Energy efficiency

Weatherization can keep you cool this summer — and warm next winter

Insulating, weatherstripping, and sealing your home could make it much more energy efficient, keeping you comfy for less money while helping out the grid.

By Alison F. Takemura . 11 July 2024

Person in blue installing pink fiberglass insulation — (Erik Mclean/Unsplash)

Energy efficiency

The secret of home energy efficiency? Don’t talk about home energy efficiency

Residential retrofit startups agree: Energy savings must pay for quality-of-life improvements to grow business and bring in lower-cost capital.

By Jeff St. John . 24 June 2021
Climate crisis

Inside the industry-enviro partnership that scored a big climate win on HFCs

The US is now poised to curb use of super-climate-warming refrigerants, one of this century's most significant climate mitigation efforts.

By Jay Stein . 14 June 2021
Opinion

Building retrofits can duplicate the success of wind and solar power

Smart government policies have spurred rapid acceleration in renewable energy. They can do the same for building efficiency upgrades.

By Richard Roberts . 9 June 2021
Electrification

The case for upfront incentives to electrify everything in US homes

A report from Rewiring America and the Center for American Progress asks policymakers to make the replacement of electric appliances as cheap and easy as possible.

By Jeff St. John . 3 June 2021
Electrification

Chart of the day: Fuel cell industry profits

The hydrogen funding wave and the enormous potential of the hydrogen economy boosted the stock price of public fuel cell companies in 2020 — but not their profits.

By Eric Wesoff . 26 April 2021
Policy & regulation

Green 'liberty' bonds: The American way to win the war on climate change?

Taking a lesson from the World War II financing playbook to combat the climate crisis.

By Jean Haggerty . 26 April 2021
Climate crisis

The policy pathways to cut US carbon emissions in half by 2030

Energy Innovation's models show that technologies and policies can cost-effectively meet President Biden’s carbon-cutting commitments. The politics are another matter.

By Jeff St. John . 22 April 2021
Energy efficiency

How to reduce winter grid peaks from behind the meter

Weatherization, heat pumps and flexible loads could prevent Texas-style disasters, cutting peaker-plant and in-home carbon emissions to boot.

By Jeff St. John . 21 April 2021
Climate crisis

IEA: Post-Covid carbon emissions on the rise

A reminder that carbon emissions must be decoupled from economic growth to yield persistent climate improvements.

By Jeff St. John . 20 April 2021
Policy & regulation

Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders introduce Green New Deal for affordable housing

The legislation aims to zero out carbon in affordable housing and reduce the energy burden for low-income households.

By Emma Foehringer Merchant . 19 April 2021