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Science and Technology:

¶ “A Key Electric Aviation Technology Started Testing In 2023” • Militaries around the world use a LOT of fossil fuels, and planes are hard to electrify. Militaries need high-performance planes, and the power density just isn’t there for most types of planes to be able to use battery power effectively. That doesn’t mean they aren’t testing electric airplanes. [CleanTechnica]

Electric airplane (DARPA image)

¶ “Seismology’s Eerie Report Exposes The Recurrent Rumbling Of Climate Change” • Research conducted by Colorado State University, based out of New York, found that over 35 years’ worth of data indicates that ocean waves have significantly increased in strength, reflecting an increase in storm intensity caused by global warming. [List23]

World:

¶ “The Year’s Most Extreme Weather Shows What A Warming Planet Is Capable Of, And What’s To Come” • In the hottest year on record, the fingerprints of a changing climate in a warming world were all over dozens of extreme weather events. Too much heat in the system raises the limits of what is possible in weather and pushes it toward the extremes. [CNN]

Storm (Felix Mittermeier, Unsplash)

¶ “Bangladesh sees dramatic rise in lightning deaths linked to climate change” • Bangladesh, which is blighted by extreme weather and heavy storms, suffers an average of 300 deaths by lightning every year, according to the UN. That’s compared with fewer than twenty annually in the US, which has almost double the population. [BBC]

¶ “South Africa’s Darkest Year Yet” • In South Africa, there was no load shedding in 2017, then 14 days of load shedding in 2018, 30 days in 2019, 54 days in 2020 and 75 days in 2021. in 2022 when there were 205 days. The year 2023 was supposed to mark a turnaround, but it has had over 300 days. Government ministers meanwhile engage in a turf war. [Scrolla.Africa]

Old cooling towers used for bunjee (Michael Schofield, Unsplash)

¶ “Major Investments Propel Smart Grid Development Globally” • As more electricity grids worldwide are connected to renewable energy projects, such as wind and solar farms, suppliers are using the change as the opportunity to develop smart grids that are safer, can better respond to consumer needs, and can carry out real-time demand monitoring activities. [Oil Price]

¶ “World’s Highest-Altitude Solar Power Station Connected To Grid” • The world’s highest-altitude photovoltaic power station in Shannan Prefecture of Xizang Autonomous Region in China was connected to the grid. Located on a plateau at up to 5,100 meters plateau, the power station is blessed with abundant sunshine all year round. [CGTN]

Shannan Prefecture (李大毛 没有猫, Unsplash)

¶ “North Korea’s Kim Vows To Launch Three More Spy Satellites And Produce More Nuclear Materials In 2024” • North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to launch three additional military spy satellites, produce more nuclear materials and introduce modern attack drones in 2024, as he called for “overwhelming” war readiness. [Action News 5]

US:

¶ “In Eight States: Tesla Model Y For $32,000 And Model 3 For $30,000 – This Weekend Only!” • Tesla has been sending out a lot of messages to try to move vehicles in the last few weeks of the year. The company is sending out emails and text messages, and it has been especially active pushing for more demand on social media. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla Model 3 (Martin Katler, Unsplash)

¶ “Fear Mongering About Range Anxiety Has To Stop – CT Governor Calls Out EV Opponents” • This month, Governor Ned Lamont of Connecticut was fed up with unrestrained political opponents who were fear mongering about EV infrastructure. “They’re all gnashing their teeth about range anxiety,” Lamont told reporters. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Texas Is Going To Send Lots Of Solar Modules All Over The USA” • Public officials in Texas have been scrambling to protect oil and gas interests, but the rug keeps getting pulled out from under their feet. In the latest development, Texas will soon host a massive new factory that aims to produce 5 GW of solar modules every year. [CleanTechnica]

Photovoltaic array (Courtesy of Waaree Energies)

¶ “New Life For Old Coal: Minelands And Power Plants Are Hot Renewable Development Spots” • An AES Indiana generating plant will soon stop burning coal. Two of its four units will be switched to burn gas, an the others will be replaced by renewable resources. Other coal-burning plants are being replaced with batteries and renewables. [Michigan Advance]

¶ “Houston Becomes Hotspot For Clean Tech Startups” • While Silicon Valley may be known as the world’s biggest tech hub, Houston is quickly catching up when it comes to clean tech. The major Texan energy hub is rapidly branching out into the world of renewables, supported by a broad array of startups investing in innovative green technologies. [Oil Price]

Have a comfortingly relaxing day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Emerging Trends In The US In Microgrid Development And Deployment” • There are nearly 700 microgrids across the US, contributing less than 1% to the national electricity output. But microgrids are a key piece of the puzzle in America’s changing energy scene, because they bring stability and dependability, and they help the environment. [Microgrid Media]

Rooftop solar system (Vivint Solar, Unsplash)

¶ “Mid-Ohio Valley Climate Corner: Some Good News For The Climate In 2023” • We had compelling evidence of the urgency needed to address the climate crisis right before our eyes in 2023. But it is important also to note the progress in addressing the climate crisis and those affected by climate change this past year. [The Parkersburg News and Sentinel]

¶ “NM Governor Unaware That More Light Pollution Means More Crime: Jennifer Sensiba” • Recently, I came across a post by New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan-Grisham bragging on yet another poorly-executed government program. This time, she is sacrificing the state’s view of the stars at night for another cheap stunt. And it may increase crime. [CleanTechnica]

Light pollution (Joshua Tree National Park, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “The Failed NuScale Project Lets Utah Down – Again” • Early last month, NuScale made headlines by canceling its proposed 462-MW small modular nuclear reactor at the Idaho National Laboratory. Here in Utah, the news was met with little surprise. In 2015, the NuScale project was eight years out. In 2022, it was still eight years out. [The Salt Lake Tribune]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Electric Cars Powered By Sodium-Ion Batteries Go On Sale In China” • Sodium-ion batteries have one advantage over most batteries in current EVs: They don’t contain lithium. Their down side is that they have roughly half the energy density of lithium-ion batteries, which means shorter range. China is a good market for low priced, no frills cars. [CleanTechnica]

EV event (Farasis Energy via CnEVPost)

¶ “New Technology Promises More Efficient Solar Cells And Faster Miniaturization Of Electronics” • A team of scientists at the University of Ottawa say they can make the first back-contact micrometric PV cells. The cells, with a size twice the thickness of a strand of hair, have significant cost and efficiency advantages over conventional solar technologies. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Heat: The Silent Killer Stalking Australia’s Summer” • In an “urban heat island” near Sidney, it can be 10°C (18°F) hotter than in seaside suburbs, due to geography, lack of green spaces, and lots of heat-trapping surfaces. Heat is Australia’s “silent killer” because it’s deadlier than all other natural disasters combined yet leaves no visual clues of its scale. [BBC]

Walk on a hot day. (Jarritos Mexican Soda, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Volkswagen Group’s Elli Now Has 600,000 Charging Points” • An arm of Volkswagen Group, Elli continues to extend its EV charging infrastructure across Europe. It now has more than 600,000 charging stations in 27 different countries around Europe. This includes various networks that have joined the Elli collaboration. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Solar-Powered Truck Achieves World EV Altitude Record” • Gebrüder Weiss, a European logistics company, announced that the company’s Peak Evolution Team has achieved a remarkable feat: setting a new world altitude record for EVs. The team drove to the astonishing altitude of 6,500 meters (about 21,000 feet) above sea level on solar power. [CleanTechnica]

Solar-powered truck (Image provided by GW)

¶ “Climate Scientists Hail 2023 As ‘Beginning Of The End’ For Fossil Fuel Era” • Global efforts to slow runaway climate disaster may have reached a critical milestone as global carbon emissions from energy peak. A growing number of climate analysts believe that 2023 may be recorded as the year in which annual emissions start to decline. [The Guardian]

¶ “National Grid Announces Commercial Operations Of Viking Link – The World’s Longest Land And Subsea Interconnector” • National Grid’s new Viking Link electricity interconnector is operational moving power between the UK and Denmark. With a capacity of 1.4 GW, the link runs for 475 miles to join substations in the UK and Denmark. [National Grid]

Laying a cable (Energinet image)

US:

¶ “Winter Is Here, But It’s Losing Its Cool” • Winter is here, but for most of the US, it’s feeling less and less like it. Winter is warming rapidly because of human-caused climate change and it’s having an impact on snow, tourism, winter sports, local economies, dinner plates, and even allergies. Winter is warmer since 1970 in 97% of the spots tested. [CNN]

¶ “US DOE Finalizes The Efficiency Standards For Residential Refrigerators And Freezers, Closing Out Remarkable Year of Cost-Saving Progress” • The US DOE announced two energy-efficiency actions to save American households and businesses $5 billion per year on their utility bills, while cutting energy waste and carbon pollution. [CleanTechnica]

Kitchen (Courtesy of GE, via Best Buy)

¶ “Electric School Buses More Than Doubled In USA From March 2022 To June 2023” • The World Resources Institute said the number of electric school buses operating or delivered in the US rose from 598 in March 2022 to 1,285 in June 2023. The number that have been ordered or awarded funding nearly tripled in the same period. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Four US Rooftop Solar Trends In 2023” • Wood Mackenzie reported a 24% growth in installations through the first three quarters of 2023. Supply chain constraints of 2022 eased, and California had a big surge in installations, as customers looked to secure legacy NEM 2.0 rates. Here are four rooftop solar trends that pv magazine USA reported. [PV Magazine]

Have an overarchingly superb day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Debunking The “Dirty” Solar Panels And Battery Myth” • The latest schmutz about solar panels and batteries circulating online is that both are “dirty,” with unacceptably high carbon emissions and environmental impacts. The message is that it’s better to stick with good old reliable coal, oil, and methane gas than take a risk on new technologies. [CleanTechnica]

Rooftop solar system (yue chan, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “More Than Forty Dead In Liberia After Leaking Fuel Tanker Exploded As People Tried To Collect Gas” • A fuel tanker leaking gasoline exploded this week as people gathered to collect the fuel, leaving more than 40 dead, authorities in Liberia said. The blast also injured at least 83 people. Similar deadly accidents have happened elsewhere. [ABC News]

¶ “Brighton & Hove City Council In The UK Steps Up Measures To Improve Air Quality” • An idling engine can emit up to twice as greehouse gas as an engine in motion. The Brighton & Hove City Council is introducing a measure to help reduce emissions from idling. Motorists could get a £40 fine if they leave parked vehicles running. [CleanTechnica]

Mercedes-Benz eCitaro bus (Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz)

¶ “Tesla Model Y Going To Be Top Selling Vehicle In The World In 2023” • While the numbers are not yet in, the Tesla Model Y was the top selling vehicle model in the world in the first quarter of 2023, in the second quarter of 2023, and in the third quarter of 2023, and the fourth quarter always Tesla’s best. It’s clear what 2023’s the top selling car will be. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Scatec’s 540-MW PV, 1,140-MWh Battery Storage Project In South Africa Begins Supplying Electricity” • Scatec announced that the Kenhardt plants in the Northern Cape Province, are sending power to the South African grid. The plant is designed to deliver 150 MW of dispatchable power to the national grid year-round, from 5 am to 9:30 pm. [CleanTechnica]

Battery storage system (Courtesy of Scatec and BYD)

¶ “Chinese Company To Develop 10 GW Of Solar In Egypt” • China Electric Power Equipment and Technology Co has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Egyptian government to develop a 10-GW solar energy project, Egypt’s government says. Fully developed, the project could save more than $1 billion in natural gas costs. [PV Magazine]

¶ “2023: A Year In UK Energy Industry Successes” • This year has been full of twists and u-turns, but the UK energy industry has persevered towards a net-zero trajectory. To celebrate the energy industry’s collective efforts, Current± outlines some of the top decarbonisation successes of 2023 in the UK, with comments from key industry players. [Current News]

GE Haliade turbine (Dogger Bank image)

US:

¶ “In Memphis, Community Action Helps Solar Plus Storage Triumph Over New Thermal Generation” • A Tennessee Valley Authority plan to spend billions on gas-powered plants led to public outcry. Now Memphis Gas Light and Water has scrapped its proposed gas-fired plants and will invest in solar power and battery storage. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “New Mexico Proposes New Regulations To Reuse Fracking Wastewater” • New Mexico environmental officials proposed a regulatory framework for reusing wastewater with a focus on the used, salty byproducts of oil and natural gas drilling in a major US production zone. Critics fear the plan might only spur more drilling for petroleum. [ABC News]

Pumpjack (Eric Kounce, public domain)

¶ “Utilities And Environmentalists Call For Big Reforms To Renewable Energy Law” • During the coming legislative session, Vermont lawmakers plan to take up a bill to strengthen the renewable energy standard. It will likely require utilities to source even more of their power from renewable energy, and rely more heavily on local and regional sources. [VTDigger]

¶ “BLUETTI Launches BLUETTI Solar +, An All-in-One Solar Power Program For Texas Homeowners” • BLUETTI, an energy storage company, introduced BLUETTI Solar +, which caters specifically to Texan homeowners who want solar and battery-powered home systems. This initiative aims to be seamless, cost-effective, and hassle-free. [SolarQuarter]

BLUETTI Solar + system (BLUETTI image)

¶ “Treasury’s Proposed Clean Hydrogen PTC Rule Disappoints Power Industry” • The Treasury Department released proposed regulations and guidance defining a tax credit for production of “clean hydrogen,” a significant supply-side incentive. Though long-awaited, the measure has stirred up strong disappointment from the power industry. [POWER Magazine]

¶ “40% Of US Electricity Is Now Emissions-Free ” • With monthly data known through October, we don’t have a complete picture of the changes for 2023 but some trends seem locked in for the year. Energy from wind and solar is roughly equal to that of coal, and total carbon-emissions-free sources will account for roughly 40% of US electricity production. [Ars Technica]

Have an utterly okay day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Twenty Ways NREL Made an Impact in 2023” • This year seems to have gone by so fast. However, NREL’s scientists and staff have busily propelled many remarkable achievements as the laboratory leads the energy transition to a clean energy future. Here, we take looks at twenty of NREL’s most-impactful research highlights from 2023. [CleanTechnica]

NREL’s Visualization Lab (Dennis Schroeder, NREL)

¶ “Clean, Renewable Energy: It’s Not Just A ‘Blue State’ Thing” • So-called “red” and “blue” states may seem as divided from each other as ever, but all fifty states have one important thing in common: Renewable energy is on the rise in all of them. While California moves to support a change to clean energy, so do Texas and Florida. [Environment America]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Electric Cargo And Utility Scooters Could Be An Apt Form Factor For Deliveries” • Deliveries of goods and services in urban areas can be a big source of air pollution and traffic congestion. Although e-bikes and electric cargo bikes are starting to make inroads into what was previously only the domain of vans and trucks, so are electric scooters. [CleanTechnica]

Utility scooter (Screenshot from Scootility website)

¶ “Road To Fuel Cell Trucks Leads Through Forklifts” • Forklifts aren’t particularly headline-grabbing, but they might be, if they help spur any buildout of the hydrogen fuel station network. Heavy-duty fuel cell trucks benefit from them, and a green hydrogen twist is already surfacing. Amazon is just one company looking into fuel cell trucks. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “World’s Tallest Wooden Wind Turbine Starts Turning” • A Swedish start-up called Modvion says it has just built the world’s tallest wooden turbine tower. The 2-MW generator on top has just started supplying electricity to the Swedish grid, providing power for about 400 homes. Modvion claims that using wood for wind power is the future. [BBC]

Construction work for wooden wind turbine (Modvion image)

¶ “The Year In Clean Energy: Wind, Solar And Batteries Grow Despite Economic Challenges” • Led by new solar power, the world added renewable energy at breakneck speed in 2023. If the trend is amplified, it will help Earth turn away from fossil fuels and reduce effects of severe warming. Clean energy is growing partly because it is inexpensive. [News and Sentinel]

¶ “Western China Provinces Accelerate Layout Of Clean Energy” • In the past, electricity from Sichuan and Qinghai provinces was transmitted to southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region when there were power shortages in winter. The region relies on its natural resources for green power now. This year, dozens of green power projects came online. [Xinhua]

Landscape in Sichuan Provence (李大毛 没有猫, Unsplash)

¶ “Vietnam Stays Committed To Developing Clean Renewable Energy” • Vietnam is committed to enhancing development of hydrogen energy production and hydrogen-source fuels in the regions with potential and advantages in renewable energy, close to major consumer markets, according to Nguyen Hong Dien, the Minister of Industry and Trade. [Vietnam Plus]

¶ “Masdar To Develop 2-GW Uzbek Wind Farm” • UAE energy company Masdar has signed an implementation agreement with the Government of Uzbekistan to develop a 2000-MW wind farm. The new agreement also includes deployment of 1150 MWh of battery energy storage capacity across five of Masdar projects in the country. [reNews]

Wind turbines (Masdar image)

¶ “Spain Confirms 2035 Nuclear Phase Out Deadline” • Spain has confirmed that it will go ahead with plans to close all its nuclear plants by 2035, though Europe is divided on whether nuclear energy should use to address climate change. Management of radioactive waste and dismantling of the plants will cost about €20.2 billion ($22.4 billion). [Oil Price]

US:

¶ “Memphis Says No To New Gas In Favor Of Solar Power” • In a win for West Tennessee communities, Memphis Gas Light and Water scrapped a proposal to build new dirty gas plants and says it will instead invest in solar power and battery storage. This came after the local utility got serious public pushback over the proposal. [Southern Environmental Law Center]

Tennessee bridge (Small Business Administration image)

¶ “Cummins Fined $1.67 Billion Over Diesel Defeat Devices In Ram Pickup Trucks” • It doesn’t seem that long ago that VW was sued for the “Diesel Gate” scandal in which VW diesel vehicles were found to be using emissions cheat devices. Now, Cummins is accused of using defeat devices for almost one million diesel engines in Ram pickup trucks. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Developers Hope A Balloon-Like Battery Will Aid Wisconsin Renewable Energy Efforts” • When Wisconsin’s largest coal plant, the Columbia Energy Center, closes in a few years, a carbon dioxide-filled “battery” developed by the Italian company Energy Dome will take its place. The facility will use carbon dioxide for energy storage. [Wisconsin Watch]

Columbia Energy Center (Courtesy of Alliant Energy)

¶ “Entrepreneur Recycles Metal And Other Parts Of Old Solar Panels” • As the world pivots from planet-warming fossil fuels to renewable energy, a new pollution problem is rearing its head: What can we do with old or worn-out solar panels? Adam Saghei, CEO of Arizona-based We Recycle Solar, has an answer, what he calls “urban mining.” [VOA News]

¶ “Pattern Energy Closes $11 Billion Financing Of Largest Clean Energy Infrastructure Project In US History” • Pattern Energy Group LP has closed an $11 billion financing and begun full construction of 550 mile SunZia Transmission and the 3,515-MW SunZia Wind, which combine to be the largest project for clean energy infrastructure in US history. [Pattern Energy]

Have an astonishingly wonderful day.

