Opinion:
¶ “US Renewable Energy Has Its Ups And Down In First Six Months Of 2022” • Renewable energy has had a bumpy ride in the US so far this year, thanks in large part to policy failures by the federal government. China is eating everyone’s lunch when it comes to electric cars, batteries, and solar panels because of its government policies. [CleanTechnica]
Renewable energy and storage (America Clean Power image)
Science and Technology:
¶ “Greener Air Conditioning For A Warmer World” • New research from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory provides a roadmap outlining how more efficient cooling systems are feasible with development and support from industry. The invited research study appeared in the journal, Accounts of Chemical Research. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Inefficient Building Electrification Risks Prolonging Fossil Fuel Use” • A new study finds that decarbonizing will require more efficient electric heating and that more renewable generating capacity be available for the cold of December and January. Otherwise, harmful fossil fuels will continue to power seasonal spikes in energy demand. [Phys.org]
Old buildings (Pixabay, CC0 Public Domain)
World:
¶ “End Fossil Occupy Plans Massive Student Protests” • How many of us have read the headlines this year about the horrific heat waves and wildfires taking place around the world and wondered if there was not something we could do to end the mass insanity of continuing to burn fossil fuels? End Fossil Occupy says enough is enough. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “China Electric Car Market – 28% Share Of Auto Sales In June!” • Plugin vehicles continue to be all the rage in the Chinese auto market. Plugins got back into the fast lane, growing 132% year over year. They scored over 565,000 registrations in June, a new record. Plugin hybrids grew faster, at 179% year over year. Battery EVs grew 121%. [CleanTechnica]
Tesla Model Y (Evnerd, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)
¶ “Dundee To Host Battery Megafactory” • AMTE Power has selected Dundee in Scotland as the preferred site for its first Megafactory to produce homegrown battery cells for energy storage and e-mobility markets. The factory will directly create up to 215 high skilled on-site jobs and 800 more across the supply chain for battery cells. [reNews]
¶ “Siemens Gamesa Bags 112-MW Offshore Wind Order In Japan” • Siemens Gamesa has been awarded a firm order from Green Power Investment for the 112-MW Ishikari offshore wind power project in Japan. The order includes 14 SG 8.0-167 DD offshore wind turbines, each with a capacity of 8 MW, powered by a 167-meter rotor. [reNews]
Offshore wind farm (Siemens Gamesa image)
¶ “Ireland ups offshore wind ante with new 7GW target” • The Irish government has increased the 2030 offshore wind target from 5 GW to 7 GW. This is part of the setting emissions targets calling for a 75% reduction in GHG emissions from the electricity sector. Dublin also doubled the solar goal to 5.5 GW and set a 2-GW green hydrogen goal. [reNews]
US:
¶ “Clean Energy Package Would Be Biggest Legislative Climate Investment In US History” • Senator Joe Manchin’s stunning reversal on a clean energy package has suddenly put Democrats in a position to pass the largest climate investment in US history. It will be by far the biggest legislative win for the environmental movement since the Clean Air Act. [CNN]
Smoke in Yosemite (Bailey Zindel, Unsplash)
¶ “Tesla, GM Buyers Would Get EV Tax Credits Again Under Democrats’ Climate Bill” • Automakers like Tesla and General Motors would regain the ability to offer federal tax credits to customers who buy their EVs, under the new green energy bill. The proposed legislation would remove the 200,000 vehicle-per-manufacturer cap for EV incentives. [CNN]
¶ “Senate Climate Deal Includes Incentives For Renewables, Hydrogen, Nuclear” • The climate bill includes nearly $370 million on energy and climate change initiatives, with $60 billion for tax credits for clean energy manufacturing and a $30 billion production tax credit for wind and solar. It also supports storage, hydrogen, and nuclear power. [Power Engineering]
Solar panels (Flash Dantz, Unsplash)
¶ “Flash Drought Intensifies, Causing Agriculture Concerns In The Plains And Water Shortages In The Northeast” • Flash drought conditions intensified in the Northeast and across the southern Plains, causing agriculture concerns across the regions, the latest US Drought Monitor shows. The area of Oklahoma that is in Extreme drought quadrupled to 27%. [CNN]
¶ “VW Starts US Production Of ID.4 Electric Crossover” • The Volkswagen ID.4 compact SUV made its debut in Chattanooga, as the company’s first electric automobile produced in the US. It was already being imported from Germany, but now Volkswagen dealers will get American-built cars to sell to eager buyers who are paying too much for gas. [CleanTechnica]
VW ID.4 in bright-city-camo trim (Rainer Zietlow, CC-BY-SA 3.0)
¶ “Kentucky Hit With Deadly Flooding Following Second 1,000-Year Rain Event In Three Days” • For the second time in a week, parts of Kentucky hit by extreme rainfall that caused deadly flash flooding. Several inches of rain in the eastern part of the state turned towns into raging rivers that swept away homes and the people who lived in them. [AOL]
¶ “Hawaii Receives Its Final Shipment Of Coal Amid Push To Move To Renewable Sources” • Starting next month, Hawaii will no longer burn coal for electricity. Oahu has taken its final shipment of coal from Indonesia, as it moves toward renewable energy. And with that, Hawaii’s only coal-fire power plant will shut down. [Hawaii News Now]
Have an amusingly active day.
geoharvey 