Opinion:
¶ “The Corruption At The Heart Of COP28 Revealed” • COP28 is perhaps the world’s last chance to avoid a climate catastrophe. Yet reports indicate it may be little more than a dog and pony show, a fake conference intended to convince the rubes that serious action is being taken while secret deals are being made behind the curtain. [CleanTechnica]
COP 28 (Climate Justice Alliance image)
¶ “Empowering Electrification – Overcoming Grid Limitations with Battery Solutions” • “Electrify Everything” is the biggest cleantech call to action in the world these days. When it was a new and just slightly used phrase, it was catchy, but it didn’t seem ready to become the predominant climate call to action. But this is absolutely what is needed. [CleanTechnica]
Science and Technology:
¶ “Wave Devouring Propulsion: A Revolutionary Technology For Green Maritime Sustainability” • Academics from Cranfield University working on the concept of using wave energy for propulsion designed a method of achieving greater thrust from the power of the waves by harnessing submerged flapping foils on a vessel. [CleanTechnica]
Ship (Borderpolar Photographer, Unsplash)
World:
¶ “Groundbreaking Transatlantic Flight Using Greener Fuel Lands” • The first transatlantic flight by a large passenger plane powered only by alternative fuels has landed. Operated by Virgin Atlantic, it flew from London’s Heathrow to New York’s JFK airport. It would be challenging for similar commercial flights to happen because of lack of fuel. [BBC]
¶ “Coal Power, Traffic, Waste Burning A Toxic Smog Cocktail In Indonesia’s Jakarta” • Pollution is causing a rise in respiratory illnesses and deaths in Java, experts say. Smog in Jakarta comes from coal-fired plants, vehicle exhaust, industries, and trash burning. Many residents of the city are demanding that the government take action. [ABC News]
Jakarta (Afif Ramdhasuma, Unsplash, cropped)
¶ “New Scheme Uses Rooftop Solar, Grid Renewables To Reduce Social Housing Power Bills” • Residents of Melbourne’s social housing will see their power bills cut by as much as $400 per year thanks to a new partnership which will use onsite solar PV and renewable energy from the grid for power at the social housing apartment complexes. [One Step Off The Grid]
¶ “Beam Global Is Ramping Up Rollout Of Its Off-Grid Solar-Powered EV Charging Infrastructure” • Beam Global came into being because a charging station can have big enough power needs that new power lines have to be put in, even where utility power are nearby. It can be cheaper to put in a battery system for a solar-powered charging station. [CleanTechnica]
EV Charging (Beam Global image)
¶ “Renewables Data Underline Need For Federal Government Measures” • In Australia, the Clean Energy Council released its Q3 Renewable Projects Quarterly Report, confirming that 2023 has been a challenging year for large renewable energy projects. They reached a total of only 509 MW of financially committed projects thus far. [Clean Energy Council]
¶ “West Africa’s Potential Renewable Energy Capacity At 2000 GW: Report” • West Africa has a potential renewable energy capacity of 2,000 GW, which could meet the basic energy needs of its population, according to a report by Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company and PWC Middle East. The continent’s current installed base is 59 GW. [ZAWYA]
Liberia (Luis Gómez-Ordoñez, Unsplash, cropped)
US:
¶ “Labor Union Wins This Year Are A Win For EVs” • A United Auto Workers white paper says, “In order to preserve American jobs and work standards, what is needed is a proactive industrial policy that creates high-quality manufacturing jobs making EVs and their components.” That statement was important for the recent UAW labor agreements. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “New Biden Rule Requires States To Track CO₂ Emissions” • Last week, the Biden administration finalized a rule requiring states to track greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles. The new rule requires each state’s DOT to establish declining carbon emissions targets using fuel sales, fuel efficiency, and vehicle-miles-traveled data. [CleanTechnica]
Tractor-trailer (Daphne Fecheyr, Unsplash)
¶ “Vermont Environmentalists Push For More Aggressive Clean-Energy Goals ” • Climate activists gathered at the Vermont Statehouse to push lawmakers to require utilities to get more of their power from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. Members of 350Vermont argued that Vermont’s renewable energy is lagging behind other states’. [Seven Days]
¶ “Governor Hochul Announces More Than Two Gigawatts Of Community Solar Has Been Installed In New York” • Governor Kathy Hochul announced that more than 2 GW of community solar has been installed in New York, enough to serve 393,000 homes, reaffirming the State’s position as the top community solar market in the US. [Governor Kathy Hochul]
Solar farm (Wikideas1, public domain, cropped)
¶ “Eight-Year Delay In Pilgrim Decommissioning” • The Pilgrim Nuclear plant could take eight years longer to decommission than was expected six months ago. Owner Holtec International announced its second four-year delay since May, and the delay could have big implications for the disposal of radioactive water still at the plant. [Connecticut Public]
¶ “Arkansas Accepts $142 Million Settlement From Entergy Over Alleged Nuclear Plant Mismanagement” • The Arkansas Public Service Commission has agreed to a $142 million settlement with Entergy over the alleged mismanagement of its Grand Gulf Nuclear Station in Mississippi, which supplies power to multiple states, and overcharging for electricity. [KATV]
Have a comfortably constructive day.
geoharvey 