Opinion:
¶ “Volkswagen Has A Huge Avenue For US Market Expansion – If It Takes It” • In the first quarter of 2023, Volkswagen accounted for less than 2% of the US auto market. It doesn’t have a big US presence. But it could. A significant change in a market provides an opportunity for companies with no or low market share to grow in prominence. [CleanTechnica]
Volkswagen ID.2all (Volkswagen image)
¶ “Energy Production Priorities In The Era Of Climate Change – Analysis” • Wind power is a major part of the current energy picture. Its generation – whether on land or at sea – is growing in scope, and necessity, around the world. It is a story that offers some hope in the battle to ease the effects of climate change in the decades ahead. [Eurasia Review]
¶ “The Constantino Effect: A Remarkable Impact Of Renewable Energy On The Global Economy” • Renewable energy is rising, and the Constantino effect is in full swing. That term refers to the positive impact of renewable energy on the global economy, especially regarding job creation, reduced carbon emissions, and increased energy security. [Transcontinental Times]
Wind turbines (Fabian Wiktor, Unsplash, cropped)
Science and Technology:
¶ “Power Plant Has Turned Solar Power Into Green Hydrogen Fuel On A Large Scale” • Swiss researchers achieved a major milestone in green hydrogen production using solar energy. This system, developed by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, efficiently converts solar energy into hydrogen fuel with oxygen and heat as byproducts. [One Green Planet]
World:
¶ “Public EV Transportation In South America” • In a transition to electric buses, some South American countries are electrifying public transportion without having to rely on large numbers of imported passenger vehicles. Chile, Colombia, and Costa Rica are solving complex problems without the tools available in wealthier countries. [CleanTechnica]
BYD electric buses in Santiago, Chile (Courtesy of BYD)
¶ “BYD Unleashes The Seagull In China – And Its Cheaper Than A Petrol-Powered Honda Fit!” • BYD launched the updated Qin Plus EV. You can get a full battery EV with a heat pump, a 150 kW motor, and a 57.6-kWh Blade battery for just $20,350 in China. This makes it cheaper than a 2023 Toyota Corolla SE, which starts from about $20,900. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Kia To Increase EV Sales, Improve HVAC Efficiency” • Two recent news items from Hyundai and Kia (same company) show they’re still taking EVs seriously. The Kia EV9 has an improved thermal system with a heat pump, climate control system, and defrost and de-icing functionalities. Also the company increased its sales goals. [CleanTechnica]
Kia EV9 (Kia image)
¶ “Combat Rising Electricity Costs In Vietnam With Renewable Energy Solutions” • Electricity of Vietnam proposed to increase electricity prices to counter losses due to high fuel prices and volatile foreign exchange rates. Industry experts suggest that renewable energy solutions are critical to combat these costs while reducing carbon emissions. [SolarQuarter]
US:
¶ “Manchin Rails Against Biden’s Clean Energy Plans As He Faces Tough Political Headwinds In West Virginia” • Political observers in West Virginia were not surprised when Sen Joe Manchin mafe a stunning threat in a Fox News show: He could be persuaded to vote to repeal his own bill, the Inflation Reduction Act, if he is pushed enough by the Biden administration. [CNN]
Coal being moved in West Virginia (jpmueller99, CC-BY-SA 2.0)
¶ “Climate Change Activists Plan Protest At White House Correspondents’ Dinner” • Climate change activists announced plans to protest at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner where President Joe Biden is to speak. “No one can call Joe Biden a ‘climate-friendly president’ while he’s wrecking the planet w/ new oil + gas projects,” they tweeted. [ABC11]
¶ “Small Reactor Startups Vie To Push US Into New Nuclear Era” • During a hearing before the House Appropriations Committee, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm restated the “importance of nuclear energy.” But despite the support for nuclear power, no new projects are underway for any traditional nuclear reactors, just SMRs from business startups. [Macau Business]
Have a reasonably grand day.
geoharvey 
Leave a Reply