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Opinion: 

¶ “Interview: Tony Seba On The Cleantech Revolution” • Zachary Shahan sat down rwith the famous and widely loved Tony Seba to talk about the revolutions underway in energy (clean energy is taking over the energy world), transportation (the EV revolution is rolling fast now), and food. You can listen to the interview on CleanTechnica Pro. [CleanTechnica]

Tony Seba in 2020 (NCDOTcommunications, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Elon Musk Responds To Ukraine Plea For Support – And How You Can Help Ukraine” • Mykhailo Fedorov, the Ukraine’s Vice Prime Minister, issued a plea to Elon Musk on Twitter, shared on the Ukraine’s official Twitter account. He specifically asked for Starlink support. Elon made service active in Ukraine, and more terminals are on the way. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Time To Stand Up For The People Of Ukraine: Locking Future Generations Into Fossil Fuels Won’t Help” • In recent days, the oil and gas industry and its apologists have sought to exploit the Russian invasion of Ukraine by pushing for policies that would lock future generations into decades of more dependence on fossil fuels. [CleanTechnica]

Refinery (Dimitry Anikin, Unsplash)

¶ “Ukraine invasion: Putin has raised the abhorrent specter of a nuclear option. Could it be a sign of desperation?” • Unlike UK and US nuclear weapons policy, Russia’s nuclear doctrine allows for smaller, tactical nuclear warheads to be threatened in a conventional conflict, in the hope that the other side capitulates in fear. [Sky News]

¶ “Russia’s War On The Ukraine Will Hasten The Drive For Clean Energy Security” • Russia is a huge exporter of oil and gas. But waging war on Ukraine will change its energy trade. It will be a short-term boost to other energy exporters, but the bigger effect will be a fundamental re-think on energy security which will accelerate decarbonization. [Lowy Institute]

Wind turbines (Waldemar Brandt, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “BP To Offload Stake In Rosneft Amid Ukraine Conflict” • BP is to offload its 19.75% stake in Russian state-owned oil firm Rosneft after Russia’s “act of aggression in Ukraine.” The oil giant had come under pressure from the UK government to make the move since Thursday’s invasion. The Norwegian energy giant Equinor is also divesting. [BBC]

¶ “Forrest Mulls Massive 2-GWh Battery As Part Of Queensland Wind And Solar Hub” • Iron ore billionaire Andrew Forrest has unveiled plans for a $3 billion wind, solar, and battery storage hub in central Queensland in a moved that he says will create the biggest renewable energy precinct in the south hemisphere. It will start with a 450-MW wind stage. [Renew Economy]

Atherton Tableland, Queensland (Frances76, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Japan Excellent Announces Use Of 100% Renewable Energy Operation Of Omori Bellport D” • From March 2022, all of the electricity for the Omori Bellport D apartment building in Tokyo, owned by Japan Excellent Inc, will come from renewable energy. CO₂ emissions from electricity for the 18-story building will be reduced to zero. [MarketScreener]

¶ “25 NSW Councils Go Green In Landmark Renewable Energy Deal” • In New South Wales a landmark deal was announced that will see 25 councils supplied by three NSW solar farms. The $180 million agreement, brokered by the Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils, is set to deliver over 214 GWh per year to participating councils. [Energy Matters]

Solar PV (Biel Morro, Unsplash)

¶ “Germany Aims To Get 100% Of Energy From Renewable Sources By 2035” • Germany aims to fulfil all its electricity needs with supplies from renewable sources by 2035, compared to its previous target to abandon fossil fuels “well before 2040,” according to a government draft paper that has been obtained by Reuters. [Reuters]

¶ “Germany Considers Keeping Nuclear Power Plants Online” • Amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, the German government is examining every option to keep the country warm and reduce its energy dependence on Russia. Keeping nuclear power plants online is being reviewed. But it may be an unlikely resource, as plant owners make clear. [EURACTIV.com]

Grafenrheinfeld Nuclear, now closed (ChNPP, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

US:

¶ “National Community Solar Partnership Aims To Reach 5 Million And Beyond” • The US DOE hosted the second National Community Solar Partnership Annual Summit in January. With stakeholder feedback and market analysis, the NCSP developed a roadmap to address persistent barriers affecting community solar across the country. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ranking Heat Waves Like Hurricanes Is Being Proposed In California” • New legislation in California hopes to reduce heat-related deaths by ranking heat waves similarly to hurricanes, by using categories and names. However, the National Weather Service (NWS) is currently in a multiyear experiment to also categorize heat waves. [CNN]

Heat wave (Raimond Klavins, Unsplash)

¶ “Renewables Provide 21% Of US Electricity In 2021” • With strong growth in solar and wind power, electrical generation by renewable energy sources provided 21.02% of total US electrical generation in 2021, which exceeds US Energy Information Administration forecasts, according to a SUN DAY Campaign analysis of EIA data. [Renewables Now]

¶ “North Carolina Power Plant Wants To Reopen. Residents Have Other Ideas” • Under its initial May 2015 permit, NC Renewable Power was allowed to burn chicken litter and emit up to 250 tons of waste each year. After being shut down for two years, the owners want to reopen it with a new permit and monitoring technology. [Greensboro News and Record]

Have a thoroughly enchanting day.

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Opinion: 

¶ “The Supreme Court is hearing a major case on EPA’s authority over planet-warming gases. Here’s what’s at stake” • The US Environmental Protection Agency is going before the Supreme Court in a case that could deal a significant blow to the federal government’s ability to fight the climate crisis and prevent its worst outcomes. [CNN]

Supreme Court building (Farragutful, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “IPCC Report: How Prepared Is Ireland For Inevitable Climate Shocks?” • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change will issue its verdict on the scale of needed adaptation and resilience for climate change. In a major departure, it will identify the options needed to adapt to living with those consequences, not to stop those consequences happening. [The Irish Times]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Gas Cars Produce More Supply Chain Emissions Than EVs – Yale University Study” • EVs offer lower emissions on the road, but some skeptics criticize the mining, manufacturing, and charging practices. A study shows how minuscule the lifespan emissions of EVs are, especially when compared to those of fossil fuel vehicles. [CleanTechnica]

Conventional car in race (Ian Gulinao, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

World:

¶ “Right-Hand-Drive Electric Vehicle Markets – Projections” • Although the current EV market appears to concentrate on the left-hand-drive markets of the USA, Europe, and China, a lot of earth’s citizens live in right-hand-drive markets. Here is a set of projections for the right-hand-drive EV markets, from Rethink Energy’s lead analyst, Peter White. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Renault Driving On Hydrogen ICE With New Concept Car” • Renault knows how to amaze its public. It is famous for the most original and creative concept cars. Now Renault is looking at a hydrogen ICE (internal combustion engine) for a new concept car. This car has to be on the top of the list of most original surprises. [CleanTechnica]

Renault concept car

¶ “Serbian Companies To Have More Active Role On Electricity Market In The Coming Years – Conference” • Serbia provided a framework for financing renewable power plants and selling of their output by adopting a set of energy laws last year. Those buying the electricity can now use all the possibilities, panelists at a conference said. [Balkan Green Energy News]

¶ “HCM City Hopes For Stronger Cooperation With US In Renewable Energy Development” • Ho Chi Minh City hopes to strengthen cooperation with partners in climate change response and renewable energy development, Secretary of the city Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen told US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry. [Vietnam Plus]

Ho Chi Minh City (Lieu Cap, Unsplash)

¶ “415 Solar Power Systems Go Operational Across Iran” • Some 415 new solar systems with a total capacity of 2.4 MW have gone operational across Iran over the past two months, the spokesman of the country’s Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Organization announced. Many are used to provide for deprived households in rural areas. [Tehran Times]

¶ “Forrest Outlines Plans For $3 Billion Wind, Solar And Battery Hub In Queensland” • Iron ore billionaire Andrew Forrest has unveiled plans for a $3 billion wind, solar, and battery storage hub in central Queensland. He said the proposed project would create the biggest renewable energy precinct in the Southern Hemisphere. [Renew Economy]

Farm in Queensland (Carnaby Gilany, Unsplash)

¶ “Green Hydrogen Policy – Another Positive Step Towards India’s Energy Security” • The Government of India announced the first phase of its Green Hydrogen Policy as a step towards its National Hydrogen Mission. The mission’s goal is to help meet a climate target of five million metric tonnes per year of green hydrogen by 2030. [Power Technology]

¶ “Russian Military Threatens Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant” • The Russian military is threatening a nuclear power plant in Ukraine amid the ongoing invasion in the country. Russia’s military presence has increased near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine’s ministry of internal affairs has reported. [TheHill]

Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant (Ralf1969, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

US:

¶ “Tesla Is Closer To Delivering Its Giga Texas Model Ys” • Tesla is closer to delivering Model Y cars made at its Giga Texas factory, as EPA certification is expected soon. Tesla has produced several Model Y all-electric crossovers at Giga Texas, and the EPA told Teslarati that once it approves the Texas-made Model Y, Tesla will be able to begin deliveries. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Best Electric Vehicle Of 2022 Is Tesla Model Y, Cars.Com Concludes” • Cars.com has named the Tesla Model Y the best EV in its “Best of 2022” awards. The car-buying marketplace stated, “As more automakers bet on an electric future, consumers are starting to pay attention to the once-outlying rogue tech of automotive.” [CleanTechnica]

Tesla Model Y (Image courtesy of Tesla)

¶ “Number-Two US Grid To Boom As Wind Trumps Solar To Oust Midwest Coal Power: S&P” • A wave of coal retirements and higher natural gas prices will drive over 73 GW of onshore wind and 13 GW of utility-scale solar build over the next decade for Midcontinent Independent System Operator, which manages the second-largest US electric power market. [Recharge News]

¶ “Renewable Energy Needs Storage – Here’s One Company Charging Up Solar Power” • The CEO of North Carolina-based POWERHOME Solar, a specialist in solar panels and batteries, talked with TAG24. Jayson Waller said his company hired 1,500 people during the pandemic, switched to more costly US-made solar panels, and increased sales. [TAG24.com]

Have a sustainably cheerful day.

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Opinion: 

¶ “This Is How We Defeat Putin And Other Petrostate Autocrats” • Along with its military machine, control of oil and gas supplies is Russia’s main weapon. Now is the time to remind ourselves that the costs of solar and windpower have dropped by an order of magnitude in the last decade. We have a way to reduce Putin’s power: Get off oil and gas. [The Guardian]

Wind turbines (Karyatid, Unsplash)

¶ “Russia’s Invasion Of Ukraine Adds Urgency To Europe’s Green Power Transition” • Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is expected to add more urgency to Europe’s efforts to break its dependence on Russian oil and gas, as well as compel Europe to accelerate its transition to clean energy, say experts and EU officials. But those effortswon’t come easily. [Scientific American]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Tesla HEPA Filters: Can A Tesla Really Protect Your Lungs?” • EVs reduce pollution for everyone, but Tesla’s cars can go further to reduce pollution in its cabins. Tesla recently showed how safe the cabins of its cars can be when using the company’s so-called Bioweapon Defense Mode with HEPA filters when “under attack” by dense red smoke. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla testing HEPA filter (Tesla image)

World:

¶ “Airbus To Test Hydrogen-Fueled Engine On A380 Jet” • Airbus just moved one step closer to launching the world’s first zero-emission commercial aircraft by 2035. The French aircraft maker has announced plans to test hydrogen fuel technology using a modified A380 jetliner. It will be fitted with a special engine and liquid hydrogen tanks. [CNN]

¶ “These African Heritage Sites Are Under Threat From Rising Seas, But There’s Still Time To Save Them” • Extreme weather events and rising seas mean around 190 spectacular heritage sites on Africa’s coasts will be at risk of severe flooding and erosion in the next 30 years, according to a recent study published in the journal Nature Climate Change. [CNN]

Amphitheater in Sabratha, Libya (Franzfoto, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Radiation Spike At Nuclear Plant Seized By Russian Forces” • A radiation spike has been recorded near Chernobyl’s nuclear power plant which has been seized by Russian forces, monitoring data shows. The rise was reportedly caused by heavy military vehicles stirring contaminated soil in the 4,000-sq-km (2,485 sq-mile) exclusion zone. [BBC]

¶ “Germany Doubles Pace Of Energy Transition” • With a change of government that reflected the country’s move towards greater climate action, Germany doubled its energy transition’s pace. While some use of coal will persist until 2030, and natural gas for another decade, Germany’s new government has set some very ambitious targets for 2030. [CleanTechnica]

Enel Green Power’s Aurora Solar Farm (Enel Green Power image)

¶ “Northvolt Will Convert Swedish Paper Mill To New Battery Factory” • Swedish battery company Northvolt said it has signed of a letter of intent to purchase the Kvarnsveden Mill in Sweden. Northvolt will develop the site into a manufacturing plant for active material and battery cells, reusing and refurbishing much of the existing site infrastructure. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Janus Trucks Converting Freightliner To Electricity – Seeing Lot Of Demand” • Janus announced that the second fully electric registered Class 8 prime mover in Australia has hit the roads. Its exchangeable batteries can be swapped in three minutes, giving it a range of up to 600 km (373 miles). And the JCM350 Janus Conversion Module is 480 HP. [CleanTechnica]

Conversion by Janus Trucks (Janus Trucks image)

¶ “Canadian Solar Signs PPA For 381-MW Brazil Solar” • Steel manufacturer Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais has signed a power purchase agreement with Canadian Solar for 50% of the total electricity production at its 381-MW Morada do Sol solar farm in Brazil. Canadian Solar will develop and build the project in the State of Goiás. [reNews]

¶ “Seaway 7 partners on offshore wind in Asia” • Seaway 7 and Sumitomo Electric Industries have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to support the development of offshore wind projects in Japan and the wider Asia-Pacific region. The Japanese and Asian offshore wind market is expected to grow substantially in the next decades. [reNews]

Offshore windpower (Seaway 7 image)

US:

¶ “Tesla Installs Megapacks On Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula” • The Kenai Peninsula of Alaska will no longer rely on gas turbines to distribute electricity to the community. Homer Electric installed a 37 Tesla Megapacks, which will provide grid stability even during freezing temperatures of minus 30°F. The are had been having problems with outages. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “USPS Finalizes Orders Of Gas-Powered Trucks” • The US Postal Service has said ‘no’ to EVs by placing an order for a gas-powered fleet. The Hill reported that the USPS announced its finalized plans to order a new fleet of majority gasoline-powered vehicles even though it contradicts the Biden administration’s emissions goal. [CleanTechnica]

USPS Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (Courtesy of USPS)

¶ “US Offshore Wind Auction In NY, NJ Raises A Record $4.37 Billion” • The federal government announced a record $4.37 billion sale of six offshore wind leases off the coasts of New York and New Jersey. The success of the lease auction moves forward the Biden administration’s goal to transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. [Verve times]

¶ “Convalt Energy Proposes A $5 Billion Renewable Energy Project In Northern Maine” • An energy company that operates renewable power projects overseas is trying to expand its US footprint, with a project in Maine. Convalt Energy is proposing a $5 billion energy generation and transmission project based in East Millinocket. [Maine Public]

Have a gleefully noteworthy day.

