World:
¶ “Study Reveals Benefits Of Agrivoltaics In East Africa” • The University of Sheffield lead research that shows agrivoltaics leads to greater crop yields with less water than crops grown in open fields. An international team found certain crops, such as maize, Swiss chard, and beans, thrived under the partial shade provided by solar panels. [CleanTechnica]
Agrivoltaics in Africa (University of Sheffield)
¶ “HVDC Transmission Between Europe And North America Makes Fiscal Sense” • Ember has published a report, Security and efficiency: The case for connecting Europe and North America. Modern HVDC cables see line losses of under 1% 1,000 kilometers and do not need substations. And long, submarine power cables are no longer technically difficult. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Athens Has A Water Problem, So They Looked Back To The Ancients For Answers” • It’s been another year of record heat and dwindling rainfall in Greece. Athens’ water supply is under stress. In response, the city is reviving an aqueduct dating to the Roman Emperor Hadrian, a 15-mile, mostly underground network that still runs beneath the city. [CleanTechnica]
Parthenon (Theo Topolevsky, Unsplash, cropped)
¶ “Intilion To Deliver 65-MWh Swiss BESS” • German energy storage outfit Intilion is to construct one of Switzerland’s largest battery storage systems for Swiss company Primeo Energie. Intilion will install a 65MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in Kappel in the canton of Solothurn. Construction will begin in spring 2025. [reNews]
¶ “EU Solar Growth Slows, Raising Fears For Energy Transition” • The growth of solar power installations in Europe slumped to just 4% this year, after years of double-digit increases, industry data shows. The 65.5 GW installed, while a record, is just 4% more than what was installed in 2023. It raises concerns about the EU’s clean energy transition. [MSN]
Solar power (Andreas Gücklhorn, Unsplash, cropped)
¶ “India Doubles Renewable Energy Capacity Addition, Targets 500 GW By 2030” • India’s renewable energy capacity addition nearly doubled to 15 GW during the April-November period of the current fiscal year, compared to the same period last year. This reflects the country’s commitment to its target of 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030. [Swarajya]
¶ “Japan Would Make Renewables Top Power Source By 2040” • Japan wants renewables to be its top power source by 2040 in its push to be carbon neutral by mid-century, government plans show. The world’s fourth-largest economy has the dirtiest energy mix in the G7, campaigners say, as fossil fuels generated nearly 70% of its electricity last year. [Yahoo News Singapore]
Wind farm in Japan (BehBeh, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)
¶ “Queensland’s Wholesale Power Prices Down 39%” • A report by the Queensland Audit Office found the average wholesale electricity price fell 39% in the state, over the last financial year. The national average average was a fall of 36.2%. The report credits increased renewable energy generation as one reason for the change. [Queensland Conservation Council]
¶ “Chinese Coal Power Generation Rises Despite Renewables Jump” • Despite growing renewable energy capacity installations, thermal power generation in China, which comes mostly from coal-fired power plants, rose between January and November by 1.9% from the same period a year earlier, according to Chinese statistics data. [OilPrice.com]
Coal power in China (Shubert Ciencia, CC-BY-SA 2.0)
US:
¶ “Ford Gets $9.63 Billion Loan For BlueOval SK From US DOE” • There actually seems to be a sprint under way within the Biden administration to get as much done as possible before Trump takes over. One thing is a huge Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing loan for Ford from the US DOE in order to help its transition to EVs. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “EVs Create More Jobs Than Fossil Fuel Vehicles” • A study published by University of Michigan researchers earlier this year found that automotive assembly jobs increased a lot, as much as ten times, with EV production as opposed to building internal combustion vehicles. That is not what was expected, because EVs have fewer parts. [CleanTechnica]
First Rivian 2021 (Rivian, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)
¶ “US Supreme Court Rules Against Red States In California Emissions Waiver Case” • The US Supreme Court has denied a petition filed by a number of states dominated by conservatives who were asking the court to review constitutional challenges to California’s authority to enforce its own emissions limits for new cars and light trucks. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Apex Secures Finance For 300-MW US Wind” • Apex Clean Energy has financing for a 300-MW wind farm in Illinois. The Prosperity Wind project, built with Vestas turbines, is under construction, supported by White Construction. It will create nearly 400 jobs during construction. The project is scheduled to be operating in early 2025. [reNews]
Wind farm (Apex Clean Energy image)
¶ “Innergex Closes Bridge Loan For Hawaiian Hybrid Project” • Innergex has closed a $100 million non-recourse bridge loan for a solar + battery project in Hawaii. The construction phase is complete and Hale Kuawehi is moving forward with the final stages of commissioning and testing. The project has 30 MW of solar and a 120-MWh battery. [reNews]
¶ “NJ’s Largest Utility Firm Begs Feds To Shut Down Airspace Over Nuclear Plant As Mystery Drones Spotted” • New Jersey’s largest utility has asked the feds to halt all air traffic over two of its nuclear power plants, after drones were spotted over the sensitive sites. There has been a spate of mysterious drone sightings across the Garden State. [AOL.com]
Have a superbly enjoyable day.
geoharvey 
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