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Science and Technology:

¶ “ClearPower Solar Windows Could Transform The Building Environment” • ClearPower has a new type of solar window. The company says its ClearPower window not only produces power at an efficiency and power density comparable to PV modules, but also provides solar heat gain control to reduce air conditioning and heating costs. [CleanTechnica]

Solar window vs solar panel (ClearPower image)

¶ “Nuclear Reactors Still Expensive, Slow And Risky” • A new report by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis found that small modular reactors are expensive, too slow to build, and too risky to play a significant role in moving away from fossil fuels in ten to fifteen years. They could delay the transition away from fossil fuels. [Environment America]

¶ “Electrifed Firebricks May The Answer To Low Carbon Process Heat” • Daniel Stack and Joey Kabel found that by slight changes to the recipe of the metal oxides used to make firebricks, they could make bricks that would conduct electricity and generate heat. They founded Electrified Thermal Solutions to bring their invention to market. [CleanTechnica]

Bricks (Marek Studzinski, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Labour Outlines Great British Energy Vision” • Labour leader Keir Starmer outlined more details of his plans for Great British Energy, a publicly owned company that will develop renewables projects. Launching the website for Great British Energy, he said that if a Labour government is elected, it will get working within months to build clean power across the UK. [reNews]

¶ “The Global Automaker Rating 2023: Who Is Leading The Transition To Electric Vehicles?” • The International Council on Clean Transportation released its annual assessment of progress by automakers in the transition to zero-emission vehicles. It is still accelerating, with growing sales, improving performance, and more ambitious visions. [CleanTechnica]

Woman and her Hyundai (Hyundai Motor Group, Unsplash)

¶ “UK Energy Production Decreases, Consumption Stabilises” • Recent government data spanning January to March 2024 reveals shifts in the UK’s energy sector compared to the same period a year earlier. Electricity generation by major power producers saw declines in coal (0.7%), gas (4.9%), and nuclear (16%). Renewables increased by 5.8%. [Energy Live News]

¶ “Behind Spain’s First Agri-PV Solar Park By BayWa RE” • The first agri-voltaic solar park in Spain is ushering in a new era for sustainability. The 54-MW PV park by BayWa re integrates renewable electricity production, agriculture and biodiversity. It is also a step towards VELUX Group achieving its 100% renewable electricity goal. [Energy Digital Magazine]

Agrivoltaics in Spain (BayWa re image)

¶ “Landmark Renewable And Storage Tenders Open Amid Amid Questions Over Duration” • Two landmark renewable energy tenders opened in Australia, with the federal government seeking a record 6 GW of new solar and wind capacity, and NSW seeking offers for up to 1 GW of long duration storage capacity. Similar tenders will come every six months. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “42% Of Electricity In Ireland Came From Renewables In 2023” • A total of 42% of electricity in Ireland came from renewables in 2023, according to EirGrid’s annual report for 2023. The report also announced the first Offshore Renewable Electricity Support Scheme auction. The EirGrid Group is responsible for operating and developing the Irish power grid. [BreakingNews.ie]

Dublin (Gregory Dalleau, Unsplash)

¶ “Finland Awarded $30 Million To Expand Solar Power” • The European Union’s renewable energy financing mechanism has awarded €27.5 million ($30.1 million) to seven solar power projects in Finland. These seven projects have a combined capacity of 212.99 megawatts-peak (MWp). They range in size from 7.8 MWp to 40.16 MWp. [Rigzone]

US:

¶ “California Heat Pump Partnership Aims For Six Million In Six Years” • The newly launched California Heat Pump Partnership has a solution to heating and cooling without fossil fuels. And they are not kidding around, with the power of a partnership that includes companies covering more than 90% of the consumer heat pump market. [CleanTechnica]

Please click on the image to enlarge it.

¶ “Cut Gas Line At Center Of NTSB Investigation Into Deadly Ohio Explosion” • The National Transportation Safety Board said a cut to an inactive but still pressurized gas line will be a central focus of their investigation into what caused an explosion that rocked downtown Youngstown, Ohio. One question is why an abandoned service line was pressurized. [ABC News]

¶ “Texas Town Deploys Snow Plows After 50°F Temperature Swing And Two Feet Of Hail” • Severe weather: The temperature in the village of Marathon, Texas, fell over 50°F tumbled from around 105°F to the mid-50s in about one hour on Wednesday afternoon. This was followed by hail so deep they had to deploy snow plows to clear the streets. [ABC News]

Marathon Texas (Talshiarr, CC-BY-SA 2.5, cropped)

¶ “These Abandoned Oil Wells Near Bakersfield Could Store Enough Solar Power For 300,000 Homes” • When a small firm leased an oil field in California’s Central Valley six years ago, it quickly realized that drilling for oil wasn’t going to be viable. But its team discovered that it could use old oil wells for a different purpose: storing solar power. [Fast Company]

¶ “Alliant Energy Completes The Grant County Solar Project” • Alliant Energy announced the completion of its 200-MW Grant County solar project in Potosi, Wisconsin. It can generate enough electricity to provide the annual needs of over 50,000 homes. The project is the culmination of Alliant Energy’s buildout of twelve utility-scale solar projects. [WKOW]

Have an utterly untroubled day.

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Opinion:

¶ “The Alleged Electric Car Sales Slowdown Is A Fiction – The EV Revolution Is Alive And Well” • “The EV revolution is over! We must run and tell the king!!” Hogwash, Bloomberg says in market analysis. Six of the ten biggest EV makers in the US saw sales grow at a scorching pace compared to a year ago. EV sales were up 86% at Ford. [CleanTechnica]

Ford Mustang Mach-E (Alexandre Prevot, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “EV Sales Are Outpacing The Growth Of EV Chargers” • The US needs to build out its EV charging capacity to reach the point where everyone who wants to drive an EV has the electrification to do so – on urban and rural roads, in busy communities and suburbs, in nearly any major intersection where you’d expect to find a gas station. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Wildfire Near Canada’s Oil Sands Hub Under Control, Alberta Officials Say” • A wildfire that forced thousands of residents from their homes in western Canada’s oil sands hub of Fort McMurray earlier this month is now under control, Alberta officials said. In 2016, wildfires forced a mass evacuation of the city and burned more than 2,000 homes. [ABC News]

Fort McMurray wildfire in 2016 (DarrenRD, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Volkswagen Group Launches Project for €20,000 All-Electric EV” • The Board of Management of the Volkswagen Group has decided to make all-electric entry-level mobility more popular. The Brand Group Core will bring affordable EVs from Europe, for Europe, into the market. The world premiere for €20,000 models is scheduled for 2027. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Volvo EX30 Ends April in 2nd Place – Europe EV Sales Report” • Some 219,000 plugin vehicles were registered in Europe in April, up 11% year over year. And while Tesla isn’t helping, with deliveries down 2% YOY in April, the plugin tally from Volvo, Volkswagen, and Peugeot, among others, is pulling the market upwards. [CleanTechnica]

Volvo EX30 (Rutger van der Maar, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

¶ “Empowering Tomorrow: UK Energy Storage Ready To Plug-In” • Earlier this year, the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero conducted a consultation on Long Duration Energy Storage. Through the consultation, the government detailed a “cap and floor” mechanism to make LDES projects attractively financeable. [Environment Journal]

¶ “Offshore Wind Farms Could Have Averted The Fukushima Disaster” • A review conducted at the University of Surrey found that offshore wind farms could have averted the Fukushima nuclear disaster by maintaining the cooling systems to prevent a meltdown. The study shows that wind farms are less vulnerable to earthquakes than nuclear plants. [Energy Live News]

Turbine foundations in port (Einsamer Schütze, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

Australia:

¶ “Spain’s X-Elio Proposes 350-MW Solar Plant With 120-MW, 240-MWh Big Battery In Queensland” • Spanish renewables developer X-Elio applied for environmental approval to build a 350-MW solar farm with a two-hour big battery of 120 MW. The Sixteen Mile solar farm and battery, would be in the Western Downs region of Queensland. [ETN News]

¶ “Australian Developer Plans 2 GW Renewables Project” • The Australian developer Squadron Energy filed documents with the New South Wales planning authority for its proposed Koorakee Energy Park. The project is to have 1 GW of PV capacity, 1 GW of wind capacity, and a battery system with a capacity of up to 1 GW and up to 12 hours of storage. [pv magazine International]

Land in New South Wales (Squadron Energy image)

¶ “Australia Unveils Ambitious National Battery Strategy To Power Clean Energy” • The Australian government unveiled the country’s first National Battery Strategy. Some key elements of the strategy are building battery systems to bolster renewable generating capacity and leveraging industry expertise to develop safer, more secure batteries. [CarbonCredits.com]

US:

¶ “US Floating Offshore Wind Industry To Tackle Maine” • The big news for Maine comes with the environmental review for a new offshore lease area. A statement by the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced that a Final Environmental Assessment was awarded for a research-scale offshore wind site southeast of Portland, Maine. [CleanTechnica]

Screenshot from Maine Offshore Wind Roadmap February 2023

¶ “Nearly $900 Million for 3,400 Clean Electric School Buses” • With the 2023 Clean School Bus Program rebates, the EPA chose roughly 530 school districts, in nearly all states, several Tribes, DC, and territories for nearly $900 million in funds to replace older, diesel-fueled school buses that harm the health of students and surrounding communities. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Increasing Use Of Renewable Energy In US Yields Billions Of Dollars Of Benefits” • By increasing its use of renewable energy, the US has not only reduced its planet-warming emissions but also improved its air quality, yielding hundreds of billions of dollars of benefits, a report published in the journal Cell Reports Sustainability has found. [The Guardian]

Solar array (Raphael Cruz, Unsplash)

¶ “CPUC’s Revised Proposed Decision Could Ruin California’s Community Solar Market” • The Community Renewable Energy Act was sponsored by the Coalition for Community Solar Access and supported by a large number of solar and environmental organizations. But the California Public Utilities Commission opposed the bill. [pv magazine USA]

¶ “New Law With Bipartisan Support Weans American Power Plants From Russian Uranium” • Signed by President Joe Biden after a year of delays in Congress, the bill bans the import of Russian-enriched uranium. Despite many setbacks, the bill passed unanimously, the New York Times reported. The delays were because of political gameplaying. [Yahoo]

Have an appropriately valuable day.

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Opinion:

¶ “All The Ways Cars Harm The World” • CleanTechnica has many articles showing love for EVs. But here, two authors show how cars, even EVs, are harmful to people and communities. The psychologist Carl Jung said everything has a “shadow” or dark side, and cleantech authors explore the big-time shadow of the pervasive automobile. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla in Canada (Jp Valery, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Satellite To Probe Mystery Of Clouds And Climate” • A joint European-Japanese satellite was launched to measure how clouds influence the climate. Some low-level clouds cool the planet, others at high altitude act as blankets. The Earthcare mission will use a laser and radar to probe the atmosphere to see precisely where the balance lies. [BBC]

World:

¶ “Lion Electric Unveils the Groundbreaking Lion8 Tractor, An All-Electric Class 8 Commercial Truck” • The Lion Electric Company, a maker of all-electric medium and heavy-duty urban vehicles based in Saint-Jérôme, Quebec, unveiled the Lion8 Tractor, an all-electric Class 8 commercial truck, at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo. [CleanTechnica]

Lion Electric truck (Lion Electric image)

¶ “BYD Unveils Plug-In Hybrid With 1,305 Miles Of Total Range” • BYD’s plugin hybrid technology, now in its fifth generation, gets a record low fuel consumption of 2.9 liters per 100 km (62.1 miles), even after the batteries have been depleted. Google says that translates to 0.776 gallons. Divide that into 62 miles and you get 80 miles per gallon. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “EDF Starts Work On Stranoch Wind Farm” • EDF Renewables UK is starting construction on the 102-MW Stranoch wind farm in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. I&H Brown was awarded the contract to complete the civil engineering works for the construction phase. Located between New Luce and Barrhill, the site comprises twenty turbines. [reNews]

Wind farm (EDF Renewables image)

¶ “France’s Second Offshore Wind Farm Commissioned” • Ailes Marines, an Iberdrola subsidiary, announced completion of the Saint-Brieuc offshore wind farm, making it the second offshore wind farm to operate in France. The project’s 62 wind turbines have a total capacity of 496 MW to contribute to the French renewable energy goals. [Energy Live News]

¶ “In The Largest Windfarm In The Southern Hemisphere, ‘Renewable Energy Farmers’ Look To The Future” • For ten Queensland landowners, the MacIntyre windfarm is a financial lifeline. It is the largest onshore windfarm south of the Equator and covers about 36,000 hectares of rocky grazing country south of the rural town of Karara. [The Guardian]

Train station at Karara, Queensland (Mattinbgn, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “CSIRO Stands By Nuclear Power Costings That Contradict Coalition Claims” • The CSIRO says it stands by its analysis on the costs of future nuclear power plants in Australia after the Coalition attacked the work. CSIRO analysis contradicted the Coalition’s claims reactors would provide cheap electricity and be available within a decade. [The Guardian]

US:

¶ “$179 Million For Innovative Water Reuse And Drought Resilience Projects From Investing In America Agenda” • The Interior Department announced a $179 million investment for innovative water reuse projects to support four projects in Utah and California to help communities create new sources of water to support water reliability. [CleanTechnica]

Lake Mead at Hoover Dam (US Bureau Of Reclamation)

¶ “19 Model Year 2023 Light-Duty EVs Have a Driving Range of 300+ Miles” • Model year 2023 had 19 light-duty EV models from 11 different manufacturers with an EPA certified driving range of 300 miles or more. Model Year 2016 had only one, and the number grew slowly until 2022 when 14 models exceeded that range. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Feds Offer $90 Million For Vast Solar Array On Pennsylvania Mine Land” • The US government is offering up to $90 million to a renewable energy developer to build Pennsylvania’s largest solar farm on 2,700 acres of reclaimed coal-mining land. The $800-million Mineral Basin Solar Project would have a capacity of 402 MW. [Bay Journal]

Coal-mining site (Swift Current Energy)

¶ “New Jersey And Wind Farm Developer Ørsted Settle Claims For $125 Million Over Scrapped Offshore Projects” • Danish wind farm developer Ørsted will pay New Jersey $125 million to settle claims over the company’s cancellation last year of two offshore wind farms. The amount is a little over a third of what Ørsted was once required to pay. [ABC News]

¶ “Renewables Provided Almost 30% Of US Electrical Generation In March” • Renewables are now the second-largest source of US electrical generation behind natural gas, which averaged a 40.5% share during Q1 2024 but fell to 39.4% in March. Electric energy from all renewables grew from 26.3% in March of 2023 to 29.2% in March of 2024. [Electrek]

Wind turbines (Zbynek Burival, Unsplash)

¶ “Ballot Initiative To Reverse Law On Siting Renewable Energy Projects Short On Signatures” • A group working to reverse a state law on siting renewable energy projects says its ballot initiative won’t be on the November ballot. Citizens for Local Choice does not have enough signatures for the initiative to be put on the 2024 ballot. [Michigan Public]

¶ “Five Biggest Solar Projects In The US” • There are now more than five million solar installations in the US, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. While most of these are small-scale plants, there are some that are very large. Here are descriptions of five of the largest five. We should note that other large projedts are coming. [Newsweek]

Have a significantly lovely day.

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World:

¶ “Geely Becomes A Top 10 Automaker Globally” • Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, which includes Volvo Cars, has become the 10th best selling automaker in the world. That’s noteworthy in part because more than a third of its sales are now plugin vehicle sales, and the company could be a 100% plugin vehicle company by 2030. [CleanTechnica]

Geely Zeekr in New York City

¶ “IONITY Lowers Charging Prices in 12 European Countries” • IONITY, the leading pan-European HPC network for EVs of all brands, is making High Power Charging up to 350 kW affordable. It is introducing country-specific tariffs to cater to its customers’ charging needs and reducing IONITY DIRECT charging prices in twelve European countries. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Rio Tinto And BHP Collaborate On Battery-Electric Haul Truck Trials In The Pilbara” • In an industry first, Rio Tinto and BHP will collaborate on testing large battery-electric haul truck technology in the Pilbara, Western Australia. The two companies will work with Caterpillar and Komatsu to conduct trials of their battery-electric haul trucks. [CleanTechnica]

Komatsu battery-electric haul truck (Komatsu image)

¶ “China’s Emissions Fall As Renewable Energy Capacity Grows, But Coal Investments Blight Carbon Outlook” • China’s carbon dioxide emissions fell in March for the first time since economic activity reopened after the pandemic, an analysis shows. This suggests emissions may have peaked, but coal-burning power plants are still going up. [Hong Kong Free Press]

¶ “Port Of Tyne Enters HVDC Cable Factory Talks” • Port of Tyne in the UK and LS Eco Advanced Cables UK are negotiating for a long-term lease for a cables factory. LS EAC is interested in potential for a high voltage DC factory on the Tyne Renewables Quay site in the north-east of England. It would be worth an investment of £923 million. [reNews]

Port of Tyne (Port of Tyne image)

¶ “German Energy Giant Presses Go On Australia’s First Eight-Hour Big Battery” • The 50-MW, 400-MWh Limondale battery will be built next to RWE’s 249-MW Limondale solar farm near Balranald, New South Wales. It will be the first eight-hour battery in Australia after being the surprise winner of the state’s first long duration storage tender. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “Energy Giant RWE To Build Two New Wind Farms Off The German Coast” • Germany’s largest power producer, RWE AG, announced it is to construct 1.6 GW of offshore wind capacity in the North Sea. It took the decision despite ongoing supply-chain challenges and soaring costs that have halted some offshore wind projects in the UK and the US. [Euronews.com]

Offshore wind turbines (Waldemar, Unsplash)

¶ “Italy’s Solar Power Capacity Rises To 32 GW, Large Projects Jump In Q1” • Italy’s solar power capacity rose by 1.7 GW in the first quarter to 32 GW thanks to a jump in the development of large projects, according to the country’s association for the PV sector. Capacity of large-scale additions is up 373% from last year’s first quarter. [Reuters]

¶ “Hinkley Point C Nuclear Power Station Delayed And Costs Rise” • Hinkley Point C is set to be delayed and costs are likely to be £500 million more than previously thought, according to EDF, the energy giant behind it. Also, the start of electricity generation from Unit 1 is expected in June 2026, six months later than projected. [Yahoo Movies Canada]

Model of Hinkley Point C (gov.uk, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Russia To Build Central Asia’s First Nuclear Power Plant In Uzbekistan” • Russia will build a small nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan, the first such project in post-Soviet Central Asia, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Uzbekistan is also interested in buying more oil and gas from Russia. [Reuters]

US:

