I love seeing happy sheep grazing near solar panels. The solar punk future is coming!

Frontier Group@frontiergroup.bsky.social · 6d ago

Mowing the ground underneath solar panels or the use of herbicides can degrade the land and increase runoff. Modern solar land management practices not only mitigate those concerns, but also provide other benefits to the land, wildlife and communities. frontiergroup.org/resources/pr...

Charging EVs a flat annual fee for the roads is like charging a flat fee for an all-you-can-eat buffet – to get your money’s worth, you need to consume more. That means more road damage and more congestion. frontiergroup.org/resources/wh...

Where are road taxes higher for EVs than gas-powered cars?

A new federal fee on electric vehicles could result in EV drivers in 33 states paying more for roads than drivers of gas-powered cars.

frontiergroup.org

We need more renewable energy to reduce fossil fuel pollution, but renewables can also impact the environment and wildlife. My new report @frontiergroup.bsky.social and Environment Texas shows how it can be built and operated responsibly in Texas (and beyond) frontiergroup.org/resources/pr...

Protecting the nature of Texas, powering our clean energy future

Smart renewable energy siting and operations in the Lone Star State

frontiergroup.org

85% of all wildfires in the U.S. are started by people, many of them near roads. Federal officials are trying to open wild areas of our national forests to road-building, claiming it’ll help with wildfires? Our new map shows why that doesn’t make sense. frontiergroup.org/articles/rem...

Removing the roadless rule won’t protect us from wildfires

Fewer than 1% of wildfires in the lower 48 states – and none of the costliest fires – since 2010 have started in roadless areas of national forests.

frontiergroup.org

The drought-stricken West may be in for a tough wildfire season. Eliminating protections for roadless areas of our national forests won’t protect communities from wildfire. Our new map shows why: frontiergroup.org/articles/rem...

Removing the roadless rule won’t protect us from wildfires

Fewer than 1% of wildfires in the lower 48 states – and none of the costliest fires – since 2010 have started in roadless areas of national forests.

frontiergroup.org

Since 2001, 58 million acres of national forests have been protected from road-building – giving wildlife room to roam. These lands are now under threat. Our new map shows why one rationale given for the rollback doesn’t make sense. frontiergroup.org/articles/rem...

“I like to call them zombie power plants,” said Quentin Good, coauthor of a report on data center energy use by @frontiergroup.bsky.social. “They should be dead, but we keep reviving them, and they’re walking around like zombies polluting our communities.” yaleclimateconnections.org/2026/06/how-...

How bad is AI for the environment? » Yale Climate Connections

The data center boom is slowing the clean energy transition in the U.S.

yaleclimateconnections.org

I'm really proud of the work I've been doing with @frontiergroup.bsky.social to track power plant retirement delays. These dinosaurs are a serious detriment to the climate and the health of nearby communities, and we need to close them sooner than later.

Frontier Group@frontiergroup.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Some of the oldest and dirtiest power plants in the nation are staying online to help power data centers. 17 power plants with delayed retirements were responsible for more than 3% of NOx and SO2 pollution from the U.S. electricity sector in 2023. frontiergroup.org/resources/fo...

I'm very proud of the work I've been doing with @frontiergroup.bsky.social to document the delayed retirements of fossil fuel plants that should no longer be polluting our communities. We've got some good stuff coming out for Earth Day next week!

Frontier Group@frontiergroup.bsky.social · 4mo ago

The data center boom is slowing down the shift away from dirty fossil energy. Next week we’re releasing new analysis that documents the slowdown in retirement of some of America’s dirtiest power plants and the possible implications for our air.

My new article for @frontiergroup.bsky.social looks at how much water data centers are using in Virginia. While there's plenty for now, that may not always be the case, especially during peak demand. The situation could be much worse for hotter, drier climates like Arizona and Texas.

Frontier Group@frontiergroup.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Data centers could consume a quarter of the water in the D.C. metro area within ten years, not including the water consumed off-site by power plants generating electricity for data centers. @quentingood.bsky.social’s new article has more. frontiergroup.org/articles/doe...

Data centers tend to use the most water for cooling during hot summer months when drought is more likely. In the Washington D.C. area, data centers’ peak water consumption is projected to skyrocket – potentially straining water resources. frontiergroup.org/articles/doe...

From more efficient refrigerators to LED lightbulbs, American homes are using way less energy than just a few decades ago – and it occurred without many even knowing. Our new data visualization spells out energy efficiency has improved Americans’ homes. frontiergroup.org/resources/ho...

Saving energy, money and lives: How energy efficiency has improved America’s homes

America’s homes have changed a great deal over the last few decades. But one change we don’t think about often is actually one of the most important: the efficiency with which our appliances, furnaces...

frontiergroup.org

An average American family used over a quarter less energy in 2020 than it did in 1993 – we have energy efficiency to thank. Our new data visualization shows how energy efficient homes have generated cleaner air, better health and financial savings. frontiergroup.org/resources/ho...

