Science and Technology:
¶ “Natural Power Spins Off Bat Sensing Tech” • Natural Power has spun off a smart turbine curtailment technology in the US, developed to reduce bat collisions and fatalities. The system limits bat fatalities at wind farms while simultaneously reducing curtailment hours and associated energy losses when compared to a blanket curtailment strategy. [reNews]
Wind turbines at night (Natural Power image)
World:
¶ “China’s Electric Car Sales Grow In 2024, As Sales Of Gasoline Cars Plunge” • Sales of all types of EVs rose more than 40% in China last year, while sales of gasoline-powered automobiles plunged, industry data shows. A total of 31.4 million vehicles were sold last year in the world’s biggest market by sales, and exports rose 20%. [ABC News]
¶ “Melting Glaciers In Antarctica May Encourage More Volcanic Activity” • Research by Allie Coonin of Brown University and her colleagues show that as that ice melts, the weight of the glaciers on the land below is reduced. The reduction in weight of the glaciers causes compressed magma to expand. This expansion can lead to eruptions. [CleanTechnica]
Volcano in Antarctica (Josh Landis, NSF, public domain)
¶ “This Is What’s Driving Growing EV Sales” • As we’ve seen now, EVs had healthy sales growth in 2024. Many companies actually had spectacular EV sales growth. The higher EV sales were not forced on consumers. They are buying more EVs because they are good purchases. One critical thing has been driving sales is falling battery costs. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Nordex Celebrates Huge 638-MW Haul In Turkey” • Nordex received orders for a total of 97 turbines, for 638 MW of capacity altogether, from Turkey in the fourth quarter of last year. Most of these were placed at the end of December. These latest orders mean the Nordex Group reached more than 1 GW of orders in Turkey in 2024. [reNews]
Moving a turbine blade (Nordex image)
¶ “PH Expedited Renewable Energy Projects Worth Over $70 Billion In 2024” • The Philippines has granted green lane access to a total of 176 projects as of 26 December last year, of which 141 projects worth $70 billion are renewable energy facilities. The Board of Investments advised that six projects were approved in December alone. [Asian Power]
¶ “Last Turbine Installed At Borkum Riffgrund 3” • The last wind turbine has been installed at the 913-MW Borkum Riffgrund 3 offshore wind farm in Germany. The project, owned equally by Ørsted and Nuveen Infrastructure, breaks new ground for the country’s offshore wind industry in terms both of its capacity and its business model. [reNews]
Borkum Riffgrund 3 (Ørsted image)
¶ “MET Energia Italia launches Renewable Energy Community” • MET Energia Italia, a subsidiary of Swiss-based MET Group, launched the first Renewable Energy Community in Lombardy. The Staffora 1 community is open to all citizens, companies and local authorities in the area, and uses renewable energy to generate savings. [reNews]
¶ “‘Always On’ Nuclear Power Is About As Reliable As Wind And Solar – During A Renewables Drought” • A key selling points for nuclear power, its “always on,” reliability, was put to the test in an analysis that found that a fleet of modern nuclear plants is about as reliable as a fleet of wind and solar farms in the midst of a bad renewable energy drought. [RenewEconomy]
Nuclear plant in France (Stefan Kühn , CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)
¶ “France ‘Far From Ready’ To Build Six New Nuclear Reactors” • France is “far from ready” to begin a project estimated at €50 billion to build six nuclear reactors, a report from the country’s top audit body said. Due to financing uncertainties, the supply chain has been unable to prepare for the massive construction project, the report said. [Yahoo News UK]
US:
¶ “Possible Links Between Utility Companies And La Wildfires Under Investigation” • As the Los Angeles area braces for another wind system to move in this week, and fire fighters continue to battle wildfires that erupted last week, officials seek to find out what caused some of the worst fires in California’s history. Power lines are being considered. [ABC News]
Sky reddened by wildfire smoke (Mick Haupt, Unsplash)
¶ “Los Angeles Residents Face Cost Of Devastating Wildfires” • Los Angeles residents who fled devastating wildfires are facing huge recovery efforts, as they gather what they can from the ruins of their homes. As firefighters continue a massive effort to contain and subdue the historic infernos, Angelenos grapple with unthinkable loss. [ABC News]
¶ “Officials Nationwide Should Prepare For Potential Climate Disasters, Researchers Say” • Experts say that extreme weather events worsened by climate change are knocking on the doors of people all across the country. Local officials must proactively prepare their regions before their residents become the next victims of tragedy. [ABC News]
Lightning (NOAA, Unsplash)
¶ “JP Morgan Thinks Tesla Will Be The Biggest Loser From Trump Anti-EV Policies” • The joy about the rise in Tesla’s stock price is not universal among investors. Bloomberg Hyperdrive says JPMorgan analysts think the market is in a false euphoria. They believe Tesla may have the most to lose of any car maker from the shifting regulatory landscape. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “USDA Strikes Again: $6 Billion For Rural Clean Energy Projects” • A $6 billion funding package for rural clean energy projects is the latest departing shot by the Biden administration. It’s gigantic, and not just due to its $6 billion size. The funds are going to support the energy transition among the nation’s rural electric cooperatives. [CleanTechnica]
Have a fundamentally jubilant day.
geoharvey 