World:
¶ “UN Atomic Watchdog Says The Status Of Russian-Occupied Ukraine Nuclear Plant Is ‘Extremely Serious’” • An explosion caused by an alleged drone attack at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant posed no direct threat to its safety but underscored the “extremely serious situation” at the facility that is in the war ‘s crossfire, the IAEA said. [ABC News]
Control room in Zaporizhzhia (IAEA Imagebank, CC-BY-SA 2.0)
¶ “Hypocrisy In High Places As Developed Countries Continue To Fund Fossil Fuel Development Despite Pledge To Stop” • A report from Oil Change International and Friends of the Earth highlights how governments of so-called “first world” countries fund fossil fuel companies so they can continue expanding their operations in developing nations. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Swiss Climate Group Wins Victory At European Court Of Human Rights” • A group of older Swiss women brought a suit to the European Court Of Human Rights, claiming that the Swiss government has denied them a clean and safe environment. The ECHR found Switzerland had failed to comply with its duties to stop climate change. [CleanTechnica]
Locarno, Switzerland (Johnson Hung, Unsplash)
¶ “Scottish Hydrogen Start-Up Secures Funding” • Scottish start-up Clyde Hydrogen Systems announced the successful closure of its pre-seed funding round totaling over £1 million in equity and grants. Clyde Hydrogen’s decoupled electrolyser technology delivers high pressure green hydrogen safely at scale and at low cost, according to the company. [reNews]
¶ “Nine In Ten Australians Favor Renewable Energy Transition, Nearly Half Want It To Go Faster” • The CSIRO released a survey on attitudes nationwide towards the renewable energy transition. Almost half of the participants (47%) said they backed a moderate paced transition to renewables, and 40% said they wanted a faster and more extensive change. [RenewEconomy]
Wind turbine in Australia (Stephen Edmonds, CC-BY-SA 3.0)
¶ “EU Launches Trade Probe Into Chinese Turbine Makers” • The EU has started an investigation into Chinese wind turbines under the new Foreign Subsidies Regulation. The announcement comes as Chinese wind turbine manufacturers are pushing hard and winning some orders in Europe, according to the trade association WindEurope. [reNews]
¶ “Incredible 60% Of Europe’s Electricity Was Powered By Clean Energy In The First Two Months Of 2024” • According to energy think tank Ember, Europe’s generation of 516,500 GWh of renewable electricity in January and February satisfied 60% of overall power demand. This marks a gain of 12% from the same period in 2023. [Good News Network]
Wind turbines in Spain (Raimond Klavins, Unsplash)
¶ “Protesters Oppose Nuclear Power Plant Extension” • Protesters gathered in front of the Legislature on Wednesday morning to protest the potential reopening of nuclear power plants. After recent electricity price hikes, Taiwan’s opposition party has suggested extending the service of nuclear power plants in Taiwan. [RTI Radio Taiwan International]
US:
¶ “New EPA Rule Says 218 US Chemical Plants Must Reduce Toxic Emissions That Are Likely To Cause Cancer” • More than 200 chemical plants nationwide will be required to reduce toxic emissions that are likely to cause cancer under a new rule issued by the EPA. The rule advances President Joe Biden’s pledge on environmental justice. [ABC News]
Chemical plant (Paul Teysen, Unsplash)
¶ “Ford Slides 2024 Mustang Mach-E Electric Car Into Gap Left By Tesla” • Tesla has been in the headlines because its sales seem to be slumping, but Ford may have found an angle in this. It has been laying plans to juice interest in the Mach-E by appealing to drivers who enjoy the feel of driving, rather than watching their car drive itself. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Texas Solar Power Growth Changing the Shape of Daily Electricity Supply in ERCOT” • The electricity mix of energy sources in Texas, managed by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas electricity grid operator, changed noticeably in 2023. This was because additions of solar generating capacity grew rapidly, often co-located with storage. [CleanTechnica]
One winter and the next (EIA image)
¶ “Avangrid Turns Sod On 57-MW US PV Project” • Construction is now underway at Iberdrola-owned Avangrid’s 57MW Camino Solar project in California. The site will include 105,000 solar panels and is expected to cover annual demand of about 14,000 US homes. Camino Solar is adjacent to Avangrid’s 189-MW Manzana Wind Farm. [reNews]
¶ “RWE Forges 5-GW Alliance With US Developer” • RWE Clean Energy has established a strategic relationship with WhiteRock Renewables to accelerate the expansion of RWE’s onshore wind, solar and energy storage development pipeline. WhiteRock is expected to originate and develop 4 GW to 5 GW of onshore wind, solar, and battery projects. [reNews]
Wind turbines (RWE image)
¶ “Avangrid And Statkraft Sign US Wind Virtual PPA” • Iberdrola-owned Avangrid and Statkraft signed a virtual power purchase agreement, establishing a new relationship between the two companies in the US. Statkraft will receive Renewable Energy Certificates from Avangrid’s 300-MW Streator Cayuga Ridge South Wind Farm in Illinois. [reNews]
¶ “Wiscasset Looks To Negotiate After Nuclear Plant Loses Tax Exemption” • Wiscasset officials are hopeful that a new state law that closed a tax exemption for the former Maine Yankee nuclear power plant will eventually result in more revenue flowing to the town. But it’s still unclear when that revenue will arrive, or how much it will amount to. [Bangor Daily News]
Have a magnificently acceptable day.
geoharvey 
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