Opinion:
¶ “Unpopular Opinion: EVs Will Take Over Even Without Bans” • It seems two opposing ideas on EVs are (1) internal combustion vehicles should be banned, and (2) EVs should be discouraged strongly. The author believes EVs will thrive and dominate most of the market without government banning ICE vehicles. This is a simple financial issue. [CleanTechnica]
Freedom of speech (Norman Rockwell, fair use)
¶ “The Dangerous Consequences Of Fossil Fuels Aren’t Even Part Of The US Presidential Conversation” • As Democratic nominee for President, US Vice President Kamala Harris could take up an important role – outlining how the next four years can be a time to heighten climate action at the US federal level. But is that what she is actually doing? [CleanTechnica]
Science and Technology:
¶ “How Well Do Rooftop Solar Systems Survive A Hurricane?” • As we went through Hurricane Milton down here in Southwest Florida, and particularly as the roofs all over my neighborhood got torn up, I and many others wondered: how well do rooftop solar systems survive in a hurricane here? My impression is that rooftop solar PV systems fared well. [CleanTechnica]
Observing what damage there was (Courtesy of Sunnova)
World:
¶ “Over A Year Of Astonishing Ocean Heat Has Given Way To The Largest Coral Bleaching On Record” • The mass bleaching of coral reefs around the world since February 2023 is now the most extensive on record, NOAA told Reuters. A staggering 77% of the world’s coral reef areas have been subjected to bleaching-level heat stress, satellite data show. [CNN]
¶ “Electric Buses Rule Down Under” • The 2024 National Bus and Coach Show in Brisbane last month featured an array of buses in all sizes and drivetrains. CleanTechnica’s readers are interested in battery EVs, and so we will focus on those. Only about 0.2% of buses on Australian roads are battery electric. That is about to change. [CleanTechnica]
Electric bus (Courtesy of NSW Transport)
¶ “Widespread Blackout In Cuba After National Electric Grid Goes Offline” • Cuba’s national electric grid went offline on Friday, resulting in a country-wide blackout. The entire Cuban grid suffered a total disconnection at 11 AM local time after the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant failed, the Cuban Ministry of Energy and Mines said. [ABC News]
¶ “France Unveils 9.2-GW Offshore Tender” • France revealed plans to tender 9200 MW of fixed-bottom and floating offshore wind. Energy Minister Olga Givernet said a process launching at the beginning of 2025 will aim for 4 GW of fixed capacity in the North Sea coast and 5.2 GW of floating turbines in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. [reNews]
Fecamp wind farm (Christophe Teyssier, EDF RE)
¶ “Wärtsilä To Deliver 150-MW Oz Battery System” • Wärtsilä was selected to deliver its second major energy storage project in South Australia, a 150-MW, 300-MWh standalone battery energy storage system. The project will be supplied to Amp Energy. It will support energy security and reliability for South Australia’s transition to renewable energy. [reNews]
¶ “Renewables Firm Asks Court To Declare State Has ‘Failed’ To Approve Enough Green Energy Projects” • A renewables firm, Coolglass Wind Farm Limited, is asking the High Court to declare that Ireland’s central planning authority has failed to approve enough green energy infrastructure projects to meet 2030 environmental targets. [BreakingNews.ie]
Coolglass Wind Farm Limited wind farm
US:
¶ “Millions Lose Power Every Year Because Of Extreme Weather. Here’s How We Could Prevent It” • The ability to transmit power from one part of the country to another is ever more important as America’s grid is pummeled by increasingly extreme weather. Thousands of customers in the Southeast are still in the dark after Hurricanes Helene and Milton. [CNN]
¶ “One Midwest Contractor Surfing The Wave Of Heat Pumps To A Thriving Business” • The author visited US Water Heating Solutions, a large water heater installer and servicer who created a thriving business around heat pump water heaters. The firm is based in Arlington Heights, Illinois, but provides service to 25 states nationally. [CleanTechnica]
US Water Heating Solutions Headquarters
¶ “A Fast-Moving Brush Fire Prompted Evacuations In Oakland Hills, California” • Dozens of firefighters worked on a large, fast-moving brush fire that threatened hundreds of buildings in Oakland, California and caused hundreds of people to evacuate amid extremely dry and gusty conditions. Quick work limited the fire to about thirteen acres. [ABC News]
¶ “Greening Wins 60-MW US Solar Gig” • Greening has been awarded the EPC contract to construct a 60MW (AC) PV power generation plant that will supply renewable energy to a major technology company at one of its facilities in the state of Indiana. The Jasper County Solar Project will cover an area of 452 acres (183 hectares). [reNews]
Solar plant (Greening image)
¶ “One Of The Largest Solar Projects In The US Opens In Texas, Backed By Google” • One of the largest solar projects in the US opened in Texas, backed by what Google said is the largest solar electricity purchase it has ever made. Google expects to spend $16 billion through 2040 globally to purchase clean energy, Google executive Ben Sloss said. [AP News]
¶ “DOE Launches $900 Million Funding For Small Modular Nuclear Reactor Projects” • The US DOE opened applications for $900 million in funds to support deployment of small modular reactor technologies. The funding aims to support the private sector in the establishment of a pathway to deploying a fleet of SMRs in the country. [Data Center Dynamics]
Have a powerfully stately day.
geoharvey 