Science and Technology:
¶ “China Makes History With Installation Of Record-Breaking Wind Turbine In Open Water” • China installed an 18-MW wind turbine earlier this month off the shore of Guangdong province. It is the largest wind turbine ever by power rating, and experts expect it to produce enough electricity to meet the annual needs of 36,000 homes. [The Cool Down]
Blade installation (Dongfang Electric Corporation image)
¶ “Energy Efficiency: Why Are We Wasting Two-Thirds Of The Energy In Fossil Fuels?” • The folks at RMI, formerly known as the Rocky Mountain Institute, tell us that we waste about two-thirds of all the energy in the coal, oil, and methane we extract from the Earth every year. Wasting energy, released as heat, is unavoidable when we burn fuel. [CleanTechnica]
World:
¶ “Arctic ‘Dirty Fuel’ Ban For Ships Comes Into Force” • A ban on the dirtiest and most climate-damaging fuel for ships has come into effect in Arctic waters. Heavy Fuel Oil is a tar-like but cheap oil widely used in shipping around the world. However, HFO is particularly damaging in the Arctic, where its black smoke makes snow and ice melt faster. [BBC]
Tanker (Bernd Dittrich, Unsplash)
¶ “China To Meet Its 2030 Renewable Energy Target By End Of This Year: State-Owned Researcher” • China’s solar and wind energy will provide the momentum needed to meet its 2030 renewable targets this year, a state-owned researcher’s forecast shows. China will add 70 GW of wind capacity and 190 GW of solar by the end of 2024. [South China Morning Post]
¶ “Massive Trove Of Manganese Discovered On The Sea Floor: Implications For EV Batteries” • Benchmark, a market research firm, expects an eight-fold increase in demand for magnesium for batteries over the coming years. Japanese researchers found a huge new cache of manganese nodules on the ocean floor, and the race is on to harvest them. [CleanTechnica]
Manganese nodules on the ocean floor (USGS image)
¶ “Nxtra By Airtel Joins RE100 Initiative And Commits To 100% Renewable Energy” • Nxtra by Airtel joined the RE100 initiative and committed to operating on 100% renewable electricity. With this, Nxtra is the 14th Indian company, and the country’s only data center organisation, pledged to RE100. Nxtra’s Its aim is to be net-zero by 2031. [digital terminal]
¶ “Google And BlackRock Partner To Boost Solar Power In Taiwan” • Google and BlackRock’s Climate Infrastructure arm joined forces on solar power development in Taiwan. They are targeting a 1-GW solar pipeline, significantly boosting clean energy on the island’s grid and supporting Google’s goal of 24/7 carbon-free operations. [W.Media]
Solar panels at a car park (SSJF01, CC-BY-SA 4.0)
¶ “Gunvor And Quercus Announce Partnership To Develop Solar In Italy” • Gunvor Group, a leading global energy commodities trading company, together with Quercus Real Assets Limited, the London-based renewable energy specialist, have announced a partnership targeting development of up to 3 GW of solar PV capacity in Italy. [Lelezard]
¶ “Eolus Seeks Permit For 2.2-GW Skidbladner Floater” • Eolus has applied to the Swedish government for permission to build the 147-turbine, 2,200-MW Skidbladner floating offshore wind farm 20 km north of Gotska Sandön. The estimated electricity production is 11.7 TWh per year. It is less than half of the offshore wind capacity Eolus plans for Sweden. [reNews]
Early floating offshore turbine (Lo83, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)
¶ “Bangladesh Can Meet Entire Electricity Demand By Solar Energy: Study” • Bangladesh could generate enough solar energy to meet its entire electricity demand, contrary to the myth of land scarcity, as the country’s abandoned land, rooftops, water bodies, and arable land can be used to produce a significant amount of solar power. [The Business Standard]
¶ “Germany Achieves 58% Renewable Energy Share In First Half Of 2024” • Germany achieved a new record for renewable energy generation, covering some 58% of its electricity consumption in the first half of 2024 with wind, solar, biomass, and hydropower. The share of renewable energy has increased from 52% in the first half of last year. [ZAWYA]
German wind turbines (M.Minderhoud, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)
US:
¶ “Study On US Attitudes Toward EV Adoption Mirrors GM’s Sustainability Goals” • A study by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago reveals that high prices and limited charging infrastructure are major barriers to EV adoption. This is consistent with GM’s sustainability goals. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Colorado Aims To Reduce Light Pollution With Dark Sky Month” • Colorado Governor Jared Polis announced Dark Sky Month to raise awareness of a serious problem affecting people, animals, and plants without many of us even noticing. It’s just a proclamation that carries symbolic meaning, but at the same time brings attention to the issue. [CleanTechnica]
Light pollution (Paige Weber, Unsplash)
¶ “Thumbs Up For 1.2-GW Delaware Offshore Wind Law” • The US offshore wind industry welcomed the passage of a bill before the Delaware legislature that sets a 1200-MW state target. Trade group Oceantic Network said the Delaware Energy Solutions Act of 2024 encourages regional cooperation, and could streamline transmission development. [reNews]
¶ “Senate Poised To Send Bill Boosting Nuclear Power To Biden’s Desk” • The Senate is poised to send an energy bill to President Biden’s desk that could allow for more nuclear power to be built in the US. The legislation seeks to reduce fees for companies that are proposing to build nuclear reactors and establish a prize that aims to incentive nuclear deployment. [Yahoo]
Have a profoundly lovely day.
geoharvey 