¶ “Well Done Foundation Helps People Adopt Orphan Wells” • A favorite tactic of the Oil & Gas industry is to sell the orphan wells to an under-capitalized shell company. If pressed to clean up a well, the company files bankruptcy and sticks the taxpayers with the bill. That might sound like a crime, but it is business as usual for Oil & Gas companies. [CleanTechnica]

Abandoned well (Steve Hillebrand, USFWS, public domain)

¶ “Net Metering 3.0 Rules Create Chaos In Rooftop Solar Market In California” • The California Public Utilities Commission, with support of the state’s largest investor-owned utilities, eviscerated the net metering regulations last year. The new plan, NEM 3.0, reduces the amount the utilities have to pay their rooftop solar customers by 75%. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “BOEM Releases Final Environmental Statement On Offshore Wind Farms” • The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is continuing its efforts to push forward with the review of US offshore wind projects. In the latest step, they are releasing the final Environmental Impact Statements approving two New Jersey projects. [The Maritime Executive]

Offshore wind farm (US Department of Interior image)

¶ “3M Knew Its Fluorochemicals Were Toxic Decades Ago And Likely To Cause Cancer” • ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. It recently released a 8,000 word exposé on how 3M knew that its PFAS chemicals were in people’s bodies. 3M had been testing human blood for PFOS contamination since 1997. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Hawaii Gas sets its sights on new renewable energy projects on Oahu” • Hawaiʻi Gas has announced the selection of two projects from its 2023 RFP for green hydrogen and renewable natural gas, key resources that will enable the company to shift away from its reliance on fossil fuel. Both projects will produce gas on Oʻahu. [Hawaii Business Magazine]

Have an acceptably splendid day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Australia’s Low Cost Solar PV Goal Could Change Everything About The Grid” • The CSIRO GenCost report published last week has sparked a new polemic about the cost of generating technologies, with the critics in the nuclear camp not liking the country’s main scientific research agency stating that nuclear is really expensive. [RenewEconomy]

Solar parking shade (Flicker02, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Less Carbon, More Chill Novel Refrigeration Approach Uses PCMs To Freeze, Cool Perishables” • A technology developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory works to keep food refrigerated with phase change materials, or PCMs, while reducing carbon emissions by 30%. PCMs store and release energy when changing between solid and liquid states. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Twelve People Injured When Plane Hits Turbulence” • Twelve people were injured when a Qatar Airways plane flying from Doha to Dublin hit turbulence, airport authorities said. Some meteorologists note that reports of turbulence encounters have been increasing and point to the potential impacts that climate change may have on flying conditions. [ABC News]

Airplane (riikkeary, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “44% Plugin Vehicle Market Share In China – April 2024 Sales Report” • Plugin vehicles are all the rage in the Chinese auto market, with plugins scoring 703,000 sales in a 1.6-million-unit overall market. That’s up 27% year over year. Plugin vehicles hit 44% market share! Full electrics battery EVs alone accounted for 26% of the country’s auto sales. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “DHL Expanding Charging Infrastructure For Electric Trucks In Germany, New EV Center In Shanghai” • DHL Group and energy provider E.ON entered a partnership to expand the electric charging infrastructure for heavy commercial vehicles. Fast-charging infrastructure will be established at DHL Group locations in Germany. [CleanTechnica]

Please click on the image to enlarge it.

¶ “Queensland Government Passes Renewable Energy Laws” • The Clean Economy Jobs Act 2024 and the Energy (Renewable Transformation and Jobs) Act 2024 put Queensland at the center of a global energy transition. They set a target of 80% renewable energy generation in the state by 2035 and are expected to create over 100,000 jobs. [Energy Magazine]

¶ “Government Aims For 40% Of Primary Energy Mix To Come From Re Sources By 2035” • Malaysia aims to ensure that 40% of the country’s primary energy mix comes from renewable energy sources by 2035, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof. This would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 10 million tonnes annually. [The Edge Malaysia]

Kuala Lumpur (Wengang Zhai, Unsplash)

¶ “India Sets Sights On Global Renewable Ammonia Market, Takes Strides Towards Sustainable Energy Leadership” • India is positioning itself as a key player in the renewable ammonia market with several international trade agreements already inked and more in the works. The country hopes to secure a 10% share of the global trade by 2030. [The Economic Times]

¶ “Chinese Renewables Exports Up 35%” • Chinese renewables product exports grew 35% from 2019 to 2023, due to competitive prices and production capacity domination, the new ‘Looking overseas’ report from Wood Mackenzie says. In the last four years, batteries surpassed solar PVs to become China’s primary renewable energy export product. [reNews]

D-cell batteries made in Hong Kong (Joe Haupt, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Moving Nuclear Waste Through Traditional Territories Could Face Opposition, Ontario First Nation Says” • A First Nation in southwestern Ontario says even if the community votes yes for a $26 billion nuclear waste dump within their traditional territory, it would likely be opposed by other First Nations, through whose territories millions of spent fuel rods would pass. [CBC]

US:

¶ “How Federal Clean Energy Dollars Are Supporting First Responders” • The brand new Public Safety Center in McFarland Wisconsin, a village of 9,400 roughly 10 miles from Madison, is spacious, well-lit, and modern. It was designed to have net-zero emissions, though twelve months of utility data are required to be officially listed as such. [CleanTechnica]

Electric fire engine (Courtesy of REV Group)

¶ “Rivian Partners With Pivot Energy To Advance Renewable Energy Commitments” • EV maker Rivian announced a strategic collaboration with Pivot Energy aimed to bolster its renewable energy initiatives. As part of the agreement, Rivian will acquire renewable energy certificates and subscribe to a segment of a community solar project. [SolarQuarter]

¶ “Survey Says Isle Residents Support Expanding Renewable Energy In Hawaiʻi” • More than 90% of island residents support more alternative energy in the Hawaiian Islands, according to a comprehensive survey commissioned by the Ulupono Initiative. The study was released during the 11th Annual Hawaiʻi Energy Conference on Maui. [Maui Now]

Have a sensationally relaxing day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Is The Chevy Equinox The Affordable EV We’ve Been Waiting For?” • Paul Fosse: “I think Chevy has a winner on its hands with the Equinox EV 1LT, which has an amazing value. I think the higher trims may have to offer some incentives to gain share in this ultra-competitive segment, since Tesla, Hyundai, and Kia offer compelling vehicles for similar prices.” [CleanTechnica]

Chevrolet Equinox EV (Chevrolet image)

¶ “Biden’s 100% China EV Tariff Fails History 101” • Biden might have forgotten when America’s big cars became just expensive symbols of conspicuous consumption, in 1973, when he entered Congress. America and its car companies faced almost exactly the same situation as they face now. Their response was different, but it succeeded. [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Helping Farmers Easily Access Future Climate Projections” • Many Australian farmers are experts at using weather data. But they tend to be less familiar with long-term climate projections. My Climate View is a project to help Australian farmers and producers better understand the risks and opportunities they face over the next 50 years. [Cosmos Magazine]

Australian farming (CSIRO image)

World:

¶ “Role Of Solar Energy In Rural Electrification In India” • Access to electricity, a pillar of modern life, remains a distant dream for millions living in remote Indian villages. Amidst such challenges, solar energy presents a promising avenue for rural electrification, offering a sustainable solution to bridge the gap between urban and rural regions. [The Sunday Guardian Live]

¶ “Locals Concerned Over SunCable Proposal To Manufacture Subsea Cable In Northern Tasmania” • Local people have raised concerns over a proposal to build a subsea cable manufacturing facility for a renewable energy project on the bank of the Tamar River. The project will include a 200-metre-high tower essential for the manufacture of the cable. [ABC]

Rendering showing tower (SunCable image)

¶ “Decarbonising Southeast Asia Through Solar And Pumped Hydro” • In 2023, around 84% of new global generating capacity was from solar and wind power. The increasing affordability of solar, with a growing population, energy consumption, and emissions, place Southeast Asia on the cusp of a major energy transition led by solar PVs. [East Asia Forum]

¶ “World’s First Hydrogen-Powered Yacht Set To Compete In The Ocean Race” • Phil Sharp, inventor of the Hydrogen Power Module and co-founder of Genevos, a leading developer of marine fuel cell systems, plans to compete in The Ocean Race with the world’s first hydrogen-powered racing boat, showcasing benefits of renewable energy. [Interesting Engineering]

Volvo Ocean Race (Maurits & Marjol, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

¶ “Coalition’s Brave Nuke World A Much Harder Sell After New CSIRO Report” • In Australia, the Coalition’s pitch on nuclear energy says the electricity will be cheap and it could be deployed within a decade. The CSIRO latest report on nuclear says a first plant would deliver power “no sooner than 2040” and could cost over A$17 billion ($11.27 billion). [The Guardian]

US:

¶ “Bill McKibben Thinks Climate Change Is The Key To A Biden Win In November” • Bill McKibben, the committed climate activist who has been educating us about the dangers of climate change for decades, has some advice for Joe Biden as the next presidential campaign heats up: Hit the topic of climate change early and often. [CleanTechnica]

McKibben, 2012 (Dave Brenner, SNRE, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

¶ “Redwood Partners with Ultium Cells” • Redwood’s process involves sourcing end-of-life batteries, production scrap, and raw materials, then recycling, refining, and remanufacturing these feedstocks into critical battery materials for North American cell manufacturers at gigafactory-scale. Redwood is now working with Ultium Cells LLC. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “New Solar Will Help Keep Power On During Scorching Summer, Report Says” • NOAA says there’s a 99% chance that 2024 will rank among the five warmest years on record. Analysis by the North American Electric Reliability Corp painted a rosier picture than last year’s report, however, partly because of solar power development. [Louisiana Illuminator]

Have a sensibly superior day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Super-Bacteria Are Scaling Up To Attack The Petrochemical Industry” • The green chemistry movement has been gathering steam since the early 2000s. Now bio-based breakthroughs may help pull the rug out from under the petrochemical industry. Bio-based substitutes for plastic products are becoming more common, but that’s just the start. [CleanTechnica]

Super-bacteria (Courtesy of Cellugy)

¶ “Researchers Claim Batteries With Iron Cathodes Outperform Traditional Materials” • Researchers at Oregon State University, in collaboration with colleagues at three other universities and two national laboratories, announced that they have found a way to substitute iron for nickel and cobalt in lithium-ion battery cathodes, reducing costs. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Nearly 175 Arrested As Climate Protesters Target France’s TotalEnergies And Key Investor” • The head of TotalEnergies has told shareholders that new oilfields have to be developed to meet global demand, as the annual meetings of the French energy giant and one of its biggest shareholders were picketed. Police arrested 173 protesters. [The Guardian]

Nodding donkey (Zbynek Burival, Unsplash)

¶ “Hull To Buy 40 Electric Buses” • Following a successful bid to the Government to fund electric buses, the Hull City Council’s Cabinet approved plans to enable purchase of 40 electric buses and allocation of circa £2 million of funding from the authority for installation of charging infrastructure to support the rollout of the vehicles. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Tootbus Unveils End-To-End Renewable Power For Its Electric Fleet With VEV Solar Panel Project in Wandsworth” • Tootbus, the world’s first low-emissions sightseeing bus company, has secured approval for plans to install roof-mounted solar panels on their Wandsworth depot, working in collaboration with VEV, an electric fleet provider. [CleanTechnica]

Tootbus (VEV image)

¶ “New Energy-Storage Industry Booms Amid China’s Green Drive” • US carmaker Tesla broke ground on a mega factory in Shanghai to produce its energy-storage batteries Megapack. This is an example of growth of China’s new energy-storage industry, which is backed by its commitment to developing renewable energy and a green economy. [Xinhua News]

¶ “Uzbekistan Teams Up With The Russian Energy Company Zarubezhneft For Solar Power Initiative” • Uzbekistan and the Russian energy company Zarubezhneft agreed to build a solar facility with a total capacity of 100 MW. Valued at $100 million, this initiative marks a substantial investment in the region’s renewable energy sector. [Daryo.uz]

Bukhara, Uzbekistan (Evgeny Matveev, Unsplash)

¶ “Amazon Reaches Nearly 3 GW Of Renewable Energy Capacity In Spain By Enabling Twelve New Projects” • Amazon is enabling twelve new renewable energy projects in Spain, with a combined capacity of 596 MW. These energy agreements raise Amazon’s renewable capacity in Spain to over 2.9 GW, totaling 79 wind and solar projects. [About Amazon Europe]

¶ “Freak April Heatwave In Southeast Asia ‘Virtually Impossible’ Without Climate Crisis” • The brutal heatwaves sweeping across Asia this year were made much more extreme due to the human-induced climate crisis, a study has found. This is the third year in a row that billions of people in Asia experienced brutal heatwaves that shattered records. [Yahoo News UK]

India (Charlie Costello, Unsplash)

¶ “Russia And China Tighten Grip On Global Nuclear Energy Supply” • Kazakhstan is the world’s largest uranium producer and a major source of the US’ nuclear energy. Russia and China have been moving to increase their stakes in Kazakh uranium production, impacting global energy security and highlighting allegations of corruption. [Newsweek]

US:

¶ “‘Kitty Cat’ Storms Hitting US Heartland Are Growing Threat To Home Insurance” • Insurance companies are threatened by hurricanes made worse by climate change, but the problem is becoming a crisis that stretches far inland. Another, less-talked-about disaster has wreaked havoc on states in the midwest and the Great Plains. [The Guardian]

Bad weather (Lucy Chian, Unsplash)

¶ “US Cities Leading The Way To Electric Cars And Trucks” • Many cities, towns, and counties in the US have adopted plans to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions, believing that they have a duty to their citizens to provide them with an environment that will allow them to survive. Nationwide, they own and operate 4 million vehicles. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Bronzeville Unveils Community Solar Power Micro-Grid Array To Provide Electricity In Emergencies” • Chicago and state leaders said the Bronzeville solar power micro-grid will power its neighborhood in the event of a major power outage. Hundreds of solar panels packed into multiple ground arrays will provide community-level energy resilience. [ABC Chicago]

Have a unstoppably uplifting day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Seabird Study Shows How They Might One Day Share The Air With Offshore Wind Turbines” • Researchers from the US DOE’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and from H T Harvey & Associates published results from a study to find out how high seabirds fly and whether they might interact with wind turbines in Frontiers in Marine Energy. [CleanTechnica]

Birds and offshore wind turbine (J Bartholmai, PNNL)

World:

¶ “Brazil Races Ahead, Bringing 1,100% Battery EV Growth in April” • When Brazil’s EV sales went rampant in late 2023, there were fears the growth would be a temporary due to coming tariffs. This wasn’t the case, and growth has been exponential, reaching 1,120% increase in April for battery EVs, YOY, and 210% growth for plugin hybrids. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Renewable Energy Projects Predicted To Drive $20 Billion Construction Boom” • Renewable energy will be the largest area of growth in Australia’s construction sector over the next three years, with annual activity reaching A$20 billion ($13.3 billion) in FY 2026, a report from Macromonitor, an industry forecasting company, says. [pv magazine Australia]

Battery system (Synergy image)

¶ “National Grid Taps Shareholders To Help Fund £60 Billion Low-Carbon Energy Switch” • National Grid, the energy grid company, announced a £6.8 billion rights issue. Shareholders are being offered new shares to provide fresh funds for investment in thousands of miles of cables to connect homes with renewable energy projects. [The Guardian]

¶ “Battery Bonus Switched On After Coal-Plant Lifeline” • A New South Wales offer to subsidise batteries for homes with rooftop solar systems is a key plank in the shift to renewables as the state defends its lifeline for Australia’s biggest coal-fired power plant. The plan will save up to $2,400 for over a million households with solar panels to install a battery. [Yahoo]

Eraring power station (CSIRO, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Renewable Energy Booming In Major Economies” • Data from two of the largest economies in the world shows renewable energy accounts for an increasing share of energy at the expense of fossil fuels. India’s coal usage is plummeting, and less than half of India’s electricity is generated using coal. Meanwhile, German solar power rapidly increasing. [MSN]

¶ “Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant Faces Blackout Threat” • Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is facing a blackout threat once again. An external overhead line has been disconnected, according to the Energoatom Telegram channel. Right now, the only source of electricity for the Russian-held nuclear plant is Ukrainian. [MSN]

Zaporizhzhia plant (IAEA Imagebank, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

US:

¶ “Massive Wind Farm Proposal In Washington State Gets New Life From Governor Jay Inslee” • Plans for the Horse Heaven wind farm include up to 222 wind turbines across 24 miles (38.6 km) of hillsides in the Tri-Cities area of eastern Washington, plus three solar arrays covering up to 8.5 square miles (22 square km). Gov Inslee rejected a size reduction. [ABC News]

¶ “NOAA Predicts Record Hurricane Season For 2024” • NOAA’s forecast of the upcoming hurricane season says all categories of storms are expected to exceed the typical number seen every year. Warming of the surface ocean temperatures from human-induced climate change is likely fueling more powerful tropical cyclones and extreme precipitation. [ABC News]

Hurricane (Mike Trenchard, NASA, public domain)

¶ “New Port Electrification Handbook Features Microgrids” • Maritime ports, bustling hubs of global trade, are emerging as the new frontier for electrification. Advances in clean energy, such as microgrids and batteries, are enabling electrification of port infrastructure and heavy-duty vehicles traditionally thought hard to electrify. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Atlantic Shores 1 And 2 Seal FEIS” • Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind has announced the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has released its Final Environmental Impact Statement for the 2,800-MW Atlantic Shores Project 1 and 2, off the coast of New Jersey. The schemes are a 50:50 partnership between Shell and EDF Renewables. [reNews]

Offshore wind turbines (EDF image)

¶ “Democrats Urge DOJ Investigation Of Fossil Fuel Companies” • Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Representative Jamie Raskin have sent a joint letter to the US Attorney General urging the Department of Justice to initiate an investigation into the fossil fuel industry, which they claim has been committing illegal acts for decades. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Alaska’s New ‘Green Bank’ Hopes To Improve The Financial Case For Renewable Energy” • Alaskans looking to invest in solar panels or other renewable energy projects for their homes may have new options in the next few years. The state is setting up a new “green bank” to help Alaskans keep power costs down and switch to renewable energy. [Alaska Public Media]

Alaska (Joris Beugels, Unsplash)

¶ “Phil Scott Vetoes Vermont Lawmakers’ Priority Energy Bill” • Gov Phil Scott vetoed a bill that would require Vermont utilities to buy more renewable energy at a faster pace, with most utilities purchasing all of their energy from renewable sources by 2030. Scott supports an alternate plan, which includes increasing the state’s dependence on nuclear power. [VTDigger]

