Latest news with #ClimateShiftIndex
Time Magazine
28-07-2025
- Business
- Time Magazine
Why Your Energy Bill Is So High
If it feels like your energy bills are higher than usual, it is not just a figment of your imagination. As a heat dome smothers huge parts of the United States, Americans are noticing their electricity prices skyrocket—driven up by increased demand and inflation, among other factors. More than 60% of Americans said in April that their electricity and/or gas bill had increased compared to a year ago, and nearly three-quarters are concerned that the bills will increase this year, according to a poll marketing and research specialist Ipsos conducted with PowerLines, a nonprofit working to reduce electricity prices. Just 3% said their bill had decreased. The increases appear to have only continued in the months since then, hitting Americans across the country—but especially in the Western U.S. PowerLines found in a new report that U.S. electric companies have asked for $29 billion in rate increases so far this year, more than double their requests for the first half of 2024. It notes that Western utilities are 'particularly' impacted, having asked for more than $4 billion in raised rates. 'Improvements to aging infrastructure are cited as a major driver of the increases in the region,' PowerLines says, pointing to upgrades made in response to the increase in extreme weather and climate emergencies over the past few years that it notes has 'burdened' the electric grid. Many businesses and energy industry leaders are now looking to find ways to make the U.S. power grid more sustainable for 21st century power usage. Demand for energy is also growing as the 2025 summer proves exceptionally hot, with high humidity intensifying the heat. A heat wave has been baking large swaths of the U.S. in the past week, prompting the National Weather Service (NWS) to issue major heat advisories across the country. Energy company Con Edison warned earlier this summer that it was working to meet increased demand for summer air conditioning and that prices would rise, and in June, the U.S. Department of Energy had to release an emergency order to allow Duke Energy to exceed the emissions limits laid out in its power plant permits in order 'to preserve the reliability of the bulk electric power system.' Extreme heat is only becoming more common as the climate changes. According to Climate Central, a nonprofit that works to research climate impact, the heat wave that hit much of the U.S. in late July was level five on the company's Climate Shift Index (CSI), meaning it found that 'human-caused climate change made this extreme heat at least five times more likely.' Inflation appears to be playing a role in increasing rates as well. An in-depth analysis on electricity expenses that the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) also shared earlier this year, found that between 2013 and 2023, electricity prices closely mirrored inflation rates. The agency explained, however, that it expects 'increases in electricity prices to outpace inflation through 2026,' as demand continues to grow. The analysis explains that U.S. energy prices increased significantly between 2020 and 2022 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine due to disrupted supply chains and market volatility, but while gasoline prices have bounced back to more reasonable levels, electricity prices have not, as temperatures rise, and power grids remain strained. As large companies work to meet increased demand, prices are mirroring the need. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing regarding concerns about rising energy demand on July 23, where New Mexico's Democratic Sen. Martin Heinrich argued that meeting the growth will require 'structural changes to how we permit and build our energy infrastructure,' including specifically clean energy projects. '[E]lectricity bills are becoming unaffordable for too many Americans,' Heinrich said, pointing to states like California and Texas where he says 'high levels of renewable energy do not compromise grid reliability—in fact, they improve it.'
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Heat dome map shows dangerous temperatures across U.S. Corn Belt, South
A heat dome is trapping over 90 million Americans in extreme temperatures this week with the National Weather Service issuing heat alerts from Nebraska to Florida. Dangerous heat threatens to bake much of the Mississippi Valley and parts of the Southeast from Tuesday through at least Thursday, with temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit expected in some areas. Some places could see heat index values, or feels-like temperatures, of 110 to 115 degrees. While not expected to reach record highs, temperatures are still forecast to be about 10 to 15 degrees above average compared to what they typically are this time of year. Maps show July heat alerts and forecasts As the extreme heat hits parts of the Corn Belt, a region over part of the Plains and Central Mississippi Valley where heat index values could reach between 105 and 110 degrees, high humidity is also expected. The common phenomenon is known as corn sweat, which occurs when extreme heat beats down on corn crops and causes it to perspire and increase the humidity in the air. Although record highs aren't forecasted this week, overnight lows in the mid 70s to low 80s could possibly break record high minimums in states like Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, South Carolina and Tennessee, according to Climate Central, a nonprofit that analyzes climate change data. High humidity coupled with extreme temperatures is dangerous because the combination significantly increases the likelihood of heat-related illnesses. Little to no overnight relief also poses a greater threat to health, NWS Prediction Center says. Heat waves increasingly intensified