Science and Technology:
¶ “Are Batteries The Best Option For Energy Storage?” • Various technologies are used to store renewable energy. Pumped hydro is a form of energy storage accounts for more than 90% of the globe’s current high-capacity energy storage. Lithium-ion batteries are improving, and other battery technologies are being developed. [pv magazine International]
Pumped hydro system (Nareeta Martin, Unsplash)
World:
¶ “Drought Forces Kenya’s Maasai And Other Cattle Herders To Consider Fish And Camels” • The blood, milk and meat of cattle have long been staple foods for Maasai pastoralists in Kenya, perhaps the country’s most recognizable community. But the changing climate is forcing the Maasai to contemplate a very different dish: fish. [ABC News]
¶ “Volkswagen Considers Closing Factories In Germany” • Volkswagen dropped a bombshell on the German economy. According to Bloomberg, it is considering closing some factories in Germany for the first time in its 87-year history, a move that risks a feud with unions. Doing so would expose the deep woes roiling Europe’s auto industry. [CleanTechnica]
Volkswagen ID.7 (Courtesy of Volkswagen)
¶ “EVs At 22.4% Share In France – Stuck In The Slow Lane” • The August auto market saw plugin EVs at 22.4% share in France, down from 25.7% year on year. Sales volumes of both battery EVs and plugin hybrid EVs were down by over 33% YOY, declining more than the overall market drop. Overall auto volume was down 24.3% YoY. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Ireland Breaks August Record For Renewables” • Last month saw record amounts of renewable energy produced for August in Ireland, provisional data from grid operator EirGrid suggests. Around 898 GWh of electricity was generated from wind farms in August, the highest-ever figure recorded for that month, and 34% of electricity used in Ireland. [reNews]
Wind farm (Abby Anaday, Unsplash)
¶ “Important Battery Electric Vehicle Milestone Reached In Denmark” • Mobility Denmark has reported that data from bilstatistisk.dk show Denmark’s battery EV fleet reached 10% in August, backed by record sales of 55% BEVs. Several decisive factors have made it economically attractive for Danes to choose an electric car. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Australian Renewable Investments Surging, Says Clean Energy Council” • Renewable energy sector industry body CEC’s second-quarter report shows that the first half of 2024 has overtaken the entirety of 2023 in terms of generation projects reaching their financial commitments, with 1.6 GW added, compared to 1.3 GW for all of last year. [pv magazine International]
Solar panels (Avi Waxman, Unsplash, cropped)
¶ “Wind And Solar Dominated South Australia Overtakes Tasmania As Australia’s Most Renewable State” • Tasmania is widely regarded as Australia’s long time leader in renewables, thanks to its huge hydro resources. But in the past few months, Tasmania has been beat by South Australia, which has no hydro, but does have wind and solar. [RenewEconomy]
¶ “Italy’s Renewable Power Output Overtakes Fossil Fuels For First Time” • In the first six months of 2024, Italy produced more energy from renewable sources than from fossil fuels for the first time ever, the power grid operator Terna said. Italy plans for 63% of its electricity to come from renewable sources by the end of this decade. [Yahoo Finance UK]
Wind turbines (Totoyba2, CC-BY-SA 4.0)
¶ “IAEA Chief: Situation At Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant ‘Very Fragile'” • Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, called the status of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant in Ukraine as “very fragile”. And the situation could change at any time, Grossi said in Kiev before his departure to the power plant. [blue News]
US:
¶ “Phoenix’s Streak Of Over 100-Degree Temperatures Reaches 100th Day” • Phoenix reached a sweltering milestone Tuesday, with Arizona’s capital city logging its 100th straight day of over 100-degree weather. The National Weather Service Phoenix warned that the dangerously high temperatures are forecast to continue. [ABC News]
Phoenix (Walter Martin, Unsplash)
¶ “New York State’s Largest Electrified Bus Depot Now Operating in Buffalo” • Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the largest electrified bus depot in New York State is operational in Buffalo, advancing the transition to clean public transit that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and improves the air for residents in congested urban areas. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “California To Begin Hydrogen-Powered Passenger Train Service In San Bernardino” • The California Department of Transportation plans to convert its fleet of intercity locomotives to zero emission technology by 2035. The agency says hydrogen power will put California’s passenger trains on the fastest track to a zero emission future. [CleanTechnica]
Electric train (Stadler, Inc)
¶ “Methane Gas-Fired Electricity Generation Increased During Heat Waves in New England” • Electricity generation using fossil fuels increased in New England to meet the additional demand for air-conditioning during heat waves in June and July. Natural gas-fired electricity generation peaked at 61% of New England’s generation mix on June 22. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Solar-Plus-Storage Project Brings New Energy to California” • Clearway Energy Group’s Daggett Solar + Storage project in California is among the largest projects of its type in the U.S. It has 482 MW of solar capacity, and 280 MW of battery energy storage. It was built adjacent to a retired 636-MW power plant that burned natural gas. [POWER Magazine]
Have a bonifiably great day.
geoharvey 
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