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(, CC-BY-SA 3.0) km² CO₂ NH₃ CH₄ ₹ NOₓ ‽ ♦♦♦♦♦

Opinion:

¶ “Building Decarbonization Policy Must Center Housing and Health Equity” • A brief from the NRDC highlights how racist practices create poor housing quality for at-risk communities and what can be done about this within building decarbonization policy. The NRDC collaborated with the Building Energy, Equity, and Power Coalition on the brief. [CleanTechnica]

New York City (Magnus Andersson, Unsplash)

¶ “Positive Environmental Stories From 2023” • As 2023 draws to an end, we’re confident the good news will keep on coming, as renewable power soars, vulnerable ecosystems gain rights, and climate protocols start to pay dividends. Climate anxiety is very real, but these good news stories from throughout 2023 prove there is hope for our planet. [Euronews.com]

World:

¶ “Climate Change: Seasonal Shifts Causing ‘Chaos’ For UK Nature” • The loss of predictable weather patterns is “causing chaos” for nature, according to the National Trust. It warns climate change is upsetting the regular rhythm of the seasons, making plants and wildlife vulnerable to disease. The effects can be seen at estates the National Trust manages. [BBC]

Red deer (Barry Edwards, National Trust)

¶ “Renewable Energy Drive For Indigenous Groups In Colombia” • Colombia approved regulations to encourage communities and indigenous groups to produce energy through renewable sources and sell it to the national grid. Earlier this month, bidding was opened for its first offshore wind farms. Only 1% of the country’s energy comes from alternative sources. [BBC]

¶ “Solar Panel Prices Down 30–40% In 2023, US Prices Down 15%” • The average global solar module price in the 3rd quarter of 2023 was down 30–40% from the 1st quarter of 2023, mostly due to imbalances in supply and demand in China. The US market gets almost no solar panels from China, but prices were down 15% in the same time. [CleanTechnica]

Solar panels (Mariana Proença, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Renewable Energy Investments To Surge 83% To $16.5 Billion In 2024” • India’s investments in renewable energy projects are expected to increase over 83% in 2024 to $16.5 billion, as the country focuses on energy transition to reduce carbon emissions, the Power Ministry estimates. India’s goal is to have 500 GW of renewable energy by 2030. [The Hindu]

¶ “Uruguay’s Green Power Revolution: Rapid Shift To Wind Shows The World How It’s Done” • In 2008, to escape high oil prices, Uruguay’s President Vázquez needed rapid solutions. He turned to Ramón Méndez Galain, a nuclear physicist, who would transform the country’s energy grid into one of the cleanest in the world, based on wind power. [The Guardian]

Wind turbines (Luca Bravo, Unsplash)

¶ “Record Amount Of Green Energy Installed In Italy This Year” • Italy installed a record amount of renewable energy this year, data released by a monitoring group shows. Over the first nine months of this year, 3.1 GW of renewable energy were installed, a record amount of new capacity for the period, the Renewable Energy Sources Observatory reported. [Xinhua]

¶ “EverGen Infrastructure Announces Completion Of The Fraser Valley Biogas Expansion” • In Australia, EverGen Infrastructure Corp reported completion of the Fraser Valley Biogas expansion and the delivery of first gas injection. Having acquired the facility in 2021, EverGen has delivered Fraser Valley Biogas’s original intended design. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

Fraser Biogas (Courtesy of EverGen Infrastructure)

¶ “Start Of Construction Underway For Three Big Solar Parks In Romania” • Romania joined the group of gigawatt-scale markets this year in terms of installed PV capacity. In fact, SolarPower Europe expects the country to reach 8.7 GW by 2027. The solar boom is fueled in all segments from prosumers to municipal authorities. [Balkan Green Energy News]

¶ “TEPCO’s Operational Ban Is Lifted, Putting It One Step Closer To Restarting Reactors In Niigata” • Japanese nuclear regulators lifted an operational ban imposed on a nuclear plant owned by TEPCO Holdings, the operator behind the Fukushima Daiichi plant. This allows the company to resume preparations to restart the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant. [KRDO]

Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant (D a, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

US:

¶ “Maine Storm Has Delayed A Key Vote On California-Style Limits For Gas Vehicles” • The rollout of potential regulations to drastically cut gas-powered vehicle sales in Maine was pushed back by a year because the Board of Environmental Protection had to delay a key vote after a storm caused power outages. The end of public comment was also delayed. [ABC News]

¶ “In Montana, Wind Is About To Overtake Coal Generation Capacity” • Data from the Energy Information Administration show that Montana coal plants had 1,631 MW of nameplate capacity in October. In the same period, Montana’s wind capacity was 1,479 MW. But two new Montana wind farms will soon come online, changing the balance. [Electrek]

Wind farm (Clearwater Wind image)

¶ “Illinois To Require EV Charging At Rental Properties Starting January 1” • Earlier this year, the Illinois Senate passed Bill 40, which will require single-family homes and newly constructed residential buildings with parking spaces to include conduits for EV charging, and it is going into effect on January 1. Other states are considering similar laws. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Solar Power Setting Records In 2023” • Solar installations are expected to hit new record highs in the US this year. In the 3rd quarter of 2023, solar installations were up 35% year over year. Analysts from the Solar Energy Industries Association and Wood Mackenzie expect around 33 GW of solar power capacity will be added in 2023. [CleanTechnica]

Have a totally copacetic day.

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Opinion:

¶ “2023 Has Been A Big Year For Climate Accountability In The Courts ” • Climate litigation had a momentous year in 2023. Courts worldwide heard evidence and arguments at pivotal trials and hearings. Landmark rulings marked progress in holding governments to account for climate inaction or denial, and new climate cases continued to be filed. [DeSmog]

Courtroom (Jeremy McGilvrey, Unsplash)

¶ “COP28’s Unrealistic Tripling Of Nuclear Power” • UN climate conferences since 1992 have failed to follow through with results, as CO₂ emissions continue higher and higher with every passing year. The most recent conference, COP28, embraced nuclear power as a godsend challenging climate change. This is more fantasy than reality. [CityWatch Los Angeles]

World:

¶ “Amazon Drought: ‘We’ve Never Seen Anything Like This’” • The Amazon rainforest experienced its worst drought on record in 2023. Many villages became unreachable by river, wildfires raged, and wildlife died. Some scientists worry events like these are a sign that the world’s biggest forest is fast approaching a point of no return. [BBC]

Dry river bed (Lucas Amorelli, Sea Shepherd)

¶ “Solar Faces Challenges in Procurement And Supply Chain Strategy: Rystad” • In a report, Rystad emphasizes a need to develop a procurement strategy for supply chains that prioritizes cost-effectiveness and sustainability. It finds the supply chains system for oil and gas equipment and services to be fragmented and geographically diverse. [Saur Energy]

¶ “TPG Weighs $750 Million Investment In Greenko’s Green Ammonia Business” • Greenko group, one of India’s largest renewable energy companies, is in talks with private equity investor TPG Rise Climate fund to raise as much as $750 million in its green ammonia business, said people familiar with the ongoing discussions. [Moneycontrol]

Solar array (Greenko ZeroC image)

¶ “Gulf Energy Development Expands Its Renewable Energy Portfolio With Twelve New Solar Projects In Thailand” • Gulf Energy Development Public Company Ltd has taken a significant stride in its renewable energy portfolio. It announced that it signed power purchase agreements for twelve additional solar projects in Thailand. [SolarQuarter]

¶ “Deep Wind Offshore Reveals 70-Turbine Wind Farm Project Offshore Sweden” • Deep Wind Offshore, based in Norway, is submitting a permit application for construction and operation of an offshore wind farm in the Gulf of Bothnia, off the south coast of Sweden. The Olof Skötkonung wind farm will include up to 70 wind turbines. [offshoreWIND.biz]

Offshore wind farm construction (EDF Renewables image)

¶ “Energy Sector Not Ready For Rapid Rise Of Renewables, Analysts Say” • A survey by the International Energy Agency of clean energy firms finds that not enough workers are being trained to fill the growth in skilled jobs. There is a great need, in particular, for trained electricians, to meet the rapid growth of wind, solar, and EVs. [Yale E360]

¶ “1.25 GW! Yingli Solar To Supply High-Efficiency Modules For Mega PV Power Plant In The Middle East” • Yingli Solar will provide 1.25 GW of high-efficiency PV modules for the Saad 2 PV project in Saudi Arabia. This project, developed by ACWA Power, is a pivotal part of the third round of PV projects by the Public Investment Fund. [Yahoo Finance]

Solar array (Raphael Cruz, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Turning Welding Machines Into EV Chargers” • Lincoln Electric, which has been in business since 1895, is known for manufacturing welding equipment of all types. It recently introduced its Velion line of DC fast EV chargers. Its Velion Level 3 DC fast charger platform delivers fast charging speeds with unparalleled reliability. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Large Indiana Solar Farm Approved To Power Southwest Michigan” • The Michigan Public Service Commission signed off on a large solar farm in Indiana to help power six counties in southwest Michigan. It approved a certificate of public necessity to Indiana Michigan Power Co for a 245-MW solar array to be built in Blackford County, Indiana. [MLive.com]

Solar farm (Mark Stebnicki, Pexels)

¶ “Wärtsilä Is To Provide Energy Storage System For Tampa Electric Company” • Technology group Wärtsilä will supply a 15-MW, 30-MWh battery system to Tampa Electric Company. It will be co-located with a 25 MW solar plant in Dover, Florida. The project will ensure grid reliability as the utility scales up its portfolio of solar energy. [Energy Global]

¶ “Advocates Hope To Use Map And Grant To Reduce Conflict Over Solar And Wind Siting” • As Indiana prepares to bring thousands of megawatts of wind and solar energy generating capacity online, environmentalists and educators hope to use mapping and grant-boosted education tools to manage strife over where projects go. [The Journal Gazette]

Have an unprecedentedly enjoyable day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Bill McKibben Lists Five Reason New LNG Terminals Won’t Be Approved. We Add One More” • After Russia cut Europe’s gas supply, the Europeans wanted new LNG terminals to ship US gas. Bill McKibben is campaigning to thwart the terminals. He listed five reasons why he thinks federal approvals may not be given. Here is a sixth. [CleanTechnica]

LNG tanker (HS Spender, Unsplash)

¶ “Coal State Sells Coal-Killing Iron-Air Energy Storage To Other States” • Oh the irony, it burns. Public officials in the iconic coal-producing state of West Virginia love to rant against renewable energy. But the state has just loaded up a $290 million incentive package to reel in the Massachusetts-based US energy storage startup Form Energy. [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Can Flow Batteries Finally Beat Lithium?” • A new type of flow battery uses anew kind of fluid called nanoelectrofuel. It can store 15 to 25 times as much energy as a traditional flow battery, allowing for a battery system small enough for use in an EV and energy-dense enough to provide the range and speedy refill of a gasoline-powered vehicle. [IEEE Spectrum]

Equipment to make flow battery anodes (Influit Energy image)

¶ “This New Recyclable Wind Turbine Is The World’s First To Use Elium Resin” • Taking a stride towards a circular economy in the wind industry, the ZEBRA consortium announced the production of the second recyclable thermoplastic wind turbine blade and the successful completion of the full-scale validation testing for the first. [Interesting Engineering]

World:

¶ “Christmas Eve: Hottest since 1997 after 15.3°C recorded near Heathrow” • It was declared the warmest Christmas Eve in the UK since 1997. Temperatures hit 15.3°C (59.5°F) in Heathrow, west London, and Cippenham in Slough, the Met Office said. The warmest 24 December ever was 15.5°C, in Aberdeen and Banff in Scotland, in 1931. [BBC]

Slough (N Chadwick, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “BYD’s Plan For Japan Is Good For Africa” • BYD has some big plans for the Japanese market, according to reports from Tokyo. Reportedly, BYD wants to sell at least 30,000 EVs in Japan each year, though a network of about a hundred dealers. This can be quite a good development for several countries in Africa that get most of their vehicles from Japan. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Suzlon Soars High With 193-MW Wind Power Contract In Gujarat” • Suzlon Group has secured a major contract from KP Group for a 193.2-MW wind energy project in Gujarat. The deal is for 92 units of their advanced 2.1-MW wind turbines, installed on 140-meter hybrid lattice tubular towers. This is a repeat order from KP Group. [Manufacturing Today India]

Suzlon wind turbine

¶ “ING Ditches Oil & Gas, Aims To Triple Renewables Financing By 2025” • The Dutch bank ING Groep NV has decided to phase out upstream oil and gas financing in favor of renewable energy. It said in a media release that its upstream oil and gas financing will be phased out by 2040, while its investment in renewable energy will be tripled by 2025. [Rigzone]

¶ “IEA Working To Cut Renewable Energy Costs In Developing World” • The International Energy Agency will work to ensure the World Bank, regional development banks, and others will prioritise the cost of investing in clean energy in developing countries following the COP28 summit last week, its Executive Director said. [The Fiji Times]

Wind turbines (Pagie Page, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Renewed Hope For Renewable Energy At The End Of A Rollercoaster Year” • The UK’s march towards a greener future took several blows over the last year, but ended with the return of optimism as 2023 ends. Despite a failed offshore wind auction in the summer, two of the biggest North Sea developers produced some good news in December. [Yahoo Finance]

¶ “Russian Emergency Service: Fire Reported On Nuclear-Powered Vessel, Quickly Extinguished” • A fire broke out on a Russian nuclear-powered icebreaker in the northern Russian port of Murmansk but was quickly extinguished by firefighters, the regional branch of Russia’s emergency ministry said. The fire was put out without casualties. [Yahoo News]

Sevmorput (Kinburn, Public domain)

US:

¶ “Record-High Temperatures, Cross-Country Storm Forecast This Holiday Weekend” • A white Christmas may not be a reality for a vast majority of Americans this holiday season. Record-high temperatures are possible for multiple regions around the United States for the Christmas holiday, while other regions could be hit with heavy rain. [ABC News]

¶ “Tesla 4680 Battery Production Is Trapped In Production Hell” • Tesla is making its new 4680 cells at the Gigafactory in Austin, where it builds the Model Y and the Cybertruck. But there are serious problmes with the new cell technology, both in the rate of rejection and in the time it takes to make them, which have suffered as manufacture scaled up. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla Model Y (Pontus Jerand Wernhammar, Unsplash)

¶ “US Electric Car Market at the Whim of Tesla Supply And Demand Trends” • During the pandemic, prices of both new and used EVs went up. Then, Tesla dropped its prices repeatedly. Now, new Tesla cars qualify for EV incentives, and Tesla ramped up production on lower priced cars, so the market values of EVs has had to drop. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Amazon Gives Surprising Second Life To Decrepit Coal Mine” • In November, Amazon came closer to using 100% renewable energy by adding two renewable energy projects in Maryland. The recently closed Arch Coal mine will become the largest solar farm in the state, with 300,000 panels. The other project will be an agrivoltaic system. [Yahoo News]

Have a blissfully cheerful day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Pity The Poor Climate-Aware Billionaire Oligarchs” • As we mark the passing of another year with the rituals of our religions, families, and cultures, spare a thought for the poor benighted billionaires who are trying and failing miserably to address climate change. They have a place to stand, a lever long enough, yet cannot move the world. [CleanTechnica]

World view (Look Up Look Down Photography, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Elegant Solid State EV Battery To Be Unveiled At CES 2024 By Schaeffler…Who?” • The field of solid state energy storage is about to get a little more crowded next year, when the German automotive supplier Schaeffler will reportedly unveil its new solid state EV battery at CES 24. The 75-year-old company is known for ball bearings. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “New Technology Can Rejuvenate And Extend The Life Of Old Solar Panels” • EtaVolt, a new company spun off from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, developed a nifty device that can rejuvenate and extend the life of old PV panels. The technology can be used on around 90% of all existing PV panels available worldwide. [Interesting Engineering]

EtaVolt PV rejuvenation device (EtaVolt)

World:

¶ “Germany’s Traffic Light Coalition Unexpectedly Turns Red For EV Incentives” • Germany abruptly stopped all remaining EV incentives, a year in advance of what had been promised, due to the country’s economic woes. The eco-bonus incentive, which was to go until January 2025, was cancelled with immediate effect on 17th December 2023. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “BYD Chooses Hungary As The Site Of Its First Electric Car Factory In Europe” • BYD announced it will build an electric car manufacturing facility in the Hungarian city of Szeged. Foreign minister Péter Szijjártó posted a statement on his Facebook page saying the BYD factory “will be one of the largest investments in Hungarian economic history.” [CleanTechnica]

BYD Seal (Photo from BYD Media Center)

¶ “Adani’s Wind Energy Project To Offer Lowest Unit Price In Sri Lanka” • Sri Lanka is grappling with rising electricity generation costs, lacking the benefits seen in neighbouring countries with Independent Power Producers. IPPs like Adani could offer a substantial 30% cost reduction, dropping unit costs below $0.10 giving a much-needed relief. [Colombo Gazett]

¶ “AMLO’s Oil-Heavy Energy Policies Face Scrutiny” • Mexico’s President Andres Lopez Manuel Obrador (AMLO) has bet big on oil and gas since his inauguration in 2018 but the sector is beset by poor standards and high levels of debt, leading many to question his choices. Meanwhile, the renewable energy industry has been swept aside. [Oil Price]

Mexican wind farm (Lynx Burgos, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

US:

¶ “Mystery Green Hydrogen Investors Not A Mystery Any More” • Some investors just can’t resist the allure of clean power in the US. The latest example is a Danish company that bills itself as “a global leader in offshore wind.” They are aiming at the US green hydrogen market, with an assist from one of the largest private businesses in the country. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Hybrid Sales Soar While EV Sales Plateau” • Americans bought more than one million hybrids so far in 2023, which is up 76% year over year. Sales of hybrids had been declining for several years. This turnabout comes as companies like GM and Ford are lowering the EV production targets. Consumers are still uneasy about charging away from home. [CleanTechnica]

Prius hybrid (Raivis Razgals, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “US Releases Rule Ensuring Only Green Hydrogen Gets $3/kg Tax Credit” • The US government unveiled its long-awaited proposed rules on clean hydrogen production. Green hydrogen projects will have to source power input from renewables assets on the same regional grid that have been installed within three years of H₂ production starting. [SolarPACES]

¶ “The Heavily Criticized “Aroostook Renewable Gateway” Suffers Another Setback” • The Public Utilities Commission of Maine has been forced to delay development of the Aroostook Renewable Energy Gateway because the developers can’t do the work for the agreed upon price. The line was to be connected to King Pine wind facility. [The Maine Wire]

Rendering of proposed transmission line (Courtesy of CMP)

¶ “South Dakota Rejects Opportunity To Use Federal Money To Expand Solar Power” • In another example of MAGAism stunting South Dakota’s growth, the Noem Administration has joined five other Republican-led states in refusing federal grants to boost clean energy. Non-profit and Indian groups have applied for the state’s allocation. [Dakota Free Press]

¶ “Georgia Power Ratepayers To Be On The Line For Another $7.6 Billion For Vogtle” • Reportedly, a financial agreement for the nuclear project boondoggle was approved by the Georgia Public Service Commission. It calls for the utility to cover at least $2.6 billion of an expected $10 billion in construction and capital costs spent on the Vogtle project. [WNEG]

Have the proverbially quintessential day.

