Opinion:
¶ “China’s Three Gorges Dam Is One Of The Largest Ever Created. Was It Worth It?” • Three Gorges Dam is the largest hydropower project ever. It was designed to generate electricity for China’s breakneck economic growth. It was also to tame China’s longest river, shielding millions of people from fatal floods. But it hasn’t quite worked out that way. [CNN]
Releasing water from the Three Gorges Dam
Science and Technology:
¶ “Tesla Autopilot Accidents: 1 Per 4,530,000 Miles; US Average: 1 Per 479,000 Miles” • Tesla released its quarterly “Tesla Vehicle Safety Report.” The Tesla Q2 figure for accidents was far better than the US average – about 10 times better when the Autopilot is engaged. The figures clearly show that Tesla’s safety features are impressively effective. [CleanTechnica]
World:
¶ “CRI Successfully Demonstrates Chemical Storage With Renewable Methanol” • Carbon Recycling International has shown that its renewable methanol can be used to store surplus renewable energy chemically. CRI developed a process to convert captured CO₂ and hydrogen directly into methanol by use of catalysts. [The Chemical Engineer]
CRI installation in Germany (CRI image)
¶ “Tata Power To Raise Green Energy Portfolio To 50% With Focus On Renewables” • Indian utility Tata Power will focus on renewable resources for future growth, and it aims to raise its green energy portfolio to 50%. Its growth is to concentrate on renewables, distribution, and transmission of power along with new and value-added business. [Business Standard]
¶ “Águas De Portugal Group To Go Energy Self-Sustaining With 100% Renewable Power” • Águas de Portugal Group has set out its ZERO Energy Neutrality Program. AdP Group is moving to achieve energy neutrality within ten years by reducing levels of consumption and raising its own production of 100% renewable energy. [WaterWorld]
Solar powered facility (Águas De Portugal Group)
¶ “Solar Project Set To Break Ground Will Produce Up To 39 MW” • According to BluEarth Renewables, a utility-scale solar project will begin construction this month southwest of Medicine Hat, Alberta. BluEarth announced that it has signed a PPA with Bullfrog Power to “directly support the construction” of the 39-MW project. [Medicine Hat News]
¶ “Enel Enters Into 164-MW PPA In Guatemala” • Enel Green Power signed a PPA with the Guatemalan energy distributor, Comercializadora de Energia para el Desarrollo, for the supply of renewable electricity over the next 10 years. The deal is for 1.26 TWh of power that will be generated five hydro plants owned by by Enel Green Power Guatemala. [reNEWS]
Enel Green Power facility (Enel Green Power image)
¶ “UAE Launches Start-Up Operations At First Nuclear Power Plant” • The United Arab Emirates began start-up operations in the first unit of the Barakah nuclear power plant, the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation said. It is the first nuclear power plant to operate in the Arab world. It was originally due to open in 2017 but faced delays. [TheChronicleHerald.ca]
¶ “Fossil Fuel Industry Engaging In ‘Pervasive Fraud’ That Threatens Global Economy, Report Warns” • A report from the National Whistleblower Center says deception on the financial risks of climate change by fossil fuel executives is widespread and is likely actionable fraud. Further securities fraud lawsuits against fossil fuel companies can be expected. [DeSmog]
Pumpjack (Penn State via Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
US:
¶ “News Corp: Rupert Murdoch’s Son James Quits Company” • James Murdoch, son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch, resigned from the board of News Corporation citing “disagreements over editorial content.” The exact nature of the disagreements was not detailed, but Mr Murdoch has previously criticised News Corp outlets for climate change coverage. [BBC]
¶ “100% Renewable Energy For 2,700 New EV Fast Charging Stations In USA” • GM paired with the leading fast charging company EVgo to install more than 2,700 public EV fast charging stations across the country, all running through clean power contracts. The plan aims to ramp up EV sales by making more fast chargers. [CleanTechnica]
Chevy Bolt (Photo: Tina Casey)
¶ “GM’s Ultium Battery Factory Is Sprouting Up In Ohio” • When you think of a US automaker building a large EV battery factory, Tesla tends to come to mind, but it’s worth remembering that GM is doing this as well. The company proudly showed off some pictures from the site, to remind people of its progress and cheer on its employees and contractors. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Oil Giants Post Historic Losses As COVID-19 Obliterates Demand” • With a pandemic and a crude oil glut, the country’s two largest oil giants posted their steepest losses in modern history. ExxonMobil posted a $1.1 billion loss in the year’s second quarter. Chevron Corporation lost $8.3 billion, including a $5.2 billion write-down on assets. [HuffPost]
Please click on the image to enlarge it.
¶ “CMS Energy Takes Control Of 525-MW Texas Aviator” • US company CMS Energy has bought a majority stake in the 525-MW Aviator wind farm in Texas for an undisclosed price. Aviator will be operated by CMS Enterprises, a subsidiary of CMS Energy that develops, owns, and operates renewable energy facilities. It is to be online this year. [reNEWS]
¶ “Xcel Energy Temporarily Stops Load Following At Prairie Island After NRC Inspection” • Xcel Energy temporarily stopped load following operations at Prairie Island in Minnesota after NRC determined that plant procedures should have required further analysis of such operations due to their long-term effects on safety. [S&P Global]
Have a monumentally mirthful day.
geoharvey 