Pam Parsons, Author at C-Change Conversations

Curated Climate News

How Hot Is Too Hot

Dear Friends,

How hot is too hot? More of us are about to find out.

We are reaching temperature thresholds around the world – including in our own country – where even the healthiest humans couldn’t survive outside over an extended period. When it gets too hot and humid, our sweat can’t evaporate fast enough to cool us down, no matter how young or healthy we are.

Because of climate change, that kind of heat is happening more often and it impacts more than just our health – it lowers productivity, harms crops, dries up water resources, and supercharges hurricanes.

And countries are feeling the climate change bite to their economies – especially this year as El Niño amplifies disruptions. The unprecedented heatwaves in Europe this summer are projected to wipe out roughly $208B of GDP, essentially negating the EU’s expected economic growth.

Here in the U.S., we’re weathering an increasingly ironic scenario – even as we were enduring the hottest month ever recorded in the lower 48 (July), we’re embarking on the biggest natural gas buildout ever in order to power new data centers. Some of the AI generation is still speculative and may not be built, but the sheer number of proposed natural gas additions is so high we can be confident that much more natural gas will be used in the future – and that our emissions will climb significantly.

In the long term, this will lock in more climate damage. In the shorter term, this rapid increase in demand is expected to strain supply and send prices higher. So, as we turn on our air conditioners more often to beat the heat in the future, the costs of our electricity will spike even higher.

We are in for a rough patch. Our grid is modernizing too slowly to meet AI’s breathtakingly large electricity demands (one AI center purports to need power capacity equal to that of New York City). While data center operators say they’d rather plug into the grid than build their own gas plants on site – connecting to the grid would be cleaner and cheaper – our system is constrained by physical bottlenecks, outdated regulations, and politics. And, as you’ll read below, it’s not improving quickly.

So, let’s root for the new technologies, some outlined below, that can pave the way to a different, more sane, and affordable energy system. If we don’t, today’s hot temperatures will simply be a precursor to tomorrow’s hotter ones.

Sincerely,
Kathleen Biggins
Founder and President

Notable Quote

“El Niño is a giant hammer that the climate gets hit with, so it is going to scramble a lot of different things.”
– Zeke Hausfather, Berkeley Earth scientist

News of Concern

We’re barreling toward irrevocable shifts in our natural world – changes driven by our continued reliance on fossil fuels that we won’t be able to undo, even when we manage to curtail our emissions. A heartbreaking example: the wildfires raging across the west in our country are burning so hot that they are turning our great forests into stunted shrublands – and the trees that once thrived there won’t return. This will have far-reaching impacts, from a drier landscape with a scarcer water supply for both humans and wildlife to decreased carbon absorption, which means more heat-causing emissions escaping into our atmosphere.

In other concerning news:

■ China’s use of coal power is rising after a decade of decreases, as El Niño heat is straining the country’s hydropower facilities and the war with Iran has hindered imports of liquified natural gas. This is disheartening because China – the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitter – had generated more electricity from renewables than coal for the first time last year.

■ On a good news/bad news note, batteries are transforming our grid – enabling us to use cheaper, cleaner energy for more parts of the day and providing more stability – but we aren’t getting them onto the system fast enough. Bottlenecks in building grid infrastructure, like transformers and switch plugs, have created a five-year wait before new projects can hook in. This is a big deal – there’s 750 gigawatts of storage (the equivalent of 700 nuclear plants) waiting to get connected.

■ Our electricity bills are soaring, and new research shows current federal energy policies curtailing renewables and supporting fossil fuels will both drive up emissions and make power even more expensive, with U.S. households potentially spending an extra $650 billion over the next 15 years.

■ In another bad news/good news story, the Trump administration announced new tariffs on solar components last month that will slow solar’s skyrocketing growth (it’s currently the fastest form of new generation in the country despite policy pullbacks) but will also shore up American manufacturers to protect supply chains in the future.

News of Hope

Fortunately, we continue to push the envelope on developing ways to tackle climate change. Cities and companies, large and small, are thinking outside the box and embracing clean energy. And climate scientists are persisting in their research and communication efforts even after the government scuttled their programs. A particularly bright note here is the nonprofit climate.us, created after the Trump administration shut down NOAA’s climate.gov.

There’s so much good news to share this month:

■ New York City is exploring opportunities to beat the heat, including a huge air-exchange system that could capture and store the sweltering heat of the summer subways for warming buildings in the winter and embracing apartment-sized home batteries that residents can plug their air conditioners into at peak times to reduce both their costs and the strain on the grid on extremely hot days.

■ Boston is also turning its attention to novel clean-power sources, testing three thermal-energy projects that would use its rivers for heating and cooling. Because water temperatures fluctuate less than air, the rivers could support efficient heat pump systems that proponents claim could supply a “near-infinite” source of energy in the future.

