Opinion:
¶ “While Trump Commission Warns Of Climate Risk To Financial System, Recommendations ‘Fall Short Of Direct, Immediate Action’ Required” • Climate campaigners welcomed a federal report showing dangers of the human-caused planetary emergency pose to the US financial system. But they warned that it falls short in its recommendations. [Common Dreams]
Firefighters (David Arkush via Twitter)
¶ “Natural Gas Is Losing Its Luster As A “Bridge Fuel” To Renewable Energy” • A few years ago, natural gas was hailed as vital for a transition toward an economy that runs on renewable energy. But sentiment is changing and the fuel is going the same way as coal, its dirtier sibling shunned by governments, utilities and investors. [WorldOil]
¶ “After 2011 Disaster, Fukushima Embraced Solar Power. The Rest Of Japan Has Not” • A wave of enthusiasm for renewable energy followed the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Nuclear power, which once produced nearly a third of Japan’s electricity, ground to a halt. The people who lived in Fukushima have not forgotten, and some have built solar arrays. [Iowa Public Radio]
Solar array on damaged land
Science and Technology:
¶ “Wildlife In ‘Catastrophic Decline’ Due To Human Destruction, Scientists Warn” • Wildlife populations have fallen by over two-thirds in less than 50 years, a major report by the conservation group WWF says. It warns that “catastrophic decline” shows no sign of slowing, and nature is being destroyed by humans at a rate never seen before. [BBC]
World:
¶ “Tesla Puts Emphasis On Becoming An Electricity Supplier In Germany” • Tesla conducted a survey in Germany to find out if its customers would be interested in a plan that would allow the company to tap some of the electricity stored in the batteries in their cars and feed it back into the grid, making sure they have enough range for their needs. [CleanTechnica]
Tesla virtual power plant in South Australia (Tesla image)
¶ “EDF Renewables Turns Sod On 87-MW Taza Phase 1” • EDF Renewables and its Japanese partner Mitsui began construction of the 87-MW first phase of the Taza wind project in Morocco. Phase one, consisting of 27 wind turbines, will enter service in early 2022. EDF Renewables and Mitsui will both retain interests in the project. [reNEWS]
¶ “Election 2020: Labour Pledges 100% Renewable Power By 2030” • The Labour Party aims to make 100% of New Zealand’s electricity generation renewable by 2030, five years ahead of the current Government target. If elected, it will ban construction of coal or gas power plants, boost solar power, and speed renewable energy projects. [Stuff.co.nz]
New Zealand hydro dam
¶ “Retiring Old Coal Plants Could Save ₹53,000 Crore For Power Distributors” • If 54 coal plants that are 20 years or older, located in 11 states, could be shut down over the next two years, it would yield savings of up to ₹53,000 crore ($7.2 billion) over five years for the states’ electricity distribution companies, an analysis by Climate Risk Horizon says. [IndiaSpend]
¶ “GE Scoops 157-MW Austrian Turbine Deal” • GE Renewable Energy was selected by the Püspök Group to provide turbines for two wind farms in Burgenland, Austria. They have a total 157 MW capacity. The deal will have 30 GE Cypress machines with 158 meter rotors installed at the repowering projects, and it includes a multi-year service contract. [reNEWS]
GE turbine (GE image)
US:
¶ “BP Joins Financiers In Call For US To Tax Greenhouse Gas Emissions” • The US government should start making businesses pay for their greenhouse gas emissions to help combat global warming, according to a powerful group of finance and energy titans. The businesses include Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Chase & Co, and BP. [WorldOil]
¶ “Trump Courts Florida Voters With Moratorium On Offshore Drilling” • President Trump expanded a moratorium on drilling off Florida’s coast in an attempt to court voters in a must-win battleground state. He said he would block drilling in coastal Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, and painted himself as an environmentalist. [MSN Money]
Offshore oil rig (© iStock)
¶ “Charleston Sues 24 Fossil Fuel Companies For The Costs Of Surviving Climate Change” • The third anniversary of Hurricane Irma’s flooding that devastated Charleston is approaching, and now officials have filed a lawsuit in South Carolina state court to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for the costs of adapting to the impacts of climate change. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “US Developer Signs PPAs To Power Facebook Data Center” • DE Shaw Renewable Investments has signed PPAs with Facebook to power its Eagle Mountain Data Center with energy supplied from its Rocket and Horseshoe Solar projects in Utah. The new projects are expected to generate a total 155 MW, through PPAs with Rocky Mountain Power. [reNEWS]
Solar array (American Public Power Association | Unsplash)
¶ “As Historic Heatwaves Cook California, Tesla Activates Its Distributed Army To Save The Grid” • Tesla enabled its fleet of deployed Powerwalls in affected areas of California to charge up from the grid by activating the Storm Watch function on the Powerwall in advance of the rolling blackouts that slammed California over the last two weeks. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “FERC Order On NYISO Proposal Again Draws Future Of Capacity Market Into Question” • A Federal Energy Regulatory Commission order rejecting the New York grid operator’s efforts to accommodate the state’s aggressive climate goals has added to tensions that could sway the state to take back resource adequacy responsibility. [S&P Global]
Have an unusually flawless day.
geoharvey 