Opinion:
¶ “False promise of ‘carbon capture’ exposed” – The widely touted ‘carbon capture and storage’ technology is much more expensive than wind and solar, says Greenpeace. It also represents a perverse subsidy to the fossil fuel sector that will only boost coal and oil, and delay the transition to sustainable energy. [The Ecologist]
SaskPower Boundary Dam generating station. Photo by Wtshymanski. Wikimedia Commons.
World:
¶ Clean energy employed more than 7.7 million people across the world last year, according the International Renewable Energy Agency. The number, which covers people employed directly by renewable energy firms and throughout the supply chain, marks an 18% rise on the 6.5 million jobs recorded in 2013. [GreenBiz]
¶ Full power output has been achieved at the Westermost Rough offshore wind farm, located off the East Yorkshire coast. Westermost Rough is capable of generating enough electricity for more than 150,000 homes. It is the first offshore wind farm to make commercial use of the Siemens 6-MW wind turbine. [Insider Media]
¶ Ahead of the climate change Conference of the Parties in December, France’s lower house of parliament has approved a bill aimed at boosting renewable energy and reducing reliance on nuclear power, among other environment-friendly measures. There were 308 votes for the bill, and 217 against. [Jamaica Observer]
¶ To provide uninterrupted power from renewable energy sources, experts from the UK and IITs are now working to create a new model combining the best of concentrating photovoltaic solar power, biomass energy and hydrogen. They will soon light up a remote tribal hamlet in West Bengal. [Niticentral]
¶ Solar Power Inc, a renewable-energy project developer backed by China’s LDK Solar Co, agreed to help develop 500 MW of photovoltaic systems in Japan. Japan is the second-largest solar market, and may install as much as 12.7 gigawatts of panels this year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. [Bloomberg]
¶ The operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant says it has finished filtering 620,000 tons of extremely toxic water stored in tanks on the premises of the complex to lower its radiation level. TEPCO says, however, that 400 tons more of radioactive water is still being generated every day. [The Japan Times]
US:
¶ In a new report, the US Department of Energy says the US could get 35% of its electricity from wind power within 35 years. The report details the benefits of replacing fossil fuel power plants with wind turbines generating carbon-free electricity. One benefit is saving 260 billion gallons of water each year. [TakePart]
Wind farm in rural America.
¶ The US DOE has announced $32 million in funding to help train more American solar support workers, to further drive down the cost of solar, and to increase access to solar data. Up to $12 million will be available to develop a solar support workforce, including professionals in the real estate and utility industries. [Energy Matters]
¶ Underwriters Laboratories, a safety science company based in Illinois, is partnering with University of California, San Diego, to scale their sustainability initiatives. The partners will do research on sustainable energy, focussing on technology, as well as sharing testing techniques, results, and analysis. [Chicago Inno]
¶ Faced with mounting fuel costs, New Jersey’s Hanover Township Wastewater Treatment Plant decided to use the biogas they previously flared to power a 100 kW generator. Prior to being injected into the engine, the biogas will be conditioned to extend engine life and avoid down time. [Renewable Energy from Waste]
¶ Duke Energy will partner with LG Chem and Greensmith to build a battery-based energy storage facility at the site of Duke’s decommissioned WC Beckjord coal-fired power plant in New Richmond, Ohio. The new plant will serve to regulate and stabilize the electric power grid in the eastern US. [Cincinnati Business Courier]
¶ According to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, wind and solar accounted for all new generating capacity placed into service in April. Wind, solar, geothermal and hydropower combined have provided 84.1% of the new US electrical generating capacity placed into service so far in 2015. [North American Windpower]
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