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Articles by Steve Clemmer
California is Lagging on Wind Development. Why?
California has made tremendous progress on transitioning to clean electricity. The state keeps breaking records for the amount of clean energy powering California. And after a long pause, emissions from California’s electricity sector are finally going down again. It won’t surprise anyone that solar has been the star of the show, responsible for nearly all of California’s clean energy progress over the past decade.
Clean Energy Can Protect Midwest Families From Data-Center Driven Energy Bill Spikes
It’s no secret that Big Tech and AI companies are rushing to build new power-hungry data centers as quickly as they can. In Michigan, for example, a massive new 1.4 gigawatt data center received conditional approval to draw enough electricity from the grid to power a million homes and increase the local utility’s entire demand by a whopping 25%.
Powering Data Centers with Clean Energy Could Avoid Trillions in Climate and Health Costs
Thousands of data centers are popping up across the country, fueled by the boom of AI—and ratepayers could get stuck with the bill to make Big Tech’s dream a reality. Electricity demand is increasing, and so are electricity costs for households and businesses across the United States.
Powering the Future: Why Michigan’s Data Center Debate is Critical for Clean Energy and Your Wallet
Over the past few months, you’ve likely noticed a wave of services claiming to use ‘artificial intelligence’: Google’s AI Overview, Facebook’s Meta AI, or ChatGPT. These products are powered by large language models (LLMs), which are essentially very advanced autocomplete tools trained on massive data sets. Using these artificial intelligence tools requires massive amounts of energy.
Maine Commits to 100% Clean Electricity by 2040
Lower energy costs for homes and businesses—upward of $1,300 a year by 2040—could be coming to Maine thanks to recent legislation, cementing the state’s status among the leaders in the clean energy transition, with a firm commitment to 100% clean energy over the next 15 years.
Reevaluating the Role of Fossil Gas in a Decarbonizing Grid
Fossil gas power plants currently provide the largest source of electricity generation and capacity in the United States. To meet our climate goals and reach net zero emissions by 2050, most studies show that we need to dramatically reduce gas use for generating electricity, heating homes and businesses, and running industrial processes.
Reevaluating The Role Of Fossil Gas In A Decarbonizing Grid - Union of Concerned Scientists
Fossil gas power plants currently provide the largest source of electricity generation and capacity in the United States. To meet our climate goals and reach net zero emissions by 2050, most studies show that we need to dramatically reduce gas use for generating electricity, heating homes and businesses, and running industrial processes.
La poca fiabilidad de las centrales eléctricas de gas: tres cosas que debes saber
Estados Unidos ha visto avances impresionantes en el desarrollo de la energía limpia en los años recientes. En 2022, más del 22 por ciento de la electricidad en el país se generó con fuentes renovables como el viento, el sol y el agua, casi el doble de su contribución en 2012. Sin embargo, las centrales eléctricas que usan como combustible el gas metano (tradicionalmente conocido como gas natural) siguen siendo hoy una gran parte del suministro de electricidad en Estados Unidos.
Realizing Maine’s Tremendous Offshore Wind Potential
A proposed offshore wind procurement bill in Maine would go a long way to enable the state to meet its climate and clean energy targets and become a national leader in floating offshore wind technology. The newly updated legislation (LD 1895), which the legislature is considering this week, builds on recommendations from Maine’s Offshore Wind Roadmap and policies adopted by other leading states.
Realizing Maine’s Tremendous Offshore Wind Potential
A proposed offshore wind procurement bill in Maine would go a long way to enable the state to meet its climate and clean energy targets and become a national leader in floating offshore wind technology. The newly updated legislation (LD 1895), which the legislature is considering this week, builds on recommendations from Maine’s Offshore Wind Roadmap and policies adopted by other leading states.
Fulfilling U.S. wind and solar ambitions will use under 1% of its land (that’s less than the fossil fuel footprint)
Meeting the U.S.’s wind and solar ambitions in full would take up less than 1% of its land, less than the fossil fuel industry’s current footprint. Steve Clemmer at UCS goes into the details of NREL’s comprehensive study of land use for wind and solar.
¿Pueden la energía solar, el almacenamiento y la eficiencia ayudarnos a sobrevivir inviernos como éste?
Traducción del inglés editado por Michelle Rama-Poccia Las tormentas invernales que afectan en este momento al país nos recuerdan lo importante que es prepararse para los fenómenos meteorológicos extremos y lo catastróficas que pueden llegar a ser las cosas si no lo hacemos. En el 2021, la tormenta invernal Uri causó la muerte de al menos a 246 residentes de Texas. El 8 por ciento de esas muertes se atribuyeron a intoxicación por monóxido de carbono.
How Much Land Would It Require To Get Most Of Our Electricity From Wind & Solar?
