Opinion and Action:
¶ “Largest Civil Disobedience in History of the Environmental Movement Begins Today” • Starting today, a global wave of peaceful direct actions lasting for 12 days will take place across six continents targeting the world’s most dangerous fossil fuel projects, under the banner of Break Free. [EcoWatch]
World:
¶ While Tesla may have the lock on electric vehicles for personal use, BYD has its sights set on the commercial side of things. BYD is bringing a full array of electric trucks to market which are aimed directly at one of the key sources of PM2.5 and PM10 pollution in our cities – diesel trucks. [CleanTechnica]
¶ In the UK, farmers and landowners built 209 new projects in 2015 with a combined capacity of 56 MW, providing valuable new revenue streams, often on low-quality land. Together they account for 28% of all independent renewable projects and 5% of the market by capacity. [FarmingUK]
Farmers and Landowners built 209 new projects in 2015.
¶ The UK wing of Danish-based energy supplier DONG Energy has announced offerings to UK businesses of renewable electricity at no additional premium to ‘brown energy’ sources. DONG Energy is already the leading developer and operator of offshore wind in the UK. [CleanTechnica]
¶ Kent’s independent renewable energy producers generate enough power to put pressure on the UK’s Big 6 energy companies to lower their prices, according to a new study. Kent has seen £70 million invested in 108 projects, for 351 MW of capacity, enough to power 179,000 homes last year. [Kent Online]
A green cottage in the UK. Photo by martin dawes. CC BY-SA 2.0 generic. Wikimedia Commons.
¶ According to new information from IHS Inc of Englewood, Colorado, Europe recently reached an important solar energy milestone, installing 100 GW of grid-connected PV power. PV is one of the most competitive forms of energy generation in Europe today. [solarserver.com]
¶ Scottish wind power jumped 15% in April 2016 from April 2015, putting nearly 700,000 MWh onto the national grid. Figures highlighted by WWF Scotland showed that the country’s turbines generated enough to meet, on average, the electrical needs of 79% of Scottish households. [reNews]
The Farr wind farm in Scotland (Siemens photo)
¶ US solar investment and consulting firm GSSG Solar LLC has started construction of a 46.8-MW solar farm in Japan, to be completed by the end of 2017. GSSG Solar has assessed over 2.5 GW of potential projects in Japan, and has 170 MW under development. [SeeNews Renewables]
US:
¶ The Stone Edge Farm and winery in Sonoma, California has a 32 kW solar array, 14 of Aquion’s 25 kWh M-Line battery modules, and an Ideal Power 30 kW multi-port power conversion system. The solar PV array provides electricity to the primary residence, workshops, and offices. [CleanTechnica]
Stone Edge Farm photo
¶ Solar power in Minnesota is shining brightly. The state is poised to climb into the top 10 states for annual solar installations from its 25th rank in 2015, according to the Minnesota Department of Commerce, which expects the state’s solar capacity to increase by more than 500 MW in 2016. [Osakis Review]
¶ The city of San Diego has enacted an initiative that will have it running on 100% renewable energy by 2035. According to the Climate Action Plan, not only will the city rely completely on renewable energy but it also hopes to cut greenhouse gas emissions by a staggering 50% by 2035. [Digital Trends]
A solar-powered electric vehicle charging station in San Diego. Photo by Joshua Rainey / 123RF
¶ The Tennessee Valley Authority plans to start a nuclear chain reaction in its newest reactor this month as it moves toward adding the first new atomic unit to the US power grid in two decades by this summer. The Watts Bar Nuclear Power Plant has a capacity of 1,411 MW. [Chattanooga Times Free Press]
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