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Moving to a World Powered by Renewables
Earlier this month, South by Southwest (SXSW) held their inaugural Eco conference in Austin, Texas. Although SXSW holds an annual independent film festival that is second only to Sundance, an interactive conference comparable to TED and a music festival that is truly second to none, the SXSW crew saw the need for a concerted, cross sector approach to solving sustainability and environmental challenges and launched their latest effort, SXSW Eco.
Lights out in San Diego: A Case to Reexamine the Future of our Grid
The U.S. enjoys some of the most affordable and reliable electricity in the world. This has largely been enabled by the electricity grid (the largest man-made machine in the human history), which provides power to our schools, hospitals and homes.
The Backbone of the Information Economy
The importance of electricity in our modern world cannot be overstated. Electricity not only animates the storehouses of human knowledge, it also enables communications and control, and delivers energy precisely to billions of devices that drive our economy—from the stock market to hospitals. Yet, as crucial and ubiquitous as it has already become, electricity is poised for a profound leap in importance. This clean, precise, and flexible energy carrier can help us conquer one of the most important challenges of our time: drastically reducing our dependence on fossil fuels.
Ten Surprising Facts About Our Energy Landscape
Today, America relies on oil, natural gas, coal, and nuclear to power our country. But, our aging infrastructure demands refurbishment to meet 21st century needs. By Reinventing Fire, efficiency and renewables can end our addiction to fossil fuels, create the core industries of the new energy era, generate $5 trillion in new economic value, and enhance resilience and security. The best news: businesses who are ready to lead this transition can become more profitable and resilient.
Meeting California’s Targets by Taking Distributed Solar to Scale
California’s 33 percent Renewable Portfolio Standard. And, while they are aggressive compared to the current size of the solar market (California installed just 0.25 GW in 2010), the goals are modest compared with the German market (Germany installed 7.4 GW in 2010 alone, 85 percent of it on rooftops).