The smart grid is a digitized electrical grid that allows for two-way communication between the utility and the consumer. While the smart grid can provide a greener, cost-effective solution to humanity’s energy needs, implementing it won’t be easy. It will take both time and money to replace the decades-old electric grids that currently supply the […]
In recent weeks, natural disasters such as hurricanes and the California wildfires have wrought a path of destruction across the United States. Without investment in renewable technology that can help combat climate change, events such as these are likely to get worse. As discussed in a previous post, the COVID-19 pandemic impacts the renewable industry […]
In California, rolling blackouts have left millions of people in the dark as they rush indoors to escape both the COVID-19 pandemic and heatwaves. With so many people blasting air conditioners at once, California’s electric grid, which relies on renewables more than ever, is struggling to supply power. There are two primary reasons for the […]
As the COVID-19 pandemic shut down cities around the world, and major transportation systems slowed to a crawl, pollution levels plummeted by around 50% in Delhi, India, according to a recent report from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The researchers found an 8% increase in solar panel energy production as a result of clearer, less […]
Around the globe, utility companies are investing in smart grid projects. According to the research firm Guidehouse Insights, utilities are anticipated to grow their smart grid capacity by nearly 20% per year over the next decade. Despite shutdowns due to the coronavirus-related closures, smart grid projects are slowly moving forward in some regions. In India, […]
While the global pandemic has created an uncertain future for renewables, new discoveries are giving researchers hope for a greener tomorrow. According to a pair of recently published studies from Tel Aviv University, two naturally abundant resources—plants and humidity—may revolutionize renewable energy in the future by generating electricity. Can Plants Generate Electricity? One of the […]
As the COVID-19 pandemic winds on, it’s causing a lot of unpredictability in the renewable energy sector. BW Research Partnership predicts that half a million people employed in the industry in the U.S. will lose their jobs by the end of June. However, at the same time, solar power is providing more power than ever. […]
Smart grid projects from around the world are moving forward even though the COVID-19 pandemic is causing slowdowns. While the pandemic is expected to make already-challenging smart grid rollouts more complicated, regions are still seeing progress—especially in smart meter installation projects. State Agency Installs Over 1.2 Million Smart Meters Throughout India Amid COVID-19 shutdowns, the […]
Renewables have greatly expanded on a global level. Last year, growth in renewables outcompeted oil, representing a minimum 70% total capacity growth in nearly all regions with the exception of Africa and the Middle East, where renewable growth constituted 52% and 26%, respectively. The expansion of renewables in 2020, however, will be less certain due […]
As patients with COVID-19 fill emergency rooms throughout the world—many depending on ventilators to survive—hospitals are depending on reliable electricity more than ever. Additionally, more people are working from home, which saps even more energy from the grid. As pandemics and climate change-induced disasters heat up, so will the demand for microgrids. This technology can […]