Saving energy, money and lives: How energy efficiency has improved America’s homes

America’s homes have changed a great deal over the last few decades. But one change we don’t think about often is actually one of the most important: the efficiency with which our appliances, furnaces...

frontiergroup.org

This year I've been highlighting just how uncertain projections of energy demand growth from data centers are. The buildout to meet that expected demand could have serious consequences for ratepayers and the environment, whether or not the data centers are built.

Frontier Group@frontiergroup.bsky.social · 8mo ago

In the 1970s, forecasts of ever-increasing energy demand resulted in overinvestment in power infrastructure that wasn’t actually needed. Could a future data center bust create similar problems today? frontiergroup.org/articles/how...

Live music contributes significantly to climate pollution and environmental waste, but it doesn’t have to. @quentingood.bsky.social's new article explains how the industry can undergo a key change. frontiergroup.org/articles/sus...

Sustainable sound: Reducing the environmental impact of live music

The live music industry generates significant amounts of greenhouse gas emissions and waste, but it doesn't have to.

frontiergroup.org

I recently documented power plant closures that have been delayed due to rising electricity demand. With analysts projecting that data center energy demand will continue growing in the US, more retirement delays could be on the horizon.

Frontier Group@frontiergroup.bsky.social · 10mo ago

Rising electricity demand, including for data centers, is increasing our reliance on fossil fuels – putting our health and climate at risk. Here are some of the power plants, once scheduled to retire, that are now being kept open due to rising demand. 🧵 frontiergroup.org/articles/dat...

My new article explains where fossil fuel power plants are being kept alive longer than planned to fuel U.S. data centers.

Frontier Group@frontiergroup.bsky.social · 10mo ago

Fossil fuel power plants across the U.S. are getting a new lease on life due to energy demand from data centers. We identified nearly 16,500 MW of capacity at U.S. power plants that will be kept open longer than originally planned. frontiergroup.org/articles/dat...

Fossil fuel power plants across the U.S. are getting a new lease on life due to energy demand from data centers. We identified nearly 16,500 MW of capacity at U.S. power plants that will be kept open longer than originally planned. frontiergroup.org/articles/dat...

Data center energy use is giving old, dirty power plants a new lease on life

The closures of 34 fossil fuel generators at 15 power plants have been postponed, in part to fuel the U.S. data center boom.

frontiergroup.org

In Colorado’s Roaring Fork Valley, services like long-distance bus routes and dedicated bus lanes are saving riders time and money. @quentingood.bsky.social explains how great public transit has been transformative for the communities it serves: frontiergroup.org/articles/wha...

What makes a public transit system great?

Convenient, comfortable and fast public transportation in the Roaring Fork Valley creates numerous benefits for riders, communities and the environment.

frontiergroup.org

Data centers that power the AI boom are fueling a surge in projected electricity demand around the country. @cbsnews.com.web.brid.gy highlights our report on data center energy use and its implications for the grid and environment. www.cbsnews.com/news/artific... frontiergroup.org/resources/bi...

The AI revolution is likely to drive up your electricity bill. Here's why.

Utilities are racing to build data centers to meet surging demand for AI and other tech services. Ratepayers will pick up the tab, experts say.

cbsnews.com

America produces more than 3x as much energy from solar, wind and geothermal as we did in 2015, with growth in all 50 states. Our updated State of Renewable Energy dashboard with Environment America has detailed info on clean energy growth in your state. environmentamerica.org/center/resou...

The State of Renewable Energy Dashboard

Renewables are on the rise across America. America produces more than three times as much power from solar, wind and geothermal sources as we did 10 years ago – enough to power more than 71.5 million ...

environmentamerica.org

New report details the environmental and consumer costs of #DataCenter expansion. The growth of energy-intensive computing must come with a focus on using #RenewableEnergy, maximizing #EnergyEfficiency, and reducing impacts on the grid. environmentamerica.org/california/c...

From toxic pools to radioactive dust in the wind, uranium mining poses numerous threats. @quentingood.bsky.social writes about how a possible surge in uranium mining could affect the environment and communities: frontiergroup.org/articles/ren...

Renewed interest in uranium mining threatens waterways and wildlife

Uranium mining and milling in the West poses serious threats to wildlife and communities — from water pollution and radioactive dust to the risk of accidents during transport.

frontiergroup.org

Producing electronic devices takes up critical mineral resources and creates carbon pollution. So, why not build them to last and fix them when they break? Our new tool calculates the environmental benefits we could achieve: pirg.org/articles/the...

The environmental benefits of repair

Devices are often replaced because they are too difficult to fix or they are not built to last. Keeping them longer would have enormous environmental benefits.

pirg.org