geoharvey

Opinion:

¶ “The End of the Oil Age” • Historians label time periods for dominant technologies. The Stone Age and the Bronze Age are well known examples. In the latter half of the 1900s, my father, a petroleum geologist, frequently referred to the 20th century as the Oil Age. But the 21st century will almost certainly be the Electricity Age. [CleanTechnica]

Drake Well Museum (ChubbyWimbus, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Cheap, Clean Energy Could Unleash The Power Of Thermal Storage” • Rocks and hotness have been around for billions of years, but it’s only now that the two can be used to help the world decarbonize. And that is all because the insanely low cost of solar and wind power has come to make thermal storage economically possible. [Canary Media]

World:

¶ “How Ironic Is It That Stellantis Is Now Making A Profit On Plugin Vehicles?” • Stellantis was a laggard in EVs. Former Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne told customers to not buy the Fiat 500e, falsely claiming that the company was losing money on each sale. Now Stellantis is the second best-selling EV brand in the EU. [CleanTechnica]

Fiat 500e (Alexander Migl, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Jordan Sets Ambitious Goal: 31% Renewable Energy By 2030, Amani Azzam Reveals Strategy” • Jordan is embarking on a transformative journey towards sustainability, with the Jordanian Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry unveiling a strategic plan to escalate its reliance on renewable energy sources to 31% by the year 2030. [BNN Breaking]

¶ “Cutting-Edge Grid Planning Tools Drive India’s Distributed Energy Future” • India has a goal of adding 450 GW of renewable energy to its power system by 2030. The country also plans to achieve 40% renewable electricity capacity by that year. The US DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory is working to help Indian distribution companies on that. [CleanTechnica]

Wind farm in Tamil Nadu (Rajavel vanaraj, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “NSW Rejects Claim It Lags On Renewables, Citing 18 Projects Approved In 2023” • The New South Wales government rejected industry criticism its approvals of renewable energy projects lag other states, saying planning had finalised support for eighteen significant wind, solar and battery projects, with a total 7.6 GW of capacity, in 2023. [The Guardian]

¶ “Suzlon Secures Order For Ten Wind Turbines For 30-MW Project In Gujarat” • Suzlon Group, India’s largest renewable energy developer, announced an order to develop a 30-MW wind project for EDF Renewables. Suzlon will install ten wind turbines with a Hybrid Lattice Tubular tower and a capacity of 3 MW each at a site in Gujarat. [IndianWeb2.com]

Jaisalmer wind project in Rajasthan (Suzlon image)

¶ “Egypt Signs Seven Agreements With International Developers To Attract $41 Billion Over Ten Years” • Egypt announced that it signed seven memoranda of understanding for green hydrogen and renewable energy. These agreements are expected to attract investments totaling $41 billion over ten years, Egypt’s Cabinet reported. [Economy Middle East]

¶ “Alberta To Ban Some Renewable Energy Projects, Greens Say Move Is ‘Uncertainty Bomb’” • Alberta, which produces most of Canada’s crude oil, will ban renewable power projects on prime agricultural land and erect buffer zones to ensure wind turbines do not spoil scenic views, the provincial government said. Few details are available for now. [MSN]

Scenic view in Alberta (Nathan Schneider, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Only Three Wind Farms Were Connected To The Power Grid Last Year” • According to Energy Minister Chris Bowen, Australia needs to be building 40 wind turbines every month until 2030. He made that statement in 2022, but only three wind farms with a total of 115 turbines were connected to grid, the Clean Energy Council has said. [ABC]

US:

¶ “In California, NREL Helps Kern County Embrace Clean Energy In Partnership With Community Colleges” • Five years ago, Sonya Christian, the president of Kern County College District’s Bakersfield Community College, asked NREL for ideas on curricula along with research and development opportunities. Now it’s happening. [CleanTechnica]

Tour of Jack’s Solar Garden (Werner Slocum, NREL)

¶ “Texas Battles The Second-Biggest Wildfire Disaster In State History” • A rapidly spreading Texas wildfire that has killed one person, forced residents to evacuate, cut off power to homes and businesses, and briefly paused operations at a nuclear weapons facility. The second-largest fire in Texas history, it has burned 850,000 acres of land north of Amarillo. [BBC]

¶ “Turning An Old Nuclear Bomb Site Into A Solar Farm?” • The US DOE and National Nuclear Security Administration want commercial solar developers to build solar farms on land where nuclear bombs were tested from the 1950s to the 1990s. Who would do that, though? Apparently, six companies would, as they turned in proposals. [CleanTechnica]

Nevada Test Site (US Federal Government, public domain)

¶ “Apple Ends Electric Car Program” • The much ballyhooed Apple electric car program is reportedly over. The company told employees in an internal meeting it had scrapped the project and that members of the group would be shifted to different roles, including in Apple’s artificial intelligence division, unnamed sources told Bloomberg. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “House Approves Bipartisan Bill Aimed At Bolstering Nuclear Energy” • The House approved bipartisan legislation that aims to bolster nuclear energy. The vote was 365-36, with one additional lawmaker voting present. All of the “no” votes were Democrats, and among them there were several members of the Progressive Caucus. [The Hill]

Have a movingly amusing day.

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World:

¶ “EU Poised To OK Major Plan To Meet Climate Goals And Better Protect Nature Despite Farmer Protests” • The European Union is on the brink of approving a major plan to fight climate change and better protect nature in the 27-nation bloc after protests from farmers and opposition from the biggest party in parliament led it to be diluted. [ABC News]

Cows graze in the Netherlands (Leon Ephraïm, Unsplash)

¶ “Drax: UK Power Station Still Burning Rare Forest Wood” • A power company that has had £6 billion in UK green subsidies has kept burning wood from some of the world’s most precious forests, the BBC has found. Papers obtained by Panorama show Drax took timber from forests in Canada that it had claimed were “no go areas.” [BBC]

¶ “Japan’s Wooden Satellite Shows Us That We Should Give Wood A Fresh Look” • Given the skills of Japanese woodworkers, environmental issues of re-entry of old satellites, and early test results, there are now plans for the country to put up a small wooden satellite, which will spend six months in space testing for deformation. [CleanTechnica]

Small wooden satellites (JAXA image)

¶ “Renault 5 E-Tech Electric – 249 Mile Range, €25,000 Base Price, 4 Doors, And A Hatch” • Electrive says the Renault 5 E-Tech Electric is the first vehicle to use Renault’s AmpR Small platform. It is 3.92 m, 1.77 m wide, and stands 1.5 m high, and it has a 2.54 m wheelbase. It will come with a choice of three motors and two battery sizes. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Germany Launches 5.5-GW Offshore Tender” • Germany’s Federal Network Agency has launched an offshore wind tender comprising a total of 5,500 MW on three pre-investigated areas in the North Sea. The three sites are located about 110km north-west of Borkum on the edge of the border with the Dutch exclusive economic zone. [reNews]

Offshore wind turbines (insung yoon, Unsplash)

¶ “Record Year For Wind Farms Raises Hope For EU Goals” • A record year for building wind farms and rebounding investments in the sector have raised hopes that the EU may achieve its clean energy targets, industry group WindEurope said. The group said EU policies to speed up project permits was encouraging for the sector. [Offshore Engineer Magazine]

¶ “Renewable Energy Power Costs Fall In APAC” • The levelised cost of electricity, or LCOE, generated from renewable sources is declining significantly in the Asia Pacific region, reaching an all-time low in 2023, according to Wood Mackenzie’s latest analysis. This fall makes renewable energy increasingly competitive with conventional low-cost coal power. [reNews]

Wind turbines (Master Wen, Unsplash)

¶ “SA’s Largest Private Renewable Energy Plant Gets Green Light” • Construction of the three 110-MW Impofu wind farms in South Africa will begin in March. It is the country’s largest pure private renewable energy plant. After over a decade of planning and stakeholder engagement, the wind farms are planned to be operational in 2025. [Cape Business News]

US:

¶ “Up To Twelve Feet Of Snow Heading To California Mountains: What To Expect” • Up to 12 feet of snow is heading to California’s Sierra Nevada mountains as a winter storm bears down on the West Coast. Winter storm watches are in place for California, Oregon and Washington. The storm will spread to southern California with heavy rain. [ABC News]

Snow (Les Anderson, Unsplash)

¶ “At Least Five Active Wildfires Are Burning In The Texas Panhandle, Scorching More Than 370,000 Acres” • Hutchinson County is dealing with a “disaster” as fires have caused significant damage to homes and businesses and caused power outages and water shortages. A local state of disaster has been declared for the Texas Panhandle city of Amarillo. [CNN]

¶ “NREL Requests Proposals From US Manufacturers of Small And Medium Wind Turbine Technology” • Managed by NREL for the DOE’s Wind Energy Technologies Office, CIP awards a type of subcontract and national laboratory technical support to US component suppliers and makers of wind turbines of small and mediums sizes. [CleanTechnica]

Bergey Excel 15 (Josh Bauer and Brian Bechtold, NREL)

¶ “Midwest Braces For Severe Storms, Possible Tornadoes” • The Midwest braced for severe storms that could bring tornadoes, as damaging winds and hail hit on Tuesday night. Chicago and northern Illinois are also facing an enhanced threat for tornadoes and hail. Meanwhile, blizzard warnings are in effect for parts of North Dakota and Minnesota. [ABC News]

¶ “New Hope For EV Sales Sparked By New $400 Million Factory, Somewhere In The USA” • For all the gloom and doom over EV sales, the US automotive market continues to attract investors. The news is that Israeli startup Addionics is putting up $400 million to bring its 3-D EV battery architecture to automotive stakeholders in the US. [CleanTechnica]

Fantasy EV (Courtesy of Addionics, via YouTube)

¶ “US DOE Announces Funding for Tribal Clean Energy Projects” • The US DOE announced $25 million in funding to support clean energy technology deployment on Tribal lands. This investment will strengthen Tribal energy sovereignty through local clean energy generation, while increasing energy access, reliability, and security. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Texas Wildfire Causes Brief Shutdown Of Nuclear Weapons Facility” • A series of wildfires swept across the Texas Panhandle, prompting evacuations, cutting off power to thousands, and forcing at least the temporary shutdown of a nuclear weapons facility as the blazes were fed by strong winds, dry grass, and unseasonable heat. [FireRescue1]

Have an enthusiastically received day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Agrivoltaics May Actually Be Good For Farms And Farmers. Who Knew?” • Agrivoltaics is not appropriate for every farm, of course. Not all crops thrive in the presence of solar panels. But the decision should be left to the landowner, not a group of nattering busybodies who get their jollies by telling others what they can and cannot do. [CleanTechnica]

Agrivoltaics (Courtesy of Argonne National Laboratory)

Science and Technology:

¶ “’Ice Bumps’ Reveal History Of Antarctic Melting” • Scientists can see in satellite images the changing shapes of bumps on the ice surface that mark locations where glaciers are anchored. The research, published in the journal Nature, shows the increasing contribution that ice losses from Antarctica will make to future sea-level rise around the globe. [BBC]

¶ “Air Pollution Hides Increases in Rainfall” • A study led by researchers at the US DOE’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory finds that the expected increase in rain has been largely offset by the drying effect of aerosols produced by burning fossil fuels. The research was published in the journal Nature Communications. [CleanTechnica]

A walk in the rain (Nick Scheerbart, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Film Highlights First Electric Car Exported from US to Private Owner in Cuba” • When the white Tesla Model Y rolled onto the dock at Mariel Port in Cuba, it marked a historic moment in the auto industry, international trade, and, to some degree, US-Cuba diplomacy. It was the work of University of Maryland Global Campus alumnus John Felder. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Geely And AITO (Who‽‽) Shine In China – In Rising 18% Market Share In January” • In China, after the December sales peak, the year started with an expected sales slump, but smaller than expected, with numbers almost doubling compared to last year. January, 2024 started at 668,000 passenger new energy vehicle registrations. [CleanTechnica]

AITO M7 (JustAnotherCarDesigner, CC0 1.0, cropped)

¶ “Labour Vows To End Onshore Windfarm Ban And Revitalize UK’s Renewable Energy Sector” • In a world that is increasingly conscious of the ticking clock of climate change, the political battleground for the UK has shifted to the fields of renewable energy. Labour is now positioning itself as the champion of green power. [BNN Breaking]

¶ “CATL, BYD To Reduce Battery Prices By 50% In 2024” • A report from CnEVPost says CATL is pushing for cost reductions that could drive the price of its VDA spec lithium iron phosphate battery cells down to $56.47 per kWh. That reduces battery prices by 50%, to a figure eerily close to a prediction made by Tony Seba a decade ago. [CleanTechnica]

CATL display (CATL image)

¶ “Australia’s Biggest Renewable Power Deal Signed By Industry Leader” • Rio Tinto has signed Australia’s largest renewable power purchase agreement to date to supply its Gladstone operations in Queensland, agreeing to buy a majority of electricity from Windlab’s planned 1.4-GW Bungaban wind energy project. [Manufacturers’ Monthly]

¶ “Denmark Publishes Steps To Speed Permitting” • Denmark’s National Task Force for Renewable Energy Transition presented 27 recommendations to help speed up and streamline permitting for solar and onshore wind farm construction. They include strengthening local support, creating faster processes, and better interaction between authorities. [reNews]

Renewable energy (Image from European Energy)

¶ “JinkoSolar Unveils Neo Green Panels, Made With Renewable Energy” • JinkoSolar unveiled its Neo Green, N-type TOPCon Tiger Neo panels, produced in factories awarded the “Zero Carbon Factory” certification by TÜV Rheinland. The company says it is the first in the industry to be awarded this certification for solar module manufacturing. [Solar Industry]

¶ “BayWa R E And Ampt Lead Microgrid Project In Germany” • In the small town of Pfinztal, nestled in the heart of Germany, a seminal initiative is redefining the future of renewable energy. The campus of Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology, a beacon of scientific innovation, is the stage for a pioneering microgrid project. [BNN Breaking]

Agrivoltaic project (Courtesy of BayWa r e)

¶ “Here’s Why China National Nuclear Power Is Weighed Down By Its Debt Load” • To be frank both China National Nuclear Power’s net debt to EBITDA and its track record of staying on top of its total liabilities make us rather uncomfortable with its debt levels. All told, we think China National Nuclear Power has too much debt. [Simply Wall Street]

US:

¶ “Building a More Sustainable And Affordable Colorado with Thoughtful Housing Strategies” • Governor Jared Polis’s State of the State address posed a question: What should Colorado look like on the state’s 150th birthday in 2026, his final year in office. The cornerstone of his vision was housing. It’s an issue on the minds of many Coloradans. [CleanTechnica]

Housing next to Denver Union Station (Alana Miller, NRDC)

¶ “Bill Supporting Development Of Nuclear Energy Wins Passage In Kentucky Senate” • The Kentucky Senate has voted overwhelmingly to lay the foundation to attract nuclear energy projects to a state where coal has fueled the economy for ages. The measure passed the Senate on a 34-0 vote, with coalfield senators joining in support. [ABC News]

¶ “The Impact Of Renewable Energy Initiatives On Minnesota’s Economy And Environment” • Minnesota is known for its pioneering efforts in renewable energy. As it transitions towards cleaner energy sources, the impacts of initiatives for renewable energy on both the economy and the environment are becoming increasingly evident. [The Minnesota Republic]

Have a totally okay day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Lithium-Air EV Batteries Tapped For Net Zero Economy Of The Future” • Recently, lithium-air batteries seemed destined for the dustbin of automotive history. But the US DOE tapped four different Li-air projects in a funding round aimed at developing batteries powerful enough to move locomotives, ships, and full-sized airplanes. [CleanTechnica]

How a lithium-air battery works

¶ “A Generative AI Tool for Power Grid Visualization” • Every minute of every day, operators monitor the grid to make sure that the supply of electricity matches the demand. Researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory built an AI program that allows a grid operator to ask a question about the grid and get an easy-to-interpret answer. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “UN Member States Are Meeting To Plan How To Tackle The World’s Environmental Crises” • The world’s top environmental body for decision making, the UN Environment Assembly, is meeting in Nairobi to discuss how countries can work together to tackle environmental crises like climate change, pollution, and loss of biodiversity. [ABC News]

Nairobi (Amani Nation, Unsplash)

¶ “Renewable Energy Gains in Australia” • Australia’s federal government has declared three offshore wind zones off the coast of New South Wales, Victoria, and Western Australia. Three more are being considered. It also began the consultation process for a zone for wind energy development off the southern coast of Western Australia. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Cenergi And GDS Sign Malaysian VPPA” • Asian data center operator GDS signed a 21-year renewable energy Virtual Power Purchase Agreement with Malaysian solar power producer Cenergi SEA Berhad. The CGPP allows for a total of 800 MW of solar power to be developed by PV producers and secured by corporate offtakers in Peninsular Malaysia. [reNews]

Kuala Lumpur (Sadie Teper, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Andrew Forrest Slams Fossil Fuel Industry And Coalition For Nuclear Energy ‘Bulldust’” • The Federal Coalition of Liberal and National parties is planning a pro-nuclear platform for the next federal election. Mining and renewable energy magnate Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest accused the National Party of “betraying the bush” in its pro-nuclear stand. [ABC]

¶ “Proposal To Build Nuclear Power Plants At Former Coal Sites In Latrobe Valley Draws Criticism” • Victoria’s Latrobe Valley was the home of the state’s coal-fired electricity sector for decades. Now it’s being touted as a possible home of an Australian nuclear industry. Community group Voices of the Valley says few people support nuclear power. [MSN]

Yallourn W Power Station (CSIRO, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Russia’s ‘Energy Terror’ Cuts Power To Ukraine’s Nuclear Plants” • Russia has faced condemnation for its latest wave of missile strikes targeting Ukraine’s power grid. The barrage of missiles has plunged much of the capital city of Kyiv into frigid darkness, and has killed at least ten people across the country according to Ukrainian officials. [AOL.com]