¶ “RWE Signs PPAs With Microsoft For Texas Wind Power” • RWE has signed two 15-year PPAs with Microsoft, under which Microsoft will purchase electricity from two onshore Texas wind farms. The company’s Peyton Creek II wind farm and Lane City project will have a combined capacity of 446 MW. They will have 4.5-MW turbines from Vestas. [CNBC]

Have an especially enjoyable day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Biodiversity Is A Global Asset That Should Be Factored Into Investment Strategies” • You may be interested in technology and decarbonization. But do you think much about biodiversity? We all are completely dependent on healthy, vibrant ecosystems for our water, food, medicines, clothes, fuel, shelter, and energy. Biodiversity is a valuable asset. [CleanTechnica]

The Biodiversity Plan (Graphic courtesy of UN)

¶ “With The Coalition’s Nuclear Fantasy Demolished By CSIRO, Labor Must Get Cracking On Renewables” • The CSIRO finds that even if we started in 2025, Australia could not realistically have a nuclear plant operational until 2040 at the earliest, small or large. This is too late. We need to act now to reduce emissions and energy costs. [RenewEconomy]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Is Climate Change Making Turbulence Worse?” • A Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore experienced severe turbulence that resulted in the death of British man. Last year scientists from Reading University found that severe “clear air” turbulence had increased 55% between 1979 and 2020 in the North Atlantic. [BBC]

Singapore Airlines B777 (Amayagan, CC0 1.0)

World:

¶ “Brazil’s Flooded South Sees First Deaths From Disease, As Experts Warn Of Coming Surge In Fatalities” • Two deaths from waterborne bacterial disease were reported in southern Brazil, where floodwaters were slowly receding. Health officials warned additional fatalities were likely. Reportedly, the floods resulted partly from climate change. [ABC News]

¶ “Mercedes Orders CMBlu Energy Flow Battery For Its Plant In Rastatt, Germany” • Mercedes-Benz AG ordered an 11-MWh CMBlu Organic Solidflow battery for its Rastatt, Germany plant. The battery utilizes recyclable materials and non-flammable aqueous electrolytes. It will be used to store electricity generated by the plant’s PV solar panels. [CleanTechnica]

CMBlu flow batteries (CMBlu Energy image)

¶ “Big Batteries: Squeezing Out The Gas In Australia” • Electricity from gas peaker plants is Australia’s most costly. Gas is the main driver of the price hikes that have happened in Australia. Battery power is already replacing gas in the evening peaks, especially in Victoria. Batteries are squeezing out the gas and reducing power prices for all. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Draft National Targets Put EU Just Short Of REPowerEU” • National Energy and Climate Plans are the principal documents produced by EU Member States to detail their climate targets. National ambition is nearing what’s needed for the EU’s energy targets, but a further push is needed to close the remaining gap and accelerate deployment. [Ember]

Wind turbines (News Oresund, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Energy Industry Urges Focus On Renewables In July Election” • The Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology has embraced the Prime Minister’s announcement of a July 4 general election, viewing it as a pivotal moment for advancing the renewable energy agenda. “This general election will be make or break for the countryside.” [Energy Live News]

¶ “Extending Life Of Australia’s Biggest Coal-Fired Power Station Is ‘Deeply Disappointing’” • Environmental groups say they are “deeply disappointed” by the New South Wales government’s decision to extend the life of Australia’s biggest coal-fired power station for at least two more years. They cited consequences for renewable energy investments. [The Guardian]

Eraring power station (CSIRO, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “US Investing $3.8 Billion To Meet India’s Renewable Energy, Infrastructure Goals” • US Ambassador Eric Garcetti said the US International Development Finance Corporation is investing $3.8 billion to meet India’s renewable energy and infrastructure goals. He said the US is also supporting agricultural, healthcare, and financial services. [The News Mill]

¶ “Berlin’s Oldest Passenger Vessel Enters A New Green Era Powered By Torqeedo” • The historic vessel Kaiser Friedrich was built in 1886. The 30-meter steamship has returned to service in central Berlin. In a bid to preserve its legacy, its owners refitted the historic vessel with a modern, emission-free electric drive system by Torqeedo. [CleanTechnica]

Kaiser Friedrich (Image from Torqeedo)

US:

¶ “The Electric Car Revolution Is Still On Track, Cox Automotive Says” • Cox Automotive published its 2024 Path To EV Adoption study, which finds the electric car revolution is alive and well, despite a spate of naysayers who have been saying the opposite lately. The company says its latest research took place in the first quarter of this year. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Entergy Louisiana Approved For ‘historic’ 3-GW Of Solar Development” • Entergy Louisiana’s proposal to add up to 3 GW of economic solar power to its generation portfolio has been approved by the Louisiana Public Service Commission, marking what the utility calls the largest renewable power expansion in the state’s history. [Power Engineering]

Solar farm (Entergy Louisiana image)

¶ “50 States of Power Decarbonization Q1 2024” • The NC Clean Energy Technology Center released its Q1 2024 edition of the 50 States of Power Decarbonization. The Q1 2024 report finds that 48 states, DC, and Puerto Rico, took a total of 507 actions related to electric power decarbonization and resource planning during the quarter. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Judge Rules Exxon Can Sue Activist Shareholder Over Climate Proposal” • A federal judge in Texas said Exxon Mobil can sue to bar a climate change proposal from an activist investor, in a case that raised concerns about future shareholder resolutions. The proposal for the annual shareholder meeting calls for quicker carbon dioxide emissions reductions. [CNBC]

Have a fondly presented day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “DuraMAT Forecasts How New PV Module Technologies Might Perform Over 20, 30, Or 50 Years” • The photovoltaic industry is innovating so quickly that the future performance of today’s fielded modules is no longer always reliable. To address this state of affairs, DuraMAT introduced a new focus on forecasting PV reliability in 2023. [CleanTechnica]

DuraMAT researchers conducting test (Courtesy of NREL)

World:

¶ “It’s So Hot In Mexico, Howler Monkeys Are Falling Dead From The Trees” • At least 138 howler monkeys, known for their loud vocal calls, were found dead in the state of Tabasco since May 16, according to the Biodiversity Conservation of The Usumacinta group. Temperatures as high as 47°C (117°F) result partly from climate change. [ABC News]

¶ “UN Maritime Tribunal Says Countries Are Legally Required To Reduce Greenhouse Gas Pollution” • A UN maritime law tribunal, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, found that countries are legally required to reduce greenhouse gas pollution, a victory for small island nations that are on the front lines of climate change. [ABC News]

Sunrise in the Maldives (Saud Edum, Unsplash)

¶ “EV Transition Targets Out Of Reach Without More Copper Mines: IEF Secretary General” • Targets for 100% EV adoption by 2035 cannot be achieved without an unprecedented acceleration in copper mining, according to Joseph McMonigle, Secretary General of the International Energy Forum. More copper must be mined than has been in history. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Cityshuttle’s Six-Wheeled E-Cargo Bike System Is Like A Pedal-Powered Semi Truck” • It looks like a tiny semi-truck and trailer, with the driver sitting in an enclosed cab, but instead of burning fossil fuels for power, the Cityshuttle ePack is pedaled. This zero emission light goods vehicle could have an important place in a low-carbon future. [CleanTechnica]

Cityshuttle ePack 4 e-cargo bike (Courtesy of Cityshuttle)

¶ “Uzbekistan Is To Get Central Asia’s First Renewable Energy Facility With Utility-Scale Battery Storage” • The World Bank announced that it will support a 250-MW solar PV plant with a 63-MW battery energy storage system in Uzbekistan. It will be central Asia’s first utility-scale renewable energy facility with a battery storage component. [ETN News]

¶ “India to Boost Wind Energy Capacity by 25 GW by 2028” • India is on track to add nearly 25 GW of wind capacity in fiscal years 2025 through 2028, compared to about 9 GW added 2021 through 2024, according to Crisil Ratings. This expansion is expected to involve capital investments of up to to ₹2 lakh crore (₹2 trillion, $24 billion). [Construction World]

Indian wind turbines (Iamvrt46, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Large-Scale Nuclear Power Station Planned For Anglesey In Wales” • UK ministers have earmarked north Wales as the site of a large-scale nuclear power plant, as part of plans to resuscitate Britain’s nuclear power ambitions. Wylfa on Anglesey has been named as the preferred site for the UK’s next major nuclear power plant [The Guardian]

¶ “Saudi Arabia Sets World Record For Lowest Cost Of Electricity From Wind Power” • Saudi Power Procurement Company signed two power purchase agreements with a consortium led by Japan’s Marubeni Corporation for a total of 1.1 GW of wind projects. One PPA set a record low cost of wind energy with a levelized cost of energy at 1.565¢/kWh. [ZAWYA]

Wind turbines (ArticCynda, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

US:

¶ “SolarEdge’s Annual Sustainability Report Highlights That 40 Million Metric Tons of CO₂e Are Avoided Annually” • SolarEdge Technologies, Inc released its 2023 Sustainability Report. One of its highlights is the fact that that 40 million metric tons CO₂e are avoided annually through the use of SolarEdge DC-optimized PV systems. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Swap Your Lawn For A Garden And Feed Your Neighbors” • In Los Angeles, Crop Swap LA is teaching urbanites how to replace their lawns with gardens. Once that process is complete, they can enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables themselves or share them with neighbors. Many live in “food deserts” where fresh produce is not easily available in stores. [CleanTechnica]

Garden vegetables (CropSwap image)

¶ “Maryland Energy Administration Announces Bold Effort To Help More Marylanders Cut Energy Bills And Carbon Pollution Through Solar Energy” • The Maryland Energy Administration announced the launch of an important new program to provide major incentives for income-eligible Maryland households to install solar panels. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “California Exceeds 100% Of Energy Demand With Renewables Over A Record 30 Days [Update]” • May 21 update: Stanford professor Mark Z Jacobson is tracking California’s renewables performance. Jacobson reports that California has exceeded 100% of energy demand with renewables at times over a record 45 days straight, and 69 out of 75. [Electrek]

Solar on Palm Desert Walmart (Walmart Corporate, CC BY 2.0)

¶ “WoodMac: $1 Trillion At Risk For Clean Energy Investments Under Trump” • A second Trump presidency could place a huge part of renewable energy investments at risk, increase carbon emissions by 1 billion tonnes more by 2050 and delay peak fossil fuel demand by 10 years, energy analytics firm Wood Mackenzie has predicted. [OilPrice.com]

¶ “Climate Funding Helps US Farmers Reduce Their Energy Bills” • After reeling from soaring energy costs in 2022, when diesel prices in the US hit a record high, American farmers are taking advantage of provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act from the same year that help small farms install solar power at virtually no cost. [OilPrice.com]

Have a playfully casual day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Unpacking The New 1300-Page FERC Transmission Line Ruling” • The new FERC rule requires local utilities and regional grid operators to look beyond their own parochial interests to plan how the nation’s electrical grid should be structured in the future. The goal is to ensure we all have plenty of electrical energy available when it is needed. [CleanTechnica]

Transmission lines (Courtesy of Heimdall Power)

Science and Technology:

¶ “NREL’s Open-Source Vehicle And Mobility Tools Offer Routes To Reduce Transportation Energy Use And Emissions” • Energy efficiency and on-road performance are central to the future of transportation and the clean energy transition. The US DOE’s NREL produced modeling and analysis tools that target barriers to technology advancement. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Waste Heat From Google Data Center To Warm A Town In Finland” • Data centers use as much as 1.5% of all of the world’s electricity, a number that is expected to increase dramatically. One question is what to do with the heat. Google plans to send the waste heat from its data center in Hamina, Finland, to its district heating system. [CleanTechnica]

Aerial view of Hamina (Ville Hyvönen, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Citroën Wins Contract For 1,000 ë-C3s In India” • Citroën has just taken a new step in its commitment to sustainable mobility by announcing a major partnership with OHM E Logistics. The brand will gradually supply 1,000 ë-C3 electric vehicles to the Indian logistics company, strengthening their fleet dedicated to shared mobility services. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “First New Turbine Powers Up At The Tummel Bridge Power Station” • The first new turbine at the Tummel Bridge Power Station in Perthshire has commenced generating renewable electricity following its successful installation and energization. The project aims to increase the station’s potential output from 34 MW to 40 MW. [Energy Live News]

Tummel Bridge Power Station (SSE Renewables)

¶ “Three States Are At Risk Of Blackouts In Coming Years, But There’s A Solution Within Reach” • People living in New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia, could be at risk of blackouts in the coming years unless new renewable energy projects are completed and connected to the grid quicker than what the national operator expects. [9News.com.au]

¶ “Wind Power And Photovoltaic Generation Will Soon Surpass Nuclear And Hydroelectric Generation” • The International Solar Energy Society explained how solar and wind energy dominate new global capacity additions. In the last decade, PV capacity increased nine-fold, wind generation tripled, natural gas grew 3%, and nuclear and coal were each up 1%. [evwind.es]

Solar farm (Harisankar, Unsplash)

¶ “Nuclear-Free Councils Hit Out At ‘Mad Delusion’ Of New Reactor” • Calls for a nuclear revival in Scotland are dismissed as “mad delusion” by Scottish Nuclear Free Local Authorities, a group of councils opposed to nuclear power. They insist that renewables “represent the only way forward to achieve a sustainable, net-zero future.” [John O’Groat Journal]

¶ “China National Nuclear Power Starts Work On The Nation’s Largest Offshore Solar Farm” • China National Nuclear Power has kicked off construction of the nation’s largest offshore solar farm, as part of efforts to boost low-carbon energy supply and decarbonise the economy. The 2-GW solar farm is referred to as a “pilot project.” [South China Morning Post]

Work on solar farm on mud flats (Image from handout)

US:

¶ “US Electricity Consumption from Light-Duty Vehicles Likely Surpassed Rail in 2023” • According to estimates in the Energy Information Administration’s Electric Power Monthly, light-duty vehicles used more US electricity than rail systems for the first time in 2023. Rail has long been the largest electricity end-use category in transportation. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “City of Arvin, California And Veolia North America Break Ground On Innovative Solar Energy Installation” • The City of Arvin, California and Veolia North America broke ground on a solar energy installation that will meet all the power needs of the city’s wastewater treatment plant and eliminate emissions from power generation. [CleanTechnica]

Solar installation (Courtesy of Veolia North America)

¶ “Toyota Launches Class 8 Tern 100% Electric Truck At US Market” • Toyota is launching a “Tern” Class 8 heavy duty electric truck for the US market. This is a big move considering that Toyota has been notoriously late to the 100% battery-electric party. The new Tern electric truck comes under the umbrella of Toyota Group’s Hino branch. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Solar Reaches 87% New US Capacity In Q1” • A review by the SUN DAY Campaign of data just released by FERC reveals solar provided nearly 87% of all new capacity in the first quarter of 2024. In March, 99.7% of capacity added was solar, marking the seventh month in a row with solar adding more capacity than any other source. [reNews]

Solar array (American Public Power Association, Unsplash)

¶ “SCE, Lotus Win California Grid Upgrade Gig” • Southern California Edison and Lotus Infrastructure Partners won a tender to deliver transmission capacity in California to enable more renewables. Lotus will lead the project’s development and upon completion and regulatory approval, SCE will buy it and lease 25% of its transmission capacity to Lotus. [reNews]

¶ “Michigan Regents Approve $70 Million Solar Power Project” • The University of Michigan’s Board of Regents has approved a $70 million plan to construct solar power arrays on its campuses. Radial Power, a sustainable energy firm based out of Houston, was chosen to design and build the installations with combined capacities of 25 MW. [WOODTV.com]

Have a notably comfortable day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Dutton’s Nuclear Would Spike Electricity Bills When (If) They Start In The 2040s” • We know Australia’s Coalition is split over nuclear power. You would have thought that two nuclear reactors coming into operation in the US would encourage those favoring nucear. They aren’t. The reactors were $20 billion over budget and seven years late. [Crikey]

Original two reactors at Vogtle (NRC, public domain)

World:

¶ “Renault Group To Launch An Ambitious Level 4 For Public Transportation” • Renault Group is to collaborate with WeRide, an expert in autonomous driving, for commercial deployment of vehicles capable of managing driving situations on their own, within an operational defined domain, with remote supervision, but without an on-board operator. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Dirt Cheap Batteries Enable MW-Scale Charging Without Big Grid Upgrades Right Away” • Battery prices keep plummeting. In 2022, 1 kWh of battery capacity cost $159. In 2023, $136. At the beginning of 2024, batteries were available for $95 per kWh. And CATL recently announced that it would be shipping batteries for $56/kWh at the end of 2024. [CleanTechnica]

Battery facility in Switzerland (Kecko, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Bosch Ventures Amplifies Commitment to Cleantech With Two Battery Recycling Investments” • Bosch Ventures, the unit of the Bosch Group concerned with corporate venture capital, has announced two major investments in the battery recycling sector in the same week. They are significant steps towards sustainable technology development. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Parkwind, ESB To Submit Plans For Irish Project” • Oriel Wind farm will lodge an application with An Bord Pleanala for its proposed 375-MW offshore wind farm in the North Irish Sea. The project will be built off the north County Louth coast and will have 25 turbines. The application also includes the electricity substations and transmission cables. [reNews]

Offshore wind farm (Parkwind image)

¶ “Hydrogen Storage Could Reduce Renewables’ Costs” • In a recent study, Turkish researchers suggest that hydrogen storage can store renewable energy at large scales and relatively low cost. The model suggests that if Germany increased use of hydrogen storage at renewable energy plants nationwide, this would result in roughly 60% lower costs. [IEEE Spectrum]

¶ “Loch Ness To Get £3 Billion Hydro Power Boost” • Glen Earrach Energy Limited has revealed plans for a £3 billion hydroelectric project at Balmacaan Estate near Loch Ness. The project is designed to provide extended energy storage capacity, integrating renewable energy into the grid and reducing local carbon emissions by 10%. [Energy Live News]

Urquhart Castle and Loch Ness (Ramon Vloon, Unsplash)

¶ “Surging Solar Power Dampens Demand For Generators, UPS” • While citing industry sources, the news outlet Dawn reported that the increased import and falling prices of solar panels, in particular those from China, have encouraged consumers across Pakistan to install solar power systems to offset their high electricity bills. [Aaj English TV]

US:

¶ “Company Receives Pentagon Contract To Investigate Potential Site For ‘Dry Rock’ Geothermal Power Plant” • Houston’s Sage Geosystems won a contract to analyze the potential for a mostly subterranean power storage system at Fort Bliss. The setup would make it possible for renewably generated energy to be stored and discharged for 12 hours or more. [The Cool Down]

Drilling rig (Sage Geosystems image)

¶ “GM Energy Has A Broad Vision Including Vehicles, Stationary Storage, Solar, And VPP” • GM Energy, a new GM business unit, focuses on offering batteries, EV chargers, and software. The company has introduced the Ultium Home product suite, which includes energy storage, solar panels, and bi-directional charging equipment. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Competition Selects Finalists In Floating Offshore Wind Technologies” • The US DOE selected finalists in its competition to promote technologies for floating offshore windpower. Studies suggest that floating turbines could produce 2,800 GW in the US alone, which would be more than double current US electricity consumption. [The Maritime Executive]

Glosten platform technology PelaStar (Glosten image)

¶ “Puerto Rico’s Rooftop Solar Boom Is At Risk, Advocates Warn” • In Puerto Rico, residents turn to rooftop solar and batteries for a more reliable and affordable alternative to the power grid. But a political challenge by a powerful government entity threatens to slow that progress, local solar advocates and some Democratic members of US Congress say. [Canary Media]

¶ “Warmer, Wetter Climate In Maine Impacts Human Health, Infrastructure” • Scientists said Maine’s climate is warmer and wetter, with implications for human health and infrastructure. Data show the ten warmest years have all been since 1998, with 2023 ranking as the second warmest. And increased warmth has led to more extreme weather. [Public News Service]

Have a gracefully moving day.