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Opinion:

¶ “After A Terrible Year Of Climate News, Here Are 5 Reasons To Feel Positive” • There has been no shortage of bleak climate news this year. But amid the gloom, there have also been signs of progress. Renewable energy records have been set, and the world celebrated one of its greatest environmental wins. Here are five reasons to be hopeful. [CNN]

River in the Amazon basin (Artur Warchavchik, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Modeling Breakthrough Allows Researchers To Account for Occupant Comfort And Assess Smart Building Technologies” • About five years ago, a group of US National Renewable Energy Laboratory researchers looked at trends for electrifying home appliances and realized they shared a common, unaddressed need for tools. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Vestas May Expand Even Faster Onshore By Not Aiming For Even Bigger Wind Turbines” • Vestas announced two major orders in Germany and Lithuania for V162 turbines of 5.6 MW and 6.2 MW, with a combined capacity of 152 MW. The turbines are dwarfed by Vestas’ 15-MW offshore turbine, but Vestas is not aiming for bigger onshore turbines. [CleanTechnica]

Vestas wind turbine (Lina N, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Protecting European Auto (And Battery) Jobs – Finally EU Priority” • In her annual State of the Union address, Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, startled many by announcing a probe into Chinese EV subsidies. The result is not yet known, but carmakers have already started to shift EV manufacturing to Europe. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Britain Likely To Generate More Electricity From Wind, Solar And Hydro Than Fossil Fuels For The First Year In 2023” • For three months Tech Xplore tracked data for Great Britain (though not Northern Ireland, which is on the Republic of Ireland’s grid). They believe the UK is on track generate more electricity from renewables than fossil fuels in 2023. [Tech Xplore]

UK wind farm (Pixabay, CC0, Public domain)

¶ “Italian Centralised Storage Receives €17.7 Billion Injection” • The European Commission has approved a €17.7 billion ($19.5 billion) Italian scheme to support the construction and operation of a centralised electricity storage system of over 9 GW, 71 GWh, helping to integrate renewable energy sources into the country’s electricity system. [Power Engineering International]

¶ “E2E’s New Project Will Make Alberta Town First In Canada Powered Completely By Geothermal Energy” • E2E Energy Solutions and the municipality of Rainbow Lake, Alberta, are announcing a first of its kind pilot project that will power and heat the community entirely using geothermal renewable energy sources by 2028. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

Sunset at Rainbow Lake (snub_you, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “IAEA Continues To Seek Zaporizhzhia Reactor Rooftop Access” • International Atomic Energy Agency experts were told that security concerns meant they would not be going ahead with their planned access to the reactor rooftops at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant on 19 December. No alternative date has been set. [World Nuclear News]

US:

“160 Communities Now Automating Solar Permitting With SolarAPP+” • Over 160 US communities are using SolarAPP+™ (Solar Automated Permit Processing Plus), a free, online software platform for local governments that standardizes, streamlines, and automates the solar permitting process. They have approved over 32,800 projects. [CleanTechnica]

Homes with rooftop solar (Werner Slocum, NREL)

¶ “Long And Winding Road To US Offshore Wind Just Got 35 Miles Shorter” • US Wind, Inc, announced the start of a marine survey to prepare the final layout design for an 80,000 acre windpower project off the coast of Ocean City, Maryland. Alpine Ocean Seismic Survey will conduct data collection along the 35-mile route. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Pike Solar Powers Up, Commences Commercial Operations In Colorado” • Independent renewable project developer, owner, and operator Deriva Energy, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, announced the start of commercial operation at Pike Solar in El Paso County, Colorado. Pike Solar will provide energy to Colorado Springs Utilities. [PR Newswire]

Pikes solar array (Courtesy of Colorado Springs Utilities)

¶ “New Agreement Aims To Add Renewable Power To Montana’s Grid” • Two Montana communities have voted to approve the Green Power Program, which, pending approval by the state Public Service Commission, will add a new renewable energy source for local governments, businesses, and eventually for residents to tap into. [Sydney Herald]

¶ “Officials Surprised By Davis-Besse Devaluation” • The treasurer of a local school district is encouraging residents to contact state legislators for answers about why the valuation of the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Plant dropped by $54 million. The Ottawa County school district will realize a loss in property taxes of about $1.8 million. [Press Publications]

Have a really dreamy day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Top Clean Energy Accomplishments from US DOE in 2023” • In 2023, the US DOE made monumental strides in advancing the country’s clean energy goals. The DOE has been hard at work to combat the climate crisis, lower costs for American families and pave a path for our clean energy future. This article has a few of the top accomplishments of 2023. [CleanTechnica]

Power lines (American Public Power Association, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Scientists Find New Way To Desalinate Seawater Using Solar Power, Study Says” • Researchers at Nankai University in Tianjin, China, may have found a more efficient water to desalinate water using solar power, according to a paper in the journal Science Advances, offering a solution for global water scarcity through the use of renewable energy. [ABC News]

¶ “Floating Solar Power Plants To Hitch A Ride With Offshore Wind Farms” • The latest green development involves floating solar panels on the ocean instead of planting them on land. To ice the green cake, a Dutch-Norwegian shipyard spinoff called SolarDuck is laying plans to leverage offshore wind farms for its new floating solar technology. [CleanTechnica]

Solar Duck floating solar array (Courtesy of SolarDuck via RWE)

¶ “More Range from Nickel-Rich Electric Vehicle Batteries” • A seemingly simple shift in lithium-ion battery manufacturing could pay big dividends, improving EVs’ ability to store more energy per charge and to withstand more charging cycles, according to new research led by the DOE’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Is Nuclear Energy The Answer? It Depends On The Risk Threshold” • The cost of solar and wind power has been dropping as technology develops and the sector scales. SMR-generated nuclear power costs at least three times as much as power from solar or wind. The case of the NuScale SMR demonstrates the stark challenges. [JD Supra]

Sizewell nuclear plant (Geographer, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

World:

¶ “Angola Leaves OPEC In Output Quota Row” • Angola has announced it is leaving OPEC over a dispute on output quotas. This follows last month’s decision by the thirteen-member oil cartel and ten allied nations to further reduce oil production in 2024 to prop up volatile global prices. Angola produces about 1.1 million barrels per day. [BBC]

¶ “30% Of New Cars In France Now Plugin Electric Cars!” • Plugin vehicles continue to rise in France, with last month’s registrations ending at 45,281 units. There were 30,769 battery EVs (20% share of the overall auto market) and 14,512 PHEVs (10% share). The former jumped 52% year over year, while the latter were up by 18%. [CleanTechnica]

2023 Peugeot E-208 (Rutger van der Maar, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “23% Of Energy Consumed In 2022 Came From Renewables” • The share of renewable sources in gross final energy use at the EU level reached 23.0% in 2022. This represents an increase of 1.1 percentage points from 2021. The revised Renewable Energy Directive has revised upwards the EU’s 2030 renewable energy target from 32% to 42.5%. [European Commission]

¶ “Britain’s Roofs Can Be A Huge Resource For Solar Energy” • Roofs occupy an enormous amount of surface area in British cities and yet only a small fraction of this space is used for solar panels, despite the obvious benefits. There is the equivalent of thousands of hectares of suitable roofs. The chapel at King’s College, Cambridge is an example. [The Guardian]

King’s College (Wayne Yao, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Renewable Energy Now Exceeds 50% Of Installed Capacity” • China’s installed capacity of renewable energy has exceeded 1.45 billion kW (1,450 GW) this year, according to data released by the National Energy Administration. That means renewable energy accounts for more than 50% of the country’s total installed power generating capacity. [China Daily]

US:

¶ “Dreaming Of A White Christmas? Try Alaska. Meanwhile, Some US Ski Areas Hit With Rain” • “Some people will get their dream, their wish, and get a white Christmas right at the last minute,” said Judah Cohen, the director of seasonal forecasting at Verisk Atmospheric and Environmental Research. He said that climate change is behind reduced snow cover. [ABC News]

No White Christmas? (krakenimages, Unsplash)

¶ “Amprius Announces Ten-Fold Capacity Expansion At Its Fremont, California Battery Production Facility” • Amprius technologies makes some of the world’s highest energy density lithium-ion battery cells using proprietary silicone nanowire anode technology. Amprius is working on a gigawatt-hour scale production facility in Colorado. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Seattle Gets Creative To Limit Methane Gas Pollution As Industry Pushes Back” • After an appellate court ruled that because the federal Energy Policy Conservation Act prevents cities and states from setting certain standards, local authorities can’t ban fossil fuel burning appliances, the city of Seattle decided to get creative. [CleanTechnica]

Seattle (Stephen Plopper, Unsplash)

¶ “‘Water Is Life’: Navajo Nation Fights Serial Entrepreneur’s Hydropower Plant” • After Nature & People First proposed a pumped storage facility to replace the closed Navajo Generating Station, Navajo environmentalists are opposing the project. They assert that it will adversely affect the largest land area held by Indian peoples in the US. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Senators Markey And Warren Call For Strong Review Of Proposed Changes To Emergency Response Capabilities At Seabrook Nuclear Power Station” • Senators Markey and Warren urged the NRC to evaluate carefully a proposal to move important emergency response staff for the Seabrook plant from the plant to Florida. [Senator Edward Markey]

Have an entirely lovely day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Ontario’s Welcome About-Face On Renewable Energy” • Premier Doug Ford appears to have experienced a come-to-green-power moment. Ontario Energy Minister Todd Smith put out the call for 2,000 MW – about 5% of all generation in the province – of non-emitting power generation, including wind, solar, hydro and bioenergy. [Toronto Star]

Toronto (Lukas Menzel, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Scientists Successfully Replicate Historic Nuclear Fusion Breakthrough Three Times” • Scientists in California shooting nearly 200 lasers at a cylinder holding a fuel capsule the size of a peppercorn have taken another step in the quest for fusion energy, which, if mastered, could provide the world with a near-limitless source of clean power. [CNN]

World:

¶ “Nature Groups Go To Court In Greece Over A Strategic Gas Terminal Backed By EU” • Five environmental campaign agencies have launched legal action against a major natural gas project supported by the EU as a regional alternative to Russian energy. Greenpeace and the World Wide Fund for Nature led the legal action. [ABC News]

Gas-fired power plant (USFWS, public domain)

¶ “Gogoro To Power Uber Eats With Battery Swap Technology in Taiwan” • In many countries where scooters and motorcycles are a popular way to get around, people live in dense housing. With no driveway of their own to plug it in, it’s tough to actually get the scooter charged up at night. Gogoro figured out a way around that problem in Taiwan. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “New Fuel Cell Electric Truck Gets A Big Thumbs-Up” • The battle between batteries and fuel cells is heating up, but Daimler Truck is not picking sides. Its Mercedes-Benz GenH2 hydrogen fuel cell truck is aimed at operations that are less than optimal for battery-electric trucks, and five leading stakeholders have already signed up for it. [CleanTechnica]

Mercedes-Benz GenH2 truck (courtesy of Daimler Truck)

¶ “Dutch-Norwegian Cleantech Firm SolarDuck Bags €15 Million For Its Offshore Floating Solar Power Tech” • SolarDuck reported that it has secured €15 million in additional funding to advance its Offshore Floating Solar power technology. The funds will be used to execute SolarDuck’s first commercial projects and work towards its 1-GW 2030 target. [Silicon Canals]

¶ “Cheaper Tesla Model Coming To China Soon? Giga Shanghai Significantly Expanding” • Tesla is on the cusp of a significant expansion at its Gigafactory Shanghai, setting the stage for increased EV production and the launch of a highly anticipated budget-friendly model. This strategic move has the potential to bolster Tesla’s presence in China. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla Gigafactory Shanghai

¶ “Solar And On-Shore Wind Provide Cheapest Electricity And Nuclear Most Expensive, CSIRO Analysis Shows” • Electricity generated by solar and on-shore wind is Australia’s cheapest, even after the expense of integrating them into the power grid is factored in, according to analysis from the CSIRO. This contrasts with nuclear power. [The Guardian]

¶ “Green Hydrogen Gets Big Boost With Frontier Takeover Of Waroona Energy” • Australian renewable energy firm Frontier Energy has acquired Waroona Energy. With neighbouring large solar projects in Western Australia, the companies plan to create the state’s largest vertically integrated renewable energy hub and make green hydrogen. [pv magazine Australia]

Solar array (Frontier Energy image)

US:

¶ “$40 Million to Train the Clean Energy Workforce from Biden-Harris Admin” • Authorized by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the DOE’s Energy Auditor Training program will provide up to $40 million in grants for states to train individuals to conduct energy audits or surveys of commercial and residential buildings. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Oregon Appeals Court Finds Rules For The State’s Climate Program Are Invalid” • A state appeals court in Oregon decided that the rules for a program designed to limit and drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel companies are invalid. The department, however, said the decision was limited to an administrative error. [ABC News]

Mount Jefferson (Eric Muhr, Unsplash)

¶ “After A Brutal 2023, Offshore Wind Looks To Overcome Growing Pains” • In 2023, financial hardships and logistical challenges hammered project developers in the United States, leading them to cancel a quarter of the nation’s offshore wind farms under contract. But America has amassed a hefty pipeline of offshore wind projects. [Canary Media]

¶ “Chicago Archdiocese To Power Parishes, Schools With 100% Renewable Energy” • The power of the wind will soon power the Catholic Church in the Windy City. The Chicago Archdiocese announced that beginning in January its parishes, schools, offices, and cemeteries will switch to 100% renewable energy sources for its electricity needs. [National Catholic Reporter]

Chicago (Sawyer Bengtson, Unsplash)

¶ “Maine Turns Its Heat Pump Focus To ‘Whole-House’ Systems That Can All But Eliminate Fossil Fuel Use” • Maine’s new state incentives are pushing residents to adopt “whole-house” heat pump systems, making efficient electricity the primary home heat source and discouraging secondary use of oil or gas. They add to federal incentives. [Energy News Network]

¶ “Trench 94: The US Navy’s Nuclear Submarine Graveyard” • Do you ever wonder where nuclear submarines go when they die? That is, where their highly radioactive cores are stored? There is a place in the US, called Trench 94, which is effectively a nuclear submarine graveyard, containing dozens of old reactors that are stored in perpetuity. [IFLScience]

Have a notably industrious day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Five Lessons From Portugal’s Six-Day Renewables Streak” • Years of renewables development set Portugal up for stunning success this fall when the country met all of its electricity needs with renewable sources for six days straight. So the grid can run on 100% renewables, but what else needs to happen to go from six days of clean energy to 365? [Canary Media]

Steetcar in Lisbon (Vita Marija Murenaite, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Algae Biofuel Rises From Grave To Haunt Fossil Fuel Stakeholders” • Algae biofuel was a big deal two decades back, when sustainable energy advocates were on the hunt for a next-generation oil crop. Then, it seems, algae biofuel got lost in the clean power sauce. However, it has never really gone away, and now it has come roaring back. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Fears Of Higher Oil Prices After Red Sea Attacks” • Attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea risk pushing up the price of oil and other goods, analysts have warned. Several firms paused shipments through the route after vessels were attacked by Houthi rebels in Yemen. In that case, they reroute around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope. [BBC]

Container ship (Diego Fernandez, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “At Least 100 Elephants Die In Drought-Stricken Zimbabwe Park” • At least 100 elephants have died in Zimbabwe’s largest national park in recent weeks because of drought. Their carcasses are a grisly sign of what wildlife authorities and conservation groups say is the impact of climate change and the El Nino weather phenomenon. [ABC News]

¶ “South Africa’s Shoprite Group Has Doubled The Amount Of Renewable Energy Used For Operations In Just One Year!” • The Shoprite Group is South Africa’s largest retailer by sales, market capitalization, profit, and number of employees and customers. Shoprite is accelerating its solar rollout across its sites in South Africa and other African markets. [CleanTechnica]

Rooftop solar system (Shoprite image)

¶ “Six Energy Companies Unite To Accelerate Offshore Wind Development In Philippines” • Six energy companies have joined forces and formed a Philippine-based offshore wind industry organisation to provide the expertise and technical resources needed to accelerate the development of offshore wind projects in the country. [Offshore Wind Biz]

¶ “Walmart Starts Its Electric Semi Truck Transformation” • Walmart Canada is rolling out three electric semi trucks at a grocery distribution centre in British Columbia. It will use the Freightliner eCascadia electric semis. Each truck will travel about 110,000 km (68,350 miles) each year. Walmart intends to electrify 100% of its fleet. [CleanTechnica]

Walmart electric semi (Courtesy of Walmart)

¶ “Philippines’ SN Aboitiz Power Group Charts Bold Solar Expansion, Aiming For 1,000 MW By 2030” • SN Aboitiz Power Group, a collaboration of Aboitiz Power Corp and Norwegian firm Scatec, is expanding its renewable energy portfolio beyond hydroelectric power. The company aims to increase its solar capacity by 1,000 MW by 2030. [SolarQuarter]

¶ “Global Floating Wind Turbine Market Size Is Estimated To Reach $54,704 million By 2030” • Demand for floating wind turbines is growing. According to Straits Research, “The global floating wind turbine market size was valued at $5,655 million in 2021, projected to reach $54,704 million, and expand at a CAGR of 32.8% during the forecast period.” [Yahoo Finance]

Base of a floating turbine (US DOE, public domain)

¶ “Fewer Than Third Of Swiss Back Nuclear Power” • Fewer than a third of Swiss people favor nuclear power. Enthusiasm for wind turbines is also limited, according to a survey. The Swiss favour solar panels, primarily, and hydroelectric power plants. Large-scale rooftop solar installations are seen as the most important option, with 63% in favour. [SwissInfo]

US:

¶ “Biden-Harris Admin Announces $530 Million for Building Energy Efficiency And Resilience to Cut Consumer Costs” • The US DOE announce up to $530 million in technical assistance competitive grants for the adoption and implementation of the latest energy codes and standards. The program will be funded through the Inflation Reduction Act. [CleanTechnica]

Power lines (Dronebogus, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “Delaware To Negotiate With US Wind Over Benefits For State” • Governor John Carney announced the start of negotiations between Delaware and US Wind on its two planned offshore wind projects, seeking potential agreements for leasing state land, reducing electricity costs, and funding workforce and environmental projects. [State of Delaware News]

¶ “Governor Polis Announces Funding For Agrivoltaics Grants To Help Colorado’s Agriculture Benefit From Solar Tech” • Gov Polis and Colorado Department of Agriculture Commissioner Kate Greenberg awarded $500,000 in grants to seven projects that demonstrate the use and benefits of agrivoltaics, the use of land for both solar energy and agriculture. [Colorado.gov]

