Opinion:
¶ “The Stark Differences Between Wind And Oil Industry Accidents” • Two recent accidents in the energy sector – an oil spill in Louisiana and a wind turbine failure in New England – have generated starkly different responses from the impacted communities and government agencies that are regulating the industries. [CleanTechnica]
“Oiled Kemps Ridley Sea Turtle” (Image from © 2013 NOAA)
Science and Technology:
¶ “The Climate Menace Hidden in Plain Sight” • Refrigerants are everywhere. They’re in our air conditioners and heat pumps, in our fridges. They are even in our cars! Yet, despite their ubiquity, refrigerants are an oft-neglected subject within electrification strategies, and this is in spite of their major contribution to the greenhouse effect. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Environment Canada Says That It Can Now Rapidly Link High-Heat Weather Events To Climate Change” • Environment and Climate Change Canada says scientists now have the ability to estimate the degree to which human-induced climate change played a role in a heat wave or extreme heat event within a week of its happening. [Yahoo News Canada]
Wind blown cloud tops (NOAA, Unsplash)
World:
¶ “Cooler Regions Could See ‘Boom’ In Tick Populations Due To Climate Change, Researchers Say” • Tick populations could see a “boom” in traditionally cooler regions as global temperatures continue to rise, possibly increasing the likelihood of the spread of tick-borne diseases, according to a research paper published in the Royal Society Journals. [ABC News]
¶ “A DIY Solar Revolution Is Quietly Taking Place” • In homes across Germany, the New York Times reports, small solar panels power a quiet transformation, bringing the green revolution into the hands of people without making them invest a lot of money, find an electrician, or use heavy tools. Over 500,000 such DIY systems are already running. [CleanTechnica]
DIY solar (Courtesy of Solago)
¶ “India’s Renewable Energy Capacity Surges By 165% In Ten Years” • India’s renewable energy capacity increased by 165% over the last ten years, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said. Renewable energy capacity rose from 76.38 GW in 2014 to 203.1 GW in 2024. And solar capacity grew from 2.82 GW in March 2014 to 85.47 GW by June 2024. [The Mooknayak English]
¶ “Ørsted Deploys Cargo Lift Drones” • Ørsted is deploying heavy-lift cargo drones for the first time in at the Borssele 1&2 Offshore Wind Farm. This move marks a significant step in operational efficiency and safety, the Danish developer said. The heavy lift cargo drone will transport cargo from a vessel to all 94 wind turbines of the Borssele wind farm. [reNews]
Wind farm delivery by drone (Ørsted image)
¶ “Consultants Say NI And Republic Energy Targets Will Be Missed” • Northern Ireland and Ireland will miss their 2030 renewable energy target by at least two years, consultancy firm Cornwall Insight has forecast. The firm says just 70% of the grid will be using renewable sources by 2030, rather than the 80% goal both jurisdictions have set. [BBC]
¶ “Mobile Floating PV Plant Powers Paris Olympic Village” • It is the largest floating and mobile solar power plant in the world. Moored on the banks of the Seine, the temporary PV installation, rented especially for the Olympic Games by energy company EDF ENR to a subsidiary, helps supply electricity to the Olympic and Paralympic Square. [pv magazine International]
Mobile floating solar power plant (Courtesy of EDF ENR)
¶ “Fukushima Plant Starts Eighth Round Of Treated Water Release Into Sea” • TEPCO started another round of releasing treated radioactive water from the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant during this fiscal year on August 7. TEPCO will discharge about 7,800 tons of filtered water into the Pacific Ocean after diluting it. [Asahi Shimbun]
US:
¶ “New England’s Offshore Wind Resource Is A Winter Power Resource” • Offshore wind is important all year round, for zero-carbon electricity, pollution reduction, job creation, and much more. But it’s in the winter that offshore wind will make a great contribution to the power system. Cold weather demand can be met by cold weather power. [CleanTechnica]
Block Island Offshore Wind Farm (Dennis Schroeder, NREL)
¶ “$2.2 Billion For US Grid To Lower Costs, Prepare For Growing Demand, And Protect Against Extreme Weather” • The US DOE announced a $2.2 billion investment in the nation’s grid for eight projects across eighteen states to protect against extreme weather events, lower costs for communities, and catalyze additional grid capacity to meet load growth. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “How To Solve Five Major Gaps In The US Hydropower Supply Chain” • The US DOE issued a report that gives actionable advice on addressing five gaps in the domestic hydropower supply chain. Hydropower makes up about 27% of renewable electricity generation in the US and is important for the goal of 100% clean electricity by 2035. [CleanTechnica]
Small hydropower (Andrew Baumgartner, US DOE)
¶ “Tropical Storm Debby Live Updates: Dangerous Flooding Ongoing For Southeast” • Tropical Storm Debby is slamming the Southeast with heavy rain. About 19 inches of rain fell south of Tampa. A rare “high risk” for flash flooding was issued for parts of the Carolinas, where rain totals could climb to 25 inches through Thursday. [ABC News]
¶ “Western Wildfire Season Continues With A Vengeance As New Blaze Destroys Homes In Southern California” • The US wildfire season goes on relentlessly as a new blaze erupted in Southern California, destroying several homes and leaving residents little time to evacuate, authorities said. So far this year, US wildfires have burned over 4.6 million acres. [ABC News]
Have a totally copacetic day.
geoharvey 
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