The wind power business is a bit contradictory right now. It's showing signs of boom and bust seemingly all at once.
The story of wind energy markets in two acts today. First, the Gulf of Mexico saw its first-ever auction of leases for offshore wind this summer. It was another sign of the Biden administration's desire to get more renewable energy online as fast as possible. Expectations were high, but results did not deliver. Two of the three patches of sea didn't get any bids at all. Hidden in the flop for this auction are some keys to what it takes to spark a whole new market, quickly.
Then, the booming side of wind power: the job that's projected to be the fastest-growing in the U.S. is wind turbine service technician. Is it a "good" job? Reporter Darian Woods suits up to see a green-collar job above the clouds for himself.
Today's episode is adapted from episodes for Planet Money's daily show, The Indicator. Subscribe here.
The original Indicator episodes were produced by Cooper Katz McKim and Julia Ritchey with engineering by Valentina Rodriguez Sanchez and James Willetts. They were fact-checked by Sierra Juarez and edited by Dave Blanchard and Kate Concannon.
Texas investigators say the largest wildfire in state history appears to be caused by a power line. Aging utility infrastructure ups the risk of starting wildfires as the climate heats up.
Ahead of a deadline next week, the seven states that share the Colorado River have revealed competing plans for how the river should be managed in the future.
Outgoing climate envoy John Kerry talks about leaving the job, how another Donald Trump presidency could impact the fight against climate change, and how he remains hopeful.
An attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels on a commercial ship in the Gulf of Aden killed three of its crew members and forced survivors to abandon the vessel. Four crew members were injured, officials said.
The Securities and Exchange Commission is requiring publicly-traded companies to disclose information about the risks they face from climate change. Industry is expected to sue to stop the rules.
Ithaca, N.Y., wants to eliminate greenhouse gasses by 2030 — 20 years faster than the rest of the country. But even in this liberal city meeting climate targets is harder than expected.
The oil and gas giant is suing investor groups that want it to slash climate pollution. Interest groups on both sides of the case say it could lead to more lawsuits against activist investors.
Two House and Senate legislative committees unanimously backed proposals that would shift the responsibilities of Georgia’s utilities regulators. State legislators also advanced a bill to give the PSC authority over water companies.
Keyser in West Virginia represents a national shift in American energy production. And in a town that was defined by coal for generations, change can be difficult.
Keyser, West Virginia, was once known for coal. But the jobs have been disappearing. First because of automation, then cheap natural gas. And now, the urgency to address climate change is one more pressure on this energy source that contributes to global warming.
Now the town, like so much of the country is attempting to transition to renewable energy. The country's first major climate policy, known as the Inflation Reduction Act, gave that transition a boost. It passed with the key vote of West Virginia's own Senator Democrat Joe Manchin.
Keyser represents a national shift in American energy production. And in a town that was defined by coal for generations, change can be difficult.
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A push to expand community solar in Georgia is running into opposition from the state’s largest electric utility, which has been under pressure in recent years to increase rooftop solar.