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Opinion and Commentary:

¶ “Can Hydrogen Help Combat The Climate Crisis?” • Hydrogen is the most plentiful element in the universe, and it’s a building block for a burgeoning clean energy industry, because using it for energy doesn’t emit any greenhouse gases. These facts make it pretty attractive for energy. But the promise of so-called green hydrogen has been largely out of reach. [NRDC]

Hydrogen (Dan Matutina for NRDC)

World:

¶ “Parts Of Northern India Scorched By Extreme Heat With New Delhi On High Alert” • Parts of northwest India sweltered under scorching temperatures, with reports of up to 47.1°C (116°F) from New Delhi. A study by World Weather Attribution found that a searing Asian heat wave in April was made at least 45 times more likely by climate change. [ABC News]

¶ “BYD Launches Its First Pickup Truck, The BYD SHARK, In Mexico” • BYD launched its first pickup truck, the BYD SHARK, in Mexico. Positioned as a intelligent luxury electric pickup, BYD SHARK features the DMO Super Hybrid Off-road Platform, the latest addition to BYD’s product portfolio. BYD developed it for the global market. [CleanTechnica]

BYD SHARK (Image provided)

¶ “CATL Shenxing Battery Strikes Fear Into The Hearts Of Governments And Automakers” • CATL said it has improved on the Shenxing LFP battery it introduced just last year. CATL said its latest battery, the Shenxing PLUS, can charge at 4C, add 600 km of range in ten minutes using a DC fast charger, and power a car for up to 1000 km. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Mercedes Latest German Automaker To Pull Back On Its Electric Car Plans” • Mighty Mercedes now says it miscalculated when it said it would sell only electric cars by 2030. Now it says it will continue to manufacture cars with “electrified internal combustion engines” well into the next decade, according to a report by Handelsblatt. [CleanTechnica]

Mercedes EQS (Mercedes image)

¶ “Back Up Power Line To Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Restored After Facility Was Disconnected From Grid” • A back up power line has been restored to Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, after it was disconnected from the country’s grid. The plant was disconnected from the grid last week as a result of fighting in the area. [Yahoo Lifestyle Canada]

¶ “Labour To Equip Scotland With ‘Renewable-Ready Ports’ To Scale Up Green Energy Ambitions” • The Labour Party says when it comes to power with Keir Starmer leadership, it will equip Scotland with a fleet of “renewable-ready ports” to boost the county’s renewable energy future by injecting £1.8 billion of investment within five years. [The Scotsman]

Port of Nigg (SSE image)

US:

¶ “Chefs Want To Continue To Cook With Gas – Gas Companies Help With Disinformation” • A coalition of gas companies and their supporters partnered with restaurant associations to ensure the right for chefs to cook with gas. It has made headway in some communities and is now planning to confront rules in the West to limit installations of gas stoves. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “State Legislators Pass New Measures Making Affordable Solar Program More Accessible To Virginian Region” • Virginia is gearing up to harness the power of solar energy like never before with the launch of shared solar programs across the state. The General Assembly approved measures to make solar energy more accessible to residents. [Yahoo]

Wind turbines in West Virginia (Famartin, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “Appalachian Power Seeking Proposals For Renewable Energy And Battery Energy Storage” • Under Virginia’s Clean Economy Act, Appalachian Power must meet annual escalating Renewable Energy Portfolio requirements. Now the company is also looking for bids for solar and battery energy storage resources in West Virginia due to Senate Bill 583. [WV MetroNews]

¶ “As Fossil Fuel Plants Face Retirement, Puerto Ricans Push For Rooftop Solar” • In a would-be tropical paradise, Puerto Rican communities struggle with high power costs and pollution from power plants fueled with gas and coal. The plants are scheduled to retire, and local residents envision a cleaner future with solar PVs as the best alternative. [Grist.org]

Have a decidedly merry day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Carbon-Capture Batteries Developed To Store Renewable Energy, Help Climate” • Researchers at the US DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory are developing battery technologies to fight climate change in two ways: by expanding the use of renewable energy and capturing airborne carbon dioxide. The batteries can hold ten hours worth of electricity. [CleanTechnica]

Please click on the image to enlarge it. (Andy Sproles, ORNL)

¶ “Two New Blade Technologies From Edinburgh University Researchers Aim For Renewable Energy Efficiency” • Edinburgh University scientists developed two technologies to enhance the potential of tidal energy. They enable the passive morph of the blade, each aimed at increasing energy yield and reducing capital and operational costs. [Offshore Energy]

World:

¶ “Volkswagen ID.7 Receives Historic Top Score In ADAC Vehicle Test” • The flagship model from the all-electric Volkswagen ID. family is now also top scorer in the prestigious ADAC vehicle test. The Volkswagen ID.7 has become the first ever vehicle to achieve an average score of 1.5 and thus an overall rating of ‘very good’ in the independent test. [CleanTechnica]

Volkswagen ID.7 (Image supplied)

¶ “Volkswagen Pulls Back On Electric Car Plans” • Volkswagen’s leadership has been reshuffled. The Volkswagen brand is now headed by Thomas Schäfer, who told the press that the brand is pulling back on its electric car initiative to focus more on plug-in hybrids. He said customers “want plug-in hybrids now, including in China and the US.” [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Over 4 Million Plugin Vehicles Sold Globally in 2024” • Global EV sales reached 1.1 million units in April 2024, according to EV research-house, Rho Motion, bringing year-to-date sales to 4.3 million, 22% greater than the same period in 2023. Battery EVs represent 64% of units sold so far in 2024. The remaining 36% are plug-in hybrids. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Seagull production, courtesy of BYD

¶ “Why Climate Migration In Brazil Has Become A Global Crisis” • Persistent rains and destructive flooding in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul left 150 people dead, 2.1 million affected, 620,000 residents displaced and 807 people injured, according to civil defense officials. The floods are the most severe climate catastrophe to impact the region. [ABC News]

¶ “Nuclear Option Costs ‘Six Times More’ Than Renewables, Study Finds” • Building nuclear reactors would cost six times more than wind and solar power firmed up with batteries, an independent report released by the Clean Energy Council shows. The industry body’s chief executive said taxpayers need to know the costs of nuclear power. [RenewEconomy]

Solar farm with sheep (NextTracker image)

¶ “Cuba Relies On Renewable Energy Sources” • For sixty years, Cuba has suffered from a lack of fuel because of an embargo by the US government. Cuba is planning to develop over 2 GW of renewables, relying on developing renewable energy sources, such as wind, PVs, and biogas, to address the electricity shortages caused by the lack of fuel. [Cuba Si]

¶ “GEE Unveils Scottish Hydro Plans” • Glen Earrach Energy has announced plans to develop what it says will be the UK’s most efficient pumped storage hydro project. The 2-GW project at Balmacaan Estate, Scotland will represent an investment of more than £2 billion and create at least 600 on site construction jobs in Scotland over a six-year period. [reNews]

Hydro Dam (SXC image)

¶ “Japan Starts Sixth Discharge Of Fukushima Wastewater” • Japan started the sixth round of the release of wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the Pacific Ocean. About 7,800 tonnes of nuclear-contaminated wastewater is being discharged from about a kilometer off the coast between now and June 4. [CGTN]

US:

¶ “Resilience at the Edge: City of Eastport Considers Harnessing Tidal Power for Island Microgrid” • Eastport, Maine, on an island at the easternmost point in the continental US, is connected to the mainland by a single causeway. It faces powerful Atlantic Ocean winds and is susceptible to power outages. It could get a microgrid powered by tides. [CleanTechnica]

Eastport (Jack Sullivan, Island Institute, NREL)

¶ “Big Banks Take Part In A Climate Scenario Exercise – The Results Are Unsettling” • The US Federal Reserve just released the results of a pilot climate scenario analysis exercise they conducted in 2023 to learn about big banks and their climate risk-management practices and challenges. The results of the analysis were unsettling. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Lawmakers Sound Alarm Over Threat To Rooftop Solar In Puerto Rico” • Over twenty members of the US Congressional Democratic Caucus urged safeguarding affordable access to rooftop solar power in Puerto Rico by protecting net metering, which the lawmakers called essential to the island’s clean energy goals and economic growth. [Common Dreams]

Rooftop solar installation (Barrio Eléctrico image)

¶ “New Endangered Listing For Rare Lizard Could Slow Oil And Gas Drilling In New Mexico And West Texas” • Federal wildlife officials declared a lizard in the Permian Basin of southeastern New Mexico and West Texas an endangered species, citing future energy development, sand mining, and climate change as the biggest threats to its survival. [ABC News]

¶ “New Jersey’s Three Nuclear Power Plants Seek To Extend Licenses For Another Twenty Years” • New Jersey is pushing hard to become a leader in offshore wind. But three power plants run by PSEG Nuclear LLC provide nearly half of the electricity for New Jersey, and a licensing extension is claimed to be a hedge against insufficient wind projects. [MSN]

Have a reasonably sane day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Sublime Systems Is Leading The Transition To Low Carbon Cement In Boston” • Sublime Systems, a spin-off from MIT, is focused on reducing the carbon emissions from making cement. On May 16, 2024, it announced the first commercial application of its low carbon Sublime Cement™ is being used for the indoor public space of One Boston Wharf. [CleanTechnica]

Pouring Sublime Cement™ (Courtesy of Sublime Systems)

World:

¶ “Offshore Wind Could Create 770,000 South Korean Jobs” • The construction of offshore wind farms could introduce over 770,000 job opportunities in South Korea, a Global Wind Energy Council report shows. South Korea’s goal is 14.3 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030, which would require investments of 87 trillion won ($64 billion). [reNews]

¶ “VinFast Receives 27,649 Pre-Orders for VF 3 in Vietnam, 66 Hours After Accepting Deposits” • VinFast Auto announced that it received a record-breaking number of 27,649 non-refundable, non-transferable pre-orders for the mini-SUV VF 3 within 66 hours, showing the appeal of the VF 3 and its potential to be a “national car” in Vietnam. [CleanTechnica]

Mini SUV VF 3 (Courtesy of VinFast)

¶ “India To Add 14.5 GW Of PV Per Year In Fiscal 2025 And Fiscal 2026” • India Ratings and Research said it expects India’s annual renewable capacity additions to remain at 15 GW to 18 GW in fiscal 2025 and fiscal 2026. It said 75% to 80% of India’s annual installations, or up to 14.5 GW, will come from solar and around 20% from wind. [pv magazine International]

¶ “Porsche Celebrates The Start Of Electromobility At Its Leipzig Factory” • Porsche celebrated the official start of electromobility at its production site in Saxony. In recent years, the sports car maker has invested around €600 million to expand the factory to produce the electric Macan. Now production of the new EV is being ramped up. [CleanTechnica]

Porsche factory in Leipzig (Porsche image)

¶ “Registrations Open For 6-GW Renewable Energy Tender” • Registration is open for the first national tender in the Australian government’s Capacity Investment Scheme. The overall scheme is seeking 32 GW of additional renewable energy generation and dispatchable storage capacity by 2030 to support the nation’s clean energy transition. [pv magazine Australia]

¶ “South Australian Teams With California On Clean Energy Ambitions” • The state governments of South Australian and California have signed an agreement that will see them work together on transitioning to clean energy and integrating renewable energies, including green hydrogen, into their respective grids. [pv magazine Australia]

Solar array (Santos image)

¶ “China Sparks Radiation Leak Fears With Nuclear Reactors Plot In The South China Sea” • The US military has issued a warning about China’s reported work to develop floating nuclear reactors in the South China Sea, raising concerns about regional security and environmental risks. The risk of any radiation leaks is also a serious concern. [Daily Express]

US:

¶ “Zum Provides First US School District with 100% Electric V2G School Bus Fleet in Oakland” • Zum announced that Oakland Unified School District will be the first major US school district to have a 100% electrified school bus system with vehicle-to-grid technology. Zum is providing a fleet of 74 electric school buses and bidirectional chargers. [CleanTechnica]

Buses and chargers by Zum (Image supplied)

¶ “Biden-Harris Administration Announced Investment To Advance American Solar Manufacturing And Development” • The US DOE announced a $71 million investment in research, development, and demonstration projects to grow the network of US manufacturers in the solar energy supply chain, addressing its capacity gaps. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “The Floating Offshore Wind Turbines Are Coming Home” • The US DOE put a lot of work into support for floating platforms for offshore wind turbines, only to see the benefit go to Europe where public policy support for offshore windpower runs strong. Now that the US is finally getting its act together, floating wind platforms are coming home. [CleanTechnica]

Floating turbine base (Courtesy of Principle Power)

¶ “New York Gives Empire Wind The Green Light” • Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the New York State Public Service Commission has granted Equinor’s Empire Offshore Wind its final approval, authorising construction on the 810-MW offshore wind farm to begin. Its two 230-kV submarine AC transmission cables will make landfall in Brooklyn. [reNews]

¶ “Studies Highlight Offshore Wind Energy Potential In The Gulf Of Mexico” • The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management released two studies on offshore wind energy on Gulf waters. One looks at hurricane risk to wind turbines operating in the Gulf. The other discusses opportunities and challenges for offshore wind energy development there. [Offshore Engineer Magazine]

Gulf of Mexico (Robert Woeger, Unsplash)

¶ “Surge In Solar Installations Eases Energy Costs In Missouri” • A report by the Solar Energy Industries Association showed more than half of all US solar installations came online since 2020, with more than 25% installed since the Inflation Reduction Act passed almost two years ago. Missouri’s residents and businesses have benefitted. [Public News Service]

¶ “Record Solar Installations Come As Good News For Avoiding Summer Power Outages” • As parts of the US face an elevated risk of energy shortages this summer, the country has also hit a record number of solar installations. Hitting a milestone for solar intallations could turn out to be good news for avoiding seasonal power outages. [CNET]

Have an extraordinarily fun day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Scientists Generate 1832°F Heat With Solar Power To Cook Cement And Steel” • Researchers at ETH Zurich demonstrated the use of solar energy to reach temperatures of 1,832°F (1000°C), a feat formerly achieved using fossil fuels. The approach paves the way for using solar energy for applications that have been carbon-intensive. [Interesting Engineering]

Old-style blast furnace (yasin hemmati, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “As Zambia Schools Take On Climate Change, One Teen Is Spreading The Word In Sign Language” • Bridget Chanda, 18, is intent on helping educate Zambia’s deaf people about climate change. As the southern African nation suffers from increasingly frequent extreme weather, its government has more education on climate change in its schools. [ABC News]

¶ “Wildfire Smoke Could Impact US Again As Canada Braces For Another Summer Of Fires” • With numerous wildfires burning across Canada, including about forty that remain out of control, meteorologists said conditions are getting set for a replay of last year’s fire season, when thick smoke wafted to the US, making air hazardous as far as New York City. [ABC News]

Wildfire in Alberta (Government of Alberta)

¶ “EV Charging Emissions Reduced By Up To 89% By New Technology” • The level of emissions from charging an EV depends on the carbon intensity of the electricity of the grid. New technology optimises the time at which an EV is charged, reducing the average EV emissions figure of 81g CO₂e per mile to as low as 9g CO₂e per mile. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “BYD’s New Shark PHEV Pickup Could Be A Good Option For Some African Markets” • The BYD Shark launched in Mexico is an interesting addition to the plug-in hybrid pickup segment in Africa. The BYD Shark pickup has a 1.5 liter engine paired with two electric motors. Energy is stored in a 29.58-kWh battery for an all-electric range of 100 km. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Shark PHEV pickup (Courtesy of BYD)

¶ “UK Police May Get Portable EMP Device To Shut Down E-Bikes And Scooters” • To take a bite out of crimes committed on e-bikes or electric scooters, a device is being developed for UK police that can shut down electric motors. The Guardian reports that the Defence Science and Technology Lab is putting it in a “Ghostbusters-style” backpack. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Views Sought On 740-MW UK PV Giant” • Ørsted and PS Renewables have presented updated proposals for a 740-MW solar project in central England. The developer partnership is bringing forward proposals for One Earth Solar Farm, which also includes associated battery storage and infrastructure, located primarily in Nottinghamshire. [reNews]

Solar array (Sungrow EMEA, Unsplash)

¶ “Fecamp Hits Full Power” • The 500-MW Fecamp offshore wind farm off the coast of Normandy is now fully operational. The developer consortium of the wind farm commissioned the asset as the Minister Delegate for Industry and Energy Roland Lescure watched. Turbines in the wind farm were connected to the national grid as they were added. [reNews]

¶ “UK Plans For Nuclear Reactor In Scotland … After The SNP Are Voted Out!” • Plans are being drawn up for a nuclear reactor in Scotland, once the SNP government is ousted. The Government of the UK wants to build one of its eight small reactors north of the Border and is including Scotland in their plans with hopes the SNP will lose power in 2026. [MSN]

Closed Scottish plant (James T M Towill, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

US:

¶ “DeSantis Signs Florida Bill Making Climate Change A Lesser State Priority” • Climate change will be given a lesser priority in Florida, and it will largely disappear from state statutes, under legislation signed into law by Florida Gov Ron DeSantis. The law also bans power-generating wind turbines offshore or near the state’s lengthy coastline. [ABC News]

¶ “Sixty New Electric Buses to Operate in Queens, Staten Island, And Brooklyn” • Governor Kathy Hochul introduced sixty new electric buses o operate in routes in Queens, Staten Island, and Brooklyn. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the New York Power Authority are building critical infrastructure to power a zero-emissions bus fleet. [CleanTechnica]

