Utilities have a problem. The public wants clean energy and quick. In one of the most widely read clean energy articles of the year, Vox’s David Roberts shares a leaked internal document from the utility industry about customers’ rising demands for clean energy (Vox).
New battery promises cost-competitive grid-level storage. We don’t usually highlight scientific breakthroughs but the new Zinc Air battery from NantEnergy is already in use across the globe. Unlike the most common type of battery, Lithium Ion, Nant’s Zinc Air uses cheaper materials and is far less likely to catch fire (New York Times).
Solar farms across North Carolina were unscathed by Hurricane Florence. Despite heavy winds and flooding, nearly all of the state’s solar farms remained in tact. Duke Energy reportedly took several offline in case flooding got worse but all are expected to be operational shortly (Inside Climate News).
ARPE-E goes on a quest for the holy grail of the grid – long-term energy storage. ARPA-E has been a political punching bag in the halls of Washington DC for the last year or so. Despite this, the tiny agency is looking far and wide to find the final piece of technology that is required for a 100% clean energy grid – long-term storage (Vox).
September Posts from the Freeing Energy Project
What is the best way to make electricity?
September was all about making electricity. We started off with a broad overview here. For the rest of the month, we took a long, hard look at nuclear power.
Part 1 – the economics of nuclear power
Is nuclear power the climate’s salvation or a radioactive nightmare? A broad look at the nuclear power industry and its underlying economics (read more).
Part 2 – how safe are nuclear power plants
Nuclear power has a unique challenge. While it’s much safer than most people realize, it easily conjures up thoughts of meltdowns, sickness, and bombs. (read more).
Part 3 – a look at radiation from nuclear plants
What are the risks of radiation from nuclear power plants? What happens when you get exposed to low level radiation? How about radiation from nuclear accidents? (read more).
