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.
geoharvey 
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