Science and Technology:
¶ “Microgrid In A Box Is Opening New Possibilities In Utilities, Disaster Relief, Defense” • A fully functional microgrid can fit in set of trailers and containers. The “Microgrid in a Box” stores 320 kWh of energy. It can tie seamlessly into a modern electrical grid and coordinate the distribution of electricity for a small village, military base, or critical building. [CleanTechnica]
Shipping Containers (Kristin Hillery, Unsplash, cropped)
World:
¶ “Cyclone Gabrielle Lashes Auckland, As Authorities Order Nationwide State Of Emergency” • Cyclone Gabrielle has lashed New Zealand’s North Island with relentless wind, rain, and waves since Sunday evening. But conditions overnight Monday into Tuesday morning warranted that the entire country be included within the State of Emergency. [CNN]
¶ “Voltari Electric Performance Boat Travels 91 Miles On A Single Charge” • Canada-based Voltari announced that its Voltari 260 traveled 91 miles from Florida to the Bahamas on a single charge. The trip was the longest overseas journey completed by an all-electric performance boat. If you are interested, here are the boat’s technical specifications. [CleanTechnica]
Voltari electric boat (Voltari image)
¶ “E-Moto Morocco Ready To Supercharge The Growth Of The Country’s Electric Scooter Market” • Brahim Lazrak is General Manager of Multitrade, a Moroccan firm. He became interested in electric scooters in 2017 because of his niece, who became very fond of her electric scooter while studying in China. Now E-Moto Morocco has opened a market. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “The BYD Seagull Could Be A Game-Changer For Africa’s Automotive Sector” • Over 25 million electric cars have been sold over the last 14 years, worldwide. Over 13 million EVs were sold last year, but few cars were sold in Africa. One vehicle that might open up the African market if produced at scale is the upcoming BYD Seagull. [CleanTechnica]
BYD Seagull (Image from China’s Ministry of Industry)
¶ “Lithium-Ion Battery Market To Grow At CAGR Of 20.33%” • The Brainy Insights estimates that the $45.67 billion in 2022 lithium-ion battery market will reach $200.73 billion by 2030. Government policies have changed to become more sustainable and environment-friendly in response to growing concerns about climate change. [GlobeNewswire]
¶ “Support For Wind Farms Soars In Ireland” • Four in five Irish people support wind farms, while opposition to windpower has fallen to 5%, new research has found. The polls found that 58% of Irish people would support the development of a wind farm in their local area and support generally for wind energy among people in rural Ireland is at 85%. [reNews]
Wind farm (Mylene2401, Pixabay, cropped)
¶ “Portugal: Almost 85% Of Electricity In January Generated By Renewables” • Of the 5,338 GWh of electricity generated in mainland Portugal in January, 84.4% was renewably generated, data from the Portuguese Renewable Energy Association shows. With renewable production, Portugal avoided spending €263 million to import natural gas. [Macau Business]
¶ “German States Show ‘Unknown Unity’ In Preparing Faster Wind Power Roll-Out” • The German states signalled readiness to expand onshore wind power “in almost unknown unity,” said economy and climate minister Robert Habeck. His comments came after he met with representatives of the 16 Länder to talk about buildout of renewables. [Clean Energy Wire]
German windpower (Franzfoto, CC-BY-SA 3.0)
¶ “EU Opens Door To ‘Green’ Nuclear-Derived Hydrogen” • The European Commission published rules on Monday that could allow some hydrogen produced in nuclear-based energy systems to count towards EU renewable energy goals, signalling a win for pro-nuclear France. Hydrogen is central to Europe’s plans to decarbonise heavy industry. [Reuters]
US:
¶ “EV Battery News From CATL, Toyocolor, And Toyo” • If there is EV battery news, there is a good chance it is about CATL. In today’s case, the CATL news is actually from a CATL supplier using the name to brag a bit. The news is that CATL will be using Toyocolor’s conductive carbon nanotube dispersions in its next-generation batteries. [CleanTechnica]
Lithium battery with carbon nano-tubes (Toyocolor, Toyo Ink)
¶ “Texas And Florida Paying Hundreds Of Millions More In Bond Interest Because Of ESG Bans” • Some states now prohibit the biggest Wall Street banks from handling their bond offerings because they are “woke.” The result is public financing projects often get assigned to smaller firms that may not be able to ensure borrowers get the lowest rates. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “BOEM Publishes 2400-MW SouthCoast Wind Draft EIS” • The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management published the draft Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed 2400-MW SouthCoast Wind energy project in Massachusetts waters. The project is a JV of Shell and Ocean Winds. It could provide power for more than 800,000 homes. [reNews]
Wind turbines (Reegan Fraser, Unsplash, cropped)
¶ “Energy Secretary Tells Summit Renewable Energy Is Now A National Security Issue” • Russia’s use of energy as a weapon for tormenting Ukraine gives the US an opportunity to develop renewable power, Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said at the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners’ Winter Policy Summit. [Daily Energy Insider]
¶ “Natural Disasters, Boosted By Climate Change, Displaced Millions Of People In US In 2022” • Natural disasters forced an estimated 3.4 million people in the US to leave their homes in 2022, according to Census Bureau data collected earlier this year. This underscores how climate-related weather events are already changing American communities. [NBC News]
Have a sufficiently magnificent day.
geoharvey 