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An illustration of a donut chart on top of a split screen picture of wind turbines on one side and an aerial view of waves on the ocean on the other. The whole illustration has a blue-green cast. — Offshore wind is growing — except in North America
Asia and Europe each have well over 200 times more offshore wind power than North America, according to a recent report. The divide feels emblematic of this moment in time. Data Dives
Anca Gurzu 2 min read

Illustration that has a line chart in the foreground in color and a black and white background photo of lots of packs of giant batteries lined up as if in a production setting. — U.S. leaps over China in battery investment — for now
The role reversal in battery-investment dominance is the result of two converging trends: tax credits in the U.S. and China pulling back its expenditures in the sector. Data Dives
Cat Clifford 2 min read

An illustration of a solar panel going into a — Solar energy is beyond politics
Recent debates have cast support for solar energy as a partisan issue. But the benefits of solar don’t belong to one political party. Voices
JD Dillon 3 min read

An illustration of a worker wearing a iron-working helmet and face shield stoking an industrial furnace; the sparks form a bar chart in blues and greens. — After years of historic growth, industrial cleantech investments falter
Investments into industrial decarbonization technologies edged down in the first quarter of 2025. Those investments are expected to fall further as companies pledge less money to the sector. Data Dives
Cat Clifford 2 min read

Why tariffs pose a bigger risk to renewable energy than fossil fuels

Tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump will likely hit the supply chains for wind and solar much harder than supply chains for fossil fuels. Data Dives

Cat Clifford 2 min read

Thumbnail for the data dive showing renewables are more vulnerable to tariffs.

How China dominates critical minerals in three charts

The tariff war has laid bare the Western world's dependency on China for key elements such as rare earths, silicon, graphite and more. Explainers

Anca Gurzu 4 min read

Image showing a hand holding a trophy with a Chinese flag, a windmill, an electric car and element symbols in the background

The U.S. and China drive data center power consumption

As artificial intelligence becomes an increasingly important pillar in our day-to-day lives, demand for electricity to power all that AI is expected to rise. Data Dives

Anca Gurzu 2 min read

An illustration with a white background and a black and white globe on top of it, with a red square with the outline of the country of China in it and a blue square with the outline of the United States in it. Behind the globe and the boxes is an area line chart with sections in shades of blue, red and grey. And on top of that, there is a stylized drawing of the computer banks inside a data center.

The U.S. imports virtually all its uranium for nuclear power

The United States imports 99% of the uranium concentrate it needs to make fuel for its nuclear reactors — but that could be changing. Data Dives

Cat Clifford 2 min read

An area line chart in blue and green transposed over a black and white aerial photograph of a nuclear power plant.

With Trump’s support, nuclear energy eyes a revival

Amid its high-profile embrace of fossil fuels, the Trump administration is also backing nuclear energy, a carbon-free and steady source of power with enduring bipartisan support. The commitment is coming at a key time for the sector. Latest News

Cat Clifford 6 min read

An illustration of a nuclear cooling tower with a ladder on it and a construction barrier in front of it, with packing boxes surrounding it. There are also boxes on the tower with drawings of President Trump, a checklist and the U.S. Capitol building. The background is green.

Solar and batteries drive cleantech construction

More than half the cleantech projects announced across the United States in 2024 had begun construction or were operating at year’s end, according to a Cipher analysis. Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid 2 min read

An illustration with a three dimensional bar chart in the foreground, with cleantech icons above the bars (one for wind, one for solar and one for batteries). There's also a hand holding a megaphone hovering over the chart.

Tariffs threaten U.S. steel and aluminum supply chains

China, Canada and Mexico are the largest suppliers of steel and aluminum products to the United States. Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid 2 min read

An illustration of a stacked bar chart on top of a giant cargo ship; the bar chart stacks are where the shipping containers would normally know. The ship is in the middle of the ocean and the sky is green.

Geothermal is the rare renewable energy winning favor in Trump’s America

With roots from the oil industry and a clean profile, geothermal is emerging as the one renewable energy the Trump administration actually likes. Latest News

Cat Clifford 6 min read

Energy Secretary Chris Wright speaking at the Geothermal House DC MAGMA event hosted by nonprofit geothermal advocacy organization Project InnerSpace on Tuesday March 4.

Five ways America risks global leadership on cleantech and climate

The Trump administration’s war on clean energy, from solar panels to electric cars and batteries, could imperil the United States’ leadership globally as those technologies gain favor around the world. Latest News

Cipher Staff 6 min read

An illustration of four flags -- U.S., EU, UK and China, skiing down a snowy slope that is also a solar panel. The flags have cartoon arms and legs and skis and poles. The U.S. flag is waiting at the top of the slope while the other three flags race down. Snow flurries and windmills are in the background.

CERAWeek revisited: What a difference a decade makes

In 2016, energy producers at this giant energy conference were worried about supply far outstripping demand. This year, attendees obsessed about the opposite: the seemingly insatiable amount of energy the country needs. Latest News

Bill Spindle 3 min read

Illustration: An aging man with long white hair holds up a clock that goes from 2016 to 2025 and has a smokestack in it emitting lots of smoke. The background behind the man, who is in black and white, is green and dotted with icons: an oil drum, a shipping container, an oil jack, the state of Texas, and a little decal that reads

CERAWeek and the power of plenty

'More, more, more' has been the mantra of the giant energy conference CERAWeek by S&P Global this year, writes Bill Spindle from the event in Houston. Reporter's Notebook

Bill Spindle 3 min read

An illustration that has a notebook, with the words

These types of climate technologies could receive a bump under Trump

Clean energy technologies long considered compatible with oil and natural gas are likely to have a leading edge in the U.S. The shifting landscape has been evident in Houston this week at an annual energy confab. Latest News

Amena H. Saiyid & Bill Spindle 5 min read

An illustration of an oil drilling machine (

Power demand to tariffs: Five themes to watch at CERAWeek

As the event gets underway today, anticipation is running higher than normal because of the head-spinning changes in Washington as President Donald Trump’s administration puts its mark on United States energy policy. Latest News

Bill Spindle 3 min read

An illustration with six bubbles against a blue background. The bubbles contain a cargo ship, electricity towers, an oil jack, a judge's gavel, a stack of documents and the words

Batteries had a banner 2024, but the outlook this year is less certain

Battery manufacturing drew more investments than any other type of cleantech production in the United States last year, owing to demand in the power and transportation sectors. Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid < 1

An illustration showing a bar chart against a black back drop with a battery symbol in the top lefthand corner and a pile of cash in front of the bar chart.

Under Trump, carbon capture sector mulls rebrand and sees optimism

While some parts of the clean energy sector have faced high-profile criticism under the new Trump administration — think electric cars and wind energy — carbon capture technologies have so far not faced similar scrutiny. Uncertainty still looms large. Latest News

Amena H. Saiyid 5 min read

An illustration with a cut out in the shape of Donald Trump's head with a power plant, cast in green, inside the cutout. On a blue background behind the cut out, there's also a scribbled silhouette of Trump's head in what looks like a darker blue marker.

