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Can Germany Wean Itself Off Russian Gas?
Experts are divided on how quickly Germany could cut imports of Russian energy and stop funding President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. How vulnerable would such a move leave Europe’s largest economy?
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Texas Warns Firms They Could Lose State Contracts for Divesting from Fossil Fuels
A new law prohibits the state from contracting with or investing in companies that divest from oil, natural gas and coal companies.
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Electric Truck Hydropower: Flexible Solution to Hydropower in Mountainous Regions
Mountain regions have a large potential for hydropower that cannot be harnessed effectively by conventional technologies. Researchers developed an innovative hydropower technology based on electric trucks that could provide a flexible and clean solution for electricity generation in mountainous regions.
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Small-Scale Renewable Energy Sources Could Cause Power Failures
Renewable energy that feeds into the main power grid could destabilize the system and potentially cause power failures according to a new study.
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If Russia Turns Off the Tap: LNG Could Boost European Energy Security
Europe’s gas reserves are at their lowest in years with winter demand not yet over. As the Ukraine crisis escalates, raising fears over Russian supply, could liquefied natural gas (LNG) fill the gap?
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Can California’s Lithium Valley Power the EV Revolution?
The Salton Sea geothermal field in California potentially holds enough lithium to meet all of America’s domestic battery needs, with even enough left over to export some of it. But how much of that lithium can be extracted in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way? And how long will the resource last?
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Prospect of War in Ukraine Raises Questions About Europe’s Natural Gas Supply
The possibility of a Russian invasion of Ukraine is what an armed conflict in Eastern Europe raises the question of the repercussion to the energy supply of the countries of the European Union, which have become increasingly reliant on Russian natural gas for electricity generation, industrial applications, and commercial and residential use.
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Speed and Surprises: Decline and Recovery of Global Electricity Use in COVID’s First Seven Months
The unprecedented plunge in electricity use around the world at the beginning of the global pandemic was tied to shut-down policies and other factors. Surprisingly, the recovery to pre-COVID levels was quite fast and not linked to those same factors.
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We Need Hydropower for a Resilient Grid
The shift in power source mix and climate change-driven natural disasters make America’s most critical piece of energy infrastructure—the grid—more vulnerable than ever before. That’s where hydropower plays a pivotal role: When other types of power plants go dark, hydropower provides a fast, crucial response in seconds.
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Pan-European “Supergrid”' Could Cut 32% from Energy Costs
A European wide ‘supergrid’ could cut almost a third from energy costs according to a new study finds. The 32% cost reduction identified is borne primarily from the expansion of European power flows - derestricting them to allow the location of renewable generation to be optimized, thereby significantly decreasing the total installed capacity.
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Improving the Flow of Renewable Energy to Power Plants
Integrating renewable energy with the power grid continues to be a big challenge for the electrical grid infrastructure in the United States. The solution is not simple, but it is not impossible, either.
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Nuclear Energy as a Hidden Gem
Advanced nuclear reactors will be a key component of a carbon-neutral economy. Andrew Breshears, a principal nuclear chemist at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory, offers a back-to-basics look at nuclear energy, and the importance of science communication in the nuclear field.
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Hydropower and the Future of Energy
To combat climate change, the United States has set ambitious goals toward a clean energy, carbon-free future. Hydropower — one of humankind’s oldest power sources — will be critical to meeting those goals. Experts discuss the value of hydropower to the future of energy, opportunities and challenges ahead for hydropower and its connection to the future electric grid.
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Russia’s Energy Role in Europe: What Is at Stake with the Ukraine Crisis
The prospect of a major Russian offensive in Ukraine has brought European dependence on Russian energy into sharp relief and set off a scramble for alternatives.
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Can the U.S. Find Enough Natural Gas Sources to Neutralize Russia’s Energy Leverage Over Europe?
The prospect of conflict between Russia and NATO countries over Ukraine has raised fears of an energy crisis in Europe. To weaken Russia’s leverage, the Biden administration is working to secure additional gas shipments to Europe from other sources. “Putin may be willing to bet that an energy pricing crisis in Europe will sow popular discontent, scotch the energy transition and help Russia win concessions on NATO’s positioning of troops and missiles. But there is little evidence that Europe will react that way,” says an energy expert.
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The long view
Using Liquid Air for Grid-Scale Energy Storage
New research finds liquid air energy storage could be the lowest-cost option for ensuring a continuous power supply on a future grid dominated by carbon-free but intermittent sources of electricity.
Enhanced Geothermal Systems: A Promising Source of Round-the-Clock Energy
With its capacity to provide 24/7 power, many are warming up to the prospect of geothermal energy. Scientists are currently working to advance human-made reservoirs in Earth’s deep subsurface to stimulate the activity that exists within natural geothermal systems.
Experts Discuss Geothermal Potential
Geothermal energy harnesses the heat from within Earth—the term comes from the Greek words geo (earth) and therme (heat). It is an energy source that has the potential to power all our energy needs for billions of years.