MTA worker (Marc A Hermann, MTA)

¶ “New Hope Lifts US Offshore Wind Sector Out Of Doldrums” • Resolution is in sight for the service vessel shortfall and other issues, and the curse of the mid-Atlantic is already beginning to become an old memory. Maryland is a case in point. In January, it seemed to be on the point of losing from the 966-MW Skipjack project, but no longer. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “First Steel In The Water For Ørsted At Revolution” • Ørsted has reached the “steel in the water” milestone on its 704-MW Revolution Wind project off the coasts of Connecticut and Massachusetts. The company announced that it has installed the first turbine foundation, a few weeks after a judge rejected a last minute effort to delay the project. [reNews]

Wind tower base (Ørsted image)

¶ “Chevrolet Is Releasing Silverado EV RST Soon, The First Legacy Electric Pickup Designed From Scratch As An EV” • The 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV RST offers a 450-mile range and 10.2-kW onboard power. It competes with other electric pickups like the Ford F-150 Lightning and the Rivian R1T, with hopes to make an impact on the EV market. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “JEA Announces Three Solar Energy Sites For Florida” • Solar sites with a combined available output of 200 MW will be built in Jacksonville, officials said. They could provide power for more than 37,000 households. JEA said it’s the equivalent of avoiding nearly 200,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions yearly or removing nearly 47,000 passenger vehicles. [News4JAX]

Have an intensely soothing day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Automakers Continue To Lobby For Global Heating, Against EVs” • The nonprofit think tank InfluenceMap found that except for Tesla, every one of the world’s largest automakers “actively advocated against at least one policy promoting electric vehicles.” And even Elon Musk has spoken out against some EV subsidies and policies. [CleanTechnica]

Please click on the image to enlarge it (Courtesy of InfluenceMap)

¶ “Choosing Nuclear Over Renewables And Efficiency Will Make Climate Crisis Worse” • “Carbon-free power is necessary but not sufficient; we also need cheap and fast,” says Lovins, co-founder of the Rocky Mountain Institute, now known as RMI, and who has spent half a century advising governments and companies on energy efficiency. [RenewEconomy]

Science and Technology:

¶ “‘Magical Thinking’: Hopes For Sustainable Jet Fuel Are Not Realistic” • There is currently “no realistic or scalable alternative” to standard kerosene-based jet fuels, and the touted “sustainable aviation fuels” are well off track to replace them in a timeframe needed to avert dangerous climate change, according to a report by the Institute for Policy Studies. [The Guardian]

Contrails (Fr Daniel Ciucci, Unsplash)

¶ “Making Batteries Takes A Lot Of Lithium. Some Of It Could Come From Wastewater” • An analysis based on Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection data suggests that lithium from the wastewater of Marcellus shale gas wells could supply 40% of the country’s demand, if it could be extracted with complete efficiency. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Heat Exposure Of Older People Across World To Double By 2050, Finds Study” • Compared with today, there will be up to an extra 250 million people aged 69 or above who are exposed to dangerous levels of heat, defined as 37.5°C, according to a study that highlights the combined risk posed by a heating world and an ageing population. [The Guardian]

Seaside (sk, Unsplash)

¶ “‘Impossible’ Heatwave Struck Philippines In April, Scientists Find” • A record-breaking heatwave that scorched the Philippines in April would have been impossible without the climate crisis, scientists found. Temperatures above 40°C (104°F) struck across Asia in April, causing deaths, water shortages, crop losses, and widespread school closures. [The Guardian]

¶ “Volkswagen Announces 2025 ID. Buzz Offer Structure” • Volkswagen of America, Inc, announced the offer structure for the 2025 ID. Buzz, the electric reincarnation of the Microbus. The ID. Buzz will be offered stateside in three trims: Pro S and Pro S Plus, and a launch-only 1st Edition. It will have a 91-kWh battery and 282 to 335 horsepower. [CleanTechnica]

Volkswagen 2025 ID. Buzz and Microbus(Volkswagen image)

¶ “Tata Power Renewable Energy Commences Solar Module Production In Tamil Nadu” • Tata Power Renewable Energy has begun production of solar modules at a new plant in Tamil Nadu, with solar cell production slated to begin next month. The plant will bolster capacity additions that require locally manufactured products. [Manufacturing Today India]

¶ “Surge In India’s Renewables Tendering Set To Keep Coal’s Share Below 50% In Total Installed Capacity” • India is emerging as a renewable energy powerhouse with a surge in both capacity addition and tendering to add more plants. This is seen in a suite of new research reports showing a trend to a more sustainable future for India’s electricity sector. [IEEFA]

Solar array (Binu jayakrishnan, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Australia Budget Commits AU$22.7 Billion To ‘Renewable Energy Superpower’ Plan” • The Australian federal government’s 2024-2025 budget includes a major investment in clean energy manufacturing and an energy bill rebate for households. It covers fiscal policy for a decade and addresses the cost-of-living and investment. [Energy-Storage.News]

US:

¶ “Trump Pledges To Scrap Offshore Wind Projects On ‘Day One’ Of Presidency” • Donald Trump vowed to immediately halt offshore wind energy projects “on day one” of a new term as US president, in his most explicit threat yet to the industry and the latest in a series of promises to undo key aspects of the transition to cleaner energy. [The Guardian]

Offshore wind turbines (Marcel Strauß, Unsplash)

¶ “Green Hydrogen Tentacles To Spread Across US” • The ink is still wet on the contract, but the US DOE is so excited about its new green hydrogen project that they announced it anyway. The deal involves a conditional loan guarantee of up to $1.66 billion aimed at kickstarting the construction of six new green hydrogen electrolyzer facilities. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Maryland Signs New Offshore Wind Law” • The state of Maryland has signed new legislation aimed at keeping the state’s offshore wind goals on track. The law allows qualified offshore wind developers to apply for outstanding Offshore Renewable Energy Credits created as a result of changes in the market and to add additional capacity to existing projects. [reNews]

Base of a tower (Maryland Energy Administration)

¶ “Cemex Adopts Solar Power At Its Clinchfield, Georgia Cement Plant” • Through a long-term agreement with Georgia Power, the Clinchfield Cement Plant will secure close to 25% of its electricity from solar facilities beginning in 2025. This agreement supports Cemex’s Future in Action program, with the goal of emitting net-zero CO₂ by 2050. [World Cement]

¶ “Maine Utility Regulators Are Restarting The Process Of Building Renewable Energy In Northern Maine” • Last year, the Maine PUC terminated an agreement on the construction of a 1,000-MW wind farm in Aroostook County and a high-voltage transmission line from northern Maine to the New England power grid. Now, it’s looking for new bids. [Maine Public]

Have an honestly friendly day.

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World:

¶ “European Made Batteries Could Be 60% Less Carbon Intensive Than Chinese: Analysis” • Onshoring the EV supply chain to Europe would cut the emissions of producing a battery by 37% compared to a China-controlled supply chain, analysis by T&E shows. This carbon saving rises to over 60% when renewable electricity is used. [CleanTechnica]

EV battery production (Image from SKODA)

¶ “An Industrial Blueprint For Batteries In Europe” • A year ago, as T&E estimated that two-thirds of Europe’s announced battery plans were at risk, the EU announced a raft of measures it would take in response to the US Inflation Reduction Act. Now, T&E has a report that shows progress. Europe can become self-sufficient in battery cells by 2026. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “47% Of New Cars Sold In Netherlands Now Plugin Cars!” • In a negative month in the overall Dutch automobile market (down 4% to 28,432 units), April saw plugin registrations increase by 11% YOY, to 13,274 units. So the Dutch plugin EV market reached 47% last month, in line with the year-to-date average. Pure electrics took 32% of new vehicle sales. [CleanTechnica]

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

¶ “ReNew Signs 5 PPAs; Expands Portfolio To 15.6 GW” • ReNew, a renewable energy company in India, announced that it signed five PPAs totaling about 2.2 GW of renewable capacity. This expands its fully contracted renewable energy portfolio to 15.6 GW. ReNew also received additional Letters of Award for 5.8 GW of renewable capacity. [Construction World]

¶ “Volkswagen Group Africa Emphasises Commitment To Renewable Energy” • Recognising the effect of fossil fuels on climate change, VWGA is striving to minimise dependence on them. As South Africa celebrates Energy Month in May, VWGA highlights its commitment to become carbon neutral in vehicle and component production by 2030. [ArriveAlive]

Cape Town (Tobias Reich, Unsplash)

¶ “Australia Risks Being ‘World’s Nuclear Waste Dump’ Unless Aukus Laws Changed, Critics Say” • Australia risks becoming the “world’s nuclear waste dump” unless the Albanese government moves to rewrite its proposed Aukus laws, critics say. An inquiry called for the legislative safeguard to rule out taking high-level nuclear waste from the US and UK. [The Guardian]

¶ “’Hugely Expensive’ Nuclear A ‘Trojan Horse’ For Coal, NSW Liberal Says, Exposing Energy Policy Rift” • A senior New South Wales Liberal Party figure says nuclear power is too expensive and a “Trojan horse” for the coal industry in his state, prompting the former state government to reject it. He is at odds with his federal colleagues pushing the technology. [ABC]

Nuclear plant in Belgium (Jonas Denil, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “US Is Experiencing More Tornado Outbreaks, Despite Fewer Tornado Days Overall, Researchers Say” • The number of days there is a tornado in the US is decreasing, but the average annual number of tornadoes has remained roughly the same. So there are more of them on the days they happen. Climate change may be affecting tornado behavior. [ABC News]

¶ “The General Motors 2023 Sustainability Report With Mixed Results, Disappointments” • GM released its 2023 Sustainability Report, showing its initiatives to accelerate EV adoption, forge strategic supply chain partnerships, and support development of a future-ready, renewably powered grid. Its message sounds nice, but the meat’s not there. [CleanTechnica]

Image from GM 2023 Sustainability Report

¶ “Nearly $55 Million to Clean Up Legacy Oil & Gas Pollution in North Dakota And West Virginia” • The Interior Department gave $54.2 million to North Dakota and West Virginia for polluted site cleanup. ND will get $25 million to plug 46 orphaned oil and gas wells and reclaim polluted sites. WV own $29.2 million to plug about 200 oil and gas wells. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Cape Cod Canal Site Gets Federal OK To Test Water-Powered Turbines” • Cape Codders and Islanders know about harnessing offshore windpower to create renewable energy. Now Cape Cod may be on the cusp of being a national trail blazer for another green technology, one that uses the power of the ocean tides to make electricity. [Cape Cod Times]

Cape Cod Canal Train Bridge (Astoddard73, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Scientists Engage Moms To Help Fight Climate Change On Behalf Of Kids” • Moms in a nonpartisan climate science group are gearing up for summer, getting the word out to Pennsylvania families on how more frequent and extreme weather events can affect children. Last year, the US experienced 28 weather and climate disasters. [Public News Service]

¶ “Landmark Transmission Reform Could Dramatically Speed US Energy Transition” • FERC, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, issued a sweeping reform to transmission grid planning, one that proponents say is a major, much-needed win for the effort to transition the country’s power sector away from fossil fuels. [Canary Media]

Transmission lines (Ernest Brillo, Unsplash)

¶ “Meta Signs Deal For 210 MW Of Renewable Energy From New Solar Projects In Indiana” • Renewables developer Solarpack has announced energy purchase agreements with Meta, enabling the construction of two new solar projects in Indiana, totalling 210 MW. Meta has set a target to reach net zero emissions across its value chain by 2030. [ESG Today]

¶ “US Bans Russian Uranium Imports, Crucial For Nuclear Fuel Supply” • President Joe Biden has signed a ban on imports of Russian enriched uranium to US, the White House announced. The move is being touted as Washington’s endeavor to disrupt President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, but waivers could make the law toothless. [WION]

Have a graciously civil day.

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World:

¶ “Ethiopia Shows Us Just How Fast The Transition To Electric Mobility Can Happen In Africa” • Ethiopia had a ten-year target to see 148,000 electric cars and close to 50,000 electric buses on Ethiopia’s roads by 2030. It has made amazing progress. The Ministry of Transport and Logistics said it has 100,000 EVs in just the first two years! [CleanTechnica]

Please click on the image to enlarge it. (Courtesy of AfricaNEV)

¶ “G7 Energy Ministers Achieve Breakthroughs on Unabated Coal Phaseout, Global Energy Storage, and Phasing Out Harmful Non-CO2 Pollutant” • When energy and climate leaders met in Turin on for the G7 Ministerial Meeting on Climate, Energy and the Environment, they reached consensus on a range of energy and climate actions. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “The Man Who Took On The Coal Industry To Save A Forest And Won” • When Alok Shukla saw the forest called the lungs of Chhattisgarh, he quickly knew two things: First, this forest, home to thousands of tribespeople and rare animals and plants, was a place of rare beauty. And second, he would dedicate his life to protecting it from coal interests. [BBC]

Alok Shukla (Goldman Environmental Prize)

¶ “Progress On World’s First Artificial Energy Island Revealed” • Construction of the world’s first artificial energy island, that will serve as an energy hub for collecting and disturbing energy from offshore windfarms, is underway in the Belgium North Sea. Each concrete caisson weighs about 22,000 tonnes and takes close to three months to build. [Riviera Maritime Media]

¶ “Renewable Energy Averages 95% Share In Portugal In April” • The first four months of 2024 saw “historic” levels of renewable energy generation in Portugal, culminating in an “historic” 94.9% of consumption being met by renewables in April. It is the fourth consecutive month that has seen renewable energy values cover over 80% of demand. [RenewEconomy]

Solar farm in Portugal (muffinn, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

¶ “Qld Gov Announces $75 Million Hydrogen Expansion For Barcaldine Power Station” • The Barcaldine Power Station is to get a 30-MW hydrogen-ready generator as part of a $75 million upgrade investment from the Queensland Government. The generator would add to the existing 37-MW gas turbine. It could produce zero-emission electricity. [Energy Magazine]

¶ “Solar And Wind Could Replace Diesel At South Pole Station” • Argonne National Laboratory researchers have concluded that renewable energy could partially replace diesel fuel to provide heat and power at the South Pole. They proposed a solar, wind, and energy storage hybrid system that could reduce the use of diesel by 95%. [pv magazine International]

South Pole Station (Jonathan Berry, NSF, public domain)

¶ “French Nuclear Safety Authority Greenlights Commissioning Of Flamanville Power Plant” • After a 12-year construction delay, France’s first ‘EPR’ power plant has been approved for operation by the French nuclear safety authority. The decision will enable project owner EDF to begin loading nuclear fuel into the reactor, to produce 1,600 MW by the end of 2024. [Euractiv]

US:

¶ “First-Ever American-Built Offshore Wind Service Operations Vessel” • America’s offshore wind energy supply chain is marking a milestone, with the launch of the first wind service operations vessel built, owned, and crewed by Americans. It will play a key role in enabling domestic energy production and strengthening America’s energy independence. [CleanTechnica]

The ECO EDISON (Ørsted image)

¶ “BP Casts Covetous Eyes On Tesla Supercharger Assets” • The Tesla Supercharger network is recognized as the gold standard that all other charging companies aspire to match if they can. BP now says it is eager to snap up charging sites across the US, along with the employees who made Tesla’s sites possible and were just fired by Elon Musk. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ribbon Cutting At 85-MW US Array” • SMUD, the utility that provides Sacramento, California with electricity, is hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its 85-MW Solano 4 Wind Project in Rio Vista, California. The 19-unit site is a crucial component of the company’s 2030 Zero Carbon Plan to remove all carbon emissions from the utility’s power supply. [reNews]

Have an undeniably superlative day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Domestic US Automakers Still Need To Prepare For Chinese Competition” • Recent news is that the Biden administration plans to raise import taxes up on Chinese EVs from the current 25% to 100%. This would put a high price of Chinese EVs, which are not be eligible for major federal tax credits. But automakers still need to prepare. [CleanTechnica]

Chevy Bolt (Greg Gjerdingen, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Scientists Have Figured Out How To Make Algae-Based Plastic That Completely Decomposes” • Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, and materials company Algenesis may have found the answer to making plastics products that break down without forming into microplastics, tiny pieces of plastics that can linger for millennia. [ABC News]

¶ “Eight Things To Know About Electric School Bus Repowers” • Repowering existing school buses with a new electric drivetrain shows promise to provide school bus operators with a lower cost and more sustainable vehicle compared to buying a brand-new electric school bus. Here are eight things people should know about that. [CleanTechnica]

Repowering buses (Unique Electric Solutions image)

World:

¶ “Poor Kenyans Feel Devastated By Floods And Brutalized By The Government’s Response” • Floods and mudslides in Keyna, worsened by climate change, killed at least 267 people and impacted more than 380,000. To save lives in the future, the government ordered evacuations and demolition of homes built illegally too close to rivers. [ABC News]

¶ “Flash Floods Kill Hundreds And Injure Many Others In Afghanistan” • Flash floods from unusually heavy seasonal rains in Afghanistan have killed more than 300 people and destroyed over 1,000 houses, the The World Food Program said. The UN agency said it is distributing fortified biscuits to survivors of one of the floods that hit Afghanistan. [ABC News]

Afghanistan (EJ Wolfson, Unsplash)

¶ “125-MW Energy Storage Facility To Be Built Near Woodstock” • A renewable energy company based in Quebec, Boralex Inc, announced it was awarded a contract to build a battery system in South-West Oxford by Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator, the corporation that manages Ontario’s electric power system. [London Free Press]

¶ “Solar Prices Drop Up To 25%” • Solar prices in Pakistan have dropped by 15% to 25% due to widespread imports and increased supply relative to consumption in the country. Market sources suggest that one reason for the decrease in the prices of solar panels is the halt in imports of solar panels from China to the US, the EU, and India. [The Express Tribune]

Solar panels in New Zealand (Thomas Coker, Unsplash)

¶ “KRG, Iraqi Officials Convene Symposium On Drought And Climate Change Impacts” • A symposium on the critical issues of drought and climate change impacts convened in Erbil, drawing the participation of key officials from the Kurdistan Regional Government and Iraq, including Iraq’s President Latif Rasheed and KRG President Nechirvan Barzani. [Kurdistan24]

US:

¶ “US Coal-Fired Electricity Generation Decreased In 2022 And 2023” • Electricity generation from units that primarily consume coal in the Lower 48 states decreased for all hours of the day by about 23% between 2021 and 2023, according to our Form EIA-930, Hourly and Daily Balancing Authority Operations Report. The decline was mostly in 2022 and 2023. [CleanTechnica]

Coal-fired power plant (Sam LaRussa, Unsplash)

