Opinion:
¶ “EPA Trying To Claw Back $20 Billion in Green Grants – This Is Not Normal Politics” • While the Trump administration was supposedly going to focus on lowering costs for Americans, that’s not at all what it’s been doing. Instead, it is attacking programs and agencies that help and protect working class people, poor people, and small businesses. [CleanTechnica]
EPA Chief Lee Zeldin (Gage Skidmore, CC-BY-SA 2.0)
¶ “Trump Fritters Massive Wave Energy Opportunity Away” • Global renewable energy investors are now far more active than fossil energy stakeholders, and in some cases they are one and the same, with governments in cahoots. If the US is really going to achieve “energy dominance,” President Trump better start unfreezing some federal dollars. [CleanTechnica]
World:
¶ “World’s Sea-Ice Falls To Record Low” • The world’s frozen oceans currently have less ice than ever previously recorded, satellite data shows. Sea-ice around the north and south poles acts like a giant mirror by reflecting much of the Sun’s energy back into space, but as the ice shrinks, the dark ocean below can absorb more heat. [BBC]
Penguins (Danielle Barnes, Unsplash)
¶ “EU Policymakers Urged to Stick with Ambitious Targets for Recycled Plastics in New Cars” • T&E and other organizations are concerned by a weakening of the recycled content targets for plastics in new cars that have been introduced in the European Parliament’s draft report. They released a joint statement calling to preserve the stricter targets. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Tamil Nadu ‘Key To Indian Offshore Wind Expansion'” • A study by Ocean Energy Pathway, supported by GWEC and COWI, claims that Tamil Nadu holds the key to delivering up to ₹6,500 billion (€72 billion, $75 billion) of economic growth and an additional 805,000 jobs from the supply chain for offshore wind manufacturing by 2030. [reNews]
Installing an offshore turbine (RWE image)
¶ “RWE Commissions 220-MW German BESS” • RWE has commissioned one of Germany’s largest Battery Energy Storage Systems, with a total capacity of 220 MW. The BESS at the group’s Hamm and Neurath sites can reach its nominal capacity within seconds and has a storage capacity of 235 MWh. RWE has more battery systems planned. [reNews]
¶ “EU Plans Simpler State-Aid Rules To Boost Clean Tech” • The EU is reportedly planning simpler state-aid rules to boost clean tech investments and improve its industrial competitiveness against the US and China. A report from Bloomberg said that the European Commission is due to unveil the Clean Industrial Deal on 26 February. [reNews]
Wind turbines (Greencoat Renewables image)
¶ “World’s Highest Altitude Solar Facility Now Generating Power In Tibet” • The world’s highest-altitude solar facility, situated at an elevation of over 17,000 feet, has begun generating electricity in Tibet. The facility is designed to supply local communities with power, particularly during winter and spring, when there are energy shortages. [Straight Arrow News]
¶ “Russian Drone Pierced Chernobyl Nuclear Plant’s Radiation Shield, Says Zelensky” • A drone armed with a warhead hit the protective outer shell of Ukraine’s Chernobyl nuclear plant early on Friday, punching a hole in the structure and briefly starting a fire, in an attack Kyiv has blamed on Russia. The Kremlin denied it was responsible. [Yahoo News New Zealand]
Safe confinement at Chernobyl (Mattias Hill, CC-BY-SA 4.0)
US:
¶ “Republicans In Congress Want To Put $1,000 Tax On EVs, And Kill The EV Tax Credit” • Republican senators have introduced a bill to kill the US EV tax credits. In addition Senator Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska) has introduced a companion bill to put a $1,000 extra tax on EVs at the point of sale. We might wonder how Elon Musk feels about this. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Ford, GM, And Other Automakers Pushing To Keep US EV Tax Credits, Especially Leasing One” • The wheels are now in motion to kill the US EV tax credits. However, Ford, GM, and other car makers are reportedly trying to stop Republicans from killing them. One compromise would be to phase the credits out over a period of three years. [CleanTechnica]
Home solar charging (Courtesy of Ford)
¶ “New York Approves Empire Wind Transmission Plan” • The New York State Public Service Commission has approved the construction of an interconnection cable for Equinor’s 816-MW Empire Wind 1 project. This phase involves construction activities within Con Edison’s Gowanus substation property in New York City. [reNews]
¶ “Michigan Residents Push For An Environmental Impact Statement Before Restarting The Palisades Nuclear Plant” • An assessment by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission found that reopening the plant would have “no significant impact” on the local environment. But local residents and activist groups want a more thorough review. [Inside Climate News]
Have a precisely ordered day.
geoharvey 
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