Articles by Grist staff

Greyhound and other intercity buses gain popularity

High gas prices are helping Greyhound and other intercity buses shun their loser-cruiser reputation. Ridership on the U.S. intercity bus system fell by a third between 1960 and 1980, by half again by 2006 — but jumped 13 percent in the past two years. “People are starting to feel good about stepping aboard a bus,” […]

With research breakthrough, solar power could work when the sun don’t shine

Wind and solar energy face a distinct hurdle: sometimes the wind don’t blow and the sun don’t shine. But new research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology suggests a breakthrough in the intermittency problem. In a study published Friday in Science, researchers demonstrate a photosynthesis-inspired process to use electricity from renewable sources to split regular […]

China’s renewables sector booming, study says

China’s renewable-energy sector is growing substantially despite the simultaneous growth of its famous dirty-energy sector, according to a study by nonprofit The Climate Group. While China recently took the lead as the world’s largest carbon emitter and continues building roughly one coal-fired power plant a week on average, the country’s renewables industry is also setting […]

Snippets from the news

• Most Californians now favor offshore drilling. • SoCal judge rules against natural-gas plants. • Researchers demonstrate improved fuel cell. • San Francisco may require businesses to help workers commute. • Feds will look into effect of pesticides on salmon. • Cement kilns release twice the mercury EPA thinks, say studies. • Groups seek limits […]