Blog Posts: energy

In 10 years, the percent of Bhutan's population with access to electricity rose from 61 percent to 100 percent, even in the most remote mountain villages. Off-grid renewables were a big reason why.

Lori Bird, Director of U.S. Energy at WRI, sits down with WRI Vice President for Communications Lawrence MacDonald to talk about the tech (batteries and rooftop solar), policy (net metering and RPS), movements and politics that are powering the renewables surge in the United States.

In 2018, the United States saw unprecedented growth in renewable energy purchasing, development and commitments. Four signs indicate major changes in the U.S. energy system.

Despite growing attention on clean energy, fossil fuels still account for 80 percent of global energy consumption. Here are four ways to cost-effectively make the transition to a clean energy future.

When Kenya's Najile health clinic lacked electricity, clinicians couldn't vaccinate children or deliver babies at night. Rooftop solar panels changed everything.

In the past five years, private energy buyers have made significant commitments to reaching 100 percent renewable energy and have voluntarily brought about 14.2 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy into the electricity market.

However, managing how this renewable energy enters our electricity markets and truly meets a 100 percent commitment to renewable energy remains a challenge. To maximize these renewable energy commitments and ensure that they are contributing to decarbonizing the electricity grid, we are entering a new era of collaboration, in which utilities will need to play...

Firewood is cutting into Kenya's forests. Entrepreneurs are responding with a new "biomass briquette" industry that turns wastes into fuel.

As the world leader in solar photo-voltaic energy, China has lessons to share on how to expand access to renewable power. Can its remarkable trajectory continue?

The world needs to double its global rate of improvement in energy efficiency. To get there will require a massive effort—and right now, the United States is lagging behind.

South Africa went over the public's head in negotiating a backdoor deal with Russia. When these activists found out, they brought their case for renewable energy to the public—and won.