BeyondKONA: Energy
Not since the Industrial Age has the opportunity for change in energy been as great as it is today. There is now a transformation from dirty, extraction-based fossil-fuel energy fuels now imported into Hawai’i, but choices we make as to acceptable “renewable energy” options will have positive or negative consequences and costs to Hawaii’s population and environment.
One thing is certain: $5 trillion dollars annually in global taxpayer subsidies of the fossil fuel (dirty energy) sector is unsustainable, and by any measurement, economically and environmentally, a costly and false economy. (2016-17 World Bank – IMF reports).
Zero emissions energy sources are driving new cost and performance efficiencies and environmental benefits for Hawai’i and that can propel the state’s transformation to a clean energy driven global economy. Hawaii’s abundant sun, wind, water, and geothermal energy assets are Hawaii’s mana.
- Bill Gates doing what he does best, providing thoughtful insights and clear objectivesby Richard Brooks on April 2, 2020 at 12:11 am
In 1989 I was software engineer at Digital Equipment Corporation and a member of the now defunct Boston Computer Society (BCS) when Bill Gates delivered a […]
- List of Papers Posted to Energy Central by Subject - First Quarter 2020by John Benson on April 1, 2020 at 11:06 pm
This document contains links to all of the major / educational papers I have written and posted to Energy Central. I originally posted this document at the end […]
- Behind the Meter Purchases Quickly Stallby Paul Korzeniowski on April 1, 2020 at 10:25 pm
Wood Mackenzie lowered its projections for deployments of Behind-the-meter (BTM) energy storage systems in 2020 by 31% because of the coronavirus crisis. BTM […]
- Making Sense of Utility Stocks Performance During the Pandemic Market Routby Rakesh Sharma on April 1, 2020 at 10:24 pm
In the stock market, utilities are a defensive sector. Investors put money into utility stocks to escape market volatility. For fans of regular income, utility […]
- We weren't ready for a pandemic — imagine a crippling cyberattackby Steve Kerekes on April 1, 2020 at 10:24 pm
The myriad challenges posed by the coronavirus underscore the urgent need to ensure that our nation's power supplies aren't significantly disrupted by a cyber […]
- Virtual Desktops Ease Mobile Managementby Paul Korzeniowski on April 1, 2020 at 10:22 pm
Virtual Desktops Ease Mobile ManagementUtilities have been forced to offer their employees the option of working from home during the Coronavirus crisis. One […]
- A method and apparatus for flattening the global warming curveby Jim Baird on April 1, 2020 at 10:21 pm
o/a Method and apparatus for loading levelling trapped solar energyLike COVID-19, global warming is an example of what Albert Einstein referred to as the […]
- Air Products Inks Deal to Buy Five Hydrogen Plants for $530Mby Charley Rattan on April 1, 2020 at 9:56 pm
Presently, the company operates 12 industrial gas facilities in California, which includes five hydrogen production plants. Such plants use hydrogen to produce […]
- NERC struggles to involve utility vendors in its biennial cyberattack simulation, and that's a big problem, analysts sayby Richard Brooks on April 1, 2020 at 9:12 pm
"Frankly, there's no awareness that we are invited," Alex Santos, CEO of Fortress Information Security, told Utility Dive. "To do a proper readiness exercise, […]
- Energy and the devaluation of the Brazilian Realby Rafael Herzberg on April 1, 2020 at 8:04 pm
Energy and the devaluation of the Brazilian RealAccording to the analysts the Real was one of the currencies that depreciated the most among the emerging […]
- California utilities fear market manipulation from proposed changes to RPS confidentiality rulesby Kavya Balaraman on April 1, 2020 at 12:54 pm
A staff proposal from the California Public Utilities Commission would disclose the cost of renewables contracts sooner after negotiations are concluded.
- California proposes PG&E, SCE as central procurement agencies, but CCAs have doubtsby Kavya Balaraman on April 1, 2020 at 12:35 pm
The system would help create an effective portfolio of local resources, reduce the need for backstop procurement and allocate costs equitably, the CPUC said.