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Opinion: 

¶ “Red-State Voters Want Clean Energy Too. Just Ask Nebraska” • Nebraska turned more than a few heads recently when its public officials adopted net-zero carbon goals for electricity. Renewable energy enjoys support among voters regardless of their politics. While Democrats may be motivated by the climate, Republicans see economic benefits. [CleanTechnica]

Nebraska (Taylor Siebert, Unsplash)

¶ “Methane Is Killing Us. Does Anyone Care? Does Anyone Even Know?” • We know that methane burns cleaner than coal. But exploring for, drilling, compressing, and transporting the stuff causes massive amounts of environmental damage. Some scientists estimate methane emissions in the atmosphere account for 30% of global warming. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Why Europe Is So Dependent On Russia For Natural Gas” • The EU is especially dependent on Russian energy, which is becoming increasingly unsustainable. The Washington Post reported the EU is making plans for energy independence from Russia, citing anonymous sources. The plan is expected to be announced next week. [CNBC]

Nord Stream pipeline route (Samuel Bailey, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

World:

¶ “Oil Rises As Russia Invasion Nears Ukraine Capital” • Oil prices rose on Friday amid investor concerns over tightening supplies as Russian’s invasion of Ukraine entered its second day. The price of Brent crude oil rose by more than 2% to $101 (£75) a barrel as fighting appeared to intensify near the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. [BBC]

¶ “How Exxon, BP, And Shell Help Russia Pump Oil And Gas” • Any action that affects Russia’s energy interests will highlight the role played by some of the West’s biggest Oil & Gas players, which have provided billions of dollars for Russia and are some of the country’s leading foreign investors. Here is information on who they are and how they are involved. [CNN]

LNG tanker (Diogo Hungria, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Carbon-Free Food Deliveries In Melbourne, Australia” • In Melbourne, CERES Fair Food wanted to provide carbon-free food deliveries. It borrowed from CORENA the money to buy two Ford eTransit vans and install Zappi solar smart chargers. This allowed it to get the most use out of its excess solar output from PVs on its warehouse roof. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Gogoro Goes Big With One Millionth Swappable Battery” • The battery-swapping leaders at Gogoro have secured a place at the head of the pack with their millionth battery. The company started 2015, went to fundraising in 2017, and has one million batteries in use, making it Taiwan’s battery swap standard for two-wheeled vehicles. [CleanTechnica]

Battery swap station (Gogoro image)

¶ “What’s The Construction Industry Blueprint To Cut Carbon?” • The construction industry has focused on improving building design for decades. But now, as actors across the value chain see the need to increase decarbonization actions, more architects, builders, and contractors are investing in design innovation for sustainable construction. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “NSW Looks To Quadruple Size Of First Renewable Energy Zone After Eraring Closure” • The government of New South Wales unveiled a new corridor for major transmission lines that could help it quadruple the size of the Central-West Renewable Energy Zone, one of five being created to replace coal stations that are closing. [Renew Economy]

Crudine Ridge wind farm (CWP Renewables image)

¶ “Fortescue Strikes Deal With Queensland For Green Hydrogen Transmission Link” • Fortescue Future Industries got support from Queensland’s government to connect two proposed green hydrogen projects to the grid so that they can access supplies of renewable electricity. One of the projects would produce 55,000 tonnes of hydrogen each year. [Renew Economy]

¶ “Russian Forces Seize Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant” • The Russian military forces seized control of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, Ukrainian officials say. A presidential adviser said the “totally pointless attack” on Thursday amounted to “one of the most serious threats in Europe today.” The danger goes far beyond the borders of the Ukraine. [BBC]

Empty buildings at Chernobyl (Viktor Hesse, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Offshore Wind Done Right” • We need offshore wind, and we need to do it right. Developing a strategy to protect the imperiled right whale population from day one of commercial-scale offshore wind development in US waters showcases the Biden administration’s commitment to fight climate, and to stem biodiversity loss. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Mixed Water Supply Conditions In The Northwest Affect 2022 Hydropower Outlook” • NOAA’s Northwest River Forecast Center released its latest water supply forecast for the 2022 water year, which runs from October 2021 through September 2022. This covers a third of the US hydropower capacity, so it has bearing on fuel prices. It is at near normal. [CleanTechnica]

Columbia River (Hannah, Unsplash)

¶ “New Mexico Grand Opening Of Pattern Energy’s Western Spirit Wind, Largest Renewable Project In US History” • Pattern Energy Group LP commissioned its Western Spirit Wind power facilities. Western Spirit Wind consists of four wind projects with a total capacity of over 1,050 MW, enough to provide for annual needs of 900,000 Americans. [Los Alamos Daily Post]

¶ “Feds Rescind License Extension For Florida Nuclear Plant” • NRC officials reversed a decision to allow the Turkey Point nuclear plant in southern Florida to continue running for another 30 years. The NRC ordered a review of environmental risks, including those posed by climate change. The reactors could still run until 2032 and 2033. [WHEC TV]

Have an extraordinarily homey day.

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Opinion: 

¶ “Good Riddance Nord Stream 2. Now Europe Has A Golden Opportunity” • At long last, the gas pipeline Nord Stream 2 has been suspended. It was a terrible idea from its conception and now, with Russia on the brink of a second invasion of Ukraine, it’s finally halted. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz made good on a threat to close it if there is an invasion. [CNN]

Pipes for Nord Stream 2 (Gerd Fahrenhorst, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Shattering The Energy Independence Myth” • We’re often told that energy independence is a national security issue. The New York Times published an opinion piece in which two authors suggest energy independence for the US is not about pumping more oil and gas. It is about pushing the renewable energy and EV revolutions forward. [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Net-Zero Energy Blok-By-Blok: Lower Emissions And Costs With Net-Zero Energy Modules” • A report from Blokable, the Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory details actionable pathways to building net zero energy housing while reducing greenhouse gas emissions without increasing costs. [CleanTechnica]

Net zero prefabricated housing unit (Werner Slocum, NREL)

¶ “Global Warming And Land Use Change To Drive More Extreme Wildfires” • Extreme wildfires are set to become more frequent in the future, increasing by around 50% by the end of this century, according to a report from the UN. Researchers say that rising temperatures and changes to the way we use land will drive the increase. [BBC]

World:

¶ “Oil Hits $100, US Stock Futures Slide After Putin Announces Military Operation In Donbas” • Brent crude oil hit $100 a barrel and stock futures fell sharply Wednesday after blasts were heard in Ukraine and Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation in Donbas. Dow futures lost nearly 700 points, or about 2%. Nasdaq futures dropped 2.7%. [CNN]

Oil traders (Own Oil Industry News, public domain)

¶ “A Used Tesla Costs More Than A New One In China” • A used Tesla costs more than a new one in China, CarNewsChina reports. Demand for Teslas is high while supply of new ones just can’t keep up. The used car market in China has developed pretty quickly thanks to the chip shortage, supply line challenges, and Covid-related issues. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “European Renewable Energy Firm Plans To Invest $10 Billion In Singapore By 2030” • EDP Renewables, the world’s fourth largest renewable energy producer, will invest $10 billion by 2030 to establish its Asia-Pacific headquarters in Singapore, while continuing to develop new clean energy projects across the region, the company said. [The Straits Times]

Sunseap floating solar farm (Sunseap Group image)

¶ “City Of Cape Town To Procure 300 MW Of Renewable Energy From IPPs” • To reduce its reliance on the utility Eskom and to enable access to more affordable and reliable electricity, the mayor of Cape Town announced that the city intends to procure up to 300 MW of renewable energy from IPPs over the next few months. [White & Case LLP]

¶ “Energy Storage Firms In Edinburgh And East Lothian Advance” • Gravitricity, a Scottish firm that plans to turn disused mines into renewable energy generation plants, has won UK Government backing. And Scottish specialist Sunamp, based in East Lothian, also won support under the Longer Duration Energy Storage program. [The Herald]

Gravitricity managing director Charlie Blair (Gravitricity image)

¶ “Experts: Ukraine’s Nuclear Power Reactors On The Front Lines Threaten Another Disaster ‘On Par’ With Chernobyl” • An organization of US and Russian physicians warned that a military conflict involving the two powers in Ukraine risks a nuclear “catastrophe” that could have horrific effects on all of Europe, and potentially the entire planet. [Raw Story]

US:

¶ “USPS Finalizing Plan To Replace Fleet With 90% Gas-Powered Vehicles” • The US Postal Service is moving ahead with a plan to replace its current fleet with 90% gas-powered trucks and 10% battery EVs, after the EPA and White House objected and asked for further study of the emissions impact. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said more EVs are not funded. [CNN]

USPS delivery truck (Joel Moysuh, Unsplash)

¶ “‘We Are A Gas Superpower.’ Ex-Trump Regulator Says Us Natural Gas Can Help Europe” • The decision by Germany to halt the certification of Nord Stream 2 underscores the critical role US natural gas can play on the world stage, former top energy regulator Neil Chatterjee told CNN on Tuesday. The US is the world’s largest producer of natural gas. [CNN]

¶ “250 Million Tax Dollars Spent To Clean Up Yet Another Fuel Leak In US Navy Storage Tank” • The Sierra Club of Hawaii has been pressing the issue of leaky Navy fuel tanks for more than 20 years, citing ongoing leaks of jet fuel into the aquifer used for Oahu’s drinking water. Now the Navy is finally doing something about it, at high cost. [CleanTechnica]

Aerial view of Pearl Harbor, 1986 (PH1 Javner, US Navy)

¶ “The Biggest Offshore Wind Lease Auction In US History ‘Showcases Booming Demand’ For Clean Power” • The Interior Department opened a record-breaking auction of offshore wind leases for six areas in the New York Bight that will provide clean electricity to New York and New Jersey. The lease sales so far raised more than $1 billion. [Environment America]

¶ “Indiana Lawmakers Pass ‘Baby Nukes’ Bill And Send It To The Governor” • In a vote of 70 to 22, the Indiana General Assembly has overwhelmingly passed a bill that would allow electric utilities to build small modular reactors. It is a move that could pave the way for commercial nuclear power in the state for the first time. [Indianapolis Business Journal]

Have a spectacularly sensible day.

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Opinion: 

¶ “Mustang Mach-E: The Classic Ponycar Grows Up” • If I like my V8 Mustang, will I still like an electric Mustang? Much ink has been spilled since the Mach-E appeared, but the question is still valid. Well, after a week spent behind the wheel of a Mustang Mach-E Premium AWD, I think I have an answer, and that answer is: maybe! [CleanTechnica]

Mustang Mach-E (Nicolas Peyrol, Unsplash)

¶ “2022 Will Be The Year For Next-Generation Clean Energy Technologies” • Next-generation clean energy technologies are reducing overall global energy demand and helping to make the energy supply side climate neutral. By all accounts, the year 2022 will be when that makes the energy mix cleaner, more secure, and more competitive. [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Yale Study Puts The Kibosh On EV Emissions Myth” • You probably have heard all the rumors lately that EV emissions are greater than the emissions of conventional cars. Two researchers of the Yale School of Environment, Paul Wolfram and Stephanie Weber, did their own analysis and discovered those claims about EV emissions were simply not true. [CleanTechnica]

EV manufacture (Yale School of Environment image)

¶ “Greenland’s Ice Is Melting From The Bottom Up, And Far Faster Than Previously Thought, Study Shows” • The ice sheet covering Greenland is melting rapidly at its base and is injecting far more water and ice into the ocean than had been understood, according to research. That could have serious ramifications for global sea level rise. [CNN]

World:

¶ “What Is Black Carbon? The Latest Way Humans Are Causing Changes In Antarctica” • A study published in the journal Nature Communications found that the increasing human presence in Antarctica is causing more snow melt. With more tourists and researchers, there is more carbon in the snow, warming it to melt when the sun shines. [CNN]

Antarctic tourists (henrique setim, Unsplash)

¶ “Germany Halts Nord Stream 2 And Russia Responds With A Stark Warning” • Germany said it was halting certification of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline following Moscow’s actions in eastern Ukraine. Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, warned after Germany’s announcement that prices in Europe would skyrocket. [CNN]

¶ “French Startup Transition-One Wants To Supercharge EV Conversions With Its Ecological Transition Solution” • France’s recent homologation law allows retrofit of combustion vehicles that are more than 5 years old and has opened up opportunities for firms to accelerate the conversion of these vehicles to electric, with a €5000 per vehicle incentive. [CleanTechnica]

Mini Cooper, conversion candidate (Lloyd Freeman, Pexels)

¶ “22% EV Market Share In Germany! Fiat 500e Is #1” • German plugin EV passenger car sales in January were up 8% year over year. The main culprit for lukewarm performance was plugin hybrids, down 8%. Meanwhile, battery EVs grew 28%, to 20,892 units, with pure electrics starting the year ahead of plugin hybrids (53% vs 47%). [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Siemens Gamesa To Supply Two Polish Offshore Projects” • Siemens Gamesa signed a preferred supplier agreement for two projects in the Polish Baltic Sea. Partners Equinor and Polenergia will use the SG 14-236 DD turbine model for the projects, which will have a combined installed capacity of 1440 MW. The turbine has nominal power of 14 MW. [reNews]

Offshore wind farm (Siemens Gamesa image)

¶ “SBM Considering 400-MW Northern Irish Floater” • Marine engineering firm SBM Offshore, based in the Netherlands, is assessing Northern Ireland’s coastal potential for a multi-million pound Irish Sea floating wind energy development. The North Channel Wind floating wind scheme, with a proposed capacity of 400 MW, could have profound effects. [reNews]

¶ “Finland To Reevaluate Russian Rosatom Nuclear Reactor Project: PM” • Finland will reevaluate the security risks for a planned nuclear power reactor to be built by Rosatom, the Russian state-owned firm, following Russia’s actions in Ukraine, Prime Minister Sanna Marin said. The decision was proposed by the country’s defense ministry. [Daily Sabah]

Sanna Marin (News Oresund, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

US:

¶ “43% Of Pickup Owners Are Considering Buying An Electric Truck” • Car Gurus creates surveys. In the last quarter of 2021, the company asked 1,026 pickup truck owners in the US about their plans for the future. 43% of those said they would consider buying an electric truck in the next 10 years. That’s up from 34% just one year ago. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Tesla Launches Fleet Option For Businesses” • Tesla recently launched a fleet option for businesses that showcases the benefits of running a fleet of Tesla vehicles. Business owners can contact Tesla via the form at a link and input information such as the company name and the size of the fleet. There’s also a box for additional comments. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla cars (Tesla image)

¶ “How To Get Renewable Energy Onto The Grid? Northfield Has An Idea” • A bill before the Minnesota legislature would use $4.5 million from the Renewable Development Account for a grant to Northfield to create a pilot project that would develop a distributed energy resource management system for the city’s electricity grid. [Minnesota House of Representatives]

¶ “Pueblo County Drops Support For Nuclear Power After Facing Backlash From Residents” • Officials of Pueblo County, Colorado, say they are pulling back their support for replacing the state’s largest coal-fired power plant with a nuclear reactor following a public outcry from residents. They had expressed interest in nuclear power last year. [Colorado Public Radio]

Have a cunningly insightful day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “New High Performance Solid-State Battery Swaps Indium For Scandium” • Much-recognized research scientist Linda Nazar of the University of Waterloo in Ontario has been carving her name into the solid-state battery field, and she has just one-upped herself. This time she has got involved a new chemistry for the solid-state battery. [CleanTechnica]

Concept car: 1977 GM Electrovette (photo courtesy of GM)

World:

¶ “Ukraine-Russia Tensions: Oil Surges On Supply Fears” • Oil prices are climbing on fears that the Ukraine-Russia crisis will disrupt supplies across the world. The price of Brent crude rose to a seven-year high of $97.65 (£71.91) a barrel after Russia recognised two rebel-held regions in Ukraine as independent states and ordered troops into them. [BBC]

¶ “Climate Change Report To Sound Warning On Impacts” • The IPCC carries out a large-scale review of the latest research on global warming every six or seven years. A set of three reports about to be issued is their sixth such report. It is expected to be the most worrying assessment yet of how rising temperatures affect every living thing. [BBC]

Endangered red leaf monkey (Jeremy Bezanger, Unsplash)

¶ “Lithium: Good News For The Australian Mining Industry” • In good news for the Australian mining industry, miners produced 55,000 tonnes of lithium in 2021, a 28% increase from the 39,700 tonnes of lithium produced in 2020. This is approximately half of global production. Chile, in the number two  spot, produced about a third as much as Australia. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “The Volkswagen E-Up! Returns” • In 2020, Volkswagen stopped accepting new orders for its smallest electric car, the E-Up!, citing an order backlog. But the order backlog was cleared, and in fact, Volkswagen quietly sold 30,800 copies of the e-Up! in Germany last year, making it the second best-selling electric car in the country. [CleanTechnica]

E-Up! (Courtesy of Volkswagen)

¶ “Worley, ABB, IBM To Deliver ‘Scalable Power-To-Gas’” • ABB, IBM, and Worley signed an MOU to work together on helping energy companies build and run green hydrogen facilities. The planned three-party collaboration aims to develop an integrated system that facility owners can build quickly, cheaply, and safely, and operate efficiently. [reNews]

¶ “Uniper Forges German Green Steel Partnership” • Uniper has entered into an agreement to supply German steel producer Salzgitter, one of Europe’s largest steel producers, with green hydrogen to produce low carbon steel. The first project is a planned import terminal capable of converting green ammonia back into hydrogen. [reNews]

Uniper facility (Uniper image)

¶ “Queensland Government Gears Up For Shift To Renewables And Decentralized Power With Microgrid R&D Hub” • The Queensland Labor government is ramping up the state’s shift to a decentralised and renewable powered electricity network with the help of a new $6 million Microgrid and Isolated Systems Test (MIST) facility in Cairns. [Renew Economy]

¶ “China And Russia Cannot Be Trusted On UK Nuclear Projects, Parliament Told” • China and Russia cannot be trusted with commercial contracts and should be barred from future UK nuclear power projects, a Labour former environment minister said. Lord Rooker warned against the countries’ involvement in building plants as they were unreliable. [GB News]

Guangdong nuclear plant (IAEA Imagebank, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

US:

¶ “Biden Administration Freezes New Oil And Gas Drilling Leases After Court Rules Against Key Climate Tool” • Earlier this month, a District Judge ruled that the Biden administration may not use the “social cost of carbon” in decisions around oil and gas drilling on public land. Now the administration has put a pause on new leases and permits for drilling. [CNN]

¶ “Renewable Energy: Zero Blackouts, Millions Of New Jobs: Mark Z Jacobson” • Mark Z Jacobson and his team recently published an updated study building on prior research to show switching to 100% renewable energy would virtually eliminate the electrical grid blackouts that have plagued many areas of the country in recent years. [CleanTechnica]

Solar array (US DOE image)

¶ “Ford And Volvo Join Redwood Materials Battery Recycling Program In California” • Along with Ford and Volvo, Redwood Materials is launching an EV battery recycling program. Ford is also an investor in the company. Redwood Materials will work with dealers and dismantlers in California to recover end-of-life battery packs in hybrid and EVs. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Obscure Electric Truck Maker Named ‘Mack’ Emerges From Stealth Mode” • A number of high profile EV startups have been grabbing for a piece of the electric truck market, but it looks like a name not known for electric mobility could have the drop on them. That would be Mack Truck, the iconic brand name with the familiar bulldog mascot. [CleanTechnica]

Class 8 Mack LR Electric truck (Courtesy of Mack Truck)

¶ “Texas Supreme Court Tells Exxon To Go Pound Sand” • In a brazen attempt by Exxon to stop lawsuits against it filed by eight California cities and counties, it argued that the suits violated Texas’ sovereignty and that it had every right to hide the truth about its products because its “free speech” was protected. Texas’s Supreme Court was not impressed. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Despite Regulator’s Ruling, GlobalFoundries To Move Ahead With Power Plan” • Semiconductor maker GlobalFoundries said it plans to press on with plans to create its own electric utility, despite a ruling from regulators that the company would not be exempt from state renewable energy rules. Its clean energy goals already exceed the state’s requirements. [Seven Days]

Have a fabulously useful day.