Critics of wind and solar routinely raise concerns about how much land would be required to decarbonize the US power sector. Fortunately, the answer is relatively little. A recent National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) study shows that it would take less than 1 percent of the land in the Lower 48 — that’s an area comparable to or even smaller than the fossil fuel industry’s current footprint.
How Much Land Would it Require to Get Most of Our Electricity from Wind and Solar?
Critics of wind and solar routinely raise concerns about how much land would be required to decarbonize the US power sector. Fortunately, the answer is relatively little. A recent National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) study shows that it would take less than 1 percent of the land in the Lower 48—that’s an area comparable to or even smaller than the fossil fuel industry’s current footprint.
How Much Land Would it Require to Get Most of Our Electricity from Wind and Solar?
Critics of wind and solar routinely raise concerns about how much land would be required to decarbonize the US power sector. Fortunately, the answer is relatively little. A recent National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) study shows that it would take less than 1 percent of the land in the Lower 48—that’s an area comparable to or even smaller than the fossil fuel industry’s current footprint.
Methane Madness: 5 Reasons Why Natural Gas Doesn’t Belong in a Clean Electricity Payment Program
The science is clear. To limit the worst impacts of climate change, the US will need to cut CO2 and other heat-trapping emissions by at least 50 percent below 2005 levels by 2030, and achieve net zero emissions economy-wide no later than 2050. These targets are consistent with the Biden administration’s recent commitment to the Paris Agreement.
Local Energy Deregulation Makes Climate Disasters Worse
Temperatures in the United States’ plains states finally returned to normal this week after a record-shattering cold wave. The weather front was notable both for the severity and duration of low temperatures, setting 6,000 new daily and weekly records between 25 to 45 degrees lower than average around the plains states.
US Solar Industry Poised To Lose 114,000+ Jobs From COVID-19 Through June
Clean Power Published on May 19th, 2020 | by Guest Contributor Follow CleanTechnica on Google News. May 19th, 2020 by Guest Contributor Originally published on Union for Concerned Scientists. By Steve Clemmer, Director of Energy Research, Clean Energy With the US and global economy in free-fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the renewable energy industry is hemorrhaging projects and jobs at a faster rate than the overall economy.
US Solar Industry Poised to Lose 114,000 Jobs and Counting from COVID through June
Steve Clemmer, director of energy research, Clean Energy | May 18, 2020, 1:30 pm EDT This post is a part of a series on COVID-19 and the Coronavirus Pandemic With the US and global economy in free-fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the renewable energy industry is hemorrhaging projects and jobs at a faster rate than the overall economy. As of the end of April, more than half a million US clean energy workers are now out of work, and the number is still climbing.
US Solar Industry Poised to Lose 114,000 Jobs and Counting from COVID through June
With the US and global economy in free-fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the renewable energy industry is hemorrhaging projects and jobs at a faster rate than the overall economy. As of the end of April, more than half a million US clean energy workers are now out of work, and the number is still climbing.
Psychologists and Pediatricians Know that Families Belong Together: A Call to Action
Dzung X. Vo, MD, FSAHM, FAAP is an academic pediatrician specializing in adolescent medicine, an author, and a mindfulness practitioner and teacher; Christopher Willard, PsyD is a clinical psychologist and author educational consultant based in Boston.
Maine Hits Clean Energy Grand Slam
As a baseball fan, I’m looking forward to watching the best players in the world compete for bragging rights in the 90th Major League Baseball All-Star game tonight. As a Maine resident for the past 11 years, I’m even more thrilled to see Maine regain its all-star status as a clean energy leader. Thanks to the leadership of Governor Janet Mills and strong bi-partisan support in the legislature, Maine hit a clean energy grand slam this year, passing several major climate and clean energy bills.
50% by 2035 National Renewable Electricity Standard Would Boost Economy and Cut Carbon Emissions
Steve Clemmer, director of energy research, Clean Energy | June 26, 2019, 9:06 am EDT Today, Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) and several others introduced The Renewable Electricity Standard Act of 2019, a bill that would more than double the supply of renewable energy from 18% of US electricity generation in 2018 to at least 50% by 2035. It’s a strong proposal that builds on the recent clean energy momentum in the states and establishes a long-term national policy for renewable energy.
50% by 2035 National Renewable Electricity Standard Would Boost Economy and Cut Carbon Emissions
Today, Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) and several others introduced The Renewable Electricity Standard Act of 2019, a bill that would more than double the supply of renewable energy from 18% of US electricity generation in 2018 to at least 50% by 2035. It’s a strong proposal that builds on the recent clean energy momentum in the states and establishes a long-term national policy for renewable energy.
