“The turbulence in the energy market does not dramatically alter the decarbonization pathway towards midcentury.”

Remi Eriksen, Group President and CEO of DNV said, “The turbulence in the energy market does not dramatically alter the decarbonization pathway towards midcentury. The strongest engine of the global energy transition is the rapidly reducing costs of solar and wind energy, which will outweigh the present short-term shocks to the energy system.”  Read more … Read more

CNBC Publishes Series on the Need for a National Macrogrid

Brian McCowan, Zondits staff, 3/9/2023 In a clear sign that power grid issues are becoming a concern to more than just “energy wonks,” CNBC, the widely read internet journal and broadcast network is publishing a multi-part series on problems associated with the grid and the nation’s climate change goals.  The series titled, Transmission Troubles, makes … Read more

“The solution is making the grid bigger than the weather.”

Michael Goggin, Vice President of Grid Strategies, said as part of the ACORE report, “the solution is making the grid bigger than the weather.” With severe weather events typically “relatively geographically constrained,” regions could help each other meet demand. Read more here: ‘Modest’ transmission buildout would have yielded millions in benefits in December storm: ACORE … Read more

Annual Global Clean Energy Investments Surpass $1 Trillion, Equaling Investments in Fossil Fuels for the First Time

Matt Montalbano, Zondits guest, 2/8/2023 Global investments in low-carbon energy technology topped $1 trillion for the first time in 2022 and equaled global investments in fossil fuels. A recently published report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BloombergNEF) calculates the total investment in clean energy in 2022 to be a record-breaking $1.1 trillion.   “Our findings put … Read more

U.S. Production of Solar PV Panels Get a Booster Shot

Brian McCowan, Zondits staff, 1/26/2023 The recently enacted Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is helping to expand the production of photovoltaic (PV) panels in the U.S. and ease the tariff-related tensions regarding the growth of solar electric energy worldwide. The South Korean PV manufacturer Qcells has announced a $2.5 billion expansion of their facility in Georgia … Read more

DOE’s EV Impact Tool Calculates Net Emissions Impacts for Each State

Brian McCowan, Zondits staff, 12/22/2022 If you have been researching EVs, you have likely seen numerous articles, including some on Zondits, covering the national and global emissions impacts of replacing gasoline-powered cars with EVs. That’s useful information for sure. But we know that the impact is partly driven by the electrical generation mix in the … Read more

Goldman Sachs Predicts a Profitable Market for Green Hydrogen

Brian McCowan, Zondits staff, 12/9/2022 Goldman Sachs commodity analyst, Michele DellaVigna, has told CNBC that a combination of market forces and the recently enacted Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) are combining to make “green hydrogen” a profitable energy alternative. DellaVigna anticipates that green hydrogen will join renewable technologies, such as wind and solar, in a “turning … Read more

Exxon Mobil CEO Recommends a Cautious Approach for the Transition to Renewable Energy

Exxon Mobil

Brian McCowan, Zondits staff, 7/25/2022 Global climate change and inflation are currently front and center topics of concern. While many urge aggressive action to speed the transition to clean renewable energy, Exxon Mobil CEO Darren Woods suggests a more cautious approach. In a wide-ranging video interview with CNBC, Woods ties the energy transition to the … Read more

Utility Executive States that Burning Natural Gas to Generate Electricity is “Stupid”

natural gas pipeline

Brian McCowan, Zondits staff, 6/9/2022 In a stark departure from typical utility industry talking points, the CEO of Enel, a giant European utility, states that it is “stupid” to continue burning natural gas for generating electricity and for heating homes and commercial buildings. In a CNBC interview conducted at the World Economic Forum held May … Read more

Solar Project Delays Threaten Climate Goals

Solar panel

Brian McCowan, Zondits staff, 5/25/2022 The Biden administration has adopted aggressive climate goals, including decarbonizing the U.S. power sector by 2035. The exponential growth of solar energy installations is widely recognized as a necessary component of achieving these goals. However, the solar industry is now warning of a major slowdown in new installations, including massive … Read more