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Opinion: 

¶ “Fab Labs Or Gigafactories? Or Both?” • Does everything need to be produced in a gigafactory? What is the place for a fab lab or microfactory? In a recent book, Dr Paul Wildman makes the argument for cosmolocalisation – global design produced locally in fab labs, where peer works with peer for the development of their own humanity. [CleanTechnica]

Open Motors Tabby

¶ “Will Elon Musk End The Fossil Fuel Industry? Tesla Vs Exxon” • Are oil and car executives hiding their heads in the sand? (Looking for more oil reserves perhaps?) Is Musk right about the end of the fossil fuel industry? UK-based research and analysis group Rethink Energy believes so. And there are good reasons to think they might be right. [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Is Corn-Based Ethanol Worse Than Gasoline? New Study Says Yes” • A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows that corn-based ethanol mixed in with gasoline is most likely a much larger contributor to global warming than gasoline by itself. The study was funded in part by the National Wildlife Federation and the US DOE. [CleanTechnica]

Corn (Waldemar Brandt, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Can India Become An Automotive Superpower?” • India is expected to be the third largest global automotive market by 2026 and is targeting 30% of new vehicle sales being EVs by 2030. Can India achieve this by becoming an auomotive superpower? The government is acting to support growth in the EV markets and its support infrastructure. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Candela C-8 Is The IPhone Moment For Electric Boats” • After sixteen months of development, Candela announced its C-8 electric hydrofoiling speedboat. It offers long all-electric range and high speed. It’s the company’s most ordered electric boat ever and had its first flight outside the Swedish tech company’s Stockholm headquarters. [CleanTechnica]

Candela C-8 (Candela image)

¶ “Irish Greenwashing Awards Call Out Misinformation” • The Irish Greenwashing Awards call out top misinformation spreaders that have been greenwashing and profiting from the climate crisis. Irish EVs is taking a satirical approach to help bring attention to the issue of greenwashing that’s been happening with the fossil fuel industry. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “We Should Boost Europe’s Energy Independence By Investing In Renewables, CEO Says” • The CEO of Portuguese utility EDP linked Europe’s energy independence to the rapid adoption of renewables. He said investment in the sector needed to come “much faster.” Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have put energy independence on people’s minds. [CNBC]

Wind turbines in Portugal (Vitor Oliveira, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Mike Cannon-Brookes Dismisses PM’s Suggestion That Coal Plants Should Run To End Of Scheduled Life” • AGL rejected the initial bid by Brookfield and Cannon-Brookes’s Grok Ventures to buy it for about $8 billion, shut its coal plants by 2030, and add 8 GW of renewable energy and storage to replace them. PM Scott Morrison added his own comments. [The Guardian]

¶ “Sarawak Aims To Be Regional Renewable Energy Powerhouse” • Sarawak aims to attain sustainable growth and prosperity by becoming a South-east Asian powerhouse to provide the region with affordable and reliable renewable energy, said the Malay state’s Chief Minister. He said, Sarawak’s abundant indigenous resources will be used for this. [Malay Mail]

Hydro dam in Sarawak (Gem Lyn, Unsplash)

¶ “China Looks To Unify Power Markets As Part Of Its Green Energy Push” • The state-of-the-art “flexible green electricity grid” that powered the 2022 Winter Olympic Games is the first of its kind, and it holds enormous potential for being able to send renewable energy across vast distances through the use of direct currents. [Oil Price]

US:

¶ “Will The US Government Really Build 500,000 EV Charging Stations?” • Recently, the US government released further details on their plans to build charging stations. Now, as part of a new website by the Departments of Energy and Transportation, the government finally released new information detailing how the process is going to work. [CleanTechnica]

EV charging station (dcbel, Unsplash)

¶ “A Year After Texas Cold Spell, Study Shows Renewable Energy Could Avoid Blackouts” • A year ago, Texas had a deadly blackout. Now, a study shows that electricity blackouts can be avoided across the nation – perhaps even during intense weather events – by switching to 100% clean and renewable energy, such as solar, wind, and water energy. [Denton Record-Chronicle]

¶ “State Senate President Seeks Commitment To Renewable Energy” • Rhode Island’s Senate president wants to require the state to be powered completely by renewable energy by 2030. Democratic Senate President Dominick Ruggerio introduced legislation this week. The Senate approved his similar legislation last year, but it stalled in the House. [MSN]

Have a very beautiful day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Floating Charging Points Will Let Ships Draw Electricity From Offshore Wind Farms – And Could Recharge Battery-Powered Vessels Of The Future” • Danish shipping firm Maersk Supply Service is to launch an electricity charging system to give ships access to renewable energy while they’re at sea. The electricity will come from offshore wind farms. [Yahoo News]

Stillstrom charging buoy (Maersk Supply Service rendering)

World:

¶ “Electric Vehicle Charging Network For South Australia” • The Royal Automobile Association of South Australia is empowering a new generation of road adventurers by building an electric vehicle charging network. RAA will install 536 EV charging points at 140 new locations to create South Australia’s first EV charging network. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Storm Eunice Carves Deadly Trail Across Europe” • At least 16 people have been killed as Storm Eunice carved a deadly trail across Europe. Deaths were reported in the Irish Republic, the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and Poland. Millions of homes and businesses lost power across Europe and transport networks were left in disarray. [BBC]

Storm (Torsten Dederichs, Unsplash)

¶ “As The Owner Of Australia’s Biggest Coal Plant Locks In A Closing Date, Others Are Ramping Up” • The decision by Origin to shutter the giant, 2880-MW Eraring plant follows the exit of Hazelwood power station in 2017 and plans that other big coal-fired units will go within a few years. But not all coal-fired power plants are being hastily shut down. [ABC]

¶ “Why Ireland Is The Worst Country In The EU At Using Renewables To Make Heat Energy” • Only 6% of the energy required for heating and cooling in Ireland came from renewable sources in 2020 – the lowest proportion of any EU country. For the EU as a whole, 23.1% of the energy used for heating and cooling in 2020. [TheJournal.ie]

Scene in County Cork (Jason Murphy, Unsplash)

¶ “BBM To Revisit Bataan Nuclear Plant’s Repowering” • With a power supply crisis jolting the next Philippine administration, the team of Presidential frontrunner Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr is weighing options for repowering the mothballed 620-MW Bataan Nuclear Power Plant to augment the country’s electricity supply. [Manila Bulletin]

¶ “Benefits For Ross-Shire Highlighted In Renewables Industry Report As Sector Gears Up For Major Expansion By 2030” • Businesses with strong Ross-shire links are among more than 30 highlighted in a new report as set to benefit from a massive expansion in Scotland’s renewables energy sector. Wind capacity could increase 231% by 2030. [Ross-Shire Journal]

Arrival of superstructures (Seagreen Offshore Wind Farm image)

US:

¶ “Colorado Rural Power Utility Shifts Away From Long-Time Energy Provider To Pursue Locally-Produced Renewable Electricity” • La Plata Electric, a rural electric cooperative in southwest Colorado, has voted to shift partially away from its single energy provider so it can pursue locally produced renewable energy. [Colorado Public Radio]

¶ “Major Wind Developments Are Sweeping Into Northwest Oklahoma, Energy Companies Say” • The winds of change are blowing in Northwest Oklahoma with the development of several major wind projects over the next three years starting as early as this month. Invenergy and NextEra are both investing billions in Oklahoma wind farms. [EnidNews.com]

Wind farm (NextEra Energy Resources image)

¶ “Detonation takes down stacks at Springfield power plant” • The stacks at James River Power Station in Springfield, Missouri, are gone, and they had quite the send-off. Between livestreams, parking lot gatherings, field clustering and hilltop viewing, thousands of people watched the end of an era for the City Utilities power station. [Springfield News-Leader]

¶ “Gov Inslee, Gonzaga students talk climate change” • Gov Jay Inslee of Washington engaged in a serious conversation about climate change with about 50 Gonzaga University students. He emphasized that the needed shift to clean fuel would be “the largest industrial transition in the history of the world,” but the back-and-forth wasn’t all heavy. [Gonzaga University]

Have an incontrovertibly copacetic day.

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Opinion: 

¶ “Why Can’t Renewable Energy Sources Keep UK Energy Prices Down?” • UK power generation from renewable sources has more than doubled since 2014. Nevertheless, dependence on fossil fuels is going to put a serious strain on people’s finances for the foreseeable future. So, why is the UK still at the mercy of gas prices? [BBC Science Focus Magazine]

Power lines (Matthew Henry, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Storm Eunice Blows Off Rooftops With Highest Wind Speeds On Record In England” • Storm Eunice tore down rooftops and trees, crushed cars, and sent planes skidding on runways as millions of people across the UK hunkered down at home to stay out of hurricane-strength winds. Its winds reached 122 mph, the highest ever recorded in the UK. [CNN]

¶ “The Flood Barriers That Might Save Venice” • The MOSE tidal barrier was built over a period of four decades to protect Venice from rising sea water at high tides. Fourteen months after it was finished, it has been raised 33 times. Naysayers of the past appear to have been proven wrong. Not once has it failed to protect the city when it was raised. [CNN]

MOSE barrier raised (Consorzio Venezia Nuova image)

¶ “OTA Software Upgrades Coming Soon For Volkswagen ID.4” • Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess held an Ask Me Anything session on reddit this week. He got over 1,000 questions from people all around the world and his answers were illuminating. Basically what he said was a testament to the power of over-the-air updates. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Antarctica Will Likely Set An Alarming New Record This Year, New Data Shows” • Preliminary data from the National Snow and Ice Data Center suggests Antarctica will likely set a record this year for the lowest sea ice extent – the area of ocean covered by sea ice. Sea ice around the continent has dropped lower than the previous record minimum set in March 2017. [CNN] 

Iceberg (Sergey Pesterev, Unsplash)

¶ “North Ayrshire Council Plans Solar Farm And Wind Turbines” • Plans for wind turbines and a solar farm at a development site in Irvine could help North Ayrshire Council to generate almost three times its future energy needs. The council said the three projects could generate 277% of the authority’s future energy demands, with the excess to be sold. [Irvine Times]

¶ “Canada Will Soon Have Its First Tesla Police Car” • Canada’s first Tesla will be added to fleet of patrol cars by the Bridgewater Police Service in Nova Scotia. Mayor Davit Mitchell shared his excitement on Twitter, noting that the city council agreed to buy a Tesla Model 3. He said data showed the lifetime cost will be less than for a conventional patrol car. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla police car in the UK (Tesla UK image)

¶ “Argentine Think Tank Sounds Alarm Over $8 Billion China Nuclear Power Contract” • Argentina’s General Mosconi energy institute has questioned a decision by the administration of President Alberto Fernández to sign a $8.3 billion turnkey contract for a nuclear power station with China National Nuclear Corporation. [BNamericas]

US:

¶ “Georgia To See 3,000+ Jobs From Build Back Better Act” • NRDC analysis shows that the Build Back Better Act, as it stands, could significantly accelerate clean energy investment, economic activity, and job growth in Georgia. The Senate’s passage of the Build Back Better Act would bring these climate and economic benefits to states across the country. [CleanTechnica]

SK Innovation’s planned Georgia EV battery site (SK Innovation)

¶ “200 Battery-Buffered Ultra-Fast Electric Car Chargers For Florida” • ADS-TEC Energy is a global leader in battery-buffered, ultra-fast charging. Smart City Capital specializes in finding funding solutions for the technologies that will define the future. The two companies are bringing ultra-fast ChargeBox electric car chargers to Florida. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Can The Salton Sea Geothermal Field In California Power Our EV Revolution?” • The Salton Sea geothermal field in California may hold enough lithium to meet all of the US battery needs, with enough left over to export some. But can it be extracted in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way? And how long will the resource last? [CleanTechnica]

Lithium extraction from hot brine (Jenny Nuss, Berkeley Lab)

¶ “Nacero Awards Long-Term Wind Power Agreement To NextEra Energy” • A press release says Nacero Inc awarded a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources a long-term power purchase agreement to supply wind power to Nacero’s planned manufacturing facility in Penwell, Texas, to supply gasoline with a net-zero lifecycle. [Odessa American] (Really?)

¶ “County Announces Renewable Solar Project” • In Wisconsin, Dane County Executive Joe Parisi and Alliant Energy announced final plans for construction to begin this spring on a 90-acre solar project in the Town of Cottage Grove. Parisi said the Yahara Solar Project will achieve Dane County’s goal of using all renewable electricity at its facilities. [Verona Press]

Dairy farm in Wisconsin (Corey Coyle, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Texas Led The Country In New Renewable Energy Projects Last Year” • Texas led the US in building new renewable energy projects last year, according to a report released by the American Clean Power Association. This continues a promising trend in a state that is known for relying heavily on fossil fuels that warm the planet. [The Bharat Express News]

¶ “Richland Workers Exposed To Radiation At Nuclear Power Plant, Says Fed Agency” • Some Columbia Generating Station workers received significant exposure to radiation during the spring maintenance and refueling outage, according to the NRC. Exposures could have been higher, but, by chance, the problem was discovered promptly. [Tri-City Herald]

Have a consummately gorgeous day.

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Opinion: 

¶ “Why The Future Of Long-Haul Trucking Is Battery Electric” • There is increasing consensus among European truck makers and industry stakeholders that battery electric trucks will play a dominant role in the decarbonization of road freight. Low fuel and maintenance costs make battery EVs very competitive for long-haul transport. [CleanTechnica]

Battery electric truck (Volvo Trucks image)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Lithium-Sulfur Batteries’ Commercial Viability Improves With Breakthrough In Cathode Chemistry” • In hopes of making batteries that perform better than those currently used in EVs and are made from readily available materials, Drexel University chemical engineers introduced sulfur into lithium-ion batteries. The results are astounding. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Accelerated Ammonia Synthesis Holds Promise For The Conversion Of Renewable Energy” • Research by scientists at Hiroshima University reveals a way to make ammonia at ambient pressure from its constituent nitrogen and hydrogen molecules. The study demonstrates a process with potential uses for storage and transfer of renewable energy. [CleanTechnica]

Zero-emission Yara Birkeland (Yara image)

World:

¶ “UK Weather: Millions Told To Stay At Home As Storm Eunice Hits” • Millions of people have been told to stay at home as one of the worst storms in decades, Storm Eunice, hits the UK. The Met Office has issued two rare red weather warnings, one for London, the south-east, and east of England, the other for parts of south-west England and south Wales. [BBC]

¶ “Heavy Rains, Landslides Kill Scores In Brazilian Mountain City” • At least 110 people have died in the Brazilian mountain city of Petropolis, local officials said, after heavy rains triggered landslides that washed out streets, swept away cars and buried homes. Brazil’s Civil Defense Secretariat said 269 landslides had been recorded in the country. [CNN]

Area of Petrópolis (TMbux, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Green Trucking Watershed Moment As The EU Adopts New Tolling Rules” • After MEPs voted to adopt new legislation, EU member states have until 2023 to implement a new system of road tolls that give big incentives for zero-emissions trucks. Member states could opt to levy extra CO₂-based charges on fossil fuel lorries. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “UK Needs 24 GW Of Storage To Integrate Wind Power” • A report from Aurora Energy Research shows that 24 GW of long duration electricity storage may be needed to integrate wind power into a secure net zero system. This is about eight times the current installed capacity. Aurora’s report finds this target cannot be achieved without urgent investment. [reNews]

Grid with storage (Wikichesterdit, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Power Ministry Notifies Green Hydrogen Policy” • India has unveiled its green hydrogen policy as a step towards meeting the objectives of the National Hydrogen Mission launched by the prime minister last year. India currently uses about 6 millions tons of hydrogen per year, but a report says that could grow to 28 million by 2050. [pv magazine India]

US:

¶ “Biden Announces $1 Billion In Infrastructure Funding To Clean Up The Great Lakes” • President Joe Biden announced $1 billion in funding from his administration’s infrastructure law would go toward cleanup and restoration of the Great Lakes. The bulk of funding is to restore “Areas of Concern” that the EPA has identified as severely degraded. [CNN]

Saginaw Bay (Notorious4life, CC0 1.0)

¶ “Cities Tried To Cut Natural Gas From New Homes. The GOP And Gas Lobby Preemptively Quashed Their Effort” • In 2019, the city council in Berkeley, California banned gas hookups in all new building construction. A number of cities followed that lead to address climate change. Now, twenty states have banned such actions by cities. [CNN]

¶ “GreenCore Partners With B&D Industries To Provide Labor For 10,000 Solar EV Charging Plazas” • GreenCore EV Services has a goal of building a network of over 10,000 solar EV charging plazas throughout the US by the end of the decade. It announced that it selected B&D Industries to provide network’s labor and prefabrication services. [CleanTechnica]

Charging stations (GreenCore EV Service image)

¶ “Vermont Regulators Say GlobalFoundries Can’t Form Its Own Utility Exempt From Renewable Energy Standards” • Vermont utility regulators ruled that the manufacturer GlobalFoundries can’t create its own power utility exempt from state renewable energy standards. The commission said it has no authority to allow such a move. [Vermont Public Radio]

¶ “Shuttered Massachusetts Coal Plant To Be Transformed Into Renewable Energy Manufacturing Center” • The site of a coal plant in Massachusetts is set to be transformed into a facility to help harness windpower. Prysmian Group will use the site to make submarine power cables that will bring the power from offshore wind projects to the grid. [TheHill]

Block Island Wind Farm (Dennis Schroeder, NREL)

¶ “Report Says New Nuclear Reactor Is Risky; Utilities Disagree” • A new type of nuclear reactor that would provide carbon-free energy to at least four states in the Western US poses financial risks for utilities and their ratepayers, according to a report. The report was immediately criticized by the project’s owner and the company developing the reactor. [KUTV]

¶ “New Unit At Plant Vogtle Hits Another 6-Month Delay” • The first of two nuclear reactors being built at Plant Vogtle might not begin generating electricity until as late as March 2023, Georgia Power Co now says. Reports of such delays for the reactors have become routine. With cost overruns, the project will cost its owners nearly $30 billion. [WRDW]

Have an indubitably dandy day.

