Jeff's Latest Posts
Year in Review: 9 Clean Energy Transition Stories from 2018
December 27, 2018 10:30 AM EDT
Despite the Trump Administration’s ongoing attempts to prop up coal and undermine renewables—at FERC, EPA, and through tariffs and the budget process—2018 should instead be remembered for the surge in momentum toward a clean energy economy. Here are nine storylines that caught my attention this past year and help illustrate the unstoppable advancement of renewable energy and other modern grid technologies. Read more >
The 908 MW Davis-Besse nuclear power plant, owned by FirstEnergy and located 21 miles east of Toledo, Ohio on Lake Erie. Photo: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Even in a Carbon-Constrained World, FirstEnergy’s Nuclear Bailout Proposal in Ohio Must Be Rejected
November 8, 2018 12:01 AM EDT
A new report, The Nuclear Power Dilemma, released today by my UCS colleagues, finds that more than one-third of the nation’s nuclear power fleet – that provides more than 20 percent of the country’s nuclear power – are uneconomic or slated to retire over the next decade primarily due to economic, safety, and performance reasons. FirstEnergy is now seeking a bailout from the Ohio legislature to keep two of the uneconomic plants open. In a world where the threat of climate change is increasingly dire and the need to dramatically cut carbon emissions is even more urgent, every source of zero-carbon energy is important. But make no mistake: FirstEnergy’s bailout proposals for its struggling nuclear plants are poorly conceived and must be rejected. Here’s why. Read more >
Photo: Samuriah
Arizona and Renewables: 7 Reasons to Vote Yes on Prop. 127
November 5, 2018 10:28 AM EDT
When Arizonans go to the polls tomorrow they’ll have a tremendous opportunity to take control of their energy future and put the state on the path to a much cleaner, healthier, more affordable power supply. Proposition 127 requires the state’s largest utilities to obtain at least half of their electricity from renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind and small-scale hydropower, by 2030. Here are 7 great reasons to vote Yes. Read more >
California recently adopted legislation that puts them on the path to source all of their electricity from solar, wind, and other clean energy technologies by 2045. Photo: Dennis Schroeder / NREL
Despite Trump Roadblocks, Full Steam Ahead for Clean Energy Transition
October 1, 2018 2:07 PM EDT
With today’s public hearing on the EPA’s wretched and dangerous ‘plan’ for regulating power plant carbon emissions, the Trump administration is continuing its assault on clean energy, public health, and the climate. Whether withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement or bailing out uneconomic coal plants at the behest of his fossil fuel cronies, President Trump desperately wants to reverse progress on the transition to a low-carbon economy. But his schemes continue to flop thanks in large part to the ongoing actions of states, utilities, and corporations that are forging ahead with commitments to accelerate the adoption of wind, solar, and other clean energy technologies. And come this November, voters will have the opportunity to cast their support for clean energy as well.
Here’s a quick rundown of what’s been happening recently and what to look for come November 6.