Opinion:
¶ “Michael Mann Deconstructs The Current State Of Climate Denial” • Michael Mann is famous for helping create the iconic “hockey stick” graph. He recently sat down for an interview with Vox to talk about the latest tactics the fossil fuel crowd is using to rebut the message he and his fellow climate scientists are trying to promote. [CleanTechnica]
Michael Mann (Courtesy of Michael Mann)
¶ “Inflation Adjustments For Renewable Projects” • The New York State Public Service Commission is considering a proposal for inflation adjustments for renewable energy projects, which would provide the necessary financial stability to ensure these projects move forward. We are making an immediate call for public support. [New York League of Conservation Voters]
World:
¶ “Floods, Storms, And Fires Displaced 20,000 Children Per Day During Six Years” • Over 43 million children were driven from their homes by floods, storms, droughts, and wildfires over the six years from 2016 to 2021, according to data from UNICEF. That works out to 20,000 children displaced per day due to extreme weather fueled by climate change. [CNN]
Refugee camp (Julie Ricard, Unsplash)
¶ “World Breaches Key 1.5°C Warming Mark For Record Number Of Days” • The world is breaching a key warming threshold at a rate that has scientists concerned, a BBC analysis has found. On about a third of days in 2023, the average global temperature was at least 1.5°C higher than pre-industrial levels. Currently, 2023 is on track to be the hottest year on record. [BBC]
¶ “LFP Cathodes – Made In Morocco, Financed By China, And Exported To The West” • The USA has effectively locked out Chinese batteries from its domestic market, but what if such components as LFP cathodes are made in Morocco, in a factory financed by a Chinese–Korean partnership? Morocco has a free trade agreement with the US. [CleanTechnica]
City in Morocco (Walkerssk, Pixabay)
¶ “Germany Successfully Auctions Off 7 GW Of Offshore Wind Projects, As Experts Warn About Uncapped Negative Bidding” • Germany’s Federal Network Agency unveiled the outcomes of its largest-ever offshore wind auction, awarding 7 GW of capacity. This significant achievement marks a substantial milestone in Germany’s renewable energy quest. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Uruguay’s Power Grid Runs On 98% Green Energy. Here’s How” • Back in 2007, Uruguay had a growing economy but not enough energy to power the growth. It also had no fossil fuels. Now, typically 98% of Uruguay’s grid is powered by green energy. That change was enabled by the thoughts of a very bright man and powered by a lot of wind. [NPR]
Wind turbines in Uruguay (Matias Contreras, Unsplash)
¶ “Europe Could Become Energy Self-Sufficient In €2 Trillion Push, Study Says” • Europe could wean itself off fossil fuels and create a self-sustainable energy sector by spending around €2 trillion ($2.1 trillion) on solar, wind and other renewable sources by 2040, a study led by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research says. [Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide]
US:
¶ “Building Better Blades: Renewed Funding Supports Wind Turbine Blade Innovations” • A group of researchers at NREL, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, is working out how to make bigger turbine blades efficiently and cost-effectively. Part of the challenge is that the turbine blades should ideally last a long time and be recyclable. [CleanTechnica]
Wind turbine blade (ShellAsp, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)
¶ “A Heat Pump Water Heater Will Save All The Electricity You’ll Need To Power Your EV” • We should consider that some heat pumps are so efficient that their greater deployment will offset much of the electricity that we now use inefficiently. This saved electricity will allow new electrical loads, such as EVs, to be added to the grid seamlessly. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Alaska Moving Toward Equity, One House At A Time” • Alaska Native communities face enormous challenges when it comes to energy, housing, and health. While NREL researchers are doing groundbreaking R&D to chart the nation’s path to clean energy, the Alaska Campus focuses on deploying these technologies in frontline communities. [CleanTechnica]
Copper River at Gakona, Alaska (NREL image)
¶ “Grid Modernization Essential For State’s Energy Future, Officials Say” • Grid modernization is a complex topic for New Mexico. And the shift toward renewable energy will make it even more dramatic. Officials say that the one-way transmission of electricity from the utility to users is a model that soon will be as passé as rotary telephones. [Santa Fe New Mexican]
¶ “Allegiant Stadium Becomes First NFL Stadium Powered By 100% Renewable Energy” • The Las Vegas Raiders and Allegiant Stadium, in partnership with NV Energy, announced that the stadium has been converted to 100% renewable energy. The home of the Las Vegas Raiders is the first NFL stadium powered exclusively by renewable energy. [Raiders.com]
Allegiant Stadium (Image from Raiders.com)
¶ “Rooftop Solar Helps Rhode Island National Guard Cut Annual Electric Bill By $100,000” • The Rhode Island National Guard saved $100,000 in its annual electricity bill thanks to a 550-kW rooftop solar system. A SolarEdge DC-optimized system was installed on the rooftop of a heavy equipment maintenance facility at Camp Fogarty. [Solar Builder]
¶ “Georgia Power Will Pay $413 Million To Settle Lawsuit Over Nuclear Reactor Cost Overruns” • Georgia Power Co will pay $413 million to settle a lawsuit accusing the utility of reneging on financial promises to one of its nuclear reactor partners. The payments to Oglethorpe Power Corp could hold down future bills for millions of Georgia customers. [WABE]
Have a preposterously productive day.
geoharvey 