Cipher roundup: Funding freeze, IRA, tariffs, layoffs and Russia

Cipher’s reporters have been following the latest energy and climate developments. We’re providing a high-level look at where things stand on several key topics, including quick analysis from our team and top news stories. Latest News

Cipher Staff 7 min read

A drawing of a tornado filled with clean energy tech — a wind turbine, a solar panel, etc., and a woman with a green lasso around the tornado, pulling on it. She has a green swizzle above her head to suggest confusion.

Solar’s dizzying investments return to normal level

China's investments in solar factories plunged after reaching a high in 2023. U.S. investments, meanwhile, are steadily rising. Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid 2 min read

An illustration that has a bar chart in the foreground and a photo of a man standing in front of a solar panel in a factory setting in the background. The photo is tinted light blue.

Selling more American gas to Europe: What’s possible and when

Donald Trump's threat to slap tariffs on Europe has sparked a debate about what more U.S gas might mean for the continent. Explainers

Anca Gurzu 4 min read

An illustration which shows one set of hands holding up a canister of gas (marked with a little flame and the initials

A re-energized Trump seeks to boost fossil fuel production, dismantle climate programs

In the first 24 hours of his second presidency, Donald Trump laid the foundation for his “America First” energy agenda over the next four years. Latest News

Amena H. Saiyid 5 min read

President Donald Trump sits at a desk with the seal of the president of the United States on it and holds up a black folder with two pieces of white paper on it with writing and his large signature in black ink. Vice President JD Vance stands behind him, looking up at the crowd. They are on stage at the Capital One Arena and in the photo you can see red electronic banners that read

As Trump is sworn in, fossil fuels are already booming

The evolving energy systems in the United States are a humbling reminder of the limited power American presidents have over this sector, despite the political rhetoric coming out of Washington. Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid 2 min read

A bar chart where the bar on the far left is taller than all the others and has the American flag in it. The background behind the bar chart shows oil rigs nodding in front of a red sunrise.

National pride at a wilderness park and a research lab

Cat Clifford experienced some unexpected pride when she visited a wilderness area in the northern United States and a national lab in California last year. Reporter's Notebook

Cat Clifford 3 min read

An illustration of a notebook with the words

Meet the unflappable physicist helping make fusion possible

Fusion could, if scaled up, promise a virtually unlimited, low-carbon and reliable source of power. Getting there will require more leadership from people like Richard Town. Latest News

Cat Clifford 5 min read

Richard Town, who leads the inertial confinement fusion program at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, standing inside the National Ignition Facility at Livermore.

The world’s fastest supercomputer is accelerating efforts to bring star power to Earth

Across the fusion industry, advances in artificial intelligence are helping unlock new frontiers. AI is also, perhaps ironically, driving up demand for the kind of electricity fusion could provide. Latest News

Cat Clifford 6 min read

Photo inside the chamber at the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Lab.

Data centers drive up projected electricity growth in the U.S.

In just two years, the growth of data centers — fueled in part by artificial intelligence’s rapid integration into our livelihoods — have dramatically reshaped expectations for future energy consumption in the United States. Data Dives

Cat Clifford 2 min read

A robotic hand holds a bar chart with three blue bars in it. The hand and the background are all overlaid in green.

2025 climate solutions trends: Scrutiny, humility and surprises (probably!)

Amy Harder shares the five global climate solutions trends she's watching in 2025. Harder Line

Amy Harder 5 min read

An illustration of the year

Eleventh-hour hydrogen rule to face uncertainty in Trump administration

The Biden administration released its long-awaited final guidance for clean hydrogen tax credits. The rules are crucial for the nascent sector to move forward — and face uncertainty under the incoming Trump administration. Latest News

Amena H. Saiyid 4 min read

An illustration of a hydrogen plant powered by wind turbines on an island of green foliage floating on a blue backdrop.

Rounding up the best of Cipher in 2024

This was a big year for the energy transition and a busy year for Cipher. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite articles from 2024 and offer them to you here for easy reading. Latest News

Cipher Staff 4 min read

A collage of many illustrations with a thin blue overlay and

Oil and gas techniques could unlock geothermal energy’s global potential

Cutting edge technologies to tap the heat beneath the earth's surface could supply as much as 8% of the global electricity mix, according to the IEA's latest findings. Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid 2 min read

Illustration showing a bar chart, with the bars growing steadily to the right, on top of a photo of a geothermal system. The photo has a green overlay on top of it, making the whole image mostly green.

2024 reflections: AI power, elections and more

We knew some of what this year would bring — like consequential elections — while some events took many of us by surprise — like a sudden boom in electricity demand fueled (largely) by artificial intelligence. Harder Line

Amy Harder 5 min read

An illustration of the Earth in the top of an hourglass, slowly disintegrating into sand that's falling through the hourglass. Next to the hourglass, on the right, the year

Cipher analysis: Emerging clean technologies see sharp drop in investments this year

Spending announced for several key emerging clean technologies in the United States fell this year, as market forces, lack of infrastructure and political and regulatory uncertainty disrupted the momentum built up in recent years. Latest News

Amena H. Saiyid 4 min read

An illustration of three large storage containers lined up in a row, one with

Northeast leads U.S. in storing energy for long periods

The region boasts at least three of the small handful of grid-scale facilities that can store more than eight hours of power. Most of the battery systems being installed around the country have a maximum storage capacity of just four hours. Latest News

Amena H. Saiyid 5 min read

An illustration showing the Northeastern United States and three green dots, one on Nantucket island and two on Long Island, with lines coming from a battery unit with

What Trump’s win means for China’s cleantech industry

The 2024 U.S. election results mean uncertainty — and potential opportunities — to Chinese firms and researchers. Latest News

Xiaoying You 5 min read

A photo of a solar panel in a manufacturing facility with flourescent lighting and workers in the background and big blue Chinese characters on the wall.

Global cleantech market to top $2 trillion by 2035 – IEA

The global clean technology market has more than tripled in the last eight years and, under current policies, is expected to nearly triple again by 2035. Data Dives

Cat Clifford 2 min read

Illustration of a horizontal bar chart superimposed over a dark blue map of the world.

How to improve life for humanity — and not worsen global warming

Access to reliable energy dramatically improves the quality of people’s lives. And the world needs a lot more energy to bring billions of people out of poverty. Explainers

Cat Clifford 4 min read

An illustration with dots coming out from a globe.

Election day with a political junkie

Election Day was a day of firsts for me as a political reporter and long-time Washington resident. Reporter's Notebook

Amena H. Saiyid 4 min read

An illustration of a notebook with an outline of the United States and a red check mark. The notebook is surrounded by a pen and a

What does Trump’s win mean for the energy transition? We asked these 7 experts

Leading experts share what Trump's win in the U.S. presidential election means for domestic and global climate and clean energy initiatives. Latest News

Amena H. Saiyid 4 min read

An illustration with a black and white photo of Trump in the center, the Capitol building behind him, and text boxes filled with clean energy icons all around him.

With Donald Trump victory, here are his energy and climate positions

Donald Trump won the presidential election, injecting uncertainty and a possible slowing of the energy transition, both domestically and around the world. Explainers

Tory Lysik & Amena H. Saiyid 2 min read

An illustration of the white house surrounded by energy icons — solar panels, wind turbines, hydrogen tanks — and president elect Donald Trump smiling.

