Opinion:
¶ “Legacy Automakers Keep Throwing Money At Their Enemies” • Legacy automakers want to make the most money they can from existing fossil-fueled models and the production lines for those models. So they buy EV credits from EV startups. They paid Tesla $2.8 billion in 2024. It’s a bit stunning that automakers would fund their competitors. [CleanTechnica]
Tesla (Charlie Deets, Unsplash)
¶ “DeepSeek Launch Should Prompt AI Security Reviews Across The Nuclear Industry” • DeepSeek is an AI model from China. It could make energy facilities, particularly nuclear facilities, easier to develop, operate, orchestrate, and maintain. But only if these applications can adhere to the strictest standards of data security, privacy, and operational integrity. [POWER Magazine]
World:
¶ “First 100% Green Corridor Between Spain And Morocco: Two 100% Electric ‘Fast Ferries'” • Baleària, a Spanish ferry operator, launched a concept for the first green corridor between Spain and Morocco. It have two 100% electric, zero-emission fast boats. These twin ships will be used to connect Tangier, Morocco, and Tarifa, Spain. [CleanTechnica]
Baleària ferry (Baleària image)
¶ “Flexis Offers Three Vehicles For Connected, Electrified Urban Logistics” • With three cutting-edge EV models and a full set of services to serve the full urban logistics lifecycle, Flexis is out to transform urban logistics. Flexis is presenting three new vehicle variants that are designed to address the urban logistical issues facing Europe. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “In The Netherlands, 31% Of Tesla Owners Consider Selling Their Cars Because Of Elon Musk” • Elon Musk has gone from far right-wing conspiracy theories to doing what looked like a full-on Nazi salute, twice. A Dutch pension fund, one of the biggest in the world, sold sold its Tesla shares. And many Dutch Tesla owners want to sell their cars. [CleanTechnica]
Empty showroom (I’m Zion, Unsplash)
¶ “UK Plans To ‘Unblock’ 16 GW Of Offshore Wind” • The UK government has announced a raft to measures to help up to thirteen offshore wind projects with a total capacity of around 16 GW discharge their consent conditions by preventing delays caused by insufficient environmental compensation measures being agreed. [reNews]
¶ “Locals Voice ‘Overwhelmingly Positive’ Support For Mersey Tidal Power Project” • The Mersey Tidal Power Project aims to expand the UK’s renewable energy capacity. Between October 1 and November 15, 2024, a consultation gathered 3,039 responses, with 92% supporting increased renewable energy generation in the Liverpool City Region. [Offshore Energy]
Mersey Tidal Power (Liverpool City Region Combined Authority)
¶ “Power Capital Secures Funds For Irish PV” • Power Capital Renewable Energy, in partnership with AIB, Bank of Ireland and Societe Generale, completed a project finance round to develop about 300 MW of solar farms in Ireland. This agreement secures facilities of nearly €220 million to support the development of seven projects. [reNews]
US:
¶ “Honda To Sell Electric Car Under $30,000 In USA?” • While EVs are doing quite well in luxury car segments, many readers (and writers) of CleanTechnica lament that we don’t have enough affordable electric cars, and none that are very affordable. Honda may be arriving to the EV party a decade late, but it may be out to change that. [CleanTechnica]
Honda EV (Honda image)
¶ “Bright Spots Of Solar Energy Cut Through The Clutter” • For anyone who missed the warnings about Project 2025, it’s all true. But the US solar energy industry is still an industry regardless of the chaos touched off when President Trump took office. Solar developers are taking advantage of new financial instruments to keep the momentum going. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “First EV Casualty Of Trump Election: Volkswagen ID.7?” • There are reports that the Volkswagen ID.7 is the first EV casualty of the new administration and his plan to cut EV incentives. Volkswagen decided to drop its plan to bring the ID.7 to North America. It’s a shame, as the ID.7 is the company’s flagship EV model and it’s selling well in Europe. [CleanTechnica]
Volkswagen ID.7 (Ssu, CC-BY-SA. 4.0, cropped)
¶ “How A New NASA Satellite Could Help Solve The Global Temperature Spike Mystery” • Scientists say the recent El Niño added to global warming to drive the huge spike in global surface heat since mid-2023. But they need to know more. NASA has a new Earth-observing satellite to get data to help scientists see how aerosols impact Earth’s energy balance. [ABC News]
¶ “Encore Renewable Energy Secures $389 Million Of Financing To Advance Solar And Energy Storage” • Encore Renewable Energy, a leading renewable energy company, announced closing a $389 million financing package from Brookfield. This transaction will accelerate Encore’s growth as an independent power producer. [Vermont Business Magazine]
Encore Renewable solar project in Hartland (Encore photo)
¶ “Invenergy Closes $1.1 Billion In Solar Financing” • Developer Invenergy closed debt financing in excess of $1 billion for three solar projects. The financing is for construction of three solar projects: Cadence Solar Energy Center in Ohio (240 MW), Trade Post Solar Energy Center in Indiana (200 MW), and Yum Yum Solar Energy Center in Tennessee (150 MW). [reNews]
¶ “Legislators Introduce Bill To Start Community Solar Program In Washington State” • Sen Sharon Shewmake (D-Bellingham) and Rep Adam Bernbaum (D-Port Townsend) announced the introduction of the Fair Access to Community Solar Act, which enables the establishment of a comprehensive community solar program in Washington State. [Solar Power World]
Have a fastidiously polite day.
geoharvey 