Technical Reports – PSE | Physicians, Scientists, and Engineers for Healthy Energy

NASEM Report: Evolution of Net Metering

Adrienne Underwood — Fri, 12 May 2023 22:17:19 +0000

Over the last three decades, changing economics, innovations across energy technologies, new policy objectives, and customer expectations have driven fundamental shifts in the electricity system. In March 2022, PSE Healthy Energy’s Dr. Elena Krieger was appointed to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) Committee on The Role of Net Metering in the Evolving…

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Analyzing Air Quality and Health Impacts of U.S. Appliance Standards

Warren Stokes II — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 22:22:46 +0000

Using fossil fuels to power residential appliances emits a range of pollutants that are harmful to human health. These pollutants include US EPA-regulated Hazardous Air Pollutants and Criteria Air Pollutants, the latter of which include fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2). These pollutants can be emitted both from the residential appliances themselves…

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Equity-Focused Climate Strategies for Colorado

Adrienne Underwood — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 01:54:31 +0000

In recent years, Colorado has set ambitious statewide goals to decrease greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent below 2005 levels by 2030 and 90 percent by 2050, as well as a target to generate 100 percent renewable electricity by 2040. To achieve these targets, Colorado must undertake economy-wide decarbonization efforts. The state must expand energy efficiency measures…

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Equity-Focused Climate Strategies for Nevada

Adrienne Underwood — Wed, 25 Aug 2021 00:10:03 +0000

In 2019, Nevada set ambitious statewide goals to decrease greenhouse gas emissions 28% below 2005 levels by 2025, 45 percent below by 2030, and achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Simultaneously, Nevada aims to generate 50 percent renewable electricity by 2030 and zero-carbon electricity by 2050. To achieve these targets, Nevada must undertake economy-wide decarbonization efforts.

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State of Renewables (2014)

John Muchiri — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 15:48:21 +0000

While the United States power sector is strongly dominated by conventional fossil and nuclear power plants, the contribution from renewable resources is growing and the energy mix varies greatly by state. Here we evaluate electricity generation from utility-scale renewables (i.e. power from wind, water, solar, geothermal and biomass resources) in the United States on the national level as well as…

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Equity-Focused Climate Strategies for New Mexico

John Muchiri — Wed, 04 Aug 2021 22:00:05 +0000

By 2030, the state of New Mexico aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent below 2005 levels and increase renewable electricity generation to 50 percent. Achieving these ambitious climate goals will require significant shifts in New Mexico’s energy system. This process presents a unique opportunity to address long-standing inequities in environmental, public health…

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Powering the Grid with Intermittent Renewables

John Muchiri — Sat, 01 Mar 2014 14:10:48 +0000

Many studies have demonstrated the technical feasibility of meeting the majority1,2 or even all3,4 electricity demand with renewable energy resources. However, renewable energy generators, such as wind turbines and solar photovoltaics, introduce different grid management challenges than power generated with nuclear and fossil fuels. Currently, the grid currently must be sufficiently flexible to…

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Running on Renewables: Review of Renewable Scenarios

John Muchiri — Sun, 01 Jun 2014 13:07:32 +0000

The transition from a power sector based on fossil fuels to one run primarily on renewable energy is a central component of many climate change mitigation strategies. This transition can also have environmental and public health benefits by reducing the total production and combustion of coal, oil and natural gas. Many analyses in the literature have demonstrated that there are more than enough…

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Surface and Groundwater Contamination from Natural Gas Development

John Muchiri — Wed, 01 Oct 2014 13:04:41 +0000

Differences in local geologies and hydrologic characteristics, land-use histories, industry practices, and monitored water contaminants can complicate comparisons across studies. Baseline conditions for water quality are often unknown or may have been affected by other activities. Nonetheless, empirical evidence of surface and groundwater contamination as a result of modern natural gas operations…

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Potential Shale Gas and Oil Development Impacts on Children

John Muchiri — Sun, 01 Feb 2015 13:39:56 +0000

Many of the chemicals used and produced by shale gas and oil extraction processes are toxins with well-known health effects. Children and pregnant women exposed to these toxins and other associated social and biological stressors are especially vulnerable.

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