Energy Efficiency, GHG Emissions, Solar  -  March 16, 2024

Weekend Reads: Nuclear Is Having a Moment; All About Carbon Credits

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

Solar hits a renewable energy milestone not seen since WWII (Grist)  Solar accounted for most of the capacity the nation added to its electric grids last year. That feat marks the first time since World War II, when hydropower was booming, that a renewable power source has comprised more than half of the nation’s energy additions.  

Forget ‘Oppenheimer’ — Nuclear power is having its moment in Washington (Politico)  Hollywood’s “Oppenheimer” dominated at the Oscars — renewing calls for reducing the threat of nuclear weapons worldwide — but a different kind of nuclear energy is gaining momentum in Washington. Freshly passed legislation and new rules from the Biden administration are putting teeth behind a renewed bipartisan push for nuclear power, which has suffered major setbacks in recent decades despite advocates’ repeated predictions over the years that the industry was on the brink of a renaissance.

WEBINAR: Better Bill Data: Using technology to streamline utility bill management (EnergyCAP)  Get ready for a dynamic discussion about navigating the complexities of utility bill data! Tune in as an expert panel of energy and utility professionals delve into the power of technology for better bill management, energy cost savings, and more sustainable operations. REGISTER HERE 

Climate solution or pipe dream? Carbon capture and coal power plants (Minnesota Public Radio)  For Mac McLennan, capturing and storing CO2 from a power plant smokestack is part of a new era of carbon management. Skeptics call it a pipe dream and a way to keep dirty coal plants operating. The chemical process to capture carbon dioxide from a smokestack using ammonia based solvents has been around for decades. But the cost of using it on coal-fired power plants in the U.S. has proved insurmountable in the past. 

Carbon crediting: How it works and why it’s essential (Forbes)  Carbon crediting is a vital component of climate change mitigation. The landscape is constantly evolving as the relativity new technology becomes refined. This has created much debate about carbon credits in recent years, and a bit of misunderstanding about their history, their goals, and how they operate.

Smaller commercial buildings short on investment needed to lower emissions: Report (FacilitiesDive)  The Rocky Mountain Institute says directing funds toward renewable technologies in smaller commercial buildings, which contribute about 56% to U.S. building emissions, can boost energy efficiency.

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