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Opinion: 

¶ “Cruel Irony Of US Politics: Climate Change, Ukraine, Gas Prices” • Here’s an epic plot twist in the American political drama: A President and the Democratic Party that came to office promising to wean the country off oil and gasoline to save the planet are now looking for ways to bring down the price of oil and gas to save a presidency. [CNN]

Russian T-14 Armata tank (Vitaly V Kuzmin, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Misguided EU Sustainability Targets Will Lock In LNG For Decades” • EU policies to clean up shipping will replace current, conventional marine fuels with fossil liquid natural gas, with little benefit to the climate. The misguided EU sustainability targets encourage an uptake of LNG, a new Transport & Environment study shows. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “NOAA Sea Level Rise Report: Now It’s Personal” • Some people complain that stopping climate change will be expensive. There is no question the cost of doing something will be high, but the cost of doing nothing will be much, much higher. The latest report from the National Ocean Service about sea level rise makes that abundantly clear. [CleanTechnica]

Coastal flooding (National Ocean Service image)
Please click on the image to enlarge it.

World:

¶ “More Than Eight Million Trees Lost This Winter In The UK” • The heating climate is making our weather more severe and unpredictable. More than eight million trees have been brought down by bad winter weather in the UK, and many more trees are now threatened by another two named storms that are bearing down on Britain. [BBC]

¶ “Heavy Duty Electric Trucks In Sweden And Denmark: The EV Revolution Rolls Forward” • The EV revolution is rolling forward and it’s not waiting for stragglers. The latest word is that large battery-electric trucks are beginning to be brought to the heavy end of the transportation spectrum. Scania and Volvo Trucks are two makers of heavy-duty trucks. [CleanTechnica]

Electric truck (Scania image)

¶ “Big Oil Is Spending Serious Money On Clean Energy” • In the past, fossil fuel companies have been repeatedly lambasted for ‘greenwashing’ and making only minuscule investments in renewable energy. Now, that trend appears to be turning around. Oil and gas companies have become among the most active on green energy deals and investments. [Oil Price]

Australia:

¶ “Biggest Power Plant In Coal-Reliant Australia To Close Early” • Australia’s largest coal-fired power station will close seven years earlier than planned, as its operator says it is increasingly unable to compete with the “influx of renewables.” The 2.88-GW Eraring plant is north of Sydney, in New South Wales, and is operated by Origin Energy. [BBC]

Eraring power plant (Origin Energy image)

¶ “British Financiers Say Northern Territories Indigenous Renewable Venture Could Lure $50 Billion” • British financial services company Octopus Group will partner with Aboriginal communities in northern Australia on renewable energy plans it says could attract investments of up to A$50 billion ($36 billion) over the next decade. [Sydney Morning Herald]

¶ “Investors Float 40 GW Of Renewable Energy Projects For Hunter-Central Coast REZ” • The New South Wales Government said almost 40 GW of large-scale solar PV, wind, and hydro generation and energy storage projects have been received in the registration of interest for the Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone. [pv magazine Australia] 

Solar array (Neoen image, cropped)

US:

¶ “California Gas Prices Just Hit A Record High – $5 Gas Could Come Soon” • Gas in California hit a record high of $4.72 a gallon on average on Wednesday, and experts say a whopping $5 a gallon will likely be the norm there in a matter of months, if not sooner. Part of the reason for the price increase is the switch away from fossil fuels. [CNN]

¶ “Experts Say The Term ‘Drought’ May Be Insufficient To Capture What Is Happening In The West” • As the West goes into its 22nd year of a megadrought, officials at the US government’s top water resource management agency are trying to plan for an unprecedented age. The term “drought” may be insufficient to capture what is happening. [CNN]

Grand Canyon (Toni Tan, Unsplash)

¶ “Over 90% Of US Lithium Imports From 2016–2019 Came From Argentina And Chile” • The US imports many of the minerals used in EV batteries. They are mportant for meeting the increasing demand for EV production. From 2016–2019, over 90% of the lithium imported to the US came from Argentina (55%) and Chile (36%). [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Iberdrola Makes $10 Billion US Offshore Wind Pledge” • Iberdrola made a multi-billion dollar pledge to invest in three offshore wind projects totaling 2800 MW in Massachusetts. The Spanish firm will invest $10 billion on the development of the sites, Iberdrola chairman Ignacio Galán agreed at a meeting with Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker. [reNews]

Ignacio Galán and Governor Charlie Baker (Iberdrola image)

¶ “Fracking In Pennsylvania Contaminates Drinking Water And Harms Pregnant Women” • A study shows that in Pennsylvania, fracking has contaminated the drinking water. It found evidence that drilling shale gas wells negatively impacts both the drinking water quality and the health of infants, indicating large social costs of water pollution. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “New Mexico Regulators Approve Plan To Replace Nuclear Power” • New Mexico regulators approved a plan that calls for new solar generation to replace 114 MW of power Public Service Co of New Mexico will lose when it stops buying electricity from the Palo Verde nuclear plant in Arizona. PNM will develop the solar energy with battery storage. [USNews.com]

Have an uncommonly rewarding day.

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NRDC Analysis On Build Back Better:

¶ “Maine To Get 3,600 New Jobs From Build Back Better Act” • If the US Senate passes the Build Back Better Act, it would bring a result of 3,600 to 5,100 new direct jobs being created in Maine, according to Natural Resources Defense Council analysis. Clean energy investment, economic activity, and job growth are some of the benefits. [CleanTechnica]

Portland Head Lighthouse (Mercedes Mehling, Unsplash)

¶ “New Jersey Could See 13,500 Jobs From Build Back Better Act” • The Senate’s passage of the Build Back Better Act would bring the benefits of energy investment, economic activity, and job growth to states across the US, including an estimated 13,500 to 16,700 new direct jobs and 6,100 MW of renewable energy capacity created in New Jersey. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Texas Could Get 75,000 New Jobs With Build Back Better Act” • NRDC analysis shows that the Build Back Better agenda, as it currently stands, could significantly increase investment in clean energy, economic activity, and job growth in Texas. Texas could see 75,100 to 82,300 local jobs and 21,800 MW to 30,200 MW of clean energy capacity created. [CleanTechnica]

Texas Tesla Automobile Factory (Image from Tesla)

Science and Technology:

¶ “An Unspoken Benefit Of EVs: Less Auto Fluids Washed Into Our Waterways” • Leaking oil goes from car to street. Oil spilled on land gets washed from the street into the storm drain and into our lakes, rivers, and streams. Used motor oil is the largest single source of oil pollution in our lakes, streams, and rivers. EVs will cure that problem almost entirely. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Earth Is Heating Up Too Quickly For These Tiny Organisms To Adapt” • As global temperatures steadily rise, our planet may be changing too quickly for some of nature’s most wide-ranging organisms to adapt. The algae within lichen can take hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of years to adapt to their preferred climates, according to the study. [CNN]

Lichens growing on a rock (Scott Osborn, Unsplash)

¶ “Hydrogen For Cars And Trucks Is An Idea Whose Time Has Come – And Gone” • A study published at Nature Electronics says fuel cell cars and trucks have little chance of being developed to the point they are commercially viable and that the urgency of the climate crisis demands decision makers focus on battery-electric vehicles instead. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Check Out This New Electric Rickshaw Delivery Van Concept From Sweden” • Swedish company Clean Motion focuses on light, affordable electric 3-wheeled vehicles that are built to be as energy-efficient as possible under their philosophy that aims to ensure that most of the energy is used to transport the goods rather than the vehicle itself. [CleanTechnica]

Clean Motion’s electric Re:volt 3-wheeled delivery van

¶ “India, Australia Ink Letter Of Intent On New And Renewable Energy Technology” • India and Australia signed a letter of intent for working jointly toward reducing the cost of renewable energy technologies and scaling up deployment to reduce polluting emissions across the world. They signed the LOI at the 4th India-Australia Energy Dialog. [BW Businessworld]

¶ “EDF Reveals 50-MW Irish Wind Farm Plans” • Plans to develop a 50-MW wind farm on land to the east of Broadford in County Clare were announced by EDF Renewables Ireland. The proposed Lackareagh Wind Farm, which could power more than 35,000 homes, will be located in the townlands of Killeagy and Shannaknock. [reNews]

Windfarm (EDF Renewables image)

¶ “Maree Todd Says She Cannot Give Her Backing To ‘High Cost And High Risk’ Nuclear Power Station” • Caithness, Sutherland and Ross MSP Maree Todd has declared that she cannot support the idea of a mini-reactor being built in her constituency, pointing to the “high cost and high risk” associated with nuclear energy. [John O’Groat Journal]

US:

¶ “US Sea Levels Will Rise Rapidly In The Next 30 Years, Report Shows” • A report led by NOAA gives an alarming forecast for the US: Sea level will rise as much in the next 30 years as it did in the past 100. According to the report, there is increasing confidence in science showing that the coasts of the US will see another 10 to 12 inches of sea level rise by 2050. [CNN]

Last house on Holland Island (baldeaglebluff, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Biden Administration Is Finalizing A Waiver For California To Set Its Own Vehicle Emissions Standards” • The Joe Biden administration is finalizing a waiver to allow California to adopt its own, stricter vehicle emission standards, reversing yet another Trump-era rollback. The EPA’s final decision on the waiver is expected soon. [CNN]

¶ “Electric Bus Talk: Repowering The Diesel Fleet Could Save Millions” • Transitioning the nation’s 500,000 yellow school buses from diesel to electric presents some daunting math. If we build 35,000 electric buses each year, instead of diesel buses, it will take 15 years to electrify the fleet. But repowering the buses we already have is taking off. [CleanTechnica]

School buses (Damian Carr, Unsplash)

¶ “Illinois Renewable Energy Growth Surges in the Months After Climate and Equitable Jobs Act Signed” • Five months have gone by since Illinois’ landmark clean energy law passed. Data from the solar industry found 2022 is on track to be one of the biggest years for solar energy in Illinois’ history. The workforce is to increase by nearly 50% in 2022. [PR Web]

¶ “Collins, King Welcome Almost $3 Billion in Renewable Energy Storage Funding from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law” • Maine’s US Senators Susan Collins (R) and Angus King (I) celebrated news that the Biden administration will invest $2.91 billion to increase the domestic production of batteries and other energy storage technologies. [Senator Angus King]

Have a pleasingly fortunate day.

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Opinion: 

¶ “Putin Could Turn Off Europe’s Gas Tap. This Is The Solution” • As Russian soldiers look ready to invade the Ukraine, Europe is threatened by another crisis. Russia supplies 38% of Europe’s natural gas, and is using the European dependency on its gas as a weapon. One way for Europe to get out of the bind is to bring renewables online quickly. [CNN]

Russian sniper (Dominik Sostmann, Unsplash)

¶ “Electric Everything, Part 4 – Some Updates” • The first three parts of this “Electric Everything” series listed 43 things that have been electrified, from tiny scooters to giant ferries and ships, and everything in between. If we want to save the planet, we must electrify everything as soon as possible and convert to clean electricity generation. [CleanTechnica]

Natural Resources Defense Council On Build Back Better:

¶ “Build Back Better Offers Big Economic Benefits In Illinois” • NRDC analysis shows that the Build Back Better agenda could speed up clean energy investment, economic activity, and job growth in Illinois. “The stakes are enormous. This agenda recognizes that there is tremendous economic opportunity in tackling the climate crisis.” [CleanTechnica]

Illinois EV factory (Image courtesy of Rivian)

¶ “Analysis: Michigan To Get Over 18,000 Jobs With Build Back Better Act” • A new NRDC analysis shows that the Build Back Better agenda could greatly accelerate clean energy investment, economic activity, and job growth in Michigan. It projects 14,500 to 18,700 local jobs created in manufacturing, building, and servicing clean energy resources. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Is Tesla Building Another Car Factory In China?” • A news report out of China claims that Tesla is at least testing the waters for a second gigafactory in the country. Looking into an update from Liaoning Province’s official WeChat account, CarNewsChina said it showed that Shenyang City is preparing for the Tesla vehicle project. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla Shanghai gigafactory (Courtesy of Tesla)

¶ “Climeworks Announces Boston Consulting, LGT Bank, And Rothesay As New Carbon Removal Customers” • LGT and Boston Consulting Group signed 10-year air capture agreements with Climeworks, for commitments towards carbon removal. The UK’s largest pension insurance specialist, Rothesay, also signed a carbon removal agreement. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Sweden Unveils Three New Offshore Wind Zones” • The Swedish government has identified three offshore wind zones that it believes can deliver up to 30,000 GWh of wind power per year. The areas are in the Gulf of Bothnia, the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, respectively. “We must have a lot of electricity, cheap electricity, fast,” the energy minister said. [reNews]

Gulf of Bothnia (Konstantin Goncharov, Unsplash)

¶ “Crossbenchers Urge Switch To Electric Transport To Boost Australia’s Energy Security” • Establishing thriving local EV manufacturing industries could be the answer to solving energy security challenges in Australia. Two independent federal MPs are backing a call for a locally manufactured, renewably powered, transport system. [Renew Economy]

¶ “Enel Green Power Set Record For Renewable Generation In Italy” • Enel Green Power generated about 119 TWh of energy renewably in 2021. Wind and solar provided 55.4 TWh, up by 9 TWh from 2020 figures. Hydroelectric provided 57 TWh, while the contribution from geothermal is 6 TWh, a relatively small but stable figure. [ThinkGeoEnergy]

Geothermal plant in Tuscany (Enel Green Power image)

¶ “First Poles Erected In $2.4 Billion Transmission Link To Create ‘Renewables Superpower'” • The $2.4 billion Project EnergyConnect is the first of several main transmission lines proposed by the Australian Energy Market Operator and state authorities as they build up the infrastructure to support a grid transitioning to 100% renewables. [Renew Economy]

¶ “IAEA Reviews Japan’s Plan To Release Fukushima Water Into Ocean” • A team from the International Atomic Energy Agency arrived in Japan on Monday to review a plan to release treated radioactive water from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean. Japan hoped the visit would help it push through the controversial plan. [DW]

Japanese squid fishing boats (Takanobu Shuji, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

US:

¶ “DOE Will Build Nation’s First Large-Scale Facility To Turn Fossil Fuel Waste Into Rare Materials For Tech” • The DOE plans to build the nation’s first large facility to extract critical minerals like nickel and cobalt from waste like coal ash. The metals could then be used in components for renewable-energy batteries, cell phones, EVs, and other technologies. [CNN]

¶ “Megadrought: Western US Dry Spell Is Worst In 1,200 Years, Study Says” • The intense dry spell that’s parched the western US the past 22 years is the region’s worst “megadrought” since at least the year 800, a study published in the journal Nature Climate Change says. Over 40% of it can be blamed on human-caused climate change. [USA Today]

Arizona in drought (US NPS image, public domain)

¶ “Tesla Has 10.5% Of California Auto Market In 4th Quarter” • Tesla had 10.5% of all auto sales in California in the 4th quarter of 2021, up from 4.8% in the 4th quarter of 2020. Tesla registrations rose from 21,290 in Q4 2020 to 39,040 in Q4 2021. Only Toyota had more sales in California in the Q4 of 2021, with a 16.3% market share. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Last Minute Delay Leaves Green Energy Advocates Up In Arms In Connecticut” • ISO-New England’s announcement that it would end a rule blocking state-subsidized renewable energy projects from its annual capacity auction should have been a win for renewable energy, but a last-minute decision delays the change for two years. [The Connecticut Examiner]

Have an unconditionally triumphant day.