¶ “Iberdola And O2 Telefónica Seal Baltic Eagle PPA” • Iberdrola Deutschland and O2 Telefónica have signed a long-term power purchase agreement covering energy from the 476-MW Baltic Eagle wind farm in the German North Sea. The agreement provides for the supply of 3,000 GWh of renewable energy to O2 Telefónica for a term of 15 years. [reNews]

Offshore wind farm (Iberdrola Deutschland image)

Ireland:

¶ “Ireland’s Leap Towards Renewable Future” • In the serene expanse of County Meath, near the modest town of Duleek, an ambitious project is taking shape, signaling a pivotal shift in the journey toward renewable energy. The Gaskinstown PV plant, a 93-MW solar power venture, secured a €65 million debt facility to finance the project. [BNN Breaking]

¶ “1 GW Of Solar Energised On Irish Grid” • ESB Networks has confirmed it has 1GW of solar generation connected to Ireland’s grid. This includes 500 MW of utility-scale solar connections, 369 MW of which is from larger projects that are managed by EirGrid. The peak demand on Ireland’s electricity system is approximately 5.5 GW. [reNews]

Solar array inspection (ESB Networks image)

¶ “Ireland’s Energy Shift: Prepay Power And Pinergy Announce Price Cuts Amidst Renewable Push” • Amidst the ongoing debate on Ireland’s energy sustainability and volatile electricity market, two prominent electricity providers, Prepay Power and Pinergy, made headlines with their decisive steps towards making energy more affordable for their customers. [BNN Breaking]

US:

¶ “Electrify America Plans A Fully Renewable 75-MW Facility” • The future is here! At least that’s what Electrify America’s new 100% renewable energy-sourced EV charging network looks like. Teaming up with energy provider Terra-Gen, Electrify America announced plans for a solar powered energy generation project in San Bernardino County, California. [AOL.com]

Solar array (Electrify America image)

¶ “Electric School Buses Finally Make Headway, But Hurdles Still Stand” • The first electric school buses in the US began running a decade ago. Yet despite the availability of the technology all these years, fewer than 1% of the 489,000 school buses in the US were electric at the end of 2023. So over 99% of school buses burn fuel. But that may be changing. [ABC News]

¶ “AAM Calls Cheap Chinese EVs Built In Mexico ‘An Extinction Level Event’” • The Alliance for American Manufacturing is a non-profit, non-partisan partnership of major US manufacturers and the United Steelworkers. It issued a report warning that cheap Chinese electric cars made in Mexico could be the death knell for US automakers. [CleanTechnica]

Have an obviously amusing day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Wind Forecast Improvement Project 3 Aims To Drive Down Offshore Wind Energy Costs” • The Wind Forecast Improvement Project 3 aims to improve wind forecasts and drive down the cost of offshore wind energy. It is venturing into offshore wind energy exploration off the New England coast, studying the complexities of forecasting offshore winds. [CleanTechnica]

Offshore wind turbine (Grahame Jenkins, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Corruption And Clean Energy In South Africa” • South Africa relies heavily on energy from coal-fired power stations, which are major polluters. But making the transition to greater use of renewable energies, such as solar, is hampered by a number of factors. Chief among them is corruption, which is affecting the quality of institutions. [Moneyweb]

¶ “Root Energy Completes Korea’s First Offshore Wind Resident Participation Program” • Root Energy Inc., Korea’s leading renewable energy local acceptance solution provider as well as a certified B Corp, has successfully raised 20 billion won (approx. $15 million) crowdfunded by residents of Suwon-ri, Hallim-eup, Jeju Island. [CleanTechnica]

Jeju Hallim Offshore Wind Farm (Courtesy of Root Energy)

¶ “Real Electricity Price Relief Right Now, Under Our 2030 Strong Plan” • “Our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future is all about taking action now on the issues affecting Tasmanians most, and the most important of those is cost of living,” Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff said. “We are going to supercharge the Renewable Energy Dividend.” [The National Tribune]

¶ “Volkswagen Introduces New Plug-In Hybrid Powertrain While China Embraces PHEVs” • The plug-in hybrid has suddenly found itself to be the prom queen of the EV revolution. We have hashed out the pluses and minuses of plug-in hybrid technology several times here at CleanTechnica. So we recognize the several downsides of PHEVs. [CleanTechnica]

Hybrid powertrain (Courtesy of Volkswagen)

¶ “Pakistan’s Journey Towards Renewable Energy Amidst Climate Challenges” • Pakistan’s industrial sector, a cornerstone of its economy, is a double-edged sword. On one hand, industries like textile, food, and cement are vital for the economic development of Pakistan. On the other hand, they contribute to the nation’s carbon footprint. [BNN Breaking]

¶ “Early Jacaranda Bloom Sparks Debate About Climate Change In Mexico” • In spring, the streets of Mexico’s capital have always been purple with the flowering of jacaranda trees. Their bright colors not only attract the eyes of residents and tourists, but also birds, bees, and butterflies. Now, however, they are blooming in January and February. [Devdiscourse]

Jacaranda (Sincerely Media, Unsplash)

¶ “Higginson Argues Against Nuclear In Favor of Renewables” • In a compelling interview that reverberated across the nation, NSW Greens MP Sue Higginson met with Sky News host Danica De Giorgio to discuss the contours of Australia’s energy future. She held persuasively that nuclear energy is an impractical choice for Australia. [BNN Breaking]

US:

¶ “Reconductoring: The Quick Way To Double Grid Capacity” • You need more than money to build new power lines. Easements and land purchases for the wires to go across, environmental reviews, inspections, engineering approvals, permitting, and all sorts of other things are needed. An alternative is to give the old power lines new conductors. [CleanTechnica]

Power lines (Matthew Henry, Unsplash)

¶ “University Of Florida Students Demand Campus-Wide Measures To Avert The Climate Crisis” • Who do you suppose would be determined to stand up to Governor Ron DeSantis’ dangerous worldviews, out of all the people in Florida? Consider: the University of Florida’s Student Senate voted unanimously to support a Green New Deal. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “A Brighter Tomorrow: North County’s Clean Energy Alliance Offers Affordable Renewable Energy Options” • In California, the Clean Energy Alliance, an effort by Carlsbad, Solana Beach, and Del Mar, is setting the stage for a future where renewable energy is not just an option but the cornerstone of power consumption for about 58,000 customers. [BNN Breaking]

Ocean at Del Mar (Joshua Brown, Unsplash)

¶ “House Speaker Wants Tax Hike For Renewable Energy In Oklahoma – Targets NextEra Energy” • House Speaker Charles McCall, reportedly “furious” over opposition by NextEra Energy to a possible ROFR bill in the legislature responded with what is seemingly an income tax relief bill, but in actuality was a major tax hike on renewable energy. [Oklahoma Energy Today]

¶ “A Warning About Radioactive Air Pollution From Pilgrim” • AG Andrea Campbell filed a civil lawsuit against Holtec, the firm decommissioning the Pilgrim nuclear plant, for releasing asbestos pollution during demolition. Asbestos is a well known airborne carcinogen that causes malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer and ovarian cancer. [CommonWealth Beacon]

Have an enjoyably surprising day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Nuclear Advocates Accused Of Spreading Misinformation” • Nuclear energy advocates seized on the Victorian weather events and temporary power outage to re-energise their campaign for nuclear energy. Let’s be clear upfront. Nuclear is not being put forward as a genuine alternative to renewables. It’s being used as a delaying tactic to keep fossil fuels going. [Mirage News]

Coal-burning power plant (Jason Blackeye, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Switzerland Advocates For Geoengineering Research” • The UN Environment Program conference is about to take place in Nairobi. In its preliminaries, Switzerland proposed a global debate on whether the “risks, benefits and uncertainties” of dimming the sun through geoengineering should be studied by a UN expert group. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “FedEx Express UK Grows Its London Fleet Of E-Cargo Delivery Bikes” • An announcement from FedEx Express UK confirms that they are serious about electric micromobility. The company just added eight more 4-wheeled e-cargo bikes to the FedEx London fleet to join the electric cargo bikes FedEx already operates there. [CleanTechnica]

FedEx Express UK electric cargo bike (Courtesy of FedEx)

¶ “Carte Blanche’s Latest Episode Shines A Light On Antarctica’s Climate Change Crisis” • Carte Blanche, South Africa’s beacon of investigative journalism, ventured into the heart of the frozen continent to explore the critical research being conducted by South African scientists. Their work aims to steer global efforts in combating global warming. [BNN Breaking]

¶ “First Electric-Only Volvo Truck” • Volvo Trucks introduces its eighth all-electric truck model, the Volvo FM Low Entry, as its first electric-only model, enhancing the company’s commitment to sustainable transportation. Intended for urban environments, the design of the FM Low Entry focuses on safety, efficiency, and reducing emissions. [CleanTechnica]

Electric Volvo truck

¶ “TSREDCO Told To Set Up Solar Plants At Govt Offices” • The Deputy Chief Minister of Telangana asked officials to set up solar panels at all government offices. Chairing a review meeting with officials of the Telangana State Renewable Energy Development Corporation Limited, he said that renewable energy is a top priority of the state. [The New Indian Express]

¶ “How climate change is thwarting travellers’ cherry blossom plans” • The rare and beautiful ten-day cherry blossom “front” is set to start ten days earlier than usual due to global warming. The travellers who arrived in Tokyo in April 2023 to see the city’s famous cherry tree petals found the blossoms opened ten days early in response to climate change. [BBC]

Cherry blossoms (Jonathan Kim, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “$75 Million To Revitalize Coal Communities, Create Good-Paying Jobs In Illinois” • Federal officials recently went to Illinois, where they announced $75.8 million in fiscal year 2023 funding from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The funds are to address pollution at abandoned mine lands and increase economic opportunity in Illinois. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Rivian Opening Its Own Charging Network To All EVs” • Rivian is following in Tesla’s footsteps with its decision to open its public charging network to all EVs later this year. The announcement came in the company’s most recent letter to shareholders, outlining plans to expand access to the Rivian Adventure Network. [CleanTechnica]

Rivian charging (Courtesy of Rivian)

¶ “1 GWh Energy Storage Project In Arizona Gets $559 Million In Financing” • Strata Clean Energy secured $559 million in funds for its Scatter Wash battery storage complex. Its capacity is 255-MW and 1,020-MWh. Strata broke ground on the Phoenix, AZ, energy storage project in January. The complex is expected to be operating in 2025. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “DTE Energy Ignites Michigan’s Green Future With Major Renewable Projects Bid” • DTE Energy announced its intention to seek proposals for new wind and solar projects, aiming for a capacity of roughly 1,075 MW. This initiative marks a significant step towards Michigan’s greener future and aligns with the state’s ambitious decarbonization efforts. [BNN Breaking]

Wind farm (DTE Energy image)

¶ “Rivian R2 Pricing, Details, Unveiling Event” • Rivian is gearing up to reveal its Rivian R2 in the coming weeks, bringing with it exciting details ahead of the launch. Notably, Rivian confirmed that the R2 will be available in Europe, signaling an expansion of its market beyond North America. Details are to be disclosed at the unveiling on March 7, 2024. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Platte River’s Path To A Clean, Reliable Energy Future” • Platte River’s primary challenge is deploying renewable resources as fast as possible against rising costs, supply chain snarls, delays due to technology and other industry-wide headwinds while still providing power people can depend on and afford. It aims to do that by 2030. [The Coloradoan]

Solar array (Platte River Power Authority)

¶ “HUD Awards $73.5 Million To Make Housing More Energy Efficient” • The Department of Housing and Urban Development announced it is awarding $73.5 million in new loans and grants under the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program to support extensive energy efficiency and climate resilience renovations for low-income Americans. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶ “Alaska Lawmaker’s Bid To Revive Stalled Green Energy Policy Defines Coal As ‘Clean’” • House Bill 368, now before Alaska’s House, was drafted by Sutton Republican Representative George Rauscher. It seeks to define coal-generated electricity as “clean energy,” putting it on the same footing as hydroelectric, wind, solar, and tidal power. [Alaska Beacon]

Have a totally copacetic day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “SAE Adopts New Standards For Vehicle-To-Grid” • The SAE standard J3068/2 enables V2G capability for Level 1 and Level 2 charging. It enables ​“electrical certification” of individual vehicles by recognizing each EV through a unique digital identifier that utilities can reference to check whether they are authorized to supply power to the grid. [CleanTechnica]

Charging EVs (Evan Krape, University of Delaware)

¶ “Magnesium Batteries Are Beginning To Give Up Their Secrets” • Magnesium batteries could power EVs and unlock more utility-scale energy storage, helping to put more wind and solar energy onto the grid. But it depends on researchers picking apart some of the technology obstacles. The going has been slow, but there are new developments. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Albay Targets Complete Renewable Energy Transition By 2030” • The Philippine province of Albay announced a goal to transition entirely to renewable energy by 2030. This move is aimed to mitigate power disruptions due to severe weather. The Governor said there is an urgent need to develop renewable energy in the province. [Power Philippines]

Mayon Volcano in Albay (Seanaleta, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “290 Civil Society Groups Urge EU And G7 to Stop Funding the Militarization of Russia” • The European Union and G7 must tighten their grip on Russia’s key revenue streams from exports of fossil fuels, say 290 European, international, and Ukrainian NGOs in a joint public appeal to the leaders of the EU and G7 nations. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “UK To Leave Energy Charter Treaty” • The UK will leave the Energy Charter Treaty after the failure of efforts to reform it, the government has announced. The UK joins nine EU members, including France, Spain, and the Netherlands, in leaving the treaty. The decision will support the UK’s transition to net zero and strengthen its energy security. [reNews]

Parliament (Parliamentwiki image)

¶ “Renewable Availability And Bureaucracy Slowing Business Decarbonisation” • A survey of European business leaders showed that a majority have a green energy strategy in place but are challenged by availability of the green energy. It found that just under half of them are only starting to implement a green energy strategy. [Power Engineering International]

US:

¶ “Native American Tribes Gain New Authority To Block Hydopower Projects” • Federal regulators have granted Native American tribes more power to block hydropower projects on their land. A new FERC policy allows tribes to veto proposals, forcing businesses to cooperate if they want the US government to approve projects. [ABC News]

Canyon on Navajo reservation (John Fowler, Unsplash)

¶ “Decarbonizing Heavy Industry” • On the southern shore of Lake Michigan, a university and a steel plant are working on the same problem. With technical and financial support from the US DOE, both organizations are trying to clear a major obstacle on America’s path to a clean energy economy: the decarbonization of our heavy industries. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Local Union Workers Power Minnesota’s Fast-Growing Clean Energy Industry” • Minnesota wind farms, solar farms, solar panel manufacturing, transmission line construction, and other clean energy projects are largely built by in-state, union workers. In 2022, Minnesota’s clean energy industry grew twice as fast as the rest of the economy. [CleanTechnica]

Union worker (LIUNA Minnesota and North Dakota)

¶ “Unitil Begins Work On US Solar Array” • Unitil Corporation has begun site work on a 5-MW solar energy project in Kingston, New Hampshire. It will be the largest of its kind operating in the state, and will deliver its electricity directly to Unitil’s distribution system. ReVision Energy is the engineering, procurement, and construction contractor for the array. [reNews]

¶ “California Rises to 21.4% BEV Market Share, 33.8% of US BEV Market” • California is one of the biggest and most exciting EV markets in the world. It’s still dominated by Tesla, the second best selling auto maker overall in the market, but several other electric cars are also standing out. And there is more to be seen in the 2023 numbers. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla Model Y

¶ “Climate Change Is Already Affecting Indiana. Here Are Some Solutions” • Human-caused climate change is already here, and researchers have been studying how it is affecting Indiana. While many reports point to dire consequences, there are groups that work toward solutions to help avoid the worst scenarios. Here is a look at both viewpoints. [IndyStar]

¶ “Equinor Secures Final Green Light For Empire” • The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management approved the Construction and Operations Plan for Equinor’s 2-GW Empire Wind project. With this key permitting action secured, Empire Wind is on track to begin construction in its federal lease area off the southern coast of Long Island, Equinor said. [reNews]

Offshore wind farm (Equinor image)

¶ “Arevon Secures Over $1 Billion Financing For Eland 2 Solar-plus-Storage Project In California” • Arevon Energy announced that it secured over $1 billion in financing for its Eland 2 Solar-plus-Storage Project in Kern County, California. This project combines a 374-MW solar installation with 150-MW, 600-MWh of energy storage. [SolarQuarter]

¶ “Oil And Gas Producers Push Back Against Nuclear Waste Storage In Permian” • The oil and gas industry is fighting to keep the government’s stockpiles of nuclear fuel out of their oilfields, and they have a whole lot of money and manpower to hold the projects off. Fossil fuel leaders would rather not test the theory that storage will be safe. [OilPrice.com]

Have an appreciably fabulous day.