Solar array for agrivoltaics (Tobi Kellner, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Meta Signs Deal For 330 MW Of Renewable Energy In Illinois And Arkansas” • Utility-scale solar developer and battery storage company Adapture Renewables, announced that it signed three Environmental Attributes Purchase Agreements with Meta to procure 330 MW of renewable energy from three solar projects being built in Illinois and Arkansas. [ESG Today]

¶ “Physicians Say Pilgrim Nuclear Decommissioning Should Wait For Health Studies” • A statewide physicians’ association, the publisher of the New England Journal of Medicine, says further decommissioning of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station should be put on hold to wait for research to study the public health consequences. [WCAI]

Have a fundamentally civilized day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “New Solid State EV Battery Deploys Ceramic “Brain” From Saint-Gobain” • US startup Ion Storage Systems is getting ready to launch a solid-state EV battery into a high volume commercial manufacturing line, with a little help from materials specialist Saint-Gobain. If all goes well, it will charge faster, cost less, and be better in other ways. [CleanTechnica]

Core of Ion solid-state battery (Ion Storage Systems image)

¶ “Zeekr’s New Golden Batteries Are … Golden” • EV battery technology continues to advance, sometimes at what seems to be a rapid clip. Much of the progress is subtle, incremental, nearly ignored progress that eventually adds up to a lot. But a new golden battery going into the Zeekr 007 electric car is both eye catching and a big deal. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “University Of Waikato In New Zealand Replaces More Than Half of Its Fleet With EVs- First Batch Is Made Up of BYD ATTO 3’s” • In New Zealand, the University of Waikato is transitioning its fleet to electric. The university will have nearly 80 EVs for employees once this program is completed. It is also installing EV charging stations. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Atto 3 (Courtesy of the University Of Waikato)

¶ “Renewables Have Provided More Than Half Of All Germany’s Electricity This Year” • In some places, particularly those whose economies depend on extracting fossil fuels, renewables are said to be unreliable and costly, but Germany is proving the doubters wrong. Germany has generated more than half of the electricity it used this year with renewables. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “First Phase of Volkswagen North America Gigafactory Is Complete” • Volkswagen is one of the auto industry leaders in US EV sales. It’s one of the more serious and more successful car makers in the US in terms of battery EV sales. The good news is that the first phase of Volkswagen’s battery gigafactory in St. Thomas, Ontario, is complete. [CleanTechnica]

Future PowerCo Ontario plant (Courtesy of Volkswagen AG)

¶ “UK Solar Farm To Supply Discounted Power” • Photovolt Development Partners developed the 840-MW Botley West Solar Farm in West Oxfordshire. It is to deliver affordable electricity to residents at preferential rates through a retail energy company, SolarRetail. Some energy generated by Botley West is going to the local community at a discount. [reNews]

¶ “Seven European Countries Pledge CO₂-Free Power Systems By 2035” • Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland pledged to eliminate CO₂-emitting power plants from their electricity systems by 2035. Taken together, the countries account for nearly half of EU power production. [The Business Standard]

Wind turbine (Gustavo Quepón, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “GMB Union Says Urgent Action Is Needed To Tackle Safety Concerns At Sellafield” • The GMB trade union has called on the government and nuclear authorities to take “urgent action” to address safety concerns at the Sellafield nuclear site. The union wrote to demand more investment to keep 11,000 workers at the vast nuclear rubbish dump safe. [The Guardian]

US:

¶ “California Set To Become Second State To OK Rules For Turning Wastewater Into Drinking” • California regulators are set to vote on new rules to let water agencies recycle wastewater and put it right back into the pipes that carry drinking water to homes, schools, and businesses. It’s a big step for the state, but water is precious in California. [ABC News]

California Aqueduct (Ikluft, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “You Can Get A New Tesla Model 3 For $20,000 In New Jersey (Maybe)” • There is a lot of discussion about the prices of Tesla’s falling. Now someone on a platform formerly called Twitter, who goes by the name “Sami,” has gone beyond the norm to show that you can actually get a Tesla Model 3 in New Jersey for just $19,590 at the moment. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Some Good Climate News: Five Clean Energy Milestones We Hit In 2023” • Climate news can often feel gloomy. But amid the negative reports, there are optimistic stories about progress. The transition away from fossil fuels relies on expanding renewable energy and adopting electric appliances. Here are a few goals we achieved this year. [Fast Company]

Renewable electricity (Grzegorz Górniak, Unsplash)

¶ “Construction Underway On Kentucky’s Largest Solar Farm” • Construction of what is to be the largest solar array in Kentucky is underway. National Grid Renewables said its new Unbridled project, about 160 miles southwest of Louisville, is expected to go into commercial operation next year with 160-MW of generating capacity. [POWER Magazine]

¶ “WIN Waste Uses Refuse Collected By Mack EVs To Power Trucks” • Mack Trucks customer WIN Waste Innovations, a leader in the recycling and waste industry, received two Mack LR Electric Class 8 refuse vehicles. It is to be the first company in Massachusetts to power electric trucks exclusively by the waste collected by the trucks themselves. [NGT News]

Mack electric refuse truck (WIN Waste Innovations)

¶ “CPV Completes Massive Solar Project On Former Coal Mine in Pennsylvania” • Competitive Power Ventures’ affiliate CPV Renewable Power announced that CPV Maple Hill Solar, a 100-MW (AC) solar power generation facility in Portage Township, Pennsylvania, has completed construction and successfully entered operations. [Solar Power World]

¶ “Holtec Announces Delay In Indian Point Decommissioning” • Summary: Holtec International, the company responsible for decommissioning the Indian Point Energy Center in New York State, has announced a delay in the completion of the project. The decommissioning, originally scheduled to be finished by 2021, has been delayed before. [EnergyPortal.eu]

Have an entertainingly perfect day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Why Is Making EV Fast Chargers Reliable So Hard?” • For many EV drivers, charging away from home is often a nightmare, fraught with chargers that either are not working or that won’t turn on because of payment issues. The problems can originate with faulty installations, substandard maintenance, or improper management of software updates. [CleanTechnica]

Charging a Tesla (alex, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “EV Rentals Can Lead The Way To Increased EV Adoption” • A transition from cars with combustion engines to EVs will help to move the world toward reduced carbon emissions and improved air quality. Consumer confidence and affordability are barriers to the widespread adoption of EVs, so rentals have an important role to play in the success of EVs. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Why China Didn’t Sign Global Pledge To Triple Renewables” • China Dialogue asked experts why China, despite being a world leader in renewables, has not signed a global commitment to triple renewable power capacity and double energy efficiency by 2030. They said tripling renewables is achievable, but doubling efficiency is a sticking point. [Eco-Business]

Technician (WorldSkills, Flickr, CC BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “UAE’s Taqa Explores Stake In $2.1bn Subsea Cable Project Connecting Greece And Cyprus” • Abu Dhabi National Energy Company, known as Taqa, has signed an initial agreement to explore the prospect of becoming a shareholder in a project involving a high-voltage direct current subsea power cable between Greece and Cyprus. [The National]

¶ “First Batch Of Wind Power Projects In Inner Mongolia’s Gobi Desert Come On Stream” • The first batch of four wind power projects in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region’s Gobi Desert have come on stream. The area is rich in solar and wind energy resources. The installed capacity of the four projects is to be 3.1 million kW (3.1 GW). [Yicai Global]

Inner Mongolia (Audrius Sutkus, Unsplash)

¶ “Construction Of 216-MW Solar, 500-MWh Battery Plant Starts” • The construction of a hybrid renewables project in South Africa, with a 216-MW solar plant and a 500-MWh battery storage system to manage the intermittency of solar production, has been launched by diversified energy company TotalEnergies and its partners. [Engineering News]

¶ “Vestas Secures 186-MW Wind Turbine Order In Finland” • Danish wind turbine maker Vestas has secured a contract for 186 MW of wind turbines from the Finnish energy company Ilmatar. The order was placed by Ilmatar after reaching a final investment decision for the project, which is in Pahkakosk, 60 km north-east of Oulu, Finland. [Power Technology]

Transporting masts sections (Santeri Viinamäki, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Deploying Renewables Will Lower Africa’s Power Costs By 30%, Emissions By 90%, Says Former Nigeria VP Osinbajo” • Yemi Osinbajo, Nigeria’s former Vice President, has argued that with focus on renewable energy resources, Nigeria and the rest of Africa could reduce energy costs by 30% and reduce carbon emissions by 90%. [Arise News]

¶ “All turbines Installed At Saint-Brieuc” • Iberdrola-owned Ailes Marines announced the complete installation of the 62 turbines at the 496-MW Saint-Brieuc offshore wind farm in France. The jack-up vessel Brave Tern of the Norwegian company Fred Olsen Windcarrier installed the last 8-MW machine on position SB49 on December 17, 2023. [reNews]

Offshore wind farm (Iberdrola image)

¶ “South Africa Launches Bids For 5,000 MW Renewable And 615 MW Battery Capacity To Beat The Country’s Power Deficit” • The Government of South Africa has launched bidding rounds for 5,000 MW of new power generation capacity from renewable sources and 615 MW of battery storage, as the country fights to overcome power outages. [ETN News]

US:

¶ “US Auto Sales Down 8% In Q3 2023 Vs. Q3 2019” • The US auto industry is bouncing back, but it’s still below its pre-COVID days. Sales in the 3rd quarter of 2023 were 16% higher than sales in the 3rd quarter of 2022. But they were 8% below Q3 2019 sales. But battery EV sales in the US were up 44% from Q3 2022 and up 143% compared to Q3 2021. [CleanTechnica]

Rivian Pickup (Wes Hicks, Unsplash)

¶ “USDA Grows Solar Power In Rural Oregon Despite Limited Transmission, Assistance” • More farmland across the US will need to host power-generating solar panels for the country to decarbonize the electric grid and meet targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, according to the US Departments of Energy and Agriculture. [Cannon Beach Gazette]

¶ “Form Energy To Supply Storage Batteries For California Solar Project” • A Form Energy plant in Weirton, West Virginia, will supply iron oxide batteries for a PG&E energy storage project in Mendocino County. The $30 million project will use Form iron-air batteries to store electricity that it can discharge at 10 MW for 100 hours, to deliver 1,000 GWh. [WV News]

Form Energy battery installation (Form Energy image)

¶ “The Clean Energy Backlog Barely Budged This Year. What’s The Way Forward?” • Across the country, the amount of wind, solar and battery projects seeking connection to the grid has swelled to more than 2,000 GW. That far outpaces the total 1,250 GW of electricity generation capacity of all existing power plants on the US grid today. [Canary Media]

¶ “Georgia Residents Fear Rising Rates As Plant Vogtle Costs Soar” • Georgia residents are expressing their concerns about the potential rate hike that could result from the escalating costs of Plant Vogtle’s nuclear reactors. The Georgia PUC recently held a hearing to address how the expenses of the project should be divided. [TickerTV News]

Have an inexpressibly worthwhile day.

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Opinion:

¶ “COP28 – The End Of The 1.5°C Fantasy” • For all the happy talk in 2015 to mean anything, CO₂ levels should have been falling since then. But they have been rising, and this means the promise of the Paris climate accords was a mirage. Pessimists at the time suggested the good news was an illusion and sadly, they have been proven correct. [CleanTechnica]

John Kerry speaking (IAEA Imagebank, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

Science and Technology:

¶ “These Hot Rocks Can Glow Brighter Than The Sun. They Could Also Help Spell The End Of Fossil Fuels” •“[The rocks] in the box right now are about 1,600°C,” Andrew Ponec said, as he stood next to a thermal battery the size of a small building. That is nearly 3,000°F. “Hotter than the melting point of steel.” His company stores energy as heat in rocks. [CNN]

World:

¶ “Nations Begin Tightening The Screws On Chinese Electric Car Imports” • China today has dozens of electric car makers who crank out EVs at an astonishing rate. But as China gets closer to meeting its own electric car needs, its car makers are looking to export markets. For some countries, China is seen as a threat to local industry, and they are reacting. [CleanTechnica]

Volvo shipping (Courtesy Volvo Cars)

¶ “Lightsource BP Propels Renewable Energy Expansion in APAC with A$813 Million Solar Project Sale” • In a strategic move to fuel the expansion of renewable assets across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, Lightsource BP has recycled capital through the sale of five solar PV projects with an equity value totaling A$813 million ($545 million). [SolarQuarter]

¶ “Energy Shift In Action: Brown Coal Hits New Low In Victoria, Renewables Hit New High In NSW” • As the Australian Energy Market Operator unveiled its draft 2024 Integrated System Plan, Victoria and New South Wales set energy generation records, showing rapid shifts in Australia’s energy landscape. In Victoria, brown coal use hit a record low. [Renew Economy]

Wind farm in NSW (Grahamec, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “Zera Projects A Surge In Renewable Energy Investments” • The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority projected a surge in renewable energy projects as local companies move to protect themselves from power shortages that are expected to worsen. The Kariba hydropower station is expected to operate at subdued levels due to drought. [NewsDay Zimbabwe]

¶ “Empowering Bangladesh’s Energy Landscape: Germany’s Support For Sustainable Development” • Germany committed to providing financial aid totaling $208 million to Bangladesh. The aid is for thirteen projects in energy transition, sustainable urban development, enhancing supply chains, empowering women, and biodiversity conservation. [Eurasia Review]

Scene in Bangladesh (Amjad rana, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Russia Intensifying Pressure On Captured Nuclear Plant’s Staff” • The Russian invasion forces are increasing pressure on Ukrainian personnel of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the facility held by the Russians since March 2022, forcing them to get Russian passports and sign contracts with Russia’s nuclear generation operator Rosatom. [Ukrinform]

US:

¶ “Here’s How Wind Farms In The US Impact Nearby Home Values” • A study by Lawrence Berkeley National Lab examined a dataset of 500,000 home sales near 428 wind farms in 34 states. It found home sale prices within a mile of a wind farm tend to dip post-announcement, but they bounce back to what they were within three to five years of project completion. [Electrek]

Wind Turbines on a Farm (KSRE Photo, CC BY 2.0)

¶ “Federal Employees: It’s Time To Commute By EV Or Public Transit” • Federal employees, your days of driving a gas-guzzler to work solo are soon to become a thing of the past. The Biden administration is directing all federal employees to use more environmentally friendly options when traveling locally and for federal business. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Solar Rooftops Gain Traction As Electric Vehicles Owners Look To Skip Paying For Electricity Or Gasoline” • When Jim Selgo moved to his home in Arizona in 2019, he had rooftop PVs installed. Less than a year later, taking more action to address climate change, he bought his first EV, a Nissan Leaf. He hasn’t paid for electricity or gasoline since. [Fortune]

Have a simply grand day.

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Opinion:

¶ “The DOE Is Innovating For The Challenges Of Today And Tomorrow” • In the face of mounting pushback and legislative bills meant to stymie clean energy development, the US DOE continues pushing forward in facilitating the clean energy transition to strengthen our national energy security. In the face of 2024 elections, we must not waver. [NRDC]

Wind turbines (Werner Slocum, NREL)

¶ “New York’s First Offshore Wind Farm May Be The Future Of Energy” • Wind power currently provides only about 10% of the US electricity, mostly from the 70,000 land-based turbines. There are a few offshore turbines, but 35 miles off the coast of Montauk Point, New York, South Fork Wind could represent the next frontier of energy. [KTVH]

Science and Technology:

¶ “How Origami, Acrylic Skins, And Flexible Flaps Are Advancing Wave Energy” • With “distributed embedded energy converter technologies,” ocean wave energy technology developers can interweave small individual generators into devices of almost any size or shape, with materials that bend, twist, or stretch in ocean waves to harness energy. [CleanTechnica]

Flexible wave energy technology (Graphic by NREL)

¶ “Sila Battery Substitutes Silicon Powder For Graphite In Quest For 1000 Watt-Hour Per Liter Batteries” • Sila is planning to supply its Titan silicon powder to battery makers like Panasonic that will replace all or part of the graphite used for the anodes in traditional lithium ion batteries. The silicon powder has several advantages over graphite. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “More Diesel-Killing Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Trains Heading For Germany, Plus India Piles On” • In September the Siemens Mobility announced completion of the first round of testing for its Mireo Plus H hydrogen train. If all goes according to plan, fuel cell electric trains will begin ferrying passengers sometime next summer. [CleanTechnica]

Siemens hydrogen fuel cell train (Courtesy of Siemens)

¶ “India’s Ambitious Power Expansion Plan” • India aims to achieve an installed capacity of over 900 GW by 2031-32. This includes 284 GW of fossil-based capacity and 615 GW of non-fossil-based capacity (including nuclear, hydro, solar, wind, biomass, and pumped storage), along with battery capacities of over 47 GW, 236 GWh. [SolarQuarter]

¶ “Nova Scotia’s Largest Utility-Scale Solar Facility Is Complete” • Nova Scotia has the strongest greenhouse gas reductions target in all of Canada, aiming for 53% below 2005 levels by 2030, 80% renewables by 2030 and net-zero by 2050. With the completion of its largest solar facility to date, Nova Scotia moves another step toward these goals. [pv magazine USA]

Mahone Bay solar plant (Goldbeck Solar image)

¶ “DARES To Power 17.5 Million Nigerians With Renewable Energy Says World Bank” • The World Bank announced that it has approved the Nigeria Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up project, which is to provide over 17.5 million Nigerians with new or improved access to electricity through distributed renewable energy. [Businessday NG]

US:

¶ “This Electric Cargo Bike Can Go Up To 248 Miles Per Charge” • The Fiido Titan fat tire electric cargo bike is available with an option that can allow for really long rides between charging — up to 248 miles, which is remarkable for an e-bike. The specs on the Titan are impressive. For starters, it’s rated for 440 pounds of total carrying capacity. [CleanTechnica]

Electric cargo bike (Fiido image)

¶ “GM Announces Yet Another Cadillac EV Crossover” • In a recent press release, GM’s Cadillac division announced a fourth upcoming EV crossover: the VISTIQ. This makes four EV crossovers, with the cheapest to be the OPTIQ, followed by the LYRIQ, this new VISTIQ, and then the Escalade IQ at the top. Details are to come out next year. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US BEV Sales Up 143% Over Q3 2021” • US full battery EV (BEV) sales continue to grow by leaps and bounds. Despite all the hype about “weak” electric vehicle demand and sales, they are actually strong and growing. Compared to Q3 2021, BEV sales in Q3 2023 were up 143%. Compared to Q3 2022, BEV sales in Q3 2023 were up 44%. [CleanTechnica]

Hyundai EV (Hyundai image)

¶ “California Grid Operator Approves Power Line Connection To Idaho” • The California Independent System Operator approved a 285-mile (459-km) power transmission line that would allow it to import 1,000 MW of wind energy from Idaho and export excess solar power to that state, it said in a statement. It should be operating by 2027. [Yahoo Finance]