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NRDC Analysis On Build Back Better:

¶ “West Virginia To See Thousands Of New Jobs From Build Back Better Act” • The Senate’s passage of the policies in the Build Back Better Act, which the House has passed, would enable West Virginia to invest in climate solutions that could lead to over 70,000 direct jobs, an analysis from the Natural Resources Defense Council shows. [CleanTechnica]

Moving a blade on a winding road (Colin Watts, Unsplash)

¶ “Build Back Better Plan Gives Arizona 55,000 New Clean Tech Jobs” • Arizona residents can expect a significant economic gain if the Biden Administration is able to pass its Build Back Better Act, with more than 55,000 new sustainable, clean tech, and electric car jobs coming to the state to support the historic infrastructure bill. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Oregon Econ Boost From Build Back Better Act” • “[Over] 50,000 Oregonians work in the clean energy sector, specializing in renewable energy, energy efficiency, clean cars, and more. By focusing investments in places with low-income or reliance on the fossil fuel industry, we can support new jobs and businesses [where they are needed].” [CleanTechnica]

Wind turbine (Sander Weeteling, Unsplash)

¶ “8,600+ Jobs In Montana From Build Back Better Act” • “The Build Back Better Act will bring clean energy investments and good jobs to Montana,” said NRDC Western Campaigns Director Sam Gilchrist. “Nearly 10,000 Montana residents work in the clean energy sector already, and Build Back Better investments could create 10,000 more.” [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Big Banks Fund New Oil And Gas Despite Net Zero Pledges” • Big banks are pumping billions into new oil and gas production despite net zero pledges, campaigners have said. Banks including HSBC, Barclays, and Deutsche Bank are still backing new oil and gas despite being part of a UN-led group called the Net Zero Banking Alliance, ShareAction said. [BBC]

Offshore oil & gas rig (Zachary Theodore, Unsplash)

¶ “Tesla Shanghai Capacity Will Exceed 1 Million Cars In 2022, BYD Blade Batteries Coming” • Reports from CnEVPost say the manufacturing capacity of the Tesla Gigafactory in Shanghai is expected to increase to over 1 million cars a year in the near future. It also says BYD will supply about 10 GWh of its LFP Blade batteries to Tesla each year. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Australia’s Liberal Party: From FUD To Greenwashing” • In the last election campaign, Australia’s Liberal government took pains to reinforce fear, uncertainty, and doubt about renewable energy and EVs. Now another election looms, and they are spending $31 million taxpayer dollars for a publicly funded ad campaign to promote their green credentials. [CleanTechnica]

Clean energy (Sven Brandsma, Unsplash)

¶ “Renewables Reach New Highs In NEM As Fossil Fuels Slump To Historic Lows” • New figures published by Australia’s Climate Council show that renewable energy generation in the National Electricity Market grew almost 20% in 2021. Renewable sources generated 31.4% of electricity last year while gas generators supplied just 5.7%. [pv magazine Australia]

¶ “BlackRock Invests In Chilean Solar Projects” • Solek Group, through its Chilean subsidiary Solek Latam, signed a framework agreement to develop, build and sell solar projects in Chile to BlackRock’s Global Renewable Power Fund III. The deal enables Solek Group to develop up to 28 PV projects with an aggregate capacity of up to 200MW. [reNews]

Solar power (American Public Power Association, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “NREL To Help With National Electric Vehicle Charging Network Rollout” • National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) researchers will contribute their expertise in electrified transportation systems to help create a new federal office focused on expanding EV charging infrastructure across the US equitably and strategically. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Electric Car Sales Surge As Overall Car Sales Slip – A Game-Changing Trend?” • Last quarter, overall US auto sales fell, but EV sales surged. Kelley Blue Book reports that total car sales fell by 21.3% in Q4 2021 compared to Q4 2020, while EV sales grew by 72%. Kelley Blue Book is not alone in predicting that EV sales will keep growing. [CleanTechnica]

EV interior (Jenny Ueberberg, Unsplash)

¶ “NJ Transit Reneging On Renewable Energy Commitment For Kearny Power Plant, Activists Say” • Climate activists are accusing NJ Transit of going back on a plan to build a non-gas powered plant in Kearny to provide rail systems like the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail with emergency electricity in case of power outages, such as happened with Hurricane Sandy. [NJ.com]

¶ “Minnesota Business Takes Climate Change As Environmental Challenge, Economic Opportunity” • Renewables are proving to be both an economic driver and an important environmental pursuit in Minnesota. Even oil and gas producers who ship products to Minnesota’s huge Pine Bend refinery are reducing carbon emissions. [Star Tribune]

Construction of wind turbines (Dean Riggot, NextEra)

¶ “Poll: Pueblo Voters Prefer Wind And Solar To Nuclear” • In Pueblo County, Colorado, voters have a strong preference for renewables for future energy production in their community according to new poll results released exclusively to News5. For their top two choices, 60% chose solar and 47% chose wind. Third place was natural gas, at 24%. [KOAA]

¶ “UMaine 4-H Workshop Explores Marshlands, Climate Change” • University of Maine Cooperative Extension 4-H will offer an online workshop for youth ages 12-18 about marshlands and climate change. “Maine’s Mysterious Marshlands: Using eDNA to Understand Climate Change,” will run from 1:30 to 2:45 PM on Wednesday, February 23. [Kennebec Journal]

Have a dauntlessly tranquil day.

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Opinion: 

¶ “Temporary spent nuclear fuel storage isn’t temporary” • The proposal to “store” spent nuclear fuel in New Mexico is a Trojan horse that will defeat the goal of geologically isolating this highly radioactive and chemically toxic material. The proposed interim storage facility is geologically unsuitable even for a period of decades. [Santa Fe New Mexican]

New Mexico (Joonyeop Baek, Unsplash)

¶ “Is BP Providing A Blueprint For Big Energy?” • By bolstering a select few oil operations and pumping funds into renewable energy projects, oil and gas giant BP is already emerging stronger in the early days of its transition. Earlier this week, BP reported its highest profits in eight years as the company says that it is “performing while transforming.” [Yahoo Finance]

¶ “Life With Tesla After 60,000 Miles: What I’ve Learned” • My wife and I are still just as thrilled with our Tesla Model 3 as we were the day we took delivery on October 22, 2019. My odometer reads 60,220 miles. We have driven coast to coast from North Carolina to California and made multiple round trips from Utah to Wisconsin. [CleanTechnica]

Road trip (Diego Jimenez, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Information Batteries Store Energy As Information” • An information battery stores energy in the form of information. The authors of a study explained that they use an approach of storing energy as completed precomputation that can meet or even exceed the end-to-end efficiency of grid-scale storage using existing infrastructure. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Monstrous Waves Will Crash Ashore More Frequently Due To Climate Change” • The risk of coastal floods could rise 50-fold because of man-made climate change, recent research shows. With the weather phenomenon of overtopping, huge waves will hit structures or beaches with increasing frequency, say scientists, devastating communities. [Study Finds]

Wave (Matt Paul Catalano, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Mexico Vows To Press On With Power Changes Amid US Concerns” • Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador vowed on Thursday to press ahead with changes to the electrical power industry despite US concerns that they could close off markets, choke off competition, and possibly violate the US-Mexico-Canada free trade pact. [ABC News]

¶ “France Announces Plans To Build Up To Fourteen Nuclear Reactors” • The French plans for new nuclear power could see up to fourteen nuclear reactors built, altogether. On Thursday, President Emmanuel Macron said that France would construct six nuclear reactors, but the country will study the possibility of commissioning a further eight. [CNN]

Emmanuel Macron speaking (France Diplomatie, CC-BY-SA 1.0)

¶ “Egypt Plans To Produce 42% Of Its Power From Renewable Resources” • Egypt seeks to produce 42% of its power from renewable resources, a large portion of which would be solar power, according to Ghada El-Gendy, the Executive Director of the Arab Renewable Energy Company, affiliated with the Arab Organization for Industrialization. [Egypt Today]

¶ “Geely’s Big Hybrid SUV vs -45°Inner Mongolia” • You might not think of China when you think of extreme cold, but the country is massive, and the temperatures in the mountains of Inner Mongolia can drop to less than -45°C (-50°F). If you want to show off the performance of your hybrid electric car, you could hardly pick a more difficult place. [CleanTechnica]

Geely (By Geely)

¶ “Japan Venture To Build Country’s First Nuclear Fusion Power Plant” • A Japanese venture plans to build the first experimental plant in the country to generate power through nuclear fusion, the company said. The experimental plant is expected to have a generating capacity of several dozen kilowatts and to come online in the next five years. [Kyodo News]

US:

¶ “Ford Plans To Add 5 New Electric Lincoln SUVs By 2026” • Sources told Reuters that Lincoln, the luxury car division of Ford Motor Company, plans to introduce at least five new battery electric SUVs through 2026. Ford says it will build 600,000 EVs globally within two years. Part of its mission to be “the clear No 2 EV maker in North America.” [CleanTechnica]

Lincoln concept EV from ArtCenter College of Design

¶ “VinFast Launches New California Adventure In LA” • The Vietnamese EV contender VinFast announced plans to launch a California RoadShow to engage with potential customers in the US. The tour will go from Los Angeles to San Francisco, where the company’s US base is. It is meant to increase awareness of the company’s EV offerings. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Stellantis Plans Electric Ram Pickup With Range Extender Engine” • Autoblog reports that in addition to the battery electric version of its light-duty pickup truck that is scheduled to arrive in 2024, it will also offer a version of that truck with a range extender engine. The version will support applications that need to combine power and range. [CleanTechnica]

Ram EV (Courtesy of Ram)

¶ “Offshore wind takes off at last. States have been counting on it” • As a quickly growing list of projects enters the permitting and construction phases, many states are betting on offshore wind to be a crucial source of renewable power. Offshore windpower will also be an economic driver to create thousands of industrial and maritime jobs. [Concord Monitor]

¶ “Report: Warming Climate Threatens Wisconsin Way Of Life” • A report by the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts found that, since 1950, statewide average temperatures have warmed by 3°F, a number beyond any natural variability, while annual precipitation increased 17%. Today’s record temperatures will become average by mid-century. [Madison.com]

Have a fairly faultless day.

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Opinion: 

¶ “Andrew Forrest Calls Out Hydrogen Greenwashing In Australia” • The Australian government is patting itself on the back for its “green” achievements after sending off a ship full hydrogen to Japan. It was made using electricity from coal and fracked gas. And they are subsidizing the fossil fuel industry to the tune of $20,000 a minute. [CleanTechnica]

Shipment of hydrogen (Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain image)

Science and Technology:

¶ “How Birds Are Adapting To Climate Crisis” • A study of birds that died in collisions with skyscrapers in Chicago shows that North American migratory birds appear to be shrinking in response to climate change. Importantly, those with bigger brains, relative to their body size, are not shrinking as much as their smaller-brained counterparts. [CNN]

World:

¶ “Amazon Deforestation: Record High Destruction Of Trees In January” • The number of trees cut down in January in the Brazilian Amazon far exceeded deforestation for January of last year, according to government satellite data. The area destroyed was five times larger than 2021, the highest January total since records began in 2015. [BBC]

Amazon rainforest (Neil Palmer, CIAT, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Fracking: UK’s Only Shale Gas Wells To Be Sealed And Abandoned” • The only two shale gas wells in the UK are to be abandoned after the industry regulator ordered them sealed. The Lancashire wells have not been used since 2019 after test drilling was suspended due to earth tremors and the government halted shale gas extraction in England. [BBC]

¶ “Glut Of Solar Panels In 2025” • Rethink Energy predicts that there will be a surge of polysilicon production capacity coming online in the next two years, leading to a glut of solar panels by 2025. The solar panel production capacity is expected to exceed 1,000 GW per year by 2030. The initial wave of manufacturing facilities is to come in 2025.  [CleanTechnica]

Rooftop solar systems (Mischa Frankl, Unsplash)

¶ “India To Replace Diesel With Renewables In Agricultural Sector” • Federal power minister R K Singh said India will replace diesel with renewable energy to achieve zero diesel use in the agricultural sector by 2024. Singh laid emphasis on the need for a state-specific agency dedicated to energy conservation and efficiency. [Macau Business]

¶ “Offshore Wind Farm Gets Go-Ahead Amid ‘Pressing Need’ For Renewable Energy” • UK Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has approved Vattenfall’s 1.8-GW Norfolk Vanguard wind farm off the Norfolk coast, ruling that the need for renewable energy outweighs concern over the “substantial harm arising from landscape and visual issues.” [Yahoo News UK]

Offshore wind farm (Zoltan Tasi, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Trump-Appointed Judge Bars Biden Administration From Using Key Climate Metric” • A district judge in the Western District of Louisiana issued an injunction that prevents the Biden administration from using what’s known as the “social cost of carbon” in decisions around oil and gas drilling on public land or in rules that govern fossil fuel emissions. [CNN]

¶ “Ohio Can Lead The Electric Vehicle And Clean Energy Economy” • Driven primarily by projected EV demand, the global lithium-ion battery industry and its supply chain have committed more than $600 billion in funding towards launching new EV models. A report highlights the advantages Ohio has for attracting investment. [CleanTechnica]

Ohio EV manufacturing (Image courtesy of Lordstown)

¶ “US DOE Aims $2.91 Billion At EV Batteries And Energy Storage” • The US DOE is letting loose with a new round of $2.91 billion in funding for a soup-to-nuts overhaul of the lithium supply chain for EV batteries and other energy storage systems. It has more reasons to do this than just to help save the planet from catastrophic climate change. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Mother Of All Agrivoltaics Projects Will Link Solar Canopies, Irrigation Canals” • One example of how farming combines with solar PVs is the Turlock Irrigation District in California, which just announced a new agrivoltaics project that could give the state multiple gigawatts of solar power, by outfitting irrigation canals with solar panels. [CleanTechnica]

Irrigation canal (Courtesy of Turlock Irrigation District)

¶ “PG&E Customers Receive 93% Of Their Electricity From Greenhouse Gas-Free Resources” • PG&E estimates that 50% of its customers’ electricity in 2021 came from eligible-renewable resources including biopower, geothermal, small hydroelectric, solar, and wind power. The figure is 93% when nuclear and large hydroelectric power are included. [Yahoo Finance]

¶ “Duke Energy Plans To Exit All Coal, Double Renewables” • Duke Energy Corp intends to close all of its coal plants by 2035 and more than double its renewable capacity by 2030 as part of a massive clean energy push. Duke expects to spend over $130 billion in the next decade on projects and investments, 80% of which will go toward cleaner sources. [E&E News]

Photovoltaic panels (Gabriel, Unsplash)

¶ “Energy Department Invests $6 Billion Into Nuclear Energy Program, Including 4 Nuclear Locations In Virginia” • The DOE announced a $6 billion Civil Nuclear Credit Program to support US nuclear reactors. According to the DOE, nuclear power now provides 52% of the nation’s carbon-free electricity. (The figure shows the DOE is not using its own latest data.) [WAVY.com]

¶ “IG: ‘Fraudulent’ Parts At US Nuclear Plants Pose Safety Risk” • A report by the NRC Inspector General says that “counterfeit, fraudulent, and suspect items” believed to be in US reactors “present nuclear safety and security concerns that could have serious consequences for nuclear power plant equipment required to perform a safety function.” [E&E News]

Have a comprehensively choice day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Gas Crunch Causes Electricity Crisis Despite Record Cheap Clean Energy. Time To Create A Green Energy Pool?” • In the UK and similar nations, the gas crisis is pushing up electricity prices because the wholesale electricity market uses the most expensive power to set the price. Renewables keep getting cheaper, and it’s time to change that old model. [Energy Post]

Offshore wind turbines (Martin Pettitt, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

Science and Technology:

¶ “The Engineers Battling To Stop Global Warming Ruining Roads” • Since the floods of 2010-2011, Queensland has used a process called foamed bitumen stabilization to protect its roads. Small amounts of air and water are injected into hot bitumen, the sticky dark substance often used for road surfaces. That does a lot to protect the roads. [BBC]

¶ “Direct Air Capture And The Climate Long Game” • Direct Air Capture is not a magic bullet. Engineered CO₂ capture, including such solutions as direct air carbon capture and sequestration, could nevertheless provide a critical backstop against worsening climate change. The Rocky Mountain Institute has a new insight brief on the subject. [CleanTechnica]

Direct Air Capture (Photo by Climeworks)

¶ “Rare Earth Elements Await In Waste” • Rare earth elements are often hard to get and hard to recycle, but a flash of intuition led Rice University scientists toward a possible solution. Chemist James Tour reported the lab successfully extracted valuable rare earth elements from waste at yields high enough to resolve issues for manufacturers. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Wooden Batteries Are Hitting The Market – Is This The Future Of Clean Energy?” • Finnish designers Stora Enso have built a production facility costing €10 million that will create renewable bio-based carbon by turning trees into batteries. This will be done with lignin, which is commonly derived from wood but is abundant in all vascular plants. [Euronews]

Lignin to replace non-renewable graphite (Stora Enso image)

World:

¶ “China To Focus On Gobi Desert For New Solar, Wind Power Bases” • China’s new renewable energy plans will focus on the Gobi Desert along with other desert regions, as it speeds up the construction of huge new wind farms and solar power bases and boosts its transmission capabilities, regulators said in a new policy document. [CNA]

¶ “Australia Lists Koala As Endangered Species” • Australia listed the koala as an endangered species across most of its east coast, after a dramatic decline in numbers with rapidly diminishing habitats and climate change. The federal government said the listing was for Queensland, New South Wales, and the Australian Capital Territory. [BBC]

