Opinion:
¶ “ESG Investments Are Suddenly Appealing To Some Red State Leaders” • The federal endorsement of sustainable investments is prompting some red state legislators to embrace Environmental, Social, and Governance positions. What was once a red state onslaught against ESG investments is now a lot more like a pink puff of occasional air. [CleanTechnica]
Wind turbines in rural India (Yahoo! Blog, CC-BY-SA 2.0)
Science and Technology:
¶ “In Ultrathin Layers, NREL Researchers Find A Path To Better Materials” • For more than three decades, scientists have known that the addition of cadmium chloride creates better-performing CdTe solar cells. But they have not understood exactly why, until now. The answer has implications for materials science that go well beyond solar cells. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “The Tiny Diamond Sphere That Could Unlock Clean Power” • The National Ignition Facility, part of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, has done such fusion energy experiments before, but this time the energy that came out of the reaction, was more than the laser power used to trigger it. It’s one more step in the research process. [BBC]
Developing a fuel capsule (LLNL image)
World:
¶ “Sun, Wind Aplenty, Spain Vies To Lead The EU In Green Hydrogen” • With lots of sun and wind, Spain is positioning itself as Europe’s future leader in green hydrogen production to clean up heavy industries. Spain had announced a Hydrogen Roadmap in 2020, but the sector has greater importance in the EU since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. [MSN]
¶ “Eskom Gets Ready To Support The Growth Of The E-Mobility Sector In South Africa” • Eskom, the utility serving South Africa, is undertaking a pilot project to introduce EVs for both its utility and passenger vehicle fleets. Eskom has submitted the residential time-of-use charging tariff to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa for approval. [CleanTechnica]
Eskom EV event (Eskom image)
¶ “Falck Launches Its First Electric Ambulance” • Falck is an international leader in healthcare, ambulance services, and fire preparedness. Based in Denmark, Falck has activities in 26 countries and employs 25,000 people. Now, it will include EVs in the fleet, starting with an electric ambulance on the last winter day in Copenhagen. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Solar Installation Growth Expected To Reach 700 GW By 2025” • Solar polysilicon prices dropped immensely in recent years, then bounced up as supply couldn’t keep up with demand. Now, they seem to be dropping again as production capacity is increased. Rethink Energy expects that China will produce 432 to 540 GW of solar panels in 2023. [CleanTechnica]
Solar panels (Melany Klapper, Pixy.org, CC0)
¶ “Electric Vehicle Logging Truck Launches For Green Triangle Trial In South Australia” • A truck running entirely on electric power has been launched to transport logs across the Green Triangle forestry region in south-east South Australia. The truck was converted from an existing diesel vehicle and is powered by a 720-horsepower electric motor. [ABC]
¶ “Campaigners Fear Government Will Drop Onshore Windfarm Promise In England” • Fears that the government is quietly planning to renege on promises to lift the ban on onshore windfarms in England have prompted a large group of green campaigners, business leaders and prominent figures to protest to ministers. [The Guardian]
Wind turbine (ClwydianRanger, CC-BY-SA 4.0)
¶ “France Seeks ‘Nuclear Alliance’ At EU Energy Meeting” • EU energy ministers are meeting on February 27 and 28 to discuss issues ranging from security of supply to electricity market reform. But on the sidelines, French energy minister Agnes Pannier-Runache has invited twelve other countries to discuss a “nuclear alliance.” [EUobserver]
US:
¶ “Fervo Energy Plans Direct Air Capture Facility Powered By Geothermal Heat And Electricity” • Fervo Energy announced on February 23 that it will design and engineer a fully integrated geothermal and direct air capture facility. The system will be based on use of both geothermal heat and power to capture carbon dioxide. [CleanTechnica]
Fervo Energy installation (Fervo Energy image)
¶ “Hurricanes Could Push Deeper Into US In Coming Decades” • Stronger storms fueled by climate change will penetrate deeper into the US and threaten parts of the country unaccustomed to high-speed winds, according to a new analysis of the country’s vulnerability to tropical cyclones. The report was released by the nonprofit First Street Foundation. [NBC News]
¶ “Army Of Spiral-Welding Wind Turbine Tower Trucks Sets Forth From…Texas?” • Elected officials in Texas may rant against renewable energy, but the state is a clean power pace-setter. The latest example is a forthcoming fleet of trucks bearing new spiral-welding technology that can lower the cost of wind turbine towers and raise the height. [CleanTechnica]
Spiral-welding system (Courtesy of Keystone Tower Systems)
Please click on the image to enlarge it.
¶ “Lithium-Free Battery Aims To Serve As Backup For Grid-Scale Renewable Energy” • A research team, led by the DOE’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, demonstrated a design for a grid energy-storage battery that uses sodium and aluminum as its primary components. The cell is well-suited for long discharge cycles, in excess of 24 hours. [Electronic Design]
¶ “The Dream Of Mini Nuclear Plants Hangs In The Balance” • This month, utilities across the West were facing a weighty decision: whether to pull the plug on their nuclear dream. NuScale had informed members of a group of them that the estimated costs of building the six 77-MW reactors had risen by more than 50% to $9.3 billion. [WIRED]
Have a phenomenally fine day.
geoharvey 