About Stephen Lacey

Stephen Lacey is a reporter/blogger for Climate Progress, where he writes on clean energy policy, technologies, and finance. Before joining CP, he was an editor/producer with RenewableEnergyWorld.com. He received his B.A. in journalism from Franklin Pierce University.

Siemens Drops US Wind Workers as PTC Comes Close to Expiration (Romney Wants to Kill PTC, but Blames Obama for Layoff)

siemens wind jobs layoffs

Here’s a little story about wind you might have heard. First we’ll tell it the way it happened. And then we’ll tell it the way Mitt Romney’s campaign thinks it happened. [...]

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Coal Now Qualifies for Emissions Reduction Credits — Say What?

Coal via Shutterstock

In a decision criticized as “unfortunate” and even “insane” by onlookers, the United Nations has decided that new coal plants are eligible for carbon credits under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). [...]

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5 Things to Know about Solyndra in 2012 Election Cycle

solyndra romney obama

  This article was originally published on Climate Progress. It has been republished here with full permission. One year ago today, the solar manufacturer Solyndra filed for bankruptcy after receiving a $527 million loan guarantee. The bankruptcy set off a political firestorm in Congress, and eventually worked its way into the presidential campaign. Today, the Republican party is using Solyndra as a key tool in its campaign against Obama — smearing the entire clean energy industry in … Read More

Why Do We Hold Renewable Energy to a Different Standard than Fossil Fuels & Nuclear Energy

hypocrisy meter

  Now that renewables are receiving some of the same incentives that fossil fuels have enjoyed for nearly one hundred years, we’re suddenly being inundated with calls for a purely “free-market” approach to energy development from politicians on the right and companies concerned about the growth of clean energy. Their arguments make for good sound bites. But if we take a look at the history of energy development in the U.S., it’s very clear that … Read More

Renewable Electricity Nearly Doubles with Obama in Office

wind water solar

  Non-hydro renewable electricity generation has nearly doubled since President Obama took office, reaching 5.75 percent of net electricity, according to figures from the Energy Information Administration. In 2008, before Obama entered the White House, non-hydro resources like solar, wind, geothermal, and biomass represented just over 3 percent of generation. Today, they total nearly 6 percent. Ken Bossong of the Sun Day Campaign has been meticulously following EIA generation figures over the years. In his assessment of … Read More

Romney’s Opposition to Wind Power Tax Credit Could be a BIG Deal in Iowa

Workers at TPI Composites in Newton, Iowa walk between wind blades. Photo: Stephen Lacey

  Chaz Allen is the exact type of voter that Mitt Romney and Barack Obama would love to win over in the fall. A registered Independent, Allen’s political views range across the political spectrum. As a moderate fiscal conservative, he’s concerned about some of the spending measures proposed by Democrats. As a moderate on social issues, he believes that Republicans have become too polarizing on gay marriage and abortion. But for Allen, there’s one really … Read More

Black Lung Cases Doubled in Last Decade, While Coal Industry Fought New Health Protections

blacklungNPR

  In the last ten years, as cases of black lung among American coal miners doubled — hitting “epidemic” scale — the coal industry and anti-regulatory politicians have fought to prevent federal agencies from creating new standards that would improve miner safety. That’s according to an investigation from National Public Radio, The Center for Public Integrity, and the Charleston Gazette. The reporters looked at health data and regulatory records, finding an alarming surge in cases of black lung in … Read More

Governor Chris Christie Strengthens NJ Solar Industry

chris christie sued

When New Jersey’s Republican Governor Chris Christie ran for office in 2009, he campaigned very aggressively on his belief in the value of renewable energy. Yesterday, Christie backed up that belief by signing a bill into law that will help expand and stabilize New Jersey’s robust solar industry. For Christie, expanding the solar industry was a fairly straightforward, sensible decision in a state with hundreds of thriving businesses in the sector. But in the national political context — at … Read More

EU Offshore Wind Having Best Year Ever, but Turbine Orders Slowing

offshore wind market eu

  Battling severe economic headwinds, Europe’s wind industry has picked up the pace and substantially increased offshore projects developed in the region. According to the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA), developers connected 132 turbines to the grid in the first half of this year. Those turbines, which have the cumulative capacity to generate 523 megawatts, represent a 50 percent increase over the first half of 2011. As EWEA points out, 2012 has turned into a surprisingly … Read More