Koala (Bob Walker, Unsplash)

¶ “Macron Calls For ‘French Nuclear Renaissance'” • The French president announced a plan to build at least six new plants by 2050, despite enormous cost overruns and decadelong delays in completing a prototype. He also touted massive investments in renewable energy. He is facing a presidential election in April, and he is campaigning. [DW]

¶ “Rajasthan Signs Pacts For Over 90 GW Of Renewable Energy Projects ” • State-owned power producers THDC India, NTPC, NHPC, and SJVN committed to building 10 GW of renewable energy capacity each. Among private firms, Reliance plans 20 GW, and Axis Energy Group plans 28 GW of solar projects and a 4-GW solar PV factory. [pv magazine India]

Thar Desert (sushmita balasubramani, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

US:

¶ “What’s A Gas Utility Without Gas?” • The Philadelphia City Council is holding a public hearing to discuss the future of Philadelphia Gas Works, the country’s largest municipally owned gas utility. The hearing seeks to find an answer to a question: How does Philadelphia successfully prepare PGW for a future that will not use fossil fuels? [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Winter Sports Are On Thin Ice – This Snowboarder Wants To Preserve Their Future” • If global greenhouse gas emissions remain on the current trajectory, by the end of the century, only one of 21 Winter Olympics locations used so far will have enough snow and ice to reliably host the Games. Jeremy Jones wants to do something about that. [CNN]

Jeremy Jones (Ming T Poon, Protect Our Winters)

¶ “33% Of Americans Exposed To Health-Threatening Weed Killer – New Study” • One out of three people in a large survey showed signs of exposure to a pesticide called 2,4-D, a study published by researchers at the George Washington University showed. Human exposure to the chemical has been rising as its agricultural use has increased. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Concentrating Solar Power Research Heats Up At NREL” • Concentrating solar power has long held promise as a renewable energy technology. CSP uses the power of the sun by heating and storing an inexpensive medium such as sand, rocks, or molten salt for on-demand energy. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory is researching it. [CleanTechnica]

Employee working on heliostats (Dennis Schroeder, NREL)

¶ “Nine states have committed to 100% clean energy. Now Twelve states are vying to be next” • Twelve Environment America state groups have active campaigns for 100% renewable energy. The national network helped get nine states committed to 100% clean energy. Now, it’s urging more states to get on the road to 100% renewable. [Environment America]

¶ “TVA Unveils Major New Nuclear Program, First SMR At Clinch River Site” • The Tennessee Valley Authority will invest in a major program that will explore the construction of multiple advanced nuclear reactors. The utility will be starting with a GE-Hitachi BWRX-300 small modular reactor at its Clinch River site in Tennessee. [POWER Magazine]

Have a totally cool day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Giant Donut-Shaped Machine Just Proved A Near-Limitless Clean Power Source Is Possible” • Scientists in the UK announced that they were able to generate a record 59 megajoules (16.4 kWh) of sustained fusion energy over five seconds. (The article says the fuel, deuterium and tritium, can be extracted from seawater, but that is not true. Tritium can’t be.) [CNN]

Torus Hall, where the JET tokamak machine lies (UKAEA image)

¶ “Scientists Discover A Surprising Structural Change In Metal Oxide” • Scientists from the Argonne National Laboratory, the University of Alabama, and UCLA made a surprising discovery about structural changes that occur when vanadium dioxide is cooled below its metal-to-insulator transition temperature. This has practical implications. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Building A Solar-Powered Future” • Technology costs for solar power are expected to continue their decline, but in the coming decades, the evolution of solar energy technologies could be defined more by how they interact with such energy technologies as wind and storage. This is a key finding in Solar Futures Study, published by the US DOE. [CleanTechnica]

Renewable energy (NREL image)

World:

¶ “Oil Could ‘Easily’ Hit $120 If Russia-Ukraine Crisis Escalates, JPMorgan Warns” • Oil prices could soar to $120 a barrel or more if Russia’s crude exports are derailed by tensions with Ukraine, projections from JPMorgan say. The forecast underscores how a potential invasion of Ukraine would cause wide-ranging ripple effects throughout the world. [CNN]

¶ “Renewables Auctions To Be Held Annually In Green Energy Push” • The UK government re-stated its faith in green power with a decision it says will create a steady stream of renewable energy projects. Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng announced that auctions to supply low-carbon electricity will now happen every year, instead of every two. [BBC]

Offshore wind farm (Carl Raw, Unsplash)

¶ “Plugin Vehicles Have 23% Of New Car Sales In Netherlands In January” • In the context of a falling overall market (-11% YOY) in the Netherlands, battery EVs surged in January (+181% YOY, to 3,076 registrations, or 10% market share). They had their best January ever. Meanwhile, plugin hybrids had a 13% market share, at 4,052 registrations. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Electric Cars Experience ‘Breakthrough Moment’ Led By Tesla, According To New York Times” • The auto industry is poised for some big changes in 2022. Jack Ewing and Neal E. Boudette at The New York Times said, “Battery-powered cars are having a breakthrough moment.” They compared it to Ford’s introduction of the Model T. [CleanTechnica]

Model T Ford (Philip Schroeder, Unsplash)

¶ “Gas-Fired Power Falls To Lowest Level Since 2005 As The Coalition Pushes Ahead With Its ‘Gas-Fired Recovery’” • The exponential rise of renewable energy led to it providing over 30% of Australia’s electricity in 2021. Meanwhile, gas-fired power fell to its lowest level in 16 years, despite the funding it gets from the Morrison government. [The Guardian]

¶ “Radioactive Rockfish Caught Near Fukushima Nuclear Plant Prompts Japan To Suspend Shipments” • Japan has ordered the suspension of shipments of black rockfish caught off Fukushima prefecture after tests on a haul late last month showed radiation levels that measured fourteen times the legal limit for human consumption. [South China Morning Post]

Black rockfish (Chad King, public domain)

US:

¶ “US Solar Funding Notice For Small Innovative Solar PV And CSP Projects” • The US DOE’s Solar Energy Technologies Office announced the Small Innovative Projects in Solar 2022. The funding program for PVs and Concentrating Solar-Thermal Power will award up to $5 million for projects that seek to fund innovative R&D. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Home Collapsed Into The Ocean As Rising Seas Eat Away At The North Carolina Coast” • Another beachfront home in North Carolina collapsed into the ocean, officials with the National Park Service said, as tides get higher and rising sea levels eat away at the coast. Recent windy weather has produced waves that are higher than normal. [CNN]

Wrecked home (Cape Hatteras National Seashore, NPS)

¶ “Environment North Carolina Kicks Off Statewide Renewable Energy Campaign” • Environment North Carolina announced a campaign for 100% renewable energy in the state: As “Governor (Roy) Cooper and state officials set priorities and plans for the new year, ENC sets sights on taking steps to transition the state to 100% renewable energy.” [Carolina Coast Online]

¶ “Electric Vehicles And Hybrids Surpass 10% Of US Light-Duty Vehicle Sales” • Hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and EV sales in the US have increased in recent months as sales of non-hybrid vehicles fueled by gasoline or diesel decreased. In the fourth quarter of 2021, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and EVs together accounted for 11% of US light-duty vehicle sales. [CleanTechnica]

Quarterly sales by powertrain (US EIA image)

¶ “Hawaiian Electric Says 38% Of Energy Used Last Year Came From Renewables” • Hawaiian Electric’s consolidated renewable portfolio standard refers to renewable energy used by customers as a percentage of total utility sales. In 2021, it was at 38.4%, up from 34.5% in 2020. The renewables come from Oahu, Hawaii island, and Maui County. [Honolulu Star-Advertiser]

¶ “US Senate Committee Holds Hearing On Nuclear Legislation” • The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held a hearing on two measures related to development of nuclear technologies and to regulation of facilities and waste sites. Sen Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), the ranking committee member, introduced one of the bills. [WV MetroNews]

Have a properly nifty day.

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Opinion: 

¶ “What Is Nord Stream 2 And Can Biden Kill It?” • President Joe Biden said that natural gas will not flow through Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline to Germany if Moscow orders an invasion of Ukraine. It is a $11 billion undersea pipeline between Russia and Germany. Russia could use it as a coercive tool, and the Germans don’t want to be controled. [CNN]

Pipe-laying ship Solitaire (PR Allseas, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “The EV Transition Requires Infrastructure That Inspires Confidence And Powers All Communities” • From the largest metropolitan areas in the US to rural communities in Georgia, we need cleaner, more affordable, and efficient transportation options if we are going to solve climate change in a way that uplifts communities. [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶ “No Silver-Bullet Solutions For Saving Used Planet” • With much of the planet already “used-up”, the world has hard choices to make over how to use land in the most sustainable and effective way. That is the take-home message from fifty leading experts on why land matters in tackling a host of existential challenges. [BBC]

Austrian landscape (Dimitry Anikin, Unsplash)

¶ “Fraunhofer ISE Invents Silicon Recycling Process For Solar Panels” • Frauhnofer ISE is one of Germany’s premier research institutions. In a press release, it says it has devised a way to recapture the silicon in old solar panels and reprocess it to be reused to manufacture new solar cells. The process can be used on an industrial scale. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Huge Profits At BP And Shell Revive Calls For Windfall Tax To Tackle Fuel Poverty” • In earnings reports, BP posted an annual profit of almost $12.9 billion, and Shell reported a profit of $19.3 billion after what it described as a “momentous” year. Meanwhile, households are suffering energy poverty. This has people calling for a tax on windfall profits. [CNN]

Pump jack (Jeff W, Unsplash)

¶ “Why Uganda Is Investing In Oil Despite Pressures To Go Green” • Vast oil reserves lie beneath Uganda’s Lake Albert and a fledgling oil business is going for them. There are environmental concerns and questions over whether it is too late for an oil boom, but it seems that change is coming to the wide valley floor, below the steep escarpment. [BBC]

¶ “Electric Triumph TE-1 Motorcycle Revealed” • A prototype of the Williams Advanced Engineering-developed, Triumph TE-1 electric motorcycle has finally been revealed, with the completed demonstrator now fully ready for live testing and final styling from the Triumph motorcycles team. It will be capable of 80 kW (107 hp) of continuous power. [CleanTechnica]

Electric Triumph TE-1 (WAE, Triumph)

¶ “January German Plugin EV Share 22% – Fiat 500 In Top Spot” • Germany, Europe’s largest auto market, and the world’s second largest plugin market after China, saw plugin electric vehicle share of 21.6% in January, almost flat year-on-year. January plugin registrations suffered a hangover after December’s end-of-year emissions compliance push. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Energy Secretary Ties Renewables To World Peace” • The greatest peace plan ever could be based on renewable energy, US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said in her opening remarks at a US-EU Energy Council Ministerial this week. The issue of energy security has been highlighted due to Russia’s actions in Ukraine. [Oil Price]

Secretary Granholm addressing reporters (US DOE image)

¶ “Serbia’s Energy Security Plan Targets 50% Renewables Share By 2040” • Serbia plans to build solar power plants, wind farms, and pumped-storage hydropower plants, but also gas-fired power plants, energy storage batteries, and hydrogen facilities for its energy transition. Its Coal-fired power plants would all be closed by 2050. [Balkan Green Energy News]

US:

¶ “US Army releases first climate strategy with goal to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050” • The US Army released its first climate strategy with goals to reduce its greenhouse gas pollution by 50% by 2030 and attain “net-zero” emissions by 2050. The US military has been impacted by extreme weather in the past few years. [CNN]

Lunch at McDonalds (Konrad Ciężki, Pexels)

¶ “Founding A Federal Emissions Center – Tracking Methane Emissions Better” • The Biden administration has released a new set of actions for tackling super-polluting methane emissions. Their plan includes the formation of an interagency working group to coordinate greenhouse gas measurement, monitoring, reporting, and verification. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ford E-Transit Deliveries To Customers Have Begun” • Ford E-Transit electric work vans are leaving the factory in Kansas City and are on their way to 300 business and commercial customers. More than 10,000 have already been ordered. Ford CEO Jim Farley says his company intends on being the Tesla of electric commercial vehicles. [CleanTechnica]

Ford E-Transit (Image courtesy of Ford)

¶ “Environmental Groups Praise Xcel Energy’s Plans To Close Coal Plants, Bolster Renewables” • Xcel Energy’s plan to retire all of its coal plants in the next eight years while building out its renewable energy capacity got unanimous approval from state regulators. It would, however, extend the operating life of the Monticello nuclear plant. [Bring Me The News]

¶ “Justice Signs Bill To End Nuclear Power Ban” • West Virginia Governor Jim Justice has signed a bill to repeal the state’s ban on nuclear power. It lifts a 26-year moratorium on the construction of nuclear power facilities in the state. The ban was intended to protect the coal industry in a state that has 88% of its electricity coming from coal. [WVPB]

Have an incredibly gratifying day.

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Opinion: 

¶ “The Wacky Untaxed World Of Jet Fuel Is Coming To An End” • For something that produces 2-5% of global CO₂ emissions depending on how you count it and who you ask, you’d think that aviation fuel would be a commodity that every country taxed heavily, especially more rational entities like the EU. But that’s just not true. [CleanTechnica]

Electron’s 4-passenger plane (Courtesy of Electron Aviation)

¶ “The Hidden Costs Of Keeping Gas Plants Online In Texas And Beyond” • We saw it in Texas last winter, and we’ve seen in many other cases, in weather cold and hot: Fossil power plants are very vulnerable to extreme weather and can fail to deliver just when the grid – and people trying to stay safe in their homes – need their electricity most. [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Calculating Better Solid-State Batteries” • The Solid-State Battery Performance Analyzer and Calculator, or SolidPAC, can help researchers who have developed a promising new material but are not quite sure how to design a successful cell. Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Ilias Belharouak said, “It builds practicality into the search for better batteries.” [CleanTechnica]

SolidPAC graphic (Andy Sproles, ORNL, US DOE)

World:

¶ “Why The Dutch Embrace Floating Homes” • With sea levels rising and supercharged storms cause waters swelling, floating neighborhoods offer an experiment in flood defense that could allow coastal communities to better withstand climate change. In the land-scarce but densely populated Netherlands, demand for such homes is growing. [BBC]

¶ “Nissan To End Internal Combustion Engine Development … Sort Of” • ArsTechnica says Nissan will stop developing internal combustion engines, except for the US market, where demand for gasoline-powered engines is insatiable, particularly for large SUVs and pickup trucks. Engines that meet EU emissions levels are too expensive. [CleanTechnica]

Nissan concept (Nissan image, cropped)

¶ “UK Starts 2022 Above 20% Plugin EV Share – May End Close To 50%” • The UK saw plugin electric vehicle share hit 20.4% in January 2022, up from 13.7% in January 2021. Full battery electrics almost doubled their share year-on-year, to 12.5%. Diesels continued their retirement walk, with just 5.2% share, from 12.3% year-on-year. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Contact Energy Ups Size Of Tauhara Geothermal Project To 168 MW” • New Zealand power company Contact Energy reports that the development of the new Tauhara geothermal power station near Taupo is progressing well. The company now expects the previously planned capacity of 152 MW can be increased to 168 MW. [ThinkGeoEnergy]

Te Huka geothermal plant at Tauhara (Contact Energy image)

¶ “Gencell Launches Revolutionary Off-Grid Ammonia-To-Power Solution For Mobile Operators” • GenCell Energy, based in Israel, is a provider of power systems fueled by hydrogen and ammonia. It is launching its GenCell FOX™ off-grid power system, which generates power on-demand from ammonia, for mobile operators. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶ “UK Regulators Approve China’s UK HPR1000 Design” • The UK HPR1000 reactor is suitable to build in the UK, the Office for Nuclear Regulation and the Environment Agency concluded. It is of the Hualong One design. A subsidiary of EDF and China General Nuclear, General Nuclear Services, proposes to build it in Bradwell, England. [World Nuclear News]

Cutaway of the UK HPR1000 design (CGN image)

US:

¶ “Preparing For Category 6 Hurricanes, A New Facility Will Test Winds Of 200 MPH And Storm Surge” • The 12-fan Wall of Wind at Florida International University is used as a test site for engineering against tornadoes, hurricanes, and other types of windstorms. It can generate winds of 160 MPH. Unfortunately, that isn’t enough anymore. [CNN]

¶ “Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy Calls For 80% Of Railbelt Power To Be Renewable By 2040” • Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy has introduced new legislation that would require 80% of the Railbelt’s electricity to come from renewable sources by 2040, with penalties for electric companies that fail to meet the requirement. [Anchorage Daily News]

Passenger train in Alaska (Luke Jones, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Hydropower Turbine Proposal Would Cut Power Costs For Three Cities” • Three cities in Northern California may see a change in their energy bill if a proposal to buy power from a renewable energy company is approved. The South San Joaquin Irrigation District’s water treatment plant would use hydropower for cheaper electricity. [Good Day Sacramento]

¶ “Brookfield Renewable Adds 7 GW Energy Storage To Pipeline” • Renewables owner and operator Brookfield Renewable tripled its US development pipeline to 31 GW through the $650 million acquisition of clean power developer Urban Grid. The pipeline of Urban Grid includes 13 GW of solar and 7 GW of energy storage in twelve states. [Energy Storage News]

Solar array (Urban Grid image)

¶ “More Cities Transitioning To 100% Renewable Energy!” • Los Angeles County, Beverly Hills, and Redondo Beach decided to go up to 100% renewable energy as the default rate beginning in 2022. By the end of this year, more than 2 million people will be receiving 100% renewable energy in Los Angeles and Ventura counties! [Sierra Club Angeles Chapter]

¶ “Governor Introduces Legislation To Spur ‘Micro’ Nuclear Reactors In State” • Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy introduced legislation that would streamline the state’s process for approval of siting for small nuclear reactors. The bill would facilitate use in Alaska of “micro-reactors,” a generation of very small reactors now under development. [Anchorage Press]

Have an outlandishly congenial day.

