Opinion:
¶ “How Cars Can Help Us Undermine Putin’s Power” • But there is something that we can all do to weaken Putin’s very ability to wage war: Cut the quarter of a billion dollars that we send him daily for oil (at least twice the amount we send for gas even at current prices). And the weapon that most of us have to weaken Putin’s oil profits is the car. [CleanTechnica]
Volvo XC40 Recharge (George Sargiannidis, Unsplash)
¶ “You Might Be Paying For A Worthless Gas Plant” • Would you be willing to take out a 30-year mortgage on a house that will have to be demolished in twenty years? Utilities are building gas-fired power plants today for a future that may not have a use for them, potentially leaving ratepayers with bills for a gas plant long after it has closed. [CleanTechnica]
Science and Technology:
¶ “Making The Invisible Visible: Methane Solutions Offer Down Payment On Our Climate Future” • The oil and gas sector is the second largest source of methane, accounting for an estimated 25% of global emissions. Operating leak-free is a priority and many tools are already at our disposal. And a growing array of satellites are spotting methane leaks. [CleanTechnica]
Methane Source, Carbon Mapper, 2021 (Screenshot, Youtube)
World:
¶ “How The African Rainforest Is Helping Fight Climate Change” • Companies and governments around the world are racing to reduce their emissions and develop innovative technology to capture carbon. But the African forest elephant is remarkably efficient at storing carbon with no technological aid at all by destroying vegetation dispersing nutrients. [BBC]
¶ “Footprint Project And New Use Energy Provide Ukraine With Solar Microgrids” • The Footprint Project and New Use Energy teamed up to quickly provide Ukraine with solar microgrids. Will Heegaard, CEO of Footprint Power, and Paul Shmotolokha, CEO of New Use Energy, have been helping Ukrainians since Russia launched its invasion in February. [CleanTechnica]
Loading PVs (Image courtesy of the Footprint Project)
¶ “Greens: Nuclear Energy Threat To Security” • The council of the non-parliamentary Estonian Greens has sent a letter to the government of the country in which it describes nuclear energy as a serious security threat in light of the Ukraine conflict and asks the government to cease all relevant activities. “Nuclear energy is a serious security risk.” [ERR]
¶ “MOU Signed To Convert Coal Mine In Crowsnest Pass To Renewable Energy Complex” • Montem Resources announced plans to turn one of their historical coal mines in Alberta into a green energy facility. The complex will include a 320-MW pumped hydro facility, 100-MW green hydrogen electrolyser, and a 100-MW offsite wind farm. [rdnewsnow.com]
Tent Mountain (Image from Montem Resources)
¶ “Madhya Pradesh Renewable Energy Capacity Grew 32-Fold In 12 Year” • Madhya Pradesh, a state in India, has reached 5,152 MW of installed renewable energy capacity, compared to just 160 MW in the year 2010. This includes 2,444 MW of wind power, 2,490 MW solar power, 119 MW biomass power, and 99 MW small hydropower. [pv magazine India]
¶ “Equinor Publishes Energy Transition Plan” • Equinor will allocate more than half of its annual gross capital expenditure to renewables and low carbon solutions by 2030, as part of actions detailed in its first energy transition plan. The plan provides an overview of how the company is progressing towards its 2050 net zero ambition. [reNews]
Offshore wind service vessel (Equinor image)
¶ “Nuclear Reactor Linked With Trawsfynydd Site Could Be Approved By 2024” • Construction of a new nuclear power station in Wales appears to have moved a step closer with confirmation that a Rolls-Royce design for a small modular nuclear reactor is expected to receive UK regulatory approval by mid-2024. [Nation.Cymru]
US:
¶ “US Spring Snow Storm Leaves 300,000 In The Dark” • A spring storm caused power outages in states in the Northeast, with over a foot of snow falling in some places. Some 300,000 customers lost electricity, 200,000 of them in New York state. As far south as Virginia, residents who have been looking forward to spring were greeted by wintry blasts. [BBC]
Spring snow (Pedro Netto, Unsplash)
¶ “PG&E’s Tesla Megapack Is Now Operational” • Pacific Gas and Electric’s 182-MW Tesla Megapack Elkhorn battery is now in operation, the Associated Press has reported. Included in the system are a total of 256 Tesla Megapacks on 33 concrete slabs. These have the capacity to store and dispatch up to 730 megawatt-hours of energy to the grid. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Texas Solar Project Secures Financing” • Twain Financial Partners has closed on $42 million in financing to complete the Longbow solar project in Brazoria County, Texas. Twain’s $42 million financing is its largest solar loan to date, is part of its recent commitment to finance $1 billion of new renewable projects over the next three years. [reNews]
Solar project (APPA image, Unsplash)
¶ “Biden Administration Launches $6 Billion Nuclear Power Credit Program” • Twelve nuclear reactors in the US have closed since 2013 in the face of competition from renewable energy and plants that burn natural gas. The Biden administration opened up applications for a $6 billion program to help nuclear power plants struggling with rising costs. [Yahoo News]
¶ “Massachusetts Can Lead Equitable Transition To 100% Renewable Energy By 2035 ” • Massachusetts can show climate leadership and meet 100% of its electricity needs with renewable energy by 2035, according to an analysis released by GreenRoots and the Union of Concerned Scientists. The change would have huge economic benefits. [Union of Concerned Scientists]
Have an entirely upbeat day.
geoharvey 
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