Get caught up fast: Comparing Harris and Trump on energy and climate

As Americans head to the polls, they face a clear choice between two contrasting visions for climate and clean energy policies. Explainers

Tory Lysik & Amena H. Saiyid 3 min read

Illustration showing Kamala Harris in blue and Donald Trump in red with the U.S. Capitol building in green between them. Icons for solar panels, nuclear, wind, hydrogen and fossil fuels surround them.

Amid historic U.S. election, an unprecedented energy transformation

Clean energy use is climbing, often rapidly, and yet at the same time, America has become the world’s biggest producer of oil and natural gas. Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid 2 min read

Illustration of the U.S. Capitol building opening up and lines from a line chart are coming out of it; graph paper is the background.

Why cleantech is booming in GOP-led states

Whether it’s storing carbon dioxide, making wind turbines, installing solar panels or producing electric vehicles, Republican-leaning states are outpacing their Democratic counterparts in drawing coveted investment dollars. Explainers

Amena H. Saiyid 4 min read

An illustration of the United States, with some of the states highlighted in red. Around the map there are green icons of wind turbines, solar power, nuclear energy, biofuels and batteries.

In Wisconsin, I saw how the global energy transition is a local challenge

Cat Clifford shares what she learned while having tricky conversations about clean energy in Wisconsin ahead of the 2024 election. Reporter's Notebook

Cat Clifford 3 min read

Illustration for the Wisconsin Reporter's Notebook

What it takes to build green energy in fossil fuel-dependent Wisconsin

For Wisconsin to lower its reliance fossil fuels, it will need a lot more solar farms. But in politically-purple Wisconsin, government pressure to pursue more clean energy has been middling. Latest News

Cat Clifford 5 min read

A hand puts the state of Wisconsin into a ballot box surrounded by cheese and piles of coal and solar panels.

A reporter finds hope at a solar-powered school in Pennsylvania

Amena H. Saiyid shares the moving experience she had visiting the Steelton-Highspire School District while reporting on clean energy in Pennsylvania ahead of the 2024 election. Reporter's Notebook

Amena H. Saiyid 3 min read

An illustration of a notebook that says

Pennsylvania schools turn to solar for a cleaner — cheaper — future

The Steelton-Highspire school runs its buildings on 100% solar power and has a fleet of electric buses. In Steelton and communities like it across this politically divided state, the interest in clean energy stems primarily from the potential cost savings. Latest News

Amena H. Saiyid 5 min read

An illustration with a blue background that has a hand holding the shape of Pennsylvania with

A reporter returns home to Michigan to take stock of cleantech

After decades living and working overseas, Bill Spindle recently jumped at the chance to return to Ann Arbor to look at the city’s ambitious decarbonization plans ahead of the coming U.S. presidential election. Reporter's Notebook

Bill Spindle 2 min read

An illustration of a notebook with the words

In Michigan, climate and clean energy initiatives are gaining momentum

The city of Ann Arbor in eastern Michigan shows how elections can make a difference in clean energy momentum. Latest News

Bill Spindle 5 min read

Illustration of a hand putting a cutout of the state of Michigan into a ballot box, with a tree, solar panels and an electric car drawn around the ballot box.

To address surging power demand, let’s value all clean energy

To meet surging energy demand without building new fossil fuel power plants, we need to embrace new zero-carbon energy technologies — and new market mechanisms to finance them. Voices

McGee Young 3 min read

An illustration with a green background and a hand holding up a smartphone with a house with solar panels on it and wind turbines and a nuclear power reactor coming out of it. There's also a thermostat set to 72 and an arrow pointing up behind the hand.

Progress under a microscope at New York Climate Week

Cipher’s team was on the ground in the Big Apple. In all the chaos and busyness, here’s what stood out to our reporters. Latest News

Cipher Staff 6 min read

Photo of traffic in NYC, a sign above the traffic warns of gridlock.

China, Qatar and U.S. lead, depending on how you judge emissions

Two different ways to measure emissions paint very different pictures of the problem, leading countries to conflicting conclusions about how to address global warming. Data Dives

Bill Spindle 2 min read

Bar chart with smoke stacks in the background. Illustration.

New York leads the way on cleaning up our buildings

New York is showing other states how to transform their buildings and save people money. Voices

Sara Baldwin 3 min read

Illustration of a building in black and white with green fire escapes, light blue background.

Lower interest rates should offer relief to renewables

The events of the last few years have changed the math for clean energy projects, and the industry’s challenges are far from over. Latest News

Bill Spindle 4 min read

An illustration of a wind turbine, solar panel and hydrogen tank with a parachute lowering a percent symbol.

GOP states won’t abandon cleantech if Trump wins, report predicts

Republican-leaning states are unlikely to abandon approved clean energy projects if former President Donald Trump wins a second term in office, a new analysis by Rystad Energy shows. Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid 2 min read

Illustration of four area charts in a grid, one has been turned into a speech bubble being held up by a hand and then another hand holds up an American flag in black and white.

Renewable hydrogen can unlock green steel promise

Clean hydrogen is a potential game-changer for the steel industry. To realize all the benefits of sustainable steelmaking, the government needs to commit to hydrogen made from renewable energy. Voices

Hilary Lewis 3 min read

Illustration of a person with a hydrogen molecule for a head holding up a giant key and holding it up to a key hole in a bar of steel.

Very big batteries are coming to a grid near you

Large batteries are rapidly connecting to the power grid in the United States as costs fall and the need to store electricity soars. Data Dives

Bill Spindle < 1

An illustration that shows a line graph with a sudden steep upward curve. Underneath the curve are giant battery systems. To the left of the curve, three battery symbols represent a battery charging.

Space solar inspires hope and skepticism as it inches closer to reality

The idea of powering the planet with energy from space is revolutionary and intriguing. Until recently, it seemed unfeasible. Latest News

Anca Gurzu 5 min read

An illustration of an astronaut of a ladder up into space from the surface of Earth, holding up a solar panel to get the rays of the sun. The solar panel is plugged into a plug on the surface of Earth.

Majority of top states for jobs from new clean energy projects are GOP, battleground

Politically conservative and battleground states are leading the way in jobs created by new clean energy projects announced since President Biden’s signature climate law passed two years ago. Data Dives

Cat Clifford < 1

Illustration of a bar chart on top of an outline of the United States map with a black and white photo of wind turbines inside.

Here’s how cleantech stacks up in three swing states

We take stock of cleantech and the election in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Latest News

Cipher Staff 5 min read

An illustration of the states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania above a ballot box where a hand is submitting a green leaf.

Wind and solar drive new U.S. tax credit market

A new clean energy tax credit market created by the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act is drawing transactions in the billions, essentially freeing up dollars for the clean energy developers to invest anew in the cleantech space. Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid 2 min read

Illustration of a pie chart on top of a calculator and a computer.

