Energy Archives - Page 2 of 47 - State of the Planet

Fossil Fuels Are Dying, but They’re Not Dead Yet

It’s relatively easy to hang banners and call for rapid change. It’s far more difficult to do the work required to build the new energy system we need.

by |November 14, 2022
Comparison of installation costs of residential solar, commercial rooftop solar, and utility-scale solar.

Solar Panels Reduce CO2 Emissions More Per Acre Than Trees — and Much More Than Corn Ethanol

A response to a recent essay in the New York Times.

by Matthew Eisenson |October 26, 2022
daily electricity use

Two Years Into COVID-19, the City That Never Sleeps Returns to Waking Up Early

Higher electricity usage in NYC homes reflects the “new normal,” and raises concerns about winter energy costs.

by Christoph J. Meinrenken and Patricia J. Culligan |October 26, 2022

Preventing a Fossil Fuel Comeback in Congress

It makes economic, political, national security, and environmental sense to promote renewable energy and allow energy price competition to drive fossil fuels out of the marketplace.

by |October 24, 2022

We Need a Realistic Path to Decarbonize New York’s Electric Grid

Decarbonization is largely unpredictable, but there are some elements we can predict.

by |October 17, 2022
people watch as power plant towers fall

Short Film Captures the Story of a Just Energy Transition in Tonawanda, NY

Directed by a former Earth Institute postdoc, the documentary shows how residents pushed for justice and dignity when two major coal plants closed down.

by Liv Yoon |October 10, 2022
protest against wind farm development in Oaxaca

Mining, Land Grabs, and More: When Decarbonization Conflicts With Human Rights

Transitioning off fossil fuels isn’t all sunshine and roses. Experts from around Columbia Climate School weigh in on how governments and developers can move forward responsibly.

by |September 22, 2022
solar panels damaged from typhoon

The Energy Transition Needs to Be Climate-Proofed

Increasingly extreme weather has the potential to derail renewable energy projects — but there are a few things we can do to keep moving forward.

by Corey Lesk and Kai Kornhuber |September 7, 2022

The Demise of the Internal Combustion Engine

The electric vehicle is one element of a system that will some day be less destructive to the environment than today’s system. California will get there first and will need to teach the world how to get the job done.

by |August 29, 2022
person in field near wind turbines

Just Transitions: Can Wind and Solar Projects Turn Human Rights Lessons Into Leadership?

Wind and solar projects have a human rights problem. But they don’t have to.

by Sarah Dolton-Zborowski |August 25, 2022