Blog
Three of the biggest harms from irresponsible data center development – and what communities can do to fight back
The unrestricted build-out of data centers across the country is threatening energy affordability, grid reliability, public health and state climate goals. A recent analysis found that at the current rate of expansion, US data centers will add an additional 44 million metric tons of CO2 to the atmosphere annually and will drain up to 1,125…
Read MoreBatteries, Batteries Everywhere: Battery-Powered Appliances are Reshaping the Electric Grid
In the not-so-distant past, home batteries were the domain of the early adopters: the solar fanatic with a Powerwall tucked in the garage or the off-grid enthusiast living by their own rules. But that is changing fast. Along with a rapid increase in home battery system installations, batteries are finding their way into the appliances…
Read MoreGreen hydrogen and ammonia are making waves in the shipping industry; will they do more harm than good?
In early March, a large ship made its way into Southampton’s port on the south coast of the UK. A green circle and the words “leading the way to real zero” plastered on the side sent a message: this isn’t your average ship. Named “Green Pioneer” and owned by Australian mining and green hydrogen giant…
Read MoreStill Considering Solar and Storage? Run, Don’t Walk.
In the six weeks between the release of the House of Representatives’ version of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA) and President Trump’s signing of the final legislation, a decade of progress towards achieving cleaner, more reliable energy infrastructure was reversed. The speed with which the bill passed, combined with the severity of changes…
Read MoreWhat Nonprofits Need to Know about the Investment Tax Credit in 2025
In the July 2025 “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” Congress terminated key aspects of the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) for solar and wind projects and created barriers for projects pursuing energy storage and other zero emissions technologies. Under the revised ITC guidelines, solar and wind projects must begin construction by July 4, 2026, or be…
Read MoreHydrogen Got a Reprieve in the Reconciliation Bill, but It Needs More Than That to Be Cost Competitive
Utilities in at least 18 states are developing “hydrogen-ready” combined cycle (CC) or combustion turbine (CT) power plants. These plants are part of a larger shift towards maintaining a reliance on fossil fuel infrastructure, both by building new plants and keeping old ones online, spurred by a pro-coal and gas administration and fearmongering around grid…
Read MoreResilient Power in the Wake of Hurricane Helene
One of the things I cherish most about Western North Carolina is its patchwork of small, close-knit communities nestled among mountains and valleys, all interconnected by an endless web of creeks and streams. Many of these communities are rural and secluded, a contrast to the region’s population center of Asheville, where I live. Although beautiful…
Read MoreHydrogen production’s unbreakable ties to fossil fuels in the US
For the past few years, hydrogen has been proposed as a method of reducing emissions in almost every sector, from energy production, to transportation, to manufacturing. This has led to a boom in proposed hydrogen production plants, mainly focused on so-called low carbon hydrogen. But hydrogen production isn’t new. This gas has long been used…
Read MoreLong-Duration Energy Storage: What Is It, Why Do We Need It, and When Will It Get Here?
There has been a lot of excitement in the energy world around the promise of long-duration energy storage (LDES) and emerging technologies challenging the dominance of lithium-ion batteries. National and international consortiums have sprung up to advance the sector, LDES businesses have surpassed billion-dollar investment milestones, and leading states have established the first LDES procurement…
Read MoreU.S. Utilities Can Blend Hydrogen in their Gas Supply Without Informing Customers
Across the country, gas utilities are proposing to inject hydrogen into residential and industrial gas pipelines, framing the move as a climate solution. But scientific analyses have found that hydrogen blending is an expensive and inefficient way to decarbonize buildings—and may actually increase health risks and greenhouse gas emissions. Studies show that mixing hydrogen with…
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