Energy choices
Renewable generation, nuclear power, efficiency and reliable supply.
Renewable Energy in the United States: Progress and Practical Limits
An evidence-based explanation of renewable electricity’s growing role in the United States, alongside the practical challenges of variable output, delivery, and dependable supply.
Energy Efficiency and Clean Generation Should Be Evaluated Together
An explanatory essay argues that reducing electricity demand and expanding low-emission generation are complementary strategies: efficiency changes the amount of electricity the system must supply, while the generation mix determines the impacts of the electricity still needed.
Why a Cleaner Electric Grid Still Needs Reliable Supply
A cleaner grid must reduce the environmental costs of generating electricity while also ensuring that power can be supplied and delivered when customers need it. U.S. generation data illuminate the mix of sources, but annual shares alone cannot establish whether a system can meet demand at every moment.
Why Local Conditions Matter When Choosing Renewable Energy
An evidence-based essay explaining how geography, resource variability, and electricity-system needs shape the suitability of hydropower and solar power in the United States.
Solar and Wind Are Different Resources, Not Interchangeable Solutions
An explanatory essay comparing solar and wind generation patterns and showing why energy planners must consider local resources, grid connections, and access rather than rely on national averages.
Nuclear Waste: A Real Tradeoff in Low-Carbon Electricity
An evidence-based explanation of why nuclear power’s low operational carbon emissions do not remove the need to manage radioactive waste, plant impacts, and long-term storage responsibilities.
Should Renters Have More Access to Renewable Energy?
Renters should have greater access to renewable energy through community solar, provided programs offer transparent terms, meaningful savings, and consumer protections. Rooftop ownership remains useful, but it cannot be the only path to participation.
Why the U.S. Electricity Mix Cannot Change Overnight
An evidence-based explanation of why changing the U.S. electricity mix takes time: existing equipment, different generation technologies, continuing electricity needs, and the practical responsibilities of a reliable transition all matter.
What Electricity Statistics Reveal About the Energy Transition
An explanatory essay on how to interpret U.S. electricity statistics, distinguishing capacity from generation and assessing the progress and limits of the energy transition.
Community Solar: Can Clean Energy Reach People Without Suitable Roofs?
An explanatory essay examining how community solar works, why it can broaden access beyond rooftop systems, and what limits its reach for renters and other households.
Should Nuclear Power Be Part of America's Clean-Energy Future?
A qualified argument for keeping nuclear power in the U.S. clean-energy portfolio while expanding renewables and taking waste, safety, and environmental obligations seriously.