Science and Technology:
¶ “High-Renewables Systems Are Scalable, Resilient, And Secure With Communication-Less Controls” • The National Renewable Energy Laboratory says transitioning to renewables is achievable. It showed that relatively simple controls can enable power grids to operate with 100% wind, solar, and storage, without dedicated device-to-device communications. [CleanTechnica]
NREL Flatirons Campus (Werner Slocum, NREL)
¶ “NREL Breaks Solar Panels (So Yours Won’t)” • National Renewable Energy Laboratory researchers are not only skilled at making photovoltaic cells and modules. They are also world-class destroyers of PV modules. The goal in this is to discover and understand how these modules might degrade when installed outside for many decades. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Renewable Hydrogen ‘Cheaper Than Conventional’ By 2030: Australia CEFC Executive” • By 2030, the cost of green hydrogen will fall below that of conventional hydrogen produced by fossil fuels with carbon capture, on the back of economies of scale and consumer choice, according to the head of the Australian Clean Energy Finance Corporation. [S&P Global]
DOE worker on hydrogen project (US DOE image)
World:
¶ “How The Netherlands Is Turning Its Back On Natural Gas” • Natural gas has provided the Netherlands with cheap heat for generations. As the country’s largest gas field slowly closes down, a wealth of clean alternatives are opening up to keep homes warm. The nation is among many starting a drastic shift to low or zero-carbon alternatives to fossil fuels. [BBC]
¶ “Moldova: Russia Threatens Gas Supply In Europe’s Poorest State” • Up till now 100% of Moldova’s gas has come from Russia, but the contract for it expired in September. Gazprom raised the price and Moldova balked at paying it. In the absence of a new deal, Gazprom reduced supplies, prompting Moldova to declare a 30-day state of emergency. [BBC]
Farming in Moldova (Ghenadie Cebanu, Unsplash)
¶ “UK Energy Sector Makes Net Zero Commitment” • In the publication,“Towards Net Zero emissions: the energy industry’s commitment to the climate, customers and jobs,” Energy UK’s members commit to continuing the transformation towards a system powered by clean energy, while keeping bills down for customers and maintaining security of supply. [reNews]
¶ “Climate Change: UN Emissions Gap Report A ‘Thundering Wake-Up Call'” • National plans to cut carbon fall far short of what’s needed to avert dangerous climate change, according to the UN Environment Programme. Their Emissions Gap report suggests the world is on course to warm around 2.7°C with hugely destructive impacts. [BBC]
Global warming emissions (Marek Piwnicki, Unsplash)
¶ “Epson Becomes The Manufacturing Industry’s First To Switch To 100% Renewable Electricity At All Sites In Japan” • Seiko Epson Corporation will be the first company in the Japanese manufacturing industry to convert to 100% renewable electricity for all its domestic sites, as of November 1. The company uses 530 GWh annually. [MarketScreener]
¶ “China To Be Cut Out Of Sizewell C Plant In New Move To Fund Nuclear Power” • China will be cut out of British nuclear power after Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng moved to put initial building costs of new plants on consumers’ energy bills. Cutting the China General Nuclear Power Group out of the £20 billion Sizewell C project a top priority for him. [iNews]
Existing nuclear plant at Sizewell (Ivor Branton, CC BY-SA 2.0)
Australia:
¶ “Australia Will Be The Rich World’s Weakest Link At COP26 With Hollow Net-Zero And Emissions Pledges” • Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison finally unveiled a climate plan, and his country is joining the other developed nations by aiming to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. It is the weakest climate plan among the G20’s nations. [CNN]
¶ “Islanders Sue Australia For Inaction On Climate Change” • A group of Torres Strait Islanders living off Australia’s north coast filed a court claim against the Australian government, alleging it has failed to protect them from climate change which threatens their homes. The case is the first climate class action brought by Australia’s First Nations people, its backers said. [CNN]
Harbor at Thursday Island (Gonzo Gooner, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)
¶ “Ten Community Solar Farms In Australia To Use LAVO Hydrogen Fuel Cell” • The Commonwealth Bank and Providence Asset Group are partnering to fund ten community-based solar farms in Victoria. These solar farms are already operational and produce enough power for 20,000 homes. They will get some storage support from LAVO fuel cells. [CleanTechnica]
US:
¶ “Xponent Power Solar Awning For RVs Are Now Available” • Xponent Power is a renewable energy company that enables solar adoption in markets that cannot be served by traditional solar solutions. Addressing the power needs of the RV industry, the company has just introduced Xpanse, a stylish, compact, and retractable solar awning for RVs. [CleanTechnica]
RV with solar awning (Xponent Power image)
¶ “Tired But Determined, Five Young Activists Continue Their Hunger Strike Outside The White House” • Five young climate activists are on their seventh day of a hunger strike outside the White House. They had a virtual meeting with White House climate adviser Gina McCarthy and special climate envoy John Kerry, but found it disappointing. [CNN]
¶ “Enel Starts Work On 250-MW US Site” • Enel Green Power North America began construction of the 250-MW 25 Mile Creek wind project in Oklahoma, the company’s 12th wind farm in the state. Enel Green Power’s investment in Oklahoma windpower is over $3 billion. Enel now has over 2.5 GW of new wind and solar capacity under construction in the US. [reNews]
Have a sensibly organized day.
geoharvey 