Opinion:
¶ “Musk And Trump: The Road Ahead Is Strewn With Ethical Challenges” • Bloomberg points out that Elon Musk is the owner of several large companies that have major contracts with the US government. Some of those companies have regulatory issues with various government agencies, issues the next administration could sweep under the rug. [CleanTechnica]
Musk, Gabbard, Musk, Kennedy, and Johnson
(Office of Speaker Mike Johnson, public domain)
World:
¶ “Xiaomi Wants To Become A Top 5 Automaker Globally” • The entrance of Xiaomi into the EV market is one of the EV stories of the year. The #2 smartphone seller in the world decided it could make electric cars as well as anyone, and it seems it was right. Xiaomi stormed onto the market, and the latest news is that it reached its 2024 target. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “RWE Commissions 54-MW Italian Wind Farm” • RWE has commissioned its 54-MW San Severo onshore wind farm in the Foggia province of the Apulia region in Italy. Bringing the twelve turbines of the array online means the German utility currently operates sixteen wind farms in the country, with a total installed capacity of 527 MW. [reNews]
Wind farm (RWE image)
¶ “The Year in Energy in Four Charts” • The global energy sector defied expectations this year, in ways both good and bad for the climate. Four charts highlight key trends in the transition to clean energy. Renewable energy capacity and new EV sales are both growing quickly as investment in them grows. But fossil fuels persist, as demand grows. [Yale E360]
¶ “EDF Wins 250 MW In French Offshore Tender” • EDF and partner Maple Power have secured their 250-MW Golfe de Fos 1 floating offshore wind farm in France’s AO6 tender. The joint venture, Eoliennes Méditerranée Grand Large, will design, build, and operate the array located approximately 25 km from the country’s southern coast. [reNews]
Offshore wind turbines (EDF image)
¶ “Solar Panels Distributed To Nomads At 10% Of Cost” • Iran is providing portable solar panels to all its nomadic households, requiring them to pay only 10% of the cost, a senior official from the Organization for Nomadic Affairs announced. He pointed out that with sufficient funding, the program provide electricity to all nomads within three years. [Tehran Times]
¶ “Indonesia Strives To Be Independent In Renewable Enery” • Indonesian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia said that the country wants to become a country that is not only independent in oil and gas but also in the renewable energy sector. The government is encouraging development of renewable energy. [Vietnam+]
Solar array (Climateworks.org)
¶ “This Talk Of Nuclear Is A Waste Of Time: Wind, Solar And Firming Can Clearly Do The Job” • Australia’s economic future will be at risk if we stop the wind and solar construction to build nuclear. Wind, solar and firming can clearly do the job. Every hurdle from reliability to inertia has been overcome, and there is no economic reason to change. [RenewEconomy]
US:
¶ “Tesla Is Secretly Recalling Cybertruck Batteries” • Something interesting has been going on with Tesla Cybertrucks. Tesla has been quietly replacing their battery packs, seemingly a lot of them. At least since September, Tesla has been swapping out Cybertruck battery packs for new ones when they are brought in for other maintenance issues. [CleanTechnica]
Cybertruck (Varun Palaniappan, Unsplash, cropped)
¶ “US Gas Car Sales Are Down 1%, While Electric Car Sales Are Up 8%” • Overall auto sales were down by 365,000 units, or 8%, in Q3 2024 from Q3 2019. They were also down slightly, by 9,641 units or 8%, from Q3 last year. Meanwhile electric car sales have grown every year. They were up 8% from Q3 2023 and up 474% from Q3 of 2019. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Big Tech’s AI Bets Are Driving A Nuclear Renaissance. Not Everyone Is Buying The Hype” • The generative AI boom has made nuclear power an obsession for Big Tech, as companies look for ways meet energy demands. Some industry watchers aren’t fully convinced that it should be, or that nuclear startups will be able to capitalize on the hype. [AOL.com]
Have a thrillingly undemanding day.
geoharvey 