¶ “Holtec Wants NRC To Deny Antinuclear Groups A Hearing Over Proposed Palisades Restart” • Holtec International asked the NRC to deny a petition by three antinuclear groups who want a hearing about its request for an exemption to NRC regulations that forbid refueling a reactor that has been legally scheduled for decommissioning. [ExchangeMonitor]

Palisades nuclear plant (NRC, public domain)

¶ “California Regulators Vote To Extend Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant Operations Through 2030” • California energy regulators voted to allow the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant to operate for an additional five years, despite calls from environmental groups to shut it down. The twin reactors supply up to 9% of the state’s electricity. They date to the mid-1980s. [KPBS]

¶ “NRC Inspectors Praise Vermont Yankee As Example For ‘How To Decommission’” • Two federal NRC inspectors praised the work of NorthStar Group Services in its decommissioning of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant. They said they often bring other NRC inspectors to Vernon to see how it is being done and should be done. [Brattleboro Reformer]

Have a particularly cheerful day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Ontario’s Hydrogen Approach Will Be A B-School Case Study In Failure” • Ontario recently announced its first significant hydrogen project. It involves truckloads of hydrogen leaving Niagara Falls to be burned in a gas generator over 100 kilometers away. Multiple layers of energetic and economic nonsense are involved in this. [CleanTechnica]

Niagara Falls (Rafik Wahba, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Nine Breakthroughs For Climate And Nature In 2023 You May Have Missed” • In a tumultuous year, the positive milestones for the climate and nature might well have gone under your radar. Future Planet rounds up nine quiet wins of the year, plus one much louder one. They are remarkable steps forward in tackling the nature and climate crises. [BBC]

¶ “Historic COP28 Agreement Calls for Transitioning Away From Fossil Fuels” • At the end of COP28, as representatives were nearing hopelessness, an 11,000 page document was produced. It had what the UN is calling the “beginning of the end” of the fossil fuel era. The global pact includes explicit language looking to the end of Big Oil. [CleanTechnica]

McKibben and Bassey (John Englart, Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “COP28 Wrap Up – And A Child Shall Lead Them” • The final official pronouncement from conference did the unthinkable: It suggested that nations transition “away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner.” At one point, 12-year old Indian activist Licypriya Kangujam rushed the stage to add her voice. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Suzlon Secures 100.8-MW Indian Order” • Suzlon Group has secured a new order for 32 turbines at a wind project in India for an unnamed global utility. Suzlon will install the turbines with a rated capacity of 3.15-MW at the 100.8-MW project in Gujarat. The company will undertake post-commissioning operation and maintenance services. [reNews]

Suzlon turbine (Suzlon image)

¶ “Total Renewable Energy Generation In October 2023” • In a landmark moment for the Indian renewable energy sector, October 2023 witnessed an unprecedented surge in solar power, claiming a dominant position with a remarkable 66.31% share in total renewable energy generation. Concurrently, wind power crossed the 23% threshold. [SolarQuarter]

¶ “Solar Power Usage Shines Bright” • China is expected to add 160 to 180 GW of solar power in 2023, a record annual rise in capacity, the China Photovoltaic Industry Association said. For the first ten months of this year, the output value of China’s PV manufacturing sector has already reached 142.56 GW, a year-on-year increase of 156%. [China Daily]

Solar panels (Markus Spiske, Unsplash)

¶ “United Solar Energy Inks 700-MW Floating PV And Storage PPA In Sri Lanka” • The government of Sri Lanka has entered into a power purchase agreement with Australian firm United Solar Group for a 700-MW floating solar and storage project. Of Sri Lanka’s installed electric generating capacity, 59% is already renewable sources. [PV Tech]

¶ “German Nuclear Plant To Be Replaced By Europe’s Biggest Battery” • PreussenElektra, operator of the decommissioned Brokdorf nuclear power plant in northern German state Schleswig-Holstein, which was taken offline at the end of 2021, wants to transform the site into a power storage facility, reports from NDR say. [Renew Economy]

Brokdorf NPP (PreussenElektra image)

US:

¶ “California Leads US in Electric Vehicle And Charging Station Adoption” • California has led the United States in the number of EVs and EV charging locations every year since 2016, accounting for 37% of US registered light-duty EVs and 27% of EV charging locations at the end of 2022, according to new estimates in our State Energy Data System. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Why GM Offers The Hummer EV As A Military Vehicle” • This year, GM Defense took the Hummer EV to the next level, making a prototype that would make it a viable vehicle even on the front lines. With a tube-frame, rugged panels, upgraded suspension and tires, and even a 12-kW diesel range extender and generator, it has a lot of utility. [CleanTechnica]

Hummer prototype (GM image)

¶ “Offshore Wind Miracle Happening In USA” • For better or worse, the offshore wind profile of the United States has broken down cleanly along partisan political lines. However, one huge crack has finally appeared. Officials in the deep red state of Louisiana approved not one but two new offshore wind farms in the Gulf of Mexico. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Duke Energy Completes Its First Floating Solar Project In Florida” • Duke Energy’s first floating solar project in Florida is now producing clean, renewable energy while helping the company better understand the capabilities of innovative clean energy technologies to benefit Florida communities and customers, now and in the future. [Duke Energy]

Floating solar array (Duke Energy Image)

¶ “US DOE Reaffirms Commitment to Buy Tribal Energy” • On December 4, US DOE Secretary Jennifer M Granholm signed a memorandum reaffirming DOE’s commitment to purchase clean power from Tribes while working to meet the clean energy goals of the federal government. Tribes can think of the DOE as a potential customer. [Department of Energy]

¶ “Lawmakers To Revisit Vermont’s Renewable Energy Goals” • What would it take to source all of Vermont’s electricity from renewable sources? That’s a question lawmakers plan to tackle in the upcoming legislative session as they look to update the state’s renewable energy standard. Vermonters will need to rely less on fossil fuels, but how is that to be done? [WCAX]

Have a stupifyingly enlightening day.

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Opinion:

¶ “We Can’t Let Aging Transmission Stall Clean Energy Progress” • The power lines and components that once bought prosperity to far-flung rural communities and illuminated modern cities are simply not up to the job of managing the surge of new renewable energy or batteries consumers are demanding. Our grid planning and management must evolve. [CleanTechnica]

Power lines (Andrey Metelev, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Major International Financing Deal To Get Vietnam Off Coal Moves Ahead While It Locks Up Climate Defenders” • Last year, the Just Energy Transition Partnership announced that it would help Vietnam get funds to achieve its climate targets, including reaching net zero by 2050. At COP28, Vietnam showed a plan to do its part. But climate acitvists are in jail. [CNN]

¶ “Takeaways From COP28: What Does The Climate Deal Say?” • Nearly 200 countries agreed to a new climate deal at the COP28 talks in Dubai, after two weeks of negotiations characterized by controversy and bitter divisions over the future of fossil fuels. Some experts call the decision historic. Others say it’s filled with a “litany of loopholes.” Here is a review. [CNN]

Pipeline to nowhere (JJ Ying, Unsplash)

¶ “Japanese Refineries Close As Japan’s Petroleum Consumption Falls” • The US Energy Information Administration forecast in its Short-Term Energy Outlook that Japan would have the lowest annual petroleum consumption 2024 since 1980, in part due to its aging and declining population. Reduced demand is already affecting Japan’s refining industry. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “General Motors Did Not Get The Hydrogen Fuel Cell Memo, Either” • GM raised eyebrows last week, when it announced a hydrogen fuel cell partnership with the US specialty truck firm Autocar. Apparently that was just the tip of the fuel cell iceberg. GM has just announced a new partnership with another leading truck maker, Komatsu. [CleanTechnica]

Electric mining truck by Komatsu (Komatsu image)

¶ “Portugal’s Energy Transition Goals Pumped Up By Hydro” • Portugal sourced a record 72% of its electricity from clean power sources over the first 11 months of 2023, up from 56% over the same period in 2022, thanks to electricity generation from hydro-electric sources being more than doubled, according to data from think tank Ember. [Reuters]

¶ “EIB Agrees To A €5 Billion Wind Counter-Guarantee Scheme” • The European Investment Bank’s Board of Directors has signed off on a €5 billion counter-guarantee scheme to improve access to finance for wind turbine manufacturers. The EIB expects their guarantee to support up to €80 billion of investments in wind energy projects. [reNews]

Wind turbines (Thomas Reaubourg, Unsplash)

¶ “Renewables Surpass 40% In UK Electricity Mix” • Renewable energy has reached a historic peak in the UK, at more than 40% of the country’s electricity generation during the latest quarter. That’s according to the Drax Electric Insights report, which suggests this growth resulted in the lowest recorded carbon intensity of 143 g CO₂e/kWh. [Energy Live News]

¶ “This New ‘World’s Largest’ Wind Turbine Makes Power In Severe Typhoons” • China’s Mingyang Smart Energy rolled out the world’s largest offshore wind turbine. Mingyang designed the MySE 18.X-20MW to lower the Levelized Cost of Energy and ensure long-term returns. It has a modular, lightweight design, with high efficiency and reliability. [Electrek]

Ming Yang wind turbine (Ming Yang image)

¶ “Environment Groups Slam Ramokgopa’s Nuclear Power Announcement” • Environmental activists criticised the South African electricity minister’s announcement of a procurement for 2,500 MW of nuclear capacity as against rules for approval. They said independent modelling shows that nuclear power is neither affordable nor needed. [The Mail & Guardian]

US:

¶ “Electric Vehicle Prices Get MUCH Closer To Conventional Vehicle Prices!” • Most of a Cox update on the average sale prices of new cars is just trends in the overall auto industry. But they decided to slip in some big notes regarding EVs at the end, and they buried a huge gem in the very last line: EV prices have fallen almost to those of traditional cars! [CleanTechnica]

Jenny Ueberberg in her Tesla (Jenny Ueberberg, Unsplash)

¶ “The IRA in 2023: Building Up for Action” • This is a good time to reflect on the progress made so far on the Inflation Reduction Act. While some programs are still under development and not yet available for consumers, some have effects already. There has been enough work happening to ensure that the act will deliver significant, lasting benefits. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Solar Energy And Its Cheaper Bills Are Coming To More Disadvantaged Communities” • When a lightning storm knocked out power in Doris Brown’s neighborhood, her solar-powered home suddenly became a refuge for frantic neighbors without electricity. Non-profits had installed a solar system to make her home into a “hub home.” [Stateline.org]

Doris Brown at home (Courtesy of Solar United Neighbors)

¶ “Year in Review for DOE Clean Energy Innovation and Outlooks for 2024” • In 2023, we witnessed numerous exciting developments by the DOE while partisan fighting in Congress threatened to derail its ability to act as needed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, create good-paying jobs, and save money on energy bills. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Connecticut Needs Offshore Wind Energy Now” • Connecticut residents pay the highest rates for electricity in the continental US. Offshore wind power will help to provide much needed energy on a large-scale, can help mitigate the impacts of climate change and provide stable energy costs for generations to come, among many other benefits. [CT Mirror]

Have a super salubrious day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Training A New Generation Of ‘Climate Doctors’” • The Lancet called climate change the “biggest global health threat of the 21st century.” However, no one was being trained to deal it as a health issue. Now, a Colorado diploma program aims to turn working medical professionals into leading experts on both climate and health. [CNN]

Doctors at work (National Cancer Institute, Unsplash)

Cop28:

¶ “Core COP28 Climate Agreement Makes Unprecedented Call For Transition Away From Fossil Fuels, But Loopholes Remain” • The world agreed on a climate deal in Dubai at COP28 after two weeks of talks, making an unprecedented call for transitioning away from fossil fuels but using language that could allow some countries to take minimal action. [CNN]

¶ “COP28 Deal Pledges Global Transition Away From Fossil Fuels For First Time” • This is the beginning of the end of the fossil fuel era, UK climate minister Graham Stuart says. This “historic moment” that should inspire action across the globe, he says. “We’re now unified in a common commitment to move away from fossil fuels.” [BBC]

Offshore oil rig (Zachary Theodore, Unsplash)

¶ “First Ever ‘Fossil Fuel’ Decision At COP28 Climate Summit Falters On Phaseout” • The United Nations climate summit ended in Dubai today with the first ever commitment to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems. Nevertheless, the decision has loopholes that allow the fossil fuel industry to proliferate. [Center for Biological Diversity]

World:

¶ “Senegal’s Capital City Is Getting 121 Electric Buses!” • As in most major cities, chronic traffic jams in Dakar, Senegal, result in heavy air pollution and prolonged commute times. To deal with both issues, Dakar Mobilité has raised the €135 million it needed to deploy an electric Bus Rapid Transit network consisting of 121 electric buses. [CleanTechnica]

Electric bus in Dakar (Courtesy of Meridiam)

¶ “46% Of New Cars In Netherlands Now Plugin Cars!” • In the Netherlands, 46% of new car sales were for plugins in November. Furthermore, 34% were full electrics! The Dutch market saw an increase in plugin registrations to 12,902 units in November, up 34% year over year, thanks to the close to 10,000 battery EVs registered (+41% YOY). [CleanTechnica]

¶ “India Surpasses 72.02 GW In Solar Power Capacity, Driving Renewable Energy Transition” • India has achieved a significant milestone in the renewable energy sector, with the country’s solar power capacity reaching 72.02 GW, as confirmed by R. K. Singh, the Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy and Power, in written replies to inquiries. [DD News]

Indian solar thermal plant (Bkwcreator, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

¶ “Nextracker Achieves 10-GW Milestone in Middle East, Africa, and India Solar Power Markets” • Nextracker, a leading global provider of intelligent solar trackers and software, announced it has surpassed a corporate milestone of 10 GW of smart solar trackers either operational or under fulfilment for projects in the Middle East, Africa, and India. [Yahoo Finance]

¶ “Adani Group To Invest $100 Billion Over Ten Years In Green Energy Transition” • Adani Group released its half-yearly ESG compendium, showing progress in its decarbonization pathway. Five of its portfolio companies will invest $100 billion toward the energy transition. Adani Group is India’s largest developer of integrated infrastructure. [pv magazine India]

Wind farm in India (SuyogJoshiPhotography, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Subsea Project To Bring Renewable Power From Scotland To England Awarded £1.8 Billion” • A huge UK grid project awarded contracts worth £1.8 billion for a 190 km subsea transmission project to bring renewable power from Scotland to northern England. National Grid and Scottish Power plan to start building the £2.5 billion power line in 2025. [The Guardian]

¶ “Zaporizhia Depends On Single Power Line” • For several days, Ukraine’s Zaporizhia NPP has depended on a single power line for the off-site electricity it needs to cool its six reactors and for other essential nuclear safety and security functions, according to International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi. [Nuclear Engineering International]

IAEA team inspecting damage, 2022 (Copyright by IAEA)

US:

¶ “Stellantis Partners With US DOE For A ‘Battery Workforce Challenge’” • To design, test, and produce battery cells requires a process with industry, government, and research institutions all playing key roles. All of these players need to be working hard to develop the next generation of skilled people to take part in this important work. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “New US DOE Office to Coordinate Critical And Emerging Technology” • The DOE announced the Office of Critical and Emerging Technology to ensure US investments in areas such as AI, quantum computing, semiconductors, and biotechnology leverage it’s extensive assets and expertise to accelerate progress in these critical sectors. [CleanTechnica]

Engineer (ThisisEngineering RAEng, Unsplash)

¶ “Amazon And NREL Team Up On GHG Emissions Analysis” • The US DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Amazon, the largest corporate purchaser of renewable energy worldwide since 2020, are working to modernize greenhouse gas emissions quantification using higher-resolution data and longer-term modeling. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Residential PV Up 24% Through Q3, Growth May Slow In 2024, Says WoodMac” • Residential solar posted modest growth in installations in the US through the first three quarters of 2023, rising 24% year over year, according to Wood Mackenzie’s latest market insight report. However, it said the market should temper its expectations for 2024. [PV Magazine]

Have a satisfactorily gratifying day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Making Oil Is More Profitable Than Saving The Planet. These Numbers Tell The Story” • Oil companies have long been under pressure to invest more money into renewable energy to help fight climate change. Here’s one simple reason why they don’t: They make a lot more money selling oil. That leaves them with little reason to save the planet. [WGCU]

Pumping oil (David Thielen, Unsplash, cropped)

Science and Technology:

¶ “GE Completes Testing Sustainable Aviation Fuel On Tenth Aircraft Engine Model” • GE Aerospace is taking another step towards sustainable flights. The company announced it has finished testing with 100% SAF on ten aircraft engine models. GE Aerospace engines power three out of four commercial flights worldwide, the company said. [ABC News]

¶ “Recyclable, Plant-Based Material Could Take a Spin on Next Generation of Wind Turbines” • Most resins used in wind turbine blades require nonrenewable resources (like petroleum) and lots of energy to make. They are also difficult or impossible to recycle cost effectively. Researchers at NREL have developed a resin to deal with these issues. [CleanTechnica]

NREL team working on a turbine blade (Troy Boro, NREL)

¶ “New Zealand Company Uses Wood Chips To Make Synthetic Graphite” • Graphite is essential for lithium ion batteries. The Wall Street Journal says half the weight of a typical li-ion battery is graphite. China has been figuring out how to dominate supplies of materials needed to make EV batteries, including graphite. But graphite can be made from wood. [CleanTechnica]

COP28:

¶ “‘Verge Of Complete Failure’ Climate Summit Draft Drops The Mention Of A Fossil Fuel Phase-Out, Angering Advocates” • In Dubai, climate advocates are warning the COP28 climate summit could be on the verge of failure after the latest draft of the core agreement removed a call to phase out fossil fuels, the one thing most driving the climate crisis. [CNN]

Dubai (Mohammed Nasim, Unsplash)

¶ “Climate Summit In Dubai Headed For Overtime As Fury Over Fossil Fuels Widens Divide” • International negotiators at COP28 are preparing for a long day of painstaking negotiations that are likely to stretch into overtime, as deep divisions remain over whether to phase out fossil fuels. Climate advocates are furious at the weak draft agreement. [CNN]

¶ “UN Climate Talks In Jeopardy In Fossil Fuel Backlash” • The UN climate talks in Dubai could be in jeopardy after a number of nations reacted furiously to a draft deal on fossil fuels they call “weak.” The draft removed language from an earlier text urging that fossil fuels could be “phased out.” Unless all 198 countries at the talks agree, there is no deal. [BBC]

Train carrying coal in Tennessee (Chad Stembridge, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Stellantis Partners With Ample For Battery Swapping” • Ample and Stellantis recently signed an agreement to partner for the development of EV charging technology. Their goal? To deliver a fully charged EV battery in less than five minutes, which sounds pretty nice. They plan do this by use of Ample’s battery swapping technology. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Kenya’s Two-Wheeled Revolution” • Kenya is leading in electric motorcycle adoption in East Africa, with government initiatives to replace the roughly 2 million diesel motorcycles currently on the road. The Kenyan government hopes to boost local manufacturing and renewable energy use while promoting self-sufficiency. [CleanTechnica]

Burn Manufacturing Park in Kenya (Courtesy of Burn)

¶ “Global Nuclear Power Faces Unprecedented Challenges” • The World Nuclear Industry Status Report outlined severe challenges faced by the global nuclear power sector. The report, covering developments up to mid-2023, highlights a significant decline in nuclear production, with its share dropping to the lowest point in four decades. [Power Technology]

US:

¶ “Yet Another Oil Spill Hits the Gulf of Mexico” • A large oil spill hit the Gulf of Mexico on November 16, leading to a shutdown of the main pipeline and several others. But in December, more oil was detected on the water’s surface near the original spill. The Coast Guard has not confirmed whether the oil releases came from the same source. [CleanTechnica]

Gulf of Mexico (Robert Woeger, Unsplash)

¶ “Wisconsin Could Lose NEVI Funding” • Wisconsin is at risk of losing out on the federal funding for building out new charging infrastructure. The interstate highways are well covered, but there are still some significant dead zones in the state. A conflict between state and federal laws makes it nearly impossible to build charging stations. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Dual-Use Solar Makes Best Use Of Renewable Energy And Farmland” • New York is looking at ways to impliment dual-use solar by combining solar panels with other land uses, ranging from shade canopies for cars or a house’s awning to common agrivoltaic practice. Crops are still being grown on land where solar panels are installed. [Public News Service]

Fruit under PV panels (Lisamiri, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “Pritzker Signs Law Lifting Moratorium On Nuclear Reactors” • Governor JB Pritzker signed legislation lifting the moratorium on development of nuclear reactors in Illinois. Smaller nuclear reactors producing less than 300 MW will be allowed beginning January 2026. Morris Republican Senator Sue Rezin sponsored the proposal. [WGN]

¶ “House Passes Bill Barring Imports Of Russian Uranium For Nuclear Power” • The House passed legislation that would bar imports of Russian uranium for nuclear power plants. It was passed by a voice vote with bipartisan support. Republican Rep Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash) and Democrat Rep. Frank Pallone (NJ) spoke in favor of the bill. [The Hill]

Have a distinctly great day.

