World:
¶ “The UN’s Highest Court Will Decide On Country’s Climate Obligations” • After years of lobbying by exposed island nations who fear they could disappear under rising sea waters, the UN General Assembly asked the International Court of Justice in 2023 for an advisory, a non-binding opinion. The opinion is expected to come today, July 23. [ABC News]
Sea level rise (Iqro Rinaldi, Unsplash, cropped)
¶ “An ‘Underwater Bushfire’ Is Cooking Australia’s Reefs” • In Australia, there is more than one great reef. Ningaloo Reef, the world’s largest fringing reef, spreads along the coast of Western Australia. This year, Ningaloo is in trouble. It is bleaching in a marine heatwave. And this is happening just as the Great Barrier Reef is having the same problem. [BBC]
¶ “United Nations Chief António Guterres Foresees Fossil Fuel Tipping Point” • António Guterres, Secretary General of the UN, gave an address, “A Moment of Opportunity: Supercharging the Clean Energy Age,” in which he said the shift to renewables has “passed the point of no return.” Solar power is now 41% cheaper than power from fossil fuels. [CleanTechnica]
Engineer at a solar plant (Sikwe Scarter, Unsplash)
¶ “Europe’s 2040 Climate Target Isn’t Just for Environmentalists” • With the US abandoning the Paris Agreement, the center-right led EU Commission’s proposal of a 90% emissions reduction target by 2040 is a very big deal. The question now is how to get this ambitious proposal adopted, and how to design it so that it leads to progress beyond Europe. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “CorPower Ocean Wins €40 Million” • CorPower Ocean won a €40 million ($47 million) grant from the EU Innovation Fund to develop VianaWave, a 10-MW pre-commercial wave energy farm off the coast of northern Portugal. The project will consist of a CorPack array of 30 Wave Energy Converters, generating around 30 GWh of electricity annually. [reNews]
CorPower generator (CorPower image)
¶ “All 22 Turbines Installed At Swedish Wind Farm” • Global Wind Service has completed the installation of all 22 turbines at Renewable Power Capital’s 154-MW Storhöjden wind farm in Sweden. The Nordex N163 turbines were installed on TS118-03 towers at the site in the Höga Kusten region. It is the first phase of a 553-MW project. [reNews]
¶ “Renewables Leading The Way On Cost” • Renewables are leading the way on cost in global power markets, with 91% of new clean energy projects now cheaper than fossil fuel alternatives, a report has revealed. An International Renewable Energy Agency report said renewables maintained their price advantage over fossil fuels. [reNews]
Renewable energy (IRENA image)
¶ “WA Reveals Biggest Grid Investment For A Decade” • The Western Australian state government unveiled what it says is its largest investment in electricity transmission in over a decade, announcing new contracts totalling $342 million for major transmission network upgrades that will help unlock future renewable energy capacity. [RenewEconomy]
US:
¶ “Electric Truck Startup Nevoya Raises More Cash To Spread Its Wings And Fly” • The US electric truck startup Nevoya figured out how to make an irresistible offer to fleet owners: Ditch the diesel trucks, and Nevoya’s AI-enabled logistics platform will save money, improve customer satisfaction, and probably make your drivers happier, too. [CleanTechnica]
Nevoya electric truck (Courtesy of Nevoya)
¶ “California Could Suspend Tesla Manufacturing Over False Advertising Claim” • The California DMV has sued Tesla for false advertising, claiming Tesla misled consumers for years when it advertised its “Autopilot” and “Full Self Driving” features. If the state wins, it could suspend Tesla’s Fremont factory operations for 30 days. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Hybrid Solar-BESS In Hawaii Powers Up” • A hybrid 30-MW solar and 120-MWh battery energy storage plant in Hawaii is now fully operational. Ingeteam completed the commissioning work for eleven inverter power stations for Innergex Renewable Energy’s Hale Kuawehi project. The project could supply power to 14,600 Hawaiian homes. [reNews]
Hale Kuawehi project (Ingeteam image)
¶ “New Hampshire Raids Clean Energy Fund” • The new state budget of New Hampshire redirects an estimated $15 million from a dedicated renewable energy fund into the general fund, likely signaling the end of plans to expand a popular pilot for municipal solar developments. The budget leaves just $1 million in the renewable energy fund each year. [Canary Media]
¶ “Solar, Wind And Storage Reliably Power Texas Grid During Unexpected Coal Shutdown” • Solar and wind generated 40.2% of the ERCOT grid’s electricity this year through June. When coal plants shut down for unexpected maintenance, solar and wind provided about 50% of generation during peak summer demand in the state. [pv magazine USA]
Solar array (Markus Spiske, Unsplash, cropped)
¶ “Farmer-Led Trade Association Forms To Help Navigate Solar, Wind On Farmland” • Landowners formed a nonprofit trade association, Renewable Energy Farmers of America, to provide guidance and professional services for locating renewable energy on their land. The REFA is designed to remain “farmer-focused” at every level. [pv magazine USA]
¶ “Rubber Stamp? Has The Nuclear Regulatory Commission Lost Its Independence?” • The pace of undermining the statutory authority of the NRC to provide a basis of nuclear safety in the US and across the world is accelerating. DOGE staff member Adam Blake directed NRC staff to “rubber stamp” DOE and DOD nuclear projects. [Southern Alliance for Clean Energy]
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