Energy Efficiency, GHG Emissions, Solar, Sourcing Renewables  -  March 15, 2025

Weekend Reads: Day of Deregulation; Solar 'Holy Grail' Within Reach

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

Solar and wind beat coal in the US for the first time  (The Verge)  In a first for the U.S., wind and solar produced more electricity than coal last year, according to a new report from energy think tank Ember. Coal fell to a historic low, generating 15 percent of the country’s electricity compared to 17 percent from solar and wind combined. 

EPA revisiting dozens of climate, environment rules in 'day of deregulation' (Smart Cities Dive)  The U.S. EPA announced 31 actions taken across the agency on Wednesday, potentially clearing away or limiting rules that affect the permitting and operation of thousands of industrial facilities across the country, including waste and recycling facilities. Like the administration’s efforts to claw back billions of dollars in climate funding, the latest actions are likely to spawn legal challenges.

America's clean-energy industry is growing despite Trump's attacks. At least for now (NPR)  Despite the Trump administration's wide-ranging attacks on renewables like wind and solar power, the clean-energy industry is on pace for record growth this year, according to government analysts.

Most contaminated US nuclear site is set to be the largest solar farm (Big Country News)  In Washington State, a government-led effort has just started to build what is expected to be the country's largest solar generating station. The project is finally inching forward, after decades of cleaning up radioactive and chemical waste in fits and starts, at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, a sweep of desert that was pivotal to the nation's weapons arsenal from 1943 until it was shut down in 1989. 

Nanoparticle breakthrough could bring 'holy grail' of solar power within reach (LiveScience)  Perovskite cells are much cheaper and more flexible than their silicon alternatives, but they have major durability problems. A new breakthrough could be about to change that.

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