Charting Texas’ road to becoming a renewable energy powerhouse

Texas may be known for its love of fossil fuels, but that hasn’t gotten in the way of a renewable energy boom in the state. Wind, solar and batteries are all drastically changing the energy mix in the state’s electricity system. Data Dives

Bill Spindle 2 min read

A bar chart superimposed on top of an illustration of a wind turbine and a solar panel.

Mapping clean energy on the highway

The very same roads that have fueled our car culture, and carbon emissions, could ultimately play a vital role powering our national grid with clean energy. Voices

Allie Kelly & Pat Cummens 3 min read

An aerial view of a highway with solar panels next to it, with a map of the highway intersection superimposed on top of it.

At two years, GOP states benefit the most from climate law

At the two-year anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act, the nation's signature climate law, Republican-led states are benefiting most from the law's clean energy tax credits. Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid 2 min read

Illustration with a green bar chart overlaid on top of a photo of two people standing by a large wind turbine in a field.

We have questions about electrolyzers, the machines making clean hydrogen… These executives have answers

Cipher sat down with executives from a handful of companies making electrolyzers, the machines that make clean hydrogen using renewable energy, to get the lay of the land. Q&A

Amena H. Saiyid 4 min read

Demand is growing for hydrogen-making electrolyzers. What exactly are they?

As demand grows for electrolyzers, Cipher explains what these machines are and why they are so critical to meeting U.S. goals for clean hydrogen as a viable alternative to emissions-intensive fossil fuels. Explainers

Amena H. Saiyid 6 min read

An illustration with a blue background showing a contraption in green in the foreground that has an electronic-looking device on the left and a bottle on the right, the two are connected by a thin tube and there's

Nuclear energy could undergo a renaissance. Here’s what to know.

So much innovation is happening in the nuclear industry right now. There is fresh optimism about new ways nuclear power can help decarbonize global economies. And, at the same time, the nuclear industry must show it is up to the challenge. Explainers

Cat Clifford 11 min read

How to understand new nuclear energy

The nuclear industry is attempting to reinvent itself. To meet growing demand for clean, always-on energy, companies and governments are developing innovative nuclear plants that come in smaller sizes and use more advanced, and potentially safer, technologies. Explainers

Cat Clifford 6 min read

A hand from above reaches down and selects the medium size of three cups; there is also one small and one large, and they all have a nuclear power symbol on them.

Industrial emissions poised to become largest U.S. carbon source 

The industrial sector is slated to become the largest source of carbon emissions in the United States over the next decade, according to new data from the Rhodium Group shared exclusively with Cipher.  Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid 2 min read

Industrial emissions are poised to become the largest source of U.S. emissions in the next decade, even surpassing the transportation sector, according to Rhodium Group's new findings, shared exclusively with Cipher.

U.S. cleantech spending benefits marginalized communities

Communities hit hardest by climate impacts, unchecked pollution and coal-related job losses have received an outsized share of U.S. cleantech spending under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, according to an updated Clean Investment Monitor analysis shared exclusively with Cipher. Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid 2 min read

An illustration with a light blue back drop and a bar chart in green and dark blue on top.

Electric vehicle prices remain higher than traditional cars everywhere but China

Electric vehicle prices plunged below those of traditional, petrol-fueled cars in China over the past five years but remain higher than the price of traditional cars in the United States. Data Dives

Bill Spindle 2 min read

Illustration where the lines from a line chart hover over a dark drawing of a car.

Trade is key to countering China’s clean energy dominance

Contrary to today’s protectionist trends, the best antidote to concerns about China’s cleantech dominance is more trade, not less. Voices

Jason Bordoff 5 min read

Illustration of two ships, one blue with an American flag, one red with a Chinese flag. In the sky, the clouds are slightly green and shaped like the continents of the Earth.

We have to talk like humans to build demand for climate solutions

Three principles for how to communicate about climate solutions in a way that resonates with people and leads to significant increases in public support. Voices

John Marshall 2 min read

Illustration showing two silhouettes talking to one another with a green and a red speech bubble coming out of each head, one with wind turbines and the other with a nuclear plant drawn on it.

Private sector “race to the top” crucial for the transition, John Kerry says

The energy transition has a price tag in the trillions of dollars. Securing all that funding will depend heavily on the private sector, says the former U.S. climate envoy. Latest News

Anca Gurzu 2 min read

Four people sit on a stage in front of an audience with the words

U.S. and EU must accelerate energy transition despite headwinds, say top policy advisors

Progress toward decarbonization is picking up, but the challenges are also growing, three top advisors told the audience at the Breakthrough Energy Summit in London. Latest News

Bill Spindle 4 min read

Four people, a woman and three men, sit on stage in front of a large audience. One man is shown gesturing with his hands as he speaks on a video screen.

Despite unprecedented clean energy growth, it’s still a fossil fuel world

It’s a testament to the exponential growth of renewables that fossil fuels’ share of global energy consumption has not risen in recent decades even as the demand for energy climbs. Data Dives

Cat Clifford < 1

An illustration showing a line chart transposed on top of an image of the smokestack of a fossil fuel power plant.

Get to know this secret climate tech star

Catch up on Cipher's full profile of MIT professor and serial entrepreneur Yet-Ming Chiang. Latest News

Cat Clifford 11 min read

Illustration with a blue background showing the same man in a variety of different poses.

U.S. could surpass China as clean hydrogen leader

Armed with a robust pipeline of projects, the United States could surpass China as the world's top clean hydrogen producer as early as next year, according to recent projections shared exclusively with Cipher. Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid 2 min read

An illustration of a bar chart imposed over a hydrogen fuel station

How a secret climate star turns ‘stone soup’ into climate progress

Professor and serial entrepreneur Yet-Ming Chiang's superpower is getting the right people around a cutting-edge idea and helping bring out their best Latest News

Cat Clifford 6 min read

Three men stand in front of a sheer rock face.

Meet the MIT professor who is a secret star of climate tech innovation

If you’re not deeply enmeshed in climate tech innovation, there’s a good chance you don’t know the name Yet-Ming Chiang. But if you are, you probably do — or you know about the companies he has helped launch. Latest News

Cat Clifford 6 min read

A man stands smiling with his arms crossed in front of scientific laboratory equipment.

How one oil producer is pursuing “net-zero” oil

On its face, the phrase “net zero oil” may sound like an oxymoron. But Texas oil major Occidental Petroleum already has a buyer lined up to purchase such a product. Latest News

Cat Clifford 5 min read

Illustration showing a barrel of oil with

Lithium leads critical minerals boom: Cipher tracker

North Carolina and Nevada are emerging as centers of mining and processing lithium, a mineral critical for electric vehicle batteries and energy storage. The article examines the progress the United States has made since the enactment of key federal laws in establishing manufacturing facilities to make battery ready lithium. Latest News

Amena H. Saiyid 6 min read

An illustration showing a map of a region in North Carolina where there is a proposed lithium mine and someone holding up a rock containing lithium.

Nickel illustrates China conundrum on critical minerals

Nickel refining offers a case study of the complex challenges the world faces in ramping up the use of minerals needed to drive the global clean energy transition. Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid 2 min read

IEA graph showing Chinese dominance of the battery supply chain.

