Emissions reduction

Policy & regulation

California’s new clean-fuel plan makes old problems worse

CARB approved new rules last week that critics say reward polluting biofuels, shortchange EVs, and could cause gasoline prices to spike.

By Jeff St. John . 13 November 2024

gray, black, and white cars snaking along two sides of an urban freeway. — The 101 freeway in Los Angeles, California (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Podcast

A rogue geoengineering startup sparks worry

Make Sunsets is sending balloons filled with sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere. Is it performance art — or a new era for geoengineering?

Play

By Stephen Lacey . 25 min . 15 March 2023
Carbon capture

'High-quality' carbon-removal tech will be focus for new industry group

The Carbon Removal Alliance is all about practical and permanent solutions for capturing CO2 — shady offsets and short-term schemes need not apply.

By Emily Pontecorvo . 10 March 2023
Marine transport

America's pandemic shopping haul arrived on dirty cargo ships

A new report assesses the environmental toll of transporting goods for Walmart, Target, Home Depot and other major U.S. retailers in the frenzied year of 2021.

By Maria Gallucci . 1 March 2023
Air travel

United’s $100M fund to invest in startups making sustainable jet fuel

United Airlines is launching an investment vehicle to support proven producers and emerging developers of sustainable aviation fuel in a bid to curb emissions.

By Maria Gallucci . 21 February 2023
Marine transport

Electrifying US ports could drive sharp cuts in air pollution

A new analysis finds that cities near some of the busiest U.S. ports could see major health benefits if the facilities powered ships and trucks with electricity.

By Maria Gallucci . 14 February 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
Video

Video: NYC residents have cleaner air after ditching gas stoves

A pilot study at a public-housing complex in the Bronx found that air quality drastically improved in apartments that switched to electric induction stoves.

By Maria Gallucci . 8 February 2023
Long-duration energy storage

Xcel to install Form’s long-duration batteries at retiring coal plants

The utility is testing Form’s 100-hour storage tech to achieve its lofty carbon-reduction goals — and at a scale bigger than nearly any battery plant on earth.

By Julian Spector . 27 January 2023
Carbon-free buildings

VC firm Fifth Wall to bankroll deployment of carbon-free building tech

Despite the building sector's massive emissions, little investment has flowed into real-estate decarbonization so far. Fifth Wall wants to change that.

By Julian Spector . 23 January 2023
Carbon capture

More NYC high-rises to be outfitted with novel carbon-capture system

Startup CarbonQuest had a successful pilot project in a New York City apartment building and now has a contract to roll out its technology at more buildings.

By Julian Spector . 10 January 2023