Science and Technology:
¶ “Solar And Battery Storage For Charging Electric Trucks Lead The Way Toward A Blended Grid” • NFI Industries’ decided to install a 1-MW solar array and 7 MWh of batteries at a California warehouse. The microgrid, set to be turned on later this year, will balance grid power so fifty Volvo and Daimler electric big rigs can charge at the site. [CleanTechnica]
Trucks charging (NFI Industries via Canary Media)
¶ “Eleven Years After A Celebrated Opening, Massive Solar Plant Faces A Bleak Future In The Mojave Desert” • The Ivanpah solar thermal plant, once the largest solar power plant of its type, may be destined to close just eleven years after it opened. Owner NRG said the project was successful, but unable to compete with rival PV solar technology. [ABC News]
World:
¶ “UK Survey Finds 60% Of Car Buyers Turned Off By Elon Musk” • Electrifying.com conducted a survey of car buyers in the UK. It found, “60% of car buyers now say Musk’s controversial reputation actively puts them off buying a Tesla.” Is there any other company where 60% of potential buyers aren’t willing to buy the product because of the CEO? [CleanTechnica]
BMW i8 (Edvvc, CC-BY-SA 2.0)
¶ “Climate Campaigners Win As Scottish Court Invalidates Rosebank Oil Development Plan” • In Scotland, a judge of the Court of Sessions ruled that decisions to permit the Rosebank oil field and the smaller Jackdaw methane field were unlawful as they failed take into account the carbon emissions from burning oil and gas the fields produce. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Chinese Turbine Exports To Surge To 100 GW” • Chinese wind turbine exports are expected to grow from just under 10 GW twelve years ago to more than 100 GW in the next decade, according to data from the analyst Brinkmann. Goldwind and Envision are expected to dominate exports of Chinese onshore wind turbines between 2024 and 2034. [reNews]
Wind farm (Goldwind image)
¶ “Renewable Energy Accounts For 47% Of India’s Total Installed Power Capacity: Economic Survey” • Renewable energy accounts for about 47% of India’s total installed power capacity, according to the Economic Survey for 2024-25. The country’s renewable energy capacity grew by 15.8% year-on-year, reaching 209.4 GW by December 2024. [The New Indian Express]
¶ “Germany Publishes Fresh Offshore Area Plan” • Germany’s Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency has released an updated site development plan for expanding offshore wind farms in the North and Baltic Seas to 40 GW by 2034 and 70 GW by 2045. The lower power density in some zones will help offset wake effects. [reNews]
Offshore wind farm (EnBW image)
¶ “Polish PM Heralds Offshore Wind Opportunity” • Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk described the 1500-MW Baltica 2 offshore wind project as transformative for the economy. The investment is one of the largest in the history of Poland and is the start of a bigger ambition to build 18 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2040, Tusk said. [reNews]
¶ “Renewable Energy Hits Record Highs As Coal Power Drops Below 50% In Australia” • Renewable energy reached a record 46% of Australia’s electricity supply in late 2024. Coal-fired generation dipped below half for the first time, as outages and rising demand sent electricity prices soaring. Solar and wind output hit record highs. [en.econostrum.info]
Yallourn Plant, 2012 (Stephen Edmonds, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)
US:
¶ “How To Invest Directly Into Solar Projects And Finance A Clean Energy Future” • Big solar projects are often financed by big banks. Residential solar is usually financed by a homeowner, possibly through their solar company or some other lender. But where can ordinary people put money to push solar? Climatize is a company that helps with that. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Ford Opens Orders for New $36,495 Ford Mustang Mach-E” • Ford has opened up orders for the 2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E, which has a starting price of just $36,495. It was one of those models, and at the time had a starting MSRP of $39,995 for the base Select model. The new model can be at the lower price, though it has a little less range. [CleanTechnica]
2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E (Ford image)
¶ “US Nuclear Generators Import Nearly All Of The Uranium Concentrate They Use” • In 2023, US nuclear generators used 32 million pounds of imported uranium concentrate and only fifty thousand pounds that had been produced domestically. Imports made up 99% of the uranium concentrate they used to make nuclear fuel that year. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Texas’ Renewable Energy Boom: A $50 Billion Economic Engine” • With over 46,500 MW of installed wind power, 27,210 MW of solar capacity, and nearly 10,000 MW of energy storage, Texas is now leading the nation in clean energy deployment. Its projects are proving to be a financial windfall for communities across the state. [Environment+Energy Leader]
Building wind turbines (homeronz, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)
¶ “Vesper Energy Completes Installation Of A 600-MW Texas Solar Project” • Renewable energy developer Vesper Energy finished installing its Hornet Solar project in Texas. Composed of more than 1.36 million PV panels generating 600 MW of power, Hornet Solar is installed over six square miles. It will provide the annual needs of 160,000 homes. [Solar Power World]
¶ “Scientists Blame Climate Change For Los Angeles Wildfires” • Scientists showed that climate change was largely to blame for the LA wildfires. The World Weather Attribution – researchers from the US, UK, and European countries – said hot, dry, and windy conditions that drove the fires were about 35% more likely due to global warming. [MSN]
Have a gloriously picturesque day.
geoharvey 