The “most magical place on Earth” has just pulled another rabbit from the hat. Disney World is now capable of powering its entire resort – including all of the parks and hotels – with 100% solar energy during daytime hours. Source: The Walt Disney Company

And there was more good news in June:

■ The UK and Google are working together in a landmark effort to evaluate if altitude adjustmentsfor planes flying over the Atlantic Ocean could lessen the aviation industry’s impact on the climate. “Operation Blue Skies” will analyze if the shifts can decrease contrails, which trap heat and contribute to global warming.

■ Wildfire survivors are some of our fiercest fighters in reducing our risk from these deadly disasters. They’re building companies and pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into creating technology to combat wildfires, from drones to tracking balloons to systems that disrupt the oxygen in a blaze.

■ Americans are flocking to heat pumps (which provide both heating and cooling) for their homes, with sales outpacingfossil fuel furnaces by 32% in the first quarter of the year and almost beating out AC units. Farmers are embracing heat pumps as well, with milk and cheese producers reporting heat pumps can cut electricity use in half.

■ A hearty cheer to this innovation – a Heineken brewery is replacing natural gas boilers with heat batteries for manufacturing some of its beers. The batteries use clean energy to generate high heat, which is stored in special bricks, then used to generate the clouds of steam necessary for brewing the beer.

Notable Graphic

Growth of renewable power remains strong in the United States. Solar and storage made up 91% of all new energy generation capacity in the first quarter of 2026 (with solar accounting for 60%). Current federal policies that favor fossil fuels are slowing our momentum – growth was down 27% from last year. But even with these headwinds, solar is expected to continue to grow rapidly. Experts project it could surpass natural gas as the primary power generator around mid-century.

Notable Video

Wildfire smoke has engulfed swaths of the country this year, sometimes traveling for thousands of miles from the source of the blaze. It’s becoming a more-common occurrence as climate change heats the air, shifts rainfall patterns, and dries out land to create tinderbox conditions. This graphic visualization drives home the sheer scope of how the smoke travels through the air.

Pam Parsons September 1, 2026 0

by Kathleen BigginsC-Change Blog

The Winds of Change

The Winds of Change are Stiffening

By Kathleen Biggins

At a time when caring for the climate seems downright quaint and out of date, when the drumbeat of climate denial sounds steadily and loudly, when federal policy is squashing and delaying renewable energy projects, it may seem incongruous to herald that progress is being made. But when we consider the big picture, the winds of change are stiffening. Let’s take a closer look at some positive trends at home and abroad.

Demographics are changing. Younger Republicans are substantially more concerned about climate change than their parents and grandparents. They also support fossil fuels less and support clean energy more. As younger voters become a larger share of the electorate, today’s partisan divide on climate change is unlikely to remain as stark as it is today.

Political backlash is growing against high electricity costs – and renewables can help. Artificial intelligence and data centers are dramatically increasing electricity demand, driving up costs and leading to political fallout in both conservative and liberal areas. We simply can’t meet the demand without new power generation.

In the near-term, reliance on natural gas, historically the primary electricity source in the U.S., is expected to increase – especially at off-the-grid power generators at data center sites. But it is significantly hampered by delays and cost: new gas-fired plants now take five to seven years to come online and are three times more expensive to build than a decade ago due to supply chain and workforce shortages. In addition, fuel prices are expected to rise significantly as we export more liquefied natural gas onto the global market and due to geopolitical disruptions.

At the same time, we have an enormous backlog of cheaper clean-energy projects waiting in our transmission queue. Approximately 95% of all sidelined capacity consists of wind, solar, and battery storage – roughly 2.6 terawatts of potential generation, and more than twice the generating capacity of our current U.S. grid. Harnessing this clean energy is the quickest and cheapest way to add capacity to our grid.

Clean energy is now the cheapest energy. Wind and solar are now the lowest-cost sources of new electricity generation in almost all of the United States and around the world. Conservative states such as Iowa, South Dakota, and Kansas generate at least half of their electricity from wind while maintaining some of the nation’s lowest electricity prices. Texas, long identified with oil and gas, has become one of the world’s renewable energy leaders, generating more than one-third of its electricity from wind, solar, and battery storage. Those resources have significantly reduced wholesale electricity costs and improved grid reliability while providing billions of dollars in income to rural landowners and local communities.

These energy savings are getting too big to ignore. The world saved $480B last year by using more renewable energy instead of burning fossil fuels. And these savings are not one-and-done; sunbeams and wind currents are “free,” so renewable generation will continue to displace fossil fuels and provide savings in future years.