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Opinion:

¶ “The Oil And Gas Industry Is Behind Misinformation On Wind” • The fossil fuel industry has long funded misinformation about renewable energy. Offshore wind appears to be their latest target. Since 2019 at the latest, a nationwide campaign against offshore wind has been growing, using misinformation and obstruction. [Center for American Progress]

Offshore windpower (Reegan Fraser, Unsplash, cropped)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Gas-Killing Flow Battery Uses Table Salt For Long Duration Energy Storage” • Low cost renewables are are beginning to edge gas power plants aside, with help from energy storage systems. Pushing storage costs down will help kick the energy transition into high gear. A Dutch flow battery startup, Aquabattery, plans for plain old table salt to do it. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “This Shipping Container Uses Water And Solar Power To Capture CO₂ From The Air” • A startup based in the UK, Mission Zero Technologies, wanted to find a cheaper, more efficient way to capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Now it says it has done just that, and at a fraction of the cost of the methods used by other technologies. [Fast Company]

Carbon capture equipment (Mission Zero Technologies image)

COP28:

¶ “COP28 Slug Fest Over Language Heats Up” • COP28 is set to wrap up on December 12, but this year’s conference is bogged down in semantics as the delegates from various nations push their own agendas. The central failing of this and all past COP conferences is that the rules require any final statement to be approved unanimously. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “What Do COP28 Double Down, Triple Up And The Nuclear Commitments Mean?” • The Double Down, Triple Up pledge was signed by almost 120 countries. It is to triple countries’ renewable generating capacity and double the rate of efficiency programs by 2030. Also, 22 countries have signed a similar pledge to triple nuclear power. [CleanTechnica]

Wind turbines (Jason Blackeye, Unsplash)

¶ “China Backs G20 Goal To Triple Global Renewable Energy By 2030” • China supports the G20 push to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030, said Xie Zhenhua, China’s envoy for climate change. He also said during a COP28 news conference, that the world cannot forge ahead on energy transition without considering countries’ differing conditions. [China Daily]

World:

¶ “Clearly Ford Did Not Get The Fuel Cell Truck Memo: F-MAX Is Ready To Roll” • Despite the hydrogen fuel cell skeptics, the money just keeps flowing into new fuel cell ventures. In the latest positive sign for the technology, the Turkish firm Ford Otosan has a series of deals aimed to bring its F-Max heavy duty fuel cell truck to the European market. [CleanTechnica]

F-MAX fuel cell truck by the Turkish firm Ford Otosan

¶ “Supercapacitor Market To Hit $7.1 Billion By 2031, At A CAGR 15.9%, Says Transparency Market Research” • The supercapacitor market is projected to thrive, with a CAGR of 15.9% between 2023 and 2031. Transparency Market Research says supercapacitor sales are expected to reach approximately $ 7.1 billion by the end of the period. [GlobeNewswire]

¶ “Van Oord To Upgrade Svanen Heavy-Lift Vessel” • Van Oord plans to upgrade its heavy-lift installation vessel Svanen. Among other things, the gantry crane will be extended by 25 meters, so the vessel is ready to handle the next generation of monopile foundations. This will make the Svanen one of the world’s largest heavy-lift installation vessels. [reNews]

Svanen (Van Oord image)

¶ “Renewable Energy Market ($1,977.6 Billion) – Germany, UK, France, Italy, And Denmark Dominating Europe” • According to a report by Allied Market Research, The global renewable energy market size was valued at $881.7 billion in 2020, and is projected to reach $1,977.6 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 8.4% from 2021 to 2030. [EIN News]

¶ “Bangladesh Approves 1.5 GW Of Solar” • The government of Bangladesh approved tariffs for 200 MW of PV in November and 310 MW in October. In November, national authorities approved two 100 MW solar projects to be developed in Feni district in southeastern Bangladesh and Mymensingh district, in the north-central part of the country. [pv magazine India]

Solar power (Markus Spiske, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Washington Post Asks Why Tesla Autopilot Can Be Used In Places Where It Shouldn’t Be” • An article in the Washington Post on December 10, 2023 asks, if Tesla Autopilot is not intended to be used on roads that have cross traffic, why does Tesla allow it to activate on those roads? It’s a fair question, one that involves a number of factors. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Kia EV9 Buyers To Get Limited Free Charging From Electrify America” • Electrify America and Kia America have announced a special deal for the buyers of Kia’s new EV9 SUV, offering 1,000 kWh of free charging. This 1,000 kWh deal is redeemable at any Electrify America charging station nationwide through Electrify America’s app. [CleanTechnica]

Electrify America charging a Kia EV9

¶ “Hawaiian Electric Opens Negotiations For Fifteen Renewable Projects” • Hawaiian Electric will begin contract negotiations with developers for fifteen renewable energy projects to trim reliance on imported oil. The company seeks long-term contracts for 517 MW of variable generation, 654 MW of firm generation and 2.1 GWh of energy storage. [Power Technology]

¶ “Former Top Ohio Utility Regulator Surrenders In $60 Million Bribery Scheme” • Ohio’s former top utility regulator pleaded not guilty to charges related to a $60 million bribery scheme linked to a legislative bailout for two Ohio nuclear power plants. It has already resulted in a 20-year prison sentence for a former state House speaker. [CBS News]

Have an appreciably amusing day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Fossil Fuels: Can Humanity Really Kick Its Addiction?” • The unprecedented productivity of the industrial world means most of us enjoy prosperity and health our grandparents would find astonishing. Our hunting and gathering ancestors got by on the equivalent of 277 kWh of energy a year. The average American uses 50 times that now. [BBC]

Lighting America (NASA, Unsplash)

¶ “1.8 Million Barrels Of Oil A Day Avoided From EVs” • BNEF estimates that EVs currently prevent 112 million metric tons of CO₂ emissions per year. Shockingly, almost twice as many barrels of oil are not burnt each day because of electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers than because of electric passenger cars, trucks, and SUVs! [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Four East African Countries Are Going For Nuclear Power – Why This Is A Bad Idea” • East Africa has the fastest growing population in Africa, and this leads to a higher electricity demand. It is in many ways tempting for these countries to pursue a nuclear power plant build. But there are several risks of choosing the nuclear path.[Tech Xplore]

Nuclear plant (Jametlene Reskp, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Floating Offshore Wind Turbines Keep Getting Weirder (And That’s A Good Thing)” • Floating offshore wind turbines can be located in waters too deep for conventional turbines. US startup T-Omega Wind has come up with a novel floating turbine design that could open the door for new wind farms, while cutting costs to the bone. [CleanTechnica]

COP28:

¶ “Extinction Rebellion Climate Activists Dye Venice’s Grand Canal Green In COP 28 Protest” • Climate activists in Extinction Rebellion claimed responsibility for dumping a chemical dye into its historical Grand Canal and turning it fluorescent green under a protest banner that read: “While the government speaks, we hang by a thread.”[CNN]

Grand Canal (Christian Holzinger, Unsplash)

¶ “Coalition Opposes Australia Tripling Renewable Energy, Backs Nuclear Power Pledge At COP28” • The federal Coalition has declared at the Cop28 climate summit that it will back a global pledge to triple nuclear energy if the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, becomes prime minister, but will not support Australia tripling its renewable energy. [The Guardian]

¶ “We Really Could Triple Renewables By 2030, But It Won’t Be A Breeze” • In the past week almost 120 global leaders have pledged to triple the world’s renewable energy capacity before 2030. That is an “ambitious yet achievable goal”, according to the International Energy Agency. Nevertheless, it is not going to be an easy goal. [The Guardian]

Renewable energy (Mark König, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Sales Of Gas-Powered Sports Cars Surge Before Automakers Go Electric” • It took less than six weeks for French automaker Bugatti to sell all 99 units of the Mistral, a $5 million roadster built with a hell-raising 16-cylinder engine. Maybe it was the allure of an open-top hypercar. Or maybe it was the news that Bugatti is going electric. [ABC News]

¶ “Bear Attacks In Japan Are At A Record High. Climate Change And An Aging Population Are Making The Problem Worse” • In Japan, experts say bears are increasingly venturing out of their traditional habitats and into urban areas in search of food. Some suggest this is because climate change is interfering with some of the animals’ traditional sources of food. [CNN]

Bear (Zdeněk Macháček, Unsplash)

¶ “EV Sales Growing Faster Than Expected” • Electric vehicle sales continue to grow faster than most people expected, even faster than professional analysts in the field expected, and very surprisingly, they have grown much faster than oil companies forecasted. That’s one of the big takeaways from BNEF’s latest Zero-Emission Vehicles Factbook. [CleanTechnica]

US:

¶ “Massachusetts Decides To Move Away From Natural Gas For Residential Use” • Massachusetts is the first US state to begin phasing out natural gas as a residential heating source. Also, the state’s Department of Public Utilities rejected arguments from utilities and the gas industry that proposed the use of “renewable natural gas” and hydrogen. [CleanTechnica]

Massachusetts home (todd kent, Unsplash)

¶ “Ford And Resideo Partner To Show How EVs And Homes Can Work Together” • Ford and Resideo Technologies unveiled their joint project, the “EV-Home Power Partnership.” This simulation initiative will look at vehicle-to-home energy management. The companies will explore the potential of EV batteries to help with home energy usage. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “New York City Makes 8,500 Acres Of Parking Lots Eligible For Solar Canopy Development” • The New York City council passed a zoning initiative it calls the “City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality.” It says the initiative will move the city toward more equitable and sustainable living landmark legislation that relaxes restrictions on solar developments. [CleanTechnica]

Have an altogether admirable day.

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Opinion:

¶ “A Dangerous Fuel Threatens To Undermine The World’s Renewable Energy Promises” • While commitments to reduce fossil fuel use are getting attention, some people at COP28 have an eye to human rights and forest destruction. They are warning about a powerful impostor in the renewable energy sphere: forest biomass. [National Observer]

Cut wood (Yusuf Onuk, Unsplash)

¶ “The Guardian View On Sellafield Scandals: Ministers Must Put Public Safety Before Secrecy” • There will be many reasons why Britain’s energy secretary, Claire Coutinho, went public with her unease about “serious and concerning” allegations raised by the Guardian this week over cybersecurity, site safety, and a “toxic” workplace culture in Sellafield. [The Guardian]

COP28

¶ “On COP28 Sidelines, Emirati ‘Green City’ Falls Short Of Ambitions, Still Has Lessons” • Now 17 years and billions of dollars in the making, Masdar City was first envisioned as a sustainable city of tomorrow with features like no cars, subway “pods,” and solar-powered buildings rising from the desert sands. Critics call it a “failed city.” [ABC News]

Podcar, but no people (Jan Seifert, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Andrew Forrest Goes On The Offensive At COP 28” • Andrew Forrest is the second wealthiest man in Australia. He made his fortune in mining but has become a passionate advocate for replacing fossil fuels with renewables. He says his mining firms will be fossil fuel free by 2030. At COP28, he is leading the effort to phase out fossil fuels. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Department of Energy Announces The Country’s Clean Energy Achievements at COP28” • The US DOE announced a range of initiatives on issues from zero-emissions transportation and building decarbonization to clean hydrogen and nuclear energy to spur the transition to clean energy systems and help keep the goal of 1.5°C within reach. [CleanTechnica]

Wind turbines (Priscilla Du Preez, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “ACWA Power Signs Deal To Develop Largest Green Hydrogen Project In Indonesia” • Saudi Arabian company ACWA Power is set to develop in the largest green hydrogen facility in Indonesia with PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara, Indonesia’s state-owned electricity provider and PT Pupuk Indonesia, a state-owned chemical producer. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶ “Tesla Giga Shanghai Hits New Production Record” • Tesla Giga Shanghai hit a monthly production record and rolled out 90,802 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in November, mostly for delivery in December, according to reports. They also say the Model Y is sold out for 2023 in China, and Tesla indicated it is still targeting 1.8 million vehicle sales in 2023. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla Model 3 Highland

¶ “World’s Largest Concentrated Solar Power Plant Completed In Dubai” • A 950-MW solar energy complex has been inaugurated in Dubai. The hybrid facility consists of the most powerful concentrated solar power system on the planet and a PV unit. It is the fourth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. [Balkan Green Energy News]

¶ “Nuclear who?” • Authors of the “World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2023” describe the future role of nuclear energy in the global energy mix as “irrelevant” and “marginal.” They add that there were 407 operational reactors producing 365 GW in the middle of the year, which is less than the installed solar capacity expected at the end of the year. [pv magazine Australia]

Pickering nuclear plant in Canada (John McArthur, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Large Majority Of US Adults And Half Of Republicans Agree With Biden’s Goal To Slash Climate Pollution” • A broad majority of US adults – 73% – say the federal government should develop its climate policies with the goal of cutting the country’s planet-warming pollution in half by the end of the decade, according to a new CNN poll. [CNN]

¶ “Ford Mustang Mach-E To Lose Tax Credit in January” • Ford announced to dealers that the Mustang Mach-E would be losing access to the tax credits it currently qualifies for. The problem is that Ford needs to provide EVs with batteries that do not include materials sourced from certain foreign countries, notably China, and it does not have a way to do that. [CleanTechnica]

Ford Mustang Mach-E (Ford image)

¶ “Sixt Dumping Teslas Due To High Depreciation And Repair Costs” • We said for years that a top reason to buy a Tesla Model 3 or Model Y is a low total cost of ownership. But the key buyers who can analyze these numbers statistically are fleet buyers, and rental car companies have gone from big Tesla fans to avoiding and dumping Teslas. Yikes! [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ford EV Sales Up 43%” • Ford’s EV evolution continues. Ford has three EV models: the Mustang Mach-E, the F-150 Lightning, and the E-Transit electric van. Sales of these EVs were up a lot in November. Overall, they increased 43% compared to November 2022. The biggest jump in sales wsa the F-150 Lightning, which was up 113% for the month, YOY. [CleanTechnica]

For F-150 Lightning

¶ “California Gov Gavin Newsom Advances Water Tunnel Project Amid Opposition From Environmentalists” • A long-sought and disputed project in drought-prone California aimed at capturing more water from “atmospheric rivers” reached a key milestone when the Newsom administration finished an environmental review for an underground tunnel. [ABC News]

¶ “New Jersey Receives More Than 300 MW In Applications For New Community Solar Program” • The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities announced it has over 300 applications for the Community Solar Energy Program, since opening the solar program on November 15, 2023. totaling more than 300 MW of new solar capacity. [Solar Power World]

Have a perfectly nice day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “First Hydrogen And The Hydrogen Truck Revolution” • The global market for hydrogen commercial trucks is growing fast, by $3.84 Billion in 2023 alone. Projections show a staggering CAGR of 41% during the forecast period expected to push the market to $120 Billion by 2033. First Hydrogen is poised to make the most of that growth. [CleanTechnica]

Next Gen HD FCEV delivery van (CarbonCredits.com)

COP28:

¶ “Talks At COP28 Set To Intensify In Bid To Break Impasse Over Fossil Fuels” • Negotiations on how the world can reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and stave off the worst impacts of the climate crisis will reach a fresh intensity over the next few days, with nations wrangling over whether to phase out or phase down fossil fuels. [The Guardian]

¶ “IMF Head Advocates For End Of Fossil Fuel Subsidies At COP28 Climate Summit” • The gist of Kristalina Georgieva’s message at COP28 is that we don’t have to wring our hands and fret about how expensive addressing the looming climate crisis will be. Instead, we can stop directing trillions of dollars to fossil fuel companies that don’t need support. [CleanTechnica]

Kristalina Georgieva, Managing director of IMF

¶ “Amazon Deforestation Declines But Fossil Fuels Remain Contentious, COP28 Shows” • COP28 saw Amazonian countries arriving with a string of environmental triumphs since the last climate summit. While the nations largely agree on the need to preserve the Amazon Rainforest, the conference has a split over fossil fuel use and deforestation targets. [Mongabay]

¶ “COP28 Pledge To Triple Nuclear Generation By 2050 ‘Highly Unrealistic’” • Countries that pledged to triple nuclear generation by 2050 face an uphill battle that is likely to leave them short of their goal, scientists and energy researchers wrote in their annual World Nuclear Industry Status Report. The report says the target is “highly unrealistic.” [Regina Leader Post]

Nuclear power plant (Nicolas Hippert, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Mercedes And BMW Big Overachievers On EV Range” • Unfortunately, official range ratings are not uniformly created and are not uniformly accurate. The good news is that Consumer Reports has tested a bunch of electric cars uniformly, in the same scenarios, so the results can be fairly compared. The big winners are Mercedes and BMW. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “World EV Sales Now Equal 17% Of World Auto Sales” • In October, global plugin vehicle registrations were close to beating their previous monthly sales record (1,291,000 units), which was just set in September 2023. They reached 1,279,00 units sold in October. In the end, plugins had a 17% share of the overall auto market (12% battery EV share). [CleanTechnica]

