Accelerating the Just Energy Transition with Science and Policy
The climate emergency we face has prompted some nations, corporations, and many civil society organizations to greatly expand their decarbonization and climate protection actions. The paths to deeply decarbonizing local, national and regional economies requires innovations in a wide range of areas where new, sustainable, materials design, discovery, and implementation, and most notably highly interdisciplinary […]
Decarbonization and Local Air Pollution Disparities
Climate change and social inequality are two of the world’s most pressing issues. They are also intricately linked. The imperative to address climate change is overlaid on a world that is already deeply unequal. A recent environmental justice literature documents systematic gaps in local air pollution concentrations between disadvantaged and other individuals. Because local air […]
EmPOWERing Global Change with Life Cycle Assessment: A Geographical Textured Approach
Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a cradle-to-grave quantitative tool that examines environmental burdens of products and processes from materials extraction through waste disposal. LCA is increasingly used in policy to reveal unintended consequences associated with decisions about energy products and their supply chains yet is often criticized for using uncertain inputs. While LCAs of electricity […]
Urban Energy Democracy: Investigating the Historical-Geographies of Atlanta’s Electricity Politics
This talk considers how the historical-geographical emergence and evolution of Atlanta’s urban electricity networks influences contemporary energy democracy organizing. In 2017, Atlanta became the first major city in the U.S. South to adopt a 100% clean energy target to supply all electricity from renewable sources by 2035. Atlanta’s then-Mayor grounded this move in the long […]
Design and Characterization of Integrated Systems for Solar Fuel Production
Carbon neutral energy sources that are scalable, deployable, and cost effective will be required at an unprecedented scale to halt irreversible climate change. To design novel materials that can efficiently produce energy with minimal impact on the environment, few factors are of primary importance: i) complete understanding of the properties of the most selective and […]
How the Path for Energy Justice in the US Got a lot Clearer but Only a Little Easier
Given the new federal climate policies embedded in the Inflation Reduction Act, it has become even more critical to focus on advancing energy justice at the state level. The law establishes a new federal framework for transitioning the country to low-carbon energy sources, centering most levers of action on states or market actors, and doing […]
UC Davis Developing Tech Using Current Air Conditioning Systems to Combat Climate Change Effects
The Western Cooling Efficiency Center at UC Davis is trying to develop new air technology that addresses problems with the grid and the challenges of climate change using our current AC systems.
Heat pumps: Coming to a home near you?
Washington building code proposal prompts debate as Inflation Reduction Act could spur heat pump use.
Do DIY air filters work against California wildfire smoke? What to know about cost and safety
Do-it-yourself air filters are safe, effective and can be used to protect your lungs from California wildfire smoke.
Ask a Scientist: In Search of a ‘Green’ Electric Car Battery
Despite EVs’ considerable environmental benefits, it will be imperative to “green” the material sourcing process to ensure a more sustainable and ethical supply chain as the world transitions to an electrified transportation system.
