Distributed Energy Resources, GHG Emissions, Regulation, Solar, Wind  -  December 14, 2024

Weekend Reads: MIT on Where to Site Renewables; AI's Promise for Energy Efficiency

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

So you want to build a solar or wind farm? Here’s how to decide where (MIT News)  Deciding where to build new solar or wind installations is often left up to individual developers or utilities, with limited overall coordination. But a new study shows that regional-level planning using fine-grained weather data, information about energy use, and energy system modeling can make a big difference in the design of such renewable power installations.

Under Trump, an 'all of the above' energy policy is poised for a comeback (NPR)  President-elect Donald Trump talks a lot about "unleashing American energy" — specifically oil, which he likes to call "liquid gold." And based on his nominees for key energy posts, there's every indication that a Trump administration 2.0 will actively promote oil and natural gas. But another phrase is popping up a lot right now in Republican circles: "All of the above."

Denver is modifying landmark greenhouse gas rules after landlord protests (The Colorado Sun)  Denver’s climate change and energy officials are modifying a landmark set of greenhouse gas reduction rules for big buildings after sharp challenges from landlords, but trade groups say the updates don’t go nearly far enough. 

City eyes more tour flights from downtown heliport with electric aircraft (Streetsblog NYC)  The city could lift a years-old cap on helicopter trips at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport in order to get companies to pivot to electric aircraft, according to a draft contract for a new operator of the aviation facility.

How AI is making buildings more energy-efficient (TIME)  Heating and lighting buildings requires a vast amount of energy: 18% of all global energy consumption, according to the International Energy Agency. Contributing to the problem is the fact that many buildings’ HVAC systems are outdated and slow to respond to weather changes, which can lead to severe energy waste. Some scientists and technologists are hoping that AI can solve that problem.

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