Jenny Ueberberg in her Tesla (Jenny Ueberberg, Unsplash)

¶ “Solar Levelized Cost Of Electricity Is 29% Lower Than Any Fuel Fossil Alternative” • Solar power is the cheapest new-build electricity in many markets, even amid inflation and price rises, Ernst & Young noted in a report. The global weighted average levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for solar is 29% lower than the cheapest fossil fuel alternative. [pv magazine USA]

US:

¶ “Navajo Nation Faces Possible New Threats After Decades Of Uranium Mining” • Just miles from the site of the 1979 Church Rock Mill spill, the largest nuclear release in US history, uranium extraction operations could resume near the Navajo Nation. Navajo leaders say the health and prosperity of their community could be in further jeopardy. [ABC News]

Mill tailings dam breach of 1979 (EPA image, public domain)

¶ “General Motors Is Installing 500 Charging Stations With Its Partners” • GM partnered with Pilot Travel Centers and EVgo to install up to 500 charging stations at Pilot Flying J rest stops. The project builds on Pilot Company’s recently announced “New Horizons” initiative to invest $1 billion to fully upgrade its travel centers. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “New Flow Battery To Be Tested At 1970s Gas Station Rehabbed For EV Charging” • Flow batteries have been around a while, but overshadowed by lithium-ion batteries. However, flow batteries have advantages in lower costs, longer duration, and a reduced environmental footprint. A Chicago gas station is being set up to use flow batteries for EV charging. [CleanTechnica]

Smart Energy Plaza (Argonne National Laboratory image)

¶ “Tri-State Announces Early Closures Of Coal Plants” • Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association announced a proposal to close two coal-fired power plants earlier than planned, thanks to the rising costs and shrinking demand. Tri-State is still under a contractual obligation to purchase nearly $136 million worth of coal between 2024 and 2041. [The Durango Herald]

¶ “South Fork Wind Is Also A Victory For Whales” • South Fork Wind is leading on offshore wind as the first full-size project to generate electricity in our federal waters. It shows that we don’t need to choose between clean energy development and wildlife protection. We can build on this important precedent at the start of this vital new US industry. [NRDC]

Blade installation (South Fork Wind)

¶ “Minnesota Agencies Criticized For Delayed Alerts About Recent Leaks And Spills” • In Minnesota, when radioactive waste from a nuclear power plant leaked into the ground, neighbors didn’t find out for months. Other problems of similar natures have come up. State agencies are facing growing criticism for withholding information. [KSTP]

¶ “Investors Sue NuScale For Concealing True Cost Of Flagship Nuclear Reactor Project-Hagens Berman” • Hagens Berman, a national trial attorney firm, is urging investors in NuScale Power Corporation who suffered substantial losses to submit their losses now. Failures by NuScale to deliver on promises caused its stock price to fall sharply. [GlobeNewswire]

Have a monumentally manageable day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Tripling Renewable Energy By 2030 Is Possible And Essential” • If we are serious about phasing out fossil fuels, we must replace them with renewable energy as soon as we can. At COP 28, some climate activists want to see an agreement to triple the amount of renewable energy in the world by 2030. That’s ambitious, but it’s entirely possible according to Bloomberg. [CleanTechnica]

Wind turbines (Harry Cunningham, Pexels)

Science and Technology:

¶ “US DOE Analysis Highlights Geothermal Heat Pumps as a Pathway to a Decarbonized Energy Future” • The US DOE announced results of an analysis highlighting that, deployed at mass scale, geothermal heat pumps could decarbonize heating and cooling and save energy in US buildings while reducing the need for new grid transmission. [CleanTechnica]

COP28:

¶ “These Small Words Could Make Or Break The Global Climate Summit” • The thorniest issue at the global climate summit in Dubai is clear: Fossil fuels. As negotiators thrash out the terms of core agreements that will emerge from COP28, the big question is whether countries will ultimately agree to a phase-out of oil, gas and coal, a phase-down – or neither. [CNN]

Jaenschwalde lignite-fired power plant (A.Savin, WikiCommons)

¶ “At COP28, Net Zero World Showcases Progress Transforming Emerging Energy Economies” • During the 28th Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the US and its Net Zero World partner countries announced progress on building clean, secure energy systems in leading emerging economies. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Departments Of Energy And Transportation, Along With Transport Canada, Are Taking Action To Reduce Rail Sector Emissions” • On the margins of COP28, the US Secretaries of Energy and Transportation, and Canada’s Minister of Transport issued a statement saying the two countries have created a Rail Decarbonization Task Force. [CleanTechnica]

Bullet trains (wu yi, Unsplash)

¶ “At COP28, Countries Launch Declaration Of Intent On Clean Hydrogen” • More than thirty countries launched the COP28 Declaration of Intent on the Mutual Recognition of Certification Schemes for Renewable and Low-Carbon Hydrogen and Hydrogen Derivatives. Endorsers of the declaration seek to help facilitate a global market. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “UK EV Share At 25.7% – 2024 ZEV Mandate Already Shaping Market” • November saw the UK EV share at 25.7% of the auto market, down from 27.7% YOY. Plugin hybrid volumes grew by 56% YOY, whilst full electric volumes fell by 17%, potentially a hold-back ahead of incoming policy changes. Overall auto volume was up 9.5% YOY. [CleanTechnica]

EV (Hyundai Motor Group, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Renewable Energy Capacity To Reach 170 GW By March 2025 On Moderation In Module Prices: ICRA Analyst” • India will add 38 GW of renewable energy capacity by March 2025 to touch 170-GW mark, aided by moderation in solar module prices, an ICRA analyst said. The country’s installed renewable energy capacity was 130 GW in October 2023. [BQ Prime]

¶ “World Bank Unveils $5 Billion Renewable Energy Plan For Africa” • The World Bank will allocate $5 billion to deliver “reliable, affordable, renewable electricity” to 100 million Africans by the end of the decade, its president said. The World Bank estimates that around 600 million people in Africa do not have access to reliable electricity. [Macau Business]

African scene (Thomas Bennie, Unsplash)

¶ “Coal Power Generation Drops 47% In Germany In Q3 Of 2023” • Germany generated 47.3% less electricity from coal-fired power plants in the third quarter of 2023 compared to the same period last year, the Federal Statistical Office announced. At 23.9%, the share of electricity from coal-fired power plants was less than that of wind power. [Clean Energy Wire]

¶ “Sellafield Nuclear Site Has Leak That Could Pose Risk To Public” • Sellafield, Europe’s most hazardous nuclear site, has a worsening leak from a huge silo of radioactive waste that could pose a risk to the public, the Guardian can reveal. The leak of radioactive liquid from a decaying building at the vast Cumbrian site is likely to continue to 2050. [The Guardian]

Aerial view Sellafield, Cumbria (Simon Ledingham, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Green Bond Framework Rules Out Nuclear Energy” • The Australian Treasury released the Green Bond Framework, which outlines how the government will issue green bonds. It has ruled out investment in nuclear energy in its new green bond program, which will focus on renewable energy, energy efficiency, and climate change adaptation. [Banking Day]

US:

¶ “US Air Force Tests Electric Aircraft, Fuel Cells, and ‘FIERCE’ Jet Fuel For Decarbonization” • The US Air Force is on a mission to decarbonize. Electric aircraft and hydrogen fuel cells are in the mix, and it also appears that USAF could backshelf biofuel blends in favor of new drop-in sustainable aviation fuels made of captured carbon and water. [CleanTechnica]

ALIA electric aircraft by BETA Technologies (Courtesy of USAF)

¶ “Why US Drivers May Be Thinking About EVs All Wrong” • According to a July 2023 Pew Research Center survey, half of Americans say they’re unlikely to consider an EV, and 13% are sure they don’t want one. In fact, according to the report, the share of the public interested in purchasing an EV is down 4% from May 2022. [BBC]

¶ “Solar Poised For Record-Setting 2023 While Economic Challenges Mount” • The US solar industry added 6.5 GW of new electric generating capacity in Q3 2023, for a 35% increase, year-over-year, as federal clean energy policies begin to take hold. The United States is expected to add a record 33 GW of solar capacity in 2023. [Solar Energy Industries Association]

Have a magnificently easy day.

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Opinion:

¶ “A Perfect Storm For A Nuclear Accident Is Brewing At Koeberg” • Eskom’s project to extend the life of Koeberg’s two reactors for another 20 years is the very definition of crisis management. Koeberg’s licences run out in July next year. If it doesn’t get licences by then, both reactors will have to shut down. But Koeberg simply is not safe. [BusinessLIVE]

Koeberg nuclear plant (Paul Scott, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

Science and Technology:

¶ “A New Automated Home EV Charger – Will This Tech Ever Thrive?” • Two companies, KEBA and Easelink, are behind a new push for automated charging. With their product, a driver does not need to plug in, just place the vehicle over a charging matrix. There is a question about whether the convenience of the system will make it worth the cost. [CleanTechnica]

COP28:

¶ “Is the world about to promise to ditch fossil fuels?” • COP28 may be close to a big breakthrough on reducing the gases heating our planet, its UAE hosts believe. Showing “cautious optimism”, the UAE negotiating team believes COP28 is getting ready to commit to phasing down fossil fuels over coming decades. Or even ditching them altogether. [BBC]

Smoke (Travis Leery, Unsplash)

¶ “Are The Solutions To Fight Climate Change Making Progress?” • It’s not all doom and gloom at the COP28 climate summit. The Earth’s climate is changing rapidly and urgent action is needed to avoid the most damaging consequences for people and nature. But there is hope, and delegates in Dubai are discussing several very concrete ways to limit warming. [BBC]

¶ “Wind Energy Lifeline Grows In Ukraine With Phase II Of Biggest Wind Farm In Eastern Europe” • Despite all the talk about nuclear energy over at the COP28 conference, national security risks have taken center stage. After almost two years of full-on war in Ukraine, the security and resiliency advantages of wind energy are clear. [CleanTechnica]

Wind farm in Ukraine (Courtesy of DTEK)

¶ “TotalEnergies Signs Agreement On Investment For 1-GW Wind Power Project In Kazakhstan” • TotalEnergies’ signed an agreement for the Mirny wind project in Kazakhstan at COP28. Mirny will supply more than 1 million people with electricity and will avoid the emission of 3.5 million tons of CO₂ annually in the country. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

World:

¶ “How Old Fishing Nets Could Be Part Of The Climate Crisis Solution” • Brikole, is a startup “circular business” that recycles discarded nets from the industrial tuna fishing industry in the Seychelles. It converts the nets into products such as bags, hammocks or board shorts. Recycling the discarded products, it cleans up waste as it offers jobs. [CNN]

Fishing boat (Rassin Vannier,
Seychelles News Agency, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Olive Oil Price Skyrockets As Spanish Drought Bites” • Spain is the world’s biggest olive oil producer, covering 70% of EU consumption and 45% of that of the entire world. So a persistent drought in olive-producing areas of Spain has an enormous impact. Olive oil prices have increased by more than 70% this year alone after a sharp rise in 2022. [BBC]

¶ “EVs Take 90.6% Share In Norway” • November saw plugin EVs take 90.6% share in Norway, up from 89.3% year on year. Petrol-only vehicles saw record low share of 0.6% of the auto market. Overall auto volume was 10,348 units, somewhat below seasonal norms. The Tesla Model Y was again September’s bestseller, and several new models debuted. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla Model Y (Michal Lauko, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “New BYD Vessel Can Transport 7,000 Vehicles Around The World” • BYD has its own shipping vessel to carry thousands of plugin vehicles around the world. Explorer 1 was built by Guangzhou Shipbuilding International, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation. It just completed a 7-day trial based out of Yantai, Shandong. [CleanTechnica]

US:

¶ “‘Our Future Is Electric,’ But GM’s Chief Sustainability Officer Wants More EV Infrastructure Support” • Kristen Siemen, chief sustainability officer at General Motors , appealed for EV policy support and infrastructure to help make our transportation all electric. A robust EV infrastructure is needed for of profitable plug-in passenger vehicles. [CleanTechnica]

2025 Sierra EV Elevation (Provided by GM)

¶ “Eleven Cool Things And Ten Concerns About The Tesla Cybertruck” • Here are lists of all the quirks and perks of the Cybertruck, based on a 40-minute review from Marques Brownlee. If you really want to get the low-down on the Cybertruck, by all means use the link provided, but these lists are a good, quick alternative. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Cubico Commissions Mississippi Solar Project” • Cubico Sustainable Investments has commissioned Delta’s Edge, a 135-MW solar PV project situated in Carroll County, Mississippi, USA. With this site now producing power, Cubico now has over 750 MW of operational renewable energy projects in the USA and over 1.4 GW across USA and Mexico. [reNews]

Solar project (Cubico image)

¶ “Approved Oil Company Secures Deal To Power All NYC Agencies With Renewable Diesel” • New York City’s Department of Citywide Administrative Services has awarded Approved Oil Company a multi-year contract. Under this contract, the company will supply renewable diesel to the fleets of various New York City agencies. [Biomass Magazine]

¶ “Regulators Weigh Another Georgia Power Rate Hike” • In Georgia, regulators are considering Georgia Power’s proposal to raise electricity rates to pay for the two new nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle. Under a deal the Public Service Commission is considering, monthly bills would increase by just under $9 for the typical residential customer. [WABE]

Have a totally copacetic day.

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COP28:

¶ “Fossil Fuel Industry Nearly Quadrupled Registrations At Climate Summit Since Last Year, Watchdog Report Says” • More than 2,400 people connected to the fossil fuel industry registered to attend the COP28 climate summit in Dubai. That’s nearly four times the number that signed up for last year’s climate gathering, according to an analysis. [CNN]

Entrance to COP 28 (UNCTAD, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Climate Summit Leader Defends Controversial Comments” • Sultan Al Jaber, President of COP28 and oil executive, held a surprise news conference, in which he fiercely defended his commitment to climate science, after an increasing number of scientists and advocates expressed alarm at the comments and concern for the direction of the talks. [CNN]

¶ “Kamala Harris Announces New $3 Billion US Pledge To Global Climate Action At Dubai Summit” • Vice President Kamala Harris announced new funding for climate action at the COP28 summit in Dubai. She said the US would pledge another $3 billion to the Green Climate Fund, the main finance vehicle to help developing nations adapt to the climate crisis. [CNN]

Kamala Harris (Lorie Shaull, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Al Gore And Science Take Center Stage On Day 5 Of COP28” • Al Gore may have got in the best zinger of COP28 so far when he told Reuters,” This industry is way more effective at capturing politicians than they are at capturing emissions. [They named] the CEO of one of the largest and least responsible oil companies in the world as head of the COP.” [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “India Builds Its Largest Renewable Energy Project In Salt Deserts” • Rising from the bare expanse of the large salt desert that separates India from Pakistan is what will likely be the world’s largest renewable energy project when completed three years from now. The Khavda renewable energy park will supply 30 GWh of electricity annually. [ABC News]

Gujarat (Tasmay and Shikha Rachhadia, Unsplash)

¶ “Global CO₂ Emissions Rise Through 2050 In Most IEO2023 Cases” • The US EIA said “Growing populations and incomes increase fossil fuel consumption and emissions, particularly in the industrial and electric power sectors.” This offsets emissions reductions from improved efficiency, lower carbon intensity of fuels, and growth in clean energy. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “BMW iX With ONE Battery Pack Drives 978 Km On Single Charge” • ONE (Our Next Energy), a battery company, said it had equipped a BMW iX with one of its Genesis battery packs. The car then drove for 978 km (608 miles) on a single charge, using the European WLTP testing standard. But this was no ordinary battery pack. [CleanTechnica]

BMW iX (Courtesy of Our Next Energy)

¶ “Australia’s Biggest Solar Farm To Supply Renewable Energy To Coles” • CleanCo has signed an agreement with Coles to supply its supermarkets in Queensland with power from Neoen’s recently completed 400-MW Western Downs Green Power Hub solar farm. The Western Downs Green Power Hub is the largest solar farm in Australia. [pv magazine Australia]

¶ “Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Suffers Eighth Power Blackout” • The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant lost off-site power for the first time since May, and it had to rely on emergency diesel generators for nearly five hours at the weekend, prompting renewed safety concerns amid the on-going war. The 750-kV line has been restored. [World Nuclear News]

Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant (IAEA image)

¶ “Sellafield Nuclear Site Hacked By Groups Linked To Russia And China” • The UK’s most hazardous nuclear site, Sellafield, has been hacked by cyber groups closely linked to Russia and China. The astonishing disclosure and its potential effects have been consistently covered up by senior staff at the vast nuclear waste and decommissioning site. [The Guardian]

US:

¶ “Autonomous Electric Truck Transports GE Appliances” • Einride is one of many startups that have been built on big goals regarding autonomous, electric transport. Most of them never get far and never make much of an impact. Einride got a deal actually putting its autonomous truck to work … in Selmer, Tennessee, of all places. [CleanTechnica]

Autonomous Electric Truck (Courtesy of Einride)

¶ “DOE: $13 Million to Connect More Puerto Rico Communities with Residential Solar And Battery Storage” • The DOE released a slate of community groups and nonprofits getting up to $13.85 million to help vulnerable Puerto Rican households get solar and battery storage and provide education and consumer protection services to residents. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “New York Developer Launches $1.2 Billion Renewable Energy Fund For USA” • Fresh off the launch of the New York Climate Exchange, New York City is becoming an epicenter of renewable energy development. Though space for new wind turbines and solar panels within the city is limited, the $1.2 billion fund will set up clean power assets across the US. [CleanTechnica]

New York wind project (Courtesy of energyRe)

¶ “Texas Goes Green: How Oil Country Became The Renewable Energy Leader” • If you had to guess which state in America was hands down producing the most green renewable energy, what would you guess? Well, it’s Texas. The state that epitomizes oil and gas and got rich powering the nation for decades is now the biggest producer of wind and solar. [PBS]

¶ “Native Americans Are Building Their Own Solar Farms” • Tribes struggled to tap into the billions in renewable energy incentives offered by the government. They’ve struggled to have any access to electricity. When Two Bears left politics in 2017, he formed Indigenized Energy, a native-led energy company that installs solar farms for tribal nations, free of charge. [BBC]

Have a stupendously edifying day.

