energy

Overcoming the Obstacles to Clean Electricity

Wind and solar are important to our clean energy mix, but without baseload reliability, coal won’t go away.

By Bill Budinger

Weapons & Windmills, Quarks & Quagmires

The Department of Energy’s portfolio is complex, and strong relationships—with other departments, with Congress, and with laboratories—are key.

By Ernest J. Moniz

Why Wind and Solar Aren't Enough

Both suffer from an intermittency problem. A plausible back-up source is needed—and there's only one.

By Bill Budinger

Can Batteries Save the Day?

Wind and solar power are great. But eventually the sun sets and the wind stops.

By Bill Budinger

A 1908 Lesson in Risk and Reward

What Orville Wright can teach us about solving our clean energy problem.

By Bill Budinger