Science and Technology:
¶ “Storing Energy In Compressed Air Could Finally Become Cheap Enough For The Big Time” • Hydrostor uses excess energy to compress air and store it in a container. Then, to recover the energy, run the trapped air through a turbine that generates power. It has developed the technology to the point that it is looking for big projects. [Quartz]
Hydrostor energy storage (Hydrostor image)
World:
¶ “More Than 100,000 Have Gathered In Melbourne As The World Begins Climate Demonstrations” • All around the world, climate activists are taking part in a global general strike in what is expected to be the biggest day of climate demonstrations in the planet’s history. The day started with more than 100,000 marchers gathering in Melbourne. [CNN]
¶ “Enel Turns Sod On 201-MW Kolskaya Wind Farm” • Enel Green Power has started construction of a 201-MW wind farm in Russia. The Kolskaya wind farm, which is the largest renewables project beyond the Arctic Circle, is expected to be completed in 2021. The wind farm, located in Murmansk, will consist of 57 turbines. [reNEWS]
Wind turbine (Enel Green Power image)
¶ “How The ACT’s 100% Renewable Electricity Target Is Saving Households Cash” • In less than two weeks, the Australian Capital Territory will reach its target of sourcing the equivalent of 100% of its electricity from renewable sources. It has showed that the target is doable. And it proved to be a lot less expensive than anyone thought. [RenewEconomy]
¶ “Ikea Has Invested In Enough Clean Energy To Power All Of Its Operations (Plus Extra)” • Ikea’s parent company has invested around $2.7 billion in renewable energy. Today, it announced that its latest investments will tip it over a milestone that it originally aimed to achieve a year from now. It will produce more energy than it uses. [Fast Company]
Ikea solar array (Ikea image)
UK:
¶ “Scottish Islands Set To Be ‘Green Powerhouse’” • Scotland’s remote islands will become a “green energy powerhouse” after four wind projects with a combined capacity of 275 MW secured Contracts for Difference, according to trade association Scottish Renewables. The CfDs ranging between £39.65 ($49.70) and £41.61 per MWh. [reNEWS]
¶ “Britain’s New Renewable Subsidies Hit Record Low On The Path To Net Zero” • Britain has awarded record low subsidies to twelve renewable energy projects capable of generating enough power for some 7 million homes, the government said, as a drop in the cost of offshore wind projects curbs the need for state support. [Euronews]
Turbines (Andy DingleCleanTechnicay, Wikimedia Commons)
¶ “CfD3 Puts UK In ‘New Era Of Cheap Power’” • The UK is in a new era of cheap renewables after the Contract for Difference auction results saw a record-low support price of under £40 ($50.20) per MWh, according to trade association RenewableUK. Offshore and onshore wind are now lower than the expected market price for power. [reNEWS]
US:
¶ “US To Stage Its Largest Ever Climate Strike: ‘Somebody Must Sound The Alarm'” • Climate strikes will take place in more than 1,000 locations in the US on Friday, with major rallies in New York, Washington DC, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and Miami. Globally, more than 4,500 strikes are planned across 150 countries. [The Guardian]
Greta Thunberg at the UN (Bryan R Smith | AFP | Getty Images)
¶ “Amazon To Buy 100,000 Electric Vans As Part Of Broader Climate Pledge” • Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos announced a climate plan that will meet the Paris climate agreement goals ten years early and makes the company carbon neutral by 2040. As part of this pledge, Bezos announced Amazon will purchase 100,000 electric vans. [CNN]
¶ “The Famous Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant Is Closing” • The famous Three Mile Island nuclear plant is officially shutting down September 20, a plant spokesperson confirmed to CNN. Exelon Generation announced in May that it would officially close the plant by September 30, citing a lack of state action in subsidizing clean energy. [CNN]
Cooling towers (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | AFP | Getty Images)
¶ “Why GM Auto Workers Are Striking And Some Want To Make More EVs” • The Tesla Model 3 won the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s TOP SAFETY PICK+ award, which means that the car achieved the highest possible score in all 8 test categories. You cannot get a better overall score. But then, this should not be surprising. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Google Search Finds 1.6 GW Of Green PPAs” • Google made what the internet giant claims to be the biggest ever corporate purchase of renewable energy. The US company has secured a 1.6 GW package consisting of 18 power purchase agreements in wind and solar across Europe and the Americas. And its global PV porfolio has more than doubled. [reNEWS]
Data center (Google image)
¶ “Hot Springs, Arkansas Is Switching Over To 100% Solar Energy, Joining Only Six Other Cities In The US” • The city of Hot Springs, Arkansas has announced plans to switch to 100% solar energy. The City Manager says the switch to a renewable energy source will save the city an estimated $30 million over the next three decades. [Newsweek]
¶ “Ørsted To Pioneer Deployment Of GE’s Next Generation Offshore Wind Turbine” • Subject to required approvals and final contract signing, Ørsted will deploy Haliade-X 12-MW wind turbines on the two offshore wind farms in Ørsted’s Mid-Atlantic cluster. They would put 120 MW off the coast of Maryland and 1,100 off New Jersey. [EnerCom Inc]
Have an outrageously tranquil day.
geoharvey 