About the Author: Mary Claire McCarthy
Puerto Rico needs reliable, self-sustaining power in the wake of hurricanes
Hurricane Fiona made landfall in Puerto Rico on Sunday, Sept. 18, ripping down power lines and deluging the island with flash floods and mudslides. Puerto Rico’s entire population lost power, and roughly ⅓ lost running water. This comes just five years after Hurricane Maria swept through, killing about 3,000 people and leaving many residents without power for a year. As of Tuesday, power had been restored to 69% of 1.47 million utility clients, driving demand for diesel fuel as businesses, government agencies, and individuals continued to rely on generators. Hurricane Fiona, a Category 1 storm, brings a torrent of [...]
A looming copper shortage could stall the renewable energy transition
Transitioning to renewable energy is an increasingly necessary step in combating climate change. But there’s a catch—a limited supply of input metals—particularly copper, a keystone metal for all renewable technologies. Reaching the goals of the Paris climate agreement would quadruple mineral demand by 2040, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA)’s latest report. By 2035, the global demand for copper is projected to nearly double, according to a new S&P Global report released in July. If copper production continues at the current rate, the report projects a shortfall of 9.9 million metric tons of copper in 2035. For perspective, the [...]
Renewable energy generates a record 28% of electricity in the United States
Even before the Inflation Reduction Act came into play, renewable energy in the United States was breaking records. The amount of electricity generated by renewable energy hit a record 28% in April, demonstrating the growing importance of renewable energy in the U.S. energy markets. Wind, solar and hydroelectric dams produced only 8.6% of the nation’s electricity in April 2001, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). However, by 2022, the share of electricity created from renewables had more than tripled to 28%. So why the tremendous uptick? Wind and solar are dominating the U.S. energy buildouts. In fact, wind, [...]
Resilient power for emergency: Untethering first responders from unreliable backup power
Electricity is the backbone of modern society. It propels us through our everyday life by powering our devices, our homes and our businesses. Without it, we’re left in the dark. There are several causes of outages, with severe weather being the leading reason. Hurricanes have caused nine out of the top 10 power outages, with eight occurring after 2000. As we’ve all seen, extreme weather events like hurricanes and wildfires will only continue on a steady upward march in frequency and intensity. When the power goes out, whether due to grid-related failure or a natural disaster, emergency responders are some [...]
Freeing energy from the grid
The Russian invasion of Ukraine continues to disrupt trade and production, exerting a drag on the global economy while pushing up inflation. The World Bank forecasts a rise in food and energy prices for the next three years, with Americans already feeling prices at the gas pump with a national average of $4.68 a gallon. According to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics report, the U.S. annual inflation rate in May was 8.6%, its highest level since 1981. The cost of living has risen steeply and isn’t showing signs of slowing down. Living off the grid is starting to sound [...]
Race car mechanic turned composite designer
Professional race car mechanic – an unexpected profession for one of our Windlift employees. In college, Brayden Summerlin earned a degree in race car building. While Brayden is a car enthusiast, he decided composite design was the lane he wanted to stay in. As a composite technician, he now spends his time at Windlift creating parts for the Airborne Power Generator (APG). He’s worked at composite companies in the past and as a service manager at an automotive shop during the pandemic. He says that “there wasn’t anything for me at the auto shop – it was just a job. [...]