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Opinion:

¶ “Why Republicans Are Spreading The Lie That Whales Are Being Killed By Wind Farms” • On February 19, 2023, hundreds of protesters filled the boardwalk in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey. Their cause was ostensibly to protect the whales. The protest is not supported by science. But it is supported by some oil-industry interests. [Salon.com]

Offshore wind turbine (Grahame Jenkins, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Tesla’s Futuristic Approach To Manufacturing, And Critical “Next-Generation Vehicle”” • The Financial Times reported, “Tesla executives said a wide range of efficiency and cost improvements has put the company on track to launch a far cheaper electric vehicle.” This lower-priced vehicle would be manufactured using Tesla’s “next-generation platform.” [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Boreal Forests Could Be A Planet-Warming ‘Time Bomb’ As Wildfires Expand, Says New Study” • Boreal forest fires usually make up 10% of global wildfire-related carbon pollution. But in 2021, their contribution soared to 23%, according to the study, as extreme drought and heatwaves in Siberia and Canada helped drive intense fires. [CNN]

Boreal forest in Canada (peupleloup, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Study: Heat Pumps Are Two To Three Times Cheaper Than Green Hydrogen In Europe” • A study, published in the academic journal Energy Conversion and Management found that replacing natural gas in homes with green hydrogen would cost about two to three times more than replacing the natural gas with electric heat pumps. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Sweden’s Plugins Continue To Grow Despite Economic Downturn” • In February, Sweden’s plugin electric vehicles continued to dominate with a 54.0% share of auto sales, up from 51.6% year on year. Full electric share grew substantially, whilst plugin hybrid share decreased. Overall auto volume was 18,442 units, down some 13% YOY. [CleanTechnica]

Volvo XC40 (Alexander Migl, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “VW Is Working To Grow Its Footprint In Africa, And Electric Mobility Is Part Of The Vision” • VW has a South African factory, where it can produce 162,000 vehicles per year. Currently, 75% of the vehicles produced there are exported to global markets such as Germany, UK, and Japan. VW is working to grow its footprint in Africa. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Shell Energy Delivers Battery-Backed Renewables Solution For NSW” • Shell Energy Australia said sixteen New South Wales government buildings are being equipped with batteries as part of an initiative to help Property and Development New South Wales offset costs and reduce carbon emissions from its property portfolio. [pv magazine Australia]

Batteries for NSW office sites (NSW Government image)

¶ “World Bank Nominee Banga Is A ‘Big Believer’ In Climate Science” • President Joe Biden’s nominee to lead the World Bank, Ajay Banga, said there’s sufficient scientific evidence that burning fossil fuels contributes to climate change, seeking to address criticism about the lender’s commitment to the issue under its outgoing chief. [Yahoo Finance]

US:

¶ “Climate Advocates Are Rallying Against The Willow Project. The White House Is Eyeing Concessions To Soften The Blow” • Just days before the Biden administration releases its first major oil drilling project decision, the White House indicated it may reduce the scope of the controversial project. It is criticised by climate advocates fiercely. [CNN]

Tundra (Paxson Woelber, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Florida Republican Wants To Ban Electric Vehicles From Hurricane Evacuations” • In another case of Florida political absurdity, a Republican state senator in the Sunshine State wants to ban EVs from hurricane evacuation routes. Republican State Senator Jonathan Martin is afraid that the EV batteries will die in a traffic jam. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Some Californians Get Snow-Stranded As Twisters Hit Texas And Louisiana” • Snow-stranded Californians in mountain areas are desperately digging out after a “once-in-a-generation” winter storm, even as more snow was forecast for the weekend. In the latest US wild weather, twisters touched down at the same time, in Texas and Louisiana. [BBC]

Tornado (Pixy.org, CC0)

¶ “Entergy Louisiana Seeks Approval To Add Nearly 225 MW Of Solar Power To Its Generation Mix” • To meet growing demands for renewable energy and support economic development in the state, Entergy Louisiana filed a request with the Louisiana Public Service Commission to approve nearly 225 MW of new solar resources. [PR Newswire]

¶ “With Offshore Wind Power In Oregon’s Future, Experts Gather In Portland To Discuss Opportunities And Challenges” • Sometime in the near future, Oregon’s coast could be home to some massive wind turbines. Some, close to 1,000 feet tall and having up to 3 GW of capacity, are planned for two areas about 12 miles offshore near the California border. [KGW]

Floating wind turbine (US DOE image)

¶ “More than 200 Deals Power A 24.5-GW Corporate Renewable Capacity Surge In 2022” • Renewable energy capacity contracted by US corporations soared 45% in the past 12 months. S&P Global Commodity Insights found that all business sectors being tracked boosted their green energy portfolio markedly, with increases ranging from 16% to 79%. [S&P Global]

¶ “NRC Approves Move To Keep Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant Open” • The Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in California can continue operating while PG&E seeks a license renewal for the 2,300-MW facility to extend its lifecycle. The NRC has approved PG&E’s request for an exemption to keep Diablo Canyon open past 2025. [POWER Magazine]

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This entry was posted on March 3, 2023 at 4:39 am and is filed under nuclear power, renewable power, solar, wind.

Tags: nuclear, nuclear power, photovoltaic, renewable power, solar power, wind power