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.
geoharvey 