World:
¶ “The North Atlantic Is Experiencing A ‘Totally Unprecedented’ Marine Heat Wave” • Temperatures in parts of the North Atlantic Ocean are soaring off the charts. Parts of the North Sea are in a a category 4 marine heat wave – defined as “extreme” – according to NOAA. In some areas, water temperatures are up to 5°C (9°F) hotter than usual. [CNN]
Temperature anomalies (Climate Change Institute, U Maine)
¶ “Heat, Drought And Fire: Europe’s Year Of Extremes In 2022 Will Not Be A ‘One-Off,’ Report Finds” • The climate crisis is taking an enormous toll on Europe, which was ravaged by extreme heat, drought, wildfires and glacier melt last year, an analysis has concluded. It found that last summer was the hottest on record for Europe. [CNN]
¶ “Fossil Fuels Are “Incompatible With Human Survival,” Says UN Secretary General” • World leaders and their representatives are preparing for COP 28, which will take place in Dubai from November 20 until December 12. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has been monitoring those preparations and is less than pleased with what he has seen so far. [CleanTechnica]
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres (Mark Garten, UN)
¶ “No New EU Money For Green Tech In Latest Budget Review” • While the US is pumping $369 billion (€340 billion) into key industries like batteries and wind turbines, resistance from European capitals – notably Berlin – meant that the EU could only commit to a meagre €10 billion, under the mid-term budget review it announced. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Ford Continues EV Expansion In Cologne” • Ford has inaugurated the Cologne Electric Vehicle Center, a cutting-edge production facility dedicated to manufacturing Ford’s new generation of passenger EVs for a vast European clientele. The iconic Cologne plant has undergone a transformation as part of a $2 billion investment. [CleanTechnica]
Ford factory (Ford image)
¶ “Dairy Manufacturing Plant Revamp Among Victorian Renewable Energy Projects To Receive Funding” • Victoria’s Government is investing over $8 million through a bioenergy fund to boost 24 projects. One investment is to improve a dairy business that aims to convert cheese whey waste into biogas that can power its dairy plant. [Australian Manufacturing]
¶ “Transgrid Maps $16 Billion Plan To Modernise Grid For 100% Renewables” • Transgrid, a transmission group based in New South Wales, released a 10-year roadmap that outlines a A$16.5 billion ($11.17 billion) plan for the exit of coal, 100% renewables, and a complete change in the way the grid is managed and the technologies it uses. [Renew Economy]
Transgrid control room (Transgrid image)
¶ “Russians Mine Zaporizhzhia NPP Cooler, Threat Of Explosion Exists – Budanov” • Russian occupation forces mined the cooling system at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. If the mines are blown up, there is a good chance of “significant problems,” said Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov. [Ukrainian News Agency]
US:
¶ “ChargePoint Partnerships Growing – Tesla, Arval, ALD Automotive …” • ChargePoint is one of the largest EV charging station networks in the US. Following Ford and GM partnering with Tesla for access to Tesla Superchargers, ChargePoint is jumping in as well. Other companies offering charging stations are acting similarly. [CleanTechnica]
Chargepoint facility (Chargepoint image)
¶ “These States Fine People For Owning Electric Cars” • Some states are requiring EV owners to pay extra registration fees as part of a move to recoup lost revenue on gas taxes. In one state, a new senate bill requiring added costs for EV registration is set to become effective on September 1, and 32 other states feature similar fees. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “First 100% Tesla Police Department” • The South Pasadena PD is using $300,000 in taxpayer dollars plus its own resources to buy and customize twenty Tesla Model Y and Model 3 EVs. The trasition is expected to be complete in 2023. The Tesla EVs have zero emissions, low maintenance costs, reliability, and of course impressive acceleration. [CleanTechnica]
South Pasadena PD officers (Courtesy of Unplugged Performance)
¶ “Wind Speeds Will Make Or Break The State Power Grid This Summer” • ERCOT, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, says Texas could see a maximum power demands of 83,412 MW this summer. It may only have 65,091 MW available from natural gas, nuclear, and coal plants. To make up the difference, Texas will have to rely heavily on windpower. [KENS 5]
¶ “Ameren Missouri Plans Solar Farms That Can Power 95,000 Homes” • Ameren Missouri announced plans to open four solar farms by 2026, sufficient to power a total of 95,000 homes. The investor-owned power utility, which serves St Louis and eastern Missouri, said it would build or purchase the solar farms, with a total capacity of 550 MW. [Missouri Independent]
Solar farm (Photo courtesy of Ameren Missouri)
¶ “Xcel Energy Reports Surpassing 50% Renewable Energy Goal” • More than half of the power Xcel Energy generates across the eight states it serves now comes from carbon-free sources. In its 18th annual Sustainability Report, Xcel said carbon-free energy made up 53% of the its 2022 energy mix, compared to an average of 41% nationwide. [Sterling Journal-Advocate]
¶ “California Senate Approves Wave And Tidal Renewable Energy Bill” • The California State Senate unanimously passed SB 605, which directs the California Energy Commission to work with the relevant California state agencies to study the feasibility and potential for wave and tidal energy development. The bill now goes to the State Assembly. [Yahoo Finance]
Have a wholly uncluttered day.
geoharvey 
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