Corporate procurement

Clean energy

Google plans to build gigawatts of clean power and data centers together

Can tech giants overcome grid bottlenecks by locating data centers near new wind, solar, and battery projects? Google and Intersect Power intend to give it a try.

By Jeff St. John . 10 December 2024

three people putting up solar panels on open land — (Intersect Power)

Nuclear

Data centers want to tap existing nuclear power. Is that good or bad?

Tech giants are working to divert zero-carbon, round-the-clock nuclear power to massive new data centers. Regulators and climate advocates are concerned.

By Jeff St. John . 12 August 2024
Clean industry

These startups are teaming up to decarbonize cement and concrete

Producing these key materials takes a toll on the climate. A new alliance aims to accelerate the adoption of low-carbon solutions.

By Maria Gallucci . 17 January 2024
Clean energy manufacturing

Can the US lead on clean aluminum? Ford, GM and others hope so

A group of 14 major aluminum buyers wants the U.S. to invest in low-carbon production of the metal, which is vital for EVs, solar panels and many other products.

By Alison F. Takemura . 5 October 2023
Solar

Rivian backs massive solar plant atop old coal mine in Kentucky

The 800MW colossus from BrightNight sets a new standard for renewables construction that benefits communities and the local environment as well as the climate.

By Julian Spector . 4 August 2023
Climate crisis

'Greenhushing' is the hot new trend in corporate climate shenanigans

Worried about lawsuits, big companies are withholding important information about their climate goals and their plans for meeting them.

By Kate Yoder . 25 July 2023
Corporate procurement

Big companies seek new paths to deep grid decarbonization

GM, Meta, Walmart and other big clean-energy buyers launch new effort to look at transmission, virtual power plants and other tools beyond clean-energy contracts.

By Jeff St. John . 19 July 2023
Geothermal

Startup claims breakthrough in turning the earth's heat into clean power

Fervo Energy, an enhanced geothermal company, says its pilot site in Nevada shows it’s possible to produce “24/7 carbon-free energy” in new geographies.

By Maria Gallucci . 18 July 2023
Solar

Google’s latest climate plan? Skip grid backlog, mimic community solar

EDP Renewables and Google plan to spread a big solar buildout across 80 small projects, with 10% of revenue dedicated to environmental-justice benefits.

By Jeff St. John . 25 April 2023
Corporate procurement

Companies need a faster way to buy clean energy. Here’s a new solution

Big corporate wind and solar purchases can take over a year to complete. Google and LevelTen have come up with a way to shrink that down to 8 weeks.

By Jeff St. John . 10 April 2023
Emissions reduction

Carbon credits could soon help fund distributed clean energy projects

Voluntary carbon offset markets are under fire. WattCarbon CEO McGee Young sees heat pump retrofits, demand response and community solar as a better target.

By Jeff St. John . 13 February 2023