Science and Technology:
¶ “Startup Launches ‘Tabletop Nuclear Reactor’ Using Cold Fusion To Generate Clean Energy” • In Hyderabad, Hylenr says it has come up with a low-energy nuclear reactor that can be kept on a tabletop and produce enough energy to meet a household’s needs. The company says that it’s the world’s first cold fusion technology to generate clean energy. [MSN]
Hylenr technology (Hylenr image)
World:
¶ “Greece Shuts Acropolis During Hottest Part Of Day As Southern Europe Swelters” • A heat wave across southern Europe forced authorities in Greece to close the Acropolis for several hours from noon to 5:00 PM. Also, two firefighters died while putting out a wildfire in the Basilicata region in southern Italy, Italian authorities said. [ABC News]
¶ “R25 Billion Wind Farm Project Launches In South Africa” • Seriti Green has launched the first phase of its R25 billion ($1.38 billion) wind farm project in Mpumalanga. The group plans to build 900 MW of renewable wind energy projects over the next three years, with the first phase being the 155-MW Ummbila Emoyeni facility. [BusinessTech]
Wind turbine in South Africa (NJR ZA, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)
¶ “Nigeria Attracts $2 Billion Investment In Renewable Energy Sector” • President Bola Tinubu disclosed that Nigeria attracted over $2 billion in investment in renewable energy, making it a fast-growing economic sector. Mr Tinubu stated this during the opening session of the African Natural Resources & Energy Investment Summit, 2024. [Daily Nigerian]
¶ “King’s Speech Launches GB Energy And Takes Leash Off Crown Estate For Offshore Wind” • King Charles III set out in Parliament the legislative agenda of the Labour government led by Keir Starmer, whose party swept to victory on the back of a highly ambitious pledge to kick fossil fuels off the UK grid by 2030. [Latest renewable energy news]
Official picture (UK Government)
¶ “Nuclear Power Plan Puts Thousands Of Farms In ‘Radiation Alert Zone’” • Nuclear energy threatens Australia’s food sources, as over 11,000 farms are near the opposition’s proposed reactor sites, the government says. The farms are within an 80 km radius of the seven earmarked sites, says a data analysis released by the federal government. [RenewEconomy]
US:
¶ “Flood Emergency Hits Arkansas After Months Of Rain Falls In A Few Hours” • Flash flooding in Arkansas and Missouri forced evacuations and washed a bridge after months of rain fell in just a few hours. Such extreme rainfall rate would be expected once in 500 years, but it is getting more common as the world warms due to fossil fuel pollution. [CNN]
Flood in Arkansas (DVIDSHUB, CC-BY-SA 2.0)
¶ “California First State To Get Federal Funds For Hydrogen Energy Hub To Help Replace Fossil Fuels” • California will be the first state to receive federal funds under a program to create regional networks, or “hubs,” that produce hydrogen as an energy source for vehicles, manufacturing, and generating electricity, officials announced. [ABC News]
¶ “US Coal Shipments Declined 8% In 2023 As Coal Use Fell Sharply” • The amount of coal transported in the US fell 8% in 2023, continuing a trend in which coal shipments generally fell over the past two decades as coal’s share of power generation has decreased. The amount of coal transported to power plants fell by more than half. [CleanTechnica]
Coal consumption and shipments (EIA image)
¶ “Twelve American Companies Will Help Expand Distributed Wind Across the Rural US” • The US DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory announced plans to award $3.15 million to 12 American component suppliers and makers of medium-sized and smaller wind turbines as a part of the 2024 Competitiveness Improvement Project. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “West Coast Summer Refinery Margins Decline Despite Reduced Capacity” • This spring, California refinery crack spreads for gasoline and diesel dipped below average despite shrinking refinery capacity on the West Coast. Crack spreads are the difference between refined product prices and an equivalent volume of crude oil. [CleanTechnica]
Reductions in margins and capacity (EIA image)
¶ “Sunrise Wind Construction Gets Underway” • At the Boys and Girls Club of Bellport on Long Island officially kicked off the start of the Sunrise Wind project. The project will support over 800 direct jobs during construction and will “spur economic benefits” from the Capital Region to Long Island, including a $700 million investment in Suffolk County. [reNews]
¶ “Intersect Power To Build $837 Million Worth Of Grid Batteries In Texas” • Intersect Power announced $837 million in financing commitments for three battery projects in Texas, totaling nearly 1 GWh of storage capacity. The financing includes portfolio-level construction debt and term debt financing from Deutsche Bank and HPS. [Canary Media]
Battery system construction in Texas (Intersect Power)
¶ “Massachusetts House Approves Bill To Boost Renewable Energy Efforts” • The Massachusetts House approved a bill that would help boost the state’s reliance on renewable energy, in part by streamlining the state and local permitting for projects that shift the state away from using fossil fuels. The Senate approved a climate bill a few weeks ago. [Caledonian Record]
¶ “Wind Power Operations Off Nantucket Island Are Suspended After Turbine Blade Parts Washed Ashore” • After some parts of a damaged turbine blade washed up on the beaches, the federal government ordered an offshore wind developer off Nantucket Island, a popular summer tourist destination in Massachusetts, to suspend operations. [ABC News]
Have a highly valuable day.
geoharvey 