Climate

As Xcel moves toward coal-free, will natural gas remain part of energy mix?
Xcel Energy is proposing to replace a coal-fired power plant in Becker with a brand-new plant that would burn natural gas to generate electricity. The company says it needs natural gas as part of its transition to carbon-free electricity. But some climate advocates say building a new fossil fuel plant is unnecessary — and may be unwise.
Bigleaf maple syrup flows as profits drip from once-maligned Northwest tree
The Pacific Northwest is getting into the lucrative maple syrup industry. Farmers and researchers in Washington state are beginning to tap the sweet potential of the much-maligned bigleaf maple tree.
Locust swarms in Africa are worst in decades
The worst outbreak of desert locusts in Kenya in 70 years has seen hundreds of millions of the bugs swarm into the East African nation from Somalia and Ethiopia. Those two countries have not had an infestation like this in a quarter-century.
A mayor in Norway's Arctic looks to China to reinvent his frontier town
Melting ice means more ships are traversing polar shipping lanes, so Rune Rafaelsen wants Chinese investors to help turn the small town of Kirkenes into a major logistics hub. But doubters abound.