Energy Efficiency, GHG Emissions, Sourcing Renewables  -  August 17, 2019

Weekend reads: Sneak attack on natural gas; 80% RE is cake

It's the weekend! Kick back and catch up with these must-read articles from around the web:

Renewable Hydrogen Launches Sneak Attack On Natural Gas (Clean Technica)  Superior technology and competitive pricing are the tools natural gas deployed to bump coal off the leading position for power generation in the US. Well, turnabout is fair play. Now renewable energy is applying the same workbox to put the screws on natural gas. It’s not just happening in the power generation space. A new renewable hydrogen project in California could also shake natural gas loose from its grip on energy for building systems, including cooking, laundry, heating, and cooling.

Why Utility Companies Are Key To Slowing Climate Change (NPR)  Some of the oldest companies in America are in the climate change debate. Utilities are supposed to deliver electricity cheaply and reliably. Now, regulators are trying to make them go green. So I don't ever think about my electric company unless there's, like, some blackout. And then I'm like, what is going on? But why are electric utilities so important in fighting climate change? Because electricity is the big hope. Electricity is the one big energy source that can be free of carbon emissions. 

Researchers Use Blockchain To Drive Electric-Vehicle Infrastructure (Science Magazine)  Researchers at the University of Waterloo have integrated the use of blockchain into energy systems, a development that could result in expanded charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. In a study that outlines the new blockchain-oriented charging system, the researchers found that there is a lack of trust among charging service providers, property owners and owners of electric vehicles (EVs). With an open blockchain platform, all parties will have access to the data and can see if it has been tampered with. 

Clean energy powers California climate emissions drop (San Francisco Chronicle)  California is continuing to lower its greenhouse gas emissions, but the transportation sector remains a stubborn obstacle in the state’s aggressive fight against climate change, new data show. The California Air Resources Board said Monday that the state’s emissions fell 1% in 2017, the most recent year available, to 424 million metric tons. The state is now well past its 2020 goal of reducing greenhouse gas levels to 1990 levels — 431 million metric tons. 

80% renewables is cake – let the extremists argue over the rest (PV Magazine)  In 1973, the University of Delaware built “Solar One.” Noted as one of the world’s first solar-powered houses, it had a special meter that allowed it to export excess daytime electricity to the grid and purchase when it was needed. Today, the United States has more than 2 million individual solar power systems – and the question is no longer, if solar works – but how far can we go with it?

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