Opinion:
¶ “How China Is Becoming The Saudi Arabia Of Renewables” • China’s consumption of fossil fuels has declined this year due to the rise of electric vehicle use and rising capacities in renewable energy sources. All told, China’s solar and wind power capacity increased by almost 300 GW last year and is doing so again in this year. [South China Morning Post]
Shanghai (Nuno Alberto, Unsplash)
Science and Technology:
¶ “Japan Launches World’s First Steady-State Nuclear Fusion Reactor” • Tokyo-based Helical Fusion is set to launch a first-of-its-kind steady-state nuclear fusion reactor, according to a report from Interesting Engineering. It is considered a “pilot” reactor, but if it succeeds, the project could have major implications for the future of clean energy. [The Cool Down]
World:
¶ “Electric Boat Costs €40 To €50 to Cross Baltic Sea, But Gas Boat Costs €750” • An electric hydrofoiling Candela C-8 crossed the Baltic Sea, from Stockholm to the Finnish region of Åland. The Candela C-8 required no more than €50 worth of electricity for the voyage, but a similarly sized boat powered by gasoline could need €750 of fuel. [CleanTechnica]
Candela C-8 (Candela image)
¶ “Enormous Solar Projects In India, UAE, And Australia” • Solar projects are an order of magnitude larger than they were ten years ago. Solar power is the cheapest option for new electricity generation, and it has become the #1 source of new electricity generation capacity around the world. But where will it be in another 10 years‽ [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Bus Rapid Transit Stations In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania Are Getting Charging Stations For Various Types Of EVs” • In Dar es Salaam, the Dar Rapid Transit Agency (DART) signed a contract with TRÍ to install an advanced charging system. This illustrates DART’s plans for environmental conservation and sustainable urban mobility. [CleanTechnica]
TRÍ E2 (Courtesy of TRÍ)
¶ “Haiti Builds A Path To A Clean, Resilient Energy Future” • About 49% of Haitian people had access to electricity as of 2022. In rural areas, that number is closer to 2%, and whee Haitians have access to electricity, that access may not be reliable. In addition, Haiti relies heavily on imported fossil fuels. But it is getting support for a transition. [NREL]
¶ “UK Gas-Fired Power Plant Usage At Lowest Since 2017” • In the UK, gas-fired power plants are operating at their lowest levels since 2017. Analysis by Kilowatts.io shows that less than half of all combined cycle gas turbine capacity is in use during peak profit hours. CCGT capacity, designed for baseload power, struggles to compete as renewables grow. [Energy Live News]
Peterhead power station (Courtesy of SSE)
¶ “Renewable Energy’s Rise Creates Challenges For Traditional Power Utilities” • In Europe, renewable energy now accounts for over 50% of the total power generation. Solar power has seen particularly strong growth in recent years due to significant cost declines. But the rise of renewables has also led to challenges for the power industry. [OilPrice.com]
¶ “World Now Has Five Times More PV Than Nuclear Capacity” • The World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2024, overseen by nuclear consultant Mycle Schneider, shows that global operating PV capacity exceeds by almost five times that of nuclear energy. The number of operating nuclear units stands at 408, one more than a year ago. [pv magazine International]
Rooftop solar power (Watt A Lot, Unsplash)
¶ “TEPCO Again Halts Work To Collect Melted Nuclear Fuel” • Once again, TEPCO has been forced to halt its project to collect nuclear fuel debris at the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. TEPCO could not confirm camera images of equipment used to remove the debris from the Number 2 reactor, bringing a stop to the project, the utility said. [Asahi Shimbun]
US:
¶ “Firefighters Nearing Victory In Battle Against Three Massive Wildfires Near Los Angeles” • More than 8,000 Firefighters are nearing victory in the battles against the Airport, Bridge, and Line wildfires near Los Angeles. Combined, the three wildfires have burned over 117,000 acres, destroyed nearly 200 structures, and injured 23 people. [ABC News]
Bridge Fire (Angeles National Forest, public domain)
¶ “Los Angeles County Reports A Rare Handful Of Local Dengue Cases” • Los Angeles County is reporting three locally acquired cases of dengue so far this year. This is rare for the region. There have been at least 3,085 cases of locally acquired dengue virus in the US so far this year, according to CDC data. Over 2,900 of the cases are in Puerto Rico. [ABC News]
¶ “Biden Team Sprinting To Disburse Climate Solutions And Infrastructure Funding” • Overall, the policies of President Joe Biden and the Democrats have already spurred unprecedented resurgence in US manufacturing jobs, an exceptional economic boom, and the greatest climate investments in US history. And more is coming. [CleanTechnica]
Please click on the image to enlarge it (Democratic Party image)
¶ “Doral Picks IHI For US Solar O&M Gig” • Doral, a renewables developer has selected IHI Corporation to provide operations and maintenance services for several solar plants in Indiana. The projects are all parts of the larger Mammoth Solar Project. With all four parts combined, the Mammoth Solar Project is expected to have 1.3 GW of capacity. [reNews]
¶ “FPL’s Turkey Point Nuclear Plant’s Units 3 And 4 Licenses extended” • The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission extended the licenses of Units 3 and 4 of the Florida Power & Light Company’s Turkey Point nuclear power plant. The renewal extends the operational lifespan of Units 3 and 4 until 2052 and 2053, respectively. [Power Technology]
Have an exquisitely goofy day.
geoharvey 