Posts in renewable energy
How “green” is nuclear energy’s carbon lifecycle?
How “green” is nuclear energy’s carbon lifecycle?

Both surging interest and investment in nuclear energy as a way to meet net zero goals and to diminish the worst effects of climate change, as well as the US commitment at COP28 to triple nuclear energy capacity by 2050, are reasons to pause and examine how “green” nuclear power really is. It is important to consider the carbon life cycle of a typical, light-water reactor nuclear power plant (NPP). If nuclear energy is not truly lower in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions over that life cycle than other power sources, then nations choosing it as a way to meet legally-binding Paris Agreement NDCs regarding GHG reduction requirements may open themselves up to climate litigation.

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renewable energyEnvironment 5280
What Can Geothermal Energy Do for Colorado?
What Can Geothermal Energy Do for Colorado?

Geothermal energy in Colorado has gained traction through innovative initiatives like the “Heat Beneath Our Feet” campaign and notable projects such as the Mt. Princeton geothermal plant. These endeavors signify the state's commitment to exploring and leveraging its abundant geothermal resources for sustainable energy production.

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renewable energyEnvironment 5280
What is the Role for Heat Pumps?
What is the Role for Heat Pumps?

Heat pumps are revolutionary devices that leverage the principles of thermodynamics to transfer heat from one location to another. Contrary to traditional heating systems that generate heat, heat pumps extract warmth from the environment – air, ground, or water – and channel it into buildings for heating purposes, this can lead to 2 to 3 times the efficiency of ordinary heaters. Operating in a manner akin to a refrigerator, they use a refrigerant to absorb heat from a low-temperature area and release it at a higher temperature.

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renewable energyEnvironment 5280
The Impact of the Renewable Energy Rush on Indigenous Peoples
The Impact of the Renewable Energy Rush on Indigenous Peoples

Indigenous peoples’ lands and territories constitute at least 28% of the global land surface. Indigenous people represent 5,000 unique cultures worldwide, and they protect 80% of the world’s remaining biodiversity. At the same time, despite having contributed the least to climate change, many indigenous people will experience the most drastic impacts from it if humans don’t ramp up renewable energy production rapidly and worldwide. Yet is it possible to do so without repeating the atrocities of the past or worsening indigenous peoples’ circumstances in the present?

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climate change, Environmental Justice, renewable energyEnvironment 5280
Making Waves/The Wave of the Future: Floating Photovoltaic Arrays
Making Waves/The Wave of the Future: Floating Photovoltaic Arrays

Water and solar energy are the building blocks of life—especially in the arid West. An emerging technology takes advantage of both has the potential to provide 50% of the world’s ongoing energy needs through a clean, green new technology: Floating photovoltaics (FPVs). Alternatively known “aquavoltaics”1 (AVs), “floating solar arrays,” or “floatovoltaics,” FPVs can increase sustainable energy production while decreasing the costs and ecological concerns related to terrestrial solar arrays.

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emerging technologies, electrical generation, renewable energyEnvironment 5280
Shining a Light on Solar Recycling

What happens when technology made for the good goes bad? Unfortunately, solar panel waste is a growing problem as photovoltaics gain traction in our energy economy. According to NREL, these “decommissioned PV modules could total 1 million tons of waste in the United States by 2030, or 1% of the world’s e-waste. This presents not only waste management concerns but also opportunities for materials recovery and secondary markets.”

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renewable energy, Pollution and WasteEnvironment 5280
Tax Credits for Clean Electricity in the Inflation Reduction Act
Tax Credits for Clean Electricity in the Inflation Reduction Act

The Inflation Reduction Act (“IRA”) marks an important milestone in the fight against climate change. It outlines a multifaceted approach to tackling the ongoing climate crisis, as well as commits over $369 billion to supporting various climate initiatives. The wide variety of these initiatives is one of the strengths of the bill, however, the provision that includes tax credits for producers of clean energy will be particularly impactful.

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renewable energyEnvironment 5280
Agrivoltaics: Combining Food and Electricity Production to Save the Planet

Nearly 270 million people face food shortages globally; this number has doubled since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nine million people die every year from hunger and hunger-related diseases. In the United States, more than one in seven children live in a household facing food insecurity and are not afforded the adequate nutrition needed to grow and develop. The impacts of food shortages are very real

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electrical generation, renewable energyDarah Fuller
Colorado Legalizes Composting Human Remains: The Greenest “Final Disposition”
Colorado Legalizes Composting Human Remains: The Greenest “Final Disposition”

On May 10, 2021, Governor Polis signed SB21-006, “Concerning the conversion of human remains to basic elements within a container using an accelerated process,” into law. Colorado is now the second state to legalize the composting of human remains. This new law legalizes “natural organic reduction,” a process pioneered by Washington-based Recompose, a start-up that opened its doors in December 2020.

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renewable energyGuest User