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Surging demand for copper means its price is rising too

Jan 24, 2023
The metal is crucial renewable energy technology and the transition away from fossil fuels.
Copper is often referred to as “Dr. Copper,” because it’s considered a barometer for the health of the global economy.
Joel Saget/AFP via Getty Images

Fracking flourishes as era of net-zero carbon looms

Aug 15, 2022
The energy industry is emphasizing the controversial technique over traditional drilling, partly for its shorter timetable.
David McNew/Getty Images

Even if we manage to stop using oil as fuel, plastics made from oil will be harder to give up

Mar 24, 2022
Plastics are regarded as "Plan B" for the fossil fuel industry.
It's cheaper to make more plastic than recycle it. And that's what the oil industry is relying on as we move toward electric options.
Phillippe Lopez/AFP Getty Images

Oil execs ponder a future without oil as they gather in Houston

Dec 7, 2021
We won't stop using fossil fuels right away, but the transition to renewable energy could be tricky.
A poster of an offshore drilling station at the World Petroleum Congress, where the oil industry is discussing its role in the future of energy.
Brandon Bell via Getty Images

What will the clean energy transition look like?

Oct 28, 2021
The road to a clean, affordable and reliable power grid won’t be straightforward.
"If you look at where wind and solar need to be placed in this country, it's mainly in the Midwest, and your demand centers are on the coasts," said Gary Kruse, managing director of research at Arbo.
Spencer Platt via Getty Images

In the transition to renewables, energy storage is a hot topic

Oct 21, 2021
When the wind is blowing and the sun is shining, how can we store power to use when they aren't?
"The way that we're defining this...is not just about those water volumes, it's also about water quality, and also about access to water for the poor," Pacific Institute President Jason Morrison said about the Water Resilience Coalition.
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

Coal use rises as natural gas prices spike

Jul 7, 2021
Long term, coal isn't a good option as an energy source. But the competition between coal and natural gas is what matters now.
Although the U.S. and other developed nations still use carbon-heavy coal in electricity production, the industry is declining.
Sean Gallup via Getty Images

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