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Opinion:

¶ “From Petrostate To Electrostate: Queensland’s Renewable Energy Push Shows Australia’s Governments Can Move Faster” • Queensland is not just undergoing an energy transition, but a total transformation from legacy petrostate to renewable energy superpower. Its staggering momentum has lessons for the states and the federal government. [The Guardian]

Gold Coast, Queensland (seb, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Here’s How Your City Can Go ‘Spongy’ And Hold Back Flooding” • One consequence of the climate crisis is increased flood threats. For cities to be free of flooding, they need to be designed like giant sponges that allow water to drain away safely. In its simplest iteration, a spongy city has planned green areas and permeable surfaces. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “India Seeks To Boost Rooftop Solar, Especially For Its Remote Areas” • The government of India streamlined the approvals process, made it easier to claim subsidies, and pushed piles of cash, including $9 billion announced this month, to encourage faster adoption of technology that’s seen as critical for India to reach its clean energy goals. [ABC News]

Delhi Metro station (Kool Nerd 123, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “Yakuza Boss Charged With Conspiring To Traffic Nuclear Materials” • The US Justice Department unsealed new charges against a leader of the notorious Japanese Yakuza gang who they accuse of attempting to traffic weapons-grade nuclear materials from Burma to other countries, according to a newly announced superseding indictment. [ABC News]

¶ “The Silence SO4 Nanocar Is A Tiny Battery-Swappable EV” • Spain’s Silence Urban Ecomobility is already building electric motorcycles and battery packs, but now has its own version of a tiny 4-wheeled micromobility solution, the SO4 Nanocar. This small car is a very compact 2-seater EV built at the company’s Barcelona factory. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Grünheide Voters Say No To Tesla Factory Expansion Plan” • The citizens of Grünheide were allowed to express their opinions about expansion of a Tesla Gigafactory in their town. According to The Guardian, 76% of eligible voters turned out, and 65% voted against the plan. The referendum is not legally binding, but will “serve as an orientation.” [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Renewable Power Turns Sod On Swedish Duo” • Renewable Power Capital has started the construction of two wind farms in Sweden totalling 230 MW. Chemicals producer LyondellBasell has two 10-year power purchase agreements for the electricity produced by both wind farms. The two wind farms form part of a 553-MW cluster of four in the area. [reNews]

Wind farm (Nordex image)

¶ “Romania Charges Ahead In The Renewable Energy Race With Over 1 GW of New Projects” • In a move that underscores a leap towards sustainability, Romania is making headlines with its latest green initiative. Last month, the nation issued technical connection approvals for new renewable energy projects with a total installed capacity of 1.1 GW. [BNN Breaking]

¶ “Minesto Upgrades Faroe Tidal Plan To 200 MW” • Developer Minesto has upgraded its roadmap to a 200-MW tidal energy buildout in the Faroe Islands. The scaled-up roadmap responds to the growing demands for green energy, where unlocking the tidal opportunity enables transition to a 100% renewable power system. [reNews]

Minesto turbine (Minesto image)

¶ “Ukraine’s Zaphorizhzhia Nuclear Plant Loses Connection To Last Backup Power Line” • Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant lost connection to its last external power backup line, UN’s nuclear agency chief said. The loss of the last power backup for the nuclear facility is “once again underlining the fragile nuclear safety and security situation at the site.” [Yahoo]

US:

¶ “Clean Bus Planning Awards Support Fleet Electrification With Custom Transition Plans” • The National Renewable Energy Lab announced the $5 million Clean Bus Planning Awards program. It provides free technical assistance to create comprehensive and customized bus electrification plans for US school and transit fleets through Fiscal Year 2024. [CleanTechnica]

BYD electric bus (Courtesy of BYD)

¶ “Nearly 3 Million Asthma Attacks Could Be Prevented Among Children With Cleaner Energy: Report” • Nearly three million asthma attacks in children could be prevented by 2050 if the US transitioned to EVs and clean power, according to a report from the American Lung Association. Researchers say the goals would also save hundreds of infant lives. [ABC News]

¶ “Tesla US Auto Market Share Tops Volkswagen, BMW, Suburu, And Mercedes” • While Tesla’s market share within the EV market dropped from about 65% to 55% year over year, the overall EV market growth in the US was so high that Tesla is selling more cars. Tesla’s Model Y accounted for 1 in every 3 EVs sold in the US in 2023. [CleanTechnica]

EV Sales by Month (Courtesy of the US DOE)

¶ “Goldman Sachs Insists Our Future Transportation Is All Electric” • Goldman Sachs Exchanges foresees transportation of the future as all-electric. In fact, they say EVs could make up nearly half of global car sales by 2035. The Goldman analysts also predict that within five years of that significant parts of the market will be autonomous. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “From Coal To Clean: Keyser, West Virginia’s Transition To Renewable Energy” • Keyser, West Virginia, a town once defined by its thriving coal industry, is seeing a transformation. The town’s transition to renewable energy, primarily wind power, is not just a local phenomenon but symbolizes a broader national shift in America’s energy strategy. [Medriva]

Have an immaculately managed day.

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World:

¶ “Beef Trade Risks Key Brazil Ecosystem – Campaigners” • Beef production by three of the world’s biggest meatpackers has been linked to illegal deforestation in Brazil’s Cerrado, a savannah region, according to campaigners. The savannah, which featured in Planet Earth III, hosts 5% of Earth’s species and is a buffer against global warming. [BBC]

Cerrado (Aline Marcele Ghilardi, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Trinidad Hires Foreign Experts To Help Contain Oil Spill And Remove Barge” • The government of Trinidad and Tobago said it is partnering with international experts to remove the wreckage of a barge that capsized in nearby waters and caused a major oil spill. T&T Salvage, based in Texas, and QT Environmental, of Minnesota, will work on the spill. [ABC News]

¶ “The Electric, Sustainable Snowmobile: Vidde Just Launched Its First Vehicle” • Aiming for its carbon emissions to be less than 100 g co2/km, Pininfarina and Vidde are collaborating to create an environmentally sustainable snowmobile that, beyond being electric, is designed to maximise the product life span, taking a circular standpoint. [CleanTechnica]

Vidde snowmobile (Courtesy of Vidde Mobility, via cision)

¶ “Car & General Launches Piaggio Electric 3-Wheelers in Kenya” • In many of Kenya’s towns, 3-wheeled tuktuks buzz around everywhere. They play vital roles in the economy, but they make a lot of noise and pollution. Car & General Trading Limited recently launched battery-electric versions of the tuktuks made by Piaggio. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Octopus Signs German PV Power Purchase Agreement” • A PPA will see Octopus supply steel maker Salzgitter with 126,000 MWh of electricity generated at the Schiebsdorf solar farm in the German state of Brandenburg, over a period of 10 years. Octopus plans to put more than €1 billion into Germany’s clean energy infrastructure by 2027. [reNews]

Solar farm (Octopus Energy image)

¶ “Electricity From Renewable Sources Up To 41% In 2022” • In 2022, renewable energy resources made up 41.2% of the gross electricity consumption in the EU, 3.4 percentage points more than in 2021 (37.8%) and well ahead of other electricity generating sources such as nuclear (less than 22%), gas (less than 20%) or coal (less than 17%). [European Commission]

¶ “China’s Coal Boom Slows As Top Mining Hubs Focus On Renewable Energy” • China’s coal boom is slowing as top mining regions limit growth and steer investment to the clean energy that will replace the dirtiest fossil fuel. Seven straight years of rising output have produced a glut of coal that kept prices low. But there are other costs. [The Straits Times]

Moving coal (Bart van Dijk, Unsplash)

¶ “Tidal Wave Of Capital Is Transforming Queensland Into A Renewables And Critical Minerals Superpower” • Queensland is set to transform from a fossil fuel petrostate to a renewable energy superpower. Queensland is bringing in investment into transmission and renewable energy to produce a tidal wave of public and private capital. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “Rio Tinto Doubles Down To Produce Renewable Aluminium” • Miner and aluminium producer Rio Tinto has doubled down on its moves to decarbonise the aluminium production chain. It announced its second renewable power purchase agreement, which will supply its Gladstone operations in Queensland. It is Australia’s largest PPA. [Australian Manufacturing Forum]

Rio Tinto train (Eddie Bugajewski, Unsplash)

¶ “Japan To Dump Another 54,600 Tons Of Irradiated Water Into Sea This Year” • Since August 24, 2023, TEPCO has released three batches of radioactive water from storage tanks at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant for a total of 23,400 metric tons of water. The fourth batch of 7,800 tons is planned for the end of this month. [The Hankyoreh]

US:

¶ “Tesla Model Y And Model 3 Top California Auto Sales In 2023” • Tesla’s rapid growth and success have been seen more clearly in California than anywhere else. In that state, Tesla’s success is jaw dropping. Tesla has become a major automaker in the US, but in California, it’s a power the top tier of the auto market fighting for the #1 spot. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla (Tech Nick, Unsplash)

¶ “Biden Administration Backs Off Proposed Tailpipe Emissions Rules” • Joe Biden has been a firm supporter of the EV revolution ever since he took office. His administration proposed tougher tailpipe emissions standards that favor EVs. But opposition from car makers and auto unions has created a political environment that is not friendly to clean cars. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Record US Renewable Energy Investment Is Not Enough To Meet Climate Goals: Report” • US investment in wind and solar power plants hit record levels last year, but even that growth rate fell short of the level needed to meet the nation’s climate goals, an analysis shows. The US must add at least 60 GW of capacity this year to stay on track. [The Business Times]

Dam (American Public Power Association, Unsplash)

¶ “Oregon’s Rural Power Utility Has Become A Big Polluter” • The Umatilla Electric Cooperative is responsible for 1.8 million tons of carbon emissions annually, according to state data, even though it has just 16,000 customers. It’s now the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases among all Oregon utilities because of one customer: Amazon. [Governing]

¶ “PLT Energia Forms 1-GW Texas JV” • PLT Energy US Corp, a subsidiary of Italian developer PLT Energia, has entered into a joint venture with GGS Energy to develop more than 1 GW of renewable energy in Texas. The JV’s first project will be Indigo Project Phase I, in West Texas, comprising 150 MW of PV and 180 MW of storage. [reNews]

Have a monumentally restful day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Plug-in Hybrids: Are They Really A Solution To Reducing Emissions?” • Recently GM made headlines in saying they may restart production of plug-in hybrids after moving to battery EVs only in 2019. Are they moving backwards? Not necessarily. We need to move from gasoline to electricity quickly, and there may be a place for plugin-hybrids. [CleanTechnica]

Cadillac Escalade Hybrid (IFCAR, public domain)

¶ “What’s Fueling The Commercial Fusion Hype?” • Recent White House and US DOE pronouncements on speeding up the “commercialization” of fusion energy are so over the top as to make you wonder about the scientific competence of some who are in government. It is not close enough to being market-ready even to talk about it. [Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Tiny Shells Yield ‘Remarkable’ Increase In Organic Solar Cell Conversion Efficiency” • Last December a multi-school research team in Sweden reported a method for creating organic solar cells from kraft lignin, a common form of industrial wood pulp, instead of deploying plastic from petrochemicals. And its surface shape makes it more efficient. [CleanTechnica]

Organic active layer (Rendering by Hah via Eurekalert)

¶ “Revolutionizing Renewable Energy: Blockchain Technology And Microgrids Propel Solar Trading And Grid Integration” • As the world pivots towards sustainable energy solutions, a novel approach combining blockchain technology and advanced microgrid systems is set to transform solar energy trading and integration into utility grids. [BNN Breaking]

World:

¶ “Carmakers Failing To Deliver Affordable Electric Cars, Holding Back EV Adoption – Analysis” • Just 17% of electric cars sold in Europe are in the cheaper B segment, compared to 37% of new combustion engines, analysis finds. Carmakers are slowing EV adoption by prioritising sales of more costly large electric cars, the analysis shows. [CleanTechnica]

Panda Mini EV (Courtesy of Geely)

¶ “Chemical Pollution Victims’ Voices Ignored For A European Industrial Deal” • In October 2023, pollution victims from Italy, Belgium, and France requested an audience with Ursula von der Leyen to address the devastating health consequences of toxic PFAS chemicals. Despite their passionate plea, their voices are being ignored. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Kenyan Startup Roam Secures $24 Million in Funding to Accelerate Electric Mobility Solutions” • The transition to electric mobility is gaining momentum. The electric two-wheeler market has grown rapidly around the world over the past few years due to high fuel prices, rapid urbanization in developing countries, and the need to reduce air pollution. [CleanTechnica]

Roam Air electric motorcycle (Roam image)

¶ “SgurrEnergy Attains Milestone Of Over 100 GW In Renewable Energy Projects” • Renewable energy consultancy SgurrEnergy celebrates a major milestone, surpassing 100 GW of experience in renewable energy projects worldwide, with a portfolio built in over forty countries. India accounts for approximately 60 GW of its total capacity achieved. [SolarQuarter]

¶ “Oz Offshore Consultation Is Kicked Off” • The Government of Australia is seeking feedback on the benefits and effects of future offshore wind development in a proposed area in the Indian Ocean off the Bunbury region in Western Australia. The area is at least 20km from the coast, has quality wind resources and some relatively shallow waters. [reNews]

Offshore wind turbines (insung yoon, Unsplash)

¶ “Telis Energy Italy Ignites Renewable Revolution With 3-GW Development Plan” • In a move that signals a major shift towards renewable energy in Italy, Telis Energy Italy, a subsidiary of the British-based Telis Energy, has unveiled ambitious plans to develop 3 GW of battery storage and hybrid renewable energy projects in the country. [BNN Breaking]

¶ “Energy Democracy Takes Off In Greece” • Hyperion, the first democratic renewable-energy community in Athens, looks like one of Germany’s progressive energy cooperatives. And the idea behind it is also much the same as with those in Germany: to create a democratic collective that produces renewable energy for its members and the broader community. [DW]

Solar array (Hyperion image)

¶ “CleanCo Commences Construction On $330 Million BESS” • Construction has commenced on a $330 million battery project in Swanbank, Queensland, to be delivered by publicly owned CleanCo in partnership with Tesla and Yurika. It is expected to be one of Queensland’s biggest batteries, with capacities of 250 MW and 500 MWh. [Energy Magazine]

US:

¶ “An Ancient Lake That Reemerged At Death Valley National Park Will Stick Around” • Death Valley’s famed Badwater Basin began filling up with water in August due to heavy precipitation from Hurricane Hilary, which prompted the first tropical storm watch in California state history. Now, a series of atmospheric rivers will keep it filled a while. [ABC News]

Lake in Badwater Basin (Steve Gribble, Unsplash)

¶ “EV Charging Station Blues Banished By Fresh Flood Of Money” • If you noticed a torrent of news about EV charging stations over the weekend, it’s no accident. New federal funds for building out EV charging station network are starting to kick in. Star Charge, a Chinese firm, is setting up shop in Ohio to make 20,000 EV chargers per year. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “West Virginia House of Delegates Approves Expansion Of Renewable Energy Capacity” • The WV House of Delegates approved House Bill 5528 to increase the cap on the amount of renewable electricity a facility can generate. It also eliminates the sunset date on a state program aimed at promoting utility-scale renewable power. [Zelosos por Buenas Renovables]

Have an extraordinarily useful day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Please Don’t Store Nuclear Waste In Our Precious Oil Field, Says Fossil Fuel Industry” • A Wall Street Journal story covered a plan to store nuclear waste in the most active US oil field. It was a fascinating collision between fossil and post-fossil energy that underscores a truth at the heart of the nuclear debate: nobody wants it in their backyard. [Futurism]

Pumpjacks in an oilfield (gerhard crous, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Novel Field Campaign Sets Sail to Improve Offshore Wind Forecasts” • Weather patterns are difficult to predict offshore due to complex atmosphere-ocean interactions and a lack of data. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and collaborators are charting a new course with help from novel approaches to technology and measurement. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “New Study Projects Geothermal Heat Pumps’ Impact On Carbon Emissions And Electrical Grid by 2050” • Modeling analysis led by the DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory gives the first detailed look at how geothermal energy can relieve the electric power system and reduce carbon emissions if widely implemented across the US. [CleanTechnica]

Geothermal heat pump system (Chad Malone, ORNL, US DOE)

¶ “Tackling Climate Change: Understanding How Soil Traps Carbon” • A new finding explains how soil sequesters plant-based carbon from the atmosphere. The outcome may promote ideas to help tackle climate change, including strategies to prevent carbon release. With 2,500 billion tons of carbon, soil is one of Earth’s largest carbon sinks. [Digital Journal]

World:

¶ “Climate Change: Plan To Capture, Ship, And Bury Power Station’s CO₂” • Plans have been unveiled to lay new undersea pipes to carry carbon emissions from one of Europe’s largest gas power stations. The scheme would link Pembroke power station with a liquified natural gas terminal across the Milford Haven estuary in Pembrokeshire. [BBC]

Ship at Milford Haven (Gareth James, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

¶ “’Zombie Fires’ Burning At An Alarming Rate In Canada” • In the dead of Canada’s winter, the embers of last year’s record wildfire season still remain. So-called zombie fires are burning under thick layers of snow at an unprecedented rate, raising fears about what the coming summer may bring. Their smoke can be seen rising, and it can be smelled. [BBC]

¶ “PNE Expands PPA Program” • The PNE Group has signed up more than 100 wind and PV project companies to its consulting program Power Purchase Agreements as a service. In 2023 alone, PNE’s PPA team signed up 39 wind and PV outfits with a total output of over 337 MW for PPAs for the short and long terms. PNE now supports 107 clean projects. [reNews]

Wind turbines (PNE image)

¶ “Report Identifies Bottlenecks Preventing Renewables Uptake In WA” • A report prepared for the Australian Energy Council has identified key bottlenecks preventing uptake of renewable energy projects in Western Australia. Roadblocks include a lack of new transmission planning and investment, along with slow, costly, opaque grid connection processes. [Energy Magazine]

¶ “Greece Set to Become Major Energy Exporter to Europe” • Greece could generate billions of euros of yearly income for its economy by developing an electricity connection to central Europe and exporting the country’s vast potential in renewable energy to consumers in Germany and elsewhere, according to a recent study. [GreekReporter.com]

Transmission lines (Varistor60, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Laos Gives Green Light To 1,200-MW Wind Power Project” • The Lao government has signed an agreement with Savan Vayu Renewable Energy Co, Ltd for developing a 1,200-MW wind power project in Sepon district of the province of Savannakhet, which borders Vietnam. The project is the largest of its kind in Laos to date. [VietnamPlus]

US:

¶ “The Texas Solar Energy Revolution Is Going Global” • The solar industry of Texas is in a weird situation politically, but that doesn’t seem to stop investors who want to pump money into the state’s economy. The latest news shows how manufacturers in other states and countries can base their clean power profiles on Texas renewable energy projects. [CleanTechnica]

Misae II Solar Park in Texas (Courtesy of Greenalia)

¶ “2024 Hyundai Kona Electric – The EV For Chevy Bolt Owners Whose Lease Is Up” • Someone who leases a Chevy Bolt might find that when the lease is nearly up, it is not easy to find a car to replace it. The problem is that GM does not yet have a suitable replacement. It may be that the Hyundai Kona Electric is exactly the car they want. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Sun Bear Solar Farm Will Be Eight Miles Long, One Mile Wide, And Have Two Million Solar Panels” • Sun Bear, a huge solar and battery storage installation in the Four Corners region of Colorado, will have more than two million solar panels on 5,500 acres of land belonging to the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. The solar capacity will be 975 MW. [CleanTechnica]

Have an elegantly exquisite day.

