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The U.S. Energy Information Association forecast the U.S. energy sector to emit about 4,790 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) in 2023, a 3% decrease from 2022. Much of this decline results from lower electricity generation from coal-fired power plants due to higher generation from renewable sources such as solar power. We expect this trend to continue into 2024, with CO2 emissions declining 1% relative to 2023.

Two recent studies show that, by the end of 2023, United States carbon emissions will decrease, despite an expansion in the overall economy of about 2.5 percent. That is, according to the United States Energy Information Administration, US energy-related emissions are set to fall 3 percent this year, driven mostly by lower coal consumption. However, this anticipated decrease will likely not be sufficient for the United States to meet its commitments under the 2015 Paris climate accord.

For the second year in a row, Salt River Project (SRP) ranked highest in business customer satisfaction among all large electricity providers in the nation according to a recent study issued by J.D. Power. SRP also ranked first among large electricity providers in the West Region for the third consecutive year. 

Pedernales Electric Cooperative, the nation’s largest electric co-op, marked a milestone of sustained growth, placing its 400,000th meter at the Buda Fire Department’s Station 1, located at 209 FM 2770 in Buda. For more than 85 years, PEC has provided safe, reliable, and low-cost power to its members in the Texas Hill Country.

Xanthan gum, derived from plants like cabbage and known for its carbohydrate content, serves as a natural protective barrier in cosmetics. In a recent development, this remarkable substance has been harnessed to create a protective shield for battery electrodes, rather than for the skin.

The widespread adoption of nuclear power was predicted by computer simulations more than four decades ago but the continued reliance on fossil fuels for energy shows these simulations need improvement, a new study has shown.

Tandem solar cells based on perovskite semiconductors convert sunlight to electricity more efficiently than conventional silicon solar cells. In order to make this technology ready for the market, further improvements with regard to stability and manufacturing processes are required. Researchers have succeeded in finding a way to predict the quality of the perovskite layers and consequently that of the resulting solar cells: Assisted by machine learning and new methods in artificial intelligence (AI), it is possible assess their quality from variations in light emission already in the manufacturing process.