Scientists have figured out a way to harvest water from dry desert air using only the sun’s heat. The device could be a game-changer for the approximately 2.1 billion people around the world who lack immediate access to clean drinking water. The device is made of a porous material called a metal-organic framework (MOF) that’s housed within a clear plastic …

When electric vehicles transform the auto-driven landscape of the United States, what will low-to-moderate-income communities do? A new report from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, “The Future of Transportation Electrification: Utility, Industry and Consumer Perspectives,” evaluated this accelerating controversy and emerged with some solutions. “Aren’t electric vehicles just for the wealthy?” said Jenifer Bosco, staff attorney at National Consumer Law Center …

Electrification is gaining a lot of attention as efforts mount to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and address climate change. There is an important role for energy efficiency in these efforts. In fact, beneficial electrification – that which reduces total energy, costs, and emissions – is a valid form of energy efficiency. It can complement traditional efficiency approaches, and together, …

The road to electrifying heating and transportation in the United States is being mapped out by Electric Power Research Institute and The Brattle Group. Their forecasts show that different paths may yield a range of environmental, business and health benefits. Electrification could also stoke the fire of utility profits, which has dimmed in recent years. “A greening grid, alongside rapid …

New York’s electric grid operator moved a step closer to finalizing a carbon pricing proposal last week, as a task force issued draft recommendations containing new details on its plans. The recommendations made by the Integrating Public Policy Task Force, a joint effort between the New York Independent System Operator and the state government, build on an April proposal and …

Renewable energy technology has come a long way in the past few decades, finally making solar and wind power generation competitive with fossil fuels on price. But they don’t work when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing. “If we want to power the world mainly with renewables we need to find a way to overcome that variability, …

Cut peat blocks were already being used for building houses thousands of years ago. Now, scientists at the University of Tartu in Estonia have developed a material which could make it possible to print energy-efficient houses out of milled peat and oil shale ash using a 3D printer. A couple of years ago, Dr Jüri Liiv invented an organic humate soil improver, …

Scientists have developed a pioneering new technique that could unlock new methods of making solar energy more efficient. A team of experts from the University of Exeter has discovered an innovative way for generating photovoltaic (PV) energy – or ways in which to convert light into power. The new technique relies on ‘funnelling’ the sun’s energy more efficiently directly into …

Colorado’s biggest utility company recently released details of its $2.5 billion proposal to become a cleaner power generator, retiring two coal-burning plants and by 2026 replace them with projects generating nearly 55 percent of its electricity from renewable sources. Xcel Energy (Nasdaq: XEL) submitted its plan to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission late Wednesday, laying out extensive options how it …