Science and Technology:
¶ The competition in the nascent battery storage market continues to intensify, with South Korean LG Chem launching a new 6.4-kWh battery storage system that approaches the key $1,000/kWh mark. The system is already bringing costs down at the top end of the market, matching the pricing of the Tesla Powerwall, with the advantage that it is actually in the market. [CleanTechnica]
World:
¶ In June, Dutch district court ordered the Netherlands to cut greenhouse gas emissions to 25% lower than 1990 levels by 2020. This is several percentage points deeper than the 17% reduction the country had been envisaging. The same reasoning used by the Dutch judges for declaring tort law valid for dealing with climate change could be applied elsewhere. [CleanTechnica]
The Netherlands has long embraced renewable energy, but some judges say it must do more. Uberprutser, CC BY-SA.
¶ In a ruling welcomed by Gaz Métro and the City of Saint-Hyacinthe, the Régie de l’énergie du Québec has authorized the utility company to purchase the renewable natural gas (RNG) produced by the city and build the infrastructure required to connect the output to its distribution network. Up to 13 million cubic metres per year of RNG may be produced. [Your Renewable News]
¶ According to a recent announcement, Indian solar PV manufacturer Rolta Power signed a memorandum of understanding with Chinese firm Zhenfa New Energy Science and Technology to develop solar power projects in India. The companies would together install 2 GW of solar power projects by 2020, which is expected to generate revenue of around $2.03 billion. [CleanTechnica]
¶ Japan’s foreign aid arm Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) plans to fund solar power parks in the country, giving a fillip to India’s green energy plan. To start with, Jica is ready to invest $500 million in the proposed solar parks. Other institutions such as Germany-based KfW Bankengruppe and World Bank also want to invest in solar parks. [Livemint]
¶ US renewable energy development company SunEdison Inc says it signed a long-term power agreement with the Tata Power Delhi Distribution to provide 180 MW of solar power. This is the largest deal SunEdison has signed under the open access solar framework that allows renewable energy firms to sell power directly through the national grid to end-user. [mydigitalfc.com]
¶ As many as fifty-five cities in twenty-seven Indian states and union territories are currently being developed as solar or green cities, parliament was told on Thursday. The fifty-five solar cities are being developed under ‘Development of Solar Cities programme’, Power and New and Renewable Energy Minister Piyush Goyal told the Lok Sabha in a written statement. [Greentech Lead]
¶ French lawmakers passed legislation that included a last-minute amendment initially rejected by the government to increase the target price of carbon to €56 ($61.48) a ton in 2020 and €100 a ton in 2030. The rate, now €14.50 a ton, climbs to €22 a ton in 2016 and is integrated in a levy on fossil fuels. This fulfills a campaign pledge of President Francois Hollande. [Bloomberg]
US:
¶ The Benefits of Transit in the United States: A Review and Analysis of Benefit-Cost Studies, a report from the Mineta Transportation Institute, has found that public transit systems in the US provide very notable and varied net benefits to the regions where they operate. The report considers studies on economic benefits and costs of US public transit system. [CleanTechnica]
Image Credit: Charlotte Lynx
¶ Developers in Oklahoma and other windy states are ramping up construction on wind farms in the wake of a last-minute renewal of a key federal tax credit that took place at the end of 2014. The American Wind Energy Association said 13,600 MW of capacity was under construction across 101 projects in 24 states. Oklahoma is expected to add another 1,440 MW. [NewsOK.com]
¶ Colorado officials are planning for an expected EPA rule next month that could require a 30% reduction in carbon-dioxide emissions nationwide by 2030. The director of the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division said a number of options are being considered, including updating coal plants, shifting to natural-gas, more renewable energy, and conservation. [Colorado Springs Gazette]
¶ The earlier revenue-neutral New York State Carbon Tax proposal has now transformed into a combined tax credit and investment proposal, according to the Network For Sustainable Financial Markets. The proposal would allow for tax credits to low-income groups, in addition to encouraging investments for reduced carbon emissions or climate change mitigation. [CleanTechnica]
¶ According to federal officials the application for a combined construction and operation license for the Calvert Cliffs 3 nuclear reactor, has been withdrawn by UniStar Nuclear Energy. When it was first proposed late last decade, a modern European-style reactor at Calvert Cliffs was targeted to go on-line in 2015. Instead, July of 2015 marks the plan’s official demise. [Bay Net]
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