Renewable Energy

Renewable energy is growing faster than most forecasters expected, and this is the biggest category on the site. Our posts gather the evidence: electricity systems in the USA, China and many other countries going renewable rapidly, studies suggesting well over 100 countries could reach 100 percent renewable energy within years, and debates about how reliable the estimates are. We also keep an eye on forecasting failures, because agencies have repeatedly underestimated solar.

Solar and wind are the headline technologies. Posts look at booming photovoltaic supply, thin film and perovskite efficiency gains, concentrated solar, falling wind prices, offshore wind, wave and tidal power, geothermal and the carbon footprint of wind turbines. Others tackle myths, such as whether wind turbines kill birds, whether solar panels create a waste problem, and how recycling really works.

The category also covers the practical side of the transition: inertia in electricity grids, off-grid and uninterruptible power, heat pumps, balcony solar for renters, who owns Australia’s electricity and grid, and what green energy can save a household each year. A recurring theme is that stopping the burning of fossil fuels is simpler than it sounds, because wires carry energy more efficiently than pipes. Start here for the facts behind the energy transition.