Climate change is no longer an abstract discussion. In the 1980s, the U.S. experienced $1B weather and climate disasters three times a year – we are now averaging roughly one every two weeks. Unsurprisingly, a large majority of Americans report experiencing an extreme weather event during the past year. Research also suggests that people who experience these events are more likely to recognize the role climate change plays in making many of these disasters more frequent or more severe.

Cleantech is getting more politically savvy. Many Republican lawmakers privately acknowledge the scientific consensus on climate change, yet have faced strong political incentives to avoid publicly embracing climate policy. Following the successful playbook of fossil fuel companies, many cleantech leaders are increasingly investing in relationships across the political spectrum, working to make clean-energy innovation a “purple” issue versus a “progressive” one.

Clean energy is taking the high ground. Another longstanding criticism – that pursuing clean energy condemns poorer communities to “energy poverty” – is steadily losing credibility.

Across Africa and other developing regions, distributed solar power is bringing electricity to communities that otherwise might wait decades for centralized transmission infrastructure. Instead of relying on imported fossil fuels with volatile prices, families gain access to affordable, locally generated electricity. In fact, Africa – where the vast majority of people without energy access live – is becoming one of the fastest-growing renewable markets.

The same principle applies in the United States. Wind and solar development is creating new income streams for farmers, ranchers, and economically struggling rural communities, particularly across states like Texas, as well as creating opportunities for lower future utility costs nationwide.

Other countries are moving quickly and benefiting from the transition. China and India continue to consume enormous quantities of fossil fuels as their economies expand, but last year both decreased fossil fuel electricity generation as they rapidly deployed renewable energy, batteries, and modern electric grids.

India, the world’s fastest growing economy and third-largest emitter, produced three times as much new clean energy than was needed to fully power that growth, allowing it to actually lower its emissions last year while its economy expanded.

And China, the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter, last year installed half of all new global clean-energy capacity. These additions mean that, as of this year, China now has more generation capacity in renewables than in fossil fuels.

Worldwide, carbon intensity – the greenhouse gas emissions produced per unit of economic output – has continued to decline as clean energy expands. North America was a notable exception in 2025, with emissions and carbon intensity increasing, driven largely by surging electricity demand from AI infrastructure and increased fossil fuel generation in the United States. In fact, last year our increased demand exceeded our clean-energy additions – North American carbon emissions rose 3.2%, driven primarily by the U.S. and accounted for 47% of global emissions growth.

And so here we are. History is filled with moments when a determined minority delayed critically needed change. Current climate policy in the U.S. will likely be remembered as one of those moments. But the winds of change are strong, and this recent doubling down on fossil fuels and climate denial could be the last hurrah of a fading system fighting against an inevitable future.

Kathleen Biggins is Founder and President of C-Change Conversations.

Pam Parsons August 28, 2026 0

B-Change Blogby Karen Dougherty

Balcony Solar: A Trending Climate Solution

JULY 2026

By Karen Dougherty

Have you been curious about solar energy for your home but aren’t ready for a major financial commitment? Is your roof covered in shade but you have a sunny porch? Or are you renting a place and wish you could get into the clean-energy game? If any of these are true for you, balcony solar might be calling your name.

Balcony solar (also known as plug-in solar) is trending. This may have something to do with skyrocketing energy prices and accelerating demand due to the explosion of data centers. Nobody wants to see energy costs rise, but the more they do, the more benefit there is to powering part (or all) of your home with the sun.

WHAT IS BALCONY SOLAR?

Just as the name suggests, balcony solar panels are small enough to go on your porch…or fence, shed, wall, or yard. They plug right into a standard outlet and supply electricity directly to your home’s circuits. In other words, you can access solar without needing a contractor or big investment. Cool, right?

The units use a tiny device called a microinverter to convert the sun’s energy into usable electricity for your apartment or home. The power goes straight into your home’s wiring and helps run the always-on appliances like your fridge, Wi-Fi router, laptop chargers, lights, and electronics.

Already booming in other countries, balcony solar has recently started gaining popularity in pockets of the United States.

PROS

■  Lower investment than rooftop solar – substantially lower up-front cost vs. rooftop solar, and you can also start with one panel and add on
■ Renter-friendly – the unit moves with you
■  Easy setup – kits are light and install easily with minimal tools
■ Lower electric bills – can reduce power bills by 10 to 25%
■ No roof required – perfect for apartment, condos, duplexes, and shaded roofs
■ Slows climate change – the more clean energy we use, the less fossil fuel energy we need
■ Can act as a backup power source – when you pair with a battery, you can maintain some power during an outage

CONS

■ Not sufficient to power a whole home – more “trim your bill” than “go fully off-grid”
■ Needs decent sunlight – north-facing balconies or heavily shaded areas won’t work
■ Legal rules are still messy in the U.S. – some states explicitly allow solar panels, some are considering laws, and others are vague or restrictive
■ Landlord or HOA drama may still occur – even where state law allows solar panels, building rules may not
■ Savings are modest – think “helps with the utility bill,” not “break up with my energy utility”

WHAT IS THE COST?

