Opinion:
¶ “Where to See Hope amidst Broad US Attack on Cleantech” • Right now, it’s hard to feel much hope if you overly focus on the US or US policies. But if you step beyond that focus, there’s still a lot to be hopeful about. The US may be falling behind, but the rest of the world isn’t letting us drag it down any longer. Here we roll through some key points. [CleanTechnica]
Volkswagen ID. Buzz in Brazil (Courtesy of Volkswagen AG)
World:
¶ “The Ocean Is Changing Colors, Researchers Say” • Warming waters are causing the colors of the ocean to change, a paper published in the journal Science shows. Satellite data shows that ocean waters are getting greener at the poles and bluer toward the equator, as a result of shifting amounts of chlorophyll. The change could impact marine food webs. [ABC News]
¶ “New Emissions Guidance For Oil And Gas Projects” • The UK government has published guidance on how it will consider fresh applications for oil and gas projects. Operators will now have to draw up environmental impact assessments that take emissions released from burning oil and gas they produce into account, not just the emissions from production. [BBC]
Oil platform (Jonathan Gong, Unsplash)
¶ “LNG Canada’s True Cost: 2.2 Billion Tons Of CO₂e Over Fifty Years” • Promoted as a cleaner alternative to coal and a model of low-emissions LNG infrastructure, a project at Kitimat, British Columbia, is emblematic of a global trend: locking in fossil fuel infrastructure at a time when net-zero ambitions demand urgent emissions reductions. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Push For Tariffs On Chinese EVs In Brazil As BYD Comes To Town” • Chinese EV giant BYD has expanded into or rapidly accelerated the competition in ever more markets, including in Latin America. It offers more affordable, really good electric cars than these markets have had. Brazil is one of those markets, and BYD is doing great there. [CleanTechnica]
BYD Seal
¶ “Africa’s Shift To 100% Renewable Energy Could Create 5.4 Million Jobs By 2050, Report Says” • Africa could create up to 5.4 million new energy sector jobs by 2050 if it transitions fully to renewable energy, a report shows. The report, “African Energy Leadership: The Case for 100% Renewable Energy,” was released at a climate meeting in Bonn. [Nairametrics]
¶ “UK Approves 138-MW Oaklands Farm Solar Project” • The UK government granted planning permission to BayWa’s renewables business for the 138-MW solar project in Derbyshire. Energy Secretary Ed Milband approved a Development Consent Order for the Oaklands Farm scheme, which has been under planning review since early 2024. [reNews]
Rural Derbyshire (Candy Goode, Unsplash)
¶ “Indonesia Inaugurates Largest Integrated Solar Panel Factory To Boost Renewable Energy” • Indonesian Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita inaugurated the country’s largest solar cell and solar panel module factory, PT Trina Mas Agra Indonesia, which has a production capacity of 1 GW per year, Xinhua reports. [qazinform.com]
¶ “Fabrication Begins On Belgian Energy Island” • Fabrication of high-voltage alternating current modules began at Belgium’s Princess Elisabeth offshore energy hub in the Netherlands. The infrastructure will be the backbone of the island’s transmission system and support delivery of at least 2.1-GW of wind power to the mainland. [reNews]
Fabrication (HSM image)
¶ “Satellite Images Reveal Heavy Damage To Arak Nuclear Plant After Israeli Strike” • Satellite imagery shows that Israel’s recent airstrike on Iran caused significant damage to the Arak heavy water reactor about 250 km southwest of Tehran. While the Arak reactor was not operational, nuclear experts have long tracked the site because it can produce plutonium. [MSN]
¶ “Nuclear Power Plant Warning As Heatwave Hits France” • The French electricity supply could be disrupted as nuclear power generation along the Rhone is curtailed because of high water temperatures. Nuclear operator EDF announced that high water temperatures are expected to impact production of power from 25 June. [Yahoo News New Zealand]
Saint-Alban Nuclear Plant (Pilat.Oueb, CC-BY-SA 4.0)
US:
¶ “Could Be A Huge Surge In US EV Sales In Rest Of 2025, And Then Big Crash” • The plan to kill the $7,500 tax credit for EVs is this: 180 days after the budget bill becomes law, the EV tax credit will go away. And the tax credit for leased EVs will be eliminated for cars produced outside of the US. Before the credits end, EVs will boom. Then 2026 comes. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “The US Energy Transition Is Not Going Quietly” • Here in the US, decarbonization is facing a double whammy. On top of this year’s abrupt shift in federal energy policy, electricity demand is rising, impelling a fresh argument that a whole new fleet of gas power plants is needed. But despite the setbacks, we are going to a low-carbon future. [CleanTechnica]
Wind turbines (George Dagerotip, Unsplash)
¶ “New Jersey Launches 2-GW Energy Storage Program” • New Jersey has launched a landmark energy storage initiative that aims to deliver 2 GW of capacity by 2030 while cutting long-term electricity costs and strengthening grid reliability. The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved Phase 1 of the Garden State Energy Storage Program. [reNews]
¶ “SMUD Signs Battery Deal With DESRI” • DESRI and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District have signed a long-term power purchase agreement for a 160MW/640MWh battery energy storage project in California. The Dry Creek Energy Storage project will be located at the site of the decommissioned Rancho Seco power station in Sacramento County. [reNews]
Have a perfectly sufficient day.
geoharvey 