Renewable Energy

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    Pollinator-Friendly Solar Installations Can Help Solve Climate and Biodiversity Crises

    Pollinator-Friendly Solar Installations Can Help Solve Climate and Biodiversity Crises

    Rehabilitated farmland used for solar energy facilities that are planted with native wildflowers and grasses can create lush habitats for insects, birds and bees, a new study has found. The research, conducted by scientists with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory, found that insect numbers tripled in […]

    Wind and Solar Capacity in Southeast Asia Rose by 20% in 2023

    Wind and Solar Capacity in Southeast Asia Rose by 20% in 2023

    Utility-scale wind and solar capacity rose by 20 percent in Southeast Asia last year, as the region comprising the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) brought its total capacity to more than 28 gigawatts (GW), according to a new Global Energy Monitor (GEM) report. The increase means the region is in a good position to […]

    Hertz Begins Selling Off EVs, Plans to Buy Gas Vehicles as Replacements

    Hertz Begins Selling Off EVs, Plans to Buy Gas Vehicles as Replacements

    Rental car company Hertz is selling off 20,000 of electric vehicles in its fleet, with plans to replace these vehicles with internal combustion engine vehicles.  The company cited high repair expenses and low demand as its reasons to sell the EVs, Utility Dive reported. However, in 2021, Hertz had committed to offering one of the […]

    U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Down 1.9% in 2023, but Must Fall Faster to Meet Climate Goals

    U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Down 1.9% in 2023, but Must Fall Faster to Meet Climate Goals

    Greenhouse gas emissions in the United States fell by 1.9 percent in 2023 — the lowest level since 1969 — mostly due to less coal power generation, according to preliminary estimates released by independent research firm the Rhodium Group. Following two years of increasing emissions, and with the country’s economy expanding by 2.4 percent, emissions […]

    Norway’s Parliament Votes Yes on Deep-Sea Mining in Norwegian Sea

    Norway’s Parliament Votes Yes on Deep-Sea Mining in Norwegian Sea

    Norway’s parliament voted Tuesday for a bill to allow deep-sea mining in the Arctic waters of the Norwegian Sea. The government has said it plans to move forward with mining of the seabed for minerals sustainably, requiring environmental studies before approving licenses. However, environmentalists have said this practice cannot be done without harming marine life. […]

    Startup Turns Old Wind Turbine Blades Into Furniture

    Startup Turns Old Wind Turbine Blades Into Furniture

    Canvus, a startup company based in Avon, Ohio, is reusing blades from old wind turbines to make furniture. Wind turbines have a lifespan of about 30 years, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, although blades frequently need to be replaced sooner than that. After a turbine is decommissioned, the blades are often sent for […]

    Germany Reached 55% Renewable Energy in 2023

    Germany Reached 55% Renewable Energy in 2023

    In 2023, 55 percent of Germany’s power came from renewables — an increase of 6.6 percent, according to energy regulator Bundesnetzagentur, reported Reuters. Europe’s biggest national economy has a goal of 80 percent green energy by 2030. The country plans to get rid of most of its coal, has already ceased relying on nuclear power […]