You Can’t Ignore the Future: 5 Reasons Climate Science Looks Beyond 2040
Photo: Julian Osley/Geograph Brenda Ekwurzel, senior climate scientist | May 28, 2019, 3:29 pm EDT Yesterday it was reported that the Trump administration is redoubling its efforts to undermine climate science. James Reilly, head of the US Geological Survey, reportedly instructed scientists in the office to limit projections of climate impacts to just 2040. Studies typically project out to 2100. It is nearly the end of May 2019.
5 Reasons Why HB 6, Ohio’s Nuclear Plant Subsidy Proposal, Should Be Rejected
Last November, UCS released Nuclear Power Dilemma, which found that more than one-third of existing nuclear plants, representing 22 percent of total US nuclear capacity, are uneconomic or slated to close over the next decade. This included the Davis-Besse and Perry plants in Ohio that are owned by Akron-based FirstEnergy Solutions.
Understanding Local Impacts to Inform Wildlife Conservation
From Myanmar wilderness It’s 16:30 in rural Myanmar and my field crew, who had spent the day surveying for elephant dung, are racing our caravan of motorbikes back to the field camp before dusk descends. As the day fades tempering the oppressive heat, elephants emerge from the shade of the forest to begin foraging, sometimes in the sugarcane and rice paddies that are increasingly spreading across the country.
Scientific Integrity and Privacy at Risk in Census
When the Framers of the U.S. Constitution determined that political power should be allocated proportionally based on population and race (as opposed to wealth, heredity, or religion), they needed a scientific means of measuring population. That is the primary reason that we have the Decennial Census, so that population traits can be identified geographically. Since then, the Census has become the largest scientific endeavor that the nation undertakes on a regular basis.
Scientists Call Out EPA Over Ozone Pollution Standards
On Thursday, November 29, the EPA’s Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) will meet (via phone) for the first time since the recent upheaval in its membership. The agenda? To discuss the Integrated Review Plan for updating the ozone standard. And recently ousted scientists have something to say about it. A science-based process to protect people from ozone pollution Ozone is one of the last remaining ambient air pollutants we don’t have under full control.
EPA Chemical Office Nominee Alexandra Dunn Must Prioritize Science and Public Health
Behind the headlines of the Trump administration’s attacks on science is a quiet army of government scientists continuing to do their jobs protecting the nation’s public health, safety, and the environment. This week, we have the opportunity to ensure a new EPA leader can carry out that mission.
2018 LA Auto Show: Automakers Promise an Electric Future While Moving Backwards on Emissions?
I’ll be at the LA Auto Show this week to check out the latest EVs and efficient cars from automakers from around the world, and to see what carmakers are saying about their future plans. The LA Auto Show is traditionally focused on new technology, and this year should bring more news and debuts of cleaner cars.
Hope and a 250-mile Bike Ride Through Colorado with a Mother-Daughter Duo
Melissa and Natalie Valentin are a mother-daughter duo devoted to sports and biking for the planet. But, with wildfires raging across the West and a president actively reversing our country’s progress on climate change, they have been finding it very hard to be hopeful about the future of the planet lately. Rather than give in to climate despair, they joined Climate Ride Colorado in order to meet other inspiring riders and to become a part of the Climate Ride community.
The 2018 House Elections May be Historic Enough to End the Redistricting Wars
This post originally appeared on LSE US Centre. This year’s midterm elections saw reforms to the way US House districts are drawn in four states. Alongside these successful measures, write Alex Keena, Michael Latner, Anthony J. McGann and Charles Anthony Smith, Democratic takeovers of gubernatorial mansions and successful voting rights reforms such as Florida’s felon re-enfranchisement are likely to signal the beginning of an era of significant electoral reforms in the US.
Five Takeaways From the Fourth National Climate Assessment and What They Mean for Food and Farms
This year’s harvest season has been bittersweet. Interspersed with delightful treats like apple cider and pumpkin pie has been a disheartening stream of news from America’s farmers, many of whom are struggling to stay afloat amidst low crop prices, trade wars, and disasters stretching from east coast hurricanes to west coast wildfires.
What is the Fourth National Climate Assessment?
The congressionally-mandated Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4) is the culmination of an enormous effort by the U.S. government and scientists from a variety of sectors to provide the U.S. public with the state of the science on climate change, the impacts that it is currently having on the country, and those that are likely to manifest.
Charlie Baker Can Lead on Clean Transportation
Governor Charlie Baker’s decisive re-election puts his administration in a strong position to address some of the key priorities identified by Baker during the campaign, including climate change, affordable housing, and public transportation. As a lifelong citizen of Massachusetts, I was proud to witness a gubernatorial contest in which both major party candidates expressed strong commitments to solving climate change.
Fascinating New Book on Solar Energy: Harness the Sun
A new book takes readers on a fascinating exploration of the many faces of solar energy, from rooftops to wide open spaces, from small-scale to large, from coast to coast and plenty of places in between.
