World:
¶ “Fears 19th Century Canal Could Start To Run Dry In Days” • There are fears one of Wales’ most popular canals could start to dry up within a week, prompting calls for the Welsh government to intervene. Operators of the 225-year-old Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal have warned of an “urgent” water shortage without the prospect of imminent rainfall. [BBC]
The Wharf, Brecon (Philip Pankhurst, CC-BY-SA 2.0)
¶ “Tesla FSD Banned In UK, Trial Ends In China After One Week” • Tesla continues to bang the drum for its misleadingly named Full Self Driving technology package. The problem is that it is not even close to offering full self driving capability. That convinced the UK’s Department for Transport to disallow most Tesla driver-assist features. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “XPENG Prioritizes AI-Powered Experience-First Strategy at Bangkok International Motorshow” • XPENG, a high-tech car maker, strengthens Thailand premium smart EV leadership with AI-powered experience-first strategy, cutting edge supercharging networks, and better value proposition at the 46th Bangkok International Motorshow. [CleanTechnica]
XPENG showroom (YEING Luwem Hai Wangs, public domain)
¶ “China Announces Controversial Plan To Address Its Massive Power Needs: ‘New Energy Bases'” • While some renewable energy projects go in the right direction, other proposed plans spark controversy. One is a hydropower facility in Tibet. Experts point out it would have the potential to “impact on downstream water flows,” Reuters reported. [The Cool Down]
¶ “First Turbine Installed At 1.4-GW Sofia Wind Farm” • Cadeler successfully installed the first of 100 turbines at RWE’s 1.4-GW Sofia wind farm off east England. Jack-up Wind Peak arrived at the site on 22 March after being loaded out with the first batch of six Siemens Gamesa 14-MW machines at the turbine maker’s blade factory in Hull. [reNews]
Wind Peak (Cadeler image)
¶ “Even As New Clean Energy Breaks Records, Energy Emissions Rise” • Over 700 GW of clean energy capacity were installed last year worldwide, a March International Energy Agency report says. That’s more than double the amount built in 2022. Despite the growth of carbon-free power, emissions from the energy sector rose by nearly 1%. [Canary Media]
¶ “CDWE Installs Hai Long OSS Topside” • CDWE installed the HL3 OSS topside on the jacket for the 1-GW Hai Long offshore wind project, off Taiwan. This marks completion of two offshore substations (OSS) following the OSS installation campaign from last year for the offshore wind farm. The installation was carried out by the vessel Green Jade. [reNews]
OSS installation (CDWE image)
¶ “Scotland Generated Record Amount Of Renewable Electricity In 2024” • Scotland generated a record amount of energy from renewables last year. Data shows the electricity generated north of the Border helped power the rest of the UK. The majority of energy was produced by wind turbines, with 30.1 TWh coming from wind projects. [The National Scot]
¶ “Vindr To Deliver 600-MW Latvian High-Five” • Renewable energy company Vindr has secured five new wind park development areas in Latvia. The Nordic developer plans to invest up to €600m in the wind farms, with the total capacity exceeding 600 MW. The five development areas are Cēsis, Jēkabpils, Līvāni, Saldus, and Valmiera. [reNews]
Wind turbines (Abby Anaday, Unsplash)
¶ “Why a Diesel Tank Failure at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Is a Global Threat” • The latest incident – the failure of an emergency diesel tank at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant – threatens the stability of the plant’s operation and could lead to a catastrophe similar to the accident at the Japanese Fukushima Daiichi NPP. [Fakti.bg]
US:
¶ “US Geothermal Energy Startup Pre-Qualified By US Air Force, Eyes Scaleup” • The geothermal energy startup XGS Energy is a Texas-based firm is part of a cohort of geothermal innovators pre-qualified to bid on Department of of Defense contracts. It just secured another $13 million to help speed its way to commercialization. [CleanTechnica]
Geothermal energy innovation (XGS Energy image)
¶ “New York City Indoor Pollution Law Upheld By Federal Court” • A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by plumbing and building trade groups against the New York City ban on methane gas in new buildings. Legal experts say the decision is a strong legal footing for all types of local policies to phase out gas in buildings. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Hyundai, Kia, And Genesis Plant That Can Produce 500,000 Electric And Hybrid Vehicles Opens In Georgia” • Hyundai Motor Group invested $12.6 billion to build the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America in Georgia. Now it’s open. Hyundai says it will produce up to 500,000 Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis electric and hybrid vehicles per year. [CleanTechnica]
Metaplant America (Hyundai Motor America image)
¶ “Southwest Power Pool Can Hit 90% Renewables By 2050, Says Brattle Group” • High shares of renewable generation could enable the grid operator Southwest Power Pool to serve its customers with no increase in inflation-adjusted costs per megawatt-hour of electricity through 2050, a Brattle Group study has found. [pv magazine International]
¶ “Farmers In Trump Country Were Counting On Clean Energy Grants. Then The Goalposts Were Moved” • The Department of Agriculture announced it will release previously authorized grant funds to farmers and rural business owners to build renewable energy projects, but only if they rewrite applications to comply with the president’s priorities. [The Allegheny Front]
Have a decidedly goodly day.
geoharvey 
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