by climate change Climate change has made excessive heat in July at least three times more likely for nearly 160 million people in the U.S., nearly half the population, a Climate Central analysis found. Using its calculation of data and what is called a Climate Shift Index (CSI), the nonprofit said Monday that human-caused climate change made this extreme heat at least five times more likely for certain areas, from Salt Lake City and Santa Fe, New Mexico, to Tallahassee, Florida, and Montgomery, Alabama. The CSI uses real-time data to estimate how climate change has increased the likelihood of a particular daily temperature, according to Climate Central. Last month, another heat dome exposed nearly half of the country to dangerously high temperatures. On June 24, seven states tied or broke monthly high temperature records, many exceeding triple digits. One of those states, Maryland, reported that 472 people needed medical assistance for heat-related illnesses during that time when the heat index topped 110 degrees in some places. With such events becoming more common, Democratic lawmakers last week proposed legislation to classify extreme heat as a disaster, which would allow federal funding to flow into areas where hotter temperatures cause significant physical and economic distress. Ozzy Osbourne, heavy metal pioneer, dies at age 76 Sneak peek: The Case of the Black Swan (Part 2) Idaho murders victims' families speak out at Brian Kohberger's sentencing hearing Solve the daily Crossword
Axios
26-06-2025
- Climate
- Axios
Houston's summer evenings are getting warmer
Summer evenings are getting warmer in Houston and across much of the U.S. amid climate change, a new analysis shows. Why it matters: Higher overnight temperatures can have health consequences for vulnerable groups, as well as increased demand for air conditioning. That, in turn, can increase energy demand and strain electrical grids, fueling a vicious cycle with more greenhouse gas emissions. Driving the news: Average summer nighttime temperatures increased between 1970 and 2024 in 96% of 241 locations analyzed in a new report from Climate Central, a research and communications group. Among cities with an increase, temperatures rose by 3.1 degrees on average. Zoom in: Houston's overnight lows rose 5.8 degrees in that timeframe, according to the report. Dallas' rose 5 degrees, Austin rose 3.1 degrees and San Antonio rose 3 degrees. Between the lines: Hundreds of U.S. cities are experiencing more frequent warmer-than-average summer nights "with a strong climate change fingerprint," Climate Central says. That's based on the group's "Climate Shift Index" — a method of measuring climate change's impact on local daily temperatures — and the 1991-2020 climate normals.
Axios
25-06-2025
- Climate
- Axios
Summer nights are getting warmer in Philly
Warm summer nights in Philly are starting to feel a little ... well, warmer. Why it matters: Higher overnight temperatures can have health consequences for vulnerable groups, as well as increase demand for air conditioning. That, in turn, can strain electrical grids and increase energy demand, fueling a vicious cycle with more greenhouse gas emissions. Driving the news: Average summer nighttime temperatures in Philly increased 4.1°F between 1970 and 2024, per a new report from Climate Central, a research and communications group. Nationwide, average summer temperatures at night increased in 96% of the 241 locations analyzed by Climate Central. Among cities with an increase, temperatures rose by 3.1°F on average. Between the lines: Hundreds of U.S. cities are experiencing more frequent warmer-than-average summer nights "with a strong climate change fingerprint," Climate Central says. That's based on the group's "Climate Shift Index" — a method of measuring climate change's impact on local daily temperatures — and the 1991-2020 climate normals.
Axios
23-06-2025
- Climate
- Axios
Northwest Arkansas' summer night temps creep higher
Power couple Olivia Newton John and John Travolta likely weren't thinking of climate change when they sang about " Summer Nights" in the '70s. But those evenings have been getting warmer across Northwest Arkansas and much of the U.S. for 50 years amid climate change, a new analysis shows. Why it matters: Higher overnight temperatures can have health consequences for vulnerable groups, as well as increased demand for air conditioning. That, in turn, can strain electrical grids and increase energy demand, fueling a vicious cycle with more greenhouse gas emissions. Driving the news: Average summer nighttime temperatures increased between 1970 and 2024 in 96% of 241 locations analyzed in a new report from Climate Central, a research and communications group. Among cities with an increase, temperatures rose by 3.1°F on average. Zoom in: Northwest Arkansas' minimum temperature rose 2°F on average. It's 3.2°F in Little Rock and 1.8°F in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Zoom out: Reno, Nevada (+17.7°F), Las Vegas (+10°F), El Paso, Texas (+8.9°F) and Salt Lake City (+8.2°F) saw the biggest increases. What they're saying:"There's a lot of work ahead of us, and we don't have all the answers," Brian Beffort, sustainability manager for Reno's Washoe County, recently told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "I'm focused on trees because they check the most number of boxes: They clean the air. They prevent stormwater. They cool things off ... There's a lot of planning that we need to do. But that's not the only intervention that we need." Between the lines: Hundreds of U.S. cities are experiencing more frequent warmer-than-average summer nights "with a strong climate change fingerprint," Climate Central says. That's based on the group's "Climate Shift Index" — a method for measuring the impact of climate change on local daily temperatures — and the 1991-2020 climate normals.
