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Articles written by Lu Nelson


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  • Cold weather, high demand for electricity highlights need for diverse resources

    Lu Nelson, Senior Policy Associate - Center for Rural Affairs|Feb 24, 2021

    Last week, extreme weather caused power outages for much of the central United States. Bitter cold led to increased demand for electricity while also forcing significant portions of electric generation offline, leaving millions of people across the Midwest, Great Plains, and Texas in particular without electricity. Although many were quick to point to wind energy as the main cause, numerous sources of generation were impacted by the abnormally cold weather. According to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, about 16 gigawatts (GW) of renew...

  • Renewable electric grid making economic impact in rural areas

    Lu Nelson, Center for Rural Affairs|Feb 12, 2020

    The last decade has seen a drastic shift in the way the U.S. generates electricity. We have shifted from relying primarily on fossil fuel burning power plants to a thriving clean energy industry that supplies renewable, low-cost electricity to consumers. A combination of demand from customers and diminishing technology costs have helped wind and solar projects sprout up across the country, and with them has come a range of economic benefits. Renewable energy systems have created new jobs and...