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Opinion:

¶ “What Does It Matter To Floridians If Florida Goes Underwater Anyway?” • “My daughters learned this past week from me that Florida is likely to go under water at some point. They said that I should write about that on CleanTechnica! I told them we had, many times, and that this is quite well known. ‘What? And people aren’t doing anything about it?’” [CleanTechnica]

Florida (Florida-Guidebook.com, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Erratic Weather Fueled By Climate Change Will Worsen Locust Outbreaks, Study Finds” • Extreme wind and rain may lead to bigger and worse desert locust outbreaks, with human-caused climate change likely to intensify the weather patterns and cause higher outbreak risks, a study has found. This may lead to greater crop failures. [ABC News]

¶ “New ‘Time Travel’ Study Reveals Future Impact Of Climate Change On Coastal Marshes” • After a network of nearly 400 monitoring sites was established along the Louisiana coast, the rate of sea-level rise in the region was found to be over 10 mm (0.5 in) per year, at least three times the global average. It was a unique opportunity for study. [Eurasia Review]

Coastal Louisiana (Joshua J Cotten, Unsplash)

¶ “Once Melting Glaciers Shut Down The Gulf Stream, We Will See Extreme Climate Change Within Decades, Study Shows” • Studies suggest that Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation hit a dangerous tipping point in the past that sent it into sudden, unstoppable decline, and that it could hit such a tipping point again as glaciers and ice sheets melt. [Phys.org]

World:

¶ “Ford F-150 Lightning Makes It To #1 EV Market In The World – How Will It Do?” • The F-150 Lightning had just a little more than 24,000 sales in the US in 2023. That’s a far cry from the 150,000 or so annual sales the company’s targeting. But now, Ford has started exporting the F-150 Lightning, and one early market is Norway. [CleanTechnica]

Ford F-150 Lightning in Norway

¶ “Next Stop, Net Zero: Britain Boasts Europe’s Biggest New Zero Emission Bus Market” • Britain’s new bus, coach, and minibus market is growing back after three challenging years, with 4,932 new units registered in 2023, according to figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. That’s a 44.6% increase on 2022 levels. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Austria, Resolutely Opposed To Nuclear Power, Is Banking On Renewable Energies” • Nuclear power is on the rise in Europe. Brussels launched an industrial alliance to accelerate deployment of small modular reactors. Austria is fiercely opposed to that. Its last nuclear plant, at Zwentendorf, was never commissioned and is now a museum. [Actual News Magazine]

Zwentendorf control room (Miha Meglic, Unsplash)

¶ “Epson Goes 100% Renewable Energy And Plans Power Plant” • Manufacturing is notoriously difficult to decarbonise because of the amount of energy required to make things. Technology leader Epson Group is now sourcing all of of its energy from renewables at the Japanese giant’s global sites. It is also building a biomass plant. [Sustainability Magazine]

¶ “The Mekong Delta Works To Advance Its Renewable Energy Development” • With a coastline stretching about 700 km (435 miles), a vast exclusive economic zone of up to 360,000 km² (139,000 mi²) and strong coastal winds, the potential for offshore wind development across the Mekong Delta can reach between 1,200 MW and 1,500 MW. [VietnamPlus]

Offshore wind farm (Capmat007, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “Morocco Will Power Homes In The UK” • UK-based Xlinks has announced the appointment of Vegar Serthwaite Larsen as CTO to lead the £1.4 billion ($1.7 billion) submarine cable project to carry renewably generated energy from Morocco to the UK. Four huge undersea cables are to supply 3.6 GW by 2030, meeting 8% of Britain’s electricity needs. [Atalayar]

¶ “Climate Change Is Forcing Some Australians To Weigh Up Relocating” • Big environmental changes mean ever more Australians will confront the tough choice of whether to move home or risk staying put. Hotter and more humid weather, increased flood risks, droughts, and bushfires are already causing falling populations in some places. [Phys.org]

Australia (Elsa Guyader, Unsplash)

¶ “USAID Invests $5 Million In Armenia’s Energy Independence” • In a notable move bolstering Armenia’s energy independence, the US Agency for International Development announced an infusion of an additional $5 million into the Armenia Energy Program, steering Armenia away from reliance natural gas and towards renewables. [BNN Breaking]

US:

¶ “One Firefighter Killed, Ten More Injured In ‘Catastrophic’ House Explosion In Virginia: Officials” • A firefighter was killed and ten others injured when a house in Sterling, Virginia exploded, the fire chief said. A resident had reported smelling gas. A 500-gallon underground propane tank on the side of the house was leaking gas. [ABC News]

Scene of the home explosion (Loudoun County Fire Department)

¶ “EV Sales Gloom Pierced By Jaunty Retro SUV From Scout Motors” • In the early years of the US auto industry, anyone with a dream and a monkey wrench could start making cars. Now, the new Volkswagen offshoot Scout Motors is forging ahead with plans to manufacture new electric trucks and SUVs inspired by a 20th century retro fan favorite. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “California’s Giant Solar And Storage Initiative” • The Edwards Sanborn facility in the Mojave Desert shows innovation and commitment to sustainable practices. It can produce 875 MW from solar PVs and store 3,287 MWh in its batteries. It can power about 238,000 homes and reduce CO₂ emissions by 320,000 tons each year. [Microgrid Media]

Have an unqualifiedly flawless day.

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World:

¶ “Thailand’s Floating Solar Solution” • The largest floating hydro-solar project in the world came online in Thailand in 2021. Its success prompted the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand to advance fifteen new clean energy projects. The combined capacity from the new projects supported by EGAT will total over 2.7 GW. [CleanTechnica]

Floating solar array (Courtesy of Miya Water via Xfloat)

¶ “Germany EV Sales Report: Back to the Past” • In January, after the subsidies-derived sales rush of December, Germany’s plugin vehicle market had a hangover month. Comparing sales to the previous January does not say much because that month had the same problem. But we can note that January 2024 sales were off 9% from January of 2022. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “A Green Revolution Powered By Renewable Energy” • The Electric Picnic festival, nestled in the green heart of Stradbally, County Laois, is taking a bold step forward. For the first time in its history, and perhaps in the annals of festivals across Ireland and the UK, the stage will be bathed in the glow of renewable energy. [BNN Breaking]

Stradbally (Ben Eubank, Unsplash)

¶ “Amazon And Vena Energy Announce 125-MW Solar Project In Queensland” • Amazon and Vena Energy have announced that a 125-MW renewable energy project in Woleebee, Queensland is operating. The Amazon Solar Project Australia – Wandoan is expected to supply annual electricity needs of more than 60,000 Australian homes. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶ “Harnessing Renewable Energy for Peacekeeping And Hope in Somalia” • In Somalia, climate change and conflict intersect. But an innovative initiative harnesses renewable energy for peace and stability. The UN Energy Compact on Renewable Energy for Peacekeeping aims to promote sustainable development and reduce environmental impacts. [BNN Breaking]

Somalia (David Clode, Unsplash)

¶ “SkyPower Global And Africa Finance Corporation Partner For Congo Renewable Energy” • African infrastructure solutions provider Africa Finance Corporation and SkyPower Global have entered a Joint Development Agreement for the first phase of SkyPower’s Green Giant project in the Democratic Republic of Congo. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶ “Climate Change Has Brought Forward The Flowering Period In Doñana National Park By 22 Days, Finds Study” • Researchers from the University of Seville investigated how the flowering of 51 species of shrubs, bushes, and trees has changed over the last 35 years in southern Spain. The peak flowering time shifted from May 9 to April 17. [Phys.org]

Doñana National Park (José Luis Filpo Cabana, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

US:

¶ “Facing Warmest Winter On Record, Minnesota Forced To Pivot On Recreation Offerings” • Winter sport enthusiasts flock to Minnesota each year for activities like skiing, skating, ice fishing, and more. But as climate change driven by global warming brings shorter and less predictable winters, winter recreation is changing. [ABC News]

¶ “The Silverspot Butterfly, Native To Three US States, Is Inching Closer To Extinction” • The silverspot butterfly, a species native to three US states, is inching closer to extinction, prompting the federal government to take immediate action. The three main threats for butterfly populations are habitat degradation, habitat loss, and climate change. [ABC News]

Silverspot butterfly (Creed Clayton, US FWS)

¶ “EPA’s Carbon Standards Are a Powerful Tool” • Power plants are the second-largest source of US carbon emissions after transportation, and, after years of delay, the US EPA proposed new standards to address this pollution. The EPA says it plans to finalize those standards in April 2024. This article has links to sites that provide information. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “As Demand Grows For Electric Cars, So Does The Market For Green Jobs In The EV Industry” • From software developers and regional planners to vehicle makers and construction workers, jobs in the EV industry are rising in the US. EV sales reached a market share of 7.6% last year, and some estimates say they could climb to 67% over the next decade. [CleanTechnica]

EV (Hyundai Motor Group, Unsplash)

¶ “States Can Quantify Benefits of Climate-Friendly Transport Options With RMI’s Smarter MODES Calculator” • To reduce transportation pollution in the US, we need to swap gas-powered cars for EVs and build an electrical grid capable of charging them all. But many experts have shown the need to reduce the miles Americans drive. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Oregon Power Company Requests Nearly 17% Spike In Rates” • One of Oregon’s electricity companies, Pacific Power, requested a 16.9% rate adjustment to invest in wildfire risk management, transmission infrastructure, and renewable projects. In addition to the increased wildfire risk, extreme weather events were cited as a reason for the request. [KGW]

Oregon (Nick Romero, Unsplash)

¶ “Revolutionizing Renewable Energy: Solarcycle’s New Venture In Georgia” • Solarcycle, a company from Arizona specializing in solar panel recycling, plans to set up an innovative $344 million glass-recycling plant in Georgia. This is big news for renewable energy because it will focus on what happens to solar panels at the end of their lives. [Microgrid Media]

¶ “Fish v Electricity: Could Salem Nuclear Plant Be Shut Down?” • A judge in an obscure administrative court in Trenton, NJ, is set to hand down a ruling that could end a challenge to the Salem nuclear plant’s ability to pump billions of gallons of water out of the Delaware River each day. It’s a big environmental battle you might have never heard of. [Milford LIVE!]

Have an enthrallingly beautiful day.

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

Opinion:

¶ “Is Nuclear The Answer To Australia’s Climate Crisis?” • Here are four arguments against nuclear power investments: Olkiluoto 3, Flamanville 3, Hinkley Point C, and Vogtle. They are major latest-generation plants completed or nearly so in Finland, the US, the UK, and France. Their cost overruns average over 300%, with more increases to come. [menafn]

Nuclear plant (Jonas Denil, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Argonne Scientists Use AI to Identify New Materials for Carbon Capture” • A suitable material for effective low-cost carbon capture has yet to be found. Metal-organic frameworks offer hope. Generative AI, machine learning, and simulations enable researchers to identify environmentally friendly metal-organic framework materials. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “HelioSea: A Revolutionary Floating Solar Power System Redefining Offshore Energy Production” • In an era where renewable energy has become the linchpin of sustainable development, scientists at the University of Oviedo, Spain, unveiled an innovative floating solar power system. HelioSea is not just another solar power system. [BNN Breaking]

Rendering of HelioSea

World:

¶ “VinFast Introduces Range of Right-Hand Drive EVs” • Taking a step in global expansion, VinFast Auto debuted its first range of right-hand drive EVs at the Indonesia International Motor Show 2024. Indonesia’s President, Joko Widodo, made an appearance at the event and autographed the VinFast VF 5 showcased in VinFast’s booth. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Delivering Net-Zero Shipping By 2050: Introducing The Green Balance Mechanism” • The global shipping regulator, the UN International Maritime Organisation, set a target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 for the industry. Now it needs to develop climate regulations by 2025 that make it possible to reach that target. [CleanTechnica]

Container ship (Venti Views, Unsplash)

¶ “Vattenfall Strikes Solar PPA With A German Chemical Company” • Vattenfall will supply around 120 GWh of solar power per year to specialty chemicals company Evonik under a new long-term electricity supply contract. From 2025, two new Vattenfall solar farms in Schleswig-Holstein will supply power to Evonik. [reNews]

¶ “The Uruguay Way: Achieving Energy Sovereignty In The Developing World” • As it successfully transitions away from fossil fuels, Uruguay now generates up to 98% of its electricity from renewable sources. The country offers lessons in energy sovereignty and the importance of community engagement in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. [Earth.Org]

Wind turbines in Uruguay (Matias Contreras, Unsplash)

¶ “Ridge Clean Energy Files Scottish Hybrid Plan” • Ridge Clean Energy filed a planning application with the Energy Consents Unit of the Scottish Government for the Ladyfield Renewable Energy Park. The project is about 5 km north of Inveraray in Argyll. It will pair thirteen onshore turbines with a capacity of 58.5 MW with a 40-MW battery system. [reNews]

US:

¶ “As Aquifers Are Depleted, Areas Along The East Coast Of The US Are Sinking” • A study by researchers at Virginia Tech and the US Geological Survey using the latest satellite data shows that parts of America’s east coast are subsiding. The culprit appears to be caused by withdrawing too much water from the aquifers beneath those coastal areas. [CleanTechnica]

Coastal Delaware (Gökhan Kara, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Minnesota Power Opens 400-MW Onshore Wind RFP” • A request for proposals for up to 400 MW of wind energy, to come online by the end of 2027, was issued by Minnesota Power. The procurement of wind through this RFP will increase Minnesota Power’s wind portfolio of approximately 870 MW of owned and contracted capacity by nearly 50%. [reNews]

¶ “Solar And Battery Storage To Make Up 81% Of New US Electric-Generating Capacity In 2024” • Developers and power plant owners plan to add 62.8 GW of electric-generating capacity in 2024, data in the EIA’s Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory shows. The largest share is solar, at 58%, followed by batteries, at 23%, and wind, at 13%. [CleanTechnica]

Please click on the image to enlarge it.

¶ “USDA Census of Agriculture Shows US Losing Small Farms to Factory Farming But Gaining in Renewable Energy” • The latest Census of Agriculture from the US Department of Agriculture raises concerns over a loss of small farms and a growth in larger farms, while also showing some promise with the growth of renewable energy in agriculture. [EcoWatch]

¶ “Empire Wind Secures Clean Air Permit” • The US EPA has issued a Clean Air Act permit for Equinor and BP’s 816-MW Empire Wind 1 project offshore New York. The EPA conducted an air quality analysis that showed the main air quality impacts of the project will occur during construction and will be offshore over the water area of the project. [reNews]

Offshore wind turbines (Equinor image)

¶ “BPU Pulls Plug On Unpopular Nuclear Subsidy” • A surcharge on every New Jersey utility customer’s monthly bill, amounting to $70 annually for the typical homeowner and much more for manufacturers, will end next year when the state eliminates a $300 million annual subsidy aimed to keep its three nuclear plants from closing. [NJ Spotlight News]

¶ “Georgia Power Announces Operators Reached Self-Sustaining Nuclear Fission Inside The Nuclear Reactor” • Georgia Power announced on Wednesday that operators reached self-sustaining nuclear fission inside the nuclear reactor. This means the heat produced in the reaction can create steam and power turbines which generate electricity. [WUGA]

Have a gloriously relaxing day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Victoria’s Blackout Had Nothing To Do With Renewables. Claiming That It Did Won’t Fix The System” • As workers and system managers scrambled to get power back on, after storms blacked out 500,000 electricity customers, some people were unable to resist blaming renewable energy. But it was a coal plant and transmission lines that failed. [The Guardian]

Loy Yang power station (Marcus Wong, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “The Unstoppable Rise Of Renewable Energy: Solar, Wind, And Beyond” • In the evolving world of energy, renewables are taking center stage, transforming the global landscape and redefining power dynamics. Here, two leading academic thinkers engage in a riveting discussion on the trends shaping the world energy market. [BNN Breaking]

Science and Technology:

¶ “24M Claims The 1000 Mile Battery Is Nearly Here” • 24M’s unique liquid electrolyte, Eternalyte™, used with Impervio™, provides a low cost way to eliminate the metal dendrites of lithium-ion batteries and achieve excellent cycle life with low electrical resistance to cathode active materials. This paves the way for better lithium batteries. [CleanTechnica]

24M Electrode-to-Pack Tecnology (24M image)

World:

¶ “January 2024 Breaks Global EV Sales Record: Take That, Haters” • Reports kept coming along of bad EV sales. Then some researchers at Rho Motion actually crunched the numbers. They found that a record 660,000 EVs sold globally in January of 2023, but this year’s January EV sales blew past that mark by 69% for a total of more than 1 million. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “The Romanian City of Galați Invests In 40 New e-Buses” • The authorities of Galați, Romania, selected Solaris to supply forty electric buses. Solaris is to deliver twenty battery buses in a 9-meter version and twenty with a length of 12 meters. The e-buses will be equipped with plug-in charging and rails for inverted pantographs. [CleanTechnica]

Solaris electric bus (Solaris image)

¶ “Turkey Sets Ambitious Goal Of 7,500 MW Of Renewable Capacity For Industrial Use In 2024” • Turkey declared a large increase in its renewable energy sector, allocating 7,500 MW of renewable capacity for industrial use this year. The Energy and Natural Resources Minister stated that $5 billion in investments would be implemented promptly. [SolarQuarter]

