Fossil fuels

Booming power demand is slowing climate progress for US utilities

Sierra Club analysis finds that U.S. utilities are planning a huge expansion of fossil-gas plants — a shift that’s incompatible with climate goals.

By Jeff St. John . 9 October 2024

Turbines from the Mount Storm Wind Farm behind Dominion's Mount Storm coal power plant in West Virginia. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Carbon capture

EPA rules may push power plants to capture carbon. Is the tech ready?

The Biden administration is poised to propose new regulations for coal- and gas-burning power plants, which could breathe new life into a long-beleaguered technology.

By Maria Gallucci . 28 April 2023
Fossil fuels

Canary talks about New York and fossil gas on The Weather Channel

Watch Canary Media’s Jeff St. John discuss the state’s plans to decarbonize its buildings and fossil gas utilities on the cable channel’s climate show, Pattrn.

By Jeff St. John . 19 April 2023
Clean energy

Chart: The US got more electricity from renewables than coal last year

It's a major milestone, but fossil gas remains the market leader by a wide margin.

By Eric Wesoff, Maria Virginia Olano . 7 April 2023
Hydrogen

Test shows hydrogen blending slightly reduces gas power plant emissions

The hydrogen revolution isn’t here quite yet — but now we know what happens when a certain type of gas plant burns a small amount of hydrogen.

By Julian Spector . 24 March 2023
Podcast

Betting big on renewable natural gas

Big energy players bought up billions in renewable natural gas assets last year. How much could this fuel actually offset emissions?

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By Shayle Kann . 45 min . 23 March 2023
Fossil fuels

New York must chart new course for gas utilities to hit climate targets

They can’t keep spending on pipelines, and alternative fuels can't scale. But electric heat and thermal networks could save utility business models and jobs.

By Jeff St. John . 20 March 2023
Fossil fuels

Bay Area officials vote to ditch new gas furnaces and water heaters

Starting in 2027, San Francisco Bay Area regulators will require appliances to have zero emissions of nitrogen oxides, a move that effectively bans gas.

By Maria Gallucci . 17 March 2023
Fossil fuels

We know gas stoves have health risks. What about other gas appliances?

Amid the gas-stove hubbub, the health impacts of other gas appliances like furnaces, water heaters and dryers haven't gotten much attention. Here's a rundown.

By Sarah Wesseler . 13 March 2023
Clean energy

Chart: Clean energy to make up 84% of new US power capacity in 2023

Solar, wind, nuclear and grid batteries will account for nearly all power plant construction, with batteries beating gas for the first time.

By Julian Spector, Maria Virginia Olano . 10 March 2023
Podcast

What the oil and gas boom means for clean energy

Supermajors are doubling down on extraction and slowing investments in renewables. We try to make sense of the market shift.

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By Stephen Lacey . 8 March 2023