Will floating turbines usher in a new wave of offshore wind?
As locations for wind energy fill up onshore and near-shore, companies are deploying floating turbines that can be sited in deep waters, out of view from the coast. Proponents contend the new technology could boost the wind industry, but daunting challenges, including costs, remain.
The global price tag for 100 Percent renewable energy: $73 trillion
A global effort to transition to 100 percent renewable energy by 2050 would cost nations $73 trillion upfront — but the expense will pay for itself in under seven years, according to a new report. The shift to a zero-carbon global economy would create 28.6 million more full-time jobs than if nations continue their current reliance on fossil fuels.
Energy from seawater
A new battery made from affordable and durable materials generates energy from places where salt and fresh waters mingle. The technology could make coastal wastewater treatment plants energy-independent and carbon neutral.
Renewable Energy Capacity Now Exceeds Coal in U.S.
Renewable energy now generates more electricity in the United States than coal. Solar, wind, hydropower, biomass, and geothermal totaled 21.56 percent of U.S. generating capacity, according to a report from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
Renewables Cheaper Than 75 Percent of U.S. Coal Fleet, Report Finds
Nearly 75 percent of coal-fired power plants in the United States generate electricity that is more expensive than local wind and solar energy resources, according to a new report. Wind power, in particular, can at times provide electricity at half the cost of coal, the report found.
Researchers create hydrogen fuel from seawater
Stanford researchers have devised a way to generate hydrogen fuel using solar power, electrodes and seawater – Earth’s most abundant source – for chemical energy.
Renewables Could Surpass Fossil Fuels in Britain by 2020
Britain will get more of its electricity from renewable energy sources than fossil fuels as early as next year, according to a new report from the energy analysts group.
A New IFC Vision for Greening Banks in Emerging Markets
This past fiscal year, 36 percent of our own accounts and mobilization supported climate-smart projects — up from 12 percent a decade ago. Since May, we have been applying a carbon price to all project finance investments in the cement, chemicals, and thermal power sectors, at $40-80 per metric ton…Yet we should do more.
Using Advanced Technology, World’s Largest Offshore Wind Farm Opens Off English Coast
The Walney Extension wind farm, whose 87 turbines are capable of powering nearly 600,000 homes, has officially begun operations in the Irish Sea off northern England.