Though US president Donald Trump has promised many times that he will bring back coal, he really can’t do much to fight the forces of…
Energy Shocks
We live in the most turbulent period of energy-driven disruption since John D. Rockefeller founded Standard Oil. At stake are today's geopolitical power balance, future environmental stability, and fortunes lost and made. We follow the trends from traditional fossil fuels through to new energy technologies, extreme weather, and the personalities driving events.
URBAN ELECTRIFICATION
Tesla is no longer reserving its supercharging stations for long-distance travelers
American urban dwellers are in luck: Owning a Tesla has just gotten easier. Tesla is extending its supercharger network to US city centers, beginning with…
POWERLESS
Hurricane Irma threatens Puerto Rico with 6-month blackouts
The US National Hurricane Center anticipates that by Wednesday afternoon (Sept. 6) the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico will be slammed by a category 5…
PROCRASTINATION
One of the world’s most polluting industries has two years to clean up—and it’s woefully unprepared
The shipping industry, which ferries everything from food to gadgets around the globe, may be out of most people’s sight, but it is one of…
WATERWORLD
Hurricane damage linked to climate change has already cost the US more than $25 billion
By midday Sunday (Aug. 27), US president Donald Trump had already tweeted more than 20 times about hurricane Harvey, the massive storm that hit southern…
FEEDBACK LOOP
Global warming means tankers can more quickly and cheaply ship fossil fuels across the Arctic
It’s a day of celebration for Sovcomflot. For the first time, the Russian shipping company’s specially built tanker was able to transport liquefied natural gas…
ZOMBIE FUEL
The death of US coal, in charts
In April, US energy secretary Rick Perry asked his department to produce a report on electricity markets and reliability. The routine request made some uncomfortable:…
FUTURE SHOCK
Many homes aren’t ready to charge electric cars without blowing the fuse
Strange but true: In many homes, you can’t charge your Tesla Model S and make a cup of tea at the same time. This warning…
SYMBOLISM
The world’s largest floating solar farm is producing energy atop a former coal mine
The Chinese city of Huainan is rich in coal—very rich. By one 2008 estimate, it has nearly a fifth of all of China’s coal reserves.…
DISRUPTED
The total solar eclipse is a test case for renewable energy in emergencies
Like many, energy expert Phil Mihlmester is looking forward to the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21. Although he’s not in the path of totality,…
GUARANTEED RETURNS
One of the biggest criticisms against wind and solar energy has been quashed
One of the biggest criticisms of the renewable-energy industry is that it has been propped up by government subsidies. There is no doubt that without…
FIRE IT UP
The biggest market for hydrogen as a clean fuel may not be cars—but homes
As in other countries, many people in the UK heat their homes with natural gas, which burns cleaner than oil or coal and thus has…
