World:
¶ “EVs Take 62.8% Share In Sweden” • December saw plugin EVs take 62.8% share in Sweden, down a bit from the 63.1% reported in December 2023. The battery EV share increased year over year, but was outweighed by falling plugin hybrid share. Overall auto volume was 26,237 units, down by 10% YOY. The best selling battery EV was the Tesla Model Y. [CleanTechnica]
Tesla Model Y (Pontus Jerand Wernhammar, Unsplash)
¶ “Boskalis Unveils New Vessel” • Boskalis has unveiled the latest addition to its offshore wind fleet, a subsea rock installation (SRI) vessel with a cargo capacity of 45,500 metric tons. This “state-of-the-art vessel will stand as the largest SRI vessel in the industry”, stated Boskalis. With the introduction of the Windpiper, Boskalis will effectively double its capacity. [reNews]
¶ “Germany Passes 100-GW Solar Milestone” • Germany’s installed solar capacity exceeded 100 GW at the turn of the new year, according to government data analyzed by the German Solar Industry Association. This installed capacity provided for around 14% of electricity consumption in 2024, up from the 12% it covered in 2023. [reNews]
German solar array (BayWa RE image)
¶ “ArcelorMittal Nippon Moves Forward With Part Of 975-MW Solar Project” • Oriano commissioned a 211.2 MW solar project in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, for captive consumption by ArcelorMittal Nippon Group, which is developing a 975-MW hybrid renewable energy project to decarbonize operations of its steel production. [pv magazine International]
¶ “NTPC Renewable Energy Wins 1 GW In UPPCL’s Solar PV Auction” • A wholly owned subsidiary of NTPC Green Energy Ltd won 1 GW in Uttar Pradesh Power Corp Ltd’s 2-GW solar PV project auction. NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd won the capacity at a tariff of ₹2.56/kWh (3.0¢/kWh) in the e-reverse auction conducted by UPPCL. [pv magazine India]
Engie’s 75-MW solar PV plant in Uttar Pradesh (Engie image)
¶ “PH Coal Consumption Rises Amid Surging Power Demand” • The Philippines’ coal use continues to rise, driven by growing power demand despite the government’s push for renewable energy. The IEA projects the Philippines’ coal consumption will reach 47 million tons within three years, citing robust economic outlook and rising power demand. [Power Philippines]
¶ “Wind Is Biggest Source Of UK Electricity For First Time” • Thousands of wind turbines, both on and offshore, have become the biggest single source of Britain’s electricity for the first time, according to analysis of the annual energy mix. Wind generation rose to a 30% share last year from 29% in 2023, displacing gas-fired plants as the primary source. [The Times]
Windfarm construction (Zanaszanas, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)
¶ “IAEA Reports Explosions And Gunfire Near Zaporizhzhia NPP” • International Atomic Energy Agency staff reported loud explosions near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant. There were also reports of machine gun fire coming from the area around the plant. IAEA experts noted that military activity near the ZNPP intensified in the last 24 hours. [RBC-Ukraine]
US:
¶ “US Reservoirs Could Host Up To 1,042 GW Of Floating Solar” • US Federally controlled reservoirs have “ample” potential for floating solar generation capacity, an NREL study says. Capacity estimates range from 861 GW to 1,042 GW, showing a potential to generate about half of the solar energy needed to decarbonize the US electric grid. [pv magazine International]
Floating solar array (NREL image)
¶ “Regulatory Chaos Could Disrupt US Solar Manufacturing And Implementation” • The Inflation Reduction Act is a spectacular success. A recent White House press release says that, in the two years since its passage, companies have announced $265 billion in clean energy investments, creating over 330,000 jobs. The new leadership wants to dismantle it. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Why Is The Sea Level Rise Higher In The Southeast Than In Other Parts Of The US?” • NOAA 210 continuously operating water level stations throughout the US and its territories. The Fort Pulaski tide gauge, near Savannah, Georgia, has recorded roughly ten inches of sea level rise since 1935 – over seven of which came since 2010. [CleanTechnica]
Ocean (Greg Rosenke, Unsplash, cropped)
¶ “Eolus Offloads 100-MW US Battery” • Eolus has signed an agreement to sell a 100-MW battery system project in California. The 400-MWh stand-alone Pome project, in Poway, is under construction, with planned commercial operation in the first half of 2025. The buyer is a privately held producer of renewable energy in the US. [reNews]
¶ “US Treasury Signals A New Hope For Green Hydrogen” • In the US, green hydrogen stakeholders have been eagerly waiting for clarification on a potentially lucrative federal tax credit. They finally got what they wished for, when the Treasury Department issued its Final Rule. The new rule looks like a win-win for the US green hydrogen industry. [CleanTechnica]
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