Energy
Energy Sources 101: These Short Videos Explain the Basics
If you’ve ever searched online for unbiased and fact-driven articles on energy, you’ve probably noticed that they can be quite rare. Almost every information source seems to be pushing an agenda.
Energy is a touchy subject, and billions of dollars are spent each year to campaign on issues surrounding fossil fuels, renewable energy funding, pipelines, environmental concerns, and fracking.
With so much at stake, special interest groups, governments, and corporations are constantly engaged to “win the war” on information by putting their own spin on facts. This creates a tangled web that is tough to navigate for any inquisitive person.
Energy Sources 101
Well, we have good news – recently, we came across a pretty nifty Youtube channel that is visual, intuitive, and fact-driven. It focuses on providing introductory information on different energy sources.
The Student Energy Movement aims to be a “universal entry point for learning about the energy system” by delivering accurate and unbiased energy information. Here’s some of the videos we thought were worthwhile, highlighting both the pros and cons of different energy sources:
Hydro
Explains how hydro power works, but also touches on pumped hydro (energy storage) and pros/cons.
Nuclear
The difference between fission and fusion, as well as the benefits and drawbacks of nuclear energy.
Oil
Explains how oil is formed, and also how it is processed and transported.
Natural Gas
Explains wet and dry gas, as well as how gas is extracted and processed.
Solar
Discusses both photovoltaic and solar thermal. For more information on how each of those types work, go here and here.
Also, here’s links to additional videos on energy sources such as geothermal, biofuels, coal, wind, and tidal.
Other Energy Topics
But that’s not all – the organization has also produced great videos on topics like fracking, in situ oil sands production, liquefied natural gas, and hydrogen.
Here are those videos in case you want to dive deeper into other energy topics:
Hydraulic Fracturing
Explains how “fracking” works.
In Situ Oil Sands Production
An alternative to mining in the oil sands, this video show how in situ production works.
Liquefied Natural Gas
This video shows how natural gas is liquefied, and transported to other markets.
Hydrogen
Examines the potential of hydrogen, along with the issues surrounding it. Also explains how fuel cells work.
Energy
Mapped: Renewable Energy and Battery Installations in the U.S. in 2023
This graphic describes new U.S. renewable energy installations by state along with nameplate capacity, planned to come online in 2023.
Renewable and Battery Installations in the U.S. in 2023
This was originally posted on Elements. Sign up to the free mailing list to get beautiful visualizations on real assets and resource megatrends each week.
Renewable energy, in particular solar power, is set to shine in 2023. This year, the U.S. plans to get over 80% of its new energy installations from sources like battery, solar, and wind.
The above map uses data from EIA to highlight planned U.S. renewable energy and battery storage installations by state for 2023.
Texas and California Leading in Renewable Energy
Nearly every state in the U.S. has plans to produce new clean energy in 2023, but it’s not a surprise to see the two most populous states in the lead of the pack.
Even though the majority of its power comes from natural gas, Texas currently leads the U.S. in planned renewable energy installations. The state also has plans to power nearly 900,000 homes using new wind energy.
California is second, which could be partially attributable to the passing of Title 24, an energy code that makes it compulsory for new buildings to have the equipment necessary to allow the easy installation of solar panels, battery storage, and EV charging.
New solar power in the U.S. isn’t just coming from places like Texas and California. In 2023, Ohio will add 1,917 MW of new nameplate solar capacity, with Nevada and Colorado not far behind.
| Top 10 States | Battery (MW) | Solar (MW) | Wind (MW) | Total (MW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 1,981 | 6,462 | 1,941 | 10,385 |
| California | 4,555 | 4,293 | 123 | 8,970 |
| Nevada | 678 | 1,596 | 0 | 2,274 |
| Ohio | 12 | 1,917 | 5 | 1,934 |
| Colorado | 230 | 1,187 | 200 | 1,617 |
| New York | 58 | 509 | 559 | 1,125 |
| Wisconsin | 4 | 939 | 92 | 1,034 |
| Florida | 3 | 978 | 0 | 980 |
| Kansas | 0 | 0 | 843 | 843 |
| Illinois | 0 | 363 | 477 | 840 |
The state of New York is also looking to become one of the nation’s leading renewable energy providers. The New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA) is making real strides towards this objective with 11% of the nation’s new wind power projects expected to come online in 2023.
According to the data, New Hampshire is the only state in the U.S. that has no new utility-scale renewable energy installations planned for 2023. However, the state does have plans for a massive hydroelectric plant that should come online in 2024.
Decarbonizing Energy
Renewable energy is considered essential to reduce global warming and CO2 emissions.
In line with the efforts by each state to build new renewable installations, the Biden administration has set a goal of achieving a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035 and a net zero emissions economy by no later than 2050.
The EIA forecasts the share of U.S. electricity generation from renewable sources rising from 22% in 2022 to 23% in 2023 and to 26% in 2024.
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