- El Paso Electric acquisition nears final approval as FERC dismisses concerns about JPMorgan linkby Matthew Bandyk on April 1, 2020 at 12:21 pm
The deal has attracted scrutiny from several U.S. senators and Public Citizen over charges the buyer is fundamentally controlled by the investment bank, which […]
- NERC struggles to involve utility vendors in its biennial cyberattack simulation, and that's a big problem, analysts sayby Robert Walton on April 1, 2020 at 12:00 pm
Failure to fully engage the sector's supply chain is worrisome because vendors will likely be targeted by hackers and must be involved in the response to an […]
- Will the coronavirus kill the oil industry and help save the climate?by Damian Carrington, Jillian Ambrose and Matthew Taylor on April 1, 2020 at 6:00 am
Analysts say the coronavirus and a savage price war means the oil and gas sector will never be the same againThe plunging demand for oil wrought by the […]
- What are Labour leadership candidates' green policies?by Matthew Taylor Environment correspondent on April 1, 2020 at 6:00 am
Lisa Nandy, Keir Starmer and Rebecca Long-Bailey answer 17 questions put by the GuardianRead the full story hereThese questions were put to the candidates […]
- Government set to make decision on UK's largest coalmineby Jillian Ambrose on April 1, 2020 at 5:00 am
Verdict expected after four years of protracted talks as production of the fossil fuel fell to record lows of 2.9m tonnes Ministers will decide this month […]
- Trump administration slashes required annual fuel economy increase to 1.5%, potentially harming EV market, advocates sayby Catherine Morehouse on March 31, 2020 at 6:04 pm
The new rules are intended to make vehicles safer and more affordable, according to Trump Administration officials.
- Will PG&E be forced to turn to PPAs to get a bankruptcy exit plan confirmed?by Jeff Manning and Steven Wilamowsky on March 31, 2020 at 4:46 pm
The company could achieve $2.5 billion in potential savings from renegotiating existing power purchase agreements, the authors write.
- Fiddler’s Ferry and Aberthaw plants shut as firms ditch coalby Jillian Ambrose on March 31, 2020 at 3:58 pm
Shutdown of SSE and RWE plants comes before UK ban on coal-fired power from 2025 The energy corporations SSE and RWE have shut the door on coal-fired power […]
- When will the US get 1 GW of offshore wind on the grid?by Iulia Gheorghiu on March 31, 2020 at 2:12 pm
Two analyses foresee the U.S. reaching the offshore wind milestone by 2024, but disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic and continued federal inaction […]
- Nuclear regulators ease some power reactor regs in response to COVID-19by Matthew Bandyk on March 31, 2020 at 2:01 pm
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued guidance for plant operators on how to safely operate with workforces reduced by the coronavirus.
- New Jersey looks to exit PJM capacity market, worried the MOPR will impede its 100% carbon-free goalsby Robert Walton on March 31, 2020 at 1:52 pm
New Jersey officials fear the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's expanded application of its Minimum Offer Price Rule will impede the state's ability […]
- Wisconsin regulators launch investigation into COVID-19 related costs for utilitiesby Catherine Morehouse on March 31, 2020 at 11:50 am
One of the big questions being investigated is whether utilities will be able to recover expenses incurred as a result of the state suspending […]
- Aberdeen: teetering between its high-carbon past and a green futureby Jillian Ambrose on March 29, 2020 at 2:04 pm
A city more reliant than most on oil and gas reserves hopes to profit from a shift to net zeroAberdeen is one of the few cities in the world where your taxi […]
- Snowy Hydro 2.0 will cost more and deliver less than promised, 30 experts sayby Adam Morton Environment editor on March 27, 2020 at 7:00 pm
Group calls for independent review of project it says would permanently damage Kosciuszko national parkEngineers, economists, energy specialists and […]
- Utrecht rooftops to be ‘greened’ with plants and mosses in new planby Daniel Boffey in Brussels on March 27, 2020 at 2:02 pm
‘Vertical forest’ tower will have 10,000 plants on its facade in bid to reinvigorate biodiversityEvery roof in the city district of Utrecht is to […]
- UK greenhouse gas emissions fall for seventh year in a rowby Jillian Ambrose on March 26, 2020 at 1:45 pm
More than a third of British electricity was generated by renewables in 2019The UK’s greenhouse gas emissions fell for a seventh consecutive year in 2019 […]
- Dakota access pipeline: court strikes down permits in victory for Standing Rock Siouxby Nina Lakhani on March 26, 2020 at 12:02 am
