Opinion:
¶ “The Osborne Effect On The Auto Industry” • A perfect storm is brewing above the automotive industry, as three hardly grasped phenomena are working together. They are the Osborne effect of delayed demand, the downward curve of technology costs, and the S-curve that describes market acceptance of new technologies. [CleanTechnica]
Tesla Model 3
¶ “Morrison Puts Lipstick On Tony Abbott’s Pig Of A Climate Policy” • Prime minister Scott Morrison has unveiled his climate policy. It is clearly intended to placate the core rump of climate deniers and ideologues, and to try to fool enough others that the Coalition is doing something to address a problem it barely admits exists. [RenewEconomy]
New Energy Vehicles in China:
¶ “China EV Forecast: 50% EV Market Share By 2025 – Part 1” • China is charging full speed ahead into electric vehicles, on track to sell over 2 million EVs this year, up from 1.1 million in 2018. The rapid growth has been driven partly by policy, but increasingly by consumer demand for superior technology, and better value. [CleanTechnica]
BAIC EX360
¶ “China EV Forecast: 50% EV Market Share By 2025 – Part 2, Consumer Demand” • At last count, the petite BYD Yuan had a waiting list of 40,000 customers. More folks are joining the queue, even as 10,000 units per month are being produced (and ramping up). New energy vehicles in China are in very high demand. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “China EV Forecast: 50% EV Market Share By 2025 – Part 3, Ramping Production” • China’s manufacturing efforts can ramp fast. The growth in auto production went from 2.4 million in 2001 to 17 million in 2010. The EV market share of total light-duty vehicle sales is expected to increase from 4.1% in 2018 to 7.5% in 2019. [CleanTechnica]
BAIC Arcfox Lite
World:
¶ “Saudi Arabia, China Sign Renewable Energy Cooperation” • Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with China’s National Energy Administration on renewable energy cooperation as part of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to the country. [Arabian Industry]
¶ “Sweden Expands Support For Off-Grid Renewable Energy In Sub-Saharan Africa” • The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency says it will expand the off-grid solar initiative it has run in Zambia to Burkina Faso, Liberia, and Mozambique. It is backing the expansion with an additional $50 million in funding. [CleanTechnica]
Buying off-grid power in Zambia (Jason J Mulikita | SIDA)
¶ “Life After Coal: Lincoln Gap Wind Farm Powers Up, Battery To Be Installed Soon” • In South Australia, the former coal town of Port Augusta continues its transformation into a major hub for renewable energy, as the 212-MW Lincoln Gap wind farm gets powered up. The state already gets over 50% of its demand from wind and solar. [RenewEconomy]
¶ “WA’s biggest wind farm from Alinta Energy to power 200,000 homes” • A $400 million wind farm generating enough power to run up to 200,000 homes will be built in Western Australia. Growing national power provider Alinta Energy announced it will build the state’s biggest wind farm about 175 km north of Perth by mid-2020. [The West Australian]
Western Australia (Edrabikau, Wikimedia Commons)
US:
¶ “Speaker DeLeo Proposes $1 Billion For Energy Efficiency Grants” • Massachusetts House Speaker Robert DeLeo unveiled a plan to spend $1 billion over the next 10 years to help cities and towns adopt new technology designed to cut greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen infrastructure projects, and reduce costs for municipalities. [New Jersey Herald]
¶ “Under Trump’s Tariffs, The US Lost 20,000 Solar Energy Jobs” • A report from the DOE in 2016 showed that solar energy was responsible for a much larger share of employment in the electric power sector (43%) than the whole of the fossil fuel industry combined (22%). It has declined since because of Trump’s trade tariffs. [Forbes]
US Solar Jobs by Year (SolarJobsCensus.org)
¶ “Arizona Utility Reveals Battery Deals That Give California A Run For Its Money” • Arizona Public Service announced that it would procure 850 MW of battery storage by 2025. Of that, 450 MW would be deployed by 2021. APS, which is the largest utility in the state, also said it would add at least 100 MW of new solar power by 2025. [Ars Technica]
¶ “‘Magic’ Military Microgrid Spells More Bad News For Diesel” • The latest development for forward operating bases comes from the microgrid company Go Electric. It is a “portable, modular, self-forming microgrid solution” that can withstand punishing conditions while maximizing fuel efficiently and improving reliability over diesel generators. [CleanTechnica]
Forward base
¶ “Snohomish County Makes Clean Energy Pledge” • In Washington state, the Snohomish County Council voted to move to a 100% renewable energy for government operations by 2045. To do this county plans to increase efficiency, switch to fuel-free alternatives, and install solar panels with storage capacity at county buildings. [The Daily Herald]
¶ “Old Florida Law Says Disney Can Build A Nuclear Power Plant. Legislators Could Change That.” • A 52-year-old state law says Disney can build a nuclear power plant on its property in Orlando. Disney does not intend to build one, but the law is an example of the resort’s political leverage it had in creating the Magic Kingdom in 1971. [Williams Review]
Have a wholly cheerful day.
geoharvey 