Science and Technology:
¶ “A Nissan LEAF Can Power Your Home With This New Charger” • There are reasons why vehicle-to-grid technology is not commonplace across the EV market, but there’s no doubt there has been some notable progress toward it. Now Nissan has approved the first ever bi-directional charger for mass-market use with a Nissan LEAF. [CleanTechnica]
Nissan LEAF (Image courtesy of Nissan)
¶ “New Cathode Design Solves Major Barrier To Better Lithium-Ion Batteries” • Researchers at the US DOE’s Argonne National Laboratory have a long history of breakthrough discoveries with lithium-ion batteries. Now they have made another one, and it could lead to longer-lasting and safer batteries able to power EVs for longer driving ranges. [CleanTechnica]
World:
¶ “UN Says Blackout Threatens Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant” • The head of the UN nuclear agency has warned that the situation at the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine is increasingly precarious. Rafael Grossi said shelling had knocked out power in the nearby city of Enerhodar which fed the plant, and it was unlikely to be restored. [BBC]
Rafael Grossi briefing the press (IAEA Imagebank, CC-BY-SA 2.0)
¶ “BYD’s Order Backlog: About 700,000 Vehicles” • Tesla has an enormous order backlog, estimated to be about 457,000 vehicles, but BYD’s estimated order backlog is even bigger. According to CnEVPost, BYD’s order backlog has reached around 700,000 vehicles. BYD CEO Wang Chuanfu reportedly informed local reporters of the figure. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Pattern Starts 112-MW Ishikari Offshore Build In Japan” • Pattern Energy has started construction of its 112-MW Ishikari offshore wind farm off Japan after financing was completed. A total of 14 Siemens Gamesa 8-MW turbines will be installed at the site 3 km offshore Hokkaido. The project will also include a 100-MW battery storage facility. [reNews]
Ishikari construction (Pattern Energy image)
¶ “Farm Walk Gives Cumbrian Farmers An Insight Into Powering Ahead With Renewable Energy” • The Farmer Network hosted two farmer meetings to learn more about opportunities for renewable energy on-farm. The first meeting was in Penrith. The second meeting was a farm walk and discussion at Moor House Farm, Orton, near Tebay. [Westmorland Gazette]
US:
¶ “GM Unveils $30,000 Electric SUV That Will Be One Of The Cheapest EVs Available” • General Motors revealed a new electric SUV that it expects will be the cheapest compact electric SUV on the market when it goes into production in about a year. The Chevrolet Equinox EV will have a starting price around $30,000, making it among the cheapest EVs. [CNN]
Chevrolet Equinox EV (General Motors image)
¶ “Rain Falling In Southern California Threatening Areas Of Drought-Stricken State With Possibilities Of Flash Floods” • Parts of Southern California are under flash flood warnings as a tropical storm threatens to drop a year’s worth of rain in areas of the drought-stricken state. The warning is in effect for Riverside County and parts of San Diego County. [CNN]
¶ “United Airlines Puts $15 Million Bet On Electric Aircraft Startup Eve Air Mobility” • United Airlines has invested $15 million into electric aircraft startup Eve Air Mobility. United Airlines also agreed to buy 200 of the electric air taxis, once Eve Air Mobility gets to the point that it can produce them, and it has an option to buy another 200. [CleanTechnica]
Air taxi (Image courtesy of United Airlines)
¶ “California Approves Tesla Plan To Add Supercharger Sites To Rural Areas” • The California Energy Commission has approved Tesla proposals to construct new Supercharger facilities in four rural communities. Each of those projects will receive a grant of $1.6 million from the CEC’s Clean Transportation Program Rural Electric Vehicle Charging Program. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “NextEra Goes Full Bore To Extend Lead In Emerging $2 Trillion US Renewables Power Play” • NextEra Energy, a US renewables development pacesetter, plans to invest $85 billion to $95 billion in energy storage and generation projects through to 2025 in a bid to boost its share of an emerging $2 trillion clean power market. [Recharge News]
Wind turbines on the coast (Jem Sanchez, Pexels)
¶ “Renewables Outpace Coal In Nation’s Electricity Generation” • Renewable energy is outpacing coal in supplying electricity to the US. Coal had modest growth last year, but it’s been overtaken by renewables, Energy Information Administration data shows. In the first half of the year, renewables generated 24% of the US electricity. [West Virginia Public Broadcasting]
¶ “GE Lands 200-MW Order For South Dakota Wind Farm” • GE Renewable Energy has been lined up to supply turbine hardware to Scout Clean Energy’s 200-MW Sweetland onshore wind farm in South Dakota. The manufacturer will deliver 71 of its 2.8-127 machines to the project in Hand County, which is due to be commissioned in 2023. [reNews]
GE wind turbine (GE Renewable Energy image)
¶ “Researchers Want To Mix Renewable Fuels Into Existing Gas Lines At UC Irvine” • Researchers exploring the possibility of using existing infrastructure to deliver cleaner alternatives for fossil fuels to people in a real-world setting submitted a proposal to the California Public Utilities Commission to do that on the campus of UC Irvine. [Los Angeles Times]
¶ “Plan Emerges To Reopen Palisades Nuclear Power Plant, But Federal Grant Key” • A plan has emerged to restart the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant near South Haven, Michigan, but a federal grant is key to the effort. Holtec International, owner of the plant as of June 28, has applied for a federal grant under the Civil Nuclear Credit program. [MLive.com]
Have an extraordinarily fine day.
geoharvey 
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