Opinion:
¶ “Biden’s Climate Targets Are Possible Without Clean Energy Program, But Will Need Tax Credits And Regulations” • Even if Democrats’ cornerstone climate policy is stripped out of their budget bill, an independent analysis estimates President Joe Biden can still meet his climate goals. But it would take decisive action and regulations. [CNN]
Offshore wind farm (Bob Brewer, Unsplash)
Science and Technology:
¶ “The World Is Banking On Giant Carbon-Sucking Fans To Clean Our Climate Mess. It’s A Big Risk” • We have emitted so much CO₂ into the atmosphere that machines like one in Iceland are being used to suck the gas back out, like big vacuum cleaners, in an attempt to slow the climate crisis and prevent some of its most devastating consequences. [CNN]
World:
¶ “UK Unveils Its Net Zero Strategy With Pledges For Guilt-Free Flying, Electric Cars And More Trees” • The UK government unveiled its roadmap to reaching net zero emissions by 2050, putting new funds behind electric vehicles, sustainable aviation fuel, and forests as carbon sinks, while boosting the role of nuclear in its energy transition. [CNN]
Sheep in a wind farm (Luke Thornton, Unsplash)
¶ “Fossil Fuel Production Set To Soar Over Next Decade” • Plans by governments to extract fossil fuels are incompatible with keeping global temperatures to safe levels, according to the UN. The UNEP production gap report says up to 2030 countries will drill or mine more than double the levels needed to keep the 1.5°C threshold viable. [BBC]
¶ “Wave Energy Pilot To Power Offshore Vessels” • In Australia, Carnegie Clean Energy and Blue Economy Cooperative Research Centre have launched the MoorPowerTM Scaled Demonstrator project. MoorPowerTM is a wave energy product designed for moored vessels to be able to secure clean energy and reduce reliance on diesel generation. [reNews]
Wave (Tim Marshall, Unsplash)
¶ “Update On Australia’s Solar-Led Renewable Energy Charge” • Australia’s federal government is doing everything it can to keep the coal mines open and the political donations coming in. But ordinary citizens are putting about 3 GW per year of solar on the roof. Local councils are buying electric buses. And Businesses are going green. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “88-MW Vietnamese Wind Farm Comes Online” • In Vietnam, the 88-MW Ninh Thuan wind farm, a joint venture of AC Energy and BIM Group, is operating. K2 Management did engineering on the final phase of the project, which has incorporated the development of the country’s largest salt production facility, powered by wind and solar. [reNews]
Wind farm (K2 Management image)
¶ “Oil, Coal, And Gas Got $5.9 Trillion In Subsidies In 2020 – IMF Report” • The latest analysis by the International Monetary Fund says the fossil fuel industry received $5.9 trillion in direct and indirect subsidies in 2020. That’s up from the $2 trillion the IMF estimated in 2014. The figures include intangibles such as tax breaks, but also societal costs. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “G7 Could Decarbonise Electricity By 2035” • G7 members are well placed to fully decarbonise their electricity supply by 2035, according to a report from the International Energy Agency. This would accelerate the technological advances and infrastructure rollouts needed to lead global energy markets towards net zero emissions by 2050. [reNews]
IEA executive director Fatih Birol (IEA image)
US:
¶ “EDF And Magill University Document 81,000 Orphan Oil & Gas Wells In US” • The Environmental Defense Fund and Magill University researchers have identified 81,000 orphan wells in America, using data from the states. These oil and gas wells are inactive, unplugged, and have no solvent owner of record. They are also air polluters. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “West Virginia’s Reliance On Coal Is Getting More Expensive, And Joe Manchin’s Constituents Are Footing The Bill” • In West Virginia, 89% of the electricity comes from coal, compared to just 19% nationwide. But coal is now more expensive than renewables or natural gas, whose prices have fallen greatly. West Virginia’s ratepayers are footing the bill. [CNN]
Sago Mine entrance (US MSHA, public domain)
¶ “US DOE Awards Nearly $40 Million For Grid-Decarbonizing Solar Technologies” • The US DOE awarded nearly $40 million to forty projects that are advancing the next generation of solar, storage, and industrial technologies necessary for achieving the Biden–Harris administration’s climate goal of 100% clean electricity by 2035. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Major Solar Farm Project Underway, Set To Benefit Salt Lake City And More” • Numerous local leaders, including Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, attended a groundbreaking for a large solar farm in Tooele County. Once completed, the 80-MW project will provide renewable energy to six large customers, including Utah’s capital city. [ABC4 Utah]
Salt Lake City (Brent Pace, Unsplash)
¶ “Valley Clean Energy Signs PPA On 72-MW California Solar + Storage Project” • California electricity provider Valley Clean Energy entered into a 15-year solar + storage power purchase agreement on Leeward Renewable Energy’s 72-MW solar and 36-MW, 144-MWh battery storage Willow Springs 3 facility in Kern County, California. [Solar Power World]
¶ “Company Announces First-Of-A-Kind $3 Billion Renewable Hydrogen Project” • The Mississippi Clean Hydrogen Hub would use new arrays of solar panels to generate electricity, which in turn would power electrolyzers that split hydrogen from water molecules. The green hydrogen would be stored in underground salt caverns for later use. [E&E News]
Have a hugely felicitous day.
geoharvey 