News & Commentary

A Tale of Two Capacity Auctions—and Still Too Much Coal

July 10, 2023 Expert BlogMidwest, IllinoisMeghan Hassett

A capacity price spike impacted Illinoisans’ electricity bills last June. What has MISO done to prevent it from happening again? It’s a mixed bag—with too many fossil fuels inside.

Renewables and Storage Hold Their Own in the Texas Heat Dome

July 5, 2023 Expert BlogTexasJohn Moore

No fossil fuels, no problem? Texas investments in wind and solar pay off, generating record-breaking renewable power to meet all-time high electricity demand during nearly 10-day heat dome—despite fossil fuel plant failures.

Colorado's Historic Win for Building Electrification

June 28, 2023 Expert BlogColoradoClaire Lang-Ree

The Public Utilities Commission in Colorado approved a budget of over $429 million for new building electrification and energy efficiency programs for customers of Xcel Energy, Colorado’s largest utility, in a recent proceeding. This decision is a win for Coloradans…

How New Mexico Can Move Forward on Climate and a Just Transition

June 21, 2023 Expert BlogNew MexicoNoah Long, Alexis Mena

The bottom line is that, without significant new action, the state will not meet its targets to cut emissions and will not protect New Mexican communities from the clear, present, and increasing consequences of climate change.

US Needs to Reform International Finance System for Climate Action

June 15, 2023 Expert BlogInternationalJake Schmidt, Joe Thwaites

Nearly two dozen groups are urging the Biden-Harris Administration to help revamp the international financial institutions for strengthened climate action.

Midwest states need a modern grid to supercharge clean energy goals

June 15, 2023 Expert BlogMinnesota, Midwest, Illinois, MichiganMeghan Hassett

Midwest states are already leading on clean energy, but achieving their goals depends on the power grid's readiness. We need the electricity system to catch up.

Big Oil Still Raking It In as Public Pays for Pollution

June 1, 2023 Expert BlogUnited StatesZanagee Artis

U.S. needs to hold industry accountable for harm it continues to inflict on communities, the environment, and the global climate.

Mountain Valley Pipeline Pushed Forward on False Claims of Need

May 30, 2023 Expert BlogUnited States, West VirginiaDr. Michele Bustamante, Amy Mall, Tom Rutigliano, Dawn Woodard

The debt ceiling agreement wrongfully rubber stamps the destructive and unnecessary Mountain Valley Pipeline.

EPA and DOT Propose Critical Standards to Combat Climate Change and Harmful Pollution

May 30, 2023 Expert BlogUnited StatesBritt Carmon, Lissa Lynch

New regulations from the Biden administration can help us meet our climate commitments.

SPP Is Ignoring the Data to the Detriment of Reliability

May 26, 2023 Expert BlogUnited StatesNatalie McIntire

A Southwest Power Pool special report makes important recommendations, but there’s one glaring omission.

FERC and PJM Should Not Bail Out Generators That Failed the “Elliott Test”

May 23, 2023 Expert BlogUnited StatesTom Rutigliano

As the region faces changing weather and tighter reserve margins, it needs dependable energy supplies. Power plants that fail when needed should be held accountable.

Study Shows 14,000 Unplugged Oil and Gas Wells in Gulf of Mexico

May 23, 2023 Expert BlogTexas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, FloridaRebecca Loomis, Rebecca Ramirez

Industry has neglected thousands of unused oil and gas wells in the Gulf of Mexico. They will cost an estimated $30 billion to plug and decommission.

Community Science Is Changing How People Can Fight Pollution

May 23, 2023 PerspectivesHouston, Texas, St. Louis, Missouri, Chicago, IllinoisCourtney Lindwall

Grassroots groups are collecting their own pollution data to increase accountability and demand environmental justice.

A Blueprint for Advanced Industrial Manufacturing in New York

May 23, 2023 Expert BlogUnited States, New YorkIan Wells

New York can lead the nation in low-carbon industrial manufacturing. Here is how.

Strengthen Power Plant Carbon Standards for Greater Climate Benefit

May 22, 2023 Expert BlogWashington, D.C.Amanda Levin, Sophia Ahmed

Power plants have operated without accountability for their carbon emissions for too long. The proposal represents a good first step, however, the EPA should seize the opportunity to strengthen the standards in both scope and speed. This approach will help…

California ISO Approves $7.3 Billion Investment in Transmission

May 22, 2023 Expert BlogUnited States, CaliforniaKelsie Gomanie, Peter Miller

Ambitious investment to boost transmission in support of clean energy is approved by the California Independent System Operator.

LNG Alternatives for Clean Electricity Production

May 18, 2023 Expert BlogInternationalAde Samuel

New analysis shows that renewable energy and battery storage can provide lower-cost and lower-carbon alternatives to LNG-fired power generation.

Breaking Through the PJM Interconnection Queue Crisis

May 18, 2023 Expert BlogEastDana Ammann

NRDC analyzes the outlook for new transmission in PJM Interconnection, the largest U.S. grid operator, and the impact of reforms designed to ease the logjam of projects awaiting approval to connect to the grid. 

The Gibbstown LNG Project Faced a Setback - Let's Stop It For Good

May 15, 2023 Expert BlogNew Jersey, PennsylvaniaSahana Rao

Despite the denial of a special permit to transport LNG by rail, the Gibbstown LNG Export Project can still proceed so long as a Trump-era rule remains in place

Getting Federal Energy Permitting Right

May 12, 2023 Expert BlogUnited StatesChristy Goldfuss

The Biden administration’s plan for a modern review and approval process would go a long way toward fixing a flawed system. Here’s what it will take to get this right.