¶ “Only Asia On Track To Triple Renewable Energy Capacity By 2030, Fuelled By Growth In India And China: Report” • Driven by growth in India and China, Asia is at this time the largest contributor to additional global renewable energy capacity needed to triple production by 2030, report from global think tank Climate Analytics said. [Swarajya]

Wind turbines in India (Thangaraj Kumaravel, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Permanent Magnet Motor Market Surges Amidst EV And Renewable Energy Boom” • In a world racing towards a cleaner and more sustainable future, the permanent magnet motor market is seeing an unprecedented boom. With the increasing popularity of EVs and renewable energy sources, the demand for these motors is soaring. [BNN Breaking]

¶ “Spending Watchdog Launches Investigation Into Sellafield” • Britain’s public spending watchdog launched an investigation into risks and costs at Sellafield, the UK’s biggest nuclear waste dump. The National Audit Office, scrutinises use of public funds. It announced it will examine whether the site is managing and prioritising the risks effectively. [The Guardian]

Sellafield (Simon Ledingham, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

US:

¶ “First February Tornadoes In Wisconsin Caused $2.4 Million In Damages” • The first tornadoes ever recorded in Wisconsin in the usually frigid month of February caused damage of over $2.4 million, officials said. They struck Rock County on February 8. They hit thirty homes, killed some cattle, and damaged farming equipment and buildings. [ABC News]

¶ “Why Ice Did Not Form In The Great Lakes This Winter” • This is the winter that wasn’t in the upper Midwest and Great Lakes regions. The ice cover has just kept melting away since last week’s Great Lakes ice analysis showed that it was only 5.9%. With climate change, the Great Lakes are among the fastest-warming lakes in the world. [ABC News]

Lake Michigan, near Muskegon, on February 11 (Jen Day, NOAA)

¶ “US EV Sales Up 385% Since 2019, Normal “ICE” Vehicle Sales Down 14%” • In sales trends of the past four years, sales growth for EVs crushed that for combustion engine vehicles. Comparing 2023 and 2022 totals, EVs saw 47% growth while combustion cars saw 10% growth. Comparing 2023 and 2021, EVs grew 142% while combustion cars fell 3%. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Texas Shatters Own Solar Power Record, Weird Political Situation Or Not” • Texas has emerged as the renewable energy pace-setter in the US, despite top public officials who don’t have very nice things to say about clean power. The big dollars are flowing into clean energy, and Texas now gets more electricity from the sun than from coal. [CleanTechnica]

Solar power (American Public Power Association, Unsplash)

¶ “US DOE Challenges Solar Industry to Triple Community Solar by End of 2025” • At the US DOE’s National Community Solar Partnership Annual Summit, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Jeff Marootian, challenged the community solar industry to commit to a target of 20 GW of community solar by 2025, up from 7 GW today. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Vogtle Unit 4 Reaches First Criticality” • Operators have started the nuclear reaction at Vogtle Unit 4, an announcement from Georgia Power said. This step, known as initial criticality, is when the nuclear fission reaction becomes self-sustaining so it can generate enough heat to produce electricity. The step will be followed by testing. [Power Engineering]

Have an utterly superb day.

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World:

¶ “Safety Panel Urges Fukushima Operator To Communicate With Public Better” • A panel of safety experts urged the operator of the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan to communicate more quickly with the public over incidents such as last week’s leak of contaminated water, which went for a week without comment. [ABC News]

Fukushima Daiichi before meltdowns (KEI, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “16% Of New Cars Were Battery EVs In France In January” • The French plugin passenger car market is continuing to grow. Most recently, this is all thanks to pure battery EVs jumping 37% to 20,017 registrations, or 16% share, in January. Plugin hybrids were also up, with a moderate rate of 2% year-over-year, to 10,509 units, or 8.6% share. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Cascaded Geothermal Heating And Cooling Networks for Industry, Trade, And Residential Buildings” • The NEFI project CASCADE, running to the end of 2025, is investigating cascaded heat, passing residual heat from one building to use in another, in the Austrian municipalities of Steyr, Gmunden and St Martin im Mühlkreis. [CleanTechnica]

Steyr (Leonhard Niederwimmer, Unsplash)

¶ “Adani Green Energy Links 551 MW Of Solar Capacity Plant To National Grid” • Adani Green Energy Limited has successfully operationalised a 551-MW solar PV plant in Gujarat’s Khavda renewable energy park, and it has started supplying electricity to the national grid. The park is to be the largest renewable energy installation in the world. [The Hans India]

¶ “China’s Renewable Installations Surpass Expectations, But Potential Utilization Risks Exist” • China is set to reach its 2030 wind and solar capacity target of 1.2 TW six years early, with installed capacity already reaching 1.1 TW by end-2023, Fitch Ratings says. The China Electricity Council forecasts 260 GW of new installations in 2024. [Mettis Global]

Wind turbines in Xinjiang (Chris Lim, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Government Adds Over 7,000 MW To Grid Via Renewable Energy Programme: Mantashe” • Over 7,000 MW has been connected to South Africa’s electricity grid, Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe said. The addition is a result of the government’s Renewable Independent Power Producer Programme. [Central News South Africa]

¶ “AGL And AEMO Search For Answers On Loy Yang Outage” • In Victoria, storms tore down at least six transmission towers on one of the main 500 kV transmission lines, triggering a massive frequency excursion that took 2,700 MW of generation capacity, including the Loy Yang A brown coal generator owned by AGL Energy. [RenewEconomy]

Loy Yang power plant (Billy Joachim, Unsplash)

¶ “Poland Analyzes Whether Nuclear Plant Will Be Ready By 2033 Amid Delays” • Poland is analyzing whether its first nuclear power plant can be built by 2033 amid delays the project suffered under the previous government that lost power in October, the climate minister said. She said the financing model to build it has not been decided. [Reuters]

US:

¶ “New Mexico Legislators Seek Cleaner Transportation Fuels, Would Follow West Coast’s Lead” • New Mexico’s Legislature has approved a bill aimed at reducing climate-warming pollution from cars and trucks through financial incentives to businesses. California, Oregon, and Washington are already enforcing carbon fuel standards. [ABC News]

New Mexico (Raychel Sanner, Unsplash)

¶ “Feds Finalize Areas For Floating Offshore Wind Farms Along Oregon Coast” • The federal government finalized two areas for floating offshore wind farms along the Oregon coast, authorities announced, bringing the state closer to commercially developing and producing a renewable energy source that’s part of the fight against climate change. [ABC News]

¶ “Wildfire Smoke To Worsen Across US, Putting 125 Million At Risk: Study” • Wildfires are expected to worsen across the US, and the effects of wildfire smoke could bring startling health risks to 125 million Americans by mid-century, a study by First Street Foundation revealed. It shows the rise of wildfires is becoming a national crisis. [ABC News]

Wildfire (Ross Stone, Unsplash)

¶ “Biden–Harris Admin Invests $60 Million To Expand Clean, Renewable Geothermal Energy” • In support of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the US DOE announced that it had selected three projects to get up to $60 million to demonstrate the efficacy and scalability of enhanced geothermal systems for generating electricity. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Siemens Invests In US Transformer Factory” • Siemens Energy is investing $150 million in a power transformer factory in Charlotte, North Carolina, creating almost 600 local jobs. Today, only 20% of US large power transformer demand is met by domestic supply with lead times of up to five years, according to the company. [reNews]

Transformer (Jasonbook99, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

¶ “US EV Sales: Strong Increases Year Over Year Every Month of the Year” • There are a lot of headlines and there’s a lot of hype falsely declaring that the EV market is struggling. Sometimes such stories are focused on the US market and sometimes they are focused more broadly, but no matter what their focus, they are wrong. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Bills That Would Open The Door For Virginia Utilities To Charge Customers For Nuclear Development Costs Advance” • Bills that would allow Dominion and Appalachian Power to seek approval to start charging customers for the costs of developing small modular nuclear reactors moved forward in the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate. [Cardinal News]

Have a fantastically providencial day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “In A Warming World, Climate Scientists Consider Category 6 Hurricanes” • As increasing ocean temperatures contribute to ever more intense and destructive hurricanes, climate scientists introduced a hypothetical Category 6 to the Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale, which would encompass storms with wind speeds greater than 192 mph (309 km/h). [CleanTechnica]

Twin Tropical Cyclones (Courtesy of Earth Observatory)

¶ “Industrial Heat Pumps Are Coming For Your Fossil Fuels” • Electric heat pumps have been driving fossil fuels out of buildings and homes as electricity replaces oil and gas for heating, cooling, water heating, and drying laundry. Hard-to-decarbonize industries are next in line for a clean energy makeover, and the US DOE is on it. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “This Huge 1.2-MW Tidal Kite Is Now Exporting Power To The Grid” • Minesto’s fully operational Dragon 12 has emerged as a groundbreaking innovation in the renewable energy landscape, harnessing the power of tidal flows with a concept reminiscent of a futuristic military drone, yet behaving somewhat like a kite underwater. [Wonderful Engineering]

Minesto Dragon 12

¶ “Fervo Energy Claims 70% Reduction In Geothermal Drilling Time” • Fervo Energy has published early drilling results from its Cape Station geothermal project. Fervo says it drilled its fastest Cape well in just 21 days, a 70% reduction in drilling time from Fervo’s first horizontal well drilled in 2022. With faster drilling, costs have fallen by almost 50%. [Power Engineering]

World:

¶ “Mars Will Bring 300 Electric Heavy-Duty Trucks To Its European Fleet By 2030” • Mars Inc recently partnered with freight technology company Einride to add 300 electric heavy-duty trucks to the Mars European fleet. Bjoern Anderseck, Mars Global Supply Chain Transformation Lead, answered some questions for CleanTechnica. [CleanTechnica]

Electric truck (Courtesy of Mars and Einride)

¶ “Migrating Species Crucial To Planet Are Under Threat, Says UN” • The world’s most vulnerable migratory species are facing increasing risks of extinction, a landmark UN report warns. From turtle doves to green turtles, and from European eels to African penguins, migratory species play essential roles in protecting the Earth’s habitats. [BBC]

¶ “Green Hydrogen Exporters Risk Monopolising Renewable Energy, And The EU May Not Even Need Renewable H₂ Imports: Report” • The EU has massively overestimated how much green hydrogen it will need by 2030 and how much it will need to import, according to a report published by the engineering consultancy Ricardo. [Hydrogen Insight]

Ursula von der Leyen (European Commission image)

¶ “Abandoned Coal Mines Being Repurposed Into Renewable Energy Hubs” • As many governments around the globe aim to phase out the use of coal, researchers are exploring the potential for old mining sites. Rather than be left abandoned, old coal production sites could be used for a multitude of purposes to support a green transition. [OilPrice.com]

¶ “Atlas Copco Powers Up 16-MW Offshore Turbine” • Atlas Copco has supplied a QES 60 power generator for the successful installation of the world’s first 16-MW offshore wind turbine in south-east China’s Fujian Province. The 16-MW unit has the world’s longest turbine blades at 123 metres (403.5 feet), with each blade weighing 54 tonnes. [reNews]

Wind turbine construction (Atlas Copco image)

¶ “$2 Trillion A Year Needed To Triple Renewables Investment” • A report by think tank Climate Analytics calculates $8 trillion of investment is needed for new renewables and $4 trillion for grid and storage infrastructure to deliver the 2030 tripling goal agreed at COP28. Combined, the amount works out at $2 trillion a year on average. [reNews]

US:

¶ “$34,995 Chevy Equinox EV Coming Later This Year” • People will be able to buy the 1LT base model of the Equinox EV at a starting price of $34,995 plus a destination fee of $1395 later this year, Chevrolet says. The Equinox EV will be eligible for the full $7500 federal tax credit/rebate, making the net cost $31,090, well below the average US new car cost. [CleanTechnica]

2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV 3LT (Courtesy of GM)

¶ “US House Forces Military To Stop Using Chinese-Made Batteries” • Politicians in the US House of Representatives have forced the US Marines to disconnect a battery energy storage system that went into service at Camp Lejeune just a year ago. Why? The batteries in the energy storage system were made by CATL, a Chinese company. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US PV Developer Acquires 84-MW Portfolio” • US developer Standard Solar has acquired an 84-MW solar portfolio in Illinois. It consists of three sets of community solar gardens with a total capacity of 84 MW. Construction is scheduled to commence in 2024. Most of the projects are projected to be finished by the year’s end and the rest in 2025. [reNews]

Solar array (Sungrow EMEA, Unsplash)

¶ “UW-Madison Commits to 100% Renewable Electricity by 2030” • Sustainability initiatives at University of Wisconsin, Madison are not new, but the latest push is the first to encompass all aspects of campus. The plan aims to develop more solar on campus, become a “zero waste” campus by 2040 and achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2048. [GovTech]

¶ “Ex-Regulatory Chief, 2 Execs Indicted In Sprawling Ohio Nuclear Power Bribe Case” • Former Public Utilities Commission of Ohio Chairman Samuel Randazzo and a pair of FirstEnergy Corp executives, identified as ex-CEO Charles Jones and Vice President Michael Dowling, were indicted as part of the so-called House Bill 6 scandal of 2018. [upi]

Have a delightfully agreeable day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Take A Cue From Texas: Socialize Energy” • Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick might not seem to have much in common with socialists. But he did propose a rather socialist-sounding energy policy: If investors didn’t agree to build more natural gas plants in Texas, Patrick said, “then the state will have to build them ourselves.” [The New Republic]

Texas wind farm (Jason Dent, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “If AMOC Runs Amok, Life Will Change Dramatically” • The Gulf Stream, which gives warmth to Europe, is part of Atlantic meridional overturning current, or AMOC. A paper in Science Advances, warns of indications that AMOC could slow and stop flowing altogether in the not too distant future, changing lives of people across the world. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Future Fleet Of Low-Emission RoRos To Use Norsepower Rotor Sails” • French shipowner, Louis Dreyfus Armateurs SAS and the Finnish mechanical sail company, Norsepower Oy Ltd, announced that Norsepower Rotor Sail™ technology will be installed on a low-emission roll-on/roll-off fleet that will be chartered to Airbus. [CleanTechnica]

Ships powered by Norsepower Rotor Sails

¶ “Netherlands Starts The Year With 23% Battery EV Share!” • In the context of a recovering overall market (+6% year over year), battery EVs surged 57% YOY in January, to 7,865 registrations and to start the year with 23% market share, their best January ever. Plugin hybrids were up 12%, to 4,320 registrations, for a 13% market share. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Panasonic Energy Partners With NOVONIX For Sustainable Synthetic Graphite Supply For Battery Production” • Panasonic Energy Co, Ltd announced that it signed a off-take agreement with NOVONIX Limited for the supply of synthetic graphite, the main component of the anodes of lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles. [CleanTechnica]

Graphite supply (Courtesy of Novonix and Panasonic)

¶ “Iberdrola Inks Italian PPA” • Iberdrola announced it will supply long-term clean energy through a power purchase agreement to Tosano supermarkets in Italy, which has more than 19 hypermarkets and nearly 4000 employees. The off-site deal provides for the supply of clean energy for 10 years, guaranteed by an Iberdrola solar PV system. [reNews]

¶ “Taiwan: Renewable Energy Hits Record High Production And Penetration Rates” • Wind and solar generation reached 10.01 GW on Sunday, a new record for renewable energy production in Taiwan. Taipower also stated that this year, with wind and solar at more than 52%, renewable energy now makes up over half of all power used. [RTI Radio Taiwan International]

Car park with solar panels, Taiwan (SSJF01, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Wind Turbines Generated Over A Third Of Ireland’s Power Last Month” • Wind turbines supplied over a third of Ireland’s electricity needs in January, 1,379 GWh out of a total demand of 3,831 GWh. Data also show a decrease in the average wholesale price of electricity in Ireland, dropping to €99.90/MWh from €162.16 the previous year. [Big News Network.com]

¶ “Poland: Spa Town Turns To Renewable Energy For Cleaner Air” • Smog enveloping the Polish spa town of Ladek-Zdroj was anathema to it’s image as a health resort. After choking on polluted air for many years, the town turned to renewables to clean up its act and improve its air quality. It managed to reduce electricity costs a lot in the process. [DW]

Lądek-Zdrój (Aktron, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Nuclear Energy Push In PHL Seen ‘Too Late’ Amid Climate Crisis” • Developing nuclear energy in the Philippines could be too late due to the climate crisis, an analyst said, suggesting a focus on renewable energy. “If we’re waiting for ten years for something to all come together and miraculously work together and agree on that, it’s too late.” [BusinessWorld Online]

US:

¶ “Why There May Be Much Fewer Monarch Butterfly Sightings In The US This Summer” • Monarch butterfly sightings may be sparser than usual in the US and Canada following a drastic drop in populations wintering in Mexico, researchers told ABC News. The biggest threats monarchs face are habitat loss and changes in weather patterns. [ABC News]

Monarch butterfly (Gary Bendig, Unsplash)

¶ “Clean Power Alliances Talks To La Cañada Flintridge” • In California, Clean Power Alliance External Affairs Manager Dalia Gomez provided some background information on Clean Power Alliance and how it serves 32 jurisdictions in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. CPA will buy the clean power, and Southern California Edison will deliver it. [Outlook Valley Sun]

¶ “Snowmass Village Leans On Renewable Energy To Power Buildings” • Snowmass Village, Colorado, hopes join Aspen as one of a few cities in the country that are run on 100% renewable energy. It is contracting with the nonprofit Community Office for Resource Efficiency to identify properties 50,000 square feet or smaller for free electrification studies. [AOL.com]

Snowmass Village (Werdna, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “Climate Change Is Making It More Dangerous For Kids To Play Outside, Report Finds” • A study by climate analytics firm First Street Foundation projected that by midcentury, increased levels of microscopic soot particles and ozone in America’s air will be back to the levels they were before a decades-long federal campaign to clean up the air. [WGN Radio 720]

