Science and Technology:
¶ “Game Over For Coal: Perovskite Solar Cells Are Here” • Oh the irony, it burns. Just one day after US President Donald Trump took steps to salvage the dying remains of the domestic coal industry, word has just dropped that new perovskite solar cells got a seal of approval from the leading solar PV manufacturer Trinasolar. [CleanTechnica]
Perovskite solar cells (courtesy of Oxford PV)
World:
¶ “Tropical Tree Species Has Evolved To Benefit From Lightning Strikes” • The tonka bean tree exhibits an ability to transfer the electricity from lightning strikes onto the parasitic vines that attach to it, according to a paper published in New Phytologist. Lightning has also been shown to damage neighboring trees that may be competing for resources. [ABC News]
¶ “BYD Announces Price Cut On Seagull – Now $7,800” • BYD has announced a significant price cut for its Seagull EV, bringing the new starting price to 56,800 yuan ($7,800). This is a large reduction from the previous starting price of 69,800 yuan ($9,500) for the Vitality Edition model. It is one of the least expensive EVs in Asia. [CleanTechnica]
BYD Seagull (Courtesy of BYD)
¶ “Blyth Battery Goes Live. The 477-MWh Asset Commissioned For Neoen In South Australia” • NHOA Energy, a global leader in the design, delivery, and servicing of utility-scale energy storage systems, announced that in partnership with Elecnor Australia it had finished and commissioned Neoen’s 238.5-MW, 477-MWh Blyth Battery. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “WindEurope 2025: OTC Presents Offshore Grid Study” • The Offshore TSO Collaboration presented initial results of a pilot study of a joint European offshore grid in the North Sea. The analysis finds that establishing the North Sea as Europe’s “green power plant” will be crucial to secure an independent, affordable, and decarbonised energy supply. [reNews]
Offshore grid (OTC image)
¶ “Researchers Find Significant Energy Market Shift ‘Shows What Consistent Policy Can Achieve'” • PV Magazine reported that 80 to 90% of operational unit subsidies associated with the Renewable Energy Sources Act have already been paid. The researchers also found that costs have greatly improved and are now competitive. [The Cool Down]
¶ “Tidal, Wave Can Deliver £8 Billion Boost To Scotland” • Tidal stream and wave energy projects in the UK could deliver over £8 billion in economic benefits to the Scottish economy by 2050, according to a report by the University of Edinburgh. The report presents a scenario with a Scottish market for up to 8.8 GW of marine energy by 2050. [reNews]
Activity on marine energy (Colin Keldie, EMEC)
¶ “India Plans 13 GW Hybrid Solar, Wind Hybrid Project” • A hybrid renewable energy park with a total capacity of 13 GW is planned for areas of the region of Ladakh, India. The project will include solar, wind, and battery storage systems, according to Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy and Power Shripad Yesso Naik. [pv magazine International]
¶ “Do New US-Iran Nuclear Talks Have Any Chance Of Success?” • The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, widely known as the Iranian Nuclear Deal, was heralded as a major diplomatic accomplishment, but only three years later, then-US President Donald Trump pulled the US out of it. Now, Trump is trying his had at dealing with the issue. [Yahoo News UK]
Tehran (Mohammad Amirahmadi, Unsplash)
US:
¶ “Why The Flooding In The South, Midwest Was So Severe” • A multi-day outbreak of tornadoes, torrential rain, and flooding that killed at least two dozen people in the Midwest and South was caused by a storm system that stalled and persisted in the area. With climate change, extreme precipitation events have become about 45% more common. [ABC News]
¶ “Cleanup Underway Of The Keystone Oil Pipeline Spill In North Dakota” • When the Keystone pipeline ruptured Tuesday in southeastern North Dakota, it was shut down within two minutes by an employee who heard a mechanical bang. South Bow, which manages the pipeline, estimated the spill’s volume at 3,500 barrels, or 147,000 gallons. [ABC News]
Pipeline construction (shannonpatrick17, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)
¶ “Microsoft Says It’s ‘Slowing Or Pausing’ Some AI Data Center Projects” • Microsoft said it is “slowing or pausing” some of its data center construction, including a $1 billion project in Ohio, the latest sign that the demand for AI technology that drove a massive infrastructure expansion might not need quite as many powerful computers as expected. [ABC News]
¶ “Renewable Energy Still Alive And Kicking In The US” • Even with efforts to prop up the US coal industry, renewable energy projects still attract global energy investors. The loss of federal support for renewables still stings, but at least the folks overseas still believe there is money to be made from clean energy in the US. As they say, money talks. [CleanTechnica]
Renewable energy (Courtesy of Sunraycer Renewables)
¶ “Tesla Cybertruck Is A Sales Disaster” • Some people expected the Cybertruck could sell about 500,000 per year. Estimates are that it has sold about 46,000. Jalopnik says Tesla has about 2,400 Cybertrucks it can’t find buyers for, even with ridiculous sales incentives. It seem to be a dream, joining the Semi, the robotaxi, affordable models and so many others. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Plug-In Solar Now Legal In Utah Homes” • Utah has taken a significant step in expanding residential solar energy options with the passage of HB 340. Now signed into law, it introduces a new category for small, portable solar generation devices that allow residents to integrate plug-in solar systems into their homes more easily. [CleanTechnica]
Have an unfashionably sweet day.
geoharvey 