Inside a (nearly) ‘net-zero’ natural gas plant

NET Power's demonstration plant is an example of innovative efforts in a small but growing segment of the oil and gas industry to find ways to reduce emissions associated with using their products. Explainers

Cat Clifford 6 min read

An exterior view of the NET Power demonstration plant in LaPorte, Texas.

How we can fix the electrician shortage

Electricians have an indispensable role to play in the energy transition. And we need a lot more of them. Voices

Tracy K. Price 3 min read

Illustration of an electrician with a lightning bolt insignia on his chest.

Full U.S. energy loan chief interview: utilities, hydrogen and more

Jigar Shah, head of the U.S. Energy Department’s Loan Programs Office, shares his thoughts on disrupting the power sector, hydrogen production and transportation and more. Latest News

Cat Clifford 8 min read

An photo collage including a picture of Jigar Shah, head of the DOE's Loan Programs Office, a government building, and solar panels.

EPA’s new power plant rule spotlights carbon capture role in cutting emissions

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency unveiled its final rule to limit carbon pollution from the existing fleet of coal-fired plants and not yet built natural gas fired plants. Latest News

Amena H. Saiyid 3 min read

A man, Michael Regan, speaks in a wood paneled room (a Congressional hearing room).

Cleaner burning aviation fuels poised for takeoff

Production of cleaner burning sustainable aviation fuels in the U.S. is set to surge in the next 10 years with the help of policy incentives, airline demand and available feedstocks. Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid 2 min read

Line Graph showing the surge in SAF production in the United States.

U.S. energy loan chief wants “culture and norms” disrupted

Jigar Shah is trying to use his perch overseeing the department’s Loan Programs Office to help move the multi-headed behemoth that is the U.S. electricity industry into a decarbonized future. Latest News

Cat Clifford 5 min read

Photo of the the Department of Energy Building in downtown Washington DC, USA, against a blue backdrop.

Helping entrepreneurial scientists cross the first ‘Valley of Death’

Many scientists develop breakthrough materials and new processes that could be successful commercial products. But most of these breakthroughs remain in lab notebooks or seminar slides and never translate into startup ideas. Voices

David Jaramillo 3 min read

Illustration, scientist stands in front of a deep valley, with a wind turbine and solar panels on one side and an oil rig on the other. Blue background.

US investment in carbon removal needs to increase exponentially, finds report

To reach net zero by midcentury, the United States will need to be able to remove a gigaton of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere per year by 2050, according to Rhodium Group. Data Dives

Cat Clifford 2 min read

Bar charts running from top to bottom in shades of blue.

Surging power demand spurs smarter electric grid use

Electricity demand is going up; building new transmission lines is really hard. But there are a number of improvements that could help us get more out of the existing grid today. Explainers

Cat Clifford 7 min read

An illustration with a blue background with overlapping pictures of different transmission towers, with a green arrow pointing up and to the right.

US battery and solar factories surged last year

Despite economic headwinds, the number of announced cleantech manufacturing facilities in the U.S. continued to rise throughout 2023, primarily thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act. Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid < 1

Bar chart; bars are various shades of blue and green.

A political surprise in coal country could provide a lesson for oil country

Conservative U.S. states like Texas, with deep historical and economic connections to the fossil fuel industry, could learn from Poland, once a fossil fuel stronghold turning toward renewables. Voices

Pete Harrison 3 min read

Illustration of a globe with Texas and Poland emphasized with two hands in front, one holding a solar array and one holding a dump truck filled with coal.

Changes in US tax rules provide big boost for renewables

Changes in how U.S. tax credits can be deployed are giving renewable energy financing a big boost. Explainers

Bill Spindle 3 min read

Animated illustration, dollar bills blow in front of the word

With China’s dominance, cement emissions poised to grow

Cement emissions in economically developing parts of the world could double by the end of this century. Data Dives

Amy Harder < 1

Line chart.

CO2 emissions from producing hydrogen vary wildly

Relying on even a relatively small share of grid electricity to make hydrogen with an electrolyzer can have significant carbon costs if the grid itself is dirty. Data Dives

Cat Clifford 2 min read

Green and blue bar charts side by side.

AI teeters between climate boon and energy burden

Artificial intelligence can help tackle the thorniest climate problems. But there’s a catch: It uses a ton of energy. Latest News

Cat Clifford 6 min read

Aerial view of a modular data center, with mountains in the background of the photo.

Climate, AI and energy security drive CERAWeek confab

One of the world’s largest energy conferences, CERAWeek, is underway this week in Texas. It's the first major gathering of the energy industry since COP28. Latest News

Amena H. Saiyid 3 min read

An illustration of a group of people milling about in front of a sign that says

US, Europe struggle to keep up with China’s EV growth

Nearly two-thirds of all forecasted electric vehicle (EV) sales this year will likely be in China. Data Dives

Anca Gurzu < 1

Biofuels offer low-hanging fruit in nascent carbon capture industry

Ethanol’s characteristics — smaller plants and denser streams of CO2 emissions — make carbon capture easier and cheaper compared with other industries. Latest News

Amena H. Saiyid 4 min read

An ear of corn hangs from a drying stalk in a field of corn with a grain storage tank out of focus in the background.

Changing the relationship between mining and Native American Tribes

To move forward with mining projects on or near Tribal lands, we need to right past wrongs and build projects that are designed with and for Tribes. Voices

Morgan Bazilian, Daniel Cardenas, & Rick Tallman 3 min read

An aerial photo of an arid plain surrounded by mountains with a blue sky above dotted with a few white clouds.

China, India lean on coal-fired power to shore up economies

The emissions increase from coal-fired generation in these two countries along with emissions from other emerging economies more than offset the declines in coal power achieved by the United States, the European Union and other wealthier economies. Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid < 1

John Kerry left his climate mark — and he’s not done

As the U.S. climate envoy prepares to leave his current post, he reflects on his career and how he plans to stay engaged in climate action. Latest News

Anca Gurzu 6 min read

An illustration depicts John Kerry sitting at a speaking engagement, with a group of climate change industry icons behind him.

Amid news of slowdown, electric car sales set to keep growing

Electric-car sales grew at a rapid clip last year in the United States and are set to keep growing in the years ahead. Data Dives

Amy Harder 2 min read

A line chart with a line in green that then branches into a line in a lighter green and a blue line below it.

Airports face an energy “perfect storm” — but there’s a way out

The traditional energy infrastructure airport operators have relied on for the past half century may not be able to keep pace with ballooning power requirements. For many airports, it’s time to think outside the grid. Voices

Juan Macias 3 min read

Collage image of airport symbols and clean energy highlighted in green on a blue background.

High school climate curriculum is boring. Let’s change that.

With a problem as crucial as climate change, we need to teach students about the solutions — and we need those lessons to stick. Voices

Vinesh Kothari 3 min read

Illustration of children in a classroom with an Earth and a thermometer on the blackboard.

Everything is bigger in Texas, including the hydrogen

Texas and neighboring Louisiana have attracted some of the biggest clean hydrogen projects in the country, according to Cipher's new Cleantech Tracker. Latest News

Amena H. Saiyid 4 min read

An illustration in black and white with an outline of the state of Texas and two hydrogen molecules, as well as a construction crane and hydrogen storage facilities in the background.

