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.
geoharvey 