¶ “Expanding Invasive Weeds Can Bring Ecological And Socio-Economic Damage To The US Due to Climate Change, A Study Says” • Climate change could expand the population of invasive weeds in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern US, according to findings of a study published in the journal Invasive Plant Science and Management. [Nature World News]

Have an abundantly fruitful day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Las Vegas Raiders Blow One Giant Raspberry At Renewable Energy Foes” • The Las Vegas Raiders will showcase Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas as a paragon of renewable energy virtue to Super Bowl audiences everywhere when the 49ers and the Chiefs come to town. And the Raiders are not shy about laying it on thick. [CleanTechnica]

Allegiant Stadium (Jeffrey Hayes, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Getting To Know The ​”Ghost” Inside Batteries” • Researchers at the US DOE’s Argonne National Laboratory shed important new light on what the early signs of battery failure look like. Their study relates to a condition called soft-shorts. It provides the research community with valuable knowledge and methods to design better EV batteries. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “The Particulars Of PM 2.5: Why Particulate Matter … Matters” • Unlike the other major air pollutants, particulate air pollution is defined by size rather than the chemicals it contains. With their densities typically reported in micrograms per cubic meter, the smaller these particulates are, the more damage they can wreak on the human body. [CleanTechnica]

Smog in Sydney (Marek Piwnicki, Unsplash)

¶ “How California’s Hurricanes Are Predicted To Become More Severe With Climate Change” • Most of the rain in California and the West comes from atmospheric rivers. Scientists estimate that atmospheric rivers will get stronger as temperatures continue to rise, making this a bigger problem. dominant driver water supply and flooding in California. [World Nation News]

¶ “Olivine: Natural Solution To Combat Climate Change” • Sahit Muja, the Founder and CEO of Global Mining, Green Minerals, and Albanian Minerals, emphasizes magnesium olivine’s role as an eco-friendly building block poised to eliminate 1 trillion tons of CO2 from the atmosphere. It could be a natural solution to climate change challenges. [EIN News]

Olivine (Hannes Grobe, AWI, CC-BY-SA 2.5)

World:

¶ “Climate Campaigners Urge China To Invest In Renewable Energy In Pakistan” • Pakistani climate campaigners urged China to invest in renewable energy in their country. Their demand was raised at a rally led by the Pakistan Kissan Rabita committee in front of the Lahore Press Club to mark the Chinese Lunar New Year on Saturday. [Business Recorder]

¶ “City Offering Stratas Free Energy, Solar Assessments” • The City of Penticton, British Columbia, is offering free energy assessments and solar generation studies for stratified multi-family buildings whose residents want to go green. A limited number of assessments and studies are offered in an effort to improve sustainability. [Penticton Herald]

Skyscape at Penticton (Luke Kowand, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Govt Weighs The Use Of Green Hydrogen For Peak Power Generation” • India’s Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy proposed using green hydrogen for power generation to ensure round-the-clock availability of green power and ensure peak grid power supply. A plan for a 100-MW pilot project is already under way. [domain-b.com]

¶ “Redcar Solar Energy Farm Plans Approved Despite Fears” • In North Yorkshire, members of Redcar and Cleveland Council’s regulatory committee went against the recommendation of a planning officer that they refuse plans by EDF Renewables UK for a site near Yearby village. The facility would generate up to 49.9 MW of electricity. [The Northern Echo]

Yearby (Mick Garratt, CC BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “France’s EDF Shuts Down Two Nuclear Reactors After Fire At Chinon Plant” • Nuclear energy operator EDF has shut down two reactors in western France after a fire in a non-nuclear sector of the plant, the company said. France’s nuclear safety watchdog said the fire had led to an electricity outage that triggered the automatic shutdown. [MSN]

US:

¶ “Transforming The US Steel Industry: A Great Lakes Memo Series” • The Great Lakes, from Minnesota to Pennsylvania, are a regional powerhouse of steel-making. The region has 60% of all steel production capacity in the US and 100% of coal-based steel production. RMI has produced a series of state-specific memos on reducing emissions. [CleanTechnica]

Steel making (Morteza Mohammadi, Unsplash)

¶ “Shell Shuts Down Its US Hydrogen Filling Stations” • Warning signs appeared last year when Shell scrapped its plans to build 48 hydrogen refueling stations for light duty vehicles in California. The $40 million in state incentives to install hydrogen fueling stations was not enough. Now Shell is closing the last of the ones it had opened. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “UK Largest Renewable Energy Supplier Building Longview Plant Along Columbia River” • Drax, the self-described largest power station in the UK, is building a plant along the Columbia River in Longview, Washington, to harvest wood pellets for Asia to generate power. Drax aims to use Pacific Northwest forests to replace coal overseas. [Longview Daily News]

Forest at the Columbia River (Elena Kuchko, Unsplash)

¶ “Controversial Energy Project In Southern Washington State Moves Closer To Breaking Ground” • A federal commission has released its environmental review for the Goldendale Energy Storage Project. It puts the project in Washington State closer to breaking ground, much to the consternation of several tribes and environmentalists. [Oregon Public Broadcasting]

¶ “Amazon’s Oregon Data Centers Set To Purchase Clean Power” • Amazon’s data centers in eastern Oregon will start buying clean electricity as they start to meet their renewable energy goals, according to a company statement. As part of the project, $1.2 million will be donated to a nonprofit organization that installs solar panels for NPOs. [Daily Tidings]

Have a remarkably enjoyable day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Redefining Costly, Unproven New Nuclear Technology As ‘Clean’ Is Dishonest” • A Colorado legislative committee recently nixed a bill that sought to boost new, unproven nuclear energy technologies by redefining the fission process as “clean energy,” which it’s not. But proponents will likely keep on pushing new, speculative nuclear projects. [ColoradoPolitics.com]

Small modular reactor (NuScale image)

¶ “Here’s Another, Often Overlooked Reason Why Nuclear Energy Is A Bad Thing” • Once commissioned, a nuclear power plant cannot be shut down without incurring enormous costs. The “payback time” for a nuclear power plant is between 10 and 18 years. Payback for windpower takes about a year, and for solar, it takes less than three years. [The Good Men Project]

World:

¶ “Critical Atlantic Ocean Current System Is Showing Early Signs Of Collapse, Prompting Warning From Scientists” • A crucial system of ocean currents may already be on course to collapse, a report says. The implications are alarming for sea level rise and global weather, with temperatures that plunge dramatically in some regions and rise in others. [CNN]

Atlantic Ocean (Jacob Buller, Unsplash)

¶ “‘Super El Niño’ Is Here, But La Niña Looks Likely” • This El Niño is one of the strongest on record, a rare “super El Niño,” but forecasters believe that La Niña is likely to develop in the coming months. The switch could get flipped to La Niña, with cooler than average conditions in the eastern tropical Pacific, as soon as summer, but more likely by fall. [CNN]

¶ “Zero Carbon Charge Signs Deal To Bring 480-kW EV Ultra-Fast EV Chargers To South Africa” • South African firm Zero Carbon Charge signed a memorandum of understanding with Chinese energy storage systems maker Shanghai Magic Power Tech and a local partner for 120 ultra-fast renewable charging stations in South Africa. [CleanTechnica]

EVs charging (Courtesy of Zero Carbon Charge)

¶ “EVs Drop To 17.3% Share In Germany As Hangover Hits” • EV sales dropped in the German auto market in January, as plugin EV sales fell to a 17.3% share, after a sudden, entirely unexpected cancellation of all incentives in late December. Battery EV sales were hit hard, while plugin hybrid EV sales were down slightly, compared to last year. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Electric Vehicle Sales Growing Fast!” • A full 16% of global auto sales were plugins vehicles last year, up from 14% in 2022, 9% in 2021, and 4% in 2020. Going from a negligible 4% to a notable 16% so quickly is a thing of S-curves and disruptive technology. For December of 2023, the plugin vehicle market share was up to 22% globally. [CleanTechnica]

Charging an EV (Ernest Ojeh, Unsplash)

¶ “Dublin Battery System To Support The Irish Power Grid” • In a bid to support Irish grid stability, the Electricity Supply Board has opened a major battery plant at its Poolbeg site in Dublin. It is a 75-MW, 150-MWh fast-acting energy storage. The system is currently the largest site of its kind in commercial operation in Ireland. [Smart Energy International]

¶ “Greece Breaks Records In Renewable Energy For 2023” • The share of renewable electricity production, including hydropower plants, reached a historic high in 2023 in Greece at 57%. It was the first time more than half of the Greek electricity was generated by renewable resources. This came about as Greek windpower capacity exceeded 5 GW. [Greek Herald]

Wind turbines (Harry Cunningham, Unsplash)

¶ “Green Groups Hit Out At Labour’s £28 Billion Rollback” • The UK Labour Party said it will roll back its commitment to invest £28 billion in renewable energy projects each year, including offshore windpower. Green groups criticised Labour’s decision to reduce its previous investment plan for the country’s renewable energy sector. [reNews]

US:

¶ “Michael Mann Awarded $1 Million By Jury In Defamation Suit” • Climate scientist Michael Mann is known for developing the image called the “hockey stick” graph. That image has been used in many papers and reports over the years. It also induced attacks on Mann that were funded by fossil fuel interests. Mann sued his attackers and won. [CleanTechnica]

Michael Mann (Oregon State University, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Noting ‘Unprecedented’ Coral Bleaching And Heat Stress, NOAA Expands Coral Reef Alert System” • Water temperatures are climbing to unprecedented heights, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has added new levels to its alert system to account for increasingly severe coral bleaching and higher mortality rates. [CNN]

¶ “Another Heat Pump Headache For Fossil Fuel Stakeholders” • A coalition of nine US states has joined forces to promote heat pumps, decarbonizing thousands of buildings by pushing oil and gas out of the heating, air conditioning, and hot water business. To the dismay of the fossil energy stakeholders, HVAC industry leaders are eager to pitch in. [CleanTechnica]

Have an imaginatively ordered day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Scientists Set New Record Of Nuclear Fusion” • Using the Joint European Torus, a large toroidal device known as a tokamak, scientists sustained a record 69 megajoules of fusion energy for five seconds, using only 0.2 milligrams of fuel. This amount of energy is sufficient to power approximately 12,000 households for the same duration. [NEWS.am TECH]

Tokamak reactor, 2016 (US DOE via Wikimedia Commons)

World:

¶ “Nuclear Reactor Restarts In Japan Have Reduced LNG Imports For Electricity Generation” • After the 2011 Fukushima Disaster, Japan suspended operations at all of its nuclear reactors. As of December 2022, 11 GW of Japan’s nuclear capacity had returned to service, which reduced the liquefied natural gas imports for electricity generation. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “BYD Atto 2 – Potentially a Big Hit in Europe!” • The BYD Atto 3 is already quite popular in Australia and parts of Europe, and it is reaching many other markets in Asia and South America. But the Atto 3 will soon have a partner that could turn out to be an even bigger seller: the Atto 2. It is the same car that will be sold in China as the Yuan Up. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Atto 2

¶ “EVs At 23.0% Share In UK – BMW Leading BEV Brand” • In January, plugin EVs took a 23.0% share of the UK auto market, up year-over-year from 20.0%. Full electric volume increased by 21% YOY, and plugin hybrids by 31%. January’s overall auto volume was 142,876 units, up 8% YOY. BMW was the UK’s leading BEV brand in January. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Council Approves West Of Orkney Wind Farm” • Orkney Island Council’s Development and Infrastructure Committee gave its backing to the 2000-MW West of Orkney offshore wind farm. The West of Orkney wind farm will have up to 125 turbines on fixed foundations 30 km west of the Orkney Mainland. First power is planned for 2029. [reNews]

Wind farm (Orkney Islands Council)

¶ “Balochistan Installs Modern Solar Facilities” • In Pakistan, the government of Balochistan, with support of the government of China, completed installations of solar power facilities at twelve educational institutions, computer labs, and hospitals. Pakistan has a total solar potential of 2,900 GW and a wind potential of 340 GW. [The Express Tribune]

¶ “Ten Valves That Workers Were Supposed to Close Were Open at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant, Believed to be Cause of Radioactive Water Leak” • Ten manual valves that workers were supposed to close were open on equipment at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant when about 5.5 tons of contaminated water leaked, TEPCO said. [The Japan Times]

Water tanks at Fukushima Daiichi (IAEA Imagebank)

US:

¶ “There Is Barely Any Ice In The Great Lakes Due To Warm Winter Temperatures” • Record warm winter weather is having severe ramifications on the ice cover that typically engulfs the Great Lakes at this time of year. Just 5.9% of the Great Lakes are currently covered with ice compared to an average of about 40% for this time of year, NOAA analysis shows. [ABC News]

¶ “Electrical 101: Ensuring Equitable EV Charging Access” • RMI’s forthcoming GridUp tool can help policymakers, regulators, and utilities understand the charging needs of rural and low-income communities. The tool is designed to help them to make well-informed decisions on where to place charging infrastructure so everyone benefits. [CleanTechnica]

EVBOX public charging (EVBOX image)

¶ “Whitehouse Proposes Legislation To Close Dark Money Tax Loophole” • Sheldon Whitehouse, the feisty senator from Rhode Island, is a fierce advocate for common sense and fairness in government. Reacting to a massive donation worth $1.6 billion to a conservative trust, Senator Whitehorse reacted with a bill to close certain tax loopholes. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US DOE Establishing National Center of Excellence to Accelerate Domestic Offshore Wind Industry” • The US DOE announced investing $4.75 million to establish the Academic Center for Reliability and Resilience of Offshore Wind, a national center of excellence to accelerate reliable and equitable offshore wind energy deployment. [CleanTechnica]

Wind resource map (NREL image)

¶ “Hawaii Drops Last Coal-Fired Plant After Launch Of Tesla Megapack Battery System On Oahu” • A Tesla Megapack battery system led the state of Hawaii to bid farewell to its last coal power plant, ushering in a new era powered by clean, renewable energy. The Kapolei Energy Storage, on the west side of Oahu, is operational. [Yahoo Finance]

¶ “Bill Would Create New Tax Credits For Renewable Energy Facilities” • A New Mexico Senate bill aims to make the state more attractive for renewable manufacturing. The Advanced Equipment Income Tax Credit bill would create a tax credit for qualified manufacturing facilities related to solar and wind energy components. [KUNM]

Wind turbines (Lloyd Wilson, Sandia Labs via Flickr)

¶ “Climate Scientist Michael Mann Wins Defamation Lawsuit” • In a major victory, renowned climate scientist Michael Mann has emerged triumphant in a defamation lawsuit against right-wing bloggers Rand Simberg and Mark Steyn. The jury awarded Mann $1,001,000 in punitive damages, a resounding blow to those who defame climate scientists. [BNN Breaking]

¶ “Gretchen Whitmer Seeks Another $150 Million To Restart Palisades Nuclear Plant” • Michigan Gov Gretchen Whitmer’s proposed budget for the coming fiscal year recommends another $150 million to help restart the plant. Reports have indicated the federal government is preparing to offer a $1.5 billion loan for the plant also. [Bridge Michigan]

Have a grandly advantageous day.

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Opinion:

¶ “The War In Ukraine, Fossil Fuels, And Petro-Dictators” • The damage caused by fossil fuels does not end with climate change, pollution, and fires. Some nations that become wealthy by extracting and exporting fossil fuels also develop their military might and become overly aggressive. Russia and Vladimir Putin give us one example. [CleanTechnica]

Standing up for Ukraine (Courtesy of Razom We Stand)

Science and Technology:

¶ “NASA Expert Explains How New Technology Will Investigate The Remarkable Warming Trend” • The time from February 2023 through January 2024 set a record as the warmest twelve months, at 1.52°C (2.74°F) above the 1850 to 1900 pre-industrial average. Climate change, El Niño, and warm oceans combined to cause the heat. [ABC News]

¶ “Wind Power Returns To Cargo Ships, And Now With Plastic Bottles” • The cargo shipping industry is slowly moving towards low emission fuels, but in the meantime wind power is ready and eager to go. Various forms of high tech sails are showing up on shipping lanes, and to gild the sustainability lily, some are made with recycled plastic bottles. [CleanTechnica]

Cargo ship with Rotor Sails (Courtesy of Norsepower)

¶ “NASA Launches New Climate Mission To Study Ocean, Atmosphere” • NASA’s satellite mission to study ocean health, air quality, and the effects of a changing climate for the benefit of humanity launched successfully into orbit. Known as PACE, the Plankton, Aerosol, Climate, ocean Ecosystem satellite, the spacecraft is performing as expected. [NASA]

World:

¶ “World’s First Year-Long Breach Of Key 1.5°C Warming Limit” • For the first time, global warming has exceeded 1.5°C across an entire year, according to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. World leaders promised in 2015 to try to limit the long-term temperature rise to 1.5°C, which is seen as crucial to help avoid the most damaging impacts. [BBC]

What we are doing‽ (Marek Piwnicki, Unsplash)

¶ “The Fukushima Nuclear Plant Leaked Radioactive Water, But None Escaped The Facility” • Highly radioactive water leaked from a treatment machine at the tsunami-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, but no one was injured and radiation monitoring shows no impact to the outside environment, the utility operator said. [ABC News]

¶ “Ethiopia Banning Non-Electric Car Imports” • Details are a little thin at this point, but the Ethiopian Ministry of Transport and Logistics, Alemu Sime, recently said the country will not allow cars to enter the market unless they are EVs. “A decision has been made that automobiles cannot enter Ethiopia unless they are electric ones,” he said. [CleanTechnica]

Addis Ababa (Yohannes Minas, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “New Zealand EV Market Crash: 5% Penetration In January 2024” • January delivered an EV market crash in plug-in EV sales in New Zealand, to their lowest level in several years. After the monster sales records of December 2023, the removal of the EV tax incentive, and the double whammy of the Road User Charge, it was to be expected. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Statkraft And Better Energy Ink Polish Solar PPA” • Statkraft and Better Energy have strengthened their partnership in Poland, signing agreements to trade energy from four solar parks. Statkraft will purchase green energy from Better Energy’s Krapkowice solar park for 10 years, under a new set of power purchase agreements. [reNews]