Looking back and ahead: climate tech trends in 2023 and 2024

Amy Harder shares reflections on 2023 and outlook for 2024. Harder Line

Amy Harder 5 min read

A thermometer with a globe at the end of it and the 2024 written next to it on a black backdrop.

In U.S., clean hydrogen draws more dollars than managing carbon

Clean hydrogen production is attracting more investment than any other emerging technology, Cipher's new Cleantech Tracker shows. Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid < 1

Stacked bar chart showing cleantech investment in emerging technologies between 2018 and third quarter of 2023.

Biden administration proposes tight clean power limits for making hydrogen

Biden administration proposes strict criteria for claiming production tax credits for producers using grid power to make hydrogen. Latest News

Amena H. Saiyid 3 min read

Image of John Podesta

A climate work visa to unlock global cleantech talent

To bridge the talent gap and accelerate global efforts toward a greener future, the Global North, including the U.S. and Europe, should implement a climate-focused visa program. Voices

Harshita Mira Venkatesh 3 min read

Engraving of immigrants arriving in New York harbor in the 1800s, people on a ship with the statue of liberty in the background.

United States home to more than 1/3 of cleantech startups

The United States is far and away the global leader when it comes to where cleantech companies are headquartered, but some metrics from a new report show its influence may be waning. Data Dives

Amy Harder < 1

pie chart

Africa’s critical minerals could play bigger role in U.S. energy transition

U.S. climate laws give African countries a new chance to get in on America’s manufacturing supply chains. Data Dives

Bill Spindle 2 min read

How to build demand for clean hydrogen

Almost no clean hydrogen exists in the U.S. today, and barely any demand either. To fill these gaps, a debate is brewing about how exactly to use the odorless and abundant molecule in the most effective and efficient ways. Explainers

Amena H. Saiyid 4 min read

White pipes with a red release valve with 'Hydrogen H2' written on the side of a pipe.

Exclusive: In a first, MIT trains students to resolve clean energy conflicts

Students get academic credit and experience addressing real-world dilemmas, while the community and developer get free help resolving conflict. Latest News

Amy Harder 5 min read

Illustration of social panels surrounded by hands shaking in agreement

Cleantech startups spot government funding gap

Proponents of clean steel say they have identified a gap in tax credits that affects makers of a wide range of sustainable materials. Latest News

Amena H. Saiyid 4 min read

Worker pouring liquid metal into a crucible

Why the farm bill should embrace new technologies

The U.S. government needs to adapt its policies to help farmers make agriculture more productive, profitable and sustainable. The farm bill, slated for reauthorization this year, is an opportunity to do so. Voices

Karsten Temme 3 min read

A barn and cows in a field with two drones hovering overhead and a blue sky.

How a coal town revived itself and lessons for others

West Virginia, a major producer of coal and natural gas, should take a cue from Washington, a state whose energy system is dominated by hydropower but whose past featured coal. Voices

Sean O'Leary 3 min read

West Virginia coal plant.

Federal subsidies poised to ease U.S. reliance on imported wind parts

The United States relied on Mexico, India and Spain for key onshore wind energy parts in 2022. Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid 2 min read

Blue bar chart lines running from left to right.

Iron batteries offer an energy transition lesson

In Colorado, a promising new battery technology is being prepared for use by the state’s largest utility, Xcel Energy. It’s called an “iron-air” battery and, quite fittingly, it will be built in the iron and steel town of Pueblo. Voices

Simon Lomax 3 min read

Illustration of a manufacturing building with a roof covered in solar panels.

Here are the five states leading on cleantech investments

Electric cars and their supply chains are driving record cleantech investments across the United States, led by California, Texas and Florida. Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid < 1

Blue and green bar chart.

Exclusive: United inks largest deal for clean jet fuel with novel method

Houston-based startup Cemvita has inked a deal with United Airlines to supply 50,000 gallons a year of clean jet fuel made by microbes using recycled CO2. Latest News

Amena H. Saiyid 2 min read

Photo of an airplane landing on a runway

U.S. cleantech investment soars, new database finds

U.S. cleantech investments have nearly tripled in the past five years since the enactment of three key pieces of legislation, according to a new database from Rhodium Group and MIT CEEPR. Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid 2 min read

Blue and green horizontal bars.

John Podesta on big oil, extreme weather and wind woes

White House advisor John Podesta sat down with Cipher for an exclusive interview halfway through his promised two-year position leading the rollout of the biggest climate law in U.S. history. Q&A

Amy Harder 5 min read

Graphic of John Podesta

With climate change, feeling is more powerful than knowing

With record-breaking heat waves saturating headlines this summer, one might grow tired of such repetitive news about extreme weather. Unless — or more likely, until — it happens to you. Harder Line

Amy Harder 4 min read

Graphic of a woman's brain from the side

How AI and electric cars can rescue the grid

Last September, two months before the launch of ChatGPT, artificial intelligence (AI) was already helping keep the lights on for thousands of Californians during a historic heatwave. Voices

Annette Clayton 3 min read

Robotic hand adjusts a temperature dial from hot to cold. Outline of California in the background and a power transmission line.

Border carbon taxes poised to shut out lower income nations

Critics say a border carbon tax on dirtier and cheaper imports will result in an unjust energy transition for poorer countries in violation of the Paris Agreement. Latest News

Amena H. Saiyid 4 min read

Flags of developing countries over a picture of the Earth on one side and pennies cut to look like Pacmen surround a smokestack on the other.

One year into climate law, data shows U.S. lagging 2030 goals

One year after becoming law, recent studies by the Rhodium Group and BloombergNEF show the Inflation Reduction Act will have "a muted impact" on the industrial, agricultural and building sectors of the economy. Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid < 1

Colorful line chart representing different scenarios for IRA tax credits.

Europe sparks U.S. border carbon tax talks

Taking a page from the EU playbook, U.S. lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle are considering a border carbon tax on cheaper and dirtier imports. Latest News

Amena H. Saiyid 4 min read

Pacman coin engulfing ships and a factory representing dirty carbon imports.

Carbon recyclers say climate law could hurt business

Companies re-utilizing CO2 in the production of everyday products did not receive the same tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act as those involved in storing CO2, prompting questions of parity. Latest News

Amena H. Saiyid 4 min read

Smoke stacks in red and sustainable products like a dress and a plane in blue. Carbon emissions being reutilized in fabric, aviation fuel, etc.. instead of being released into the atmosphere.

Transatlantic cleantech deals are rising

Cleantech deals between the United States and the European Union increase. Data Dives

Anca Gurzu < 1

Bar chart in blue and green depicting transatlantic cleantech investments.

Bonus solar tax credits depend on unbuilt U.S. factories

Solar energy developers could earn bonus tax credits for using American-made content in their solar cells—but the factories making those key parts are not yet up and running. Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid < 1

Bar chart in shades of blue.

