Science and Technology:
¶ “Massive Gen 4 Wave Energy Converter” • The challenge of wave energy is to engineer a device that can keep clean power flowing economically, regardless of fierce ocean storms. All that hard work is beginning to pay off for the Swedish firm CorPower Ocean, which just nailed down a new round of Series B financing totaling almost $35 million. [CleanTechnica]
CorPower C4 wave energy device (Courtesy of CorPower Ocean)
¶ “J-POWER Introduces Earthquake-Resistant Foundation For Offshore Wind Farms” • The Electric Power Development Co, Ltd (J-POWER) worked with the University of Tokyo to develop the “Flexible Tripile,” a foundation for bottom-fixed offshore wind turbines that was designed for Japan’s topography, to provide seismic isolation. [Asian Power]
World:
¶ “Global Water Cycle Off Balance For ‘First Time In Human History,’ Threatening Half The Planet’s Food Production” • The global water cycle has been thrown off balance by human action “for the first time in human history,” fueling a growing water disaster that will wreak havoc on economies, food production, and lives, a landmark report says. [CNN]
Drought in Sri Lanka (Chamika Jayasri, Unsplash, cropped)
¶ “Tesla Gigafactory Expansion Approved In Germany” • The environment ministry covering the jurisdiction of Tesla’s factory in Germany (aka gigafactory) granted permission to build a new hall there, the beginning of big expansion plans for the plant. Tesla has plans to double production at the plant, and this is the next step in the process. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “BP Backs Away From Climate Goals In Quest To Maximize Profits” • BP announced plans to abandon its curbs on fossil fuel production to target several new investments in the Middle East and the Gulf of Mexico. According to Reuters, BP is currently in talks to invest in three new projects in Iraq, including one in the Majnoon field. [CleanTechnica]
BP oil rig in the Caspian Sea (BP image)
¶ “Skyborn Installs All Yunlin Turbines” • Skyborn Renewables has completed installation of all 80 turbines of the 640-MW Yunlin Offshore Wind Farm. With all 80 machines in place, plus work on 78 out of 81 cables done, the project is nearing the finish line. The project, in the Taiwan Straight, has already fed over 1.6 TWh of energy into the grid. [reNews]
¶ “Alcazar Secures Serbian Wind Farm Deal” • Alcazar Energy Partners signed an agreement with RP Global towards securing the rights for the development, construction, and operation of the 200-MW Project Celzijus 1 onshore wind power project, east of Belgrade. The deal also includes a 768-MW pipeline of wind and solar projects in Serbia. [reNews]
Wind farm (Alcazar image)
¶ “Renewables Expansion ‘Hitting New Heights'” • Clean energy is being built at an unprecedented rate, but deployment is far from uniform across technologies and markets, according to an IEA report. “World Energy Outlook 2024” shows the contours of a new, more electrified energy system are coming into focus as global electricity demand soars. [reNews]
US:
¶ “Volkswagen ID Buzz Gets Boost From Electrify America ” • If you’ve been waiting for years for the futuristic electric throwback to the iconic Volkswagen Bus, the ID. Buzz, you’ll be heartened to know it’s almost here. Volkswagen says it is to arrive in late fall 2024. And Electrify America says it will boost the experience of ownership for three years. [CleanTechnica]
Volkswagen ID Buzz (Volkswagen image)
¶ “Meteorologists Who Connect Hurricanes And The Climate Crisis Are Being Threatened” • Meteorologists’ role of delivering lifesaving weather forecasts and explaining climate science has made them targets for harassment, intimidation, and danger. This has only escalated during the trying times of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “US Manufacturing Has Soared Under Biden And Harris, Was Stagnant Under Trump” • Manufacturing spending in the US stagnated under Donald Trump. Biden and Harris took office, and with Democrats controlling the House of Representatives and the Senate for a short time, they passed laws that promoted investments in manufacturing. [CleanTechnica]
Investments in manufacturing (Eric Feigl-Ding via X)
¶ “Federal Money To Help States Hit By Hurricanes Helene, Milton Nears $2 Billion” • The federal government has approved nearly $2 billion in assistance in six states to help people hit by hurricanes Helene and Milton, the White House said. FEMA’s director said about $8.5 billion remains in its emergency fund, but it may need to ask congress for more. [ABC News]
¶ “Sumitomo, CEP Solar Form JV For Renewable Energy In Virginia” • Japan’s Sumitomo Corp and Perennial Power Holdings Inc set up a joint venture with CEP Solar LLC, based in Virginia to deliver renewable energy projects in that state. The companies said the JV will help provide support for Virginia’s numerous data centers. [Yahoo Finance Canada]
Data center (RobH, CC-BY-SA 3.0)
¶ “US Commits $900 Million To Assist Next-Generation Nuclear Reactors” • The US DOE committed $900 million to support the development of Generation III+ small modular reactors. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 funds the action by making use of resources from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. [Power Technology]
¶ “Amazon Invests In Nuclear Energy, Hot On The Heels Of Google And Microsoft” • Amazon announced that it’s putting a $500 million investment into X-energy for developing small modular nuclear reactors, for carbon-free power for data centers. Amazon Web Services relies on large data centers that require huge amounts of energy. [Yahoo News]
Have a significantly grand day.
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