¶ “Largest Virtual Power Plant in USA Supports California’s Grid with 16,200 Home Solar-Plus-Storage Systems” • Sunrun, the leading US provider of clean energy as a subscription service, has networked over 16,200 customers’ solar-plus-storage systems to support the California electric grid during the summer months, using its CalReady power plant. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “More Electric Trucks Coming To US, But China Still Leads” • In the US, the transition to electric trucks is picking up speed, especially in Southern California. SoCal is where the majority of products manufactured in foreign countries enter the US, and the exhaust from all those diesel trucks in the area is a really oppressive burden. [CleanTechnica]

Volvo electric trucks (Courtesy of Amazon)

¶ “The Energy Transition Is Happening In Texas. Here’s One Example” • It’s not just the Texas legislature. When the CEO of ERCOT gave an update in late April, he mentioned the Inflation Reduction Act bringing more renewable energy to Texas. One of the programs will get more solar panels on top of North Texas homes and businesses. [NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth]

¶ “US Nuclear Power Regulator Seeks Documents On NuScale’s Protection Against Quakes” • An official with the US NRC has ordered staff to supply documents that could lead to a review of a 2020 approval of NuScale’s small modular reactors after an engineer raised concerns about its ability to resist earthquakes, documents showed. [Yahoo Movies Canada]

Have a sensationally tranquil day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Nuclear Energy: The New Geopolitical Battleground” • The West has had considerable success imposing energy sanctions on Russia, but the Russian nuclear exports are hard to kick. Now, as more western nations get serious about cutting Russia out of their nuclear energy supply chains, they push economic and geopolitical power off to China. [OilPrice.com]

Isar nuclear plant (E.ON Kernkraft GmbH, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Storing Renewable Energy Brings Reliability, Flexibility And Resilience For The Grid” • When paired with energy generated from renewable energy sources, battery storage can save money for consumers, help increase the efficiency of the electric grid, reduce carbon emissions and air pollution, and support good paying American jobs. [Lightsource bp]

¶ “Enhanced Geothermal Energy Could Be A Zero-Carbon Hero” • Recent advancements in geothermal technologies appear ready to expand geothermal’s reach significantly. These new methods, referred to as engineered, enhanced, or advanced geothermal systems, have made strides in scalability and could play a major role in the clean energy transition. [JD Supra]

Geothermal plant in Iceland (Tommy Kwak, Unsplash, cropped)

World:

¶ “Floods In Eastern Congo Causing Hardship To Almost Half A Million People” • The World Food Program said floods caused by heavy rains in eastern Congo caused hardship for over 470,000 people. WFP also said that it lacked the resources to respond to the needs of the people in flood areas. It attributed the heavy rains to climate change. [ABC News]

¶ “Renewable Energy Takes Market Share Away From Thermal Generation” • The Ember report says “The world is now at a turning point where solar and wind not only slow emissions growth, but actually start to push fossil generation into decline.” Global power emissions would have fallen in 2023, but drought reduced hydropower output. [CleanTechnica]

Annual electricity data (Courtesy of Ember)

¶ “The BYD Dolphin Is Now The Lowest Priced EV In South Africa” • BYD has introduced the Dolphin in South Africa. It will be the lowest priced battery EV in the country. The BYD Dolphin is about R150,000 ($8,000) cheaper than the Great Wall Motor Ora 03, the most affordable battery EV in South Africa before the Dolphin came along. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Amazon Enables Its First Wind Energy Projects In Poland” • Amazon agreed to buy 53 MW of clean energy capacity from two wind farms located in Jastrowie and Okonek, in Wielkopolskie Voivodeship in Poland. This initiative is its first investment in wind power in Poland. It had invested earlier in a PV farm in Miłkowice. [About Amazon Europe]

Windfarm (From Amazon)

¶ “Documents Suggest Alberta’s Renewable-Energy Pause Not Requested By AESO Head” • Internal emails show Alberta’s moratorium on renewable-energy projects was political and not requested by the system operator as the premier said. Newly uncovered documents show the CEO of the Alberta Electric System Operator opposed it. [CTV News Calgary]

¶ “Coal And Gas Supplied Just 21% Of Europe’s Power Last Month” • Together, coal and gas generated only 21% of electricity in the EU last month. The buildout of wind and solar in Europe is continuing apace, while hydropower is recovering from an extended drought. These sources produced 49% of electricity in the EU in April, data from Ember shows. [Yale E360]

EU electricity by source (Ember, please click on the image)

¶ “The Last Three German Nuclear Power Stations Will Cease On Saturday” • The German Government announced that it is disconnecting Germany’s last three nuclear plants: Emsland, Isar 2, and Neckarwestheim 2. Germany’s decision to stop its nuclear power was taken in 2002, an accelerated process in 2011 after the Fukushima Disaster. [Argia]

US:

¶ “Hawaii Officials Outline Efforts To Prevent More Devastating Wildfires Ahead Of A Dry Season” • As Maui continues to recover from the deadliest US wildfire in over a century, Hawaii officials are looking at preventing more disasters. Climate change has been causing more drought in Hawaii, and wildfires, once rare, are more frequent. [ABC News]

Maui, not a good place for a drought (Katie Musial, Unsplash)

¶ “Americans Burn 50% Less Fossil Fuel In Their Homes Than They Did 50 Years Ago” • Americans burn much less fossil fuel in their homes on average and use much more electricity than they did half a century ago. This means American homes had been electrifying everything long before the “Electrify Everything” movement came along. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Trump Promises Oil & Gas Execs Free Rein, If They Put $1 Billion Into His Campaign” • At a Mar-A-Lago meeting with fossil fuel executives in April, Trump suggested they get together and donate $1 billion to get him re-elected. Giving $1 billion would be a “deal,” Trump said, because of the taxation and regulation they would avoid. [CleanTechnica]

Donald Trump (Liam Enea, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “US Department Of Defense Catches Green Hydrogen Fever” • The US Department of the Defense pushed the market for solar power during the Obama administration, emerging as an early adopter powerhouse and large-scale buyer of PV technology. Now the Pentagon is getting ready to pivot into the hydrogen fuel cell microgrid field. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Oceantic Network Applauds Passage Of Maryland Offshore Wind Bill” • The Oceantic Network applauded the signing of bill Maryland HB 1296 by Governor Wes Moore, setting up a future offshore wind solicitation and allowing MarWin and Momentum Wind developer US Wind to renegotiate the offtake agreements it currently has. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

Have a truly magical day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Fixation On UK Nuclear Power May Not Help To Solve The Climate Crisis” • With researchers at Oxford and elsewhere agreeing that the UK could easily become entirely powered by wind and solar, with no fossil fuels required, it seems an anomaly that nuclear power is still getting the lion’s share of subsidies to keep the ailing industry alive. [The Guardian]

Wind turbine in the UK (Andrew Tryon, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Lithium-Sulfur EV Batteries To Be Tested By Automakers” • The crowded field of next-generation EV batteries is getting more crowded by the minute. New solid-state technology has been catching much of the attention, but lithium-sulfur formulas have also attracted innovators and investors. Sulfur is a low cost, non-toxic, abundant, material. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “2.5ºC Is Now The Best Case Scenario, Climate Scientists Tell The Guardian” • Recently, The Guardian reached out to every lead author or review editor of IPCC reports since 2018 to ask them how the fight against global heating was going. Of the 380 people who responded, many expect climate havoc to unfold in coming decades. [CleanTechnica]

San Francisco after 2020 fires (Patrick Perkins, Unsplash, cropped)

World:

¶ “What Falling Sales? Global EV Sales Grow 19% in March!” • Global plugin vehicle registrations were up 19% in March 2024 compared to March 2023. There were 1.3 million registrations. Battery EVs were up by 7% year over year, while plugin hybrids jumped 50% YOY, to be the second best month ever. Plugins took a 19% share of the auto market. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Norway Is Continuing To Lead The Transition To A Green Economy” • Two reports show how well Norway’s push to lower its carbon emissions is working. Of the 2.8 million registered cars in Norway, a quarter are EVs. No other country in the world has such a high share of EVs. In total there are about 715,000 electric cars on Norwegian roads. [CleanTechnica]

ASKO truck boarding a ferry (ASKO image)

¶ “BC Transit Bringing 66 Electric Buses to More Locations” • More communities in British Columbia are about to benefit from electric buses. Sixty-six electric buses are on order from Nova Bus and New Flyer, both pre-qualified suppliers. And there are nine communities in BC with transit electrification infrastructure projects getting started. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Southern States Guaranteed 1.7 GW In National Renewable Energy Tender” • The Australian government has confirmed that Victoria will have at least 1.4 GW of renewable energy projects and Tasmania will get at least 300 MW in the first Capacity Investment Scheme tender. The tender is expected to open for bids on 31 May 2024. [pv magazine Australia]

Ross River Solar Farm (CEFC Image)

¶ “Energy Vault And ACEN Australia To Develop 200-MW, 400-MWh Battery Storage Projects” • Energy storage provider Energy Vault Holdings Inc and ACEN Australia, a leading Australian energy producer, have entered into a contractual agreement for the deployment of two battery storage projects with a combined energy capacity of 400 MWh. [ETN News]

¶ “Labor’s Gas Strategy: What Is It And Why Do Critics Call It ‘Back To The Future’?” • Australia’s Albanese government has finally released its gas strategy. It says gas will remain a central part of Australia’s energy and export sectors to 2050 and beyond. Climate groups say it will be ‘devastating’ to Australian emissions reduction targets. [The Guardian]

Gas-fired power plant (OLU, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “104,000 Panel Solar Farm Set To Power The University Of Manchester” • The University of Manchester signed a deal that will see up to 65% of its electricity demand supplied through a renewables project. Once complete, Medebridge Solar Farm will comprise 104,000 solar panels across 175 acres of low-grade agricultural land. [Envirotec Magazine]

¶ “Companies Partner To Boost Biodiversity At UK Renewable Energy Sites” • Two companies are working together on five solar+battery projects in the UK to ensure that each site meets its biodiversity net gain targets. The targets require improvements in the habitat as part of The Environment Act 2021 that came into force this year. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

Solar site (Courtesy of Queequeg Renewables)

US:

¶ “Chevrolet Malibu Heads For The Junkyard As GM Shifts Focus To Electric Vehicles” • The Chevrolet Malibu, the last midsize car manufactured by a Detroit car maker, is heading to the junkyard. General Motors confirmed that it will stop making the car, which came out in 1964, as the company focuses more on EVs. GM sold just over 130,000 Malibus last year. [ABC News]

¶ “Eli Opens Reservations For Its $12K ZERO Electric Microcar In The US” • If you’ve been waiting for a super-cheap EV that can handle all of your daily driving needs, you’re in luck. Eli Electric Vehicles is taking reservations in the US for its flagship vehicle, the $12,000 ZERO microcar, and sales are expected to begin in the third quarter of this year. [CleanTechnica]

Eli ZERO (Courtesy of Eli)

¶ “Vanadium Flow Batteries Are Coming For Your Gas Power Plant” • Back in 2020, the US DOE issued the $20 million Energy Storage Grand Challenge, aimed at supporting innovations that reduce the cost of manufacturing flow batteries. Technical issues and manufacturing are being addressed, and improved products are coming to market. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Colorado Legislature Passes Crucial Bill Advancing Renewable Energy Siting, Helping State Meet Ambitious Decarbonization Goals” • Colorado passed a key bill that takes a first step toward expediting the deployment of clean energy infrastructure, which is essential for driving the state toward its ambitious targets for decarbonization. [Clean Air Task Force]

Have an etherially alluring day.

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Opinion:

¶ “The Power Of Taxing ‘Untaxed Externalities’” • Economists use the term “untaxed externalities” to describe financial impacts of human behavior that are not figured into the costs of doing business. For an Oil & Gas company, that might mean making taxpayers cover the cost of capping a non-productive oil well. The EU and US are working to stop that. [CleanTechnica]

Oil rig (Jared Evans, Unsplash)

¶ “From Whale Oil To Wind Power: The Fossil Fuel Industry’s Disinformation Is An Ocean of Hypocrisy” • Oil producers are spreading disinformation about offshore wind. They are sowing distrust and doubt, directing attention away from their damage, and wasting precious time when we should be accelerating wind power development. [The Equation]

Science and Technology:

¶ “A Surge In Sea Level Rise Threatens Southern States” • Sea levels in the Gulf of Mexico have risen by six inches or more in the past 10 years. Most oceanographers expected that amount of change would not happen until the end of this century, and only if global warming was to surpass 2ºC. Scientists are scrambling to determine the cause. [CleanTechnica]

Fort Myers Beach, Florida (Nick Nolan, Unsplash)

¶ “World’s Top Climate Scientists Expect Global Heating To Blast Past 1.5°C Target” • Hundreds of the world’s leading climate scientists expect global temperatures to rise to at least 2.5°C (4.5°F) above preindustrial levels this century, blasting past international targets and causing catastrophic consequences, a Guardian survey shows. [The Guardian]

World:

¶ “EVs Take 24.7% Share In The UK – BMW Leading Battery-Electric Brand” • April’s auto market saw plugin EVs take a 24.7% share in the UK, up from 21.9%, year on year. Volume growth was modest for battery EVs, and decent for plugin hybrids. Overall auto volume was 134,274 units, up just 1% YoY. The UK’s leading battery EV brand in April was BMW. [CleanTechnica]

BMW iX (Alexander Migl, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “VinFast Officially Launches In The Philippines” • VinFast Auto announced it will officially enter the Philippine EV market in late May 2024 with its diverse and smart green vehicles. The debut affirms VinFast’s commitment to being a leader in the Southeast Asian markets and its mission to promote the electrification of transportation globally. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Kenya Ranks Among Leading African Nations In Renewable Energy Uptake ” • Kenya is among African countries that are leveraging on renewable energy adoption, only ranking behind Senegal and Morocco. The three countries each generate around a fifth (20%) of their electricity from solar and wind,” the recent Ember report says. [The Star, Kenya]

Wind farm, Kenya (Andrew Owuor, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “Renewable Power Starts Gaining Market Share” • Renewable power long seemed stuck at 20% of global power generation. That is now changing as investment picks up and capacity turns over. Renewables, including hydropower, account for 30% of global power and look set to advance this share by 10-15 percentage points every ten years or so. [Energy Intelligence]

¶ “Aggreko Backs Modular Tech For Offgrid Solar And Storage Solution” • Energy company Aggreko completed construction of a 4.4-MW solar farm and 2-MW, 1-MWh battery storage system that will help power Australian miner Northern Star Resources’ Porphyry mine operation under a long-term power purchase agreement. [pv magazine Australia]

Solar + storage (Image courtesy of 5B)

¶ “Russia Reveals It Is Building A Nuclear Power Plant To Put On The Moon” • Russia has revealed it has started building a nuclear power plant to be put on the moon for a planned joint lunar base with China. The countries are collaborating on the International Lunar Research Station, a massive complex on the moon that is set to break ground in 2026. [MSN]

US:

¶ “Got $200K And Want To Fly Electric? This Ultralight eVTOL Ships In July And Doesn’t Require A Pilot License” • For about $200,000, you might be able to attain the ultimate in e-mobility early adopter status. The Pivotal Helix eVTOL is available for order in the US, with deliveries starting in July, and you don’t even need a pilot license. [CleanTechnica]

The Pivotal Helix light eVTOL (Courtesy of Pivotal)

¶ “The Southeast US Battery Belt Is Learning To Love EVs” • EV battery plants are reinvigorating areas of the Southeast that were left destitute by factory closings, to the point that the region has a new nickname: the Battery Belt. It’s a name for a geographic manufacturing sector that is becoming the core for the domestic cleantech supply chain. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Goleta City Facilities Move To 100% Renewable Energy” • The City of Goleta is poised to meet and exceed municipal renewable energy goals earlier than expected. The Goleta City Council unanimously approved powering all City facilities with 100% clean, renewable energy through the City’s Community Choice Aggregator, starting in July. [News Channel 3-12]

Wind turbines (City of Goleta)

¶ “Feds Target Tesla Over Autopilot And Full Self Driving Claim” • For almost ten years, regulators have been wrangling with Elon Musk over his claims that Tesla’s cars can drive themselves with little to no input from human drivers. Even the name “Autopilot” has been controversial, as many contend it lulls drivers into a false sense of security. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Oil Industry Could Help The Biden Administration Tap ‘Invisible’ Green Energy” • A report from the US DOE makes a bold statement. It points out that the nascent US geothermal industry has a ready workforce of 300,000 engineers, drillers, hydrologists, and power plant operators ready to tap right here in this country. [NPR]

Have a perfectly delightful day.

