Opinion:
¶ “Cheap Gas Fired Power Begins To Unravel” • In 2019, a year in which gas prices were at a record low, we saw evidence that gas plants were not being operated in the best interest of ratepayers. Now gas prices are at a high, and projections indicate that gas prices will not decrease anytime soon. Policy makers need to do more to protect ratepayers. [CleanTechnica]
Two US areas exemplifying uneconomic operations (UCS image)
¶ “Transform Energy Grid Now With Renewable Microgrids” • A solution to stabilize energy prices is within our grasp. Acting now can also make the energy we need become more reliable and efficient. That solution is renewable microgrids: localized grids based on renewable energy resources and storage that can keep operating when the larger grid fails. [The Hill]
World:
¶ “Germany Declares Gas Crisis As Russia Cuts Supplies To Europe” • Germany activated the second phase of its three-stage gas emergency program, after Russia reduced the amount of natural gas it supplies. This takes Germany one step closer to rationing gas to industry, which would be a huge blow to the manufacturing heart of its economy. [CNN]
Laying natural gas pipe (Philfaebuckie, CC0 1.0 public domain)
¶ “EU Policy To Strengthen Rules For Companies’ Sustainability Disclosures With Mandatory ESG Standards” • The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive clarifies obligations relating to transparency by large companies operating in the EU. It requires adoption of Environmental, Social, and Governance reporting standards. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “The Small Seaport Crucial For Europe’s Energy Future” • The Lech Kaczyński terminal is important to replacing lost Russian gas, since Gazprom halted supplies to Poland. It is Poland’s biggest liquefied natural gas terminal, and it is being built up to increase the supply coming in from Qatar, the US, Norway, and elsewhere around the world. [BBC]
Świnoujście LNG terminal (Radosław Drożdżewski, CC-BY-SA 4.0)
¶ “Canada Will Ban Harmful Plastics By End Of Year” • Canada is working to eliminate a lot of the plastic litter it produces every year. It enacted a world-leading ban on harmful single-use plastics. The ban will result in the estimated elimination of over 1.3 million tons of hard-to-recycle plastic waste and more than 22,000 tons of plastic pollution. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “China Electric Car Market – 31% Market Share In May!” • Plugin vehicles continue to be all the rage in the Chinese auto market. With the end of the Covid lockdowns, plugins went back to the fast lane, growing 109% year over year, for over 403,000 registrations in May. Plugin hybrids surged 187% year over year to a record 105,000 units. [CleanTechnica]
BYD Song Plus (JustAnotherCarDesigner, CC-BY-SA 4.0)
¶ “RWE, EnBW JV Unveils 100-MW Green Hydrogen Scheme” • A joint venture including RWE and EnBW unveiled plans for a 100-MW green hydrogen plant on Germany’s north-east coast. The electrolysis plant will be at the heart of the HyTech Hafen Rostock project. The electricity for the plant is to come from renewable energies. [reNews]
¶ “Mitsubishi Power To Co-Develop Battery Storage Projects In Ireland” • The Japanese company Mitsubishi Power is to develop four battery projects in Ireland in partnership with renewable energy developer ION Renewables. The four battery projects will use Mitsubishi’s Emerald storage systems of 185.5 MW and 371 MWh of capacity. [Power Technology]
Storage facility (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries image)
¶ “Singapore Imports Renewable Energy” • Singapore received its first renewable energy import through an agreement between Keppel Electric and Laos state-owned enterprise Electricite Du Laos. The deal covers imports of up to 100 MW of hydropower from Laos to Singapore via Thailand and Malaysia, using existing interconnections. [Upstream Online]
US:
¶ “Two SMART Projects From Agilitas Energy Bringing Renewable Energy To Massachusetts” • Agilitas Energy, a developer and operator of distributed energy storage and PV systems, announced two Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target projects in its pipeline. They will help accelerate the Bay State’s transition to renewable energy. [CleanTechnica]
Massachusetts solar array (Agilitas Energy image)
¶ “US DOE Joins New Federal–State Partnership To Grow Domestic Offshore Wind Supply Chain” • The DOE announced that it will lead in the development of a comprehensive offshore wind supply chain roadmap as part of its participation in the new White House-led Federal-State Offshore Wind Implementation Partnership. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “American Clean Power Urges US Senate To Reconsider Coastguard Bill” • ACP has sent a letter to Senate leadership, with support from 24 senior leaders in the US offshore wind sector, raising concerns with the wording of a House-passed Coastguard Bill. If enacted, the Young Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2022 could stall offshore wind development. [reNews]
Offshore wind turbines (Nicholas Doherty, Unsplash)
¶ “James Hansen Leads Petition To EPA To Regulate Greenhouse Gases” • Nobody listened to Dr. Hansen 34 years ago when he told congress about climate change. That’s one of the reasons we are on the verge of a global climate catastrophe today. Now he and colleagues propose to regulate greenhouse gases under the Toxic Substances Control Act. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Mississippi Cuts $300 Million Settlement Deal With Entergy Over Grand Gulf Nuclear Profits” • Entergy Mississippi reached a $300 million settlement with the Mississippi Public Service Commission. The PSC had initiated litigation in 2017 relating to Entergy’s return on investments from the Grand Gulf Nuclear Power Station. [Magnolia State Live]
Have a sensibly opulent day.
geoharvey 