Back to the Future? Clean Energy, Clean Cars, and 7 Ways We’ve Leapt Forward from 1985 to 2015
Back to the Future? Clean Energy, Clean Cars, and 7 Ways We’ve Leapt Forward from 1985 to 2015 John Rogers, senior energy analyst, Clean Energy | October 20, 2015, 10:02 am EST At the end of the classic 1985 movie “Back to the Future”, our young heroes travel in a flying DeLorean to a distant time: October 21, 2015, to be precise. What Marty McFly and Jennifer Parker find is a world that is familiar in a lot of ways, but advanced in others.
Hurricanes Sandy, Katrina, and the Growing Risks of Storm Surge and Blackouts
Superstorm Sandy was a big wake-up call for the Northeast when it made landfall near Atlantic City, NJ, on October 29, 2012. In addition to the tragic loss of lives and property, Sandy caused billions of dollars of damages and left more than 8 million people in 21 states without power.
7 Things People Got Wrong with our Recent ‘Nuclear Power Dilemma’ Report
On November 8, UCS released The Nuclear Power Dilemma: Declining Profits, Plant Closures, and the Threat of Rising Carbon Emissions, which found that more than one-third of existing nuclear plants, representing 22 percent of total US nuclear capacity, is uneconomic or slated to close over the next decade.
7 Things People Got Wrong with our Recent ‘Nuclear Power Dilemma’ Report
On November 8, UCS released The Nuclear Power Dilemma: Declining Profits, Plant Closures, and the Threat of Rising Carbon Emissions, which found that more than one-third of existing nuclear plants, representing 22 percent of total US nuclear capacity, is uneconomic or slated to close over the next decade.
7 Questions the Senate Should Ask Trump’s New USDA Chief Scientist Nominee
Back in early August (or roughly two Trump years ago), I wrote about the president’s nomination of Scott Hutchins to head up science at the US Department of Agriculture. In that post, I argued that Hutchins, an entomologist with a 30-year career at pesticide-maker Dow, is the wrong choice for the job.
Carbon Pricing is Key to Economic Viability of Xcel’s Nuclear Power Plants in Minnesota
The 671 MW Monticello Nuclear Generating Station is located along the Mississippi River 40 miles northwest of the Twin Cities and provides about 10 percent of Xcel’s electricity in the Upper Midwest. The 671 MW Monticello Nuclear Generating Station is located along the Mississippi River 40 miles northwest of the Twin Cities and provides about 10 percent of Xcel’s electricity in the Upper Midwest.
Carbon Pricing is Key to Economic Viability of Xcel’s Nuclear Power Plants in Minnesota
A new UCS report released today found that more than one-third of U.S. nuclear plants–representing 22 percent of total US nuclear capacity–are uneconomic or slated to retire over the next decade under current market conditions.
Sea Level Rise: New Interactive Map Shows What’s at Stake in Coastal Congressional Districts
A new interactive map tool from the Union of Concerned Scientists lets you explore the risk sea level rise poses to homes in your congressional district and provides district-specific fact sheets about those risks. Explore the interactive map. No matter where you live along the coast, chances are that rising seas will begin to reshape your community to one degree or another in the coming decades.
Major Job Losses in Renewable Energy if Current Tax Plan Passes
In March 2017, I testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on how federal tax credits for renewable energy have been a key driver for the recent growth in the US wind and solar industries, creating new jobs, income, and tax revenues for local communities. They have also helped drive down the cost of wind and solar power by more than two-thirds since 2009, making renewable energy more affordable for consumers.
Major Job Losses in Renewable Energy if Current Tax Plan Passes
In March 2017, I testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on how federal tax credits for renewable energy have been a key driver for the recent growth in the US wind and solar industries, creating new jobs, income, and tax revenues for local communities. They have also helped drive down the cost of wind and solar power by more than two-thirds since 2009, making renewable energy more affordable for consumers.
7 Things We Expect to See in Rick Perry’s Unnecessary and Biased Grid Study
On April 14, Energy Secretary Rick Perry requested a 60-day “Study examining electricity markets and reliability.” The study was scheduled to be released on June 26, but it now appears it will be delayed until July.
7 Things We Expect to See in Rick Perry’s Unnecessary and Biased Grid Study
On April 14, Energy Secretary Rick Perry requested a 60-day “Study examining electricity markets and reliability.” The study was scheduled to be released on June 26, but it now appears it will be delayed until July.
Wind Keeps Creating Jobs, Even as We Pull Out of Paris
President Trump announced last week that he was pulling the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement because, he said, it would impose “draconian financial and economic burdens” on the US. This classic fossil fuel industry rhetoric of pitting the economy against the environment (in this case the climate and future of our planet) has been proven time and time again to be a false choice. The latest, impressive US wind industry results show that more clearly than ever.
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