Science and Technology:
¶ “World’s Coffee Under Threat, Say Experts” • The first full assessment of risks to the world’s coffee plants shows that 60% of 124 known species are on the edge of extinction. Though only two species are used for the coffee we drink, scientists say the figure is “worrying”, because wild coffee is critical for sustaining the global coffee crop. [CNN]
Coffee harvest (Getty Images)
World:
¶ “250,000 Deaths A Year From Climate Change Is A ‘conservative Estimate,’ Research Says” • Grim analysis from one of the authors of a report in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests rising global temperatures could lead to many more deaths than the 250,000 a year the World Health Organization predicted just five years ago. [CNN]
¶ “Climate Is The Biggest Risk To Business (And The World)” • Companies and investors are waking up to the dangers of climate change. Business leaders and experts surveyed by the World Economic Forum said extreme weather, migration caused by climate change, and natural disasters are the three risks they are most likely to face in 2019. [CNN]
California wild-fire (David McNew | Getty Images)
¶ “World’s Largest Wind Turbine Prototype, GE’s 12-MW Haliade-X, To Be Installed In Rotterdam” • A prototype of the world’s largest announced wind turbine, GE Renewable Energy’s 12-MW Haliade-X, will be installed in Rotterdam during the middle of 2019 for five years of testing. It will be installed onshore for certification. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “What Do Companies Owe The Environment? Natural Capital Risk Assessment At Davos” • As the 2019 World Economic Forum in Davos approaches, the Natural Capital Finance Alliance launched the world’s first step-by-step guide to conduct a rapid natural capital risk assessment, giving financial institutions a new perspective on risks. [CleanTechnica]
Ocean and cliffs
¶ “50Hertz Salutes New Wind High” • A new wind energy generation record of over 16 GW was set on 13 January in the area of Germany covered by transmission system operator 50Hertz. It said the 16 GW was theoretically enough to cover the whole of the TSO’s region (the former East Germany) and provide power for export elsewhere. [reNEWS]
¶ “Siemens, Gamesa Launches 10-MW Offshore Wind Turbine” • Siemens Renewable Energy Gamesa has launched its first offshore wind turbine with over 10 MW of capacity, the SG 10.0-193 DD, building on the experience of its previous generations of turbine. The new turbine has direct drive and a rotor diameter of 193 meters. [Renewable Energy Magazine]
Offshore wind turbines (Photo: Walt Musial | NREL)
¶ “Renewables Now Most Competitive Form Of Power Generation In GCC Countries” • The most competitive forms of power generation in Gulf Cooperation Council countries (all Arab countries on the Persian Gulf except Iraq) are renewable, according to a report published by the International Renewable Energy Agency. [Windpower Engineering]
US:
¶ “US Wind To Exceed Hydropower In 2019 For First Time” • The latest US government energy and electricity forecasts have predicted that wind energy will outperform hydropower for the first time in 2019. The DOE’s Energy Information Administration projections suggest 11 GW of windpower capacity will be added this year. [CleanTechnica]
Wind farm in Texas
¶ “EPA Nominee Calls Climate Change ‘A Huge Issue,’ But Not ‘The Greatest Crisis'” • Andrew Wheeler, acting administrator of the EPA and nominee to lead it, said he gives climate change an “eight or nine” on a one-to-ten scale of concern but thinks it is not the greatest crisis. He is still reviewing the EPA’s climate change report of two months ago. [CNN]
¶ “New York Governor Cuomo Announces Mammoth Offshore Wind And Distributed Solar Increases” • In his annual State of the State address, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced plans to significantly upgrade the state’s renewable energy targets, including quadrupling its offshore wind target to 9 GW by 2035. [CleanTechnica]
Governor Andrew Cuomo (Credit: Governor Andrew Cuomo)
¶ “Florida Utility Unveils Solar Surge” • Florida Power & Light has unveiled the ’30-by-30′ plan to install 30 million solar panels in the US state by 2030. The company said it has secured sites throughout Florida for the projects. FPL also said it has already has started pairing battery storage technology with solar PVs at its solar power plants. [reNEWS]
¶ “Pine Gate Renewables completes 57-MW Peony Solar project in South Carolina” • Pine Gate Renewables, a national utility-scale solar developer, owner, and operator, energized its Peony Solar project in Orangeburg County, South Carolina. Sitting on 334 acres, Peony is a 57-MW site and can generate more than 97,400 MWh per year. [Solar Power World]
Solar array (Pine Gate Renewables image)
¶ “Google’s New US Data Centers Will Run On 1.6 Million Solar Panels” • Google will amp up its expansion in the southeastern US with millions of solar panels. Google wants the electricity consumed by its new data centers in Yum Yum, Tennessee, and Hollywood, Alabama, to be “matched with 100% renewable energy from day one.” [CNET]
¶ “Former NRC Head Disagrees With Bill Gates, Says Nuclear Not A Safe Bet For Combating Climate Change” • In his latest book, Confessions of a Rogue Nuclear Regulator, Dr Gregory Jaczko says that we should be thinking more about the consequences of nuclear power, and we should be way more concerned about it than we are. [GeekWire]
Have an outstandingly splendid day.
geoharvey 