World:
¶ “Volvo Invests In Driivz” • Driivz, an EV charging software company, has been picking up investment partners for a few years. The news this week is that Volvo Group Venture Capital has sunk an investment into Driivz. Driivz has a very scaleable approach to EV charging software, a solid framework, and a highly regarded track record. [CleanTechnica]
Volvo XC40 Recharge (Volvo image, cropped)
¶ “Queensland Government Establishes Energy Council To Fast-Track Renewable Energy Projects” • Queensland’s Palaszczuk Government announced that it will form a Ministerial Energy Council. It is hoped that a range of projects will be created as it collaborates with industry to boost the state by creating around 570,000 jobs. [Energy Matters]
¶ “New Wind Capacity Hits 93 GW In 2020” • The wind industry installed 93 GW of new capacity in 2020, up 53% from 2019, a report from the Global Wind Energy Council shows. The global wind power market has nearly quadrupled in size over the past decade with record growth in 2020 driven largely by China and the US, the report found. [reNEWS]
Wind blade installation (GWEC image)
¶ “Fred Olsen Gets Consent For Two Scottish Wind Extensions” • Fred Olsen Renewables has been granted planning consent for two projects; the Windy Standard 3 wind farm in Dumfries and Galloway and Crystal Rig Wind Farm in Scottish Borders. Windy Standard will see its capacity increased to 154 MW, and Crystal Rig to 262 MW. [reNEWS]
¶ “Australian Renewable Agency Approves Funding For Pumped Hydro Plant” • ARENA committed to provide A$47 million for Genex Power’s Kidston Stage 2 Pumped Hydro Energy Storage project in Queensland. The proposed A$777 million project, with a capacity of 250 MW, 2,000 MWh, would be built at the former Kidston Gold Mine. [Power Technology]
Pumped hydro dam (Arpingstone, released to public domain)
¶ “Expert Insights Driving Forward Renewable Power” • Separate studies by Imperial academics commissioned through Imperial Consultants by energy companies Drax and SSE Renewables have offered expert insights into the energy technologies that are needed to help the UK meet its target of net zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. [Imperial College London]
¶ “Japan Regulatory Body Bans Nuke Fuel Transportation” • Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority decided to ban transporting nuclear fuel to the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant in Niigata Prefecture owing to the plant’s “severe security breaches.” The plant’s intruder detection and backup systems were found to be defective. [News Track English]
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant (D a, CC-BY-SA 2.0)
US:
¶ “Philly Wants To Wean Off Gas. The City-Owned Gas Utility Is Refusing To Go Along” • City-owned Philadelphia Gas Works has sided with the gas industry against proposals that would help the city achieve its emissions goals. Documents obtained through a public records request show that PGW devoted ratepayer dollars to trade groups opposing electrification. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Startup Backed By Bill Gates Will Soon Help Power A Giant Mine” • Heliogen announced that mining behemoth Rio Tinto plans to deploy the startup’s solar concentrated solar technology at California’s largest open pit mine, located in Boron. Heliogen says this will be the first CST used to power a mine in the US, and perhaps the world. [CNN]
CST heliostat array (Heliogen image)
¶ “Tesla, Lucid, Rivian, And Other EV Makers Scored A Win In Connecticut” • A Connecticut state bill, SB-127, would enable EV makers to sell directly to their customers and bypass the old dealership model, as is done in many other states. Now, there is the good news that SB-127 passed the committee vote, but there is still a long road ahead. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “EIA’s AEO2021 Shows Growing Use Of Batteries On The US Electricity Grid” • The Energy Information Administration’s “Annual Energy Outlook 2021” projects a significant amounts of battery energy storage will be added to the grid. In the reference case, which reflects current laws and regulations, there will be 59 GW of US battery storage in 2050. [CleanTechnica]
Projected growth of batteries (EIA image)
¶ “Annova LNG Discontinues LNG Project” • Due to changes in the global LNG market, Annova LNG announced the immediate discontinuation of its liquified natural gas export facility under development in Brownsville, Texas. The company had proposed building a 6.5 MTPA liquified natural gas export facility at the Port of Brownsville. [BIC Magazine]
¶ “Memphis Elected Officials Reject Byhalia Pipeline” • In Tennessee, the Memphis City Council and the Shelby County Commission both took actions to protect the community from the impacts of the Byhalia Connection, the proposed pipeline that would carry crude oil through Southwest Memphis and Northern Mississippi. [Clean Energy News]
Memphis Bridge (Terrance Raper, Unsplash)
¶ “LA On Track To Have A Fully Renewable Energy Power Grid By 2045” • Los Angeles may be on track to reach its ambitious and unprecedented goal of creating a power supply of 100% renewable electricity by 2045 and possibly sooner. Research by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory says that this goal is achievable if LA stays on track. [Courthouse News]
¶ “Invenergy Completes Financing Of 999-MW US Project” • Invenergy completed construction financing for its largest wind energy development to date, the 999-MW Traverse Wind Energy Center. Traverse will be built in Custer, Blaine, and Kingfisher Counties in Oklahoma, as part of the 1485-MW North Central Wind Energy Facilities. [reNEWS]
Have a dazzlingly magnificent day.
geoharvey 
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