandSolar is a free service that links you to top-rated solar installers in your region for personalized solar estimates. Tesla now offers price matching, so it’s important to shop for the best quotes. Click here to learn more and get your quotes. — *ad.
EGEB: US was No. 1 producer of natural gas and petroleum in 2020
In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):
- The US produced more petroleum and natural gas than any other country in 2020.
- Average US solar construction costs continued to fall in 2019.
- UnderstandSolar is a free service that links you to top-rated solar installers in your region for personalized solar estimates. Tesla now offers price matching, so it’s important to shop for the best quotes. Click here to learn more and get your quotes. — *ad.