World:
¶ “Drones Attack The Russian-Held Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant” • The head of the UN’s atomic watchdog agency condemned a Ukrainian drone strike that hit one of the six nuclear reactors at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine, saying such attacks “significantly increase the risk of a major nuclear accident.” [ABC News]
Iranian drones (Tasnim News Agency, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)
¶ “RMI And Five Global Banks Launch A Voluntary Emissions Standard For Aviation Lending Portfolios” • RMI announced Pegasus Guidelines, the first voluntary climate-aligned finance framework for aviation sector lending, designed to help banks independently measure and disclose the climate alignment of their aviation loan portfolios. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Irish Wind Hits Record Levels For March” • Wind generation in Ireland hit a new record for a March month, according to Wind Energy Ireland’s monthly wind energy report. The latest figures show that Irish wind farms generated 1541 GWh of power in March 2024, surpassing the previous record of 1392 GWh set in March 2020. [reNews]
Wind turbines (Nordex image)
¶ “CETO Wave Energy Secures Spanish Berth” • CETO Wave Energy Ireland, owned by Carnegie Clean Energy, has signed an assignment agreement with the Biscay Marine Energy Platform and Wave Energy Scotland Limited. Wave Energy Scotland secured berth reservation rights for CETO Wave Energy Ireland as a successful Phase 3 Contractor. [reNews]
¶ “First Advanced Nuclear Reactor Submitted For Justification In UK” • The Nuclear Industry Association applied for a justification decision for newcleo’s lead-cooled fast reactor, the LFR-AS-200. The application says that the benefits of clean, firm, flexible power from the LFR-AS-200 would far outweigh any potential risks. [The Manufacturer]
Lead-cooled reactor (Idaho National Library, public domain)
India:
¶ “Climate crisis impacts citizens’ right to life: Supreme Court” • Climate change impacts the constitutional guarantee of right to life, India’s Supreme Court said in a judgment. It emphasized that India must prioritise clean energy initiatives such as solar power as citizens have a right to be free from the adverse effects of the climate emergency. [Hindustan Times]
¶ “Adani Kicks Off Commercial Production Of Wafers, Ingots” • Adani Group has started production of the wafers and ingots essential for manufacturing solar power cells and modules at a plant in Gujarat. Adani Group aims to be India’s first integrated renewable energy player and plans for its renewables to reach 45 GW by 2030. [Manufacturing Today India]
Work on a silicon wafer (ENERGY.GOV, public domain)
¶ “15 GW Hydroelectric Power Capacity Under Construction” • In India, hydroelectric power projects with a combined capacity of 15 GW are currently in progress, with expectations to elevate the nation’s hydro capacity from 42 GW to 67 GW by the fiscal year 2031-32, representing a substantial increase of more than half of the current capacity. [ProjectsMonitor]
US:
¶ “New Jersey National Guard To Help With 6 GW Of Offshore Wind” • Fossil energy stakeholders smelled blood last year when they helped mobilize local residents to oppose offshore wind off the coast of New Jersey. Now the Garden State is back on track on a long-term goal of 11 GW by 2040, with a little help from the New Jersey National Guard. [CleanTechnica]
Offshore wind turbine (Courtesy of NJ DEP)
¶ “Washington State Passes Cutting-Edge Policies To Reduce Emissions” • Washington passed the first law in the US to outline a pathway for a combined gas and electricity utility to transition away from gas. The state requires all utilities to offer 100% clean electricity by 2045. This law paves the way for its largest dual-fuel utility to decarbonize. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “A New EPA Rule Is Meant To Prevent Chemical Disasters, But Safety Advocates Say Loopholes Remain” • There is a chemical disaster on average once every two days in the US, the Coalition to Prevent Chemical Disasters says. The EPA recently released a safety rule meant to reduce chemical disasters, but advocates say loopholes remain. [CleanTechnica]
Fire at a petrochemical plant (US Chemical Safety Board image)
¶ “The Hydrogen Companies Pushing For Strict Subsidy Rules” • Hy Stor wants to use such salt caverns to store hydrogen made by splitting water molecules with electrolysis powered by renewable energy. Hy Stor supports proposed rules for a federal tax credit for “green” hydrogen fuel production. Without the rules, “green” hydrogen can increase emissions. [Canary Media]
¶ “Microsoft Signs Two Large Solar Power Purchase Agreements” • Leeward Renewable Energy announced that it entered into two 200-MW power purchase agreements with Microsoft for power generated by the Morrow Lake Solar and Cradle Solar, both in Texas. Microsoft has set a goal of 100% renewable energy for data centers by 2025. [pv magazine International]
Solar workers (Leward Renewable Energy image)
¶ “A Solar Ban, A Gas Power Plant And The Rural Retirees Firing Back At Dirty Energy” • Retirees at a meeting in Arizona were upset. There is a moratorium on renewable energy projects, and they are being presented with a gas-powered peaker plant. Its electricity will be expensive and dirtier than solar-plus-battery, and they are angry. [The Arizona Republic]
¶ “Solar Surge: South Dakota Sees New Interest In Solar Power” • Less than a year ago, the only utility-scale solar farm in South Dakota was a 1-MW facility near Pierre, which accounted for just 0.01% of the state’s overall power generation. But recent events have brightened the outlook for future development of solar power projects. [South Dakota News Watch]
Have a magically fun day.
geoharvey 
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