January 17, 2025
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice
Residents of Shiloh, Alabama, a majority-Black community, are seeking federal accountability for years of severe flooding linked to a highway expansion by the Alabama Department
Are we entering the golden age of geothermal energy?
Summary
Geothermal energy is mostly utilized to heat swimming pools, buildings, greenhouses, and urban heating systems across the globe. Boreholes up to 5,000 meters deep are used to pump water with temperatures reaching 200 degrees Celsius. The heat is subsequently extracted, and the cooled water is reintroduced through a second hole. This technique of capturing heat is viable globally, affordable, and becoming more popular in places with little volcanic activity. According to Renewables Global Status Report estimates, the installed capacity of geothermal heat plants globally is presently 38 gigawatts — more than twice the capacity of geothermal power plants that produce electricity. China (14 GW), Turkey (3 GW), Iceland (2 GW), and Japan (2 GW) are now the leaders in generating deep geothermal energy, which is heating an increasing number of metropolitan areas and greenhouses. Six German research organizations found that producing heat with deep geothermal energy costs less than three euro cents per kilowatt hour (kWh). Prior to Russia's invasion on Ukraine, several municipal utilities in Europe could produce heat at a lower cost than this. However, since Russia's invasion, dramatic increases in gas prices have increased that cost to more than 12 cents per kWh, making geothermal options more appealing.
January 17, 2025
Climate Change
Climate Change
The American Conservation Coalition (ACC), a conservative climate organization, aims to influence Donald Trump’s second term with an "America-first climate strategy" focused on
January 15, 2025
Climate Change
Climate Change
President Biden’s American Climate Corps, aimed at creating green jobs to combat climate change, is shutting down ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration. Launched in 2023 with a
January 15, 2025
Climate Change
Climate Change
As President-elect Donald Trump prepares for a second term, state-level climate initiatives are poised to counteract federal rollbacks. States like California, bolstered by the U.
January 14, 2025
Climate Change
Climate Change
The Center for Microgrid Research at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota, not to be confused with the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas, is expanding its efforts to
January 10, 2025
Climate Change
Climate Change
New York City has implemented congestion pricing, making it the first U.S. city to adopt this policy, which charges vehicles entering Manhattan below 60th Street. The plan aims to
January 9, 2025
Energy Justice
Energy Justice
Jimmy Carter’s presidency made energy a central political issue in the U.S., emphasizing reduced oil dependency and energy conservation. As president, Carter created the Departmen
January 9, 2025
Climate Change
Climate Change
Texas is experiencing a rapid increase in microgrid adoption as extreme weather events, such as Winter Storm Uri in 2021 and Hurricane Beryl in 2024, expose vulnerabilities in the
January 9, 2025
Climate Change
Climate Change
New research highlights the growing prevalence of "weather whiplash," rapid shifts between extreme rain and drought, as a hallmark of climate change. In Los Angeles, this phenomen
January 8, 2025
Climate Change
Climate Change
Florida faces a looming water crisis as climate change, rapid population growth, and overuse of groundwater threaten its freshwater supply. The state relies on aquifers for 90% of
January 8, 2025
Climate Change
Climate Change
New Clark City, a $2.5 billion project in the Philippines, is designed to be a climate-resilient urban hub with plans for green infrastructure, renewable energy, and flood-resista
January 8, 2025
Climate Change
Climate Change
President Biden’s new ban on offshore oil and gas drilling excludes the western Gulf of Mexico, the area responsible for 97% of U.S. offshore oil production. The ban protects the
UN Special Rapporteur Elisa Morgera has called for fundamental reforms to the global climate regime, criticizing the current system as ineffective and dominated by misinformation
January 4, 2025
Climate Change
Climate Change
Rising sea levels caused by climate change threaten to severely damage 13 major oil ports globally, including key facilities in Saudi Arabia, the US, China, and the Netherlands. A
January 3, 2025
Climate Change
Climate Change
In a landmark decision, the Montana Supreme Court ruled 6-1 in favor of 16 youth plaintiffs in *Held v. Montana*, affirming their constitutional right to a “clean and healthful en