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Read this issue on the UCS website.
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Dear Paul,
Coal-fired power plants pollute our air and water and are one of our nation's largest sources of global warming emissions. But times are changing. People like you and me have been working to advance cleaner, more sustainable energy solutions—and it's starting to pay off. Our new report, Ramping Up Renewables, shows that renewable energy is already providing reliable power to consumers and that we can dramatically expand our renewable energy use. Unfortunately, the fossil-fuel industry doesn't want the rest of the country to catch on. They're working day in and day out to roll back policies that support our transition to a cleaner, renewable future. It's up to us to fight back, so read on! —Karla
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Ask the Scientist
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Laura Wisland
Senior Energy Analyst, Climate and Energy Program
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Laura's blog >>
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A friend of mine claims that if all direct and indirect government subsidies were eliminated, the cheapest electricity source would be coal and that renewables of any kind would be most expensive. Can you clarify how the cost of renewables actually stacks up against other sources? —George E. Milkowski, Chicago, IL
The most important thing to emphasize in answering your question is the fact that renewable sources of electricity are providing clean, safe electricity at competitive prices right now across the country. That's a big reason why electricity suppliers are making record-level investments in resources like wind and solar. In fact, the latest data indicate the U.S. wind industry installed more electric generation capacity in 2012 than any other energy source, beating even natural gas. And, thanks in part to government incentives and a maturing industry, renewable sources are getting substantially cheaper. But let's try to unpack some of your friend's claims and assumptions to gain a fuller understanding of how the cost of renewables compares to other sources of electricity. MORE
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This Just In
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Don't believe the critics. Renewable energy works!
When it comes to America's energy future, there's a lot of crosstalk and deception, and the fossil-fuel industry and its allies just want us to keep swallowing their misinformation. Citing inaccurate data, they falsely claim that renewable energy provides few benefits to the environment and assert it must cost more. That's where science steps in. To fight their distortion, UCS has released a new report, Ramping Up Renewables, which shows how renewable energy solutions are already delivering reliable power to homes and businesses in the United States. The report also describes how the United States can transition to a cleaner, more sustainable energy future if we take the right steps. Read this exciting new report and share it with your family and friends. MORE
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For more than a year, officials in South Carolina tried to suppress a science-based report about the impacts of climate change in the state. Here's how science and sunlight finally won the day...
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DEFEND SCIENCE!
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Doug Gurian-Sherman: 
