How your air conditioner can help the power grid, rather than overloading it

Rather than feeling guilty about cooling down in extreme heat, homeowners could boost power reliability and lay a welcome mat for more renewables.

Johanna Mathieu, Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, University of Michigan • conversation
June 11, 2025 • ~9 min

The UK’s power grid needs upgrading to reach net zero – our new study shows where

Electricity networks in cities need the biggest overhaul – but the public can help.

Sheridan Few, Lecturer in Urban Energy Systems, University of Leeds • conversation
May 29, 2024 • ~6 min

California is wrestling with electricity prices – here’s how to design a system that covers the cost of fixing the grid while keeping prices fair

California is considering a controversial proposal for utilities to charge customers for electricity based partly on household income. Two scholars explain how this approach could benefit everyone.

Andrew L. Liu, Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering, Purdue University • conversation
March 21, 2024 • ~10 min

April’s eclipse will mean interruptions in solar power generation, which could strain electrical grids

When the Moon blocks the Sun during an eclipse, utility suppliers have to pull power from the grid to make up for gaps in solar energy.

Vahe Peroomian, Professor of Physics and Astronomy, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences • conversation
March 8, 2024 • ~7 min

America faces a power disconnection crisis amid rising heat: In 31 states, utilities can shut off electricity for nonpayment in a heat wave

One in 4 American households are at risk of losing power because of the high cost of energy. Over 30% of those disconnections are in summer, when heat gets dangerous.

David Konisky, Lynton K. Caldwell Professor, Indiana University • conversation
July 5, 2023 • ~10 min

America's power disconnection crisis: In 31 states, utilities can shut off electricity for nonpayment in a heat wave

One in 4 American households are at risk of losing power because of the high cost of energy. Over 30% of those disconnections are in summer, when heat gets dangerous.

David Konisky, Lynton K. Caldwell Professor, Indiana University • conversation
July 5, 2023 • ~10 min

America's disconnection crisis: In 31 states, utilities can shut off power for nonpayment in a heat wave

One in 4 American households are at risk of losing power because of the high cost of energy. Over 30% of those disconnections are in summer, when heat gets dangerous.

David Konisky, Lynton K. Caldwell Professor, Indiana University • conversation
July 5, 2023 • ~10 min

Will faster federal reviews speed up the clean energy shift? Two legal scholars explain what the National Environmental Policy Act does and doesn't do

Do environmental reviews improve projects or delay them and drive up costs? Two legal scholars explain how the law works and how it could influence the ongoing transition to renewable energy.

James Salzman, Professor of Environmental Law, University of California, Los Angeles • conversation
June 8, 2023 • ~10 min

Hydropower's future is clouded by droughts, floods and climate change – it's also essential to the US electric grid

Climate change is affecting hydropower in different ways across the country.

Lauren Dennis, Ph.D. Student in Civil Engineering and Climate Science, Penn State • conversation
May 17, 2022 • ~8 min

Meet the power plant of the future: Solar + battery hybrids are poised for explosive growth

More than a third of power plants applying to connect to a US grid are hybrids that pair wind or solar with battery storage.

Will Gorman, Graduate Student Researcher in Electricity Markets and Policy, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory • conversation
April 25, 2022 • ~8 min

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