renewable energy

Mountain West Consortium Bets on Geothermal as the Region’s Next Big Power Source

Poll shows a divide between what people want and the direction of the Trump Administration when it comes to addressing global warming

Wind and solar power are rapidly expanding across the Mountain West, with some states now generating a significant share of their electricity from renewable sources, according to a new report from Climate Central, a nonpartisan research group.

States across the Mountain West added record amounts of wind and solar power in 2024. Now, a new industry report shows the region is also becoming a national leader in battery storage.

The discovery in the Nevada desert could make a big difference to consumers in the future.

Wyoming lawmakers are thinking about future sources of electricity demand – and how it’ll be transmitted – in two bills. Both call on the Wyoming Energy Authority, a six-year old state entity that’s met previous criticism.

Some West Coast states have blocked Wyoming’s fossil fuel exports. But lawmakers are trying to get around that with new legislation.

The states with Democratic AGs argue that federal agencies are side-stepping important environmental laws to carry out the executive order.

As large solar projects become more common across the Mountain West, questions remain about their environmental footprint, especially in fragile desert ecosystems. New research from Nevada suggests that with careful planning, renewable energy development and rare native plants may be able to coexist.

“The fact that they've had to cancel lease sales when this is such a pro-coal administration tells you that even the White House can't offset markets. Markets are really the final determinant of whether coal is going to be around in the power generation market,” UW economist Rob Godby told WPR.