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Abandoned Coal Mines Are Becoming the Batteries of the Future

Natasha Khullar Relph

February 27, 2025 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

Gravity batteries can store excess renewable energy in abandoned mine shafts, offering coal-dependent communities economic and environmental benefits. This energy storage tactic is being used in various iterations around the globe.

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Green Microgrids Are Powering a More Resilient Future

Eric Krebs

January 17, 2025 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Blue Lake Rancheria, United States, California

Microgrids, small-scale energy systems that can operate either independently or as part of the larger electric grid, are growing in popularity and effectiveness. In one example on tribal land in California, a microgrid saves 25 percent of electricity costs and reduces Blue Lake Rancheria's carbon footprint by hundreds of tons of carbon annually.

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How an Unlikely Coalition of Climate Activists and a Gas Utility Are Weaning a Boston Suburb Off Fossil Fuels

Phil McKenna

December 21, 2024 |

Inside Climate News |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Boston, Massachusetts

In Boston, climate activists with HEET, a nonprofit that develops neighborhood-scale geothermal systems, worked closely with gas utility executives to find a solution to gas leaks and transition to cleaner energy sources. Making the case for switching to geothermal energy comes with its challenges, but their collaboration and advocacy led to the signing of legislation allowing gas utilities to provide geothermal heating and cooling as an alternative to gas throughout their service areas.

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When lights went out in Western North Carolina, solar and batteries helped some power up

Adam Wagner

October 28, 2024 |

The News & Observer |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Asheville, North Carolina

After Hurricane Helene shut down most of the power grid, the Footprint Project brought 47 portable solar arrays and battery systems to the area to help restore power. These solar panels offer an alternative to diesel-powered generators, so people in remote areas experiencing a natural disaster don’t have to rely on burning fossil fuels, which contributes to the climate crisis.

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Renewables Are Expanding on Indigenous Lands, Co-Ownership Offers a Solution

Andrew Kaminsky

October 21, 2024 |

Triple Pundit |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Arhauco, Colombia

Energy developers and Indigenous communities are coming together to share ownership of renewable energy projects to promote equity and inclusion within the projects directly impacting Indigenous land. Co-ownership is on the rise globally and offers benefits like insights from Indigenous knowledge of the land and less risk of the project being canceled or protested in court.

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Why don't we use more geothermal energy?

Graihagh Jackson, Johanes Hutabarat

October 07, 2024 |

BBC |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: Germany

Germany-based Vulcan Energy combines lithium extraction with geothermal energy production to make geothermal more financially feasible. It pulls the lithium directly from the hot water that's used to generate power and heat for local communities and sells it to be used for electric car batteries.

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Massachusetts cities are quickly embracing new emission-slashing building code option

Sarah Shemkus

September 03, 2024 |

Energy News Network |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Massachusetts

The Massachusetts state government introduced a new building code, called the specialized stretch code, to set new construction up for decreased fossil fuel use. It’s an opt-in code, so municipalities vote on whether to adopt it, and many have.

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How a Technology Similar to Fracking Can Store Renewable Energy Underground Without Lithium Batteries

Dylan Baddour

August 27, 2024 |

Inside Climate News |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Houston, Texas

Three startups in Houston are using a technique similar to fracking, a practice used in the oil and gas industry, to store renewable energy without batteries. They use excess renewable energy to pump pressurized water into manmade caverns underground. When energy is needed, they open the caverns, sending the water back to the surface to turn a turbine and generate power.

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California Is Showing How a Big State Can Power Itself Without Fossil Fuels

Bill McKibben

June 27, 2024 |

The New Yorker |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Oakland, California

The California-based startup Magrathea Metals is producing magnesium with renewable energy to make the process less expensive and material-intensive. The company aims to make the more environment-friendly metal competitive with steel and aluminum.

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Tidal kites: New technology harnessing ocean energy

Adrienne Murray

June 25, 2024 |

BBC |

Video |

3-5 Minutes

Response Location: Faroe Islands

The renewable energy technology company Minesto developed tidal kites that generate electricity from ocean tides. The machines are attached to the seabed and pushed through the water in a figure 8 pattern. The movement spins a turbine that generates electricity.

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