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Nord Stream 2 Will Not Move Forward If Russia Invades Ukraine
U.S. said it would work with Germany to ensure that the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline between Russia and Germany does not begin operations if Russia invades Ukraine. Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the pipeline a “private sector project,” as did his predecessor Angela Merkel, but he has hardened his position in the past few days.
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U.S. Developing Energy Contingency Plan for Europe in Case of Russia’s Cuts in Oil, Gas Exports
Moscow provides approximately 40 percent of Europe’s natural gas, and European energy stockpiles have been significantly lower in the past few months because of reduced Russian supplies. The Biden administration has been working with European countries and energy producers around the world on ways to supply fuel to Western European countries should Russian President Vladimir Putin slash oil and gas exports in retaliation for sanctions imposed for an invasion of Ukraine.
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Next Renewable Energy Source: An Artificial Leaf
Solar energy is not a new concept and has been implemented on a grand scale world-wide. But researchers are looking at another possible renewable method of harnessing the power of the Sun: photosynthesis.
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A Global Energy Grid Based on 100% Renewable Energy
Researchers are working to build an industrial scale prototype of a next generation HVDC technology that could pave the way for a global electricity grid, based on renewable energy.
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Germany Responds to Putin's Weaponization of Russian Gas
Germany is pumping Russian gas back into Poland as Gazprom cuts supply to the EU. As Russia plays its hybrid war games with an increasingly divided EU, the new front appears to be the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline.
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Options for the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant
The Diablo Canyon nuclear plant in California, the only one still operating in the state, is set to close in 2025. Researchers argue the plant could provide multiple benefits for California, including desalinated water and clean hydrogen fuel.
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Tidal Stream Power Can Generate 11% of U.K. Electricity Demand
Tidal stream power has the potential to deliver 11 percent of the U.K. current annual electricity and play a significant role in the government’s drive for net-zero.
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Is Russia Using Energy as a Weapon Again?
Europe is experiencing energy turmoil, with spot prices for natural gas surging in the past month to levels five times those of a year ago. Putin and Gazprom didn’t create Europe’s new gas crisis, but they are happy to exploit it.
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Warning Issued Over the Unintended Consequences of Wind for Achieving Net Zero Targets
In the run-up to the COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow, an expert on geoengineering and energy transition highlights the need for joined up thinking if the U.K. is going to find the optimal use of the North Sea to achieve Net Zero targets.
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Historical Analysis Finds No Precedent for the Rate of Coal, Gas Power Decline Needed to Limit Climate Change to 1.5C
Limiting climate change to the 1.5°C target set by the Paris Climate Agreement will likely require coal and gas power use to decline at rates that are unprecedented for any large country, an analysis of decadal episodes of fossil fuel decline in 105 countries between 1960 and 2018 shows.
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France Sets to Invest in Small Modular Nuclear Reactors
France plans to invest in small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs). Some experts question whether this is ecologically and economically sensible, but it may be that France’s interests in SMRs is as much about geopolitical strategy as it is about energy.
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Increasing Hydrogen Energy Requires All Technologies to Be Pushed Forward
No single hydrogen technology should be prioritized, says a new study, and the production, distribution, and use of hydrogen needs to be optimized.
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Assessing Global Electricity Generation Potential from Rooftop Solar Photovoltaics
The first detailed global assessment of the electricity generation potential of rooftop solar photovoltaics (PV) technology has important implications for sustainable development and climate change mitigations efforts.
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Hydrogen Can Play Key Role in U.S. Decarbonization
“Hydrogen is not really an energy source. It is rather an energy carrier or what we often call an energy vector,” says Berkeley Lab’s Ahmet Kusoglu. “So, you have to produce hydrogen from another energy source, store it, and then use or convert it. Hydrogen is a versatile and flexible energy carrier because it can be produced from various sources and for different applications. This flexibility is a key benefit of hydrogen versus other hydrocarbon fuels or energy storage technologies like batteries.”
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Himalayan Hydropower “Clean but Risky”: Scientists
The Himalayas, with steep topography and abundant water resources, offer sustainable, low-carbon hydropower for energy-hungry South Asia. But there is a catch — the mountain range falls in one of the world’s most seismically active regions.
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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.