World:
¶ “There Are 40.7 Million Vehicles In The United Kingdom, And 1.1 Million Have A Plug” • There are just over 35.1 million cars on the roads in the UK. One in every 32 cars of them now comes with a plug, with 1.1 million electric cars in use, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Ownership of all EV types has increased. [CleanTechnica]
Maxus eDeliver 9 (SAIC Maxus UK image)
¶ “Imports Of Lithium-Ion Cells And Battery Packs Rise In South Africa As Its Load-Shedding Crisis Grows” • In 2022, there were 3,773 hours of load-shedding in South Africa. The effects on the economy were brutal. The year’s record levels of load-shedding provided the perfect opportunity for a big jump in the stationary storage industry in the country. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “The First Customers Receive VinFast’s VF 5, Priced At $19,500, Batteries Not Included” • VinFast turned over the first batch of VinFast VF 5 smart electric vehicles to its new owners in simple ceremonies at dealers and luxury malls all over Vietnam. The affordable, compact VF 5 was intended to meet the needs of Vietnam’s domestic market. [CleanTechnica]
One of the first VF5 customers receives her car (Vinfast photo)
¶ “South Africa Is Seeking Renewable Energy Procurement Proposals” • South Africa has issued the first request inviting proposals for renewable energy procurement for 3,740 MW, in the biggest such program in Africa. Currently, coal is the major energy source for South Africa, accounting for around 80% of the country’s energy mix. [Oil Price]
¶ “NSW Chooses Preferred Network Operator For First REZ” • The Central West Orana renewable energy zone is expected to have capacity of up to 3 GW by the mid 2020s. New South Wales has been swamped with wind, solar, and storage proposals for 27 GW. ACE Energy was chosen to be the “first ranked proponent” as network operator. [Renew Economy]
White Rock wind farm (Epuron image)
¶ “Morocco–UK Power Project Using Renewable Energy Gets Early Funding” • Xlinks First Limited is developing plans to lay the world’s longest HVDC subsea cables, which are to run between the UK and Morocco as part of the Morocco–UK Power Project. The project successfully closed an early development funding round raising $37.33 million. [Al Arabiya]
¶ “Drax Ends Half A Century Of Coal-Fired Power Generation” • Global renewable energy company Drax announced the official end of coal-fired generation at Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire. At its greatest point, the plant had a capacity of 4 GW. Its remaining units are being converted to biomass, which Drax says is sustainably harvested. [Biomass Magazine]
Drax power station (Drax Group image)
¶ “Chernobyl: Survivors Reflect On Nuclear Accident, Russian Occupation” • Looking back on two of the most difficult periods since the plant opened in 1977, the nuclear disaster and Russian occupation, Chernobyl employees shared their personal stories with UN News on April 26, the International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day. [UN News]
US:
¶ “Senate Votes To Revoke Tougher EPA Emissions Regulation For Trucks” • The Senate voted to rescind a Biden administration emissions regulation for heavy-duty trucks that Republicans call too burdensome, warning it will hurt the trucking industry and have negative effects through the economy. Senator Joe Manchin sided with Republicans on the 50-49 vote. [CNN]
Capitol Building (Jorge Alcala, Unsplash, cropped)
¶ “Power Plants May Soon Have To Limit Their GHG Emissions” • A pending announcement from the Biden administration will seek to limit greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. Almost all coal- and gas-fired power plants would have to cut or capture nearly all of their CO₂ emissions, which account for 25% of US GHG emissions, by 2040. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “John Kerry Warns Relying On Carbon Capture Technology Is Dangerous” • In an interview with The Guardian, John Kerry, the US special envoy for climate, said that relying on carbon capture technology to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is “dangerous” and a cause for “alarm” because it is a distraction from what we need to do. [CleanTechnica]
Please click on the image to enlarge it.
¶ “‘Billions Of Dollars Sitting On The Sidelines’: NextEra Energy Executives Cite Big Plans For Renewables, Hydrogen” • NextEra Energy’s solar and wind projects are back on track following an effort to move its supply chains out of China. NextEra is now pursuing a stake in the green hydrogen and renewable natural gas sectors aggressively. [Utility Dive]
¶ “Almost Half Of Americans Are Ready To Buy An EV In The Next Five Years” • On the occasion of Earth Day, a consumer survey conducted by MINI USA revealed the US consumers’ changing viewpoints and considerations about EVs, highlighting shifting sentiments since MINI first conducted the same survey over the last four years ago. [CleanTechnica]
MINI Cooper (MINI USA image)
¶ “A New Con Edison Facility In Queens Is Ready To Bring In Renewable Energy” • A new electrical facility has opened by the East River in Astoria. It is replacing a nearby peaker plant that provided power at high demand times but did so at high cost and was highly polluting. The new plant, a 300-MW substation, will distribute renewably generated electricity. [NY1]
¶ “Company Seeks First-Time Restart Of Shuttered Michigan Nuclear Plant” • Holtec Decommissioning International bought the Palisades Nuclear Generating Station last June to dismantle it, weeks after previous owner Entergy shut it down. Now, with a $6 billion federal initiative to prolong older nuclear facilities, Holtec wants to restore it. [CBS News]
Have a simply spectacular day.
geoharvey 
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