Opinion:
¶ “The Human Right That Benefits Nature” • More than 100 constitutions across the world have adopted a human right to a healthy environment, which is proving to be a powerful way to protect the natural world. A clean and healthy environment is human need for life, as are balanced ecosystems, biodiversity, and other elements of nature. [BBC]
Nature (fan yang, Unsplash)
Science and Technology:
¶ “Experts Warn Corporate Climate Modeling Lacks Public Transparency” • As firms respond to growing calls for climate risk disclosure, a cottage industry of consultants has emerged to provide it, but with methodology often hidden from public view and expert scrutiny. Experts warn that the modeling should be publicly verifiable. [CleanTechnica]
World:
¶ “Magna Introduces EBeam Electric Rear Axle For Pickup Trucks” • Engineers at Magna, based in Canada, asked themselves a question. What if we got rid of the differential, put an electric motor in its place, and made the rear axle assembly as easy to install as a conventional unit? Behold, the EBeam axle, which is explained here in a video. [CleanTechnica]
Electric axle (Image courtesy of Magna)
¶ “Japan On Track To Soon Reach Its Target For Renewable Power” • Japan appears on track to hit its target for renewable energy soon. Renewables accounted for 21.7% of Japan’s total power generation in 2020, according to a preliminary report released by the International Energy Agency. Japan’s goal is 22% to 24% in 2030. [Asahi Shimbun]
¶ “Iberdrola makes second Japanese offshore investment” • Now, Iberdrola has made a second investment in the Japanese offshore wind market, this time a new 600-MW project. Under the deal, the Spanish investor will work with local developer Cosmo Eco Power and engineering firm Hitz to jointly develop the Seihoku-oki project in Aomori prefecture. [reNEWS]
Offshore wind farm (Zoltan Tasi, Unsplash)
¶ “Australia’s Biggest Coal State Could Reach 100% Renewables By 2030, Reputex Says” • New South Wales, the state with the biggest grid in Australia in terms of demand, and the heaviest reliance on coal power in Australia, could reach 100% renewable energy by 2030, a report by Reputex says. It is an ambitious but achievable goal. [RenewEconomy]
¶ “Guernsey’s Electricity Is 100% Renewable” • All of Guernsey’s electricity that was imported from France last year was from renewable sources. The utility company, Guernsey Electricity, has received verification of its Guarantees of Origin certificate, which shows where in France the electricity was produced, and how, over the past 12 months. [ITV News]
Guernsey (Man vyi, released into the public domain)
¶ “419.74 MW Installed in February, Renewable Capacity in India at 92.97 GW” • India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has issued a monthly summary for the Cabinet for the month of February 2021. It says that 419.74 MW of renewable capacity was installed in February, and total renewable energy capacity in India has reached 92.97 GW. [Saurenergy]
¶ “Statkraft Wraps Up 1-GW Fosen Project” • Statkraft completed Europe’s largest onshore wind project, the 1057-MW Fosen wind development comprising 277 turbines across six wind farms in Norway. The wind farms are in the Trondelag region of Norway, on the country’s west coast. They will supply up to 3.6 TWh of electricity a year. [reNEWS]
Wind turbines (Statkraft image)
¶ “BEIS Sets Out £1 Billion Carbon Cutting Blueprint” • The UK government has unveiled a £1 billion Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy which it believes will support 80,000 jobs over the next 30 years. The blueprint includes measures to supply UK industry with 20 TWh of low carbon power by 2030 – roughly 40% of its energy demand. [reNEWS]
¶ “Japanese Nuclear Plant Vulnerable To Unauthorized Entry For A Year” • A nuclear power plant on the Sea of Japan coast had been vulnerable to unauthorized entry in around a dozen locations since March last year, after its security system lost partial functionality and backups were not effective, the country’s nuclear regulatory body said. [The Mainichi]
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Plant (Triglav, CC-BY-SA 3.0)
US:
¶ “WEC Energy Proposes $446 Million Renewable Project In Delavan-Darien Area” • WEC Energy Group Inc announced plans for a $446 million renewable energy project in Walworth and Rock counties, Wisconsin. The Darien Solar Energy Center would generate 250 MW of solar power and provide 75 MW of battery storage. [Milwaukee Business Journal]
¶ “Duke Starts Up 350-MW Oklahoma Wind” • Duke Energy Renewables has begun commercial operation of the largest wind farm in its fleet, the 350-MW Frontier 2 project in Oklahoma. The wind farm, in Kay County, is an expansion of the 200-MW Frontier 1 project, operational since 2016, for a total capacity of 550 MW. [reNEWS]
Wind turbines (Peter Franken, Unsplash)
¶ “Missoula Business Goes All In On Solar Array As Renewable Energy Future Grows” • While the city and county of Missoula take steps to achieve 100% clean electricity over the next decade, a number of members of the private sector have set their own goals, and they’re willing to make the investment to cut carbon emissions. [Missoula Current]
¶ “Merck Makes 68-MW Azure Power Play In Texas” • German science and technology company Merck has signed a 12-year virtual power purchase agreement with Enel Green Power for the construction of the Azure Sky wind power and storage project in Texas. Merck’s agreement will deliver enough RECs to match 65% of Merck’s US electricity consumption. [reNEWS]
Have an enthrallingly exquisite day.
geoharvey 