Opinion:
¶ “Fact Check: Did Jimmy Carter Stop A Nuclear Reactor From Destroying Ottawa?” • Some social media users and accounts have been reminiscing about the time that a young Jimmy Carter purportedly helped avoid a major nuclear disaster after heading a clean up operation at a nuclear reactor in Chalk River, Ontario, Canada. Spoiler: It’s true. [Newsweek]
Jimmy Carter after graduation from Annapolis (Public domain)
¶ “2021 Year In Review: 5 Stories Of Clean Energy Progress” • The end of the year can be a fine time for taking stock, whether in the energy space or in our personal lives. There were lots of stories of clean energy progress in 2021. Here are five about renewable energy technologies and markets that seem especially worthy of note and celebration. [CleanTechnica]
Science and Technology:
¶ “MIT Shares How Machine Learning Models Can Make Sense Of Nonsense And How This Could Be A Problem” • Scientists at MIT found an interesting problem with machine learning and image classification. A model could look at an image and make a prediction based on information that we humans can’t make sense of, and it could be wrong. [CleanTechnica]
Girl and machine (Andy Kelly, Unsplash)
World:
¶ “The World Could Burn A Record Amount Of Coal Next Year Despite Efforts To Scrap The Dirtiest Fossil Fuel” • Increasing consumption in China, India, and the US could bring global demand for coal-fired power to a new all-time high this year, undermining efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the International Energy Agency said. [CNN]
¶ “Falck, BlueFloat Launch Giant Floating Wind Power Project In Ionian Sea” • Italy is experiencing a floating wind energy boom when it comes to project development. Among the expressions of interest, Falck Renewables and BlueFloat Energy, which set up a partnership in September, just announced a floating wind farm project of 675 MW. [Balkan Green Energy News]
Offshore wind farm (Zoltan Tasi, Unsplash)
¶ “China’s Installed Capacity Of Renewable Energy Expands In January Through November” • By the end of November, the country’s installed wind power capacity had soared 29% year on year to 300 GW, and its solar power capacity had reached 290 GW, up 24.1% from a year ago. China’s total installed capacity is 2.32 TW, up 9% year on year. [CGTN]
¶ “Enormous Potential: Britain’s Tidal Power Sector Gears Up For A Big Few Years” • The UK tidal power sector is growing. Scottish firm Nova Innovation said it had secured €2.5 million ($2.83 million) from the European Innovation Council Accelerator Fund to finance its Upscaling Tidal Energy Manufacturing and Production Output project. [CNBC]
Tidal turbine from Nova Innovation (Nova Innovation image)
¶ “French Front-Month Peakload Power Rises Above €1,000 Per MWh On Nuclear Woes” • Europe’s energy crisis deepened as French front-month peakload power prices traded as high as €1,200/MWh on nuclear outage concerns. The contract ended the session at €975/MWh after doubling in the previous session as gas hit a fresh record-high. [S&P Global]
US:
¶ “A Rush To Mine Lithium In Nevada Is Pitting Climate Advocates And Environmental Groups Against Each Other” • In an ancient and now extinct supervolcano sitting in northern Nevada lies a treasure that its seekers call “white gold.” It is lithium, and its value lies in its role in potentially reducing the world’s carbon emissions. [CNN]
Lithium battery (Kumpan Electric, Unsplash)
¶ “National Audubon Society Sues Alameda County To Prevent Wind Project And Protect Golden Eagles” • In a stand against wind plants built in a specific area of California, the National Audubon Society announced that it is suing Alameda County over its approval of a new, 80-MW wind turbine facility at Altamont Pass. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Koch Industries Invests $150 Million Into Tracking Company GameChange Solar, Pair To Explore Strategic Partnerships” • Koch Strategic Platforms, a subsidiary of Koch Investments Group, has made a $150 million investment in racking and tracking company GameChange Solar to support its strategic development goals. [PV Tech]
GameChange Solar tracking (GameChange Solar image)
¶ “Putting Climate Into The Infrastructure Law” • Transportation investments from the bipartisan infrastructure bill could either be a boon for progress driven by sustainable mobility choices, or a driver of harmful carbon emissions paved by many miles of new highways, researchers at Georgetown University said in a report. Spending guidance is needed. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Massachusetts Picks Both Bidders for Next Round of Offshore Wind” • Baker administration officials have announced awards for offshore wind development to Vineyard Wind I, a 1,200-MW proposal from Vineyard Wind, and a 400-MW proposal from Mayflower Wind. They were selected to jointly form the third wave of offshore wind power. [NBC Boston]
Offshore wind turbines (Pontificalibus, CC0, public domain)
¶ “Maryland Commission Extends Offshore Wind Development” • Maryland’s Public Service Commission awarded offshore wind renewable energy credits to two developers, US Wind, Inc and Skipjack Offshore Energy, to build separate projects that would produce more than 1,600 MW of capacity, the PSC said in a news release. [CBS Baltimore]
¶ “National Grid Renewables’ Prairie Wolf Solar Project in Illinois Begins Commercial Operations” • National Grid Renewables has started commercial operations for its Prairie Wolf Solar Project in Coles County, Illinois. The project boasts 200 MW of clean solar power and is contracted through a virtual power purchase agreement with Cargill. [Solar Industry]
Have a preposterously delightful day.
geoharvey 