Opinion:
¶ “EVs Vs Hybrids: No Contest” • The EVs vs hybrids contest has been largely staged by politicians, legacy automakers, and media pundits. However, once EV chargers are as ubiquitous as gas pumps are now, the EVs vs hybrids contest will end – hybrids, with dual engines and two sets of likely problems, will fade into a Gen Z’s memory. [CleanTechnica]
Electric vehicle (Pixy.org, CC0)
¶ “What Drives This Madness On Hydrogen?” • Some people who know the science, run the numbers on decarbonization, and deal with otherwise informed people, are deeply perplexed about why they were getting hydrogen-for-energy questions and proposals twice each day. Here is an opinion about what is behind the hype. [CleanTechnica]
Science and Technology:
¶ “More Than A Third Of The Area Charred By Wildfires In Western North America Can Be Traced Back To Fossil Fuels, Scientists Find” • Millions of acres scorched by wildfires in the Western US and Canada can be traced back to carbon pollution from the world’s largest fossil fuel and cement companies, scientists reported. [CNN]
Wildfire (Annemarie Sutterfield, Pixy.org, CC0)
¶ “UCLA Says We Can Hack The Ocean To Store Carbon Dioxide” • A proposed pathway that could help extract billions of metric tons of CO₂ from the atmosphere each year was suggested by UCLA researchers. Instead of directly capturing atmospheric CO₂, the technology would extract it from seawater, enabling the seawater to absorb more. [CleanTechnica]
World:
¶ “Electric Bus Company Solaris Makes Two Announcements” • In Austria, Solaris struck a deal that will help the city of Lustenau meet its goals. Local transit operator Rheintal Busverkehr GmbH is buying sixteen Solaris Urbino 9 LE electric buses. Solaris also announced that it will be at the UITP Global Public Transport Summit 2023 in Barcelona. [CleanTechnica]
Solaris bus (Lukasz Bera, provided by Solaris)
¶ “India’s Largest Gas Distribution Company Plans Solar Module Manufacturing” • GAIL India, a government-owned natural gas company, announced plans to enter the solar module sector. GAIL, formerly Gas Authority of India Limited, plans to set up a vertically integrated manufacturing facility in collaboration with other companies . [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Octopus Expands French Wind Portfolio” • Octopus Energy’s generation arm has invested in three new wind farms in France. The three onshore wind farms, which are Croix Erable, Bertaut, and Le Langrois, have a combined capacity of 49 MW and will be added to the ten wind farms the company already manages in the country. [reNews]
Wind farm (Octopus Energy image)
¶ “Verano Energy Adds Projects To Portfolio In Latin America” • Renewable energy developer Verano Energy closed the purchase of three PV parks in Colombia, with a total of 296 MW, under the new resolution of the Colombian interconnections regulator. Verano now has a presence in Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and Peru. [Renewable Energy Magazine]
¶ “National Grid Outlines Steps To Decarbonise UK Power” • In a report, “Delivering for 2035: Upgrading the grid for a secure, clean and affordable energy future,” National Grid said that decarbonising the power system by then “requires a fundamental step-change” in the scale and pace of delivering new electricity network infrastructure. [reNews]
Storage system (EDF Renewables image)
¶ “Nuclear Power At Least 15 Years Away, Says Regulator” • CEO of the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency Dr Gillian Hirth told a senate inquiry considering lifting the nuclear energy ban, “The time frames for implementation, if it were established today, you would be lucky to have it up and running in 15 years … ” [The Mercury]
US:
¶ “US Charging And Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program Deadline Extended” • The Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program Notice of Funding Opportunity closing date has been extended to June 13, 2023 (14-day extension). The weblink to the CFI remains the same and notes the current closing date. [CleanTechnica]
Tesla chargers (J Dean, Unsplash, cropped)
¶ “Mississippi Takes Green Hydrogen To Next Level” • The DOE launched an $8 billion hydrogen program last year, and state officials around the nation are scrambling to get a slice of the pie. In some cases they are even putting partisan politics aside. The latest example is the deep red state of Mississippi, where Hy Stor Energy is hard at work. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Renewables Supplied 65% Of New US Utility-Scale Generating Capacity In Q1 2023” • Renewables provided almost two-thirds (64.64%) of new US utility-scale generating capacity added in the first quarter of 2023, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission data shows. Renewable energy now accounts for 27.67% of total installed utility-scale generating capacity. [Electrek]
Solar farm (Tom Fisk, Pexels, cropped)
¶ “Merck Commits To 90% Renewable Energy With New Off-Site Solar Project In Texas” • Merck, a German multinational science and technology company, announced a 16-year virtual power purchase agreement with Recurrent Energy for construction of the Liberty County Solar project in Texas. Merck will get 90% of its electricity from renewables. [Korea IT Times]
¶ “500-MW Hydrogen Power Plant Planned In Arkansas” • An Arkansas city known for its use of renewable energy announced plans to break ground this year on a power plant that would be part of the state’s first so-called “hydrogen hub.” Over $250 million would be invested in the first 50-MW project phase, expanding to 500 MW. [POWER Magazine]
Have an unqualifiedly restful day.
geoharvey 