As tax debate rages, massive scale needed for clean hydrogen

The United States will need to turbocharge clean hydrogen production if it hopes to meet the Biden administration’s ambitious targets, according to a recent study by two think tanks. Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid 2 min read

Big oil sends cash to shareholders over drilling and cleantech

Despite record profits and a growing pile of cash, the world’s oil and gas industry has been slashing its investments in exploration and new production. Data Dives

Bill Spindle 2 min read

Chart of oil and gas industry's expenditures

Permitting stands in the way of a fossil-free electric grid

With the White House and members of the United States Congress debating how to expedite the nation’s permitting process for energy projects, a recent Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory study shows what’s at stake. Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid < 1

Chart of U.S. clean energy projects in the permitting queue in 2022

U.S. carbon storage projects pile up at EPA

As Washington wages parallel battles on permitting and new environmental regulations, one conundrum crisscrosses both: A pileup of permit applications to store carbon dioxide underground. Latest News

Amena H. Saiyid 5 min read

Why we’re in a business we wish didn’t need to exist

It’s odd to work every day developing an industry we wish didn’t have to exist. But that’s exactly what we’re doing. Each morning, we wake up and consider the different ways to pull carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Voices

Grant Faber, Na'im Merchant, & Noah McQueen 3 min read

How to understand the U.S. battle over hydrogen tax credits

A battle as complex as it is significant is brewing in the global race to secure government subsidies to scale up an American clean hydrogen economy. Explainers

Amena H. Saiyid 5 min read

In a first, U.S. renewables generation overtakes coal

The United States generated more electricity from renewable energy than from coal last year, a first that illustrates the transition underway in the country. Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid < 1

Chart showing renewables in U.S. overtaking coal-fired generation for first time in 2022

Renewables boss says world needs to prop up new energy system

Power grids, undersea cables and ports are overlooked yet essential connectors ensuring renewable energy can flow across great distances from production to consumption. Latest News

Anca Gurzu 3 min read

The Silicon Valley Bank collapse can be a catalyst for climate tech

The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank created a significant void in the world of climate finance, but it's now providing an opportunity for new support to emerge and for the industry to continue to grow and thrive. Voices

Katie Rae 2 min read

The clean energy transition is bigger than Silicon Valley Bank

A harmful and misguided narrative is taking shape that Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse could derail our progress in fighting climate change. From where I sit, I see no connection. Voices

Peter Davidson 2 min read

Three learnings from a tough week

For ten years, climate tech investing could feel as chilly as the ocean in my home state of Washington. It was hard to get others to jump in. Voices

Dawn Lippert 2 min read

Despite banking crisis, cleantech outlook stays positive

The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank—a huge lender to clean energy technology startups—poses short-term risk to the sector, but experts say its outlook over the longer horizon remains positive. Latest News

Amena H. Saiyid 3 min read

How to get the minerals we need in a clean energy future

Securing the critical minerals we need for a green energy future will require cleaning up mining practices, boosting recycling and innovating to be less dependent on them altogether. Explainers

Anca Gurzu 5 min read

The massive quest for the minerals we need in a clean energy future

The rush toward a clean energy future means we need to dig, extract and process Earth’s resources faster and better than ever before. Explainers

Anca Gurzu 5 min read

Record U.S. renewable electricity to replace fossil fuel power

The U.S. electricity grid is undergoing a rapid energy about-face: A record amount of clean energy is set to come online this year at the same time fossil-fuel power plants keep retiring at a fast clip, according to new data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Data Dives

Amena H. Saiyid < 1

chart of U.S. new electric-generating capacity planned for 2023

Nuclear support grows amid push for clean hydrogen

The United States’ first hydrogen plant fueled by nuclear energy has just powered up in New York. The moment reflects two trends converging in the past few years. Latest News

Amena H. Saiyid 3 min read

Cleantech race risks sidelining developing countries

The global cleantech race underway between the United States, Europe and China could leave developing countries behind. The world’s major economies are competing to become industrial leaders in the burgeoning cleantech sector. Latest News

Anca Gurzu 3 min read

Moving from talk to action on grid reliability

Increasingly common severe weather events are catapulting America’s aging power system into the headlines. When the lights are out for even a few hours, life as we know it is disrupted, often with tragic consequences. Voices

Rob Gramlich 3 min read

Why we can’t sacrifice our way out of climate change

Matt Rogers helped teach millions of homeowners to look for the leaf symbol on their Nest thermostats to save money—and curb climate change. Harder Line

Amy Harder 4 min read

Labor leads efforts to turn federal climate policy into good jobs

Successful pro-climate and pro-worker ballot initiatives in the 2022 midterm elections indicated voters across the United States want elected officials to lead on climate action that creates good jobs. Voices

Mike Fishman 3 min read

Energy security and federal climate funding to shape 2023

A historic 2022 will drive what happens this year. In our last December edition, we reflected on the five trends we predicted would shape 2022. This week, we’re looking at five trends we’re watching at Cipher in 2023. Harder Line

Amy Harder 5 min read

War and new climate law make history in 2022

Every year since 2018, I’ve looked back and ahead at the trends shaping the past year and the year to come, including reality checks of my previous predictions. We’re keeping the tradition going. Harder Line

Amy Harder 5 min read

Energy security and new laws fuel clean energy race

Nations are increasingly competing to establish themselves as pioneers of clean energy technologies, racing to boost energy self-sufficiency and green their economies. Latest News

Anca Gurzu 3 min read

Looking back to move ahead: Lessons learned from cleantech 1.0

Conventional wisdom says cleantech 1.0 was a bust. In a nutshell, cleantech 1.0: Beginning in 2006, venture capitalists poured more than $25 billion into clean energy technologies. Harder Line

Amy Harder 4 min read

Bending capitalism to fight climate change

Governments, corporations and nonprofits are coming up with novel ways to prod capitalism to help tackle—instead of fuel—climate change. Harder Line

Amy Harder 3 min read

Renewables are cheap but not always available: storage solutions

A race for commercial solutions is underway to store renewable energy for long periods of time, but financing remains one of the main stumbling blocks to deployment. Explainers

Anca Gurzu 4 min read

Renewables are cheap but not always available: storage hurdles

The world is rapidly scaling up wind and solar electricity, but technology to store these variable forms of energy is lagging. Explainers

Anca Gurzu 3 min read

Collaboration could help tackle climate change faster, more affordably

When it comes to tackling climate change, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Data Dives

Amy Harder < 1

Europe grapples with energy crisis while climate pressure ramps up

World leaders are gathering this week in the United States at two key conferences aimed at ratcheting up pressure to turn ambitious climate goals into reality. Latest News

Anca Gurzu 3 min read

Clean jet fuel could take off with new climate law

The U.S. government is for the first time in history singling out and subsidizing cleaner aviation fuel. Such a move is poised to help clean up one of the most high-profile ways our society contributes to climate change. Harder Line

Amy Harder 4 min read

American air conditioners are energy hogs

As the world warms—due largely to climate change—more and more people will need air conditioning, creating a cruel feedback loop: as the Earth warms, we use more air conditioning, which could warm the planet even more. Data Dives

Amy Harder < 1

Chart of electricity consumption per capita

Trifecta of new laws snaps U.S. climate policy into place

The U.S. government has passed three laws in the past year that together amount to an industrial policy aimed at combatting climate change. Data Dives

