World:
¶ “In Portugal’s Marine Forests, Scientists Discover Kelp Is A Powerful Carbon Store” • Scientists measured the carbon caught by seaweed in marine forests off the north coast of Portugal. They found it plays a major role in carbon capture and storage. But they warn that climate change is threatening the seaweed’s ability to provide its benefits. [Euronews]
Kelp at low tide (Shane Stagner, Unsplash)
¶ “Climate Change Tripled The Death Toll From European Heatwaves This Summer, Study Says” • Europe was 3.6°C hotter due to climate change this summer, leading to an additional 16,500 deaths, a study said. Experts looked at 854 European cities and found that climate change was responsible for 68% of the 24,400 estimated heat deaths this summer. [Euronews]
¶ “Low Battery Prices And Affordable Electric Cars Sweeping Into Europe” • A decade ago, electric cars were long-range or affordable. You couldn’t find a model that was both. However, battery prices have only dropped – fast. The Renault Zoe, Chevy Bolt EV, and Tesla Model 3 led us into an era of long-range but affordable electric cars. [CleanTechnica]
Hyundai INSTER
¶ “Organization Argues We’re Entering Dieselgate Sequel” • “Dieselgate” was the humongous emissions scandal in which Volkswagen deceived the public about emissions from diesel-fueled vehicles by tricking test systems. Now, T&E argues, car makers are using similar deception with emissions from hybrids. And people are dying. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “BYD Unveils Third-Generation Electric Bus Platform With 1000-Volt Architecture” • BYD just took the wraps off its third-generation electric bus platform. The most noticeable thing about the latest bus chassis is that its architecture is 1000-volt, where today’s is 800-volt. Higher voltages aid fast charging along with other benefits. [CleanTechnica]
BYD presentation (BYD image)
¶ “Aviva Makes €150 Million European Battery Investment” • Aviva Investors has completed a €150 million investment in the European market for battery systems. Initially, a €75 million investment from Aviva and €15 million from Terra One will help finance around 500 MW of battery assets in Germany. They are expected to be operational in 2028. [reNews]
¶ “Holland Eyes CfDs And €1 Billion Offshore Stimulus” • The Dutch government has allocated €1 billion from its climate fund to support the build-out of 2 GW of offshore wind capacity next year. An Offshore Wind Energy Action Plan published by the country’s Ministry of Climate and Green Growth proposes the cash will be used as a stimulus. [reNews]
Offshore wind turbines (Van Oord image)
¶ “Tata Power Renewable Inks 838-MW Wind Turbine Deal With Suzlon” • Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited has signed an agreement with Suzlon Group for the supply of 838 MW of wind turbines. The equipment will be deployed in projects in multiple states of India over the next few years. India has a renewable energy target of 500 GW in 2030. [Swarajyamag]
¶ “Nordex Enters Ecuadorian Market” • The Nordex Group has got its first turbine deal for a project in Ecuador. An unnamed developer placed an order for 19 N149/5.X units for a 112-MW scheme in the southern part of the country. Installation of the first Delta4000 machine is scheduled for October 2026, with commissioning planned for March 2027. [reNews]
Wind turbine (Nordex image)
¶ “Citicore Energises First ‘Solar Baseload’ Plant In Philippines” • Citicore Renewable Energy Corp has energised the CS Batangas 1 energy facilty, the Philippines’ first “solar baseload” power plant. The 197-MS solar plant is coupled with a 320-MWh battery system, allowing it to store and dispatch needed energy beyond the normal hours of solar. [Asian Power]
¶ “Wind Energy Faces “Existential Challenge” As Solar And Battery Hybrids Beat It On Costs” • The Australian wind industry gathered in Melbourne to confront an uncomfortable truth: The cost of wind turbines has almost doubled what it was just a few years ago, and the technology is now losing on price to solar and battery storage combined. [RenewEconomy]
Wind turbine (Vasilios Muselimis, Unsplash)
¶ “Spain’s Nuclear Exit To Put Renewable Power Goals To Test” • Spain is proceeding with its plan to phase out nuclear power, despite appeals to reconsider. Bloomberg reported that officials are relying on renewable energy and battery storage to bridge the expected gap. Currently, nuclear power provides about 20% of the country’s electricity. [MSN]
US:
¶ “The Offshore Wind Industry Is Scheming For A Comeback” • The US offshore wind industry is all but dead in the water after this year’s abrupt shift in federal energy policy. But the wind will keep on blowing long after the next inauguration happens as scheduled on January 20, 2029, and the inevitable comeback is already under way. [CleanTechnica]
Plan of facility on Humboldt Bay (Courtesy HBHRCD, cropped)
¶ “Vietnam And Thailand Humiliating the USA ” • Over half of new car sales in China are plugin electric cars (full electrics or plugin hybrids), and 27% of new car sales in Europe are plugin electric cars. But in the US, we are below 10%, with a drop in EV share coming recently after a long climb toward 10%. And we are being beaten by much smaller countries. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Trump’s War On Wind Power Has One Very Big Exception” • Donald Trump seems to hate wind power. His son Eric, however, has inked a remarkable series of deals in a very different industry that the Trump empire he runs, becoming a major player in a complex network of cryptocurrency ventures that could become a vast new source of family wealth. [Mother Jones]
Have a merrily daffy day.
geoharvey 