Nevada's "rooftop war" has already cost its solar industry more than 90,000 jobs - but the effects don't stop at the state border.
Nevada's "rooftop war" has already cost its solar industry more than 90,000 jobs - but the effects don't stop at the state border.
Energy demand worldwide is increasing, even according to the latest IEA report. And historically, this is the quarter of the year where the demand figure is the weakest.
In fact, in each of the last several years, the IEA has cut demand estimates in the first quarter only to increase them multiple times later in the year.
One segment of the energy industry has added over 100,000 jobs since 2010 - 35,000 in 2015 alone.
It's about to become the most lucrative source of energy in the world.
We’re now on the brink of a new development in renewable energy that will push this sector to the next level.
Renewable energy sources such as solar and wind have become fixtures of the current power grid. But for the next big advances to occur, the developmental process itself will take center stage.
And at the heart of this evolution lies a surprising, yet basic, element.
Here’s my take on the one thing set to transform the renewable energy landscape forever…
Solar power is leading the clean energy sector toward a tipping point. It's a brand new age for renewable energy. Gone are the days of requisite private investment for progress and innovation.
Because it's all about grid parity now - the point at which the cost of generating renewable energy suddenly becomes equal to its peers.
Which means the money is about to flood in. Here's what to expect...
The great stumbling block for solar power has always been storage. Conventional batteries, even the most high-tech ones, are inefficient, expensive, and don't last more than a few years.
But this week, researchers announced a breakthrough battery that's 20% more efficient and 25% cheaper than anything else on the market.
It’s the game changer that could finally make solar energy competitive…
Besides its environmental advantages, solar power has always had one great benefit: It's hyper local. Solar panels make it possible to generate electricity on-site, precisely where it's needed. Like a portable generator powered by the sun, solar energy promises power wherever the sun shines.
Solar power has three major benefits: It's renewable, it's great for the environment, and it can be produced right here at home.
There has always been one big problem with solar, however - the price. For years now, its high cost has always been the biggest weapon in every critic's arsenal.
But a study released last week suggests this objection is about to fall by the wayside for good.
Here's what it means for the energy sector, and for investors.
As solar power enthusiasts know all too well, renewable energy has the same problem that the "normal" generation of electricity does: how to store all of the energy produced so that it can be used when it's needed.
For solar power, that means even at night.
To date, this conversation has always centered around discovering new battery technologies.
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As Dr. Kent Moors explains, growing unrest means Pakistan is now ground zero when it comes to energy markets in the Middle East. Read more...
There's an old saying, "The more things change, the more they stay the same."
And modern Russia a perfect example of this saying. And this move to the past autocratic methods is creating a very unstable future for the energy markets.
Dr. Moors explains the warning signs in Moscow that are making energy traders start to worry.
To find out what's happening and what it means to you, read on...
On average it takes 4.4 million gallons of water to “frack” a well. As Dr. Kent Moors explains, that has big consequences for energy prices. Read more...
The energy market is rapidly changing. Dr. Kent Moors explains how to hedge your oil and gas stocks with this simple "insurance policy." Read more...
Despite its promising future, clean energy stocks have proved to be an investing minefield.
Even China-based clean energy stocks are no longer a safe haven. Yesterday (Monday) Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. (NYSE ADR: STP) defaulted on its debt.
Heavy losses caused by plummeting prices for solar panels - which fell 73% from 2010 to 2012 - left Suntech unable to make the payment on a $541 million bond that was due Friday.
The news caused Suntech stock, already down 80% over the past year, to slip another 10%.
While numerous U.S. renewable energy companies have faltered, most notably the 2011 bankruptcy of solar panel maker Solyndra, Suntech is the first Chinese clean energy company that could go under.
What's new is a reluctance on the part of the Chinese government to keep pouring subsidies into money-losing companies.
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You know about Germany's big push to replace nuclear energy with solar and wind power? Well, turns out, plans aren't going quite as expected. Kent investigates.