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Opinion:

¶ “This Awesome Water Capsule Should Be Electric! Oh, Wait …” • As soon as I saw its picture, I felt myself entering the market for a little boat. It looks so cool. It’s got coverage from the sun – but not in the old, typical way of a normal boat. It’s small and seems like it could be affordable – no need for more in order to chill on the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. [CleanTechnica]

Jet Capsule ZERO (Courtesy of Lazzarini Design)

¶ “Shipping Ports Move Molecules So Electrification Is Hard For Them To Grok” • How many cognitive biases get in the way of electrification? Ports are in the business of handling masses of gases, liquids, and solids, and so are predisposed to think that there are going to be lots of energy carrying molecules in their ports to be used by port vehicles. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Adding Context To That Consumer Reports Electric Car Reliability Report” • Almost everyone in the US has seen the headlines. “Consumer Reports pummels EV reliability,” says a headline in the Detroit Free Press. I decided to actually read what Consumer Reports had to say. Maybe the people at the Detroit Free Press should have. [CleanTechnica]

EV charging (Oxana Melis, Unsplash, cropped)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Green, Blue, Gold, And More: What The Different Colors Of Hydrogen Mean” • The color tells how the hydrogen was made. That is increasingly important as hydrogen becomes a promising energy source in the face of the climate crisis. When burned, hydrogen doesn’t emit CO₂, a stark contrast to fossil fuels. But we need to know how it was made. [Fast Company]

World:

¶ “World’s Largest Floating Solar Power Plant Taking Shape On Hydropower Plant” • The plans for the world’s largest floating solar power plant show how quickly the floating solar field can grow. The project is to expand an existing 145-MW floating solar array at the Cirata hydropower reservoir in West Java, Indonesia, to reach up to 500 MW. [CleanTechnica]

Floating solar array at Cirata plant (Courtesy of Sungrow)

¶ “Record 29.7% EV Share In France – Two Top Ten Teslas” • In France, a record 29.7% EV share was set in November, up from 24.4% year on year. Full electrics alone took over 20% of the auto market for the first time. Overall auto volume was 152,709 units, up 14% YOY, though still below the 2017-2019 seasonal average of roughly 180,000 units. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Indonesia Eyes ‘Phenomenal’ Geothermal Power Potential” • Indonesia is home to 40% of global geothermal resources and is keen to harvest energy from the Earth’s crust. But experts do not agree about whether the industry will be able to hit its ambitious goals to generate large amounts of energy given the costs and lack of incentives. [South China Morning Post]

Geothermal energy in Indonesia (Selisik, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Masdar And EDF Sign Major Agreement With Government Of The Kyrgyz Republic To Develop Up To 3.6 GW Of Hydropower And Renewable Projects” • Masdar and EDF igned an agreement with the Ministry of Energy of the Kyrgyz Republic to explore the development of hydropower and renewable projects with a combined capacity of up to 3.6 GW. [PR Newswire]

¶ “Cop: 22 Countries Pledge To Triple Nuclear Capacity” • The US and 21 other countries have committed to work towards tripling global nuclear energy capacity by 2050, from 2020 levels. The US stressed that financing and high-level political engagement would be needed to deliver on the ambitions to keep global warming well below 2.0°C. [Argus Media]

Sizewell B nuclear plant (John Fielding, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

US:

¶ “Harris Goes To Dubai To Tackle Climate Change And War” • Filling in for President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris flew to the Middle East to tackle a pair of challenges that have flummoxed White Houses for decades: climate change and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Each carries political risk for next year’s elections. [ABC News]

¶ “GM Expects Its Electric Vehicles To Become Profitable In 2025” • When GM chief financial officer Paul Jacobson spoke to analysts at a Barclays conference, he admitted the company had not found the pace it had expected to meet its EV making goals. Nevertheless, he expressed confidence that GM’s EVs would be profitable in 2025. [CleanTechnica]

2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV 3LT (Courtesy of GM)

¶ “An IRA Grant Could Help Low-Income Residents In New Hampshire Go Solar” • The New Hampshire DOE requested a $70 million federal grant to expand community solar programs for low-income residents. Such an infusion of funds could lower energy bills, accelerate decarbonization, and even catalyze affordable housing. [Canary Media]

¶ “New York Opens Offshore Wind Solicitation” • The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has launched expedited solicitations for offshore wind and land-based renewable projects as part of a plan to bolster New York’s renewables industry. One goal is to get 70% of the electricity from renewables by 2030. [offshoreWIND.biz]

Have an enthusiastically received day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “CATL Creates Fast Charging Electric Car Skateboard With 1000 Km Range” • CATL, the world’s largest battery maker, is not waiting for customers to come looking for batteries. It created what it calls its CATL Integrated Intelligent Chassis, a skateboard design that incorporates all the bits and pieces needed to make a fully functional electric car. [CleanTechnica]

CATL skateboard (CATL image)

¶ “COP28 President Says There Is ‘No Science’ Behind Demands For Phase-Out Of Fossil Fuels” • The president of COP28, Sultan Al Jaber, claimed there is “no science” showing a phase-out of fossil fuels is needed to keep global heating to 1.5°C, The Guardian and the Centre for Climate Reporting revealed. Al Jaber is chief executive of the UAE’s state oil company. [The Guardian]

¶ “New CO₂ Energy Storage System Could Blow Past Li-Ion” • Carbon dioxide reaches a liquid state when compressed and it expands with a pop when released, and now the Italian startup Energy Dome is ready to harness the action for a new energy storage system that could provide far more storage at far less cost than lithium-ion batteries. [CleanTechnica]

Energy Dome energy storage system (Courtesy of Energy Dome)

World:

¶ “At COP28 meeting, oil companies pledge to combat methane. Environmentalists call it a ‘smokescreen’” • Fifty oil companies representing nearly half of global production pledged to reach near-zero methane emissions and end routine flaring by 2030, the president of this year’s UN talks said. Environmental groups called the move a “smokescreen.” [ABC News]

¶ “Court Of Appeals Rules Belgium Must Cut Emissions Faster” • The court of appeals in Brussels has ruled that Belgium must cut its carbon emissions by 55% compared to 1990 levels and do it by 2030, according to a report by The Guardian. As of the end of 2021, the country had only managed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 24%. [CleanTechnica]

Belgium (François Genon, Unsplash)

¶ “EVs Take 60.6% Share In Sweden – Model Y Back On Top” • November saw plugin EVs take 60.6% share in Sweden, down YOY from the (anomalous) 64.6% pull-forward in November 2022. Full electrics alone took 39.7% of the market. Overall auto volume was 25,404 units, down 1% YOY. The Tesla Model Y was the best selling EV in November. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “XPeng Sales Up 245% in November” • XPeng has had its ups and downs in the past couple of years, but I continue to think that it’s got some of the best electric cars in the world and some of the best tech in the world. XPeng delivered 20,041 “smart” electric vehicles in November. That’s an increase of 245% over its November 2022 total. [CleanTechnica]

XPeng EV (XPeng image)

¶ “Rooftop Solar Installations Rise 34.7% To 431 MW In Jul-Sep: Mercom” • The rooftop solar installations in India registered a 34.7% year-on-year jump to 431 MW during July-September 2023, aided by a fall in module prices, Mercom India said in a report. The rooftop solar installations were at 320 MW during the same period of 2022. [Business Standard]

¶ “Tuvalu Aims To Transition To 100% Renewable Energy By 2030: Prime Minister Of Tuvalu” • Kausea Natano, the Prime Minister of Tuvalu, affirmed his country’s efforts to achieve a full transition to renewable energy by 2030. He told the Emirates News Agency that Tuvalu’s objective may seem ambitious, but the country is “very serious about achieving it.” [ZAWYA]

Funafuti atoll (Stefan Lins, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Scotland’s Renewable Energy Projects Revealed In New Map” • A new map has been drawn up to show the scale and progress of Scotland’s renewable energy projects. The interactive guide was published by the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. It has data and shows the status of different developments, which can be filtered through parliamentary regions. [The National]

US:

¶ “Climate Change Is Costing The US $150 Billion A Year” • In total, extreme weather events cost the US $150 billion per year, due to direct impacts such as infrastructure damage,injuries, and agricultural losses, the authors of a report estimate. And the cost of extreme weather events is expected to grow in the near term as sea levels and temperatures rise. [CNN]

Storm damage (Chandler Cruttenden, Unsplash)

¶ “US joins in other nations in swearing off coal power to clean the climate” • US Special Envoy John Kerry announced that America was joining the Powering Past Coal Alliance, which means the Biden Administration commits to building no new coal plants and phasing out existing plants. No date was given for closing the existing plants. [ABC News]

¶ “How The US, Oil Industry Plans To Drastically Cut Methane Emissions” • Environmental Defense Fund President Fred Krupp said the Oil and Gas Decarbonization Compact requires oil firms to reduce their methane emissions by 80% to 90% over the next five years while providing monitoring records to an international verification body. [ABC News]

San Ardo Oil Field (Loco Steve, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

¶ “Texas Grid Faces Winter After Failed Attempt To Get More Power Online” • The Electric Reliability Council of Texas asked companies if they were willing to bring onlin some shuttered power plants running on gas and coal and, if so, what it would cost ERCOT. As it happened, not a single company thought reviving an old power plant made sense. [KRGV]

¶ “Where Things Stand In The Effort To Restart The Palisades Nuclear Power Plant” • Holtec International, the owner of the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant, remains optimistic in efforts to restart the shuttered plant. It launched an attempt to restart operations in early 2023. The effort still continues, with some big decisions still looming. [The Holland Sentinel]

Have an incomprehensibly delightful day.

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(, CC-BY-SA 3.0) km² CO₂ NH₃ CH₄ ₹ NOₓ ‽ ♦♦♦♦♦

World:

¶ “COP28 Host UAE To Ramp Up National Oil Production” • United Arab Emirates, the country hosting COP28 climate talks aimed at cutting fossil fuel emissions is massively ramping up its own oil production, the BBC has learned. Should this surprise us? Sultan al-Jaber, the president of COP28, is also the chief executive of the UAE’s state oil firm Adnoc. [BBC]

Sultan al-Jaber (Kiara Worth, UN Climate Change)

¶ “Drastic Emissions Cuts, Transition To Renewable Energy Crucial As ‘Humanity’s Fate Hangs In The Balance’, Secretary-General Tells World Climate Action Summit” • UN Secretary-General António Guterres gave remarks to the World Climate Action Summit, COP28, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The remarks are available in this article. [UN Press]

¶ “26% BEV Share In China! – China EV Sales Report” • Plugin vehicles are all the rage in the Chinese auto market. Plugins scored more than 808,000 sales last month, up 41% year over year, for the market’s third record month in a row. The last two months of the year may continue the record streak. So far, 2023’s sales are over 6.2 million units. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Song Pro 2023 (Quzhouliulian, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “‘Liquid Air’ Energy Storage Could Save The Day For Offshore Wind Industry” • Offshore wind has been bedeviled by high costs and market uncertainties. Long duration energy storage could come to the rescue. Ørsted is banking on a new high tech “liquid air” energy storage system, and they have reportedly seen good results from an initial analysis. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Record-Low EV Battery Prices In 2023” • Thanks to a variety of factors, lithium-ion battery packs are at record low prices. After dropping 14%, they are down to $139/kWh. The steep price drop and record low average price come on the heels of price increases in 2022 that had brought battery prices back to 2020 levels. The world changes fast. [CleanTechnica]

Lithium-ion batteries (Vardan Papikyan, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Tesla Secures Massive 1.6-GWh Megapack Order For Giant Project” • Tesla has secured a massive Megapack order for a new giant energy storage project that will likely become the largest storage facility in the world. That project, the Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub, is in Victoria. It will have capacities of 600 MW and 1,600 MWh. [Electrek]

¶ “At COP28, Countries Launch Declaration To Triple Nuclear Energy Capacity By 2050” • At COP28, over twenty countries from four continents launched the Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy. The declaration says that nuclear energy is key to dealing with climate change and sets a goal of tripling the nuclear energy capacity by 2050. [Department of Energy]

Nuclear power plant (Jametlene Reskp, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “US Coal Electricity Dropped In 2022, Down To 20% Of US Electricity” • US coal-related CO₂ emissions decreased by 7% in 2022 relative to 2021. This decrease was largely due to an 8% decline in coal-fired power generation because of retiring coal-fired capacity. The carbon intensity of electricity declined by 4% in the US in 2022. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “New England’s Decades-Old Shrimp Fishery, A Victim Of Climate Change, To Remain Closed Indefinitely” • In New England, the shrimp business fell victim to warming waters in 2013 because of a moritorium by regulators. A healthy shimp population needs cold water. The moratorium will remain in place indefinitely, fishery regulators ruled. [ABC News]

Shrimp (Jerry Shen, Unsplash)

¶ “Electric Vehicles And Hybrids Are 18% of US New Vehicle Market” • An update from the US EIA shows that combined EV and hybrid vehicle sales are up to a record-high 18% of the US new vehicle market. “Sales of hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and [battery EVs] rose in the US to 17.7% of new light-duty vehicle sales in third-quarter 2023.” [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Lower US CO₂ Emissions Due In Part To Shifts In Power Generation Sources” • A forecast by the US Energy Information Administration is for the US energy sector to emit about 4,790 million metric tons of CO₂ in 2023, a 3% decrease from 2022. Much of this decline results from lower electricity generation from coal-fired power plants. [CleanTechnica]

Emissions (US Energy Information Administration)

¶ “Work Resumes On $10 Billion Transmission Project Despite Tribal Objections” • The tractors are back at work clearing land and building access roads for a $10 billion transmission line that the Biden administration describes as an important part of the nation’s renewable energy transition. Tribal leaders vow to keep pushing to protect the land. [KRWG]

¶ “New Jersey Plans To Restart Offshore Wind In 2024 After ‘Bump In The Road’” • The Governor of New Jersey is looking to restart the state’s offshore wind programs reiterating that it is committed to offshore wind as a key component of its renewable energy program. The state is commitment to having 100% clean energy by 2035. [The Maritime Executive]

Offshore wind farm (Ørsted file photo)

¶ “Renewable Energy Company’s Billion-Dollar Investment Promises Brighter Future For Armstrong County” • A renewable energy company from Brazil is capitalizing on the wind blowing in Armstrong County, Texas. A billion-dollar investment will deliver a new funding stream for the county in the first part of project development. [KVII]

¶ “Court Rejects Anti-Renewables Challenge To PJM Rule” • The US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit upheld a ruling by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that allows renewables to compete fairly with fossil fuel power plants in PJM. The ruling eliminated a provision giving fossil fuels advantages they needed to remain competitive. [Earthjustice]

Have a powerfully restorative day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Why Hold UN Climate Talks 28 Times? Do The Talks Even Matter?” • The Conference of Parties process gives every nation in the world, whether rich or poor, large or small, a seat at the table to discuss how climate change is impacting them and how they believe the world should confront it. And ultimately, COP is the only game in town. [ABC News]

Al Wasl Plaza (Palácio do Planalto, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “What Drives This Madness On Small Modular Nuclear Reactors?” • A key point to remember is that 55% of the budget of the US DOE is related to commercial nuclear generation. The other 45% covers dams, wind, solar, tidal, wave, biomass, biofuel and geothermal, energy. But also, small towns in decline might want to host nuclear reactors. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Energy-Rich Scotland Does Not Require Any Nuclear Power Stations” • Nuclear power consistently fails to deliver energy on time or on budget. The much-touted Small Modular Reactors don’t yet exist, depend heavily on government subsidies to come on stream, and will generate more toxic nuclear waste for which there is no safe disposal. [The National]

Small Modular Reactor meeting (NRC, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Behold The Hyundai Uni Wheel. Transportation May Never Be The Same” • The Hyundai Uni Wheel is clever, but itis also difficult to describe. It puts the drive reduction gear and flexible driveshaft components inside the wheel. So it’s not an in-wheel motor, but functions very much like one without adding the weight of the motor to the wheel. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “COP28: Poor Countries Win 30-Year Fight For Climate Cash” • In a surprise, COP28 delegates agreed to launch a long-awaited fund to pay for damage from storms and drought worsened by climate change. Such deals are normally sealed last minute after days of negotiations, but COP28 president Sultan al-Jaber put the decision on the floor on day one. [BBC]

Hot weather (Bayu Syaits, Unsplash)

¶ “2023 Set To Be Hottest Year On Record” • There may still be an entire month to go in 2023 but the UN announced that 2023 is set to be the warmest on record. New climate data shows the world is heating up at an unprecedented pace, and UN chief António Guterres called on leaders at the COP28 conference to get us out of “deep trouble.” [ABC News]

¶ “Electric Mobility Projects In Kenya Start to Show Potential For Significant Petrol And Diesel Abatement” • One big problem for many African is escalating bills for imported fossil fuels. Such bills use hard-earned and scarce foreign currency. The transition to electric mobility presents an important opportunity to reduce this dependence. [CleanTechnica]

Electric buses (Courtesy of BasiGo)

¶ “The Global Impact of Renewable Electricity On Energy Security and Economy” • According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, the adoption of renewable energy sources in 2022 resulted in a remarkable $521 billion saving, primarily by reducing the reliance on expensive fossil-fuel imports. [EnergyPortal.eu]

¶ “380-MW Australian Solar Farm To Start Construction In 2024” • Acciona Energia announced the construction of the 380-MW Aldoga solar farm on the central Queensland coast of Australia will start in the first quarter of 2024 and last eighteen months. The project comes with an associated investment of A$500 million ($331 million). [reNews]

Solar farm (Acciona Energia image)

¶ “Renewable Energy Power In China Reached Record High” • Installed capacity of China’s renewable energy power generation surpassed 1.4 billion kilowatts (1,400 GW) as of end-October, accounting for 49.9% of the country’s total, according to the National Energy Administration. This marks a year-on-year growth of 20.8%. [China Daily]

¶ “Vestas 15-MW Prototype Certified” • Vestas has received a type certificate for its V236-15MW offshore wind turbine. The turbine manufacturer installed the first prototype unit at the beginning of the year. After reaching it nominal power rating of 15 MW in April, the turbine broke the world record for power produced by one turbine in a 24-hour period – 363 MWh. [reNews]

Vestas prototype turbine (Vestas image)

¶ “Closer To Nuclear Plant Than Ever, Latest Korean Quake Renews Calls To Retire Aging Reactors” • In Korea, a magnitude 4.0 earthquake hit the city of Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang Province. As the earthquake was not far from the city’s Wolsong nuclear power plant, critics of nuclear power are becoming more vocal about safety concerns. [The Hankyoreh]

US:

¶ “Kohler Launches KDH Hydrogen Engine” • Standalone engine-builders Kohler recently unveiled a new direct injection, hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine based on its KDI 2504 TCR in a bid to reduce carbon emissions. The new Kohler engine isn’t a hydrogen fuel cell. It’s a conventional reciprocating piston engine that burns hydrogen. [CleanTechnica]

Kohler engine (Kohler Energy, via EquipmentWorld)

¶ “Connecticut Scraps 2035 ICE Vehicle Ban Plan” • When Gov Gavin Newsom announced that California would ban the sale of most internal-combustion vehicles in 2035, a number of states followed suit. But now, Connecticut governor Ned Lamont may be withdrawing proposed regulations aligning with California’s clean vehicle standards. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Tesla Cybertruck Arriving! What To Expect” • Deliveries of the Tesla Cybertruck finally starting! Today is the day. About four years after the initial unveiling event, the first buyers will get their electric Bladerunner, apocalypse-ready Tesla Cybertrucks. Surprisingly, we still don’t have full final insight into the price. That will surely come. [CleanTechnica]

Have an unimposingly magnificent day.

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