Opinion:
¶ “When a bribe isn’t a ‘bribe’” • Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder, convicted of accepting a bribe, has filed an appeal. His appeal contends that because corporations are legally considered people after the Citizens United ruling, and people have the right to free speech, then corporations can use their dollars to speak to politicians. [Law and Crime News]
Davis-Besse (Nuclear Regulatory Commission, cropped)
World:
¶ “Activists Build Treehouses To Protest Tesla’s Plans To Expand Its Plant Near Berlin” • Environmental activists are staging a protest against plans to expand the grounds of electric carmaker Tesla’s first plant in Europe. Between 80 and 100 activists have been camping in a forest near Berlin. They put up tents and built treehouses as part of the protest. [ABC News]
¶ “BYD Dolphin Mini Rolling in Mexico – Cheapest Electric Car By Far” • The BYD Seagull, a small and super affordable electric car from the top selling plugin vehicle producer in the world, has now made its way into the Mexican auto market. The 5-door compact electric hatchback comes at a shockingly low price of MXN$358,800 ($21,000). [CleanTechnica]
BYD Seagull (Courtesy of BYD)
¶ “Tesla And BYD Cut Prices Further in China!” • BYD is at the top of China’s EV market, while Tesla’s Model Y and Model 3 are usually at the top of the model sales chart. Searching for more sales, BYD and Tesla cut prices at least a few times in 2023, and it looks like that trend is continuing. Both BYD and Tesla are set for price cuts this week. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “World’s Largest Rooftop Solar Power Plant To Be Built In Denmark” • The Danish solar company SolarFuture ApS has landed an order for a 35 MW rooftop solar power plant. The electricity production from the solar plant in Horsens, Denmark, will exceed that of all existing installations in the world, even at Tesla’s Gigafactory in Nevada. [CleanTechnica]
Rendering of rooftop solar system (Image by SolarFuture)
¶ “Shell To Tackle Nigeria’s Power Problems With Off-Grid Renewable Energy” • Shell Nigeria Plc says it will assist the Nigerian government provide electricity for millions of people, using renewables. Shell plans to deploy renewables as off-grid energy source to Nigerians, especially in areas not connected to the national grid. [Punch Newspapers]
¶ “JLR Vows To Reduce Energy Bills By Using Solar Power” • JLR, Jaguar Land Rover, says it will reduce energy bills by using solar power. It says the aim for off-grid energy projects is to produce almost 120 MW of renewable energy at their peak, enough to power nearly 44,500 homes. It will have a variety of solar panels installed at JLR locations. [Coventry Telegraph]
Solar panels on a rooftop (JLR image)
¶ “Solar, Wind Parks Around The City Of Nikšić Could Power Montenegro” • A study mapping the potential of solar and wind energy in the region of Nikšić shows that renewable energy sources in optimal locations around Montenegro’s second-largest city could generate enough electricity for all households in the country. [Balkan Green Energy News]
¶ “Energy-Related Emissions Hit A Record High Last Year Despite Renewables Surge” • Despite a decline in fossil fuel use in developed economies, global energy-related emissions rose last year to a record high as coal use rose in major developing markets hit by low hydropower generation, an International Energy Agency showed. [Oil & Gas 360]
Carbon emissions (Marcin Jozwiak, Unsplash, cropped)
US:
¶ “California Mountain Regions Brace For Huge Snowstorm” • Several California ski resorts closed, as the state prepared for a massive snowstorm forecast to hit the Sierra Nevada region. Officials closed off roads as the state braced for up to 10 feet (3 metres) of snow. Wind gusts could also top 140 mph (225 kmh) in the Sierra Nevada mountains. [BBC]
¶ “US To Investigate “Security Concerns” Involving Chinese Electric Cars” • Cars built in Mexico can be imported to the US without tariffs, thanks to the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement that replaced NAFTA. The Alliance of American Manufacturers calls possible cheap Chinese EVs made in Mexico an “extinction level event” for US car makers. [CleanTechnica]
BYD electric cars ready to ship (Image courtesy of BYD)
¶ “Brown University Study Documents Links Between National And Local Offshore Wind Opponents” • A study from Brown University shows in graphic detail how linkages exist between opponents of offshore wind and captive fossil fuel apologists at the national level. The national organizations have one mission: protecting fossil fuels. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “400 US Farmers To Enlist For Rural Wind Power” • The Biden administration announced a plan to recruit 400 farmers to install wind turbines on their land. The push for wind power builds on a US DOE study that makes the case for pumping up the nation’s supply of distributed wind power, meaning local wind farms and individual wind turbines. [CleanTechnica]
Wind farm (Alice Welch, USDA)
¶ “Will Vermont Commit To 100% Renewable Electricity?” • In Vermont, lawmakers are moving forward with legislation that would require electric utilities to get 100% of the electricity they sell to consumers from renewable sources by 2030. H.289, An Act Relating to the Renewable Energy Standard, received favorable committee reports. [Environment America]
¶ “Plant Vogtle Unit 4 Connects To Electric Grid For The First Time, Says Georgia Power” • Georgia Power announced that Unit 4 at Plant Vogtle is generating electricity, successfully connected to the electric grid for the first time. The initial plan was to bring Unit 4 online in 2017. The project came in at more than double the projected cost. [The Augusta Chronicle]
Have a fortunately progressing day.
geoharvey 
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