Flowers and panels (Bettery Energy image)

¶ “Climate Change Is Fueling The Disappearance Of The Aral Sea. And It’s Taking Residents’ Livelihoods” • Lifelong farm workers and other residents near the Aral Sea say they’re facing a catastrophe they can’t beat: climate change. It is accelerating the decades-long demise of the Aral, which once was the lifeblood for the thousands. [Winnipeg Free Press]

US:

¶ “More Rapid Deployment Of Renewable Energy And Energy Storage Are Needed for a Resilient Power Grid in Puerto Rico” • With lots of solar and wind power, energy storage, and advanced extreme weather impact modeling, Puerto Rico could achieve a 100% renewable power grid by 2050 according to a study on Puerto Rican grid resilience. [CleanTechnica]

Puerto Rico (Andrea Starr, PNNL)

¶ “New Method Monitors Grid Stability With Hydropower Project Signals” • Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, developed a way to predict electric grid stability using signals from pumped storage projects. It provides critical information as the grid shifts more to renewable power. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Super Bowl To Be Hosted In First 100% Renewable Energy NFL stadium” • Super Bowl LVIII will pit the Kansas City Chiefs against the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday, February 11. This will be the first Super Bowl that takes place in Allegiant Stadium, home of the Raiders, which is 100% powered by renewable energy. [pv magazine USA]

Allegiant Stadium (David Lusvardi, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Arizona Utility Regulators Vote To Kill Renewable Standards” • Arizona utility regulators voted to begin the process of repealing the state’s energy efficiency and renewable standards. Industry advocates expressed disbelief, saying most states are expanding their renewable standards, and Arizona is the only state they know of scrapping them altogether. [12News]

¶ “A Bill That Would Reform The Renewable Energy Standard In Vermont Clears Key Panel” • The Vermont House Environment and Energy Committee voted in favor of H.289, a bill that would increase the amount of renewable energy that Vermont utilities are required to purchase to 100% by 2030. It heads to the House Ways and Means Committee next. [VTDigger]

Have a simply marvelous day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “New Direct Air Carbon Capture System Captures Water, Too” • Avnos shared a press release with CleanTechnica detailing the $36 million round of funding for its proprietary carbon capture system called HDAC, short for Hybrid Direct Air Capture. It captures water along with the carbon dioxide, and the US Navy finds that interesting. [CleanTechnica]

Avnos HDAC (Avnos image)

World:

¶ “Tesla Announces Pricing In Chile For Model 3 And Model Y: More Affordable Than Expected!” • It’s been three months since CleanTechnica reported that Tesla was officially hiring in Chile. Now the store is open, and pricing has been announced. It’s been pleasant to find that Tesla is not marking up its vehicles like most other brands do. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “A New Solution to Power Africa: Productive Use of Renewable Energy” • Access to electricity in sub-Saharan Africa improved greatly over the last decade, reaching 49.4% of the population in 2022, up from 33% in 2010. But electricity consumption has not grown with access. Access to power is meaningless if customers can’t afford to pay for it. [CleanTechnica]

Solar power for pumping (Government of Makueni County, Kenya)

¶ “EVs Take 25.0% Share In France” • January saw plugin EVs take 25.0% share of the French auto market, an increase from 22.3% share, year on year. December’s overall auto volume was 122,284 units, up 9% YOY, but still far below 2017–2019 norms of about 155,000. France’s best selling full electric model in January was the Peugeot e-208. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Equinor’s Renewables Capacity Rises In Q4 2023” • Equinor’s power production from renewable energy sources reached 694 GWh in the final quarter of 2024, up 34% from the same quarter last year. This increase was mainly driven by production onshore by Rio Energy in Brazil and Wento in Poland, and offshore by Hywind Tampen. [reNews]

Wind power at Hywind Tampen (Equinor image)

¶ “Diesel Power Stations To Close As Big Batteries Take Centre Stage” • South Australia’s remarkable transition to renewable energy has claimed new fossil fuel victims. Engie revealed this week it will shutter two diesel plants in the state years ahead of schedule, as solar, wind, and battery storage have muscled them out of the market. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “Lightsource BP Energises UK Battery” • Lightsource BP has energised the 25-MW, 50-MWh Tiln battery to support 61-MW Tiln solar project, the first in its multi-gigawatt global energy storage pipeline. In the past two years, the company has worked to build energy storage opportunities to support the 60-GW of solar it is developing worldwide. [reNews]

Storage at a solar site (Lightsource BP image)

¶ “China Accounts for Nearly All New Coal-Fired Power Plant Construction” • According to data from Global Energy Monitor, a group that tracks global power generation projects, China was responsible for construction of 96% of all new coal-fired facilities last year, and for almost 70% of all new coal-fueled power plants that came online. [POWER Magazine]

¶ “‘Unprecedented Collapse’ In EU Coal And Gas Electricity Generation Last Year, Report Reveals” • According to a report by Ember, more of Europe’s electricity came from wind power than fossil gas for the first time last year. Wind and solar produced a record 27% of the bloc’s electricity in 2023. Coal and gas took corresponding nosedives. [Euronews]

Wind farm (Tyler Casey, Unsplash)

¶ “The UK’s First Geothermal Power Plant Holds Promise For A Greener And More Sustainable Future” • Construction has begun for the UK’s first geothermal power plant, marking a significant milestone for UK renewable energy. Geothermal Engineering Limited expects the plant, sited in Cornwall, to start generating electricity this year. [Open Access Government]

US:

¶ “What Is The Pineapple Express And Why Has It Drenched California?” • Atmospheric rivers are long, narrow bands of rain that hit the west coast of the US and Canada endwise, bringing lots of rain. If one starts near Hawaii, it is called the “Pineapple Express.” Studies from NOAA suggest that they will bring more rain with climate change. [BBC]

Atmospheric river (Naval Research Laboratory, public domain)

¶ “Climate Mayors Urge Biden Administration To Finalize The Strongest Possible Standards For Heavy-Duty Vehicles To Reduce Pollution And Improve Air Quality for Cities” • In a letter, 75 members of Climate Mayors urged the Biden Administration to finalize the EPA’s strongest proposed rule for the GHG Emissions Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ford Teases Not-So-Secret Affordable EV, Again” • Word leaked out that the Ford Motor Company has assigned a secret task force to develop an affordable EV, aimed at competing with the low-cost lineup of Tesla and various Chinese auto makers. It’s pretty much the same secret that CleanTechnica’s Jennifer Sensiba noted in May of 2022, [CleanTechnica]

Affordable Ford (Ford Motor Company image)

¶ “Sublime Systems Receives $6.7 Million Award From DOE To Clean Up Cement Emissions” • Sublime Systems, an MIT spinoff, says it has found a way to eliminate 90% of the carbon emissions associated with making cement. Now Sublime Systems has been awarded $6.7 million by the DOE to help it advance electrolyzer technology. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Bill Looks To Reconfigure Tax Exemptions For Maine Yankee” • The fight over how the owners of the decommissioned Maine Yankee Nuclear Power Plant should be taxed has made its way to the state house, with Wiscasset town representatives pushing for a bill. The question centers on whether the facility should be paying taxes to the town. [WCSH]

Have a totally copacetic day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Rising Temperatures And Rising Authoritarianism – Trends That Are Intertwined” • As Earth’s annual average temperatures push against the 1.5º C limit, social scientists warn that we may move into a dangerous new era in human history. Research shows the increasing climate shocks could trigger unrest and authoritarian backlashes. [CleanTechnica]

No planet B (Markus Spiske, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Should There Be A Category 6 For Hurricanes? These Climate Scientists Say Yes” • The Saffir-Simpson scale currently goes from Category 1 to 5. A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests adding a Category 6. The new scale would cap Category 5 storms at 192 mph and anything above that would be Category 6. [CNN]

World:

¶ “Study Of Sea Sponges Lead Scientists To Believe Earth Has Already Passed 1.5°C Of Warming” • A study of 300 years of ocean temperature records kept preserved within sea sponges in the Caribbean indicate that global mean surface temperatures may have already exceeded 1.5°C and that a 2°C Celsius rise could be possible by the end of the decade. [ABC News]

Sponges (NOAA, Unsplash)

¶ “BYD #1 In World In Plugin Vehicle Sales In 2023” • In the last stage of the 2023 race, BYD had another record month, this time with 321,000 registrations. It again beat Tesla, which had 195,265 deliveries. So BYD beat Tesla by a significant margin. With a 56% year-on-year growth rate, the Shenzhen company was the fastest growing make. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “World EV Sales Report – Tesla Model Y Is The Best Selling Model In The World!” • The last months of 2023 brought a record-fest for world plugin vehicle sales, with three months out of the last four setting new sales records. December had over 1,550,000 registrations. In the overall market, the Tesla Model Y was the global best seller. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla Model Y (Murphy Zheng, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “EVs At 93.9% Share In Norway – Record High” • January saw plugin EVs at 93.9% share in Norway, a new record high. All but battery EV powertrains faced higher taxes from January 1st, and had low sales, following December’s pull forward. Overall auto volume was subdued, at 5,122 units. January’s best seller was the Tesla Model Y. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Pacific Green Australia Announces Plans For 30 Hectare, Grid-Scale Battery Park In Portland, Victoria” • British-owned energy company Pacific Green Australia plans to build a 1-GW battery park on 30 hectares in Portland, Victoria. It will be one of the largest batteries in the nation. Pacific Green hopes to be feeding energy into the grid by 2026. [ABC]

Proposed energy park (Supplied by Pacific Green Energy)

¶ “Shell Joins RSP Wave Power, Subsea Energy Storage Project” • Shell has joined the Renewables for Subsea Power project, which is powering subsea equipment off the coast of Orkney, Scotland, through a combination of wave power and subsea energy storage. Shell Technology, a Marine Renewable Program, comes with the investment. [Offshore Magazine]

¶ “Pause On Renewables Projects To Lift At Month’s End As Planned” • The Alberta government’s seven-month moratorium on approving wind and solar power projects will end on February 29 as planned. Premier Danielle Smith confirmed the date in Ottawa. “We are the destination for solar and wind investment in the country,” Smith said. [CBC]

Calgary (Kyler Nixon, Unsplash)

¶ “One Of The World’s Biggest Atomic Power Plants Used To Have A Staff Of 12,000. Now Only 3,000 Run It” • Security at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant remains fragile amid worrying recent staff cuts enacted by Russian occupiers. It is one of the ten biggest atomic power plants in the world, the UN nuclear watchdog chief said. [CTV News]

US:

¶ “Celebrating Another Breakthrough In Domestic Lithium Production” • Last week, Controlled Thermal Resources broke ground on a geothermal power plant in California’s Salton Sea. The facility will not only generate electricity from geothermal energy, but also serve a vital, dual purpose: extracting lithium from the hot brine that powers it. [CleanTechnica]

Groundbreaking (Photo from Controlled Thermal Resources)

¶ “Largest Proposed Wind Farm In Washington Reduced By Half, Firefighting Issues Are Part Of The Problem” • A wind farm that was to be the largest in Washington was reduced by half as it raised concerns about birds and viewsheds. Its developer said new restrictions could be bad for renewable energy development in the state. [Oregon Public Broadcasting]

¶ “Increasing Alternative Energy Standards Would Bring Billions In Investment To Pennsylvania” • The governor of Pennsylvania pledge 30% renewable energy by 2030. Three business groups crunched the numbers and found that if that happens, more than $13.1 billion could be invested in Pennsylvania over the next seven years. [pv magazine USA]

Solar installation in Pennsylvania (US DA, Public domain)

¶ “Texas Recently Generated 80% Of Its Power From Renewable And Nuclear Power. Here’s Why That Matters” • Starting at 9:45 am Sunday, more than 78% of electricity running on the grid managed by the ERCOT came from either wind, solar, or nuclear power. That percentage hovered between 78% and 80% until nearly 4 pm. [Houston Chronicle]

¶ “Biden’s $1.5 Billion Clean Energy Boondoggle” • We got word that the Feds agreed to pony up $1.5 billion to restart a 50-year-old “clean energy” power plant in Michigan. It’s a nuclear power plant that couldn’t compete with other sources of energy, costing up to 57% more than competing sources, so it was shut down in 2017. Now they want to restart it. [Energy and Capital]

Have a tolerably perfect day.

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Opinion:

¶ “The War On Renewables Heats Up Across America” • Climate change is a threat to our way of life. Only renewables can help slow the changing climate. But due largely to misinformation disseminated by fossil fuel companies, people all across America believe that renewables like wind and solar are a threat to their way of life and must be stopped. [CleanTechnica]

Landscape to maintain (NOAA, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “The ShAPE of Buildings to Come: Scrap Aluminum Can Transform Recycling Life Cycle” • The circular economy just closed the loop on scrap aluminum, thanks to a new patent-pending technology from the US DOE’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Scrap aluminum could gain new life as parts of building structures. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Sandia Uses Electric Grid Analytics To Combat Wildfire Risks And Aid Post-Wildfire Recovery” • Sandia National Labs’ wildfire grid resilience program aims to determine and mitigate risk of ignition, reduce wildfire spread, and decrease consequences of major wildfires through new tools and better informed decision making. [CleanTechnica]

Fire whirl in Colorado (Kyle Miller, US BLM)

World:

¶ “Russian Oil Getting Into UK Via Refinery Loophole, Reports Claim” • A so-called “loophole” means Russian crude is refined in countries such as India and the products sold to the UK. This is not illegal and does not breach the UK’s Russian oil ban, but critics say it undermines sanctions aimed at restricting war funds Russia’s war funds as it makes war in Ukraine. [BBC]

¶ “Carlton Power Plans 20-MW UK Hydrogen Scheme” • Kraft Heinz is partnering with Carlton Power on its first renewable green hydrogen project in the UK. The proposed scheme could fuel at least 50% of Kraft Heinz’s Kitt Green manufacturing plant in Wigan, helping reduce carbon emissions and advance the company net zero ambitions. [reNews]

Kraft Heinz factory (Kraft Heinz image)

¶ “Germany And Israel Bolster Energy Ties: Focus On Hydrogen And Renewables” • German Vice-Chancellor and Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Action, Robert Habeck, met in Jerusalem with Israel’s Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Eli Cohen, to reinforce their collaborative work plan and address Israel’s post-war needs. [SolarQuarter]

¶ “Anti-Renewables Rally Inspires Counter Action, As Farmers Share Solar And Wind Benefits, Debunk Myths” • A protest against large-scale solar and wind and transmission projects has inspired a number of counter movements from farmers who say the lease payments from renewable energy projects have kept their farms afloat. [RenewEconomy]

Australian farm (Cgoodwin, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Small Modular Reactors Do Not Solve The Many Problems Of Nuclear, NGOS Say” • As the European Commission prepares to launch its industry alliance for Small Modular Reactors on 6 February, civil society organisations stress the high costs and slow progress, making this technology a risky distraction from dealing with climate change. [EU Reporter]

¶ “How Fruit Farmers In Tohoku Are Coping With Climate Change” • The area of Yamamoto and Watari, in southern part of Miyagi Prefecture, is known for its relatively warm climate. But the unusual sight of tangerines, which are vulnerable to cold, coexisting with apples, which are vulnerable to heat, may be a symbol of rapid global warming. [The Japan Times]

Tangerine on a tree (Mateus Bandeira, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “OpenET Study Helps Water Managers And Farmers Put NASA Data to Work” • The system alled OpenET uses an ensemble of six satellite-driven models that harness publicly available data from the Landsat program to calculate evapotranspiration (ET), the movement of water vapor from soil and plants as it goes into the atmosphere. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Average Cost Of Car Insurance Up More Than 20% In Last Year” • Yahoo! Finance reports that car insurance costs were 20.3% higher in December than they were a year earlier, with the average annual premium costing $2,542, according to Bankrate. Part of that increase is due to inflation. But part of it is due to the weather brought by climate change. [CleanTechnica]

Storm damage (Mick Haupt, Unsplash)

¶ “Five Years Later, New Hampshire’s Community Power Law Is Reshaping The Electricity Market” • New Hampshire member towns in the year-old Community Power Coalition are reaping the benefits of banding together for electricity. Small customers in the coalition’s sixteen active member towns will buy electricity at a 26% reduced rate. [New Hampshire Bulletin]

¶ “New York City Approves Empire Wind O&M Hub Design” • New York City’s Public Design Commission approved the design for the offshore wind operations and maintenance building Equinor plans to built at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal. This is an important step in revitalizing a working waterfront at this historic port. [Offshore Engineer]

Have a manifestly splendid day.

