Opinion:
¶ “Oz Is Just Barmy About Hydrogen: Smart Energy Council Presentation Q&A” • Michael Barnard spoke at a Smart Energy Council webinar with over 300 mostly Australian participants. He made predictions about transportation, saying almost all of it would electrify. He followed this with a question and answer session with the participants. [CleanTechnica]
Electric aircraft (Evia Aero, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)
Science and Technology:
¶ “Partnering With Beavers To Adapt To Climate Change” • To mitigate climate change and adapt to a warming planet we need as many partners as we can get. This includes embracing nature as a key ally. Estimates suggest that nature-based solutions can provide 37% of the mitigation needed to keep climate warming to less than 2°C. [CleanTechnica]
World:
¶ “The Rival To The Panama Canal That Was Never Built” • The Panama Canal is essential to global trade, but a recent drought has left large numbers of ships waiting to pass along it, raising questions about whether an alternative route between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans is needed. The idea about a different route is coming up again. [BBC]
Ship in the Panama Canal (Paul Harrison, CC-BY-SA 4.0)
¶ “Four Million Children In Pakistan Have No Safe Water, A Year After Deadly Floods” • One year after floods devastated swathes of Pakistan, UNICEF, the UN children’s agency, said it estimates that eight million people living in flood-affected areas of the country are still living without clean water. Around four milliion of them are children, [CNN]
¶ “PEI Asserts Its ‘Clear Authority’ Over Wind Farms And Solar” • The Prince Edward Island government has made regulatory changes under the Renewable Energy Act to give itself “clear authority” to issue permits for solar and wind farms, including within municipal boundaries. The move will allow projects to go ahead even if the local council is opposed. [CBC]
Wind turbine at PEI (Sktaxpayers, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)
¶ “24% Of New Cars In France Now Plugin Cars” • Plugin vehicles continue to rise in France, with last month’s plugin registrations at 31,275 units, divided between 17,218 battery EVs (13% share of the overall auto market) and 14,057 plugin hybrids (11% share of the market). The former jumped 46% year over year, while the latter were up by 30%. [CleanTechnica]
US:
¶ “Colorado Makes Buildings More Livable, Less Polluting” • Colorado has passed nation-leading standards that will reduce climate-damaging emissions from large buildings. The Building Performance Standard will decrease greenhouse gas emissions from large commercial and residential buildings 20% by 2030, so Colorado can meet its climate goals. [CleanTechnica]
Denver (Logan Bonjean, Unsplash, cropped)
¶ “Green Mountain Power Expands Residential Storage Plan To All” • Vermont utility Green Mountain Power is one of the most progressive utilities in America. In 2015, it started a small pilot program that made Tesla Powerwall residential storage batteries available to a limited number of customers. Now, the program has been expanded. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “‘Thank You, Big Oil’ Campaign Targets Fossil Fuel Companies” • This week, drivers traveling on highways in Phoenix, Austin, and Fresno will see prominent billboards displaying a map of record-breaking temperatures that have been recorded across the US this summer. Its words read, “Brought to you by Big Oil,” by ThankYouBigOil.com. [CleanTechnica]
ThankYouBigOil bilboard (Bill McKibbon, via Twitter)
¶ “Governor Hochul Announces New York’s First State-Owned Energy Storage System Is Operating” • Governor Kathy Hochul announced that New York’s first state-owned battery project is operating in Franklin County. The 20-MW facility installed and operated by the New York Power Authority connects into the state’s electric grid. [Governor Kathy Hochul]
¶ “Clean Power Increases, Fossil Fuels Decline In California” • California Energy Commission’s System Electric Generation report reveals massive increases in generation by solar and wind power, decreased natural gas generation, and a nearly complete phase-out of coal in the state’s power mix. Solar had the greatest increase. [Environment+Energy Leader]
Solar array (California Energy Commission)
¶ “Biden’s Climate Bill Brings Investments And Jobs To Many Gop Strongholds” • It’s become commonplace to find workers installing solar PV panels on the roofs of homes in states like California or Arizona. But in West Virginia, it’s still a rare sight. That’s slowly changing, however, partly due to President Biden’s signature climate law. [Louisville Public Media]
¶ “Residents And Elected Officials Blast Utility Over Historic Wyoming Rate Hike” • Rocky Mountain Power proposed to hike power rates in Wyoming by an average of 29.2%. Extreme cold, heat, and drought last year spiked demand for electricity, forcing the utility to purchase natural gas, coal, and power at premium prices. Of course, critics blame renewables. [WyoFile]
Wind turbines in Wyoming (CGP Grey, CC-BY-SA 2.0)
¶ “USDA Officials Tout Solar Projects In Minnesota” • Federal officials made a stop at the Minnesota State Fair to tout new pilot projects combining solar power and agriculture in what is termed “agrivoltaics.” It puts solar electricity generation on the land alongside farming. Two projects are examples, one in Big Lake, and another in Ramsey. [Twin Cities Business]
¶ “TVA Reverses Course, Won’t Sell Bellefonte Nuclear Power Plant; Future Use For Facility Undecided” • Seven years after voting to sell its Bellefonte nuclear plant site, the Tennessee Valley Authority decided to keep the Jackson County, Alabama, power plant for another potential use. The use they intend is not clear. [Chattanooga Times Free Press]
Have a grandly gorgeous day.
geoharvey 