• Tapping the Heat Beneath Our Feet

    ByAdmin

    EcoTech Note:  Geothermal power may be a breakthrough clean energy story of the next decade—but only if it survives the gauntlet ahead. In this essay, associates at a venture capital fund connect the dots: costs to build and operate geothermal are dropping fast, pioneers are struggling through the financing “Valley of Death,” and smarter public policy—especially streamlined permitting or strategic incentives—could tip the balance and unleash a new wave of clean, reliable power.

    As 2024 wrapped, reporters declared it a breakout year for next-generation (“next-gen”) geothermal and the year of enhanced geothermal’s rise. In 2025, the momentum continues, with geothermal deemed …

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    TDK Ventures Invests $38m Series A In new geothermal pilot plant

    ByAdmin

    TDK Ventures has invested $38m in a Series A fundraising for Rodatherm, a startup with a new closed-loop geothermal technology.  The money is earmarked for a pilot plant in Utah that will demonstrate Rodatherm’s patented approach to harvesting geothermal heat using refrigerant fluids instead of water flowing through a “closed-loop system.”  A closed-loop system is composed of pipes running down to the hot rock, across the hot rock, and then back up.   By not having the working fluid ever leave the closed-loop piping, Rodatherm can use fluids that they claim transfer heat more efficiently and avoid any fluid losses due to leakage.

  • Oil Giant Saudi Arabia Is Emerging as a Solar Power

    ByAdmin

    The world’s ultimate petrostate is turning to solar power.

    Saudi Arabia is building some of the world’s biggest solar farms, along with giant arrays of batteries to store their electricity till after dark. The rapid rollout is making the country into one of the fastest-growing markets for solar power from a near-standing start.

    The kingdom is betting that sunshine can transform its economy and bolster its coffers. It needs electricity for new tourism resorts, factories and AI data centers. Green energy could also squeeze more value from the fossil fuels that made the kingdom rich. Saudi Arabia burns oil to generate electricity; embracing alternatives frees up barrels for export.

  • Nevada Homeowners: Act Now on Energy Tax Credits

    ByAdmin

    The “Save on Better Appliances” campaign by Rewiring America is helping homeowners take advantage of valuable energy tax credits from the Inflation Reduction Act before they expire. The campaign highlights tax credits for:

    • Heat pumps
    • Weatherization and insulation
    • Rooftop solar and battery storage
    • Electric vehicles (EVs) and chargers

    Rewiring America encourages homeowners to act quickly, as many of these federal tax credits are set to expire. The organization has a savings calculator to help you determine your eligibility and potential savings.

  • Emerging geothermal startups advance 24/7 clean energy

    ByAdmin

    When congressional Republicans took a sledgehammer to the Inflation Reduction Act last summer, advanced geothermal startups were largely spared. Drilling for renewable energy appears to be one of the few things that engenders bipartisan support.

    Now, with the uncertainty settled, geothermal companies are announcing deals that promise to pave the way for broader deployment of their technology.

  • Germany’s Balcony Solar Hits 1 Million Milestone

    ByAdmin

    The number of registered plug-in solar devices, also called balcony power plants, is set to reach 1 million in Germany in June 2025, the German Solar Association (BSW-Solar) said on Wednesday.

    According to data cited by BSW-Solar, around 135,000 new devices were put into operation in the first four months of 2025, up by 36% on the year. The capacity of the newly installed balcony power plants increased by about 75% in the same period.

    The growth is expected to continue. According to a survey commissioned by BSW-Solar at the end of 2024, as many as 8% of respondents plan to purchase a plug-in solar device in 2025.

  • Clean Energy Financing Update

    ByAdmin
    • China this year will add eight times as much electric capacity through solar alone as the U.S. will add from all sources, putting the American adversary in a strong position to develop AI and transformative manufacturing.
    • In the race for energy dominance, renewables are playing a key role. Why discourage them?
    • Utility rate increase requests and approvals rise at twice last year’s rate.
    • Op-ed authors urge the EPA to allow green banks to help solve the electricity crisis through public-private investments like community solar.BESS systems are booming in Texas. They store power in slack times for use during peaks, cutting utility bills and boosting reliability.

  • We’re Losing the Transmission Wars

    ByAdmin

    The ability of a state to veto a transmission line is what gives us the fragmented grid we have today, a grid that becomes increasingly ill-suited to the job of moving electricity as needed, especially as we try to shift to zero carbon wind and solar.

    This problem is clear to solar and wind developers but not so much to activists and advocates of renewables. Without a grid that can transport energy from the most efficient renewables—wind in the midwest, solar in the southwest—a wind and solar-focused decarbonization plan means higher prices and continued use of fossil fuel generation. Here’s a cautionary tale from an HVDC developer.

  • Opinion: Is a carbon tax the bipartisan solution to climate change?

    ByAdmin

    Op-Ed: Pursuing bipartisan climate action has two main advantages. One is that it decreases the risk of backsliding. Climate change is a long-term problem that requires long-term solutions, not IRA-style whiplash. A policy that only one party can support is likely to provide a sugar rush rather than the strong bones and muscles needed for longevity.

  • Trump’s Permit Freeze Drives Solar Projects Out of Nevada

    ByAdmin

    The Interior Department has all but halted new approvals for solar and wind projects on federal lands. It was entirely unclear how that would affect transmission out west. Well, we have the latest update: NV Energy has been beseeching the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to let solar projects previously planned for Greenlink bail from the interconnection queue without penalty. And the solar industry is now backing them up.