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Opinion: 

¶ “Is California Becoming Anti-Solar?” • Is California becoming an anti-solar state? It sure seems that way considering its recent desire to start charging homeowners with solar $8 per kW. The state’s utility commission also wants to cut its rooftop solar energy incentives after many years of success. There has been a tremendous backlash. [CleanTechnica]

Googleplex solar rooftops (Steve Jurvetson, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Hydropower For A Resilient Grid – Why We Need It” • The US power grid is more vulnerable than ever before because of a shift in power sources and an uptick in natural disasters. When part of the grid goes out, it can cause a ripple effect across entire regions if not quickly corrected. Hydropower is a valuable resource for addressing that problem. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Making Designer Crystals? It’s Easier With A New Targeted Particle Bonding Strategy” • Colloids are microparticles evenly distributed in a fluid. Crystals made from colloids are valuable in a wide range of applications such as batteries, fuel cells, sensors, solar cells, and catalysts. Scientists have learned how to use them to form a crystal structure. [CleanTechnica]

Crystals made from colloids (Image courtesy of Energy.Gov)

¶ “Corals Doomed Even If Global Climate Goals Met: Study” • An average increase of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels would see more than 99% of the world’s coral reefs unable to recover from ever more frequent marine heat waves, they reported in the journal PLOS Climate. A 2°C increase means mortality will reach 100%, according to the study. [Phys.org]

World:

¶ “Cyclone Batsirai: Whole Villages Swept Away In Madagascar” • At least ten people have been killed and nearly 50,000 were displaced after Cyclone Batsirai brought strong winds and rain to Madagascar. Batsirai – the second major storm in two weeks – made landfall on the east coast, with gusts of 235 km/h (146 mph) and high waves hitting coastal areas. [BBC]

Track of Cyclone Batsirai (Meow, placed into public domain)

¶ “Climate Change: Top Companies Exaggerating Their Progress – Study” • Google, Amazon, Ikea, Apple, Nestle, and other big companies are failing to meet their own targets on tackling climate change, according to a study of 25 corporations. They also routinely exaggerate or misreport their progress, the New Climate Institute report says. [BBC]

¶ “Investors Submit 34 GW Of Wind, Solar, And Storage For Renewables Zone In Australia” • The state government of New South Wales has reported a “huge” response to the registration of interest process for the South-West Renewable Energy Zone. Over 34 GW of wind, solar PV, and energy storage proposals were received, after 3 GW had been sought. [PV Magazine]

Limondale 349-MW (DC) solar farm (RWE image)

¶ “GE Renewable Energy Announces New Renewable Hybrids Factory In India” • GE Renewable Energy announced that it has opened a new renewable hybrids factory near Chennai in India, for the manufacture of Flexinverter and Flexreservoir systems. The factory will be able to fully produce and integrate systems at the site. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶ “Operating Coal-Fired Power Plants More Expensive Than Switching To Renewables – Research” • A paper by Ravi Silva, Director of the Advanced Technology Institute at the University of Surrey, says solar energy typically has a cost comparable to or lower than other energy sources, including coal and nuclear, even as far north as Britain. [Mining.com]

West Burton power station (Richard Croft, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Ratch Australia To Build 70-MW Solar Park In Victoria” • Ratch Australia, an Australian electricity generation company and a subsidiary of Thailand power producer Ratch Group, has secured planning permission for construction of a 70-MW solar park in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley. The Morwell Solar Farm is to be operational by 2024. [Energy Digital]

¶ “The Opposition Demands New Nuclear Power” • For the first time, the party leaders of the four Swedish political parties are now writing a joint debate article in which they draw up the guidelines for a new energy policy. The parties agree to lift the current ban on building new reactors at locations other than the existing nuclear power plants. [California18]

Nuclear power plant (Lukáš Lehotský, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Boulder Sued Big Oil For Climate Damages, Then The Marshall Fire Happened” • Four years ago, Boulder, Colorado, sued ExxonMobil and Suncor Energy for climate change-related damages and adaptation expenses. They estimated the damage at over $100 million by 2050. They vastly overestimated the time and underestimated the price. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “California Utilities Shutting Off Power For Fewer People, But Too Many Still In The Dark” • The practice of shutting off power to prevent utility equipment from starting wildfires is much less prevalent in the news recently. But is that because the events are now less frequent, or have Californians just become accustomed to power outages? [CleanTechnica]

Dixie Fire (Joe Bradshaw, Bureau of Land Management)

¶ “New Gas Plant For Electrical Co-Ops Draws Fire, Highlights Bumpy Path To Renewable Energy” • A gas-fired power plant proposed for Iberville Parish, Louisiana, is an important part of a plan by five rural Louisiana electrical cooperatives to provide reliable, cheap electricity through 2045, backers say. Critics say it would lock in emissions until 2045. [The Advocate]

¶ “Elon Musk Agrees With Keeping The California Nuclear Power Plant Open” • CEO and billionaire Elon Musk stated he agrees to keep a nuclear power plant in California open amidst the issues it faces with continuing its service. Musk agreed that the nuclear plant should not close down but instead focus on continuing its service for the public. [Tech Times]

Have a reliably fabulous day.

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Opinion: 

¶ “Winter Olympics: Will The Beijing Games Be ‘Green And Clean’?” • China has promised to deliver a “green and clean” Winter Olympics. Organisers say they prioritized protecting native species, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and cutting down on resources used. Extraordinary as efforts have been, there have been criticisms. [BBC]

Two-man bobsled (Rowan Simpson, Unsplash)

¶ “Big Problems With Small Nuclear Reactor Proposals For Montana” • For the last 44 years a successful Citizens’ Initiative banned nuclear power in Montana unless approved by the voters. But Republican majorities in the 2021 Montana legislature repealed the initiative and Republican Governor Greg Gianforte signed the bill into law. [Daily Montanan]

Science and Technology:

¶ “MIT Scientists Create 2-Dimensional Polymers As Strong As Steel” • Scientists at MIT have been trying for two decades to make a 2-dimensional polymer, something that all their theories and models suggested was possible but could never be actually created in the lab. Now, it seems they have one. It is stronger than steel and as light as plastic. [CleanTechnica]

MIT 2-dimensional polymer (MIT image)

¶ “Aquamarine Solar Project – Smart From Start To Finish” • Among the many solar projects in the country, the Aquamarine project is notable for its innovative development model. It’s part of a 20,000-acre master-planned solar park on fallowed and salt-contaminated agricultural lands in the Westlands Water District in California’s Central Valley. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Can ‘Green’ Ammonia Be A Climate Fix?” • In Minnesota, there’s a research farm peppered with wind turbines that, when in full swing, boasts an astonishingly low carbon footprint. The wind powers a chemical plant that makes ammonia, which can not only be spread as fertilizer under the turbines, but also can be used for fuel, free of CO₂ emissions. [WIRED]

Farm (Randy Fath, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Saving The Night Sky: New Zealand’s Craziest Experiment Yet?” • Increasing light pollution has proven negative effects on human health and nocturnal wildlife. New Zealand has not only starry nights of exceptional quality but a growing appetite for dark sky conservation. Now, it also has a plan to become the world’s first dark sky nation. [BCC]

¶ “Iceland To End Whaling From 2024 Amid Controversy And Falling Demand” • Iceland says it will end whaling from 2024 amid dwindling demand and continuing controversy. Svandís Svavarsdóttir, Iceland’s Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture, wrote that whale hunting had lost much of its economic significance in recent years. [CNN]

Humpback whale (Pixabay, Pexels)

¶ “Electric Cars Help Cut UK Transportation Emissions By 11.2%” • Sales of electric cars, including plug-in hybrids, surged in the UK last year, to 12% of the new car market. That’s good news, even if it is far behind the EV sales records being set by Norway. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders claims average new car emissions fell 11.2%. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “This Renewable Energy Stock Has A Hidden Power Source” • Brookfield Renewable has invested heavily in expanding its portfolio of renewable energy resources over the years, especially to grow its wind and solar energy platforms. Brookfield doesn’t want investors to overlook the importance of its hydroelectric business, however. [The Motley Fool]

Water reservoir (Kelly L, Pexels)

US:

¶ “US DOE Announces $20 Million To Lower Costs Of Geothermal Drilling” • The US DOE announced up to $20 million in funding to lower the cost of developing geothermal energy by demonstrating faster drilling technologies to shorten the time it takes to develop projects overall. Geothermal drilling can exceed 50% of a project’s costs. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Wisconsin Wants To Open Up Electricity Sales For EV Charging, But Restrict Solar-Powered EV Chargers” • Two bills that focus on solar-powered EV chargers are going through the Wisconsin state legislature. Both emphasize selling electricity by the kWh to EVs, but one bill would require that all the electricity come from an electric utility. [CleanTechnica]

Solar-powered EV charger (iSun image)

¶ “BMW Gilds Zero Emission Mobility Lily: Free EV Charging, Low-Carbon Steel” • BMW North America announced a free new EV charging program to sweeten the deal for EV buyers. And, as BMW customers may want to buy larger EVs, BMW has makes that more ecologically friendly by use of its new low carbon steel initiatives. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Bill Would Increase Rhode Island’s Renewable Energy Standard” • Rhode Island’s state lawmakers are eyeing increases in the Renewable Energy Standard, a move that could prove a windfall for renewable energy projects. Under H7277, the standard would be raised incrementally every year until it hits 100% after 10 years. [ecoRI News]

Have a good old-fashioned perfect day.

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Opinion: 

¶ “Nuclear Power: CO₂ Fix Or Cost Disaster?” • It is an issue the industry has not properly addressed. The costs for two reactors at Plant Vogtle in Georgia are up dramatically. In fact, the actual costs of 75 of the more than 90 existing nuclear power reactors in the US exceeded the initially estimated costs of the units by over 200%, according to the US DOE. [E&E News]

Plant Vogtle in Georgia (Georgia Power image)

¶ “New South Wales Working To Support Its 50% Electric Vehicle Market Share Target” • If you don’t have chargers, people won’t buy EVs. We need the ecosystem to support the uptake of the vehicles. If New South Wales aims to achieve 50% of new vehicle sales being EVs by 2030, the state government has to support a fast charging system. [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Sustainable Construction: Modern Approaches To Traditional Practices” • As the mainstream construction techniques have progressed in speed and cost, there is a growing realization that continuing in the direction of traditional practices is having negative impacts on our environment, our communities, and our quality of life. [CleanTechnica]

Construction (Etienne Girardet, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “January Sees France’s Plugin EVs Grow Share By 50%” • In France, Europe’s second largest auto market, the January plugin electric vehicle share was 17.6%, up from 11.6% year-on-year. Full battery EVs doubled their share of the market to almost 10%. The overall auto market volume was down 33% from pre-pandemic seasonal norms. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Airlines Call For End To Loopholes In Carbon Market And Back European Climate Measures” • Four airlines and clean mobility group T&E are calling for equal rules to apply to all flights departing from European airports, regardless of their destination, in order for European measures to decarbonize aviation by 2050. [CleanTechnica]

Jet plane (Call Me Fred, unsplash)

¶ “US Waives Sanctions On Iran’s Civil Atomic Program In Bid To Advance Nuke Talks” • The Biden administration restored some sanctions relief to Iran’s atomic program as talks aimed at salvaging the 2015 nuclear deal enter a critical phase. Secretary of State Antony Blinken signed several sanctions waivers related to Iran’s civilian nuclear activities. [The Times of Israel]

¶ “Australia’s Largest Microgrid Goes Online” • The Western Australian coastal town of Kalbarri can now be powered by a 100% renewable energy system of rooftop solar and windpower with battery storage. Western Power, a state government-owned utility, confirmed that the state’s largest renewable microgrid has been commissioned. [PV Magazine]

Kalbarri microgrid (Western Power image)

US:

¶ “Utilities’ Carbon-Reduction Goals Will Have Little Impact On US CO₂ Emissions” • Executing several plans announced by US power utilities to reduce CO₂ emissions would have a minor effect on US energy-related CO₂ reductions, according to the analysis published in Annual Energy Outlook 2021 by the Energy Information Administration. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Two Colorado Companies Plan Vehicle-To-Home Charging Systems” • Vehicle-to-home, or V2H, sounds like such a simple concept. A battery and solar panels run on DC, however, and a home usually runs on AC. To make everything work, you need an inverter that changes AC to DC and back again. Two Colorado companies are working on that. [CleanTechnica]

Emporia EV charger (Emporia image)

¶ “Governor Introduces Bills Aiming For Renewable Energy Standards” • Governor Mike Dunleavy introduced identical bills to the Alaska House and Senate that seek to promote “energy independence” and an emphasis on renewable energy. A press release said an NREL study showed a figure of 80% sustainable energy is “highly achievable.” [Alaska’s News Source]

¶ “The Market, Not Climate Concerns, Is Driving Mississippi’s Slow Push For Renewable Energy” • Mississippi, where natural gas dominates the energy supply, may soon turn a corner in its transition to renewable energy. But despite the probable future impacts of climate change, the state is letting the market, not emissions, dictate that shift. [Mississippi Today]

Solar facility in Mississippi (Mississippi Power image)

¶ “DTE Seeks 500 MW Of Clean Power In Michigan” • DTE Energy is to add new renewable energy projects totaling about 500 MW in Michigan because of the continued growth and popularity of its MIGreenPower voluntary renewable energy program. MIGreenPower has 35 industrial, 450 small business and over 48,000 residential customers. [reNews]

¶ “New Initiative To Help Modernize Puerto Rico’s Power Grid” • The US DOE joined the Departments of Homeland Security and Housing and Urban Development to sign an MOU with the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. It starts a with a locally tailored, community-driven roadmap to help Puerto Rico meet its target of 100% renewable electricity. [Energy Live News]

Have an outrageously auspicious day.

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Opinion: 

¶ “Green Olympics: Test Case For China And Carbon Neutrality” • China can use the winter Olympics as a way to show the many millions of people who will watch the games that it is serious about achieving its ambitious climate goals. China has nearly half of total capacity of renewable energy that has been installed in the world. [CleanTechnica]

Guangling County wind farm (Hahaheditor12667, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Ice That Took Roughly 2,000 Years To Form On Mt Everest Has Melted In Around 25” • The highest glacier on the world’s tallest mountain is losing decades worth of ice every year because of human-induced climate change, a study shows. Ice that took around 2,000 years to form on the South Col Glacier has melted in around 25 years. [CNN]

¶ “Does Renewable Energy Threaten Efforts To Conserve Biodiversity On Land?” • In our study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, we suggest that, while conflicts between renewables and protected areas do occur, overlap need not be as severe as previously suggested, with appropriate policy and regulatory controls. [Carbon Brief]

Wildebeest migration (Jorge Tung, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Satellites Map Huge Methane Plumes From Oil And Gas” • Huge plumes of the warming gas methane have been mapped globally for the first time from oil and gas fields using satellites. Plugging these leaks would be an important step in buying extra time to curb climate change. The leaks are thought to be mostly unintended. [BBC]

¶ “European Oil Facilities Hit By Cyber-Attacks” • Multiple oil transport and storage companies across Europe are dealing with cyber-attacks. IT systems have been disrupted at Oiltanking in Germany, SEA-Invest in Belgium, and Evos in the Netherlands. In total dozens of terminals with oil storage and transport across the world have been affected. [BBC]

Oil terminal (Oiltanking image)

¶ “EU Member States To Sue Brussels For Classifying Fossil Fuel Gas And Nuclear Power As ‘Green Energy’” • EU member states are to take legal action against the European Commission after it decided to count natural gas and nuclear power as green energy. The EU’s executive controversially included the two fuels in its “taxonomy” this week. [The Independent]

¶ “UK Drivers Cut Fuel Costs 69% Switching To EVs From Petrol Or Diesel Cars” • UK drivers are set to save 68.6% of their annual fuel costs when making the switch from internal combustion engine vehicles to electric vehicles, research shows. The study was done by analysts at Your Electrical Supplies, Service, and Solutions (YESSS Electrical). [CleanTechnica]

Cost per mile (Image courtesy of YESSS Electrical)

US:

¶ “Democrats Call For Biden Officials To Limit US Natural Gas Exports Because Of Rising Home Heating Costs” • Eleven US Senators called for the Biden administration to curb overseas shipments of natural gas as Americans struggle with home heating sticker shock this winter. Higher natural gas prices are driving heating costs up sharply. [CNN]

¶ “EPA, White House Warn Louis Dejoy To Halt Plan To Replace USPS Fleet With Gas-Powered Trucks” • The White House and EPA blasted the US Postal Service for its decision to replace 90% of its aging vehicle fleet with gas-powered trucks, rather than EVs. The current USPS plan would have only 10% of its next generation delivery vehicles be electric. [CNN]

Next generation USPS delivery truck (USPS image)

¶ “81 Tesla Megapacks Help Texas Keep The Grid Stabilized” • Tesla is helping Texas with 81 Megapacks to avoid a repeat of last year’s winter disaster. This year, as Tesla is settling into its nice new headquarters, it is having a positive impact on the state. Elon Musk said that Tesla is working hard to provide even more of the battery systems. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “New England Natural Gas And Electricity Prices Increase On Supply Constraints, High Demand” • The spot natural gas price at the Algonquin Citygate, a trading hub and benchmark for the natural gas price in New England, averaged $20.55 per million British thermal units during January 2022, the highest monthly average price since February 2014. [CleanTechnica]

Please click on the image to enlarge it.

