Support the fact-based journalism you rely on with a donation to Marketplace today. Give Now!

Some utility companies are racing to be carbon neutral

Jul 26, 2019
Many suppliers of electrical power are facing the question of when to get to zero emissions, not if they need to get there.
A windfarm is seen in 2006 near Palm Springs, California.
Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images)

New York’s sweeping climate change law comes with lots of unknowns

Jun 20, 2019
“Fiscal implications: To be determined,” an official summary of the bill reads.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks about the city's strategy to fight climate change in April. The State Assembly approved a sweeping climate change bill, which now moves to Governor Andrew Cuomo's desk.
Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Working to get the lights back on in Puerto Rico

Crews from New York are among those restoring power in Old San Juan.
Con Edison crews from New York help restore power in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Mark Dye

The Army Corps of Engineers is tasked with turning the lights back on in Puerto Rico

Oct 20, 2017
The mission: Put things back the way they were, including 62,000 telephone poles.
A car drives under tilted power line poles in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Humacao, Puerto Rico, on Oct. 2.
RICARDO ARDUENGO/AFP/Getty Images

In an era when water ownership sparks disputes, one Georgia water agency wants to share its supply

Jul 27, 2017
Use less water, share more of it. One Georgia water agency bucks the water wars stereotype.
The pond at Starr’s Mill is one of the reservoirs that Fayette County operates. The water system is allowed to use water from this reservoir, but it doesn’t, choosing instead to let it flow downstream for other uses. 
Molly Samuel/for Marketplace

Renewable energy capacity tops coal

Oct 25, 2016
Renewable energy just overtook coal as the world’s largest source of electricity capacity, but the U.S. still lags. Why is that, and what will it take to bring the U.S. into line with the rest of the world? CORRECTION (Oct. 27, 2016): This story’s headline was updated to reflect that renewable energy is the largest source […]
 

 
ORLANDO SIERRA/AFP/Getty Images

Near Jamestown, Dominion power line battles history

Aug 18, 2015
A need for modern infrastructure is weighed against preserving a famed river view.

For public good, not for profit.

Your electric car may be a carbon polluter

Aug 3, 2015
Some electric cars may cause more carbon pollution than a standard gasoline engine.

Making electricity demand match the supply

Jun 25, 2015
Denmark gets some 40 percent of its power from wind energy — but it's aiming for even more.

Backing up the power grid with homemade electricity

Jun 19, 2015
Connecticut is trying microgrids that keep going when the main utility fails.