Blog Posts: energy

The American Energy Innovation Act might become the first major energy bill from the U.S. Congress in over a decade. The bill is not comprehensive climate change legislation, but it could provide incremental progress on clean energy and emissions reduction.

Data shows that the energy sector produces 73% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and 10 countries account for more than two-thirds of annual emissions.

American cities, states and businesses have already come a long way on the road to cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Here are four clean energy trends to watch in the coming year in cities in the U.S.

While very few countries are on track for achieving a zero-carbon energy system by 2050, China, Costa Rica, Denmark, Ethiopia and the United Kingdom are further along than many.

Fifteen states now have official targets to get at least 50% of their electricity from clean sources. These states represent 28% of U.S. electric power demand, up from just 17% last year.

While the world collectively reduced its coal capacity over the past 18 months, China added 43 gigawatts (GW). The move may ultimately increase the economic costs of China’s energy economy over the coming decades.

Solar panels can help rural doctors in India maintain reliable electricity and save more lives. But remote hospitals remain a largely untapped market for renewables.

Behind the U.S. power grid, electricity markets are just as important as physical power plants and transmission lines. To expand the country's clean energy, the rules of the market will need to change.

Pennsylvania's planned entry into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative marks the first time a major fossil-fuel producing state has joined the cooperative, which aims to cap carbon dioxide emissions from electric power plants. It won't solve all the Keystone State's energy challenges, but it's a big step forward.