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World:

¶ “Equinix And Schneider Electric Behind Seven New Wind Farms” • Equinix and renewable energy developer wpd signed seven 20-year Power Purchase Agreements, aided by Schneider Electric. As a result, seven wind farms will be built across France, four in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, two in Hauts-de-France and one in Pays de la Loire. [Energy Digital Magazine]

Wind farm in Yunnan (Luo Lei, Unsplash)

¶ “Regional Communities Gather From Latrobe Valley To Wollongong To Say Yes To Renewables, Community Power, Climate Action” • Regional communities gathered in Australia to send a strong message that they support renewable energy and want to see stronger action on climate change and new jobs in wind and solar power. [The National Tribune]

¶ “Premier: Harness Sarawak’s Strength In Renewable Energy To Propel State’s Economic Development” • Sarawak needs to harness its strength in renewable energy production to propel the state’s economy forward, said the Malaysian state’s Premier. He said the strength of Sarawak lies in its energy generation by its many renewable resources. [Malay Mail]

Dam in Sarawak (Gem Lyn, Unsplash)

¶ “Rooftop Solar Plan To Add 20-22 GW, But Challenges Cloud Sunrise Sector” • The residential rooftop solar power sector could become another sunrise sector in India with a business potential of about ₹1.5 lakh crore to ₹2 lakh crore ($12 billion), if all things perform precisely like the Sun, according to industry officials and experts. [IBTimes India]

¶ “Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited Illuminates Asia’s Largest Tea Estate With Innovative Solar Technology” • Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited commissioned a 1040-kW bifacial solar system at Chengmari Tea Estate, Asia’s largest tea estate. This project is the first deployment of on-ground bifacial modules in eastern India. [SolarQuarter]

Tea garden (Rupeshsarkar, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Czech Republic Expanding On Plan For Nuclear Reactors” • The Czech government said recently it plans to build up to four nuclear reactors instead of one as the country tries to become more energy independent and wean itself off fossil fuels. Prime Minister Petr Fiala said building more reactors could reduce the price per reactor by up to 25%. [NWAOnline]

¶ “Google Signs Its Largest Offshore Wind Power Agreement To Date” • Google has signed power purchase agreements with CrossWind and Ecowende consortia, joint ventures of energy companies Shell and Eneco. This announcement is in line with its goal to achieve net-zero emissions across all of its operations and value chains by 2030. [Inceptive Mind]

Google data center in Eemshaven, Netherlands (Google image)

US:

¶ “Tesla Ordered To Pay $1.5 Million Over Alleged Hazardous Waste Violations In California” • A California judge ordered Tesla Inc to pay $1.5 million as part of a settlement of a civil case alleging the company mishandled hazardous waste at its car service centers, energy centers, and a factory, multiple county district attorneys announced. [ABC News]

¶ “Nevada Supreme Court Ruling Says That Surface Water And Groundwater Are One And The Same” • The Nevada Supreme Court has ruled in a unanimous decision that the state may restrict new groundwater pumping if it will impact other users and wildlife. The decision will change how the state manages its groundwater. [CleanTechnica]

Desert in Nevada (D Lok, Unsplash)

¶ “Grid Electronics Research to Bridge Gap to Cleaner, More Reliable Power” • Most of the North American electric grid uses AC power. But renewable energy generation and electric cars require DC. Power electronics are used to switch between these flows and to link separate systems. ORNL researchers have been developing a set of building blocks. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Counties Are Blocking The Future Of Renewable Energy: These Maps, Graphics Show How” • At least 15% of counties in the US have effectively halted new utility-scale wind, solar, or both, USA Today found. But the opposition to renewable energy isn’t as simple as left vs. right. There’s no one group fighting renewables. [USA Today]

Have an especially fortunate day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Electric Cars: It’s All About Efficiency” • Cars and trucks powered by internal combustion engines are only about 20% efficient. This means that just one fifth of it is actually used to move them forward. By contrast, almost 90% of the energy stored in the batteries of electric cars is used to move them forward. [CleanTechnica]

Charging an EV (Andrew Roberts, Unsplash)

¶ “Tripling Nuclear Energy By 2050 Will Take A Miracle, And Miracles Don’t Happen” • It is time to abandon the idea that further expanding nuclear technology can help with mitigating climate change. We need to deal with carbon emissions quickly and inexpensively. Nuclear power is much too expensive and a buildout will take too long. [Down to Earth]

World:

¶ “UN Climate Chief’s Message: Fewer Loopholes, Way More Cash To Halt Climate Change” • United Nations’ climate chief Simon Stiell says to keep Earth from overheating, the nations of the world need to put fewer loopholes in climate agreements and far more money – trillions of dollars per year – into financial help for poor nations. [ABC News]

Melting ice (NOAA, Unsplash)

¶ “24% Plugin Vehicle Share In Europe” • The overall European automotive market fell 4% in December, its first drop in sixteen months. This was influenced by the German market, which fell by 23% in December, possibly influenced by the economic clouds on the horizon and a chaotic cut in EV subsidies. New EV sales fell 29% year-on-year, in the EU. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “EVs Take 52.5% Share In Sweden” • The January market in Sweden saw plugin EVs take 52.5% share, almost flat from 52.4%, year-over-year. Plugin volumes were up YOY for both battery electrics and plugin hybrids. January’s overall auto volume was 17,159 units, up some 18% YOY. The bestseller for the month was the Tesla Model Y. [CleanTechnica]

Volvo EX30 (Alexander-93, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Govt Invites Bids For 4 GW Offshore Wind Projects” • India’s new and renewable energy ministry has invited bids to 4 GW of develop offshore wind energy. The bids are for four blocks of 1 GW each on open access basis, for offshore wind power projects off the coast of Tamil Nadu, through international competitive bidding. [The New Indian Express]

¶ “Hydrogen Electric Aircraft Scheme Hatched By EU Nations” • Much of the attention around electric aircraft involves moving beyond small, regional-hopping passenger planes into the long distance territory of jumbo jets. The US-UK startup ZeroAvia is one stakeholder leaning on hydrogen fuel cells to do the heavy lifting. [CleanTechnica]

Hydrogen infrastructure for electric aircraft (ZeroAvia image)

¶ “Floating Solar Energy Pilot Passes Trials Offshore Norway” • Fred Olsen 1848 has deployed 124 kW floating solar pilot off Risør, Norway. The project is a testing ground for improving the components of the BRIZO floating PV technology, which is designed to follow the motion of the ocean while withstanding local offshore conditions. [Offshore Magazine]

¶ “Vortex Energy’s $123 Million Investment Spurs Construction Of 110 MW Renewable Energy Portfolio, Paving The Way For Green Power Expansion In Poland” • Vortex Energy, a prominent renewable energy company in Poland, has started construction on a portfolio of projects comprising 53 MW of onshore wind and 57 MW of PV solar. [SolarQuarter]

Vitol Vortex solar array (Vitol image)

¶ “Climate Change: Fungal Disease Endangers Production Of Wheat” • An international team of researchers surrounding Prof Senthold Asseng from the Technical University of Munich has now shown that further spread of the fungal disease wheat blast could reduce global wheat production by 13% by 2050, to be a threat to global food security. [Lab Manager]

US:

¶ “The Solar Electric Car That Looks Like An Airplane Is Almost Ready For Takeoff” • The Aptera has been a long time coming. It was launched in 2006, only to hit a wall in 2011. A relaunch in 2020 got the gears in motion again, and now the long-awaited, futuristic, solar-powered three-wheeled electric car is almost ready to hit the road. [CleanTechnica]

Aptera (Aptera image)

¶ “Tracking Electricity Consumption From US Cryptocurrency Mining Operations” • Electricity demand associated with US cryptocurrency mining operations has grown very rapidly over the last several years. Our preliminary estimates suggest that annual electricity use for cryptocurrency mining may be 0.6% to 2.3% of US electricity production. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “$230 Million Wind Farm Near Glenrock Could Bring 200 Jobs And Power 44,000 Homes” • AES Corp, a Virginia-based energy behemoth shedding coal-fired plants as part of a yearslong restructuring effort to focus on renewables, unveiled plans to build a $230 million wind farm south of Glenrock, Wyoming. Its capacity will be 150 MW. [Cowboy State Daily]

Wyoming wind farm (Courtesy AES Corp)

¶ “The US Added 1.2 Million EVs To The Grid Last Year, And Electricity Use Went Down” • 2023 set another record for EV sales in the US. About 1.2 million vehicles, or 7.6% of all sales, were electric according to Kelley Blue Book. Nevertheless, the data on electricity use through November 2023 shows that it was down by 1.1%. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Amazon Warns Climate Change Could Disrupt Its Business In Annual Filing” • Amazon is warning its investors that climate change could affect it negatively. In the risk factors section of its 2023 financial filing, Amazon added language that says climate change could cause its sales and operating results to fluctuate, possibly resulting in decreased revenue. [CNBC]

Have a politely presented day.

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Opinion:

¶ “There’s Still Time For California Regulators To Stop Killing The California Solar And Storage Industry” • New state policies reduced California’s incentives to install solar power and storage, discouraging families and businesses from deploying systems. The Solar Energy Industries Association calls on policymakers to address the problems. [CleanTechnica]

Rooftop solar (Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Can Ocean Energy Power Carbon Removal?” • A mass of sargassum, a seaweed, sometimes has huge bits break off and wash ashore in Florida or the Caribbean. If that seaweed could be sunk instead of covering beaches, it would carry a huge amount of carbon to the ocean floor, sequestering massive amounts of carbon that was recently in the air. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Should More British Homes Be Built Using Straw?” • This year, straw from Lithuania will envelop a building in a quiet town in West Yorkshire. The panels will be supplied by a Slovakian firm, EcoCocon. Each timber-framed panel is around 400 mm thick and contains a mass of chopped straw. They help meet a rising demand for insulation and sustainability. [BBC]

Straw panel installation (EcoCocon image)

¶ “Westbridge Progresses Italian Solar Projects” • Westbridge Renewable Energy is developing two new solar projects in Italy. The 32-MW Gierre solar project is in Lazio and the 30-MW NM solar project is in Umbria. Both projects have secured land and grid access, completed feasibility studies, and now planning applications are in progress. [reNews]

¶ “Mobilizing Electric Vehicles In Rural India” • This week, NRDC, with partners Self Employed Women’s Association and the Small Industries Development Bank of India, unveiled a first-of-its-kind initiative to pilot EVs in rural areas of India. Access to clean mobility can transform livelihood opportunity growth in rural areas. [CleanTechnica]

New owners of two-wheeler EVs (Image by NRDC India)

¶ “Northern Territory Launches Plan To Power 72 Remote Indigenous Communities With 70% Renewables” • The NT government has launched community consultations on its Remote Power System Strategy, in a bid to power 72 remote Australian indigenous communities with an average of 70% renewables, by 2030. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “Ford Transit Connect PHEV Coming To Europe This Year” • Ford announced that it will introduce its third generation Transit Connect to the European and UK markets, with sales starting in the second half of 2024. One version of the new Transit Connect will offer a plug-in hybrid powertrain with 68 miles of battery-only range. [CleanTechnica]

Ford Transit Connect (Ford image)

¶ “India Unveils 13.9 GW Coal Plants In Highest Annual Surge In Six Years” • India is set to bring online 13.9 GW of new coal-fired power plants this year, marking the highest annual increase in at least six years, the country’s power ministry said. There are surging power demands, low per-capita emissions, and concerns about energy security. [BW Businessworld]

¶ “Kenya’s Complete Transition To Clean Energy Gets World Bank Support” • The Climate Investment Funds endorsed a $70 million plan, with an allocation of $46.39 million, to advance the integration and use of renewable energy in the Kenyan grid. The move will enable the country’s transition to 100% clean energy by 2030. [Construction and Civil Engineering News]

Kenya (Damian Patkowski, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Electric Vehicles And Hybrids Surpass 16% Of Total 2023 US Light-Duty Vehicle Sales” • Combined sales of hybrid vehicles, plug-in hybrid EVs, and battery EVs in the US rose to 16.3% of total new light-duty vehicle sales in 2023, according to data from Wards Intelligence. In 2022, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery EV sales were 12.9% of total sales. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Carbon Dioxide, Radio Isotopes, The Keeling Curve, And The Greatest Cover Up In History” • Seventy years ago, Los Angeles had an air pollution problem that led to the word ‘smog’ being coined. Petroleum and automotive companies came to realize that pollution is a problem, and they created a massive cover-up to protect their profits. [CleanTechnica]

Smog in Los Angeles (Lan56, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

¶ “Vesper Energy Secures $590 Million Financing For Hornet Solar Project” • Vesper Energy, a developer, owner, and operator of renewable energy assets, finalized financing for its Hornet Solar project. Set to provide renewable energy to communities throughout Texas, the project aims to enhance grid stability and address price volatility. [SolarQuarter]

¶ “Xcel Energy To Build 3.6 GW Of Renewable Capacity And 600 MW Of Storage In Minnesota” • Utility Xcel Energy announced plans to decarbonise its operations in the Midwest. The plans involve the construction of 3.6 GW of new renewable power generating capacity and 600 MW of new battery energy storage system facilities. [PV Tech]

Xcel Energy solar system (Xcel Energy image)

¶ “Vibrations In Cooling System Mean New Georgia Nuclear Reactor Will Again Be Delayed” • Georgia Power Co said that vibrations in a cooling system of its second new nuclear reactor will delay when the unit starts operating. Plant Vogtle’s Unit 4 now will not begin operating until sometime between April 1 and June 30. [The Public’s Radio]

¶ “State Says Holtec Must Report On Chemicals In Vaporized Wastewater” • While Holtec International awaits decisions by regulators on discharging water from the Pilgrim nuclear plant, it has got rid of 200,000 gallons of the water by using heaters in the reactor cavity to evaporate it. The state wants a report on contaminants. [The Provincetown Independent]

Have a spactacularly quiet day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Hawaii’s Clean Energy Push: A Model For The Mainland?” • A massive clean energy experiment is taking place in Hawaii. It’s not that they are doing anything radically different in terms of renewable energy deployment, they’re just doing far more of it per capita than any other US state. And Hawaii is meeting its aggressive renewable energy plans. [Oil Price]

Pakini Nui Wind Farm (Yoshi Canopus, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

World:

¶ “China Has Nudged Japan Aside As Number 1 Auto Exporter, Japanese Data Show” • The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association reported Japan exported 4.42 million vehicles in 2023. Earlier data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers shows China exported 4.91 million vehicles last year, largely EVs and hybrids. [ABC News]

¶ “Mexico’s Supreme Court Rules Against An Electricity Law Favoring A State-Owned Utility Over Private Firms” • A panel of Supreme Court justices in Mexico ruled against President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s rules that favored the state-owned electric power company over cleaner private power companies, which are mostly foreign-owned. [ABC News]

Wind farm in Mexico (Daniel Cravioto, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “25% of New Car Sales in China Were 100% Electric in 2023!” • Plugin vehicles in China once again ended the year with a record month, growing by 46% year-over-year in the last month of the year to a record 980,000 units. Range-extended vehicles have become trendy in China, with most packing 40 kWh-ish batteries and fast charging capabilities. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “30% Plugin Vehicle Share In France!” • Plugin sales continued to grow in France in December, reaching a record 54,413 units. Most of that was battery EVs. Their sales were up an amazing 50% year-over-year in December, to a record 37,355 units. Plugin hybrid EVs also joined to the party, by growing some 17% YoY to 17,056 registrations. [CleanTechnica]

Fiat 500e Cabrio (Alexander Migl, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “President Murmu Unveils India’s Renewable Energy Triumph: Soars To 188 GW With Solar Surging 26-Fold in A Decade” • Pres Droupadi Murmu declared that the government is prioritizing green energy, revealing that renewable energy capacity in India more than doubled over a decade to 188 GW. Solar capacity had a 26-fold increase. [SolarQuarter]

¶ “IEA’s Report Reveals 50% Surge In Global Renewable Capacity In 2023, Bringing Global Total To Nearly 510 GW” • A report by the International Energy Agency shows that the world added 50% more renewable energy capacity in 2023 than in 2022, bringing the global total to nearly 510 GW. Of the new capacity, 75% was solar PVs. [SolarQuarter]

Solar array (Raphael Cruz, Unsplash)

¶ “GE Vernova, Kandenko And Cosmo Eco Power To Develop Onshore Wind Farm In Fukushima” • GE Vernova’s onshore wind business announced it was selected by Abukuma South Wind Power LLC as the supplier for the 90-MW Abukuma South Wind Farm in the area of the city of Iwaki and town of Hirono, in Fukushima Prefecture. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶ “‘Time Is Right To Invest In Emerging Offshore Markets’” • World Bank offshore wind development program co-lead Sean Whittaker said, “There has never been a better time” for offshore wind developers to move into emerging markets. Speaking at the WFO Global Summit in Barcelona, he said his organisation has helped 26 countries speed up deployment. [reNews]

Wind turbines (SSE Renewables image)

¶ “Britain Not Planning Hinkley Point C Loan Guarantees, Says Downing Street” • The UK has no plans for loan guarantees for the Hinkley Point C nuclear project to ease the financing costs on EDF, a spokesman for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said. “Hinkley Point C’s financing is a matter for the project’s shareholders, it’s not for government.” [Reuters]

US:

¶ “Sea Otters, Once Hunted To Near Extinction, Are Preventing Coastal Erosion As Their Populations Grow, Study Finds” • A recent discovery is that sea otters are Mother Nature’s solution to the prevention of coastal erosion. The sea otters eat burrowing crabs that have no other major predators. Crab burrows make coastal lands unstable. [ABC News]

Sea otters (Kedar Gadge, Unsplash)

¶ “John Podesta Will Take Over For John Kerry As US Climate Diplomat” • John Podesta, a senior White House adviser focused on clean energy and climate, will take over as top US climate diplomat when John Kerry steps down, a source familiar with the move said. He has been working on clean energy and carrying out the Inflation Reduction Act. [CNN]

¶ “Renewed US National Movement to Convert Private Utilities to Public Utilities” • A renewed US movement is afoot to replace corporate utilities with public, citizen-owned utilities. There have been energy cooperatives in the Midwest for nearly a century and a half. The American Public Power Association gives support for public power companies. [CleanTechnica]

Utility worker (USDA, public domain)

¶ “Delaware Judge Invalidates Elon Musk’s Tesla Pay Package” • Five years ago, the board of directors of Tesla approved a special compensation package for Elon Musk that exceeded by far any executive pay plan in the history of the world. If Musk hit certain targets, he would be entitled to total compensation of $56 billion. A judge said that’s too much. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Chugach Electric Offers Its Support For Renewable Energy Benchmarks” • Just a fifth of the electricity produced on Alaska’s Railbelt comes from renewable sources. The rest is from fossil fuels, primarily natural gas. But with a natural gas shortfall on the way, clean energy advocates want to push Railbelt utilities to boost renewables. [Alaska Public Media]

Have a perfectly wonderful day.

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