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World:

¶ “Earth Experienced Its Warmest April On Record” • Earth just experienced its eleventh straight warmest month on record. Last month continued a relentless stretch of record-breaking global temperatures for the planet after it was found to be the warmest April on record, said the monthly climate report by Copernicus, Europe’s climate change service. [ABC News]

Cooling off (Gary Cole, Unsplash)

¶ “Electricity From Clean Sources Reaches 30% Of Global Total” • Last year set a record for renewable energy sources, the ones that do not emit such global warming gases as carbon dioxide and methane, says a report published by Ember, a think tank based in London. For the first time, 30% of world’s electricity was from clean energy sources. [ABC News]

¶ “Hyundai Will Invest Nearly $1 Billion To Keep Motional Viable” • Hyundai Motor Group announced it will invest nearly $1 billion in Motional, a robotaxi business that is a joint venture between Hyundai and Aptiv. The Motional robotaxi, based on the Hyundai Ioniq 5, will be made at the Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Center in Singapore. [CleanTechnica]

Hyundai Ioniq 5 N (Hyundai image)

¶ “Saint-Gobain Invests In Renewable Energy For Romanian Glass Sites” • Saint-Gobain has signed a five-year renewable electricity supply agreement in Romania with OMV Petrom. The contract covers the purchase of green electricity from wind and PV sources provided by energy supplier OMV Petrom and will start in January 2026. [Glass International]

¶ “Company Receives Approval To Install Fully Submerged Wave Energy Converter To Generate Clean Power” • An Irish company, CETO Wave Energy Ireland, a subsidiary of Carnegie Clean Energy, has received approval to place a fully submerged wave energy converter system in Basque Country, Spain, Interesting Engineering reported. [The Cool Down]

Wave converter (CETO Technology image)

¶ “IKEA Is Now Selling A Hot New Product: Renewable Energy” • In order to hit its goal of becoming a climate-positive company by 2030, IKEA is increasingly focused on selling sustainable products. With a new product line, Swedish customers can buy both wind and solar power through an app, which also lets them track their usage. [Yahoo Movies Canada]

¶ “Fossil Fuels Are ‘Becoming Obsolete’ As Solar Panel Prices Plummet” • The cost of solar power has dropped by 87% over the last decade, a study by Berlin-based Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change shows. The world is moving towards a point where fossil fuel-generated power is no longer economically viable. [Yahoo News UK]

Fossil fuel burning power plant (Ivo Lukacovic, Unsplash)

¶ “Ingeteam Picks Up 380-MW Oz PV Order” • Ingeteam has been selected by Acciona Energía as a technology partner to provide its power conversion and control technology for a 380-MW solar project in Australia. The Aldoga Solar Farm, linked to a 15-year PPA, is 20 kilometres northwest of Gladstone on the Central Queensland Coast. [reNews]

US:

¶ “Lilium Announces Firm Order Of Twenty Lilium Jets From US Operator UrbanLink” • Lilium NV announced a partnership with air mobility operator UrbanLink for Lilium Jets in South Florida. UrbanLink will buy twenty Lilium Jets, with pre-delivery payments, and become the first airline in the US fully committed to using eVTOL aircraft in its fleet. [CleanTechnica]

Lilium e-jet (Lilium image)

¶ “Consider Climate Risk Events As ‘Constant Threats’” • In the US, climate risk events are happening more frequently in places where development was once deemed safe. Until recently, most people were not concerned with how their ability to be insured would change. But now, catastrophic climate disasters wreaking havoc have changed that. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Renewable Energy Bill Heads To Governor’s Desk” • Vermont lawmakers gave final approval to a bill that will accelerate the state’s transition toward clean energy by requiring utilities to get 100% of their power from renewable sources by 2035. The bill, H.289, was lauded by environmentalists. Republicans, claiming cost concerns, blasted it. [Seven Days]

Solar array in Guilford (Beyond My Ken, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “University Of Denver To Make Its Electricity 100% Solar” • The University of Denver is doubling down on becoming a leader in green energy. It has partnered with Pivot Energy, planning to build enough new solar panels on campus and at dedicated solar farms nearby to completely offset university electricity use in about three years. [The Colorado Sun]

¶ “Three Large Solar Projects Set To Come Online In Wisconsin This Year” • Wisconsin has three large solar projects with a total capacity of 650 MW expected to come online in 2024, with more coming after that. Two of the solar farms are joint ventures of WEC Energy Group utilities and Madison Gas & Electric. The third is an Alliant Energy project. [WPR]

Solar array (Courtesy of Wisconsin Public Service)

¶ “US Falls Behind Renewable Energy Transition Despite Global Progress” • Despite growing momentum towards sustainability seen internationally, the US seems to be struggling to match the pace of this transition. As countries increasingly adopt renewable energy, the US is lagging, primarily due to its preference for gas over cleaner alternatives. [Tech Times]

¶ “US Ready To Replace Russian Uranium Imports, Official Says” • The US Senate passed the legislation to ban Russian uranium imports, as part of the effort to curb revenues for Russia’s war on Ukraine. The bill, which will now go to President Joe Biden to be signed, starts 90 days after enactment. The DOE will be able to issue waivers, however. [Power Technology]

Have an endearingly uncomplicated day.

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Opinion:

¶ “What In The World Is Going On In The World Of Tesla?” • If Tesla is committed to ending the fossil fuel madness, we are all for it. But if it is just a way for a 52-year-old man-child to throw big tantrums, then we should be prepared to see it go. Sadly, the tea leaves seem to be pointing to a downward spiral and possible collapse of Tesla as a leading EV maker. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla Model Y (Tesla image)

Science and Technology:

¶ “How Do Scientists Know How Much Climate Change Affects A Hurricane, A Heat Wave, A Drought, And More?” • Scientists can tell with increased certainty how much climate change influences the severity and intensity of weather events, by comparing data from weather in the real world to a modeled world that has not had climate change. [Yale Climate Connections]

¶ “Fusion Record Set For Tungsten Tokamak WEST” • Scientists at the US DOE’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory measured a new record for a fusion device internally clad in tungsten. The device sustained a hot fusion plasma of roughly 50 million degrees Celsius for a record six minutes with 1.15 gigajoules of power injected. [Phys.org]

Interior of Tokamak WEST (CEA-IRFM)

World:

¶ “Italy Curbs Installation Of Solar Panels On Agricultural Land” • Italy’s rightwing coalition passed rules curbing the installation of solar panels on agricultural land, ministers said, in a move that triggered criticism as it could impair Rome’s decarbonisation goals. The new rules, part of a broader package of measures to protect farming and fisheries. [Reuters]

¶ “European Commission Sharpens Inquiry Into Chinese EV Subsidies” • Last October, the European Commission opened an inquiry to find whether China is giving its automakers unfair subsidies. With no responses to questions sent to carmakers in China, it is now proceeding with action based on the assumption that unfair subsidies do exist. [CleanTechnica]

BYD roll-on-roll-off shipping vessel (BYD image)

¶ “Mobile Hydrogen Generator Launched In Victoria” • Victorian Minister for Energy and Resources, Lily D’Ambrosio, launched the H2PowerBox, which has solar panels, an electrolyser, and a fuel cell, which allows it to power to remote communities. The plan is to have a network of them in the state as an alternative to diesel generators. [Energy Magazine]

¶ “Irish Wind Fleet ‘Delivered Stellar April’” • The latest figures show Irish wind farms generated 1,076 GWh of power in April 2024, slightly less than the previous record of 1,112 GWh in April 2023. Wind energy provided 32% of Ireland’s electricity last month while the report also shows its average wholesale price in April 2024 was €88.52, down 30% YOY. [reNews]

Wind turbines (Waldemar, Unsplash)

¶ “Microsoft Signs Record Corporate PPA For Green Energy” • Microsoft signed a $10 billion agreement for over 10.5 GW of renewable energy capacity, to be developed by Brookfield Asset Management and Brookfield Renewable Partners. The deal is almost eight times as big as the largest single corporate PPA ever signed, Brookfield said. [Balkan Green Energy News]

¶ “Renewable Energy Set To Overtake Coal As Largest Source Of Power Globally” • The IEA found that a massive move towards clean energy, largely driven by Russia invading Ukraine, will see the world add as much renewable capacity in the next five years as it did in the last two decades. As a result, coal is falling behind renewables. [Yahoo Lifestyle Canada]

Solar panels (Markus Spiske, Unsplash)

¶ “Exus Snaps Up 51-MW Spanish Wind Project” • Exus Renewables has acquired a 51-MW wind farm project in the north of Spain, from independent Spanish company Enhol Group. The scheme is ready to build and is expected to be in operation in the third quarter of 2025. It includes the potential for solar hybridisation and co-located battery storage. [reNews]

US:

¶ “Alaska Tidal Energy: New Study Shows Alaska’s Cook Inlet Could Power 70,000 Homes” • An NREL study funded by the US DOE’s Water Power Technologies Office examines how much value the new but fast-growing tidal energy industry could bring to Alaska’s Railbelt grid. Cook Inlet contains some of the largest tidal energy resources on Earth. [CleanTechnica]

Cook Inlet (Brendan McMurrer, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

¶ “US DOE Provides $26 Million To Support Energy Saving Projects” • The US DOE announced over $26.9 million to nine states, 27 local governments and one Tribe for the next round of formula grants through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program. In most cases, applications for the next round are due in October. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶ “Texas Goes Big On Solar + Storage That Can Power Over 41,000 Homes” • A 208-MW solar farm with 80 MWh of storage has come online west of San Antonio, Texas. Developers Cypress Creek Renewables brought the Zier Solar + Storage facility online in Brackettville, Texas, on May 2, 2024. Zier can provide annual electricity needs of 41,600 homes. [Electrek]

Solar farm in Texas (Cypress Creek Renewables)

¶ “Adams Electric Cooperative Receives Renewable Energy Grant” • In Illinois, the Adams Electric Cooperative has received a $5 million grant from the US DOE’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstration. Money will be used to install a 1-MW wind turbine and 1-MW solar array in Schuyler County near their Sugar Grove substation. [WGEM]

¶ “How bp Turns Landfill Waste Into Renewable Natural Gas” • Among the waste decomposing at farms and landfills across the US, bp saw something it liked: an abundant source of energy, one that could provide the company with a new revenue stream and another way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. So it acquired Archaea Energy in 2022. [BP]

Have a surprisingly simple day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Long Duration Energy Storage From Thin Air: Just Add Water” • Unlike lithium-ion batteries that typically last about 4-6 hours, a long duration energy storage system can deliver for periods up to full days, weeks, or even seasons. At that level, wind and solar energy could provide for nuclear-style stability, at a fraction of the cost. [CleanTechnica]

Water (Thierry Meier, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Zero-Emission Zones Are Helping Some Cities Worldwide Fight Pollution” • With growing urban populations and increases in cars, trucks, and buses, cities are poised to experience more harmful pollution threatening people’s health and livelihoods. But cities across the world are turning to an emerging solution called zero-emission zones. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Truck Manufacturers A More Carbon Intensive Investment Than Oil, Steel Or Cars: Study” • Truckmakers’ emissions in the EU are 50% higher than what they tell investors, a Transport & Environment study shows. With mandatory scope 3 reporting kicking in for investors this year, T&E calls on all truckmakers to switch to zero-emission models. [CleanTechnica]

Scania truck (Scania image)

¶ “EVs At 24.3% Share In France – Battery EVs Grow Volume 45% YOY” • The auto market saw plugin EVs at 24.3% share in France in April 2024, up from 21.1% YOY. Full electric volume was up by a strong 45%, while plugin hybrid volume was flat. Overall auto volume was 146,979 units, up 11% YOY, though remaining below 2017–2019 seasonal norms. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “India Tendered ‘Record’ 70 GW Of Renewables In FY 2024” • Renewable energy tender issuances in India crossed a record 69 GW in FY 2024 on the back of a strong push for them by the central government, according to a joint report by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis and JMK Research & Analytics. [pv magazine India]

Solar array in Gujarat, (Epagemakerwiki, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “Dublin Identifies Four New Offshore Wind Areas” • Ireland’s Environment Minister, Eamon Ryan published the draft South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan, the country’s first spatial plan for renewable energy at sea. The draft plan identifies four areas off the south coast of Ireland for proposed offshore wind projects. [reNews]

¶ “Shell Signs Amazon’s Single-Largest Renewable Energy Deal” • Royal Dutch Shell Plc reached an agreement with Amazon.com Inc to provide renewable power from its offshore wind farm to the latter’s European facilities. Currently in development, the Hollandse Kust Noord offshore wind farm will have a capacity of 759 MW. [Yahoo Movies Canada]

Offshore wind farm (Carl Raw, Unsplash)

¶ “Norway’s Scatec And Orascom-Led Consortium To Build Two Wind Power Plants In Egypt” • Scatec and a consortium led by Orascom Construction have separately secured land allocations for two major wind power projects in Sohag Governorate. With a combined capacity of 8 GW, the projects represent $9 billion in foreign direct investment. [ZAWYA]

¶ “EU Reaches Provisional Deal To Raise Renewable Energy Target” • The EU parliament reached a provisional deal to raise the share of renewables in its energy mix. The European Council said the agreement would raise the renewable energy target to 42.5% of total consumption by 2030. The current goal for the EU is 32%. [Yahoo Movies Canada]

Solar array (Mariana Proença, Unsplash)

¶ “Activists Behind Shell Climate Verdict Target Multinationals” • The Dutch wing of environmental group Friends of the Earth won a landmark court case against Royal Dutch Shell last year. It launched a campaign demanding thirty corporations with legal bases in the Netherlands publish plans for big cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. [Yahoo News Singapore]

US:

¶ “Making More Batteries With Fewer Materials” • The US DOE’s Argonne National Laboratory is developing a process that could dramatically increase the number of EV batteries produced from mined nickel ore. The effort is part of a partnership with Talon Metals, a US mining company with plans for high-grade nickel ore production domestically. [CleanTechnica]

Scientists examine core samples (Image by Talon Metals)

¶ “How Artificial Intelligence Could Transform The US Energy Infrastructure” • One hundred experts from the fields of clean energy and artificial intelligence met at Argonne for two days to discuss how to secure America’s energy future. The AI for Energy report outlines their vision. It says the daunting challenge is not impossible with AI to help. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Electrify America Turns Back To Growth” • Years ago, Electrify America announced a “Boost Plan,” aiming to increase numbers of stations and chargers by over 100% by the end of 2025. Serious hardware problems got in the way, forcing the company to slow down. But another recent announcement shows us the company feels ready for growth again. [CleanTechnica]

Electrify America station (Electrify America image)

¶ “Bigger Utilities To Benefit Most From Biden’s Clean-Energy Funds” • Large US electric utilities with renewable power projects already in the works will benefit most in the sector from new federal clean energy funding, analysts and researchers said. The ones already at the forefront of developing solar and wind will be cleaning up. [Yahoo Lifestyle Canada]

¶ “Lawmakers Pen Letter To Holtec Amid Evaporation At Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station” • Ongoing evaporation at the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station has drawn the attention of lawmakers, who are calling on Holtec International to answer questions laid out in a letter by the end of the month. The letter is cosigned by Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren, as well as Rep Bill Keating. [CapeCod.com]

Have an entirely entertaining day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Small Reactors Don’t Add Up As A Viable Energy Source” • The nuclear industry is offering Small Modular Reactors, SMRs, as an alternative to large reactors as a possible solution to climate change. When evaluated on the basis of cost per unit of power capacity, however, SMRs are actually far more expensive than the very expensive large reactors. [Cosmos Magazine]

San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (Jelson25, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

World:

¶ “EVs Take 91.0% Share In Norway – Volvo EX30 Grabs Top Spot” • The April auto market saw plugin EVs take 91.0% share in Norway, roughly flat from 91.1% year on year. Battery EVs took 89.4% share, up from 83.3% YOY. Overall auto volume was 11,241 units, up 25% YOY, a recovery over recent months. April’s best selling battery EV was the Volvo EX30. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Hydrostor Plans Two Large Compressed Air Storage Facilities, One In Australia And One In California” • Hydrostor, based in Toronto, has a plan to construct two massive long-term energy storage facilities. One is a 200-MW, 1,600-MWh facility near Sydney, Australia. The other is a 500-MW, 4,000-MWh plant in Kern County, California. [CleanTechnica]

Rendering of Silver City Energy Centre (Hydrostor image)

¶ “China’s Fresh Wind Power Bid Shows Huge Prospects In Bangladesh” • Power China, the builder of Bangladesh’s first 60-MW capacity wind power plant, is considering building two new similar plants with a combined capacity of 260 MW near one in Cox’s Bazar, showing substantial prospects of such renewable energy in the country. [The Financial Express]

¶ “Why Scotland Is Leading The World In This Essential Type Of Alternative Energy” • It is by a quirk of geography that the Orkney Islands, off the northern tip of Scotland, are unusually well-positioned to bear witness to the ocean’s might. On the islands’ western shores, waves crash ceaselessly. The Orkney Islands are ideally suited for research. [Inverse]

Orbital Marine Power generator (Orbital Marine Power image)

¶ “North Korea Risking Another Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster Which Threatens Millions” • North Korea could be close to a new disaster that could threaten 100 million lives, a report warns. Safety shortcuts and poor maintenance are increasing concerns that the secretive regime is putting millions across Asia in ‘mortal danger.’ [Yahoo Life UK]

US:

¶ “178 People Rescued Amid Texas Flood Watch’” • A flood watch remains in effect for more than 11 million people in Texas and Oklahoma as numerous flood warnings were issued and residents are urged not to drive on flooded roads. The Trinity River, to the northeast of Houston, is forecast to be higher than it was during Hurricane Harvey in 2017. [ABC News]

After Hurricane Harvey (Jill Carlson, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

¶ “Three Groups Are Suing New Jersey To Block An Offshore Wind Farm” • Three groups opposed to wind power filed suit in appellate court challenging a determination by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection that the Atlantic Shores wind farm project meets the requirements of a federal coastal protection law. [ABC News]

¶ “US EV Sales Up 170% In First Quarter vs First Quarter Of 2021” • Is the hype about EV sales drooping true? Well, a little, maybe. Compared to Q1 2023, EV sales are up only a little bit in the first quarter of 2024, just 2%. However, if you look back two years, EV sales are up 71%, and if you look back three years to Q1 2021, EV sales are up 170%! [CleanTechnica]

EV charging (Chuttersnap, Unsplash)

¶ “Tyson Foods Is Dumping Millions Of Pounds Of Pollutants Into American Waterways” • An investigation by the Union of Concerned Scientists reveals that Tyson Foods has dumped 371 million pounds of pollutants, including nitrogen, phosphorus, chloride, oil, and cyanide, into American waterways in the past five years. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “New Study Uncovers Major Equity Gap In Clean Energy Generation” • A Stanford University study shows a renewable energy generation gap between wealthy and disadvantaged communities, despite the clear benefit from cheaper power for the latter group. “We were astonished to see there is still such a large difference,” its lead author said. [The Cool Down]

Have a jovially convivial day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Car Fires By Vehicle Type” • If you believe the memes from people who try to deter you from driving an EV, fires in EVs might seem like a big deal. Data from federal recalls, the Federal Transportation Safety Board, and the Bureau of Traffic Statistics don’t show that. It turns out that fires are thousands of times more likely in gas-powered cars than in EVs. [CleanTechnica]

Burning car (Riley Edwards, Unsplash)

¶ “New Sodium-Ion Battery Could Charge An Electric Vehicle In Seconds, Not Minutes” • EV charging goalposts are moving. New research indicates that sodium-ion EV batteries could charge up in seconds, not minutes. Not only does that beat today’s best lithium-ion technology, it even beats gas and diesel fuels at their own game. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “At Least 37 Dead As Southern Brazil Hit By The Worst Floods In 80 Years” • Heavy rains in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul killed 39 people, with another 68 still missing, the state civil defense agency said. Record-breaking floods laid waste to cities and forced thousands to leave their homes. Records have been kept for 150 years. [ABC News]

Home in Brazil’s rainforest (Daniel Granja, Unsplash)

¶ “EVs Take 56.9% Share In Sweden” • April saw plugin EVs take a 56.9% share in Sweden, up modestly YOY from 55.7%. The battery EV share fell slightly YoY, while plugin hybrid EV share climbed higher. Overall auto volume was 21,977 units, up some 7% YOY. The new Volvo EX30 was March’s bestselling battery EV, its first time in the top spot. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Fossil Fuel Companies Build Structures To Hide Methane Flaring From Satellites” • There are two ways to dispose of excess methane at the wellhead: release it directly into the atmosphere or burn it by flaring. Methane detecting satellites detect releases, and burning has a heat signature. Companies have found ways to hide the heat signature. [CleanTechnica]