Typical U.S. balcony solar kits cost between $500 to $1,500 depending on size and energy output. European systems are much cheaper because the market is more mature, but U.S. prices are coming down.

How much can people save? There are lots of variables, like system sizes and electricity rates, but the short answer is: noticeable but not life-changing money.

Typical estimates are about 10 to 25% savings, depending on the size of the solar unit. The payback period depends on the cost of electricity where you live, but typically lands between two to five years. As energy prices go up, this time goes down.

WHERE IS BALCONY SOLAR ALLOWED?

One challenge is many states have antiquated laws requiring balcony solar to have the same permits and fees as commercial solar farms. This is a case of rules not keeping pace with technology – many states are in a “legal gray area” where the laws don’t clearly permit or ban plug-in solar yet. Because of broad interest, things are rapidly changing. Eight states have laws allowing residents to use plug-in solar, and many others have active legislation or regulatory discussions underway.

States where plug-in solar is approved:
■  Colorado
■  Connecticut
■ Maine
■  Maryland
■  New Hampshire
■ Utah (first state to explicitly legalize it, in 2025)
■ Vermont
■  Virginia

States with active legislation (stay tuned – this is a fast-moving target):
■  Arkansas
■  California
■  Delaware
■  Georgia
■  Hawaii
■  Idaho
■  Illinois
■ Indiana
■  Iowa
■  Massachusetts
■  Michigan
■  Minnesota
■  Missouri
■  New Jersey
■ New York
■ North Carolina
■  Ohio
■ Oklahoma
■  Oregon
■  Pennsylvania
■ Rhode Island
■  South Carolina
■  Washington
■  West Virginia
■  Wyoming

WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?

If you want to give balcony solar a try, do a bit of research to make sure it’s allowed in your state. And keep checking, because things are moving fast. If legislation is in process, consider firing off an email to your state representatives voicing support.

Before buying, you will also want to consider the size of the unit that best matches your budget, as well as the size of your sunny spot. When dealing with electricity, safety is obviously important, so look for a unit that is UL-certified. And finally, don’t forget to check with your HOA or building manager.

In a nutshell, balcony solar could be a simple way to dip your toe into the solar game, be part of the solution to climate change, and save some money along the way. Triple win!

In addition to volunteering for C-Change, Karen blogs about climate change at unheating.com.

Pam Parsons July 19, 2026 0

Curated Climate News

We need to understand the risks of climate change and the emerging innovations

JUNE 2026

At a time when the world’s climate systems are flashing red, many Americans seem to be responding with a shrug – or with willful avoidance of the topic. Media climate desks have been disbanded, liberal politicians have dropped the issue, consumers are understandably focused on soaring energy costs, and the federal government is pretending climate change doesn’t exist and perversely boosting coal (the most expensive and carbon intensive fuel of all). It’s like we are collectively reverting to childhood, shutting our eyes so the boogeyman can’t get us.

But, unfortunately, closing our eyes doesn’t mean the boogeyman isn’t coming – and this one is coming with a vengeance. So far this year, temperatures are trending higher (France just hit its hottest day ever recorded), early wildfires are more widespread and destructive, and water supplies are at record lows). And the
extremes – heat, drought, and, conversely, excessive rain – are bedeviling farmers and endangering food supplies.

And remember, our climate woes today will look like child’s play tomorrow. To get a sense of what we may be setting into motion, let’s look at conditions the last time emissions were this high: three million years ago, when temperatures were 4.5-7.4°F hotter than our pre-industrial temperatures and oceans were at least 16 feet higher with large parts of the Atlantic coast, the Carolinas, and Florida under water.

The good news is that despite this environment of “climate malaise,” more Americans than ever are worried about climate change and a strong majority – 63% in a recent Gallup poll – want our government to do more about it. Companies, including American icons like GM, are reimagining how our energy systems will run in the future. Investors are piling into cleantech, with global investments hitting $2T in 2025, more than double investment in fossil fuels. And electrification – using electricity for transport, industry, heating, and power – is advancing globally at a blistering pace and is three times more efficient than using fossil fuels for most of the same tasks.

So, let’s shake off our malaise and get cracking. Let’s open our eyes to what’s happening, so we can understand both the real risk of climate change and the promise of the innovation around us. The only way to chase that boogeyman away is to meet him head on.

Sincerely,
Kathleen Biggins
Founder and President