Affordable, reliable electricity is fundamental to modern life. It provides clean, safe light around the clock, cools our homes in summer and heats many in winter, and powers the digital world we rely on through our smartphones and computers. Although hundreds of millions of Americans use electricity every day, most of us don’t think twice …
News Tag: Institute for Energy Research
Paul Ehrlich on Energy: Consistently Wrong but Never in Doubt
The recent death of Paul R. Ehrlich, one of the first to sound the climate alarm, invites a look back at his energy views, which were errant when made and are embarrassingly so today. …
The EPA Rightly Rescinded the Endangerment Finding; Now it’s Up to the Courts
On his first day in office, President Trump promised to sharply reverse course from the Obama and Biden administrations on energy policy. Over a year and 300 actions later, the Trump administration’s commitment to unleashing American energy abundance has been proven time and time again. …
China Touts Its Renewables but Fossil Fuels Rule
Despite the growing prominence of renewable energy generation, coal still remains the dominant source of electricity for China and India. Even if these countries continue to increase renewable generation, it’s unlikely that they’ll move off coal anytime soon. …
U.S. Carbon Emissions per Capita Declined in All U.S. States Between 2005 and 2023
Between 2005 and 2023, U.S. carbon dioxide emissions fell by 20%, with per capita emissions dropping by 30%. All states saw declines, led by Maryland at 49%. Emissions declined again in 2024 but are expected to rise in 2025 as energy demand from AI data centers and electrification grows. Meanwhile, global climate politics show mounting …
Media Misleads the Public on Wind and Solar Power’s Cost and Environmental Impacts
A recent survey shows that Americans want a stronger power grid and affordable, clean energy, but the reality of wind and solar is more complex. These technologies require carbon-intensive materials like steel, cement, and plastics, have shorter lifespans than fossil fuel or nuclear plants, and create significant disposal challenges. Media narratives often label them as …
As Renewable Energy Increases in the Generation Mix, Power Outages Grow
Texas and California lead the nation in power outages and in wind and solar generation. Since 2019, there have been 263 power outages across Texas–more than any other state–each lasting an average of 160 minutes and impacting an estimated average of 172,000 Texans. From 2019 to 2023, California had 221 power outages, ranking second, and …