MethaneSAT (Image from the Environmental Defense Fund)

¶ “EDF Renewables Is Building 1.2 GW Of Power Generation Capacity In SA” • EDF Renewables in South Africa is leading the construction of almost 1.2 GW of low-carbon generating capacity in the country. The capacity includes 763 MW wind power, 355 MW solar PV, and 75 MW of battery storage at eight sites in the Northern and Eastern Cape Provinces. [IOL]

¶ “This Small German Town Took Back The Power And Went Fully Renewable” • With 100% and more of its electricity coming from renewable sources, the German town of Wolfhagen shows particularly well what can be achieved when municipalities adopt innovative approaches to the ownership and governance of key infrastructure. [Yahoo News UK]

Wolfhagen (Dirk Schmidt, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power Signs $4.85 Billion Deal for Central Asia’s Largest Wind Farm” • Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power signed a Power Purchase Agreement with the National Electric Grid of Uzbekistan for Central Asia’s largest wind farm, the Aral 5-GW Wind Independent Power Producer project, located in the Karakalpakstan region. [Asharq Al-awsat]

¶ “Renewables reached 64.6% in April in Spain” • In April of 2024, renewables generated 13,515 GWh, 21% more than in April 2023, and reached a share of the total of 64.6%. This past April was the first month in history in which three renewable technologies led the Spanish mix: wind (22.2% of the total), hydropower (19.7%) and solar PV (18.8%). [evwind.es]

Wind turbines in Spain (John Cameron, Unsplash)

¶ “Australia Says Coal To Nuclear Switch Would Cost $249 Billion” • Replacing Australia’s coal-fired power stations with small modular nuclear power reactors would cost A$387 billion ($249 billion), according to Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen. The high cost makes such a transition a “unicorn and a fantasy,” Bowen said. [Yahoo Movies UK]

US:

¶ “US Loosens Some EV Battery Rules, Potentially Increasing Tax Credit Eligibility” • The US government has loosened some rules governing EV tax credits, potentially making more EVs eligible for credits of up to $7,500 but leading critics to accuse the Biden administration of helping China. The credits range from $3,750 to $7,500 for new EVs. [ABC News]

BYD Dolphin (Michael Förtsch, Unsplash)

¶ “Wind Turbine Blades Made Of Wood Can Outperform Those Made Of Composites” • Wind turbines are mostly recyclable, but not usually the turbine blades. There is a race on to find more sustainable materials to make them, with wood among those in the running. Wood can offer better performance and contribute to a circular economy. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Extremely Active Hurricane Forecast Highlights Importance Of Resilient Solar Power” • Colorado State University forecasters issued a dire prediction for the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season: it is expected to be “extremely active,” with the highest number of hurricanes ever forecasted since the team released predictions in 1995. [Environment+Energy Leader]

Hurricane (NASA, Unsplash, rotated)

¶ “Gov Green Establishes Climate Advisory Team To Develop Resilience Policy” • Hawaii Governor Josh Green, MD announced inauguration of the Climate Advisory Team. This newly formed committee, comprising experts and stakeholders, is dedicated to tackling the challenges of climate disasters and giving guidance for Hawaii’s strategy for resilience. [Maui Now]

¶ “Georgia Residents Will See Higher Power Bills As Second Nuclear Reactor Comes Online At Plant Vogtle” • Unit 4 at Plant Vogtle is operating commercially. The project was estimated at $14 billion, but the cost is nearly $35 billion. Regulators approved a 6% rate increase to cover the increased cost, so Georgia Power customers will pay for it. [WABE]

Have a totally copacetic day.

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Opinion:

¶ “’Capitalism Won’t Save The Planet’: Book Review” • The idea that ‘market forces’ can achieve a transition away from fossil fuels is demolished in The Price is Wrong: Why Capitalism Won’t Save the Planet, a highly readable polemic by Brett Christophers. The wholesale electricity market will not be moved by prices. It will be moved by profits. [The Ecologist]

Fearless girl (Daniel Lloyd Blunk-Fernández, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Light, Flexible, Efficient Perovskite-Based Tandem Solar Cells” • All-perovskite tandem solar cells could soon pick up as silicon solar cells reach their limits. These highly efficient, lightweight, and flexible cells proved themselves in the laboratory. Now, Empa researchers are working on scaling them up and making them ready for the real world. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “EV Sales Continue To Increase In Norway” • If incentives like the exemption from paying import duties and VAT disappear, sales should go down, right? Not always. Electrive reports that 10,051 electric cars were sold in Norway in April, 2024. EV sales were up by 2,580 vehicles compared to April, 2023, an increase of 34.5% year over year. [CleanTechnica]

Norwegian countryside (Michael Fousert, Unsplash)

¶ “RYTLE’s MovR3 E-Cargo Bike Has An Onboard Pallet Lift For Quick Loading And Unloading” • The MovR3 electric cargo bike from Germany’s RYTLE has a feature that enables the driver to swap out an empty cargo box for a full one, similar to how a semi can drop an empty trailer and hook up a full one. This does well in a delivery micro-hub system. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Capacity Addition in FY24, Solar Dominates with 15 GW Contribution” • In FY24, renewable energy sources dominated new power capacity in India, contributing 71% of the total. Solar led the way at 15 GW. The total installed capacity reached 442 GW, with renewables comprising 32.5% and coal dropping below 50% for the first time to 49.2%. [Krishi Jagran]

Indian farmhouse (VD Photography, Unsplash)

¶ “Tidal Energy Market To Reach $8.6 billion, Globally, By 2033 At 21.9% CAGR: Allied Market Research” • According to a report by Allied Market Research, the tidal energy market was valued at $1.2 billion in 2023 and is estimated to be $8.6 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 21.9% from 2024 to 2033. The report lists several factors pushing growth. [GlobeNewswire]

¶ “Ireland Unveils Roadmap For 37 GW Of Offshore Wind By 2050” • The government of Ireland announced a roadmap to enable the country to deliver 37 GW of offshore wind by 2050. It plans to deliver 20 GW of offshore wind by 2040 and at least 37 GW by 2050. It also provides the basis for Ireland’s ambitious offshore renewable energy targets. [Splash247]

Offshore wind farm (Enterprise Ireland, Irish Sea Contractors)

¶ “UK’s Battery Project Pipeline Skyrockets By Two-Thirds” • RenewableUK’s latest report on battery projects in the UK indicates a 67.4% growth in battery project capacity over the past year, totalling 95.6 GW. The operational capacity of battery storage has now reached 4.4 GW, with an additional 4.3 GW under construction. [Energy Live News]

¶ “Winds Of Change: UK Offshore Wind Sector Breaks Records” • In 2023, the UK offshore wind industry achieved significant milestones according to The Crown Estate’s UK Offshore Wind Report. Highlights include a record-setting 49 TWh of electricity generated by offshore wind, equivalent to powering half of all UK households. [Energy Live News]

Offshore wind farm (Pete Godfrey, Unsplash)

¶ “Paris Vows To Halve Offshore Wind Rollout Times” • The French Government vowed to halve the time it takes to develop offshore wind farms to help meet renewable energy targets. Government ministers said the length of time it takes to get an offshore wind operational in the country was damaging the development of the sector. [reNews]

¶ “Egypt Eyes Large Role In Green Hydrogen Production” • As host of COP27 two years ago, Egypt saw a flurry of proposals for large-scale green hydrogen production, mostly in the huge Suez Canal Economic Zone. The proposals draw upon Egypt’s rich solar and wind resources to power electrolysis, anticipating such hydrogen derivatives as ammonia. [OilPrice.com]

Suez Canal (Daniel Csörföly, public domain)

US:

¶ “US Funding Notice: Fiscal Year 2024 Photovoltaics Research & Development” • An office of the US DOE announced the 2024 Photovoltaics Research & Development funding. It will award up to $20 million for innovative solar PV R&D to reduce PV costs, reduce carbon and energy intensity of PV making, and optimize PV technology for new markets. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Lawsuits And Petitions Aim To Redirect Fossil Fuel Disaster Funding Toward Distributed Renewable Energy And Storage” • Energy justice, consumer, and environmental groups sued FEMA and HUD failing to produce plans to use resilient renewable energy to rebuild communities ravaged by the worsening climate emergency. [Center for Biological Diversity]

Impartial justice (Tingey Injury Law Firm, Unsplash)

¶ “Missouri House Approves Bill Prohibiting Eminent Domain For Solar, Wind Energy Projects” • With two weeks left in the Missouri General Assembly’s session, lawmakers are weighing bills that would bar developers from seizing land to build wind and solar farms. One such bill passed the House by a 115-27 vote. It now heads to the Senate. [Missouri Independent]

¶ “A New Nuclear Energy Law Will Likely Mean Higher Utility Bills” • Customers of Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power might soon start seeing higher electric bills. That’s because of a new law signed by Governor Glenn Youngkin that allows for utilities to make customers pay for the costs of developing nuclear power facilities. [WVTF]

Have a fundamentally grand day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Costa Rica Restored Its Forests And Switched To Renewable Energy. Can The World Learn From It?” • Switch to renewable energy. Stop deforestation. Restore ecosystems. They’re lofty goals that more and more corporations and governments are setting for themselves. If it seems too ambitious, just look to Costa Rica. [The Verge]

Costa Rica (Filip Mroz, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “The EV Sales Seesaw Continues: Tesla Down In California, Volkswagen Up In China” • You could get whiplash trying to keep up with all the EV sales data. Polestar is down, but Volvo EVs are up. It’s enough to make you think there is no rhyme or reason to EV sales patterns. Tesla sales fell a bit in California, but VW EV sales rose sharply in China. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Wind Power In Australia’s Energy Transition” • Squadron Energy is 100% Australian owned and has 1.1 GW of renewable energy in operation and 900 MW under construction. Squadron expects to be providing 14 GW of generation capacity by 2030. This would power six million Australian homes, equivalent to half the homes in Australia. [CleanTechnica]

Wind turbine blades at Port of Brisbane

¶ “Australian Outback Postie Goes Electric” • The Australian Outback can be rugged, dusty, and dangerous. But parts of it are quite flat, very suitable terrain for the Benzina Zero Duo electric delivery vehicle. Now it seems that the impact two-wheelers have on global oil consumption is noticeable, and Benzina Zero is a growing part of that. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Uzbekistan To Build Over 20 GW Of Renewable Capacity By 2030” • Uzbekistan will create more than 20 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev said. Trend reports that the president also said the country is aiming to increase its share of the green energy balance to 40%. [Trend News Agency]

Train in Uzbekistan (Abdul Raaz, Unsplash)

¶ “Microsoft Signs A $10 Billion Agreement To Power AI With Renewables” • Tech giant Microsoft struck a landmark deal with Brookfield Asset Management, committing to back an estimated $10 billion in new renewable energy projects. Brookfield is to develop 10.5 GW of renewable energy capacity for Microsoft between 2026 and 2030. [Computing UK]

¶ “Philippines Expects 2 GW Of New Solar During 2024” • The authorities in the Philippines say the nation is on target to add 1.98 GW of solar this year, alongside 590 MW of battery storage, as part of more than 4 GW of renewable energy projects. The Philippine DOE expects 966 MW of solar capacity will likely be switched on by June. [pv magazine International]

Solar panels in the Philippines (Xtechi no sama, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “World Heading On 3°C Trajectory” • A five-year delay to the energy transition could see the global average temperature rise to 3°C above pre-industrial levels, Wood Mackenzie analysis shows. The data provider studied the implications of a delayed energy transition, amid political uncertainties, inflation, and elections across the world. [reNews]

US:

¶ “Appeals Court Rejects Climate Change Lawsuit By Young Oregon Activists Against Us Governmen” • A federal appeals court panel of three judges rejected a long-running lawsuit brought by young Oregon-based climate activists who argued that the US government’s role in climate change violated their constitutional rights. [ABC News]

Stop climate change (Kelly Sikkema, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Elimination Of Tesla’s Charging Department Raises Worries” • Elon Musk’s move to lay off the department responsible for the Tesla’s EV chargers has touched off worries in the auto industry that EVs from other automakers will have trouble joining Tesla’s network. The entire group of about 500 people was laid off by Tesla CEO Elon Musk. [ABC News]

¶ “DOE Finalizes Efficiency Standards For Water Heaters To Save Americans Over $7 Billion On Utility Bills Annually” • The US DOE finalized energy-efficiency standards for residential water heaters to save American households roughly $7.6 billion per year on their energy and water bills, while significantly reducing carbon pollution. [CleanTechnica]

Heat pump water heater (Courtesy of LG)

¶ “New NOAA Climate Action Plan Emphasizes Needs Of Underserved Communities” • NOAA’s Climate Action Plan aims to expand the reach and accessibility of NOAA’s climate services, enabling the agency to better respond to the climate adaptation and resilience needs of all communities, with an emphasis on historically underserved populations. [NOAA]

¶ “$71 Million To Electrify Tribal Homes With Clean Energy” • The Interior Department announced $71 million in funding through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help Tribal communities electrify their homes. This investment is a critical step toward the goal of electrifying all homes in Indian Country with clean resources. [CleanTechnica]

PV system (Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs)

¶ “Plant Vogtle Unit 4 Begins Commercial Operation, No More New Nuclear Under Construction” • Georgia Power announced that the 1,114-MW Unit 4 nuclear reactor at Plant Vogtle entered into commercial operation after connecting to the power grid in March 2024. There are no nuclear reactors under construction now in the US. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Congressional Investigation Reveals New Evidence Of Big Oil’s Decades-Long Campaign To Deny Climate Science” • Oil and gas companies, along with their top trade groups, were aware for decades that carbon emissions contribute to climate change, according to a scathing new report published by congressional investigators. [DeSmog]

Have a simply magnificent day.

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World:

¶ “Five Takeaways From The Global Negotiations On A Treaty To End Plastic Pollution” • Nations finished a round of negotiations on a treaty to end plastic pollution and made more progress than they have in three prior meetings. Those meetings went through disagreements, but there has been a “monumental change in the tone and in the energy.” [ABC News]

Plastics (Jas Min, Unsplash)

¶ “G7 Energy Ministers Agree To Close Coal-Fired Generating Stations By 2035” • Energy ministers from the G7 countries – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, the US and the EU – agreed at a meeting in Turin to close all of their coal-fired generating stations by 2035, exceptions are Germany, which has until 2038, and Japan. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Prices Of Some BYD Cars In Export Markets Are Double Or Triple Prices In China” • Manufacturing electric cars in China is like taking part in a circular firing squad. The competition is so fierce that companies are selling many cars almost at cost. You can’t buy apples for 25 cents each, sell them five for a dollar, and expect to make a profit. [CleanTechnica]

BYD factory (BYD image)

¶ “Australia Grants Offshore Wind Licences” • The Australian government has granted six feasibility licences to develop offshore wind projects off the coast of Gippsland, Victoria. A further six licences are now being assessed, subject to First Nations consultation. The feasibility licence applications were assessed through a competitive process. [reNews]

¶ “Eurostar Pledges To Power Trains With 100% Renewable Energy By 2030” • Eurostar, the high-speed rail network in the northwest of Europe, announced a goal of enabling 30 million passengers to travel sustainably while lowering carbon emissions. Eurostar’s objective is to power its trains using 100% renewable energy by 2030. [Rail Business Daily]

Eurostar train (Eurostar image)

¶ “AMEA Signs 120-MW South African Solar PPA” • AMEA Power signed a 20-year power purchase agreement for a 120-MW solar scheme in South Africa. The Doornhoek Solar PV Project was awarded to a consortium of AMEA Power and local partners for Bid Window 6 of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Program. [reNews]

¶ “Indigenous leaders decry lack of consent for nuclear waste on their homelands” • Leaders of Indigenous communities in New Brunswick, Quebec, and Ontario express their strong concern about the lack of Indigenous consent for nuclear waste, uranium mining, and refining on their homelands. A UN declaration supports their position. [NetNewsLedger]

Canadian wilderness (Neil Rosenstech, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “New Jersey Seeks Fourth Round Of Offshore Wind Farm Proposals As Foes Push Back” • New Jersey’s Board of Public Utilities opened a fourth round of proposals to build wind farms off its coastline, forging ahead with its clean energy goals. Local opposition and challenging economics, however, are creating blowback to the effort. [ABC News]

¶ “Case Study: Cost Comparison Of Utility Transition To Clean Energy” • Here is a letter to the editor of CleanTechnica explaining what has happened to electricity prices on the islands of Hawaii. The island of Kauaʻi had the most expensive energy, but went to cheapest in about a year. The cheapest electricity is renewables with energy storage. [CleanTechnica]

Rainbow on Kauaʻi (Jake Houglum, Unsplash)

¶ “A Growing Demand For Electricity Is Upending The Utility Industry” • The utility industry is finding itself in a bind that it did not anticipate. This is thanks to four factors: the Inflation Reduction Act, new data centers, artificial intelligence, and crypto mining. In places like Georgia, industrial demand for electricity is surging to record highs. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Buh-Bye, Conflict Minerals: US Gets First Sodium-Ion Battery Factory” • In the latest sodium-ion battery news, the US startup Natron Energy staked out its claim to the first commercial-scale production of a sodium-ion battery in the US when it hit the start button on its factory in Michigan. It plans to make 600 MW of sodium batteries per year. [CleanTechnica]

Sodium-ion battery (Courtesy of Natron via businesswire.com)

¶ “Minnesota’s Biggest Solar Project Will Help Replace A Huge Coal Plant” • One of the largest solar projects in the country is moving closer to completion, but it’s not in a famously sunny state like California, Texas, or even Florida. It’s in Minnesota, on former potato farms near the site of a retiring coal-burning power plant. [Canary Media]

¶ “Data Reveals Big Milestones For California’s Wind, Water And Solar Power Production” • According to data at the California Independent System Operator’s website, during the past 52 days wind, water, and solar power have provided an average of 61.5% of the state’s electricity demand. And renewables meet 100% of demand for at least 15 minutes of 44 days. [MSN]

Wind turbines in California (Tim Drivas, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Walmart Announces Major Investment In Several Innovative Solar Projects Across The Country” • Walmart is investing in 19 new solar projects, including 15 community solar projects in California, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, and Maryland. Electrek reported Walmart is partnering with Pivot Energy on 72 MW of community solar projects. [Yahoo]

¶ “US Senate Approves Bill to Ban Russian Uranium Imports” • The US Senate unanimously voted in favor of a bill that would ban the imports of Russian uranium as the latest US attempt to squeeze Russia’s export revenues as it wages its ongoing war on Ukraine. Russia supplies 24% of the uranium used for US nuclear reactors. [OilPrice. com]

Have a genuinely enriching day.

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