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.
geoharvey 
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