World:
¶ “Germany Embraces Balkonkraftwerke” • In Germany, more than 1.5 million people have installed Balkonkraftwerke, which translates as “balcony power plants.” Almost every apartment has a balcony, and if it gets any sun exposure during the day, balcony solar panels can be mounted to its railings to make electricity to helps power a home. [CleanTechnica]
Balkonkraftwerke (Tornasol Energy image)
¶ “U8 – BYD Goes Upmarket In Australia” • BYD sells value-for-money vehicles in Australia. Here is a look at another side of BYD, the Yangwang U8. It is not for sale yet in Australia, but if it were, the price would be north of A$200,000 ($125,000). The company has sold 5,000 U8’s so far in China at about that price, and has a backlog of 30,000 orders. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Australian Company Makes Plans To Deliver Its Largest Solar Farm Yet, To Power An Unexpected Industry” • Pacific Energy, a specialist in off-grid power, is to build its largest solar farm yet for a gold mine in Western Australia, Renew Economy says. It is working with Gold Fields to get over 70% of the mine’s energy from renewable sources. [The Cool Down]
Solar farm (Gold Fields image)
¶ “Gridworks Partner With Ugandan Government To Deliver Mbale-Bulambuli-Kween Transmission Project” • Gridworks and the Government of Uganda entered into a Joint Development Agreement to deliver the Mbale-Bulambuli-Kween transmission line in eastern Uganda. The line will boost the uptake of more renewable power in the country. [Red Pepper]
¶ “Is Japan Finally Ready To Tap Its Abundant Geothermal Energy Potential?” • The government of Japan has proposed expanding renewables’ share of electricity generation to up to 50% by 2040. The country has abundant geothermal resources, but there are obstacles to developing it, especially in the places where much of it is located. [The Japan Times]
Geothermal Power Plant (掬茶, CC-BY-SA 4.0)
¶ “Communities Vent Frustration At Coalition’s Nuclear Plan For Their Towns” • Opposition leader Peter Dutton has promised his vision to build seven nuclear reactors around Australia will “keep the lights on.” But people in the communities earmarked to host the plants feel they are being left in the dark about what his plan means for them. [MSN]
US:
¶ “New Flow Battery To Take Up Housekeeping In Derelict Oil Tanks” • In a new twist on the circular economy of the future, the California startup Quino Energy, a US flow battery startup has embarked on a first-of-its-kind project aimed at demonstrating that former oil storage tanks can be repurposed for renewable energy storage. [CleanTechnica]
Flow battery (Courtesy of Quino Energy)
¶ “This Is The Time To Buy An EV – Tax Credits Will Expire Soon And Musk Doesn’t Care” • With the Trump team ready to swoop down on all things electric, there’s no better time to take advantage of federal incentives. Reports are that the transition team is planning to terminate the $7,500 consumer EV credit, with support of Elon Musk. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Another Milestone For Solar Panels That Produce Green Hydrogen” • Startup SunHydrogen reached another milestone for its nanoparticle-enabled solar modules, which can produce green hydrogen in one step, without electrolysis. It scaled up its solar-to-hydrogen technology and successfully demonstrated it on a 1 m² solar panel. [CleanTechnica]
SunHydrogen staff and panels (SunHydrogen image)
¶ “St. Charles Parish Schools Partner With Shell Norco To Open Renewable Energy Lab” • In Louisiana, St Charles Parish Public Schools unveiled its first interactive, renewable energy learning lab at Norco Elementary School. It’s the first school in the district to benefit from the renewable energy partnership program with the petrochemical giant. [L’Observateur]
¶ “US Solar Power Soared In 2024” • The US has had record solar growth in recent years, supported by the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act and greater access to green funding.The Solar Energies Industry Association has recorded record levels of added solar capacity over the last year, as more solar projects were added to the grid. [OilPrice.com]
Solar array at Nellis AFB (USAF image, public domain)
¶ “Will Georgia’s Solar Power Industry Thrive, Or Just Survive, Under Second Trump Term?” • Georgia’s thriving solar power industry makes the state number 2 for the solar manufacturing. A staggering 21% of solar PVs in the US comes out of Georgia. But could Georgia’s booming solar industry stall under a second Trump presidency? [Savannah Morning News]
¶ “PG&E Power Bills Will Rise After State Keeps Nuclear Power Plant Open” • PG&E customers face higher bills following state approval for money to operate California’s only nuclear plant, after a meeting punctuated by angry audience comments and heckling. The Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant had been slated to be phased out in 2025 and 2026. [MSN]
Have a warmly comfortable day.
geoharvey 
Leave a comment