Electricity
An Airbnb or Uber for the Electricity Grid?
Guest author Matthew Crosby is an RMI alum. As Thomas Friedman reported in the New York Times, the shared economy is booming, with companies like Uber and Airbnb continuing to disrupt the incumbent taxi service and hotel sectors. The Ubers and Airbnbs of the world tap the…
Native Energy: From Fossil Fuels Below to Renewables Above
Many Native American reservations sit on large quantities of coal. Others are rich with oil deposits. In fact, much of the development that occurred in the American West would not have been possible without the energy and mineral resources that have been developed on tribal lands. Some have seen those…
A High-Renewables Tomorrow, Today: El Hierro, Canary Islands
Many islands are blessed with large amounts of sun, wind, and water, making renewable energy a promising solution. One small island off the coast of Africa has embraced these resources, most notably through an innovative hybrid hydro-wind system.
Let’s Celebrate, Not Lament, Renewables’ Disruption of Electric Utilities
Renewables are making headway in Europe and bringing a low-carbon electricity system to the forefront. Renewables were 69 percent of new capacity added in 2012 in Europe and 49 percent in the United States. Not surprisingly, this threatens utilities unwilling to let go of outmoded business models and fossil-fuel generation.
A High-Renewables Tomorrow, Today: Varese Ligure, Italy
Varese Ligure, Italy, a charming town of pastel-colored houses which reinvented itself into a sustainable tourist destination with renewable energy and organic farming.