Amy Harder 2 min read

Chart of U.S. federal clean energy spending

U.S. climate spending comes with a global perk: regained respect

The United States’ decision to pour hundreds of billions of dollars to prop up clean energy may have given the country more than what money can bring: an opportunity to renew its credibility at November’s international climate negotiations. Latest News

Anca Gurzu 3 min read

Forget sticks, Congress embraces carrots to tackle climate change

The U.S. government is on the cusp of its largest-ever embrace of carrots to tackle climate change. Not literally carrots, of course. That would be a lot of pressure on a vegetable. Harder Line

Amy Harder 4 min read

More investment and lower costs: Three charts on the Inflation Reduction Act

Amy Harder < 1

Chart on the Inflation Reduction Act

How heat powers our world and how to clean it up

Heating things up accounts for the single largest share of our energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. By things, we mean a whole laundry list of key ingredients in our lives. Explainers

Amy Harder 4 min read

Alliances and portfolios are key to fighting climate change

Many people appreciate the value of a portfolio approach to researching and developing clean energy technologies: We need different tech for different purposes. Voices

Ken Caldeira 3 min read

Rocky path to wind growth offers cautionary tale for cleantech tax credits

The U.S. Congress’ on-again-off-again relationship with wind energy tax credits portends choppy roads ahead for all types of cleantech. Data Dives

Amy Harder < 1

If we can’t build things, we can’t tackle climate change: potential solutions

The U.S. government, venture capitalists and academics are looking for solutions to a messy trio of local opposition, outdated permitting processes and backlogged bureaucracy that’s threatening to upend America’s rapid shift to clean energy. Harder Line

Amy Harder 3 min read

If we can’t build things, we can’t tackle climate change: the problem

Local opposition, convoluted permitting processes and backlogged bureaucracies are hamstringing our attempts to tackle climate change. Harder Line

Amy Harder 3 min read

U.S. clean energy grows, but new power lines don’t

The number of renewable energy projects seeking approval to connect to electricity grids has increased significantly in recent years, yet the number of miles of new power lines constructed over a similar timeline has gone down. Data Dives

Amy Harder 2 min read

Saving rivers and fighting climate change: a personal conflict

I grew up fishing and floating the rivers of the American West, and now I work to help fight climate change through transportation electrification. Voices

Grayson Zulauf 3 min read

Russian invasion prompts scramble for nuclear fuel

In the wake of Russia’s invasion into Ukraine, Washington is rushing to find new sources of a particular kind of advanced nuclear fuel whose sole commercial producer is a Russian company. Harder Line

Amy Harder 3 min read

Australia, U.K. and U.S. lead in low-carbon hydrogen projects

Global investments in low-carbon hydrogen supply are ramping up, with the bulk of new projects focusing on renewable hydrogen production. Data Dives

Anca Gurzu < 1

Bringing coal workers into the clean energy age

As increasing attention is focused on transitioning our energy systems, we in the United States can’t forget the special debt owed to the people of Appalachia, the Mountain West and other U.S. coal-producing regions. Voices

Ramya Swaminathan 3 min read

Despite growth, big leaps needed for direct air capture tech

Technology that’s able to capture carbon dioxide directly from the sky is advancing rapidly, but it needs to grow much more to fill its role in combating climate change, a new International Energy Agency report finds. Data Dives

Anca Gurzu 2 min read

How America can reclaim its solar manufacturing prowess

Clean energy can free us from our dependence on bad actors. Given current events, we need to work on the energy transition with renewed urgency. Voices

Frank Van Mierlo 3 min read

National security comes roaring back as argument for climate policy

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is catapulting a dormant argument for climate policy to the top of everyone’s mind: national security. Harder Line

Amy Harder 3 min read

Urgency grows for obscure clean-energy tax provision

Tucked alongside more than $300 billion worth of clean-energy tax credits pending in Congress is an obscure but important provision whose supporters span the corporate gamut. Harder Line

Amy Harder 3 min read

Clean-energy tax credits offer affordable climate policy: study

Costs for wind and solar electricity have dropped so much over the past decade that tax credits supporting them are a wildly affordable way to tackle climate change. Data Dives

Amy Harder < 1

Utilities’ climate goals have little impact on emissions

Utilities have been at the forefront of a corporate-wide move in pledging new goals to slash carbon emissions. But many of these goals lack integrity, according to a new study by the NewClimate Institute. Data Dives

Amy Harder < 1

Visualizing the deployment gap in cars, carbon and more

The climate provisions of the Build Back Better bill would give a boost of anywhere between 39% and 75% in key clean energy technologies, according to data by Rhodium Group. Data Dives

Amy Harder < 1

Why the government needs to speed up our energy transition

To summarize almost 200 years of the developed world’s energy history in 20 words: Wood came first, and then coal was king, and now oil and natural gas are dominating energy consumption today. Harder Line

Amy Harder 3 min read

U.S. federal funding for carbon removal tech skyrockets

The big increase in funding beginning this year reflects the infrastructure law’s appropriations for carbon removal technologies. Data Dives

Amy Harder < 1

Carbon recycling pioneer LanzaTech eyes going public

LanzaTech is not a household name, but the company’s technology is helping clean up household items. Q&A

Amy Harder 3 min read

Record-breaking cleantech investments

The infrastructure law and the still-pending Build Back Better bill would inject record-breaking amounts of federal funding into energy research, development and deployment. Data Dives

Amy Harder < 1

U.S. climate and energy laws push rest of world, IEA chief says

The recently passed infrastructure law will have a ripple effect worldwide and encourage other governments to invest in new clean energy technologies. Harder Line

Amy Harder 3 min read

Buckshot around the world

Each country has their own unique energy mix made up of different resources and technologies—a dirtier buckshot, if you will. Data Dives

Amy Harder < 1

Demand for clean energy is growing, so it better be there

Tadeu Carneiro, a 40-year veteran of the metals and mining industry, has bet his career on making steel from zero-emission electricity. Harder Line

Amy Harder 3 min read

Hurdles abound in race to build more clean energy

As conference attendees were waking up last week for the annual United Nations climate conference underway in Glasgow, Scotland, voters in Maine were rejecting a proposed power line sending Canadian hydropower to Massachusetts. Harder Line

Amy Harder 3 min read

Heavy lifting on slashing emissions—now and later

President Biden’s pledge to the Paris Climate Agreement to cut America’s emissions in half by 2030 could be met largely by reductions in the electricity sector, according to a report by the research firm Rhodium Group. Data Dives

Amy Harder < 1

Fitting the pieces of energy, climate together: This is how things change

Climate change is like a puzzle whose pieces are constantly changing in size and shape. Our focus at Cipher is on the technological transformations needed to get to net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050. Harder Line

Amy Harder 3 min read

As Congress writes big climate laws, contentious tech stirs debate

As the world digs into the technologies that could help society tackle climate change, controversy is inevitably emerging in key areas. Harder Line

Amy Harder 3 min read

Energy Secretary: ‘Big polluters’ want us to focus on our carbon footprints

The world needs systemic change, not undue focus on individual carbon footprints, to effectively tackle climate change, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in an exclusive interview with Cipher. Q&A

Amy Harder 2 min read