Army corps of engineers ordered to conduct full environmental review, which could take yearsThe future of the controversial Dakota Access pipeline has been […]
- World's wind power capacity up by fifth after record yearby Jillian Ambrose on March 25, 2020 at 10:48 am
Offshore windfarms and onshore projects in US and China fuel one of strongest years on recordThe world’s wind power capacity grew by almost a fifth in […]
- Oil price may fall to $10 a barrel as world runs out of storage spaceby Jillian Ambrose on March 25, 2020 at 6:00 am
Facilities thought to be 75% full with Saudi Arabia due to ramp up output as demand falters amid coronavirus shutdownsThe world may soon run out of space to […]
- Hinkley Point C work to carry on but HS2 could be pausedby Jillian Ambrose and Rob Davies on March 24, 2020 at 6:00 am
Major infrastructure projects highlight varying approaches to the coronavirus outbreakCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus […]
- Push to get taxpayer funds for Vales Point coal plant upgrade rejectedby Adam Morton Environment editor on March 23, 2020 at 4:30 pm
Plant part-owned by Trevor St Baker was registered with emissions reduction fund but review said it should not qualifyA push by power baron Trevor St Baker to […]
- Shell plans to slash $9bn from spending in wake of coronavirusby Jillian Ambrose on March 23, 2020 at 1:24 pm
Anglo-Dutch oil giant to cut operating costs by $4bn and capital spend by up to $20bnCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageRoyal […]
- Energy storage boom stalls in Europeby Jillian Ambrose Energy correspondent on March 23, 2020 at 6:01 am
Slowdown in large-scale clean energy projects started before coronavirus crisis due to lack of state supportEurope’s energy storage boom stalled last […]
- Is hydrogen the solution to net-zero home heating?by Stuart Clark on March 21, 2020 at 5:00 pm
Up to a third of the UK’s greenhouse emissions come from central heating. But a switch from natural gas to hydrogen, one of three proposals for greener […]
- 'The forest is everything': indigenous tribes in India battle to save their home from Adani – in picturesby Brian Cassey on March 20, 2020 at 1:11 am
Australian photographer Brian Cassey visits Hasdeo Arand, one of the largest contiguous stretches of dense forest in central India. The area is rich in […]
- Sellafield nuclear waste site to close due to coronavirusby Jillian Ambrose Energy correspondent on March 18, 2020 at 5:33 pm
Magnox reprocessing plant will begin controlled shutdown after 8% of staff self-isolateCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus […]
- Study: global banks 'failing miserably' on climate crisis by funneling trillions into fossil fuelsby Patrick Greenfield and Kalyeena Makortoff on March 18, 2020 at 4:01 am
Analysis of 35 leading investment banks shows financing of more than $2.66tn for fossil fuel industries since the Paris agreement The world’s largest […]
- Global Witness accuses UK of 'rank hypocrisy' on fossil fuel projectsby Jillian Ambrose Energy correspondent on March 17, 2020 at 12:01 am
Campaign group says UK’s export credit agency broke OECD’s rules with £2bn of fossil fuel financingThe UK government’s export credit […]
- Republic Services Further Reduces Carbon Emissions Through Increased Usage of Renewable Natural Gas in its Fleetby Electric Energy Online on August 16, 2017 at 2:01 pm
- Yingli Green Energy Announces Engagement of Financial and Legal Advisors to Special Committeeby Electric Energy Online on August 16, 2017 at 2:01 pm
- Xcel Energy reduces carbon emissions 30 percentCompany reports progress delivering a more sustainable energy future for communitiesby Electric Energy Online on August 16, 2017 at 2:01 pm
- Veolia Awarded Operations Contract for North Carolina Biomass FacilityInnovative waste-to-energy plant provides renewable solutions for poultry producers; safeguards local waterwaysby Electric Energy Online on August 16, 2017 at 2:01 pm
- STEM education brought to the forefront with new initiative provided by ForeFront Powerby Electric Energy Online on August 16, 2017 at 2:01 pm
- Banner water year increases hydropower benefitby Electric Energy Online on August 16, 2017 at 2:01 pm
- Bullfrog Power and Less Emissions to reduce CO2 footprint of Canada C3 expeditionby Electric Energy Online on August 16, 2017 at 2:01 pm
- U.S. Renewables Now Providing More Electricity Than Nuclear Powerby Electric Energy Online on August 16, 2017 at 2:01 pm
- Renewables Provide 19.35% of U.S. Electricity - About 40 Years Sooner Than EIA Expectedby Electric Energy Online on August 16, 2017 at 2:01 pm
- Energy Commission Awards Research Grants for Renewable Energyby Electric Energy Online on August 16, 2017 at 2:01 pm