Opinion:
¶ “No, US Offshore Wind Developers Aren’t Killing Whales, And Haven’t Been Given Permits To Do So” • Michael Barnard writes, “Today I saw some egregious nonsense about offshore wind and whales I had never seen before. Was I surprised? No, not at all.” Very wealthy people may disagree on politics, but they often can agree on spreading untruth. [CleanTechnica]
Block Island wind farm (Dennis Schroeder, NREL)
¶ “So Not Only Are NIMBYS Delaying Our Essential Transition To Renewable Energy, They’re Also Taking Lots Of Money Out Of Our Pockets!” • The Boston Globe reports that the cost of the critically important New England Clean Energy Connect project increased by over 50% to 1.5 billion dollars while the developer battled NIMBYs for three years. [Mondaq]
¶ “NRG Energy’s Pivot Amid Power Sector Change” • Once a giant pure-play power producer, NRG Energy has cultivated a legacy of pioneering business models to withstand waves of change in the power sector. Its latest shift pivots from megawatts generated to customers served. Notably, it is selling nuclear and building renewable assets. [POWER Magazine]
South Texas Project nuclear plant (NRG Energy image)
¶ “Critical Issues Unaddressed As Takahama Reactor Restarted” • Japan’s oldest nuclear reactor was brought back online at the Takahama nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture on July 28 for the first time in 12 years. It left serious problems unaddressed, including the effectiveness of current evacuation plans in an emergency. [Asahi Shimbun]
Science and Technology:
¶ “Progress Reported On Proton Batteries, With Green Hydrogen Bonus” • In a proton battery, hydrogen is split from water and stored as protons at a carbon electrode. During the discharge cycle, proton batteries release their protons. They pass through a membrane to meet oxygen from ambient air, and that reaction produces water and power. [CleanTechnica]
Proton battery powering tiny fans (Courtesy of RMIT)
World:
¶ “Batteries For Hire Could Help Nigerians Ditch Generators” • Although Nigeria has vast energy reserves, more than 92 million of its people live without access to electricity, the International Energy Agency says. Those who are connected to the electricity grid experience frequent power cuts. A company called Reeddi is offering batteries for solutions. [CNN]
¶ “The UK Will Drill For More Oil And Gas In The North Sea” • The UK government announced plans to allow a big expansion of drilling for oil and gas in the North Sea in a move that green activists describe as a taking a “wrecking ball” to the UK climate commitments. He also announced plans for two carbon capture and storage sites in the North Sea. [CNN]
Idle oil rigs (Andy Beecroft, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)
¶ “NTPC Renewable Energy Wins 550-MW Solar Project at Record Low Tariff” • NTPC Renewable Energy has achieved yet another significant milestone in India’s renewable energy sector by securing the Letter of Award for a 550-MW Solar Project. The project was awarded at the remarkably low tariff of ₹2.56/kWh (3.1¢/kWh). [GreentechLead]
¶ “Ukraine Fights To Build More Resilient, Renewable Energy System In Midst Of War” • Amidst Russia’s war, Ukraine’s power is still on. Crews from UkrEnergo are on call 24/7 to respond to targeted attacks on their grid and to address local communities’ needs quickly after a missile strike. Renewable energy can make the grid more resilient. [CleanTechnica]
Ukraine solar resource map (Billy Roberts, NREL)
US:
¶ “How The US Is Fighting Back Against Deadly Floods” • In early July, the state of Vermont was hit by historic flooding. Over nine inches of rain fell in some areas in a single day. And climate change is projected to bring more precipitation. Restoring key floodplains in Vermont could reduce flood-related damages by 20%, a study had shown in 2022. [BBC]
¶ “NREL Researchers Bring Technical Expertise To Communities Selected For Geothermal Heating & Cooling Initiative” • NREL will assist communities in Colorado (Carbondale), Vermont (Middlebury), and Alaska (Seward and Pilgrim Hot Springs, a remote community near Nome) to install district or networked geothermal technologies. [CleanTechnica]
Geothermal power in Iceland (David Elvar Masson, Pexels)
¶ “US BOEM Finalizes Wind Energy Areas In The Central Atlantic” • As part of the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of deploying 30 GW of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced three final Wind Energy Areas in Atlantic Ocean waters off Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “New Program Aims To Use Renewable Energy To Power Utah Communities By 2030” • A new program is aiming to get Salt Lake City and a number of other communities across the state of Utah powered using renewable energy by 2030. Utah Renewable Communities is a state-wide project partnering with the utility Rocky Mountain Power. [KSL NewsRadio]
Salt Lake City (Brent Pace, Unsplash)
¶ “US DOE Announces Over $450 Million To Increase Access To Rooftop Solar Power For Puerto Rico Residents” • The US DOE announced up to $453.5 million from the Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund to increase residential rooftop solar PV and battery installations, with a focus to support Puerto Rico’s most vulnerable residents. [Department of Energy]
¶ “Vogtle Unit 3 Goes Into Operation” • Georgia Power declared that Plant Vogtle Unit 3 has entered commercial operation and is now serving customers and the State of Georgia. The new unit represents a long-term investment in the state’s energy future [which customers will have to pay down at high electric power prices – ghh] for decades to come. [WWNY]
Have a magnificently rewarding day.
geoharvey 