A Note to Visitors:
Today is this blog’s tenth anniversary. It has posted news every day since June 2, 2012. Now we are into its second decade!
World:
¶ “Germans Get €9-A-Month Travel In Response To Energy Price Rises” • For the next three months, Germans will be able to travel the country for just €9 (£7.50; $9.50) a month in a drive to tackle the soaring cost of living. All local and regional transport on trains, buses, and metro is included in the initiative, though inter-city trains are not. [CNN]
Munich U-Bahn (Florian Schütz, CC-BY-SA 3.0)
¶ “Why The Ukraine War May Power Asia’s Green Energy Shift” • Climate change may be a strong reason to stop burning fossil fuels, but there is another, arguably more immediate reason for Asia to make the transition, gas and coal: money. Global energy prices have jumped since late February when Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine. [BBC]
¶ “NIO Chooses Onsemi Silicon Carbide Power Modules” • A Phoenix-based maker of high efficiency traction power modules, onsemi, announced that it has signed a deal to sell its batteries to NIO, a Chinese EV manufacturer with plans to expand globally (including to the US). The traction power modules increase efficiency in EVs. [CleanTechnica]
NIO EV (Image by NIO)
¶ “EU Countries Accelerate Fossil Fuel Phase-Out” • A policy study from Ember and the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air shows EU national strategies are raising their ambition for renewables, resulting in a faster reduction in fossil fuel use. The latest national announcements put the EU on course for 63% of electricity from renewables in 2030. [reNews]
¶ “How Going 100% Renewables Will Shield One Part Of Australia From Surging Power Prices” • Australia’s electricity sector is in a state of crisis, with the surging cost of fossil fuels driving wholesale electricity prices to new highs. Residents of the Australian Capital Territory may be shielded by local reliance on renewable energy. [Renew Economy]
National Museum in Canberrra (Prakash Khanal, Unsplash)
¶ “Phasing Out Coal Could Generate ‘Social Benefits’ Worth $78 Trillion” • A working paper from Imperial College Business School shows that the transition from coal to renewable energy would be worth the equivalent of $78 trillion in ‘social benefits’ such as people facing less damage from climate change and less harm to their health. [Imperial College London]
¶ “China Targets 33% Renewables Power Share By 2025” • China plans to have 33% of its electricity generated by renewable power sources by 2025 in a new renewables plan. This is up from a 28.8% share in 2020. China is the world’s greatest greenhouse gas emitter, however, and the growth of renewables in China is key to addressing climate change. [Oil Price]
Wind farm in China (Xmhaoyu, CC-BY-SA 3.0)
¶ “First Look Inside Chernobyl Nuclear Plant Trashed By Russian Troops” • Photos from the Chernobyl nuclear plant reveal the reckless destruction left behind by Russians as they were forced out. Hallways overflowing with litter, broken windows, and taunting messages graffitied on walls were among the scenes left for the Ukrainian defenders to find. [Metro]
US:
¶ “Harris Unveils White House Plan To Address Global Water Security” • Vice President Kamala Harris unveiled a White House plan emphasizing the national security implications of water. Harris said the plan makes water security an “international priority” that aims to prevent conflict between nations and promote equity and economic growth. [CNN]
Kamala Harris (Gage Skidmore, CC-BY-SA 2.0)
¶ “CarMax: High Gas Prices Driving Jump In EV Interest” • In a recent report from CarMax on its EV customer interest and sales, one thing is pretty clear: EV sales are going up. And today’s nasty gas prices are definitely driving the change. EV test drives were also noticeably up in February and March of this year, at 1.5 times what they were a year ago. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Faraday Future Announces First ‘Brand Experience Center’ In Beverly Hills” • Luxury EV manufacturer Faraday Future recently announced that it is going to open its first retail location on posh Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California. The company is going to be working with the ASTOUND group to design and build the “Brand Experience Center.” [CleanTechnica]
Faraday Future store (Faraday Future image)
¶ “Rhode Island Senate Passes Commitment To 100% Renewable Energy” • The Rhode Island Senate passed a bill to accelerate the state’s commitment to a renewable energy future. The bill would require that 100% of all electricity sold in the state be generated from renewable sources by 2033 – the most ambitious timeline of any state. [Environment America]
¶ “FreeWire Shows Us How To Solve Charging Challenges In Rural America” • A company called FreeWire Technologies looks like they have a pretty good solution to something that keeps rural charging stations from happening in the US. FreeWire integrates battery storage directly into the station and plan on using a lot less continuous power. [CleanTechnica]
FreeWire charging station (FreeWire Technologies)
¶ “New York State Build Public Renewables Act Passes Senate” • The Build Public Renewables Act empowers New York Power Authority to develop a renewable, reliable, and affordable energy infrastructure that will reduce New York’s GHG emissions by 85% by 2050, and convert 70% of its power generation to renewables by 2030. [New York State Senate]
¶ “New Federal Measures Aim To Increase Production Of Clean Energy On Public Lands” • The federal government, in its quest to advance clean energy production, is taking steps to reduce rents and fees for wind and solar projects on public lands by 50% for both existing and new projects. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced the changes. [Las Vegas Sun]
Have an impressively easy day.
geoharvey 