by Emily Hjulstrom | Apr 9, 2025 | Clean Energy, Economy, Environmental Impact
This article highlights trends that are likely to occur through 2050. The organization presenting the information is Resources for the Future (RFF), an independent, nonprofit research institution in Washington, DC. The mission of RFF – a 501(c)(3) – is to improve environmental, energy, and natural resource decisions through impartial economic research and policy engagement with 5 core values
- Improving both environmental and economic outcomes.
- Adhering to the highest scientific and professional standards.
- Preserving nonpartisanship, integrity, and trust.
- Building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community.
- Leading to better public- and private-sector decisions.
by Mary Eiserman | Feb 26, 2025 | Clean Energy
Virginia stands to be a world leader in electricity produced from a fusion power plant in Chesterfield:
World’s First Grid-Scale Fusion Power Plant Coming to Virginia
According to Wikipedia, fusion power promises to provide more energy for a given weight of fuel than any fuel-consuming energy source currently in use. Learn how it works and read about its advantages and drawbacks: Fusion power – Wikipedia.
In May 2023, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) provided a grant of $46 million to eight companies across seven states to support fusion power plant design and research efforts to develop fusion as a carbon-neutral energy source by 2050.
One of the recipient firms is Commonwealth Fusion Systems.
Powering up Virginia: World’s first grid-scale commercial fusion power plant
Wise County is being considered as the location for a second fusion power plant:
Fusion energy offers opportunity to reimagine Wise County’s energy future – Cardinal News
information compiled by Susan McSwain
by Mary Eiserman | Jan 8, 2025 | Clean Energy, Environmental Impact
Virginia is home to more data centers than any other place in the world, but does not have enough energy or transportation capacity to support their growth. One way to increase energy supply is by expanding pipelines. Trancso has filed for a Southeast expansion allowing for the transport of more natural gas alongside existing pipelines. The Piedmont Environmental Council cautions against the use of more environmentally damaging natural gas, as well as the potential consequence of rushing the construction of pipelines. You can hear more watching this video by 29News – WVIR Charlottesville, VA
Electric Demand may triple, but resistance to power generation is growing too. The two are on a collision course. – Cardinal News
This article looks at the growing demand for electricity in Virginia and various ways to meet the demand. Hard choices will be made. To quote a poem written in 1886 by Josephine Pollard:
Free lunches, free passes, they have at command,
Rich gifts that to others are lost,
And gayly they feast on the fat of the land,
And travel regardless of cost.
But for all the fine banquets, the wear and the tear
Of public or private displays,
Though you may go free, ’tis as sure as can be
That somebody pays
This post was put together from contributions by Connie Brennan, Susan McSwain, and Mary Eiserman
by Mary Eiserman | Dec 11, 2024 | Clean Energy, Dominion, Environmental Justice
Carrboro’s lawsuit against Duke Energy alleges decades of misinformation, greenwashing, and obstruction of climate progress, demanding accountability for millions in damages. – Nation of Change
The small town of Carrboro, North Carolina is the first municipality to sue and electric utility for climate deception. The town sites an estimated $60 million in road repairs, stormwater upgrades, and more. Duke Energy is accused of greenwashing, and the lawsuit claims that Duke Energy knowingly misled the public about the risks of fossil fuels since the 1960s.
While other municipalities have filed similar suits against oil and gas companies for emissions, Carrboro’s is the first to focus specifically on misinformation. The lawsuit could set a precedent for holding utilities accountable for misinformation campaigns.
by Mary Eiserman | Oct 14, 2024 | Clean Energy, Environmental Impact
Exported gas produces far worse emissions than coal, major study finds | Fossil fuels | The Guardian
For years, oil and gas producers have promoted gas as a “bridge” fuel and a “climate solution” over burning coal, and there is now a glut of new liquefied natural gas (or LNG) terminals, primarily in the US.
However, recent research at Cornell University shows that LNG – from drilling to transporting it – has a larger greenhouse gas footprint than any other fuel. For example, around half of the total emissions occur during the long journey taken by gas as it is pushed through pipelines to coastal terminals after it is drilled (usually via hydraulic fracking) from shale deposits in the U.S.
More than 125 climate, environmental and health scientists have reviewed and defended the research and urge a continuation of the pause on LNG exports.
Summary by Susan McSwain for Friends of Nelson
by Mary Eiserman | Sep 27, 2024 | Clean Energy, Eminent Domain, Environmental Impact
Running modern societies on clean electricity rather than burning fossil fuels will require improvements to our electric grid. Building new power lines is costly and involves time-consuming processes to acquire new land, rights-of-way, and other permits.
“Reconductoring” – replacing existing steel-cored power lines with advanced conductors with composite cores – can carry twice as much power at a given diameter compared to conventional lines. Reconductoring could provide 80% of the transmission capacity increases needed to achieve 90% clean energy generation by 2035. Upfront costs are higher, but $180 billion in generation and transmission costs would be saved by 2050, compared to building new power lines.
This would result in far fewer cases of eminent domain on private property to build new power lines
Read more from the article at anthropocenmagazine.org
An elegant and affordable solution to expanding the grid
Summary by Susan McSwain