¶ “Louisiana Sets 5-GW Offshore Wind Goal” • Louisiana has announced an offshore wind goal of 5 GW by 2035. The target has been set out within the state’s Climate Action Plan, which is intended to complement ongoing efforts to implement the state’s Coastal Master Plan. The goal of that plan is to adapt to the impacts of climate change. [reNews]

¶ “Caterpillar Hops On Electric Train Craze With A Massive Deal For Ten Locomotives” • Through its Progress Rail subsidiary, Caterpillar, the legendary maker of heavy equipment, locked in a 10-locomotive deal with the Union Pacific Railroad, the equally legendary rail company. It will be the biggest battery-electric locomotive fleet in the US. [CleanTechnica]

EMD® Joule locomotive (Photo courtesy of Progress Rail)

¶ “CAISO Plan Calls For $30.5 Billion For Transmission And More Renewable Energy” • California’s power grid will look much different by 2040, a 20-year draft transmission plan by the California Independent System Operator shows. It calls for much more renewable energy resources and a $30.5-billion build-out of the transmission grid. [POWER Magazine]

¶ “House Committee Supports Nuclear Waste Ban Bill” • A New Mexico House Committee has approved a bill that would ban spent nuclear material from being stored in or transported through the state. The legislation aims directly at a proposed privately owned and operated spent nuclear waste interim storage facility in southeast New Mexico. [KSFR]

Have an importantly recreational day.

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Opinion: 

¶ “Peak Oil Is Coming” • It may not appear so at the moment, because energy in all forms is in massive demand as we come out of the economic doldrums of the Covid pandemic. But climate change makes a case for a rapid fall in the middle of the decade as renewables outpace fossil fuels in supplying the world with energy. [CleanTechnica]

Deepwater Horizon (US Coast Guard, public domain)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Sunrun V2G Charger Works With Ford F-150 Lightning To Power Your Home” • Sunrun is the official charging partner for Ford and its F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck, which can be used as a backup power supply. It just requires a Ford Charge Station Pro, which comes with most F-150 Lightning models, and a “home integration system.” [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Koenigsegg Quark And Terrier Bring Big Power In Small Package To Electric Cars” • Christian von Koenigsegg has turned his talents to electric motors and drivetrains. One result is the Quark, a compact 3-phase electric motor measuring just 12″ by 13″ x 4.4″ (303 x 334 x 112 mm), that puts out an eye-popping 335 hp. And there is more. [CleanTechnica]

Terrier powertrain for electric cars (Image courtesy of Koenigsegg)

World:

¶ “Europe’s Plan To Call Natural Gas ‘Sustainable’ Triggers Backlash From Climate Campaigners” • Including natural gas and nuclear power on the EU’s green list could unlock a wave of private investment. But the plans have angered climate activists and could still be blocked by European lawmakers, who are also deeply divided over the issue. [CNN]

¶ “Australia Prepares for Automated Driving” • The latest report from Austroads looks at the minimum physical infrastructure needed for automated driving. This is good news. Tesla CEO Elon Musk expects Full Self-Driving will be ready at the end of this year, and my Tesla wastes time in the carport when it could be on the road earning money. [CleanTechnica]

NIO autonomous driving (Image courtesy of NIO)

¶ “Norway’s Plugin EV Share Above 90% Again In January – BEVs At Record 84%” • Norway, the global leader in electric vehicle adoption, saw plugin electrics take 90.5% share of the auto market in January 2022, up from 80.7% year-on-year. Full electrics alone took a record 83.7% share, with combustion-only vehicles at a new low of 4.9% share. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Australian Power Prices Now ‘Among Lowest In The World’ As Renewable Energy Drives Costs Down” • A flood of renewable energy has helped drive down household power prices to their lowest levels in almost a decade, according to analysis by the Australian Energy Council, which suggests Australia has some of the cheapest electricity in the world. [ABC]

Wind farm in Victoria (John Englart, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Russia Warns Of Power Price Spike If Energy Transition Is Hasty” • A rushed transition away from fossil fuels risks driving electricity prices higher, a senior Russian official said after German government comments that an EU carbon tax may make renewables more attractive in Russia. He said any push to renewables should be gradual. [Yahoo Finance]

¶ “China’s State-Owned Nuclear Power Developer To Build Plant In Argentina” • China National Nuclear Corp, one of the nation’s two state-owned nuclear project developers, signed a contract to build a plant in Argentina based on the third-generation Hualong One reactor design. It will be Argentina’s fourth nuclear power plant. [South China Morning Post]

HPR cooling system (Ji Xing, Daiyong
Song, Yuxiang Wu, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

US:

¶ “Natural Gas Spikes 16% Ahead Of Winter Storm” • Natural gas futures rose 16% on Wednesday as energy markets brace for a powerful winter storm that threatens to derail production just as demand rises. Natural gas futures closed at $5.50 per million BTUs. That’s a rise of 55% since the price sank to $3.56 on December 30. [CNN]

¶ “The Real Cost Of Electric School Buses (It’s Lower Than You Think)” • Momentum towards electric school bus adoption is building, spurring a growing range of funding and financing opportunities from the federal and state governments, electric utilities, and local agencies to help communities overcome the initial economic barriers. [CleanTechnica]

Solaris electric school bus (Image courtesy of Solaris)

¶ “NREL-Led Solar Permitting Software Reduces Project Times By 12 Days” • The National Renewable Energy Laboratory did a pilot study of, a free, web-based tool that automates residential solar permit approval. The software reduces the time it takes to permit, inspect, and install residential solar panels on average by twelve days. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “General Motors To Power Three Automotive Plants With Clean Energy” • GM made a new pledge to power Michigan automotive plants in Flint, Burton, and Wyoming with clean energy. GM partnered with Consumers Energy for the project. It brings GM closer to its target of sourcing 100% renewable energy in the US by 2025. [Environment + Energy Leader]

GM Renaissance Center (arthurpalac, Pixabay)

¶ “San José Clean Energy Unveils New, Innovative Solar And Battery Storage Project With Major Climate Impact” • San José Clean Energy and Terra-Gen unveiled the Kern Solar and Battery Storage Project. It provides power in a unique format: fixed delivery of 62 MW of renewable energy between 6:00 AM and 10:00 PM every day. [San Jose]

¶ “Georgia Power Aims For Employee Retention In Plan To Eliminate Coal” • Georgia Power is retiring all coal plants as it incorporates more renewable energy, according to a filing from the utility. More than 700 people work at the coal plants. Georgia Power plans to work with employees to transition them into new roles, a spokesperson said. [The Business Journals]

Have a shockingly lovely day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Zinc-Bromide Batteries To Store Solar Power At Acciona’s Testing Field In Spain” • Spanish renewable energy firm Acciona Energía will test the zinc bromide battery technology developed by Anglo-Australian manufacturer Gelion at its PV testing plant in Navarra. The project is part of an innovation program started by Acciona Energy. [PV Magazine]

Battery system (Acciona image)

World:

¶ “Here’s Another Thing Keeping Prices High: Climate Change” • The pandemic economy is one of imbalances. Supply chain woes and rising inflation have been with us for a while now, with few solutions in sight. But there’s another big shock to the global economy taking shape: climate change. And climate change is not going away. [CNN]

¶ “UK Plants Are Flowering A Whole Month Earlier Than They Used To, Study Shows” • Climate change is making plants across the British Isles flower, on average, a month earlier than they used to, a new study shows. And that might set off a chain of events that could disrupt ecosystems and potentially cause entire species to collapse. [CNN]

Cherry blossoms (Marijana Vasic, Unsplash)

¶ “Australia Sets The Example As India Seeks A Renewable Future” • Australian battery storage is an example for others. India’s Union Power Ministry put forth a plan to stop adding new coal-fired generating capacity, noting current coal fleet is only operating at 55% capacity. And reliance on gas generation has proven uneconomical. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Finance Pivots To Green Hydrogen” • Green hydrogen production is accelerating, and according to IEEFA is nearing light speed. On sunny days, from 10:00 am to 3:30 pm, prices for electricity are negative. EVs and energy storage can absorb some of the excess electricity, but GH₂ will drive renewable energy further in decarbonization. [CleanTechnica]

Green H₂ (Photo courtesy of Michelin Group)

¶ “Li-Cycle Announces First European Battery Recycling Facility In Norway” • Li-Cycle announced its first European battery recycling facility in Norway, in a joint venture with ECO STOR, a second-life energy storage development business focused on converting used lithium-ion batteries for use in energy storage. ECO STOR is a minority owner. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Arctic Exploration: Developing Green Energy Technology In An Extreme Region” • A $27 million clean energy-powered Russian research facility is being built in the Arctic. It is to be at the lead for the hopes of the country’s Arctic Council to bring carbon-free technologies to the remote and climatically harsh region. [Power Technology]

Siberian landscape (Moscow Institute for Physics and Technology)

¶ “Stelco Enters The EV Battery Recycling Market Through Primobius” • Stelco, a Canadian steelmaker, announced that it is entering the electric vehicle battery recycling market through agreements with Primobius GmbH. Under the agreements, Stelco will be able to advance commercial lithium-ion battery feedstock sourcing agreements. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “North Macedonia’s Renewables Target Set At 46% By 2025” • North Macedonia has projected the share of renewable energy sources in electricity to reach 46% by 2025, says the Economic Reform Program 2022-2024 that it submitted to the European Commission. The intermediate targets are 34% for 2022, and 37% for 2023. [Balkan Green Energy News]

North Macedonia (Shalev Cohen, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Five States Updated Or Adopted New Clean Energy Standards In 2021” • Four states, Delaware, Oregon, North Carolina, and Illinois, updated their Renewable Portfolio Standards or Clean Energy Standards in 2021. Also, Nebraska approved its first clean energy goal in 2021, becoming the 20th US state to commit to 100% clean electricity by 2050. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Almost 500-Mile-Long Lightning Bolt Crossed Three US States” • A lightning bolt almost 500 miles long that lit up the sky across three US states has set a new world record for longest flash, scientists have confirmed. The bolt in 2020, extended a total of 477.2 miles (768 km) and spread across Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. [BBC]

Satellite imagery of the lightning strike (NOAA image)

¶ “Tesla Can’t Offer Pennsylvania Residents State Inspection Because They Don’t Have Emissions Testing Equipment” • Tesla can’t offer Pennsylvania residents state inspections because Tesla doesn’t have emissions testing equipment. The idea that an EV has to pass emissions testing is more than just a little bit silly, but some laws are like that. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Developer Picks Up 540-MW Solar Portfolio” • Sol Systems, based in Washington, DC, has acquired a 540-MW solar development portfolio in southeastern Illinois from Arevon Energy. The portfolio consists of three 180-MW (DC) solar energy projects located across Hamilton, Randolph, Saline, and White counties. [reNews]

Solar array in Illinois (bogdanstepniak, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “New York Advocates Want Further Action On Climate, Renewable Energy” • On Tuesday, lawmakers heard over eight hours of testimony about Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposed environmental conservation budget. Environmental advocates argue that the state hasn’t done enough to ensure it will hit its climate goals. [NY State of Politics]

¶ “New Mexico Debates Bill To Block Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage” • Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and members of New Mexico’s congressional delegation are in strong opposition to building a multibillion-dollar facility along the state’s border with Texas that would store tons of spent nuclear fuel from commercial power plants. [The Fresno Bee]

Have an exceptionally leisurely day.

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Opinion: 

¶ “The World’s Tiny Islands Inspiring Green Action” • Some say green islands or “eco-islands,” such as the Danish island of Samsø and the Greek island of Tilos, are shining examples of how we can live without fossil fuels. They demonstrate the power of small communities and act as beacons lighting the way towards a world less prone to carbon pollution. [BBC]

Tilos, Greece (Максим Улитин, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Are We Seeing The End Of Growth In Car Traffic?” • Last year the Dutch government published far lower projections for car growth than what it had predicted in 2017. Its upper projection for 2040 was halved, from 27% growth to 13%, while its lower projection even predicts a decline in car traffic per inhabitant of 11% between 2018 and 2040. [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Earth Has More Tree Species Than We Thought” • There are 14% more tree species than have been discovered, according to what researchers call the first “scientifically credible” estimate. Of the 73,300 estimated species, the researchers say there are 9,200 yet to be found. Most rare species are in tropical forests under threat by climate change and deforestation. [BCC]

Forest (Luca Bravo, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Nissan Teases Teeny, Tiny Micra EV, And A Solid-State Battery Plan, Too” • Last week, Nissan came out swinging with a big bet on small-car electrification, in the form of a freshly restyled, 100% electric version of its subcompact Micra. Nissan is also in the Alliance partnership with Renault and Mitsubishi Motors, researching solid-state batteries. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Record 31.1 GW Of PPAs Signed In 2021” • Corporations bought over 31 GW of renewable electricity through power purchase agreements in 2021, BloombergNEF research shows. The figure set a new record, up nearly 24% on the previous year’s 25.1 GW. Almost two thirds (65%) or 20.3 GW of the PPAs were struck in the Americas. [reNews]

Wind farm (Andrea Junqueira, Unsplash)

¶ “Five Powerful Examples Of Clean Energy Transitions In Asia” • Here, we look at five important examples across Asia: the huge and emerging economies of China, India, and Indonesia, along with Vietnam and Bangladesh. Together, these countries are home to about 43% of the world’s population and over 35% of the its energy consumption. [GreenBiz]

¶ “Farmers Profiting From The Solar Power Boom” • Some 75% of the UK’s land is farmland. This typically flat, open land is also best suited to renewables. In 2019, around 40% of farmers were already generating, and profiting from, low-carbon energy, says the UK National Farmers’ Union. They produced around 10% of the UK’s electricity. [Energy Monitor]

Solar farm (Gunnar Ridderström, Unsplash)

¶ “Peru Wants To Tender 2 GW Of Renewables This Year” •The Peruvian government will offer around 2 GW of renewable energy capacity in two different auctions this year, the country’s minister of energy and mines, Eduardo González, announced. The two procurement exercises are expected to mobilize around $2 billion in new investments. [PV Magazine]

US:

¶ “Increasing Flood Costs Over Next Three Decades Will Mainly Impact People Of Color, Study Shows” • A study published in the journal Nature Climate Change found the cost of flooding in the US will likely rise from around $32 billion today to $43 billion in 2050. And like many aspects of the climate crisis, the change in flood risk won’t affect everyone equally. [CNN]

Bicycle in a flood (Mika Baumeister, Unsplash)

¶ “Biden Administration To Offer $1.2 Billion For States To Clean Up Planet-Warming Methane Leaks” • The Biden administration said it will make about $1.2 billion available for states to clean up and cap orphaned oil and gas wells, which can leak methane into the atmosphere. It’s the first round of federal funding for cleanup of old wells, which will eventually cost $4.7 billion. [CNN]

¶ “EPA To Bring Back Mercury Pollution Rules That Were Nixed Under Trump Administration” • The EPA announced it intends to reaffirm its authority to regulate toxic mercury from power plant smokestacks, undoing a Trump rollback. The EPA proposes to bring back the 2012 Mercury and Air Toxics Standards rules implemented under President Obama. [CNN]

Coal-burning plant in New York (Ale Alvarez, Unsplash)

¶ “US Clean Energy Corps To Pursue Climate Resilience” • The Clean Energy Corps, a new program launched by the Biden administration, will hire 1,000 people in the US to help expand the country’s clean energy infrastructure, a step the White House says is “critical to achieving the president’s goal of 100% carbon pollution-free electricity by 2035.” [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ocean Energy Gets Its Galaxy Quest On: Never Give Up, Never Surrender” • Ocean energy has been an also-ran in the decarbonization race, but that could change in short order. Last week, the US Department of Energy threw down a cool $25 million in funding for eight new ocean-based energy projects at PacWave South. [CleanTechnica]

Ocean energy by PacWave South (Image by PacWave South)

¶ “Utility Issues Request For 2.3 GW Of Renewables” • Georgia Power has filed its 2022 Integrated Resource Plan which includes a request for approval of 2300 MW of renewables capacity, with a goal of 11,500 MW by 2035. The utility also requests approval to own and operate 1 GW of energy storage by 2030. (GP is part owner of the Vogtle nuclear plant.) [reNews]

¶ “West Virginia Lawmakers Vote To Repeal Ban On Nuclear Power Production” • West Virginia lawmakers have lifted a ban on nuclear energy production. The House of Delegates voted 76-18, with eight absences, to lift the ban. Senators already had voted to do away with the ban. Such issues as taxation, transportation, and safety are yet to be addressed. [WV MetroNews]

Have a resoundingly celebratory day.

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